I have the honor to talk to John Lawrence today, the author of PLAYING DOCTOR. My questions are below, followed by John's answers.

1) Please tell us about yourself.

I am a parent (chronically stressed), husband (working on communication skills), biker (falls off too frequently), avid skier, screenwriter & filmmaker (left myself plenty of room to improve in both areas), runner, surfer (not really, I’m terrible), who enjoys cooking, watching films, reading and writing.  The one thing I told my college career advisor I did not want to be was…a doctor…and now I’m a doctor. 

2) Please tell us about your book. 

The series Playing Doctor is intended to be an entertaining look behind the hospital doors of medical training. I took a slightly circuitous route to medical school (never planning to be a doctor) and after being accepted (surprisingly), started my training with short term memory loss and extreme fatigue due to some bike crash induced trauma — neither of which seemed advantageous for a medical student. The books follow the month-by-month rotations of medical training in medical school and residency.  

3) What inspired you to write this book? 

Slap-Happy call night fatigue in the hospitals! I used to send slightly manic stream of conscious emails to groups of friends when I was working overnight in hospital, sharing the stories of medical blunders, crazy patients, and the internal struggles with learning to be a doctor. When a friend asked about publishing the emails, I told her I would write the entire story. And the next day started writing. I hoped to entertain people with some blunt insight into doctor’s medical care, something almost everyone has experienced to a degree.

4) How long does it take you to write a book from start-to-finish? 

It might have taken a year to write this book from start to finish.  But that was for a first draft. One year. But then if we add in the research (i.e. four years of medical school, three years of residency training and the first year of working as a doctor), add the one year writing the first draft. Then sitting on it for years tweaking chapters, then rewriting each individual book, and rewriting after receiving editing notes….only a 15-year project!  It’s one thing to sit and write a book (or screenplay), which after research and prep might take 3-6-12 months — but then the re-writing can take equally as long and if you’re not careful carry on indefinitely!  That’s why deadlines are key for me to set some sort of end point.

5) What are you working on at the moment? 

Final edits on book three in the Playing Doctor series which will come out in Summer 2022. Rewriting a comedy/drama screenplay I will produce and direct after these books are all launched. 

About the Book

Title: PLAYING DOCTOR; PART TWO: RESIDENCY: (Blundering along with imposter syndrome)

Author: John Lawrence

Ready to learn how (not) to be a doctor?

Well, neither was John.

John’s adventures in medical training continue with this insightful, often hilarious, self-deprecating medical memoir of bumbling into residency with a severe case of imposter syndrome. This second part in the series brings John’s unique, irreverent and candid med-school storytelling to the world of residency training.

Initially, John penned email blasts while being held captive on-call nights. His descriptions of the escapades, mishaps, disorder, and terror that surrounded his training, led several friends to enquire if he has broken into the hospital pharmacy. Eventually, someone asked to publish the stories, so John replied that he’d write down the whole adventure of becoming a doctor from medical school through residency.

Author Bio
John Lawrence was born in New York, grew up England, and attended Georgetown University where he told his career advisor that the only thing he did not want to be was a doctor. He subsequently survived medical school and residency training in Utah.

John was not the typical medical student, sneaking out of the hospital whilst on-call to audition for television shows; writing film scripts (also available on Amazon!) and overcoming imposter syndrome. He went on to work as a doctor for 20 years in both traditional western medicine and functional medicine.

John’s varied non-medical resume includes river rafting guide, ski race coach, bagel baker, screenwriter, film director, and expedition doctor climbing Kilimanjaro with Olympic Hall of Fame athlete Chris Waddell.

Links

Visit the author’s website: https://johnlawrencewriter.com/
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Do you believe that many novelists choose to self‐publish out of frustration with trying to publish traditionally?
 
When self‐publishing on Amazon first became a thing, I do think most of those going it on their own were doing it out of frustration. I was one of them! Even though I self‐published my first book a short time after it was becoming the thing to do, I totally did it because I tried for almost three years to land an agent, but to no avail. But now, I think more and more authors are doing it because they feel it’s the better route for them, and are bypassing the query‐reject method altogether. Personally, I like both!
 
How important is it to understand the basics of publishing before delving into self‐publishing?
 
Writers need to understand that self‐publishing is not easy. Sure, you can write a book and upload it and start selling, but there is so much more to it than that. If a writer chooses to self‐publish they must commit to some hardcore self‐promoting and spending a lot of their own money (professional editing, giveaways, review copies, cover art, advertisements, etc.). Bypassing all of this stuff can leave your book buried beneath the avalanche of millions of other books competing for the same exposure.
 
Can you provide a few self‐publishing best practices you believe brought you literary success?
 
Some of what I’ve already mentioned are good practices, but also, I’d like to point out two things that I believe contributed to my success: kindness and professionalism. I’ve read a lot of horror stories from book reviewers who were verbally attacked by authors because they turned away a review request or gave a bad review, and similar stories about authors and agents. Know in advance that no matter how hard you worked to write your book that it’s not the next bestseller (until it is), that it isn’t better than J.K. Rowling or Stephen King and that you have absolutely no right to make these statements out loud to anyone. Period. And lastly, no matter how much it hurts your feelings or angers you, never reply to a bad review. Ever. Not even if something the reviewer said was 100% wrong. Just don’t do it.
 
 
​

About the Book

Title: Everything Under The Sun
Author: Jessica Redmerski
Genre: YA/NA Crossover; Dystopian
Thais Fenwick was eleven-years-old when civilization fell, devastated by a virus that killed off the majority of the world’s population. For seven years, Thais and her family lived in a community of survivors deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. But when her town is attacked by raiders, she and her blind sister are taken away to the East-Central Territory where she is destined to live the cruel and unjust kind of life her late mother warned her about.
Atticus Hunt is a troubled soldier in Lexington City who has spent the past seven years trying to conform to the vicious nature of men in a post-apocalyptic society. He knows that in order to survive, he must abandon his morals and his conscience and become like those he is surrounded by. But when he meets Thais, morals and conscience win out over conformity, and he risks his rank and his life to help her. They escape the city and set out together on a long and perilous journey to find safety in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Struggling to survive in a world without electricity, food, shelter, and clean water, Atticus and Thais shed their fear of growing too close, and they fall hopelessly in love. But can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?

Author Bio

Jessica Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, international bestseller, and award winner, who juggles several different genres. She began self-publishing in 2012, and later with the success of THE EDGE OF NEVER, signed on with Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance. Her works have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Jessica is a hybrid author who, in addition to working with a traditional publisher, also continues to self-publish. Her popular crime and suspense series, In the Company of Killers, has been optioned for television and film by actor and model William Levy.
She also writes as J.A. Redmerski.


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Please tell us about yourself. 
CHERYL MEYER AKA CHERYL M HEALTH MUSE
Cheryl is an entrepreneur and Type A personality.  For the last 20 years, she has owned a sterling silver jewelry company where she designed jewelry for major retailers.
 Previously, she was a General Store manager for a major department store where she managed and coached over 200 employees to be their best.
Cheryl is as Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, aka Cheryl M Health Muse.  She is a self-published author and an anti-toxin advocate.  Why did she become a health muse?  To put it simply, Cheryl got sick, very sick.  She had terrible pain and wasn’t finding answers.  Now on the road to wellness, she wants to share what she has learned to help others.  What can this health muse do for you?  Cheryl will inspire you to take charge of your life and reduce your pain.  She will help you find the answers you need for wellness.  She wants her journey back to wellness to help you in your journey.
Cheryl is a newly-wed, (at a ripe old age) and married for 2 years to her perfect match in the greater Pasadena, California area.  Cheryl happily reports, “I FEEL GREAT AGAIN, and so can you!”
Cheryl is available for individual and group coaching as well as public speaking and workshops.  You can contact her at [email protected] and follow her on Facebook as Cherylmhealthmuse or on her Facebook book page at It Feels Good To Feel Good, reverse inflammation
Want to be the first to know?  Follow what she is doing next and stay informed with the latest and the greatest new information.  Her newsletters and blogs will be all about living the good life pain-free without toxins and without deprivation.
NICHOLAS PATTON, ILLUSTRATOR
Nick Patton is a multidisciplinary artist living in Portland, OR.  He received his BFA in illustration from Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, OH and his MFA in Visual Studies from Pacific Northwest College of Art.  Nick currently serves as the shop manager for PNCA’s sculpture facilities while also completing freelance illustration projects and maintaining a fine art practice that ranges from printmaking to abstract sculpture.  For more information visit www.nickpattonart.com or contact Nick at [email protected] Special thanks to Nick for an outstanding job!!!
 
 
Please tell us about your book.
Synopsis:
Got Pain?  This book is for anyone with chronic pain looking for answers.  It will give you a place to start.  You don’t have to resign yourself to a life of pain and pills.  In this book you will learn: • What is causing your pain and how to eliminate it.  • How to find a practitioner that will help you gain back your health.  • Identify the toxins in your life.  Learn how to purge them.  • 3
What’s in your food?  Organic vs Conventional vs GMOs.  Processed food, fast food, canned goods, Dairy, meat, soda, soy, and sugar.  What’s in your water?  Identify your sensitivities and heal your leaky gut.  •34 stress busting ideas, and four simple exercises to reduce your stress.  • 32 suggestions from leading functional experts on how to get a good night’s sleep.  • How to recognize a toxic relationship and make it work or walk away.  • How to tame Anxious Negative Thoughts “ANTs.”  • How to take control of your health, reduce your inflammation and feel great again!
 
What inspired you to write "It Feels Good to Feel Good"? 
I got autoimmune disease 5 years ago and learned that “leaky gut” was a major contributor to my disease.  One of the main things that cause “leaky gut” are toxins.  As part of my get well journey, I started researching so that I could eliminate as many as I possibly could from my life.  I was appalled that they were everywhere.
 
I wasn’t offered anything other than medications when I talked to my conventional MD.  My parents both had unusual illnesses where the meds became more of a problem than the condition they were suffering from, so I knew that I didn’t want to go there unless there were no other options.  I discovered a new paradigm of medicine through my research called Functional Medicine.  These were medical doctors from reputable institutions that got sick themselves and looked for a better way.  Functional medicine is “root cause”  medicine.  They do have meds in their tool box, but they see the body as a whole, and run tests to heal the entire body, not just the body part that is diseased.  Rather than listening to a patients symptoms and prescribing a pill, they listen to the patient, and run tests to figure out the root cause of the symptoms so that they can heal it.  They believe in organic eating, and that the body has an amazing ability to “heal” itself if given the right nutrients.
In the beginning I didn’t even know what I was looking for.  I wrote the manual that I wish I had had when I started my journey.  I want to get this information out into the world to help others who find themselves in the same situation with their health and no knowledge on how to move forward.
How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work? 
At the moment I am writing articles and webinars to get my message out to the world.  This is a full time job along with a health coaching business.
 
When I was writing It Feels Good to Feel Good the book took over my mind and my fingers and was begging to be written. I joke that I think I somewhat channeled it.  I wrote all 350 pages in 2 months, from 7 to 7 writing 7 days a week.  The next book is evolving more slowly but will come together in the end just as quickly.
 
What are you working on at the moment? 
Right now I am concentrating on marketing my book, and on getting health clients for my coaching business.  I pain to publish book 2 sometime early in 2018.

 

About the Book

Title: It Feels Good to Feel Good
Author: Cheryl Meyer
Genre: Non-Fiction / Health
Got Pain?
This book is for anyone with chronic pain looking for answers. It will give you a place to start. You don’t have to resign yourself to a life of pain and pills.
In this book you will learn:
* What is causing your pain and how to eliminate it.
* How to find a practitioner that will help you gain back your health.
* What’s in your food? Organic, conventional, GMOs processed, fast, canned, dairy, factory farmed meat, soy, water.  Identify your sensitivities and heal your leaky gut.
* Identify the toxins in your life. in  your cosmetics, over the counter drugs,in you kitchen, in your body. Learn how to purge them.
* 34 stress busting ideas, and four simple exercises to reduce your stress.
* 32 suggestions from leading functional experts on how to get a good night’s sleep..
* How to recognize a toxic relationship and make it work or walk away.
* How to tame Anxious Negative Thoughts “ANTs”.
* The importance of movement, even for people who don’t like to move
* How to take control of your health, reduce your inflammation and feel great again!

Author Bio

About Cheryl Meyer aka Cheryl M Health Muse and her book, “It Feels Good to Feel Good, learn about toxins, reducing inflammation and feel great again.”
Five years ago, Cheryl got sick, really sick.  It was a perfect storm: she was working 24/7; her long-term relationship imploded; economic changes slowed her business; she got Type II diabetes; she was taking care of everyone else; her stress was out of control.
Then one morning … viola, Cheryl woke up in incredible pain that didn’t go away. Her doctor didn’t recognize what it was and thought it was in her head.
Cheryl didn’t want more pills, so she embarked on her own journey to find wellness.  When she started, she didn’t even know what she was looking for.  She was stunned to find toxins in every aspect of her life that were poisoning her.  She discovered the Functional Medicine community.  She was tested for food sensitivities.
This book shares everything that Cheryl learned to reverse her inflammation and put her autoimmune diseases at bay.  This is the get well manual that she wishes had been available when she got sick. The book is about first identifying  that toxins that were a significant cause of her leaky gut, then she identified  what  the toxins were  and finally she shares what she replaced them with. She addresses the toxins in our food, in our cosmetics, our cleaning supplies, our kitchen utensils, our water, our over the counter drugs, and even in our heads, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, lack of movement and finally toxic relationships.  She wants to help others find a path to wellness.
Cheryl is now relatively pain-free, but still considers herself a work in progress.  She avoids the foods and spices on her specific, long list of problem foods.  She has purged toxins.  She has released stress and nagging worry.  She has learned to find joy in movement.  She has found love.  She is grateful.
Cheryl believes that following her journey will help you live a long, happy and pain-free life.
In order to help others, Cheryl has become a Holistic Health Coach, certified from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition©.
My book has won the following awards to date:

• 3rd place CIPA EVVY Health/Wellness,
• 2nd Place CIPA EVVY Illustrator in a non-children’s book
• New Apple Summer Digital sole winner in Health/medical
• The Living Evergreen Award Gold winner for books that exemplify better living.
• It is in the top 10 from Write your Own Dream Book, November 17, Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
• TOP 12 Books on the Spirited Woman Fall Equinox 2017 book list.

Book Reviews

“It Feels Good to Feel Good, learn to eliminate toxins, reduce inflammation and feel great again” is written by Cheryl Meyer, a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition®, where she completed a cutting edge curriculum in nutrition and health coaching taught by the world’s leading experts in health and wellness.  I recommend you read this book and be in touch with Cheryl (Cheryl M Health Muse ) to see how she can help you successfully achieve your goals.
– Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, Founder/Director, Institute for Integrative Nutrition
If you want to truly feel better…clean up! Just one tip from Cheryl’s book will change your life. She has written the ultimate source for getting well through detoxification.”Suzy Cohen, RPh Author of “Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients and How to Restore Them.”
“You have taken putting soap in the mouth for naughty words …” to a New Level!  LOL Who knew we were surrounded by so many toxins.
I’ve pretty much finished your book now working on giving sections to my family and friend that I think will especially appreciate certain chapters!  YOU, my Dear, have found your calling, YOU make this rather “dull” subject a Very Good, interesting read, with fun personal touches along the way.
I LOVE your book; I hope people will embrace it.  Why worry so much about health care if we keep killing ourselves with poison.  We can all start with eliminating the toxins out of our lives.              Val Peterson
“As a Functional Medicine Doctor who partners with patients to deal with the root causes of their symptoms, it was a pleasure to read a book that offers such a comprehensive yet simple approach to improve health, reduce inflammation and pain, lose weight and increase energy. This is a great reference to keep in reach on your own journey to optimal wellness.  If you are struggling with chronic symptoms like digestive problems, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders, this book may really help you. It lays out practical tools that you can use right away and at your own pace, everything from how to change your shopping choices to getting more comprehensive medical testing to reduce your toxic burden. Her simple to understand, well researched and easy-to-adopt tools can be helpful to even the busiest among us.”   Dr. Shilpa Sayana, Founder and Medical Director, Sayana Wellness Centers
“Cheryl has been not only been an exemplary patient, she has made it her mission to inspire and help others with her experience and knowledge!”   Susan Spizer, MTCM, L.Ac.
“She writes like she talks, straight and with passion.  What you will read here will surprise you. A helpful read that you will refer back time and time again for reference.” Scott Lee, Master, Body and Brain Yoga, Monrovia
“My friend, Cheryl Meyer has written a book that I recently finished called “It feels good to feel good”. It has a lot of common sense solutions (many that you would never think of) to healthy, toxin free living designed around the reduction of inflammation through what you put in and on your body. Most of this is from her personal experience. I know Cheryl to be one of the finest people you’ll ever know. Cheryl’s also a big proponent of “functional medicine”. If you are unfamiliar with this form of medical practice, you need to read her book. It will change the way you think”.  Frank Jones
Cheryl’s book is as timely as it is informative. This is an excellent read for those seasoned in the holistic lifestyle as well as those just beginning. There is something for everyone. Her material covers everything from probiotics, house cleaning materials, and abdominal massages, to which teas to drink for better sleep. She has the latest information on metal detoxing and extensive research on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.
Cheryl provides real solutions that can be implemented far beyond the basics with a bend toward functional medicine. I personally ordered three products within hours of reading her book. I’m especially thrilled with the depth of her research around relationships and those that can be toxic. Make sure to read this book and hold onto the “not to miss points” at the beginning of each section.
Shannon Eavenson, Author, & Physical Therapist/Health Coach




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Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Deanna Martinez-Bey. I am a writer, baker, runner, wife and mother of two. I am from New Jersey and live in North Carolina. My ideal day would be spent under a cozy blanket, drinking coffee watching the Food Network! I am also a food blogger and recipe creator! 

Please tell us about your books.
I write self-transformation novels. My characters begin living one way and after self discovery they change for the better and live a happier, healthier life. 

What inspired you to write your book?
I am a survivor of domestic violence. There were parts of this book that were difficult to write because the main character, Stephanie, is also a domestic violence survivor. I want this book to help and inspire those who need to leave or have left a domestic violence situation. 

How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work?
It varies from week to week. I usually write at night and on the weekends because I do have a family and also work outside of our home. If I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing or making notes pertaining to what to write... it all counts! 
​
What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a novella series! My plan is to write a minimum of eight novellas. My goal is to have a television series developed from this series of books!

About the Book

Title: Hot Cocoa, Green Tea and The Man Who Sweetened My Heart
Author: Deanna Martinez-Bey
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Stephanie had been held hostage in an abusive marriage for nearly twelve years. She was manipulated, controlled and abused by her mentally unstable husband. The last physical altercation drove Stephanie to begin a new life, alone, just her and her ten-year-old son, Ray.
Stephanie made an exit plan. She would find a new school for Ray, a full-time job and a place to live and just when she thought that life would be calm and peaceful, her monster of a husband, soon to be ex-husband would rear his ugly head.
Stephanie winds up meeting a new friend through work. As time passes, they find that they are developing feelings for one another. After the divorce is final her ex-husband stirs up trouble yet again.
Would Stephanie and her new friend become an item or would all the trouble from her ex-monster have him packing his bags and running? Would Stephanie finally be awarded full custody of her son or would her ex sabotage that from ever happening?
Hot Cocoa, Green Tea, And the Man Who Sweetened My Heart, is a compelling story of love, fear, hatred and self-transformation with a touch of humor, intimacy and a hint of the paranormal.


___________________________________________________________________________


“That day, I decided that a battered and bruised physical body, damaged emotions, and what felt like a broken ankle was not going to keep me from finding happiness. The hunt was on!”

Author Bio

Deanna has always aspired to be a writer. She started writing poetry and short stories and the young age of seven.
Born in New Jersey, Deanna currently lives in a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina. She says. “I will always be a Jersey girl at heart.” Which is why she came up with her own recipe for, New Jersey coffee cake, that she shares at the end of this book. She has had several of her original recipes published over the years. They have been featured in publications such as: Taste of Home Magazine, Taste of Home “Best Of” cookbooks, Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, local magazines and Women’s Day online, to name a few.


Deanna’s other published works:
Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star
When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Coffee!
 
Deanna’s contact information:
Website:          www.deannamartinezbey.com
Facebook:       Author: Deanna Martinez-Bey @deannamartinezbey
Instagram:      writer_deanna
Twitter:                       Cookrunwrite
Blog:               https://bookwriterdeanna.blogspot.com/
YouTube:                    Author Deanna Martinez-Bey
  
Purchase Links: 
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA

Please tell us about yourself.
Hi, there. My name is Greta, and I write fairy tales for the wicked. I have no interest in heroes. I write villains. You know the type. Dark, handsome, ruthless. Probably has plans for world domination and a huge…ahem…heart. Otherwise, I’m an avid reader, a lover of music, and a comic book snob. Mostly, I spend my days writing.  

Please tell us about your books.
New Gotham is my fictional world and the root of my series. All my books are retellings of classical literature, fairy tales, or sometimes a mashups of both. I try to stay close to the original tale or text, which means expect stories with some grit. In New Gotham, fairy tales are about the struggle. I think we should celebrate the struggle.

Also, while I give my monsters my own twist, I try to write them as they were originally depicted in mythology. This makes them “Horror” grade monsters in a paranormal contemporary world. If you’re looking for “soft-core” paranormal, where werewolves and shifters are cuddly and cute, beware.

What inspired you to write Cry Wolf?
This book originated as a short story that was published in an anthology. Soon after its release readers requested a second book, which I gave them. I was never truly satisfied with the way I had written either story, so I decided to dedicate myself to rewriting the tales. This was also be the first time we took an intimate look at New Gotham’s shifters and werewolves. I had a blast creating their culture and exploring the challenges they face in a world where monsters and humans are struggling to live together peacefully.

The root of the plot and the characters were, of course, mainly inspired by Aesop’s the Boy Who Cried Wolf tale, the symphonic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf, and David P. Mannix’s The Fox and the Hound.

How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work?
I write fulltime, and I work fulltime.
For my writing career, I divide my free time between marketing (25%), editing (25%), and writing (50%). Right now, I’m averaging anywhere from 50 – 60 hour work weeks.
​
What are you working on at the moment?
Readers have asked to read about Peter’s brother, Sebastian. I aim to please. (wink)

About the Book

Title: Cry Wolf
Author: Greta Stone
Genre: M/M Urban fantasy

Everything you know is a lie.

Sly fox, misanthrope, and resident comic nerd, Peter, has earned his nickname as the Boy Who Cried Wolf. He’s surrounded by chaos.  It doesn't matter if Peter has angelic intentions or diabolical plans—mass pandemonium will ensue. When he mimics the howl of a long-lost friend, the consequences are disastrous.
With no recollection of his past, the wolf, Luca, remains hidden in the shadows.  Otherwise, he'll have no future.  But when someone steals Luca’s howl and forces him to investigate, he ends up stranded with a mouthy fox who insists they were friends once upon a time.

The Underwood is a dangerous place.

They have two choices: work together or die.

Experience the timeless story of friendship, love, and loss in a Gothic, realistic retelling of your favorite childhood classics, Aesop's fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf and David P. Mannix's classic novel The Fox and the Hound.




Author Bio

Greta is the unruly offspring of a tiger and a dragon. She spends most of her time reading, stalking Goodreads, and harassing other authors with pranks.



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​Please tell us about yourself. 
 
I’m a 23-year-old New Orleans native. In the city, I’m known for my art. I’ve been exhibited in galleries and museums. People commission me for portraits and other illustrations, but most people commission me for my choices in alternative mediums. I create paintings out of coffee and wine. Clients tell me what their favorite coffee is, and I paint their portrait out of what they drink. I use traditional mediums as well. My entire house always smells like coffee and paint. I try to have a variety of skills to please my patrons, because I never know what someone would want next. I’m always willing to learn and try new things, so I won’t become idle or stagnant. Every day, I draw and write something to refine my skills and rendering hand. I hate being idle.
 
Tell us about your book.
 
The Sanguinarian Id is a culmination of my love, fear, and fascination of art, WWI, WWII, medical malpractice, monsters, and action. It follows the main protagonist Hael, a dhampir, as she hunts through ruins and battle grounds of WWII, in order to find the madman responsible for her state of being. As she weaves her way through slums, barricades, and Europe’s underground, she encounters hordes of Nazis, vampires, and other hellish creatures, alongside a body trail left by her target, Mendelson. As a half-vampire of unknown origins, she battles soldier after soldier, as she finds others that share her plight. This book is the first in The Sanguinarian Id series. There are plenty of historical references, blood, action, debauchery, monsters, and violence. Unlike other books with vampires, I incorporate different species of vampires from around the world, such as the Alp, Nosferatu, Umpier, and the Gaki. There will be more vampire breeds as the series continues. As stated in my book, it’s a ‘contortion of malpractice, monsters, and madness’. It’s an illustrated novel. Illustrated works like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland attracted me as a kid, so I wanted to make an illustrated book for adults. Alongside writing the book, I created all of the interior artwork and cover artwork myself.
 
What inspired you to write The Sanguinarian Id?
 
People ask kids in school, “What’s your favorite movie?” Most children always replied with either Nickelodeon or Disney films. I loved Disney as well, but, at 9-years-old, I’d experienced a great deal of childhood trauma via suffering with severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis, bullying due to my skin condition, being experimented on with different medications for Psoriasis treatment, and abuse, so my favorite movies were Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Psychology, WWI, WWII, medicine, malpractice, malfeasance, deviants, and the occult fascinated me. For me, the more macabre and dark it was, the more alluring it was, because the pain in those films was real to me. I was never satisfied with G or PG-13 rated films. Alongside this, my aunt studied to be a Registered Nurse. As she studied, she showed me her medicinal and anatomy books. I’d draw the dissections and bare muscles. This made watching horror movies, like Hannibal, more interesting, since I could name the organs that spilled out. In my first semester of high school, I wrote the first drafts of The Sanguinarian Id. By that time, I fueled all my drawings with all the anger and hurt I had from my childhood. I was neck deep in anatomical drawings, slasher films, comic book, graphic art, WWII, and medical book references. Barnes & Noble and Borders were my favorite places to go to get more reading materials. As I asked my mom for more and more books, I thought, ‘I draw every day. I can write. I’ve been through shit. Why isn’t my work in here?’ I wanted to make a character that had the power to get revenge, like I wanted to as a kid. I wanted to manifest all the bullies and abusers as the monsters they were, so I could gouge them out as I pleased. For once in my life, through art and writing, I was able to satiate my pain and have a flicker of control. After that, every day in high school, I hand wrote the beginnings of The Sanguinarian Id. During this time, my teacher was David Pierson. Before teaching English, David was a writer and editor. When I showed him my art and my handwritten manuscript, he told me how to type a proper manuscript, and he let me come to his classroom at lunch every day to have me read my work to him. If it wasn’t for David teaching me how to write and format, I would’ve never had the foundation to get my work published.
 
How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work? 
 
In a week, I’d say maybe 15 to 25 hours. Outside of having a full-time job and lists of art commissions, I try to write and illustrate for my book every night as much as I can. The pacing changes from week to week.
 
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment, I’m working on editing and illustrating The Sanguinarian Id II, creating the graphic novel rendition of The Sanguinarian Id, and formatting new templates for the novel’s website.

​About the Book

Title: The Sanguinarian Id
Author: L.M. Labat
Artist: L.M. Labat
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Occult, Gothic Horror
Publisher: Night to Dawn Magazine & Books
She’s been beaten, stabbed, poisoned, and shot, but Hael refuses to die. In her pursuit for vengeance and her origin, the Dhampir Hael hunts down the madman responsible for her fateful transformation. As this half-vampire juggernauts her way through a world at war, Hael battles hordes of Nazi soldiers as she struggles to maintain her sanity. However, while Hael gathers knowledge on how to trap and kill her target, her adversary’s network is expanding at an exponential rate, as his sick obsession with Hael grows deeper. Will she have her revenge? Will she find her origin? Or, will she crumble beneath her own insidious bloodlust?
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Author Bio

Born in 1993, L. M. Labat stems from New Orleans, Louisiana. From the struggles of a broken family and surviving life-threatening events, Labat found refuge within the arts while delving into the fields of medicine, psychology, and the occult. While combining illustration and literature, L. M. Labat was able to cope with endless nightmares as well as hone in on artistic techniques. From confronting the past to facing new shadows, this author gladly invites audiences into the horror of The Sanguinarian Id.


Links

The Sanguinarian Id Website
Website Creator: L. M. Labat
https://thesanguinarianid.com/
Night to Dawn Magazine & Books Website:
Night to Dawn Magazine & Books Webiste
The Sanguinarian Id on Amazon
The Sanguinarian Id on B&N

​Please tell us about yourself. 

Hi! I’m Lisa Hahn, a romance writer from Northern New Jersey. I write contemporary and historical romance, though only my contemporaries are currently available for purchase. I have two rescue dogs: Cassie is a Lab/Boxer mix and Jonas is a Shetland Sheepdog. We have a cat, too. His name is Blueberry. I’m a vegan and a yogi. I work out a lot. The Seattle Seahawks are my favorite team. I also won the championship in fantasy football league this year. I’m not done bragging about that yet.

Tell us about your books.

I write steamy romance, so while all my books have a sex scene or two, they aren’t wholly erotic. I focus more on the emotional relationship between the characters. I prefer small towns over urban and exotic settings, and I like to write characters who are passionate about something outside of their romantic pursuits.

What inspired you to write Sweet?

I used to dance, and ballet was far and away my favorite discipline. I’d tried reading a few romances with heroines who danced and found myself distracted by the inaccuracies. I wanted to write a book that stayed true to the discipline. I also liked the idea of each book in the Bretton Falls Ballet series being inspired by a different ballet. So many authors are rooting their stories in fairy tales or Jane Austen novels, so I was sort of inspired by that method of storytelling.

How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work? 

I don’t know exactly, but it’s a lot! I have so much respect for people who work full-time jobs while trying to do this.

What are you working on at the moment?

​I’m working on the second book in the Bretton Falls Ballet series and a historical western that takes place in 1870s Helena, Montana.

About the Book

Title: Sweet
Author: Lisa Hahn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cat Brown spends the first six years of her career as one of the lowest-ranking members of the Bretton Falls Ballet. Despite the dancer’s undisputable talent, artistic director Lillian Smith insists Cat is too short for a leading role. When Lillian is forced to retire, world-renowned ballet dancer Dmitri Fedorov takes over and casts Cat as the premier performer in his first production with the company. Cat struggles to fend off a host of distractions as she prepares for the most important role of her career: the most insurmountable of which is her instant attraction to the new boss.
Dmitri, once known for his theatrical performances and womanizing proclivities, disappears into seclusion after a horrific car accident shatters his knee and renders him unable to dance. Looking to escape the constant reminders of how far he’s fallen, Dmitri escapes to Bretton Falls in hopes of elevating the small ballet company there to international prestige. The task proves to be more challenging than Dmitri had bargained for when his surprising interest in Cat Brown becomes fodder for gossip among the company.
Cat and Dmitri both have a lot riding on their upcoming production of The Nutcracker, knowing that their careers depend upon the outcome. However, the biggest challenge they face will be staying away from one another.

Author Bio

Lisa Hahn writes romance novels across multiple sub-genres. She’s interested in stories that take place in either small towns or strange worlds, and she strives to create honest, passionate characters her readers can relate to.
Currently, Lisa and her husband live in northern New Jersey with their two dogs (Jonas and Cassie) and their cat (Blueberry). When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found reading, practicing yoga, working out, watching professional wrestling, stitching a piece of embroidery, making/eating vegan food, and rooting for the Seattle Seahawks.

Links

www.bylisahahn.com
www.twitter.com/bylisahahn
www.facebook.com/bylisahahn

About the Book

Title: Eidolons
Author: Harrison Fountain
Genre: Literary Fantasy
When TK dies in a car accident, the Grim Reaper gives him a second chance at life, but he says it’s more fun being a ghost. As he haunts his small Iowa town, his sleek shell of sarcasm cracks to a terrified lonely inner self. Find out why he’d rather be dead.

Author Bio

These author bios are generally in third person, right? That’s a little weird for me so--
Harrison Fountain said, “In Kindergarten, Mrs. Augustson sent me to Special Ed because of my speech impediment, the result of a 4-year-long ear infection that garbled the input and so a few letters needed the pronunciation corrected. I had to work on my Ss, Cs, Ks, Ws, Rs, Bs, Ps, Ts, Qs, Ds, Xs, Ls, and Ns.
Every year in elementary school, Scholastic gave students a hardback book with empty cream pages for us to scribble in as part of a school-wide contest. I never won. The kid in my grade who did plagiarized If You Give A Mouse a Cookie and those biased, paid-off judges didn’t even mention my amalgamation of the Silver Surfer and the Human Torch.
Still, I kept writing, finishing my first novel in my 7th grade Physical Science spiral notebook where the narrator’s best friend was an orange alien with green hair named Carrot. My next novel about a boxer, I started in high school before I’d ever even watched boxing, and fighters called out their moves (“The Double Rocket Upper—no, wait! It’s a TRIPLE ROCKET UPPERCUT!!!”) like they were Pokemon.
No one taught me to write until my second year at college when Mr. Johnson called me to his office as he did with all his creative writing students and then he bloodied my first draft of a character sketch claiming his marks were “just ink.” I almost cried. A few visits later, I’d written a character sketch about my sister’s divorce and the family dog. He crossed out a lot like usual. Told me why. Then he scrawled an A at the top. It’d be my first published short story (http://www.orangepeals.com/short-stories/loving-a-mutt/).
The pride felt earned for once.
While studying in Wales without satellite TV or an Xbox, I started a blog called Nothing Fazes a Ghost, where I posted weekly chapters. Those 10,000 views with ad revenue earned enough for a pizza. After a few years and a few drafts, it became Eidolons.
I also teach English to adorable Korean kids who, in turn, teach me cutie poses.”

Links

Author Website
Short Stories
Buy on Amazon

Q. Please tell us about yourself.
 
A. Born in North Carolina, raised in Virginia, I have strong roots in the Appalachian mountain region, and have lived in West Virginia and Tennessee. I’m proud of that heritage dating back to mostly European settlers in the late 1600s in the United States, and even further in North America with my Native American ancestry, which brings a rich diversity to the mix. As a former newspaper, radio, and television journalist, I also worked in Ohio and Kentucky covering stories. Now in the communications consulting business, I live with my husband, the self-styled Agent Provocateur, JonRe Pell, in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. As connoisseurs of well-told stories, rock ‘n’ roll music, impressionist art, golf, tennis, oysters, and fun people, we stay active. When chillin’ we stream a lot of movies and television shows, eat a bit of fresh-popped popcorn, and read a wide range of books, newspapers, and magazines, everything from the latest investigative and political intrigue shows and spy stories, to recorded late night comedy, dystopian adventures, and historical and alternative fiction. The lovable JonRe inspired some of the hotter scenes in Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple, which is warmer and more colorful than any shades of grey.
 
Q. Tell us about your book. 
 
A. Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple is a tale of mystery, murder, and love in a parallel universe, with a bit of humor. The protagonist, Addy O’Malibul, is a former journalist who is convicted of murder and imprisoned on a planet called Malaprop, strikingly similar to Earth, but with a few twists and many Dystortions in translations of data transmissions from a planet known as Hearth. Glitched up radio communications are bombarding Malaprop – a world where fearful national security analysts, politicians, and P.R. flacks re-write history and distort facts to recreate their reality in Hearth’s image. The Dystortions in those radio communications sometimes appear to twist words backwards and create opposite meanings, but maybe also reveal underlying truths. There’s just enough good science and wacked-out myth-busting to make the story hauntingly credible – and enough saucy romance to keep things hot.
 
Q. What inspired you to write Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple? 
 
A. Just before Christmas on December 23, 2002, it was the anniversary of my late mother’s death. My husband had open heart surgery that turned out to be more harrowing than expected, I was recovering from a miscarriage, my business was a shambles due to the recession, and I was deeply in debt, making mortgage payments for my townhouse with credit cards. I was distracting myself from my troubles by watching late-night comedy and listening to the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour during the commercials. After Paul McCartney’s “Your Mother Should Know,” which always makes me think of my mother, comes John Lennon’s “I am the Walrus,” with its trippy otherworldly swirl of crazy lyrics and juxtapositions. Then, back to late-night comedy, came a joke about a politician speaking in amusing malapropisms. I thought, wonder what it would be like to be someone else, in a different world where malapropisms rained, er, reigned, on a planet named Malaprop? So, with a few mal-appropriate thoughts in mind, I decided to escape down that rabbit hole, feverishly writing all the way. I hint at, but wildly exaggerate the situation and those feelings in Chapter 24, entitled “December 23, 2502,” but delve deeper into the rock ‘n’ roll music angle in my next novel in the series, Dystortions: Purple Haze. It’s a rock ‘n’ roll mystery in a parallel universe.
 
Q. How much time per week do you spend writing/editing your work?
 
A. Probably at least 30 hours. During the work week, my day job involves quite a bit of writing and editing, and then I play with social media during my 50-minute train commute each way to and from work. Sometimes I’ll spend an hour or so writing in the evenings. Most of my personal writing happens on weekends and holidays, about four hours each day, sometimes more if I’m on a deadline or particularly engrossed in a subject.
 
Q. What are you working on at the moment?
 
A.  Currently I’m reviewing and finalizing the manuscripts for my next two novels, Dystortions: Purple Haze (a rock ‘n’ roll mystery in a parallel universe) and Dystortions: Purple Reigns (the mystery of celebrity in a parallel universe). I’m hoping to get them out in the next year or so. Once I complete those projects I’ll turn back to working on a fourth in the series, Dystortions: The Spy Who Wooed Me, as well as outlines for two more: Dystortions: The Tweet Bounced ‘Round the Universe, and Dystortions: Game of Bones. Then I may move on to something else – or just keep going with possible morphs of Dystortions. With recent and ongoing news of space missions to observe Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, asteroids, and other celestial bodies, the discoveries of water and other elements that could support life, and the increasing attention to commercial space travel and complications posed by space junk, the Dystortions series continues to feed my curiosities. I get such a kick out of writing these stories and feel passionately about the subject matter – the vagaries of language, the value of history, the nature and intensity of hot and hurtful relationships, and how personal freedoms are constrained or set free.

About the Book

Title: Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple
Author: Lisa Pell
Genre: Scifi / Mystery
Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple is a tale of mystery, murder, and love in a parallel universe, with a bit of humor. Addy O’Malibul is a former journalist who is convicted of murder and imprisoned on a planet called Malaprop, strikingly similar to Earth, but with a few twists and many Dystortions in translations of data transmissions from a planet known as Hearth. Glitched up radio communications are bombarding Malaprop – a world where fearful national security analysts, politicians, and P.R. flacks re-write history and distort facts to recreate their reality in Hearth’s image. The Dystortions in those radio communications sometimes appear to twist words backwards and create opposite meanings, but maybe also reveal underlying truths.
There’s just enough good science and wacked-out myth-busting to make the story hauntingly credible – and enough saucy romance to keep things hot. It’s much warmer and more colorful than any shades of grey.

Author Bio

ABOUT LISA PELL: An award-winning former newspaper, radio, and television journalist, Pell has spent most of her career in the communications business. Her critically acclaimed first novel, Who’s Your Daddy, Baby? (Aberdeen Bay, 2012), was selected for a Virginia Federation of Press Women award. Born in North Carolina, Pell was raised in Virginia, is a graduate of George Mason University, and attended Harvard Business School. She has strong roots in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia, and has lived in Tennessee and West Virginia, where she covered news stories in Kentucky and southern Ohio. Connoisseurs of well-told stories, rock ‘n’ roll music, impressionist art, golf, tennis, oysters, and fun people, Pell and her husband, the self-styled Agent Provocateur, JonRe Pell, live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.
​
Buy on  Amazon
Barnes and Noble: B&N
Facebook: Facebook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisapell
Website: http://www.lisapell.com

Please tell us about yourself.

My name is K.D. Friedrich and I write paranormal and contemporary romance. Paranormal Romance is one of my favorite genres to write. It allows me to immerse myself in a world with no limits. Anything can happen and to our delight...it usually does.
 
Please tell us about your book.

Passion of a Witch is a story about Summer Leery, a witch expected to enter into an arranged marriage with a very powerful man. Kian Lancaster is a human forced to work for his father's ruthless company. Both are faced with a bleak future when they meet. Determined to resist the male at all costs, Summer ignores her growing desire. Not only is he human and ignorant to her kinds existence, but he's a distraction she can't afford. Is Summer strong enough to resist Kian's charm? Or will she risk it all to taste the power of love? Find out in book 1 of this new paranormal romance series.
 
What inspired you to write Passion of a Witch?

I've wanted to write a series with supernatural beings, since my addiction for paranormal romance began years ago. It's my favorite genre to read.
 
How much time per week do you spend writing / editing your work?

I spend about 25 hours a week working on my manuscripts. If I'm lucky and I have off from the day job, I can spend twice that writing or editing.
 
What are you working on at the moment?
​
I'm currently working on Heart of a Wolf Book 2 in A Wicked Series. I just hit 42,000 words and I'm ahead of schedule on it. I really like the direction the characters are leading me and the surprises the story keeps offering.
​

About the Book

Title: Passion of a Witch
Author: K.D. Friedrich
Genre: Paranormal Romance
In a few weeks, Summer Leery will be mated. For most witches, it’s a time to celebrate, but Summer isn’t smiling. Her upcoming union is one of convenience, not love, contracted between her family and one of the most powerful families in the coven. As always, Summer’s loyalty remains with her kin and the traditions she’s expected to follow. No matter how much she detests her future husband. With her parents off to secure her nuptials, Summer is eager to enjoy her last moments of freedom.
Kian Lancaster’s relationship with his father is volatile. So finding himself at the bastard’s mercy is the last place Kian wants to be. Unfortunately, he has no choice. His mother is suffering from an unknown illness and needs constant care. Care that costs money. Money Kian doesn’t have. With little options, he lets his father pay his mother’s mounting medical bills, knowing the offer comes with a heavy price. Kian must work for his father’s ruthless company. Looking to forget his bleak future, he plans a nostalgic night of liquor and fun in the local woods. Unaware his destiny lurks in the shadows of towering pine.
Summer is shocked to find a human trespassing on her family’s land. More surprising is that the Goddess to all witches demands Summer welcome the cursed intruder. Summer has no time to waste playing host to a foolish human. No matter how handsome. With her wedding weeks away, Kian’s a temptation she can’t afford to entertain. But when her deity makes a decree to bring the male into the supernatural world… what’s a witch to do?
Kian’s about to find out. For the first time in his life, a woman didn’t fall to her knees to please him. Summer’s apathy shackled his lust and refused to let go. Kian knows he should stay away from Summer, but when it comes to this woman, he can’t get enough.
Their attraction is instant, their desire intense. Two hearts forced together by the will of a Goddess. Is Summer strong enough to resist Kian’s charm? Or will she risk it all to taste the power of love?

Author Bio

K. D. Friedrich is a writer of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. A lifelong New Yorker, an overprotective mother (her daughter’s words), and an obsessed reader of everything romance. Most days, you can find her hard at work, creating intricate worlds and compelling characters, hot alpha heroes being her favorite. Her novel, Soul Tie Seduction, placed second in the 2013 Golden Palm contest for Paranormal Romance and was a finalist in the 2016 Golden Quill for Paranormal Romance.
 
Links

Website
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Goodreads
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