Author Spotlight- Interview with Constantine Dhonau and his Poetry Memoir Collateral Intentions

Bio: Constantine was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and raised by his mother and his aunt. A wholesome Boy Scout and frontman for Tampa ska/punk band: H1N1, he attended St. Petersburg College for his Associate of Arts and New College of Florida for his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He escaped to Colorado in 2015 where he served with AmeriCorps and later pursued his dream to become a wilderness therapy field guide, completing 550 field days.

He enjoys writing,
tea, cooking, brooding, dancing, yoga,
astronomy reprehensibly long walks, movies, being outdoors
etc. & such forth.

Blurb:
THE ARGONAUTS (Nelson) meets SEE A GROWN MAN CRY/NOW WATCH HIM DIE (Rollins) in this raw & rattling Memoir-meets-Chapbook spanning more than 10 years of writing [50k words]! Rummagings of journals, shoebox scraps, forgotten notes, and letters to loved ones come together to tell one writer’s coming-of-age and his quest for unconditional self-love by dissecting his darkness. Each one-year chapter explores love, regret, identity, existence, ambition, depression, and the insanity of it all, neatly coming to a close with Constantine Dhonau’s fireside banter of contextual backstory for each chapter.


Author Website: https://constantinedhonau.com/
Here’s a FREE GALLEYhttps://booksirens.com/book/E8XP6L8/HKCQFP9

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Here are a few opinions (and I’d love to hear your honest thoughts too!):

“…a veritable gift of living poiesis for the soul…a divinely inspired offering of transparent truth and personal revelation born from a life-transforming encounter with all too often denied, and at times necessarily despised parts of oneself.”

“…exactly the kind of unpretentious yet sophisticated document that serves as both a spiritual handbook and an inspirational artifact.”

“Without fail, the compelling images, thoughts, and feelings, expressed through the self explorations of a young person straddling the thresholds of adolescence to adulthood have provided potent learnings into understanding what’s most important – how to be wholehearted and genuinely human.”

“Even now as I read the first page I laughed out loud. I think if you choose to buy this book, I believe you may find something in it to make you wonder, make you laugh, make you want to be a better person, and make you appreciate life just a little bit more.”

“…it peels back layers and defenses in one’s own psyche and relays the message of vulnerability that is universally common in being human and necessary in the journey of self-love.”

What is the name of your book and how did you get started?

Collateral Intentions started as a personal project to compile my writing from all the little stores I had it socked away, mostly scrawled across journals. In the process of retracing pages of myself and my life, I would casually talk about it with friends and strangers and I started getting requests to buy a copy once it was finished. Through the editing process, all these poems and letters still felt a bit “unsupported”. It didn’t seem enough to bring a comprehensive collection together. I started to get questions from readers, “How did you come up with this?”, “What was happening in your life?” and it clicked: poetic memoir hybrid. Each chapter is about one year of my life and ends with a snippet of what that year entailed: lessons learned, love risen and lost, developmental breakthroughs, the wild unknown, and the like. Now, it’s all polished and shiny for your dazzling, hungry eyes.


What inspires you?

Darkness has historically been a primary source of inspiration. For one, I am NOT a morning person. Never have been, probably never will be. I’m quite at peace with that. When I was a child my mom and I had daily fights in the morning to get me roused and moving. When I was a late teen my girlfriend and I had nocturnal flying squirrels as pets. I was typically one of a handful roaming my college campus in the hours before dawn. Darkness is peaceful for me. I also draw upon interior darkness. Those gritty, gristly places that are uncomfortable. I try to be with them when they come knocking and give them a voice, lest they end up trying to control me after ignoring them. That inner darkness brings me wisdom and understanding if I can meet it with acceptance. 


What does success look like to you?

Success as a writer means being able to look back at what I’ve created with surprise and delight. Success as an author means getting the book to a point that it begins to sell itself, generating passive income even in the most meager amount. Success as an artist means continuing to challenge the norms we live in, to shine a light on them enough to invite the question, “Are you sure this is what you want to be doing?”


What is your favorite movie that was based on a book?

Fight Club. One of the few movies that was as good or better than the book. I personally like the movie even more. The cinematography and soundtrack are fast-paced and alternative enough to keep me engaged beyond the long-winded rants Palahniuk has a tendency to fall into. Of course, it appeals to my baser inner-teen and the end gets me every time. The Pixies owe a great deal to that movie and vice versa. 


What genre do you write in?

I’m a poet. There. I said it. Feel free to let out your groans, facepalms, and long exhales. Poetry is accessible for me. I enjoy conveying complex things with elegant simplicity. More than that, it’s a habit similar to dieting. I’ll get really deep into it until I fall off then come back for a New Year’s resolution.


How do you attract new business?

Currently, I’m going around town and around the woods hiding copies of my book with bookmarks that have contact & payment information on them. Those are the places I like to go so I figure I should take it to the places I like so like-minded folk might find it. Plus, I just like hiding things and easter eggs and whatnot. It’s been fun (:


If you could have superpowers what would they be?

Teleportation. Hands-down, 100%. It would be so efficient. I could go anywhere instantly. See everything, eat anything, anywhere, any time. No travel time or costs. I could take people with me for instant squad vacations. With the right equipment, I could go to other planets, galaxies, maybe even dimensions. UGH. Yes. I would be a Teleport. And a cool one too, like Nightcrawler, who leaves this dark cloud whenever he poofs. 

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

Write what you like. Otherwise, readers will never get to decide whether or not they like your writing because you’re so busy trying to please everyone else. 

What helps you to stay motivated?

Acceptance. That kind of “wherever you go, that’s where you are” philosophy that meets each challenge and triumphs as a small step on a larger journey. I give up trying to understand everything all the time and what does it all mean? and I just smile when things do make sense or I get the feeling that they will soon.

What projects are you working on right now?

I won’t go into terrible detail…well, in fact, I won’t go into detail at all. I’m working on something completely different from Collateral Intentions. It’s something equally as dear and important to me. I’ve also got thoughts of a series very closely related to Collateral Intentions.

Any other information you would like to include for our readers?

This is my first book. I self-published. Full-disclosure. Poetry is a tough sell. People often want chapbooks of their old favorites or anthologies of the greatest of the great. Memoirs? Equally challenging. If you’re not Oprah Memoirphrey or Matthew McMemoirhey or some recovering homeless heroin addict who became a millionaire, people aren’t particularly interested. Combine the two and phew, I’ve got my work cut out for me. That said, we live in an extreme country in extreme times and increasingly extreme generations. It can be nice to come back down to earth and feel that connection that comes when someone’s not so different from us.

Thank you for having me!

Thank you Constantine for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Thriller Writer Oneal Walters

What would you like to promote?

I would like to mention two projects. The first mention is about my recent book, The Empty Couple, which is available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. The second mention is more like an announcement, I am starting the writing process for my next book at the end of 2021.

 How do you make sales as an author?

In Canada, my sales are from word of mouth. In the US and UK, my sales are primary from Amazon ads. I sell more books in the US and my book was also 4th in ranking in the Domestic Partner category on Amazon. 

How do you come up with characters for your book?

First, I focus on the protagonist and antagonist of the story. In the case of The Empty Couple, the protagonist is Ruth and she lives with her boyfriend, Michael; who is the antagonist. It’s a unique structure because they are living as common-law partners; so for Ruth, the person you love the most is also the person who threatens your life.

 What influenced you the most?

I’m influenced by sales rankings. I’m influenced by great stories. I’m influenced by growth. I’m motivated by my family. I’m most influenced by my desire to materialize the visions within my head.

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

Let’s assume if you are a writer you enjoy writing. After the primary advice of research and write. I would say the second most important element to master is the ability to market and advertise your books. This is a must.

What is your favourite thing about being an author?

I enjoy writing a great story that hasn’t been told before. I enjoy the internal debate on whether to build a series or start with a new story. I enjoy hearing my son say, “daddy your name is on these books.”

Thank you Oneal for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview on go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Karelynn A. Spacek

 What inspires you?


My biggest inspiration was my mom who also was a writer. Sadly she passed before she could see her dream realized. That loss prompted me to follow a similar dream. Life is short and I want live a life where I wake up every day loving what I do.


What genre do you write in?

I mostly prefer to write within the realm of fantasy while adding touches from other genres.


How did you get started?


Writing began as a hobby and then after the loss of my mom, it has been my goal to make it a career.


What is your favorite comfort food?

Oreos and milk


Who are your top three favorite authors?


Jennifer Estep, Iris Johansen, and my newest find Preston & Child 


How do you come up with plots or characters for your books?


I look to mythologies from around the world, as well as aspects of nature. They are both subjects that I am passionate about, and they both provide ample inspiration.


What would you like to promote?


Books 1 and 2 of my Stone Wielder’s Legacy trilogy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B095CTLYHK

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086Y3ZWQF

Thank you Karelynn for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Self-help Writer Crystal Hatfield and her Book- Do the Do Truly Heal from Abusive Tendencies with Theta Healing

What is the name of your book or blog, and how did you get started?

Do the Do Truly Heal from Abusive Tendencies with Theta Healing

I have created the DO the DO series of self-help books. We can have joy, confirmation, understanding, hope, and radiate joy for ourselves and others, even where the tiniest amount of frustration existed before. Our patterns can dissolve and we can become and have something so much better. Blossom and Flourish where you saw pain before and you thought there was no way out before! Check out this book to see the miracles! This book will change your life if you let it!

 What if your relationships could change, you could change, your pain could melt and you could become loving? What if every bit of happiness and love you desire was real for you? What if your pain could dissolve and your radiated, uncontrollably, joy? This book produces miracles. What if your life could really change?

All you need is a belief in a higher power – an unconditionally loving and full of good sources. You mediate that you are in Heaven and speaking with this Higher Power. You ask to remove the unconscious beliefs that attract you to abuse and abusers, asking the all-knowing source of love and goodness to remove it. You begin an emotional process of emptying out Your unconscious negative beliefs and emotions and begin to feel new emotions. Suddenly, the things that bothered or hurt don’t seem to bother you – it is not that they are not wrong things, it is just that you are full of other things.

  Watch the things you thought would never change, CHANGE. This book contains Theta Healing. Modified by someone who has tried everything to heal a pattern of abuse since 2003, it takes the wisdom from every self-help book, what worked and fixes why it didn’t, of Melanie Tonia Evan’s Quantum Freedom Healing and what it is based on, Theta Healing.

  Unlike other books, all the answers are in the book, as are instructions on how to do the healing method. You do not have to buy a pricey healing method to heal after buying this book.  Some say this is emotional processing at its core – that you finally clear out the negative emotions and that as you change, your life changes. Others say it is that this method works through the law of attraction – that what is within you attracts. Others say this is an advanced form of prayer. Watch your life change for real.   

See the joy, radiate happiness, feel your pain slip away, and know that you are not alone – someone understands and loves you. Join the celebration and have every confirmation that your pain is not without merit. And that you are not stuck. See the miracles for yourself. All you need is the tiniest amount of faith. Miracles will abound! Your life could be that great! This method heals. Where nothing else for me or you may. It heals on the emotional, physical, spiritual, and DNA levels. It clears, processes, and removes your unconscious limiting and painful beliefs and emotions. Sometimes it is these buried emotions that cause illness.  The results of this healing method are staggering. It will blow your mind. You’ll be so grateful you did it! The results it will change! 

Available at Barnes and Noble- Do the Do Truly Heal from Abusive Tendencies with Theta Healing

How did you get started?

The Do the Do: Truly Heal series started with a dream. I dreamed that years of self-help book reading had not fully healed me and I sought to find something else. I came across Melanie Tonia Evans’ Quantum Freedom Healing, the first edition and I worked with it for a year, but it was not having the results I desired. I had a lot of pain come up and I wasn’t fully resolved. When she was completely unsupportive in helping figure out why, I sought to learn what she was doing, which was a modified version of Theta Healing put into a mediation. The DO the DO series is the result of things I compiled to heal myself. 

If you could have superpowers what would they be?

I would be able to tell the future. With Theta Healing, you mediate that you are going to heaven and speaking with God for healing. In this method, you can use God as your therapist, and sometimes God has a way of telling you what you need to know. 

What is a typical day of writing look like for you?

 A typical day of writing was researching the self-help books I read and translate them into a healing method. There are over 1000 questions or issues that are listed in the book. You are not necessarily going to have all of them. 

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

Ever written a 10-page essay? A book is just 10, 10-page essays. 

If you could live in any book what would it be?

The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I get lost in that book. 

Thank you Crystal for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview on this blog go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Crystal Hatfield and her New Cookbook- You Can Eat On The Cheap with a Microwave

What is the name of your book or blog, and how did you get started?

I have created the well tasting and cheap microwave cooking book: You Can Eat on the Cheap with a Microwave

How did you get started?

My parents never taught me to cook anything other than roman noodles and TV dinners. Once, before the preexisting health care law coverage went into effect in the United States, I had to go to a food bank and was taxed with figuring out how to cook. They gave me a lot of rice, and I came up with an idea for a rice cookbook. NoshwithchefJulie, Julie Michele Tuttle, encouraged me to think beyond that. 

I have compiled a book of cheap recipes for cooking in the microwave They are easy to use and cook and are good for someone on a budget. Eating the same food every week? There are multiple ways to cook various foods like spaghetti. You can add corn or make a kid-friendly one by putting it in a taco shell or making spaghetti pizza. You Can Eat on the Cheap is perfect for anyone on a budget that wants to eat cheaply and easily. 

How did you get published?

You Can Eat on the Cheap with a Microwave was published through Ingram Spark. I have the distribution of a major book publisher. I’ve been featured in Martha Stewarts’ recommended bookstore and Walmart, Target, and more. 

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

A lot of writers think that you cannot publish yourself. I wanted to control all of it. There are pluses and minuses to that. One is that may not necessarily have the experience to make a best seller. I look to make a book that is not in the bookstore and there is a need for it. You Can Eat on the Cheap with a Microwave fills the need for cheap cooking with a microwave. 

I would suggest looking at how other books do it and trying even if it doesn’t sell the way you want. The average book sells 250 copies a year. 

What was your favorite childhood book?

My favorite childhood book was The Witch of Blackbird Pond. It taught me about love. 

If you could learn how to make any food what would it be?

I’d learn how to make eggplant parmesan. 

Thank you Crystal for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview on this blog go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Sci-Fi Writer James R. Norwood

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you (links, website, social pages)

My website is https://www.threeworlds.net. I’m on Twitter @jrnorwood and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jrnorwood. I’m marginally on Instagram at jrnteach.

What is the name of your book or blog, and how did you get started?

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My book is called “A Trio of Worlds.” It is a Sci-Fi novel set about a hundred years into the future. I got started with this novel a few years ago when I sat down and wrote the first fifteen pages from an idea I had about an astronaut being stranded in space. I put the idea away and from time to time I would think of it or re-read it. I remember often thinking how great a story it could be. I finally decided to finish it when my wife asked me what I was interested in. It took me only a few weeks of writing to finish the first draft. 

What would you like to promote? (Add links, description, photos)

I would like to promote my newest novel, “A Trio of Worlds.” It is available on Amazon as an eBook or Kindle Unlimited, a paperback on Amazon, or an audiobook on Audible or iTunes.
Https://geni.us/Trio

What is your favorite movie that was based on a book?

I’d have to say my favorite book, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, is also my favorite movie, although it’s technically a mini-series. I’ve read the novel several times and once out of curiosity, I emailed Ken Follett to ask him about the possibility of a movie. To my shock, he emailed me back. He told me he didn’t have any current plans for an adaptation. Fast forward a few years and I found out that Starz was going to have a mini-series based on the book. Without even talking to my wife, I subscribed to Starz so I could watch it! I like to think I was the reason the book was adapted and that my question sparked Mr. Follett’s imagination. I’m sure I’m wrong though.

Do you connect with any of the characters in your book?

One of the strangest things I’ve observed as I wrote the first book and began work on the second in the series is that my characters really surprise me by their actions. I know that they are my own imagination, but when I’m “in the zone” of writing, my characters behave as if they are real, and sometimes what they say or do blow my mind. I don’t think I connect with them in the sense of them being like someone I know in real life, but I do feel like I connect with them because I can never wait to find out what they are going to do next!

What are you reading right now?

Right now I am reading “The Hollow Crown” by Dan Jones.

What is a typical day of writing look like for you?

I always try to set a goal of writing at least 2,000 words per day when I’m working on a project. I find this is not an unreasonable number to reach. Sometimes I don’t quite get there, especially on days like today when the scene I’m writing requires more research. Some days I write far more than the goal. It all depends on where I am in the story and how good I feel about what is happening with my characters.

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

I often see this question and I always think of myself. I would tell anyone who wants to write to just write! Put the words down on paper. You can always revise or rewrite your work, but it is incredibly satisfying when you realize that you actually wrote an entire novel. In the words of Dory from “Finding Nemo,” – just keep swimming!

What projects are you working on right now?

Right now I’m about 22,000 words into my second novel. It is a sequel to “A Trio of Worlds.” I’ve tentatively named it “Rise of the D’lai”, but as with Trio, the name could change. I originally called Trio “The Negotiator” until I had a moment of inspiration driving to pick up a swag bag from my employer. I expect to be finished with the rough draft in another month or so and then the hard work of editing and all that comes with that starts up! 

Any other information you would like to include for our readers?

Thank you James for a wonderful interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want  your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Children’s Author Stuart McDonald

What genre do you write in?

Children’s Rhyming Picture Books for 2-7yrs.

How did you get started?


After receiving several poems from me, my girlfriend told me I “need to do something with that talent”, so here we are! I’m a published children’s author! My first book, “The Witches’ Tea Party”, was written for my daughter and was published in January 2019 and is a fun rhyming picture book about friendship and sharing.

I started reading the book in schools and libraries and it was being really well received! Following on the success of this, I decided to write more. Moved by numerous posts on social media about marine life trapped in floating waste (and based on an actual turtle I met on holiday), I wrote “Turtle Trouble” (published in August 2019); about pollution and recycling; endorsed by seven environmental agencies.

Both books really took off and my calendar was full up with author visits to schools, libraries, and community centers. Then Covid arrived and everything stopped! I started doing video storytimes to entertain the children during the lockdown. I put my efforts back into Graphic Design and landed a contract working for a Calendar company; which kept me afloat during the first lockdown.

When that contract finished I had more time on my hands to write again, so I created my “Children’s Poems and Short Stories”, which came out in December 2020. I commissioned an illustrator for my first two books, but I decided to illustrate this book myself. I really enjoyed drawing again and it was a great distraction from the covid situation. I had a few of the poems already written but penned a few more and then got to work illustrating them all. I’m really pleased with how it turned out, but have, as yet, been unable to read it in schools or libraries, due to the current covid restrictions.

How did you get published?

I looked into all the different options for publishing and, after heavily researching and talking with other authors, decided to publish through the Amazon KDP system. 

How do you make sales as an author?

All three books are available to buy worldwide on Amazon and signed copies can be ordered through my website and social media pages. The books continue to sell online, but, pre-covid, I was selling a huge amount via my author visits. “Turtle Trouble” (published in August 2019) is also for sale in several gift shops around the UK, at aquariums, zoos, and safari parks, and I regularly get repeat orders when their stock runs low.

What would you like to promote? (Add links, description, photos)


I would like to promote my latest book “Children’s Poems and Short Stories”, which came out in December 2020.


Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you

I’m originally from the Lake District, UK,  where my family still lives. Studied Graphic Design at Harrogate Art College and Middlesex University in London. I’m a children’s author with three rhyming picture books for 2-7yrs.


Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08PJPQDJN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

Website: https://www.stuartmcdonaldauthor.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StuartMcDonaldChildrensAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuartmcdonaldauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wwwstuartmcdon1

Thank you Stuart for a wonderful interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

To read more author interviews click here https://noshwithchefjulie.com/category/author-interviews/

Author Spotlight- Interview with Historical Fiction Writer Elizabeth Martina

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you.


I live in the mountains and have plenty of beauty surrounding me. It is mostly calm except for my 75 lb Bernese Mountain dog, Hansel, and a husband who has many projects going all the time. My two adult children live far enough away that they can’t just stop in. But my son is now collaborating with me on my latest book.


I write historical fiction novels and novellas. I write a blog on my website (elizabethamartina.com) which talks about almost anything historical. For example, I have an ongoing series on Founding Mothers (women colonists of the 1600s) and an ongoing series on clothes and hairstyles from the past. These blog posts also show up on my Facebook page, “ElizabethAMartina, author” and my Twitter account, @eamartina.

I love getting letters and comments, which can be sent to elizabethamartina@gmail.com or to my website.


What genre do you write in?

I am all about history. Historical fiction, cozy mystery historical fiction, and straight history.


How do you come up with plots or characters for your book?

I am a genealogist as an avocation. My latest WIP is a result of research into the past for several people. The characters are there, in history, waiting for me to introduce them to the world. I often adapt real events into plots for the real characters. I was a fan of the Nero Wolfe detective series in high school and watched every detective TV show years later. I have gotten a few plot ideas from those shows. These plot ideas have been used in the Hadley Sisters Mysteries series. Promotion!


A year ago, I needed a break from a serious project. One day I was thinking of my college years living in Boston and how Boston looked before I got there. I had developed an affinity with Nero Wolfe detective stories and wanted something in that style, a cozy mystery with a slight bit of humor. My mind wandered and I had a story about two socialite sisters who get involved in criminal investigations. The time is 1939. The place is Boston. The sisters, in their early 20s, live an idyllic life. It is something out of a movie of the era, with lovely homes, beautiful clothes, and maids. But the girls are too intelligent and curious to live that life. A murder in the first book changes their world and they learn how to research and use gossip to get answers. It doesn’t hurt that they are dating Boston police detectives.


The sisters are very much the two sides of me, serious and organized (Betty) and impetuous at times (Kate). I have to be careful of their conversations and keep them in character. They have become my friends and I can tell what their reactions are going to be long before I get to a conversation.

The books are the Hadley Sisters Mysteries. The four books are The Matter of a Murder of a Maid, The Matter of a Missing Stutz, The Matter of a Misplaced Document, and, due out in June, The Matter of a Distressed Dressmaker. The books are short, 25,000-31,000 words, making them an easy weekend read. All are available in ebook and paperback at Amazon.

Amazon links for the first three:

The Matter of a Murder of a Maid

The Matter of a Missing Stutz

The Matter of a Misplaced Document


What was your favorite childhood book?


My interest was in biographies for children and the Betsy-Tacy series, by Maud Hart Lovelace, in elementary school. These two solidified my historical perspective. I also learned that I loved the ongoing series.


How did you get started?

Brought up in the US, but influenced by stories about my Italian relatives who immigrated half a century before, I learned the art of story-telling from my grandmother. Although I have always written stories, I really got started writing when my grandmother died. I wanted to write a story about her sad childhood. When I showed it to my mother, her initial comment was, that’s not how it happened! It turned out there were half a dozen variants in the family. So, I learned the art of genealogical research to find the real explanation. And ended up writing a book about a murder. My great grandmother’s murder. It is my first book, The Ragman Murders, which is also available at Amazon, by the way. After that, I was hooked on genealogy.

If you could learn how to make any food what would it be?


I am Italian, which means I think about food and cook more than occasionally. How I have stayed slim all these years is nothing short of a miracle. No matter what book I have written, there is always at least one scene of people eating or cooking. The first book described getting ready for an Italian Christmas Eve dinner as the characters prepared salted cod. I can cook anything Italian but I am not too good at cooking meat. I let my husband take care of the steaks. That is on my bucket list of things to learn.


What projects are you working on right now?


Four novellas later, I am putting the two sisters, Betty and Kate Hadley, on hold while I take up that more serious project, again. This is a little-known piece of history, telling the true story of the colonists who were the second and third generations in Jamestown, Virginia, and how they expanded the colony. The men and women who comprised those generations were determined to fight and win. Many are larger than life characters. There were two political upheavals during that time that no one knows about. Analyzing those upheavals gives us insight into the next 200 years of politics and slavery in the southern US. This may grow into a series of historical novels, although I haven’t decided yet.

Thank you Elizabeth for this lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Jamie Adams

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you (links, website, social pages)

My links are:

Blog: https://jamieadstories.wpcomstaging.com/

Website: https://jamieadstories.com/

Twitter: jamieadstories

What would you like to promote? 


My book is called ‘The Fathers, the Sons and the Anxious Ghost’ which is about three families shaken by a sudden loss and my latest project is a blog about reading, mental health and the environment. I find that I mainly book blog but I also have a keen interest in eco-issues and mental health relates nicely to both.


My blog is called JamieAdStories and I am enjoying getting to know my readers with a range of posts, including ‘5 Ways To’ and book reviews. Any excuse to discuss books and writing.


What inspires you?

I love so many different writers, including Joanne Harris, Matt Haig and Liane Moriarty, all of whom write in short chapters. This has very much inspired my own writing style. I also love how YA stories are relatable and bring back memories of growing up and going for goals.

What was your favourite movie that was based on a book?

I’d probably choose a classic that really stuck with me because it was so well made and the stars nailed it. Sense and Sensibility introduced Kate Winslet and showed Imelda Staunton and Emma Thompson as incredible actors as well as portraying Jane Austen’s world brilliantly.


What was your favourite childhood book?

Roald Dahl kept me entertained as a kid and The Witches has always been my favourite of his because the storyline was exciting, fun and heart-warming. The chilling Grand High Witch particularly stayed in my memory and it was great to see her get her comeuppance.


What is your favourite thing about being a writer and blogger?

My favourite thing about being a writer is creating characters, making them interesting and relatable. As a blogger, I love when people respond to my posts as I see a blog as a kind of conversation, open to contributions.


What projects are you working on right now?

I am halfway through editing my first YA novel about two teenagers who come across a neglected house and afterward become strangely overshadowed by it. The book is called ‘Being Watched’ and I look forward to it being published in autumn. Fingers crossed.


What does success look like to you?

I especially enjoy audience feedback. Seeing a friendly comment on my blog or reading a thoughtful review of my book will always make my day.


Thank you Jamie for this wonderful interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

To read more author interviews click here https://noshwithchefjulie.com/category/author-interviews/

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Author Spotlight- Interview with Fifi Pottier and Her New Book- Vampire Emily

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you (links, website, social pages) 



I’m not sure what to say here…My name is Fifi Pottier, I live in London and I love the written word. I have a blog- https://fifipottier.com/ and I’m also active on Twitter and Instagram. Both handles are @fifipottier. I tend to be very honest on my site as I really cherish authenticity.  

What would you like to promote? (Add links, description, photos) 



I’ve come to you to promote my book Vampire Emily which is available now on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0931ZT8SP 


Witches placed a curse on vampires centuries ago which meant that they were unable to create others of their kind. Emily is the first to be transformed and so the story is more about her evolution as she tries to understand the circumstances of her change to a vampire when no one will give her the full facts. I’d like to provide more detail, but I’d hate to give away any spoilers. I did receive fan mail which was amazing and so I wrote about the importance of reviews on my site https://fifipottier.com/2021/05/24/reviews-reviews-and-roi/

I’m in shock that someone loved my book so much they came to my website to let me know. I question their sanity, but in a good way. I’ve deleted all PII info and shared the fan mail eve…fifipottier.com

What inspires you? 



Authenticity, intelligence, and kindness in people. I think too many people are pretending to be what they think they should be and lose out because they aren’t being themselves. It’s easy to get stuck in your own head and convinced that others are judging you when the reality is that they are too focused on themselves. I’m thus inspired by those strong enough to be their genuine kind selves regardless of life’s circumstances. 

What does success look like to you? 



For me it would be to have everyone fall in love with the books’ characters as I have done. It’s always an honor when someone reads your work to the end and wants more.   

What is your favorite movie that was based on a book? 



That’s a tricky one because rarely do movies live up to the book. Reading is such an intimate activity that often when movies are turned into films, they lose out. Having said that though, I love the Importance of Being Earnest. I’m a big fan of Oscar Wilde and so that play to me was brilliant. I love the 1952’s film. Does that count since it was written as a play?  

You, know Dracula. The one with Keanu reeves- I watched it before I read the book and so I wasn’t disappointed. I feel doing it that way ads flavour rather than take it away.  

What genre do you write in? 



Horror, Mystery, fiction, fantasy  

What was your favorite childhood book? 



Zenobia and Mouse 

How did you get started? 



I’ve always written but never had the confidence to share. One day I was reading a book that I presumed I would love and I hated it. I felt the characters were a bit too prim and proper for my liking so I set about trying to do better. I wanted a messier MC because life is messy. 

Do you connect with any of the characters in your book? 



I’d say all of them. I know each of their motivations and understand why they behave a certain way. I think you have to, right?  

What is your favorite thing about being a blogger, writer, or author? 



Having a voice. I love that I can just write about anything I fancy and put on my site. As a blogger, it’s very liberating. When I started at the beginning of the year I didn’t think anyone would visit it. It’s a bit eclectic you see, and I wasn’t sure which direction it would go. Now I have regular posts and I’m still amazed that people read it. It’s so wonderful when people tell you that your writing has made a positive impact in their life. Being told that I made someone cry in a good way makes me emotional, also in a good way. 

A lot of my posts are real life problems I’ve faced with examples of how I’ve dealt with certain situations. I’m lucky enough to have worked with a great therapist and so I want to inspire people to work through their problems, their trauma, because it does feel amazing when you’re not haunted by your past!  

If you could have superpowers what would they be? 



Teleportation. I miss traveling. How amazing would it be to just be able to take yourself to a beach if you wanted to swim or dive. You could have breakfast in France, Lunch in Japan, Dinner in Mexico. You could stop off in Australia for some wine or perhaps California. Need a Pinotage with your food, pop off to South Africa. That to me would be incredible.   

If you could learn how to make any food what would it be? 



I enjoy cooking and I’m not too bad at it. I think it’d be Moroccan tagine, the spices involved and getting it just right takes skill.  

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out? 



I am just starting out. I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of fellow writers. They have taught me everything I now know and I’m so grateful for their support. I’m learning daily from them! If I have questions I put it out to the writing community and they are so kind and generous. They share knowledge and want you to succeed. I’m not used to working with people who don’t see you as competition and thus are reluctant to help you.  

What has influenced you the most? 



The strong women in my life who make me continually strive for better! 

Thank you Fifi for a lovely interview!

If you are a fellow writer, author, or blogger and want your own interview go to https://noshwithchefjulie.com/contact/

To read more author interviews click here https://noshwithchefjulie.com/category/author-interviews/