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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Ambrosia?

I loved writing and listening to stories, originally this book came to me in a dream. I wrote it intending to be a story about my grandmother but it became something else entirely.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Ambrosia, what would they be?

That is a tough question! Most of the book I wrote with background music playing in my head. There was a lot of Paramore, our last night, Led Zeppelin. I think writing and music go hand in hand, if I wanted to portray a certain feeling in my text I would play “All I Wanted Was You” by Paramore or Imagine Dragon's “Enemy”. I would have to make a playlist for all the songs that I had used to match my intended vibe.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Yes and no! I love all types of genres, fantasy, romance, horror, paranormal, a good heart-string- tear-jerker and even just something funny. I would like to write all types of books, I’m even working on something paranormal right now.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I have such a long TBR, that I want to read the Sara J Maas sets and the Colleen Hoover books before the movie comes out. I couldn’t possibly have enough time to come up with the massive list of what I still haven’t read yet.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

In the scene where Achelois gets to go back and see her mother as a child, I want to radiate all of the feelings I have. The PTSD, the generational trauma, getting to a point of “so that’s why... is that way”, and the love I have for my sister. I hoped I could portray my love for you, Amber.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Yes! *Procrastination*. I will fully write my story in my head before getting a single word written or typed. It’s not quirky as much as anxiety-filled. But when I do finally drag myself to write things down, I like to write everything in different colored pencils and color code what emotion I’m trying to get out. I also gained an obsession with bees...bee pens, bee notepads, necklaces etc.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I like to take a part of Sun Tzu’s quote in the “Art Of War” - "Procrastination will never tell you, not right now. It’ll simply tell you later, later, later.” And a quote by my grandmother “If anyone makes you feel like you’re good enough, F*** ‘Em"

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I just hope it was a good read, I did put a lot of my soul into this book and if it’s not for everyone I accept that. I wrote a book and I told a story I wanted to get out into the world.

Zambi is the author of the new book Ambrosia

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Finding (The Goddess of Destruction Book 1)?

I love romantasy but sometimes I get a little frustrated at how vulnerable female characters often are, and how invulnerable male characters often are. I love a man who can be vulnerable without feeling threatened. I love a woman who knows her power. I want more of those characters, so I wrote them.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I devour fantasy. Love to read it, love to write it.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Anything by Jodi Taylor! She's brilliant, and the only non-fantasy writer I read regularly. I'm also impatiently waiting to get to KF Breene's retelling of Red Riding Hood.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

It’s impossible to choose a favorite scene! I love all the scenes where Sachi, the main female character, starts to lose her temper. Because she's the Goddess of Destruction, losing her temper is very, very bad. And because she's confident and secure in her power, she doesn't have to look pretty when she does it. Writing a powerful woman this way was really interesting for me. I also love the scene where Sachi and Addon (the main male character) fight in the training ring. Spoiler: she defeats him (she is a Goddess, after all), but he’s so graceful about it, it doesn’t feel like a defeat at all. I really enjoyed writing all of Addon’s trials. They each reveal something about his character that’s unexpected. For example, when Libra tests him, physical strength and courage are useless because she’s looking for his Truth–and he doesn’t know what that is.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

The cat on my lap while I write is more obligation than habit, because I can’t sit down at my desk without Paco jumping on me. His sister, Marlene, sits next to my laptop staring at me the whole time I write. It’s actually a little creepy, lol, but I can’t seem to make them stop. They love writing time.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I have two mottos I try to live by. The first is “You think you have time.” Some attribute this to Gautama Buddha, others to Carlos Castaneda, but it’s a pretty common idea, right? You think you have time, but there’s no way to know if that’s true. So call the person. Eat the cookie. Take that trip. Stop waiting. The second is “No mud, no lotus”, which comes from the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. So great, right? You can’t grow into the beautiful flower you’re destined to become without the muddy stuff. The mud is actually an essential part of your creation. I find it reassuring when I go back to edit and find all those typos (picture my eyeroll).

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I hope readers walk away from Finding with lots of thoughts and feels, but one of the primary themes is the tension between duty and responsibility and what the heart wants. We all struggle with that at some level.

Veronica Ford is the author of the new book Finding (The Goddess of Destruction Book 1)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Three Times A Killer (The Derry Murder Mysteries Book 3)?

For years, I’d been writing the successful and highly acclaimed dark humor series, the Derry Women. Two years ago, though, I decided to pivot and try my hand at crime writing, a genre with different readers and different rules. Could I pull it off? Apparently I could, as the first in the Derry Murder Mysteries, You’ll Get Yours, became a bestseller (for a few weeks anyway) and seemed to have garnered me a legion of new, satisfied readers eager for more. So I gave it to them. And quickly. The second, Death in Small Measures, came out six months later, last December, and was also a bestseller. To my shock, they sold so much that both the Mystery Writers of America and the Crime Writers Association in the UK welcomed me with open arms. I am now a proud member of both. 

Never one to rest on my laurels, I started writing Three Times A Killer immediately after finishing the second. (It’s only by chance that the third in the series has ‘three’ in its title.) Don’t be alarmed. Writing quickly doesn’t necessarily equal writing badly. I already had eight full-length novels under my belt and, thankfully, never seem to suffer from writer’s block nowadays. Fingers crossed this new book will be as well received as the first two. 

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Three Times A Killer (The Derry Murder Mysteries Book 3), what would they be?

Ha! I love this question, though maybe I know a bit too much about music, and the songs I’ve chosen might have people shaking their heads. I say...head to Youtube to check them out! For the pedantic and PC DS Nancy D’Arcy, it has to be “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” by the Spin Doctors.

For louche ladies-man-in-his-mind DC Tom Lyons, either “What’s New Pussycat?” by Tom Jones or “Daddy Cool” by Boney M.

For tech whizz DC Fern Hawkins, stuck at her desk as she is, and with maybe a new love interest in her life, Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love.”

DC Hens Cahill listens to RetroCharts in the book (!), so he doesn’t have a theme song per se, but when he’s in his car with Lyons en route to an interview, music is always at the fore, and as obsessed with music as I am, those scenes are always a joy to write. I always wonder if the readers seek out the songs…? It would be great if they do.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

One of the reasons I decided to switch genres is that crime fiction—Scandi-noir, police procedurals and murder mysteries—is my favorite to read. I especially love foreign ones, which explains why I chose to keep the location of my new series the same as my last, in my mother’s hometown of Derry, Northern Ireland. I lived there for years as a child (during the Troubles!) and nowadays it seems I’m never out of it. I’m not a native, no, but I think I know the city well enough to give my books the verisimilitude the genre requires. As for specific Police Service of Northern Ireland rules (they are quite different to even the rest of the UK), I am grateful that a member of the PSNI met with me, gave me a tour of the station, answered my many questions (and still does). The odd questions this poor person has to put up with! But, again, I’m very grateful. 

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Being new to the genre, I’m not sure if other crime writers do this, but it became obvious to me with the complicated plot of the first book that I would have to construct a murder board in my home. I do this now with every book, complete with arrows and pins, maps and photos of victims and suspects, friends and family that I’ve culled from Google searches of strangers who just look how I imagine my characters do. And I visit Derry to get photos of the actual crime scenes to put on the board; I wonder if the local tourist board will start conducting Derry Murder Mystery tours of all my murder sites, ha! Visitors to my home are startled when they see my murder wall. If they didn’t know what I write, it would definitely look suspicious! Is he a serial killer? A stalker? No, just a crime writer.

Another writing habit is that I must write outside, and thankfully I live in California, so the weather’s usually perfect for it. And I simply must listen to music when I’m writing, though I’m very picky about my music. I can’t listen to the same type of music over and over. I used to have to think long and hard about what playlist I would choose to listen to before I started writing for the day—wasting time I should have spent writing—and then I discovered RetroChartsRadio, which, really, changed my life! It plays every UK Top 40 hit from the twentieth century on random elimination, which means two things: no repeats for six weeks, and many songs that radio and playlists seem to have forgotten! Music problem solved in one! I’m so grateful to RetroCharts, I always give them a mention in my books. And, no, I’m not being paid by them, ha! I never write without also listening to RetroCharts now.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I don’t, but friends have told me I’m the king of manifestation. I think of it more as good luck landing in my lap (or the universe aligning a certain way in my favor? I did something very, very good in a different life?) I don’t even want to bring up my current living situation, as it’s so marvelous and I don’t want the evil eye shining on me. But I will admit...thanks to a great friend, I get free flights around the world, so when I’m not writing I’m usually traveling. Name a country and I’ve probably been there, might even have written a few pages, done some editing there. Thankfully, I know many people around the world due to years teaching ESL, so I am graciously welcomed with open arms wherever I choose to go, which is more exciting than just landing on the tarmac as a tourist. 

It was when I was at the CWA’s Dagger Awards ceremony in London in July—wearing a tuxedo for the first time in my life, my lovely ‘mammy’ at my side, champagne glass in my hand, surrounded by all these famous and talented crime writers, that I thought… “But I just got this plan in my head two years ago! How did it come to this so quickly?” Honestly, I was feeling a bit of the imposter syndome but, then again, my sales prove I had the right to be there. Manifestation, good luck, karma, the universe aligning or hard work? Maybe a bit of all five. 

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I’m not sure if murder is a genre that readers ‘take’ things from. However, I always remember wise words from a friend of mine, who told me she respects books she’s learned something from. It takes some research, but I always try to include something in my books that might not be known to readers, might enlighten them. In Three Times A Killer, we get insights into behavioral psychology and the shocking history of experimentation on humans (as opposed to lab animals) that readers might not be aware of. We also learn about gold mining in Northern Ireland (I never knew!). Most importantly, however, hopefully readers will think, ‘that was a good read! Never saw that coming!’ I hope the plot keeps them on the edge of their seat and they’re eager to sink their teeth into my next murder mystery.

Gerald Hansen is the author of the new book Three Times A Killer (The Derry Murder Mysteries Book 3)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Resurrecting My Magic (The Magicals Alliance Book 2)?

I was inspired to write this book after reading "The House with a Clock in its Walls" growing up, which is about a teenager growing up in a big magical mansion and battling monsters while dealing with the challenges of growing up.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Resurrecting My Magic (The Magicals Alliance Book 2), what would they be?

Elijah loves "Under the Bridge", a classic song by Red Hot Chili Peppers and he's rocker, Bono's, number one fan, so anything by U2. He's also, maybe secretly, a Swiftie with "Anti-Hero" as one of his favorites since sometimes he feels more like an anti-hero as he navigates the challenges of growing up in a family of powerful Magicals fighting to protect humanity

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Definitely YA and Romance. I write Fantasy, but don't really read much of it. I'm not into classic fantasy set in castles and the such. It's actually funny when I think about it.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Husband Material, the Guncle, Together Broken World, Second Chance with Tony, and anything by CT Liotta.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I loved writing all of the book, but the most challenging and fun scene to write is when Elijah and Austin get caught in a war between various factions of the coven and have to intervene to save the residents of Glendale, CA. I spent a lot of time watching shows or movies about urban battles to figure out how to choreograph the complicated action.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I'm a night owl, so my favorite time to write is after midnight when the hustle and bustle of the day fades and the world outside settles in for the night.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Stay Magical.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Perservere no matter the odds, never be afraid to be yourself, and there is strength in community and with those you love.

Timoteo Tong is the author of the new book Resurrecting My Magic (The Magicals Alliance Book 2)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1)?

Psychotic drug lord Marco Delgado torments retired Green Beret Jamie Morales and his family in Mexico and California. After American authorities fail three times to bring the cartel madman to justice, the grieving warrior attempts the impossible with his ex-Army comrade, Sylvia Sokolov. The storyline rested in my consciousness for years. I’ve always been intrigued by the tension pitting a hero soldier against an all-powerful and wicked drug lord. Both of their worlds are filled with aggression, and each believes the end justifies the means. But what happens when the lines separating lethal resolve and moral validations get blurred?

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1), what would they be?

"Impossible Odds" by Really Slow Motion.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I have always been intrigued by Follett, DeMille, Baldacci, and other thriller authors and am motivated to write the genre distinctly, aiming to leave readers astounded and satisfied. I am stirred by multiple genres but lean toward suspenseful thrillers and historical fiction. My Jamie Morales and McCloud series will be expanded to at least five books each.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

A Calamity of Souls, by David Baldacci.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

After the Black Hawk crash, Jamie and Sylvia get trapped in a firefight with the cartel and realize they and the people they are protecting likely won’t survive.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I often glance at the five letters taped to my monitor. They remind me what's important.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Fight the good fight.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

They were often surprised and couldn't guess the ending.

Ken Cruickshank is the author of the new book The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1)

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