Elizabeth N. Harris's Blog, page 2

Gail Meath

This weeks Author of the Week is Gail Meath, come and find out more about her.

Who is your favourite author, and why?

Daphne du Maurier, Charlotte and Emily Bronte. I would love to sit down and talk with them and ‘pick their creative brains’. When a reader/reviewer compared The Perfect Sister to Wuthering Heights, I cried.

I love Rebecca, Mrs Danvers is an excellent character. Who encouraged you the most to write?

Years ago, my father because of his love for creativity and imagination. Now, my husband for his support and patience as I pound away on the computer for hours on end.

How wonderful your family support you. Are you as avid a reader as a writer?

I plead the 5th.

Ummm, that's a no isn't it readers! What’s your favourite genre?

All my books are different subgenres of Historical Romance. I love biographies, mysteries, and westerns. I need variety to hold my interest and hopefully, make my books more enjoyable for readers.

Do you listen to music when you write?

My husband and I always have the radio on during the day. I love any kind of music. But when I write, it’s like my ears tune out and I don’t even know it’s on.

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Vicky Peplow

Welcome to the Author of the Week Page, where I set up a project to support Indie Authors by interviewing them and helping get their name and books out there! This weeks Author of the Week is Vicky Peplow.

Hi Vicky, welcome to your interview, can we start with a list of your books?

​Hi Elizabeth, thank you, I've published Death on the River Wear and The Old Coal Miner’s Lamp. My third book Death in the Family is Coming Soon!

How exciting, now let's find out little about you!

I live in a beautiful little town in Virginia, USA but I am originally from a small coal mining village in the North-East of England called Ryhope, Sunderland. I live with my amazing partner Lorie, who I love with all my heart and couldn’t imagine my life without her. We have a dachshund called Sir Milo, who is 7 years old and a cat called Whiskers AKA Queenie as she is very demanding and she is 21 years old. I enjoy my writing and also helping other new and well established authors where I can as in editing, cover designing and the likes whenever I can. I love learning new things about everything really and been doing online courses through the centre of excellence to gain more knowledge. I also enjoy anything to do with the paranormal, and like reading things based around truth life events and also serial killers and learn how their minds worked at the time. I enjoy watching sports especially football (soccer), American football.

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Philip Yorke

This weeks interview is with Philip Yorke, a historical author who's writing the third book of his trilogy.

Hi Philip, welcome to your interview. Let's start with finding out a little about yourself.

Hi Elizabeth, I live in Leicestershire with my wife and children, from where I write historical fiction – and support the charities FareShare UK and the Trussell Trust, two organisations committed to the alleviation of food poverty in the UK. I still play quite a lot of sport – COVID-19 lockdown permitting – and I am a fan of the Leicester Tigers rugby team and Hull City AFC. Whenever I can, I try to watch both teams. In addition, my wife and I enjoy classical music concerts, the theatre and walking in the wonderful British countryside.

So tell us what got you into writing?

I have been writing professionally since I was in my early twenties. For many years I was a journalist working in the national press. This taught me the basics of writing (and a bit more) – and really helped with giving me an understanding of how you go about conducting research into complicated subjects. More recently, I have been turning my hand to writing historical fiction novels. And, to be honest, I am finding this quite similar to my journalism days, albeit I don’t have to undertake the painful task of interviewing unwilling and impatient members of the public, who are extremely aware about what they are saying.

I can imagine that you have many stories about the general public! What's the main thing you love and hate about writing?

Starting with the positive, I love being able to crack on with something that absorbs me, without having to worry too much about what someone thinks. I write for me, first and foremost. If other people like what I have created then that is a bonus.

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AJ Wolfenden

This weeks Author of the Week is AJ Wolfenden, author of Mystique, a new twist on a vampire book. Aimee speaks about her new book and what she's currently working on. To find out more please go to, https://www.elizabethnharris.net/post...

This weeks Author of the Week is Aimee Wolfenden, the author of Mystique, a vampire hunter with a difference is out now on Amazon.

Hi Aimee, welcome to the spotlight, Tell me a little about yourself.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who inhabited a small town known as Stourbridge, nestled in the land known as West Midlands, a Kingdom known as the United! Her parents raised her as well as her siblings; a rebel older brother and a kind twin brother. This girl was called Aimee. I’ll let her take over now.

Hi everyone! Wow, this is always the hardest part! Describing myself! Well, I am 26, I live my fiancée, we have 2 fur babies with whiskers and tails, and I am a part-time author! I say part-time because I have a full-time job; working for the NHS. Any time off I have I use to try and write, promote, socialise and complete everything in-between! My ultimate goal would be to work part-time for the NHS and spend more of my energy on my books! Maybe one day, who knows! My other hobbies are just as creative! I love to do interior decorating, any little project I can get my hands on to make it look pretty! I also like games! I’m a bit of a child at times; Pokemon and Animal Crossing are hands down my favourite! My other hobby, or other love, is to travel. I need it like air! Rome and Barcelona are my favourite places so far but I’m sure that list will grow – next on my plan, New York!

Lux Miller

This weeks Author of the Week is Lux Miller, a prolific author with many books under her belt. To find out more go to,

https://www.elizabethnharris.net/post...

So Lux, let's find out about you shall we? Tell me a little about yourself!

I live just outside New Orleans, Louisiana which is why it felt natural to base my Barresi series there. As you'll see, NOLA pops up in most of my series at one point or another. I'm a single mom to three amazing boys who keep me on my toes and encourage me to keep writing daily, even if I won't let them read what I write.

Boys keep you fit and active! What got you into writing?

I've written as long as I can remember. From the time I could hold a pencil, I've been creating stories.

What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing?

I love creating worlds for my characters to live in, but I hate that my worlds are sometimes limited by the scope of the English language. Sometimes, there just isn't a word to describe what's bouncing around in my head.

Catherine Charles

This weeks Author of the Week is Catherine Charles who talks about her Tag trilogy, her latest book has just been released.

Book One: Tag You’re Mine
Book Two: Tag Forever Mine
Book Three: Tag Fight for Me

Hi Catherine, how wonderful to meet you, can we start with getting to know a little about you?

After growing up military and moving around the world, a small town in Texas is where I call home. Just outside of a large metroplex, the small town reminds me of where my family is from in Nebraska. When not writing I love to spend time with my littles, going into the city to fill my foodie cravings, or spending the nights outside around a fire pit with a glass of wine, good friends and good music. As far as hobbies...writing is my hobby. I absolutely love it. If I’m not actively writing, I’m thinking about writing, developing new characters and bringing them to life in my mind before I even put their names on paper.

I think the country is the best place to live in! What got you into writing?

I had a college professor suggest that I look into publishing a piece I wrote for my final. At 19 years old I thought she was a crazy old lady; she was well into her 70’s, and I just blew her off. There was no way I was talented enough to attract the attention of a major publishing house. I was a completely different person then, and was too afraid of rejection to even make an attempt. I was clueless about self-publishing. It wasn’t until a year and a half ago that I found out about it.

At the time I was reading amateur works on the gaming app, Chapters. They held a summer writing contest and I had no intention on entering. However, the morning the contest went live an idea pop in my mind and I decided to enter. The story took a completely different path than what I original had planned, but I trusted my muse and couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. The story, Tag You’re Mine took off, with over 100k reads at the end of the contest, and though I didn’t win, it did finish in the top 10%. Readers wanted more, and three additional books stemmed from that first book.

At that point I seriously considered taking the leap into self-publishing. It was scary, and I doubted myself in the weeks leading up to it, but I had gained such supportive fans while putting the story on the app, it made taking the leap seem plausible. I may not have a huge following...yet, but those that do follow me mean the world to me. They are like family to me. They follow and support my work because it means something to them. It’s touched them in one way or another, and that’s all I could ask for. I know eventually, I will have a stronger following, but I’m just embracing this time. Paying my dues and praying that one day I’ll have a name for myself.

To find out more go to.... https://www.elizabethnharris.net/post...

Renata Stankova

This weeks Author of the Week is Renata Stankova, a new author who speaks about her debut novel and what is next for her.

Taster:-

Hi Renata, let's start with you telling us a little about yourself.

Hi, I live in Bulgaria and work as an SEO Monday to Friday. Outside of working hours, I write action-packed stories with lots of romance and drama. When writer’s block strikes, I go on a mountain hike.

What got you into writing?

My parents told me that when I was a baby, they gave me a tray with different objects on it. It’s that old tradition that whatever the baby picks will be the baby’s path in life. And I picked up a pen. If destiny is real, then the moral is, whatever we become, it’s because we chose it as babies. We have no power beyond that. So, when I was little, I used to watch movies or read books and think “This shouldn’t be like that,” or “I would have made this unfold differently.” Yes, I was that insufferable child. One day when I was 15, I thought, maybe I should create something just the way I want it. And, I started writing.

That's an interesting tradition. What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing?

Writing gives me purpose. I’ve heard other authors say the same, and I can relate. When the story and characters click in just the right way, I feel like I was put on this world to do just that. My life has meaning and I’ve found it. I thank fate and all gods and goddesses for allowing me to make something for the world. Other times, when things don’t work and I can’t find a solution, I want to bury myself and never look at another human being. All this hard work, and in the end, I’m producing garbage. Then my mind would go even further into Depressed Vile and I won’t even be able to look at my work for weeks on end. Another thing that makes me happy is when I read organic reviews. So far, I’ve only had a few, and all of them have been positive. I know that not everyone will have the same response, but the notion that my creation has made people smile is irreplaceable.

It's nice knowing people appreciate your work, isn't it. Who is the worst villain you’ve ever written, and why?

I’m not good at villains. My creations are mostly Man Against World storylines. I follow the journey of my protagonist as they navigate through a world that is against them for a completely non-personal reason. There usually is a final villain in the end, but the villain is simply another part of the environment. My villains are nothing special, I hope my readers focus on my protagonists. I once wrote a story where I had this personal conflict between two characters. The villain started as a love interest and thorough the story they turned into an evil person. I planned to have a final battle between the two leads, where one would kill the other and then kill themselves. But this bummed me out so much, I ended up deleting the entire project.

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Andreas Wagner

Introducing this week's Author of the Week, Andreas Wagner! Come and find out what Andreas has to say about his latest book and what he has next in the works.

Taster:-

That sounds amazingly interesting, who is your favourite author, and why?

If we stay in the non-fiction world, I'll say Jordan Peterson. He writes about very similar topics and he has that phenomenal background knowledge that stems from his long career as a psychology professor. It's not so much about his writing style, but about the things that he has to say and his wealth of knowledge. On the fiction side, it's Agatha Christie. She was my favourite author when I was a teenager. I just loved her books and the films based on her works. And now in London, I live very close to the Isokon Building, where she lived in the 1930s. It's just a coincidence but that has solidified my admiration for her.

Agatha Christie is a truly timeless author, it's wonderful how her books are still valid today, who encouraged you the most to write?

It was my very first editor at a local newspaper when I was 18. He just sent me to an event and said: Don't worry about anything, just talk to people and then write a few lines about it. Subsequently, he taught me how to structure articles and how to make them interesting. This was the foundation for my writing career and I still benefit tremendously from those words of advice even when I write books today.

Good advice is hard to come by Andreas, but when you get it, it stays with you. Are you as avid a reader as a writer?

Yes, definitely, but again mainly non-fiction. I consider myself a realist and I just don't like escaping into fantasy worlds. Even when I do read fiction it has to be something realistic. But I prefer to learn things, which is also why I stick predominantly to non-fiction. And I read loads of newspapers. Thankfully, there are epapers now because in the past I would amass newspapers in my house. They would be everywhere and I would be hiding behind one of them most of the time.

Andreas, is that a secret! The original hoarder! What’s your favourite genre?

Non-fiction self-help or psychology books. I love books that teach me something that I don't know. If we talk about fiction, then it would have to be mystery or whodunits. That's probably the German in me. My countrymen love solving murder mysteries so give me Poirots and Miss Marples.

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Pete Langman

Come and meet Pete who gave me an interview to remember! This henpecked, pie obsessed author has plenty of stories to tell!

Pete, are you saying you're henpecked! It's funny how teachers shape our lives. Are you as avid a reader as a writer?

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Not any more. From the age of 22 to around 40 I didn’t stop unless I was playing music, teaching or otherwise working, but now I spend most of my time either writing or editing (I edit academic articles and books), and the Parkinson’s leaves me with a quite limited window in which I can work or even concentrate, so if I do pick up a book and try just to read I generally wake up a few hours later feeling rather confused.


What’s your favourite genre?

Once again, I don’t (or didn’t) really have one. In my avid reading days, and before books became objects of study for me, I tended to read a lot of one author: Iain Banks, then Dickens, then Hardy, Forster, Crace, McEwan, and so forth. I also went through more generic phases, reading ‘the Russians’, the ‘magical realists’, Moby Dick, and so on ... As a writer, I have no generic affiliation. I write academic essays, historical fiction, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and short stories. I’ve written a cricket murder mystery comedy for the radio, a pilot for a community radio soap opera and a stage play based on the Shakespeare authorship ‘question’ called Shakespeare Must Die (originally called 'If you want a conspiracy theory, I'll give you one’) 60 or 70% of which is drawn from Shakespeare and his contemporaries, and a short comedy film. Oh, and a kids’ book. About Pirates. And Father Christmas.

They’re all words, and I write what the story demands (at least, I hope I do).


I think I prefer the title 'If you want a conspiracy theory I'll give you one'! Do you listen to music when you write?


Mostly not, and if I do it’ll usually be instrumental music picked for its atmosphere – I find that it can help get the brain cells aligned with the heart cells, so to speak, if I match the music to the scene or theme. I sometimes use background noise as an aid. In the days when we were allowed to do such things, I would often go to the pub of an evening, have dinner and write for three or four hours – I found the random hubbub of a moderately noisy pub an excellent way of forcing myself to look inwards. Sometimes, of course, the pub forced its way into my writing. One short I wrote, Sanctuary (the only one that’s ever won anything that also has been performed a few times on stage as a monologue) featured an argument over a pub quiz, and there may have been an incident in Killing Beauties where I’m not sure whether my characters were eating pie because I was, or whether I was eating it because they were ... and I know for a fact that I wrote a fairytale called The Princess and the Pie because of a rather fine example of the piemaker’s craft that had graced my palate.

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Peter Taylor-Gooby

Hello! This week we welcome Peter Taylor-Gooby to the Author of the Week spotlight. Peter has released many books, shall we see what he's been up to?

Hi, Peter, welcome to your interview, shall we take a look at the books you've written first?

Hi Elizabeth, there's rather a lot, which can be found on Amazon, but I'll give you my latest or the interview will be a list of books!

Blood Ties
Ardent Justice
The Baby Auction

So, let's start with you telling me a little about yourself, because we are all nosey!

I live in Canterbury and am lucky enough to have a garden in these grim, glum times. Three children and one dear grand-daughter, sadly all locked down far from me. I enjoy walking in the East Kent countryside and riding my bike. In my day-job I’m an academic working on poverty and inequality. I’ve become increasingly convinced that the statistics I deal in much of the time can only go so far in bringing the reality of these issues home to people. That’s why I write novels.

Yes, Covid-19 has taken the world by storm, very worrying times indeed Peter, what got you into writing?

I’ve always wanted to write, but the desire has become stronger over time and now I write novels.

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