Dale Roberts

Book title:

Irrefutable   

Book blurb: 

For celebrated detective Alex Mendez the investigation into a series of rapes becomes a nightmare when DNA evidence points to him.

As an introduction, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in Denton Texas and grew up there and northwest Arkansas. I am deliriously happily married to the most incredible woman in the world.

I spent over half of my adult life in public service as a firefighter/paramedic, police officer and RN. I’ve seen many things that boggle the mind.

What is your book about?

IRREFUTABLE follows Alex Mendez, a decorated veteran detective as he tries to solve a series of brutal rapes. He is trying to cope with the loss of his wife two years earlier (for which he blames himself) while raising Carmen, his teen-age daughter alone.

As DNA is identified on two victims Alex follows the evidence to his suspect, but when DNA from a third victim is matched to Alex the hunter becomes the hunted. To clear his name he must disprove the evidence he has collected in the case, but in doing so he could also vindicate a sadistic predator.

When and why did you begin writing?

A person I knew died of an apparent suicide, but something about it bothered me. There were things that didn’t add up. I developed a theory about what could have happened and thought it would make a good book. I began developing the idea as a novel but abandoned it for fear of offending other people that were close to the victim.

One night my wife and I were in bed and she asked a ‘what if’ question and the premise was born. A year and a half later I finished IRREFUTABLE.

What genre do you prefer to write in?

Suspense/thrillers. Medicine and law enforcement are my background so I write in those areas, at least the first one. My second novel, a work in progress, is a departure from that. The FOLLOWING is a psychological thriller.

I love legal thrillers, but I’m not a lawyer. I don’t have enough of a grasp on the finer points of law to make for a convincing story.

What is your biggest writing achievement to date?

In October of 2011, IRREFUTABLE peaked at #19 on the New York Times bestseller list for e-books with over 50,000 copies downloaded from Amazon in that month.

What inspired you to write this book?

I guess I already answered that one above.

Who is your favourite author, and what is it about their work that strikes a chord with you?

That’s a tough question. I have several. Since I love legal thrillers John Grisham and Steve Martini are in the top five for me, but I guess my overall favorite is Michael Crichton. I envy his imagination and his ability to teach complex subjects while weaving them into the story. I love to learn while I read.

Where and when do you do most of your writing?

I have a study that I can seclude myself from the world. I do most of my writing late at night. My imagination seems to be most productive when I am delirious from being up way too long.

What would you say was the hardest part of writing your book?

I would say the thing I struggled with most was keeping my self-judgment under control and keeping faith that my writing was good enough.

I also found it very difficult to avoid the urge to edit everything while writing.

Who designed your book cover – and was the cover something you deemed important?

I design my own covers. I think covers are extremely important. The old adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover” couldn’t be more false. Everyone makes the decision to pick up a book and take a closer look based on the cover. If it doesn’t get a reader’s attention they will never see the inside no matter how good the writing.

As part of the cover, the title is important too. I try to title my books to give a hint as to what the book is about while leaving an aire of mystery. I use as few words as possible, one or two at the most. I hate long wordy titles.

Did you try to go down the route of traditional publishing first – or did you feel that self-publishing was right for you from the beginning?

I did send out a few query letters to agents and got a couple of requests, but in the end I decided that I could do better and keep control over my work by self-publishing.

On the whole, how have you found self-publishing?

I think it’s the only way to go. Like I said before, I keep control and make my own decisions on editing and marketing. I would hate to have some editor try to change the entire story into something that doesn’t even resemble the story I originally wrote. Besides, the royalties are much better by self-publishing.

Where can we buy the book?

IRREFUTABLE as an e-book is only available on Kindle from Amazon.com. You can purchase the paperback version from any online retailer: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders etc…

Do you have a website or blog where we can keep tabs on you?

www.dalerobertsbooks.com

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Never let doubt keep you from pursuing your dream. Just keep writing. When writing your first draft, don’t worry about editing, just write. It can all be edited when you are finished.

Seek out and join forums with other writers. The advice I found on some of them has been invaluable.

And, finally, do you have anything else that you’d like to say to everyone?

To all the avid readers out there, give the independent authors a chance. While it’s true that the quality of writing in some self-published books leaves little to be desired, you occasionally find a gem.

Barbara Billig

Author of:

 The Nuclear Catastrophe (a fiction novel of suspense) also published as "THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of the Nuclear Catastrophe

Book Blurb: 

Set in beautiful sunny Southern California, Ben Harrington and his pregnant wife, Sara, live in San Mirado. Ben is head of Whitewater Nuclear Power Plant. On a fateful day, what could NEVER happen.....does happen. Ben and Sara, the plant workers, the people living in San Mirado and those in adjacent cities all have to make decisions as to what to do, where to go.

Their choices have have both good and bad consequences - and some last forever.

This fictional story brings home the reality of what would or could happen.. History has shown us time after time that......what can go wrong....will go wrong. What would YOU do? Your answers may be different after reading this novel.

As an introduction, could you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Barbara Griffin Billig graduated from Washington University in St. Louis at age nineteen with a degree in biology and chemistry. She taught for several years in St. Louis before moving to Southern California. There she owned a variety of businesses including pet shops, restaurants, and a real estate brokerage firm. Deciding to take a sabbatical from the business world for several years she wrote, in conjunction with another teacher, Bett Pohnka, “The Nuclear Catastrophe”, published in hardcover. This fiction novel portrayed what ultimately came to pass with 3 Mile Island, Chernobyl, and the Japan Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown. A new updated edition of this, entitled “THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe” is now available in paperback with the EBook edition keeping the original title, "The Nuclear Catatstrophe".

What is your book about?

This is a fictional story of what can happen if a nuclear power plant were to suffer a malfunction and the surrounding residents were forced to evacuate.  Their lives would be affected forever.  And we should all be prepared in the event the unexpected and unforseen happens to us.   Our choices might make the difference between living and dying.  See what these fictional characters chose.

When and why did you begin writing?

 In 1975 I decided to take a different path.  However, in those times it was hard to reach the world as the internet did not exist.  I had 2 books published but did not enjoy traveling and speaking directly to groups.  So they sold to libraries and languished otherwise.  Today, it is much easier to reach out to people, and I enjoy both the writing and the contacts all over the world that are created.

What genre do you prefer to write in?

No preference

What is your biggest writing achievement to date?

My fiction novel currently out that is being showcased here.  I had also written a non-fiction book:  "A Successful Business of Your Own".  It was bought extensively by libraries, but the advent of the internet has made it totally out of date.  The other book, "The Nuclear Catastrophe (a fiction novel of suspense) can still be found in libraries across the United States.

What inspired you to write this book?

Majored in science in college and saw into the future as what was bound to happen with nuclear power.  It is eerie how I nailed in my story what eventually happened in Fukushima 30 years later.

Who is your favourite author, and what is it about their work that strikes a chord with you?

Michael Crichton.  Wrote fictional stories based on actual science.

What book are you reading now, and would you recommend it?

indie authors trying to get started and am amazed at the high quality of writing that they have that has been overlooked by the  small world of hardcover publishers.  Try:

THE CATALYTIC PROGRAMME – a fiction thriller

written by Terry Callister

What are your current projects?

Getting "The Nuclear Catastrophe" in front of the public before I start another book.

Where and when do you do most of your writing?

 in the quiet of my home office.

What would you say was the hardest part of writing your book?

the editing.  It's hard to make those decisions yourself, as to what should stay and what should go.  To the author it is all important.  Join a writers's club and submit to them for critique.

Who designed your book cover – and was the cover something you deemed important?

 #1 was designed by the publisher.  Cover #2 was designed by me through Amazon.  It is important.  Again, submit to others for their reaction.

Did you try to go down the route of traditional publishing first – or did you feel that self-publishing was right for you from the beginning?

 The first time I was published there was no other route  except the traditional.  When I discovered my book, though out of print, was still be sold by Amazon, and B&N, and some survival web sites as a used book, I decided to update it & bring it back out.  There is no question that the indie author has a great advantage now over taking the lowest slot in some publishers group.  The book gets out much, much quicker  as self published and then depends on the author taking the time to publicize it.  I could write 10 pages on this subject and some others have - the indie author now has great opportunities.  Don't wait for someone else to do it for you - do it yourself and do it well.

Where can we buy the book?

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WDRWXY

Available for Nook as THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe

And available in paperback

Read an excerpt now:  http://bit.ly/pY8HxX

Do you have a website or blog where we can keep tabs on you?

Blog:  http://www.thenuclearcatastrophe.blogspot.com

Web page: http://mysite.verizon.net/resrrmof/

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 I find it takes a commitment of at least 2 hours a day to work on publicizing the book.  If you are not willing to do that, I think you will not have the results that you want.  And please, get a second opinion - or more - about what you have written.  The traditional routes of publishing provide an editor.  If you are going to do the indie route - then join a writer's club.

And, finally, do you have anything else that you’d like to say to everyone?

Good luck in all your efforts.  They can pay off if you are persistent

Wendy Shuttleworth

Author of: Your Soul Puzzle

Book blurb:

You don’t need to accept your life as it is—not when you have intuitive, educator, counsellor and psychic Wendy Shuttleworth’s revolutionary new book, Your Soul Puzzle. Filled with breathing exercises, tips, mediations, and spiritual philosophy, Your Soul Puzzle shows how our beliefs, innermost attitudes, and fears can actually affect our health and personal and professional relationships. In this richly innovative book, Shuttleworth shows how to shift realities, release fear, and work through pain in order to have the health you always dreamed of.  A Life Line counselor, Shuttleworth has been helping others solve problems, enhance relationships, and find their life purposes for years. If you feel as though you’ve been missing something in your life, Your Soul Puzzle is guaranteed to give you all the pieces you need to put together the celebratory existence you’ve always wanted. 

As an introduction, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

In her life as a transformation trainer, Glenda has successfully facilitated training programmes for more than 5000 delegates across South Africa and United Kingdom.  She is an assessor, moderator and verifier for various Seta’s and trainer, coach and counsellor for various corporate. Her two decades of experience is in-depth as it is expansive. It spans Leadership Development, Learning and Development, Counselling and Coaching, Marketing and Sales Management, managing and growing demanding small Training and Education businesses, Public Relations, Project Management and Operations Management.  Glenda Wendy is particularly adept at developing leaders and facilitating change at every level in an organisation.   Glenda Wendy is the author of "your soul puzzle" and has been mention or quoted in: Oprah Magazine (July 2011), Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Style magazine and the Longevity Magazine.  

What is your book about?

A self development workbook with a difference.  Easy reading

When and why did you begin writing? 

I started writing my book to heal myself

What is your biggest writing achievement to date?

Probably my book and getting on the radio about it

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted more form life

Who is your favourite author, and what is it about their work that strikes a chord with you?

Louise HAYE

What book are you reading now, and would you recommend it?

Heal your life by Louise HAYE- love it rereading it and yes

What are your current projects?

I am currently doing allot of corporate and company training and I am fine tuning a self development system that is patent pending on making:  Technology and HR coming together to provide REAL TIME performance management and  Improvement to make POSITIVE change sustainable! "It is better to have lived one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep." ~ Tibetan Proverb

Where and when do you do most of your writing? 

When I am alone on my computer

What would you say was the hardest part of writing your book?

Owning up to my own errors and my spelling

Who designed your book cover – and was the cover something you deemed important?

A professional

Did you try to go down the route of traditional publishing first – or did you feel that self-publishing was right for you from the beginning?

No I went self publish immediately

On the whole, how have you found self-publishing?

I like it because you are in control and can publish your own truth

Where can we buy the book?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Soul-Puzzle-ebook/dp/B006FIGSDO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006FIGSDO  

Do you have a website or blog where we can keep tabs on you?

www.yoursoulpuzzle.com ,   www.TrueGenius.co.zaFace book group is Your Soul Puzzle and web www.yoursoulpuzzle.co.za.Also Website:                                amazon.com/author/wendyglendashuttleworth  

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Follow your passion even if it makes no sense to anybody else, it is your passion so keep doing it

And, finally, do you have anything else that you’d like to say to everyone? 

Many thanks and keep in touch.

Michelle Gordon

Author of: The Doorway to PAM

Book blurb:

Natalie is lost. Physically and spiritually. She has no family, few friends, and the only boy she ever loved had just rejected her.

When she finds a tearoom in the middle of the woods, she has no idea that her desire for a strong, sweet cup of tea will change her life forever.

Her journey begins when she steps through the Doorway to PAM.

As an introduction, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I live in England, though originally I'm from South Wales. I have many creative hobbies, like scrapbooking, steampunkery, photography, knitting, sewing and creating mixed media art. I have had many, many different jobs, in all different areas. I have worked in offices, shops, kitchens, restaurants, schools, colleges, but I have yet to find a vocation that fits me as well as writing novels does. I love movies, and have a huge DVD collection. When I write, I see every scene as if it's a movie, so would love for my books to be made into movies one day. I love travelling, and lived in New York for ten months a couple of years ago. My plan is to travel around Europe in a VW camper van, and write novels as I go.

What is your book about?

The Doorway to PAM is about a place that people find when they are at their lowest. Whatever their circumstances, if they feel they cannot carry on living any longer, they will magically find themselves at Pam's. It is here that they will find the spark that will reignite their passion for life and set them back on the right track. The book follows the life of one girl in particular who finds herself at Pam's, having lost everyone she loves.

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing creatively for myself when I was eight years old, and I wrote my first poem. I wrote poetry for many years, most of the time, the lines would come to me just as I was drifting to sleep at night. I wrote short stories as well, and when I was sixteen, I wrote a novella called Heaven Dot Com. I didn't write anything other than my diary for about eight years, then I began writing novels.

What genre do you prefer to write in?

To be honest, I write whatever comes into my head, but my books are usually quite spiritual, I named them Spi-Fi (Spiritual Fiction). They deal with life after death, angels, faeries, alternate dimensions among other things. I believe that I am more of a Spiritual Secretary than an Author, as when I write, the words flow through me onto the screen before I've even had a chance to think them. Many times I have read through my writing and have had no memory of writing it.

What is your biggest writing achievement to date?

Writing my first full length novel. I wrote it in two months, and it was the longest piece of writing I had ever done. Up until then I wasn't sure if I was capable of writing an entire novel. The day the proof copy arrived through the post was amazing, I couldn't believe that I had written a book.

What inspired you to write this book?

As with most of my writing, this book started out as a scene in my head, of a young girl who felt completely lost in her life coming across a tearoom in the woods. I knew that when she entered the door, it would change her life. I jotted down a couple of ideas, and then just started writing. I began this book as part of Nanowrimo in 2009, but I didn't finish it in that month, it took me quite a while to finish writing due to all the many distractions in my life at the time. I find the Nanowrimo method to be incredibly productive though, and it's how I try to write all of my novels.

Who is your favourite author, and what is it about their work that strikes a chord with you?

My favourite author of all time has to be L.J Smith. I started reading her books when they were first published about 15 years ago, and they provided a wonderful escape from the dreariness that was school. I used to hide in the library and read The Secret Circle. I loved her worlds of witches, werewolves, vampires and shapeshifters. The Night World introduced me to the idea of soulmates, and I still occasionally read her books now.

What book are you reading now, and would you recommend it?

I am currently reading The Secret to Instant Healing by Frank J. Kinslow, and I would highly recommend it. I have been practising the methods and have found them to be very beneficial so far.

What are your current projects?

At the moment I am doing another edit of my first novel, The Earth Angel Training Academy, to remove a few typos that made their way through to publication. I am also in the process of finishing the sequel to it, called The Earth Angel Awakening, which will be published on the 1st June 2012. After that I will be writing and publishing my fourth novel, The Elphite, on the 1st December 2012. My aim is to write and publish two novels a year. I'm also planning on making book trailers for them as I did with The Doorway to PAM. (you can find it on Youtube)

Where and when do you do most of your writing?

I have to write using my netbook, I'm afraid pen and paper are no good to me because my hand cannot write as quickly as the words flow. Usually I sit on my bed, (bad for the posture, I know) or in the nicer weather I like to sit out on the deck in the sunshine and write. But to be honest, once I'm in the zone, it doesn't matter where I am or what's going on around me. As for when, I am more of a night person than a morning person, and I find that I have my best ideas after ten o'clock at night, which is not so good if I have to be up the next morning.

What would you say was the hardest part of writing your book?

I always find the characters names to be the hardest part of writing, there's usually quite mad reasons for my character names, for example, Natalie in the Doorway to PAM was named after the salt shaker on the kitchen table at the time! I needed a name and I looked down and saw 'Nat' (I think it said natural or something like that) on the label and so my main character was called Natalie.

Who designed your book cover – and was the cover something you deemed important?

The cover was interesting for this novel, because I was trying to design it without the title. The design and the title ended up arriving together in my mind, but before I could make the design a reality, I had a reading with an excellent psychic who told me that there would be 'a door opening for me in 2012', which I thought was a bit vague, until she went on to describe the door in great detail. What she described was the mental image I had for the cover of this book. I found the perfect door in Ross-on-Wye, England, and asked their permission to photograph it, and the woods that are layered on top are the woods that surround my home. I then used Photoshop to layer the photos and create the light coming through the doorway. I do think that the cover is an important part of a book, I must admit, I do actually judge books by their covers.

Did you try to go down the route of traditional publishing first – or did you feel that self-publishing was right for you from the beginning?

I self-published my novella, Heaven Dot Com, in 2007, mainly because I wanted to see it in book form and I didn't think that any publisher would be interested in publishing it due to the length. When I started thinking about publishing The Earth Angel Training Academy, I did at first think of going down the traditional route, and submitted queries to my favourite publishers and a couple of agents that I followed the blogs of. After waiting several months for replies, and then receiving rejections, I decided that I didn't want to waste any more time and that I should just do it myself. It still took me a year after that to actually publish it, but I am glad that I did, because I liked the fact that I retained control over the manuscript and the cover.

On the whole, how have you found self-publishing?

The steepest learning curve for me has been the marketing and promotion side of things. I'm learning every day, and I know I have a lot more yet to learn. I suppose my biggest fear was that people wouldn't see it as being 'real' publishing, because I did it all myself. But in actual fact, I have found that people are far more impressed that I published it myself, than if I had done it traditionally. There is a lot of work involved in self-publishing, not to mention a lot of self-belief required, but I think it's more than worth it.

Where can we buy the book?

The Doorway to PAM is available on Kindle (UK, US, FR etc.) and also as a paperback from Completelynovel.com.

Do you have a website or blog where we can keep tabs on you?

I have a website – www.michellegordon.co.uk and a blog – eata.wordpress.com.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Have belief in yourself, if you have the desire to write, then you are a writer. The most important thing to do is to write because you love to, and not because you think it's a good way to make money!

And, finally, do you have anything else that you’d like to say to everyone?

Enjoy life, love and laugh as much as you can, and if you do decide to buy my book, please please please leave me a review on Amazon!