Jacquie Rogers

Tell a little about yourself. (short bio)
I like the three R’s: Reading, Rodeo, and Restaurants.  You’ll find all three of those in my books.  I’m from Owyhee County, Idaho and I grew up on a dairy farm wishing those danged Holsteins were longhorns.  Even though I never gave a single thought to being a writer until much later, I’ve always lived in a rich made-up world.  Now I live in the burbs of Seattle but we’ll probably be moving back to Owyhee County in the near future, and I’m really looking forward to the sagebrush and alkali dirt.  It’s part of my DNA.

What can you tell us about your books?
They’re all fun—a little grit, a little heartwarming, and a lot of action.  My goal is to write stories that take people away from the real world for a few hours—a little emotional vacation.  Also, I’ve never quite found my way into the box that people keep talking about, so my stories have a tendency to run on the quirky side.  Or so I’m told. 

I have several western historical romances novels out, five books in the Hearts of Owyhee series, and a few single titles.  Also, I’ve written several faery stories, a contemporary western romance, and the first two novellas of a traditional western series, The Muleskinners, all of which will be reissued later this year.  As Ford Fargo (one of the many authors who write under that name), I’ve written traditional western stories for the Wolf Creek series.

But my latest release doesn’t fit any genre.  Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch is the first in the Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter series.  This series is Honey’s story, set in the Old West and you’ll meet up with a ghost, find a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of action and adventure.  I’m excited about the series and I adore the cover.  The cover artist used my granddaughter as a model and I can’t wait to see what the artist does for the second book, Sidetracked in Silver City. That book should be released the first week of June.

Mostly, I hope readers have fun with my characters.

What genre do you write and why?
Honey Beaulieu is her own genre (I guess you could call the series a “wacky western”), plus I write traditional western, western historical romance, western fantasy romance, fantasy romance, and have dabbled in YA fantasy.  The reason I like western and fantasy is because I grew up in Owyhee County, which is still the Old West by most people’s notions of it, so it’s not hard to get the characters to talk to me.  In fact, it’s usually hard to get them to shut up and let someone else on stage.  Fantasy is awesome because you can make up any durn thing you want. 

If a fiction writer, is any part of your book based on events in your life?
Many of the events are based on things I saw, heard, or did in Owyhee County, Idaho, when I was growing up, and I also mine family stories for ideas. Jake, the heroine in Much Ado About Mavericks (Hearts of Owyhee #4) is the person I wanted to be but obviously never could be (because she’s a larger-than-life character), although I can shoot as well as she could—but I’m seriously pathetic at roping.

What was the greatest challenge you faced with publishing your work?
Juggling.  At any given time, I’m simultaneously plotting a new book, writing a book, editing the next release (so working on a minimum of three books at a time), while creating graphics, coding my website, and marketing.  Sometimes all those balls in the air all end up on the ground and I’m chasing them every which way.  But eventually I get it together and manage to make some forward progress.

What are you currently working on?
I’m writing Sidetracked in Silver City (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #2), plotting a mail-order bride book for Prairie Rose Publications, and also plotting Honey #3—no title yet.  Oh, and getting Hot Work in Fry Pan Gulch (Honey Beaulieu – Man Hunter #1) and Mercy: Bride of Idaho (American Mail-Order Brides #43) in print.  In fact, I’ll be ordering copies later tonight.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
Maybe my short attention span would be considered a quirk.  I seem to have about a ten-minute limit, then I’m surfing the net for some tidbit that ends up being a two-hour tumble down the rabbit hole.

Do you have a favorite author or book?
That’s always such a hard question because until I started this gig and became acquainted with other writers, I never bought by author, mainly because I’ve always had an awful time remembering names.  In college, I read Mary Renault’s books, so I could choose her, but of course there are several others who are just as fabulous, and some of them are my close friends.

Describe yourself in three words.
Fun-loving weird writer.

But don’t believe reports of stubbornness.  I am not.

Shakuita Johnson

Tell a little about yourself. (short bio)
Shakuita Johnson is a 31-year-old Psychology major. When she isn't going to school or working, she is doing what she loves most. Writing. She started writing in middle school. She would write poetry in her room or the middle of the night. Then she was introduced to short stories in a creative writing course her senior year. Her love for paranormal and supernatural started with R.L. Stine Goosebumps books and TV shows, Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles, and Christopher Pike books. She is an avid reader with over 100 books on her bookshelf and 1000 plus on her iPad. She also loved to watch Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her mom.

What can you tell us about your books?
They are dark, sometimes expectantly funny, and I like to push the envelope. They are my own little fantasy worlds that I enjoy getting lost in. They are very different from anything out now. Especially my Dark Indiscretions series as they are told from the POVs of the villains. There are no heroes although they have moments of good.

What genre do you write and why?
Paranormal mostly because I enjoy getting lost in a world where the rules aren't black and white. I love all things supernatural and dark.

If a fiction writer, is any part of your book based on events in your life?
For the most part And So She Waited had a lot of myself in it. Feelings I've felt regardless of acting on them and just a lot of the emotional tone was from my life.

What was the greatest challenge you faced with publishing your work?
Not totally knowing what the fuck I was doing. I still don't know what I'm doing but I'm still pushing through. It's also a challenge because things are ever changing from one release to the next.

What are you currently working on?
Snap Shot a dark romance that is F/F with fellow author LM Adams. We both mostly write paranormal so this is a bit outside our comfort zones but I'm not too worried. It still going to be dark and twisted the only difference is it's regular people and not supernaturals. Also work on a few short erotica pieces for fun.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
Not that I've noticed. Mostly I write either in silence or with The Hobbit on in the background. But I can't write to music at all.

Do you have a favorite author or book?
Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice...every time I read it I find something I missed. The story of the twins and how vampires came to be is my most favorite thing to read.

Describe yourself in three words.
Smart, funny, emotional

Ben Burgess Jr

Tell a little about yourself.

I’m a father, husband, NYPD Detective, Author, and personal trainer. I’m a person who wants to leave a lasting, positive difference in the world.

What can you tell us about your books?

I put my heart and soul in every book. I believe art imitates life, so when fans read my books, I want to challenge them with stories that will make them think. With all of my books, my goal is to stir the readers emotions.

What genre do you write and why?

I write African American Fiction/Urban Fiction and Contemporary Romance. I write in those genres because I feel they’re broad enough for me to write realistic stories. I try to write novels where a majority of people can relate to the situations and characters.

If a fiction writer, is any part of your book based on events in your life?

All of my books have a part of me in them. “Monster” was semi-fictional. 90% of it was true, with a lot of characters, situations, and names were changed around to protect the actual people they were based on. A part of the character design for “Samantha” in my novel “Wounded” was based on a family member of mine as well as numerous women I’ve met in life. In “Love and Happiness”, both Chris and Karen have parts of me in their character design. After interviewing a lot of women to get the “voice” down for Karen, I feel she has such a diverse personality because she was based on lots of women. I feel when an author puts parts of his soul in his work, the readers can feel the emotion in the book and it makes it easier to connect.

What was the greatest challenge you faced with publishing your work?

One of the most significant challenges I’m facing now is convincing readers that not all African American Fiction/Urban fiction book are about drug, baby mama drama, gangs, or crime. I feel that sometime African America fiction is viewed as the “reality tv show.” of literature when many stories within the genre are deeper than that. Sometimes its very hard for me to find reviewers and bloggers to give my novels a chance because of the stigma that comes with the genre. While it can be frustrating, I know the best way to change people is by doing it one at a time. I try to alter the opinions of every reviewer I meet with my work.

You are a three time Reader’s Favorite International Award Winner. Tell us a little about that and will you be going for a fourth this year?

I’m a big believer and fan of Reader’s Favorite. They were the first book award competition that I won. Even though my first novel “Monster” was received well by readers, I wasn’t completely confident in my skill as a writer. Winning that competition helped me to not only gain recognition, but it also gave me the confidence to continue to write. I’ve been blessed to win the competition for three straight years, and I cherish it every time I win. I’m hoping to go for a fourth this year when I enter my next novel “Daddy’s girl.”

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?

I’m very weird when it comes to writing. I don’t follow an outline, everything is mapped out in my head. I constantly rewrite and edit while I’m writing, which is considered a big writers no-no. I have a weird Quentin Tarrintino approach to writing my books. I write the parts as they come to me. It could be the middle of the book, the end of the book, it doesn’t matter. As I write more of the book, I make evolve to fit together with the parts that I’ve previously written.

Do you have a favorite author or book?

My favorite author is Eric Jerome Dickey. His books as well as Richard Wright’s Native son, are the reasons why I am an author today. I’ve been blessed with speaking to Eric Jerome Dickey
personally and he has been a good mentor to me. I was honored when my favorite author was one of the first people to support first novel “Monster.”

Describe yourself in three words.

Persistent. Assiduous, Giving