Interview with romance writer Nora LeDuc

Novelist Nora LeDuc helps me kick off a new week and round out the month by chatting with me about her new contemporary romance novella, Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes within The Last Chance Beach: Summer Ends boxset.

During her virtual book tour, Nora will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Nora grew up in rural New England where she currently lives with her family. She enjoys visiting and spending time with her friends, the Winettes, in Florida, where she continues to write. Her current book, Beach Kisses, Sunset Wishes is her seventeenth. In October, Christmas at the Easy Breezy will be released. You can find Nora on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and her website: Noraleduc.com. She also contributes to the Romance Gems’ Blog every month.

Please share a little bit about your current release

I’d been longing for a while to create a novella with a focus on a contemporary romance. My most recent books have fallen into the romantic suspense category and none are short. Could I write one?

Thanks to the fabulous writing group that I belong to, the Romance Gems, I was given the opportunity to answer this question. I volunteered to contribute to our first box set Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End. I was excited and nervous but told myself to go for it.

My first job was to establish my daily word count and plan my story. I knew both my characters had suffered disastrous relationships. As a result, they handled their dating lives in different ways. My heroine wanted a fling. My hero wanted to find a woman for a lifetime commitment.

Each day I thought about my protagonists and my plot and then sat and wrote. On my screen, the tale came alive, and the story grew. Finally, they reached the end of their journey, now titled Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had many inspirations. The Gems read the history or Legend of Last Chance Beach. This sparked a lot of ideas about people living in paradise and a land where wishes come true. Another author created a map, giving us a visual of where our characters were located. Others carried on online discussions of life on our island.

For the island settings, I used my memories from vacations. Since I’d cruised to Bermuda twice, I pictured Last Chance Beach with the same pastel-colored concrete buildings. I imagined the picturesque town square where my cruise ship docked as the center of our isle.

My muse tapped into my time spent on the seashores in Florida and walking their beautiful wooded rail trails. This provided me with mental images of the plants, trees, and the sea. Finally, my writings sprang from the characters’ situations. She works at the Sands Hotel Gift Shop and dreams of owning her own brick & mortar store. He’s staying at the same resort while running his Yelp-like business. Both have sworn off adventures in dating until they meet each other. Neither could resist the other.

Excerpt from Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes:

Frankie spotted him across the café patio. She’d never seen him here before.

He sat alone, wearing khaki shorts and a pale blue shirt, open at the collar. Dense black hair spilled over his forehead, and bristles shadowed his strong jaw. He looked to be in his early thirties. Dark-framed sunglasses were perched on his straight nose as he read something on his phone resting beside his plate of eggs and hash browns. He took off his shades, rubbed his chin, and raised his gaze. Their glances collided.

His brows shot up with interest. His lips parted slightly. Blue eyes that matched the sea drew Frankie to him and caused a sensation of dizziness to dance in her head. She was aware she was staring, but she couldn’t stop.

The squawk of a bird broke through the scrape of forks against the dishes and the murmur of voices. The noises faded away. Even the thud of her heart seemed to pause when he nodded to her.

“Attention, everyone.” A server standing nearby with a carafe of coffee interrupted

Frankie’s moment. “MacDyver has been sighted.”

“Quick the food.” Tikki covered their meals with napkins.

Silverware clinked as diners dropped their utensils and popped up their overhead covers–– their futile attempt at protection. As Frankie shoved her chair back to open their umbrella, she peeked at the man.

He picked up his toast and held it for a second. The seagull struck. With one swoop, MacDyver grabbed the bread from his fingertips. A hush settled over the throng, and the bird soared heavenward with a snide cackle out the side of his beak and disappeared.

All gazes fell on the stranger MacDyver had robbed as he rose to his six-foot-plus height.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Currently, I’m whipping my holiday novel, Christmas at the Easy Breezy, into shape for an October release. The setting is the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The story centers on a young woman finding love and family in an unexpected place. Our hero is the gruff, handsome owner of the local diner stuck in the past until the night a pretty, bubbly woman crashes into a snowbank and into his life.

I’m also at work on my second novel for the Love & Lies in Paradise series set in Florida. It will be a stand-alone romantic suspense like the first book. The heroine is a minor character from Trail of Secrets. She has a less than sterling reputation and is discovered at the scene of a murder. The hero is an old friend and a private investigator. He isn’t sure how innocent she is, or if he wants to take her case. She has a lot of growing up to do. Unfortunately for her, she must find not only a killer but her true self before she can share her heart.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Well, it’s often tough to say when you pass the invisible milestone that identifies you as a writer and not someone just filling up pages to entertain yourself. For me, the big realization came when I found myself on a recommendation list with authors I admired and read. Being included with great writers was a super thrill. I kept rereading the listings and showing everyone I had made it! That was an “aha moment” for me.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

When I first started writing, I had a full-time job. I wrote every day after work and often on the weekends. Many people asked how I squeezed this in. Simple, creating stories was as entertaining and fun for me as watching my favorite movie or reading a great book. I wanted to do it. Now I’m not working for a guaranteed paycheck, I write in the morning. This gives me the freedom to think about my story and to revise or create scenes differently than I originally imagined them.

Other than typing away at my keyboard, I love flowers, not so much the planting part, but their growth and beauty when they bloom. I also quilt and have lots of bedspreads––you can imagine! Taking pictures wherever I am has become a hobby of mine. Through my camera’s eye, I try to capture an interesting feature or unique characteristic that makes us want to look at a mundane image in a way we never imagined.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Don’t know how quirky this is, but we have a camp up north. When we go there, my friend and I wonder about the people we’ve never seen or met who live nearby us. One time, an older gentleman moved in. He had a long white beard and never came outside. She thought of him as a generous, jolly Santa Claus. I told her he reminded me of a terrorist hiding from the FBI. Another man was always walking around talking to everyone, but we never saw his wife. I suggested she might not exist. And I can’t forget the woman who broke up with her boyfriend. Nobody knows where she’s gone. I like to think she’s at Last Chance Beach meeting her true love.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was six, I wanted to be a nun. (Yes, I went to a parochial school.) My friends and I tried to mirror the sisters’ habits. We’d walk around on the playground at recess with the back of our sweaters pulled over the top of our heads and the front buttoned up to our chin. That ended when my mother found out I was stretching out all the sweaters my grandmother knit me.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you for reading my stories. It means the world to me when someone tells me they enjoyed one of my books. And please follow me on social media.

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you for having me!! It’s been fun.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Amazon | Twitter | Bookbub

Authors and Titles:

Hot August Night by Joan Reeves, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Can a chef and a hot dog loving cop resist desire when they’re forced to share the same overbooked beach cottage?

Something New by Liz Flaherty, USA Today Bestselling Author

Their lives are all planned out--until they're not.

I Do…Again by Nancy Fraser, Amazon Top 100 Author

Can they re-ignite what they once had and take a last chance on love?

The Man in Gull Cottage by Caroline Clemmons, Amazon Top 100 Author

Will the solution to her dilemma drive them apart or into one another's arms?

That One Summer by Maddie James, Amazon Top 100 Author

He's the one who got away. She's the one who couldn't commit.

Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough, Amazon Bestselling Author

Can she turn back the clock to save her marriage?

Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless, Amazon Bestselling Author

Of all the beaches on the coast, who does she see again? Him!

Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards, Amazon Bestselling Author

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there

One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble, National Bestselling Author

She can run, but can she hide?  Will love still find her?

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills, Award Winning Author

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines, Award Winning Author

Fragrance and love cannot be hidden.

Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker, Award Winning Author

Can dreams of the future erase her nightmares of the past?

Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc

She wants someone interested in a fling. He wants someone interested in a ring.

Frankie McKinley’s last three relationships went up in flames. Her best bud insists she needs to relax, have a fling. But Frankie’s not into casual hookups. She vows to resist the lure of romantic Last Chance Beach and take a break from men. She’ll concentrate on her dream, opening a gift shop. Or so she’d promised herself until the morning her gaze locks with the handsome Sean Thomas-Michael’s sea-blue eyes.

Can't Buy Me Love by Hannah Rowan

Things aren't always what they seem.

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Interview with author Elizabeth Einspanier

Today’s guest is independent author Elizabeth Einspanier. She’s here chatting about her new Western novella, Sheep’s Clothing.

Bio:

Elizabeth Einspanier is a writer of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and cross-genre fiction, as well as poetry of all types. Her short stories have been published in Down in the Dirt and Dark Fire Fiction, and her poetry has been published in Aphelion, Haiku Journal, and Abandoned Towers Magazine. 

She has been writing as long as she has been able to string words together into an interesting story, so naturally by the time she enrolled in college it was clear that a BA in English was the way to go. Her inspirations are as diverse as Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, C. S. Lewis, Arthur Conan Doyle, Madeleine L’Engle, and Jonathan Coulton, and when she is not writing she works full-time at the St. Louis County Library, where she feeds her hunger for new books. Her other hobbies include playing Dungeons & Dragons and watching strange movies.

She is a native of St. Louis, but frequently visits worlds of her own creation. She is a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild and a supporting member of the HWA.

Welcome, Elizabeth. Please tell us about your current release.

Sheep’s Clothing is a Weird Western vampire novella that pits a mild-mannered frontier doctor named Doc Meadows and a half-Sioux gunslinger named Wolf Cowrie against three vampires who want to take over the small frontier town of Salvation. I wanted to get back to the roots of vampire fiction here, so I combined historical research with setting-relevant mythology; the result is more akin to Bram Stoker than Stephenie Meyer.

What inspired you to write this book?

Basically I read Twilight and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I like to get back to the roots of popular monsters, and I wanted to do the same with vampires and make them dangerous again. Taking the Wayback Machine to the old West seemed like the natural way to do that without trying to rewrite Dracula.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on a couple of projects right now. One is Hungry as a Wolf, a spinoff from Sheep’s Clothing that centers on Wolf Cowrie, and the other is Silk and Steel, a romance fantasy novel that’s a cross between The Princess Diaries and Red Sonja.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was very young, I read voraciously, and then started writing my own continuations to the books I read.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I write part-time, and work full-time at the St. Louis County Library. I write during breaks at work and in the evenings when I can. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in an hour or two a day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I occasionally have full-blown conversations with my main characters while I’m driving or trying to get to sleep. Oftentimes they have some pretty good advice about where the story could go.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be everything from an astronaut to a veterinarian before I settled on writer.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Ways to connect with me include:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Author | Goodreads Book

LibraryThing Profile | LibraryThing Work

Book links:

Paperback | Kindle | CreateSpace              

Thanks, Elizabeth! Happy writing! 

Interview with historical fiction author Marina Raydun

Marina Raydun is here today. She’s talking about her writing and 2 of her novellas, One Year in Berlin and Foreign Bride.

Welcome, Marina. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m an NYC indie author. I was born and raised in the former USSR (born in Russia, raised in Belarus). However, having moved to the United States at the age of 11, I consider this country to be my true home. Skipping 6^th grade, I entered 7^th in Brooklyn, New York, where I live to this day. I hold a B.A. in History, as well as a J.D., though I do not currently practice law. I’ve been writing for myself since I was a teenager but these two novellas are my first published works of fiction.

Please tell us about your current release.

This is a book of two novellas. They differ from each other greatly, in themes and inspirations. I’ll go over them individually.

One Year in Berlin is a story about a young woman named Rachael. She is a granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor and finds herself having to live in Berlin for at least a year because of her husband’s career opportunity. Even though she believes she is strong enough to not be held back by her family’s history (along with its long-held fears and prejudices), Rachael feels herself growing a bit unhinged on German soil; her new life becomes riddled with nightmares and visions, her past and present get confused. We watch her go through this year-long ordeal, unsure if she’ll ever find herself again.

Foreign Bride is a tale of two people from different countries (and cultures) looking for love. Bobby is a middle-aged man from London, while Sofiya is a younger woman from Moscow; they find each other in the context of Russia’s “mail-order bride” industry. Their feelings for each other seem genuine, despite the rather calculated manner in which they met, and yet, they can’t seem to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We are privy to their deepest insecurities and bouts of self-destruction as we watch what such things can do to a potentially happy couple.

What inspired you to write this book?

One Year in Berlin was in part inspired by my own nightmares (though, needless to say, I’ve fictionalized them for publication). Unfortunately, given that I am Jewish and come from Eastern Europe, the subject of World War II has always hit a bit close to home. I believe that unless we continue to study and talk about this dark chapter in our history, we cannot truly do our best to ensure that such atrocities never take place again; nor can there ever be any forgiveness. Because of this, I really felt it was important to try to tell a story showing three perspectives that bring little, if any, good—one that’s stuck in the past, one that’s knee deep in denial, and a third that refuses to see what the fuss is all about given how many years have passed.

Rachael’s nightmares can also be read as a metaphor for her feelings towards (or fears of) her husband. This novella can be read entirely as a relationship piece. How you’d rather interpret this one is entirely up to the reader; I wrote it dually on purpose.

Foreign Bride, on the other hand, was inspired by my fascination with the “mail-order bride” industry. The footing in these types of relationships is anything but equal—at least one party is out of her/his comfort zone. Expectations also differ greatly from those one would reasonably anticipate in a more ordinary setting. Not to say that these relationships are always doomed to abuse and mistrust. Absolutely not! There are legitimately happy couples out there who are genuinely grateful to this industry for helping them find each other. Still, I’ve always wanted to look deeper into this world, wanting to play around with the various themes involved. One morning, during my subway commute, I visualized the first chapter and had to write it down. I took it from there.

Excerpt from One Year in Berlin, Chapter 1:

Darren eyed his wife with a hint of worry from behind the thick, pseudo-intellectual frames he used for reading. He put down his copy of The New Yorker and threw his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

“Relax, Ascher, whatever it is you are thinking about, odds are—you’re overthinking it,” he ordered in his effortlessly confident tone as she let out a snort into his black, fashionably worn-out leather jacket.

Darren was used to a strong, tough wife and suspected that having to watch her deteriorate would not be easy.

“Look! It says I’m German,” she whined cautiously.

Excerpt from Foreign Bride, Chapter 2:

When it was Bobby’s turn, her heart seemed to stop beating to allow her ears to hear better.

“London,” he answered simply.

Sofiya was used to hearing these men declare with pride that they were from New York but really being from Albany, or saying that they were from Frankfurt but really meaning Aachen. Chances of this man being from London were slim, she knew.

“Really? London-London?” she smiled, lifting her eyebrows skeptically.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on a full length novel, aiming for publication late this spring (2014). A reader of mine once described my stories as those about “relationships with a twist.” I love that description and find it to be very accurate. This upcoming novel will sure be a “relationship (or two…or three) with a twist (or two…or three)” type of work, set against the backdrop of a murder-mystery.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I wrote my first short story in high school, but it wasn’t until a little later in life that I realized that I love writing for its own sake; that crafting stories and characters simply makes me happy. I’ve always been a bit afraid of titles so I’m not sure when I officially labeled myself a “writer,” but I’ll say sometime during a sleepless night in college.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am not a full-time writer. As a mom, my daily routine is fairly busy, but I try to carve out time to write every single day. I think it is important to do so for the sheer exercise of it. Even if the piece will not pan out to be a story you’ll ever publish or even share with a friend, it’s vital to give your brain that workout. Right now, about two hours a day is all I am able to commit to this passion but I try to make this time as productive and focused as I possibly can.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t start with an outline. I always have to write out the first chapter fairly thoroughly before going back and working out an outline for the entire piece. I like to try to give my characters as much freedom as possible to tell me where it is they want to go.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I’ve always wanted to be a singer (and an actor). Growing up, I never really wanted to play with “real” toys; instead, I’d play records and act out concerts or musicals (all in front of imaginary but sold-out arenas, of course). I don’t think those dreams have ever truly seized to be my ultimate fairytale-type fantasies but for a brief moment in time, as an adolescent, I also wanted to become a teacher and a lawyer. I guess I’ve always wanted to create something.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like to thank them for taking a chance on a new name and for reading my creations. It means the world!

If I could give anyone a piece of advice, it’d be this: go after your dreams! Pursue them aggressively! The longer you wait to pursue them, the harder it’ll become to eventually make them a reality.

Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon 

Thanks, Marina! Happy writing!

Interview with YA paranormal author Michelle Cornwell-Jordan

We're starting the week off with an interview with paranormal author Michelle Cornwell-Jordan. She's on a virtual book tour for her novella Kindred (Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy).

There are MANY giveaways with this tour: 5 e-copies of Kindred per stop, and after the tour ends in late January there will be an additional 1 lucky winner of a $25.00 Amazon virtual gift card and 3 lucky winners who will win an autographed copy of Rock Artist Cecile Monique’s EP Immortal Beloved! (Angel and Rafael’s song!) You can enter through the Rafflecopter code below.

Bio:

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan is a YA Paranormal Author. Her titles include a co-written work with Danny Jones entitled Reahket and her solo YA Novella series Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy.

She is also the producer of the online radio segment IndieReview Behind The Scenes, where she and her co-host Jamie B Musings interviews Indie Authors and Musicians.

Michelle has been married for 17 years and has a 14-year-old daughter. A book lover, her favorite genre has always been paranormal adventures.

Another love is writing. Michelle has been writing about as long as she has been a bibliophile! Losing herself in a fantasy world that she is creating on paper is how she loves spending her spare time.

Welcome, Michelle Please tell us about your current release.

The Kindred is the second novella in The Night School Vampire Hunter trilogy.

Angel and her friends at Ame Academy, a boarding school for preternatural and humans are back, and they are preparing for battle against the dark forces that kidnapped Angel’s younger brother Jordan. Angel had recently discovered that she was a Hunter and that she alone has a special weapon against her enemies, her blood, which is discovered to be toxic to her enemies. Angel is prepared to use her training and all that is at her disposal in order to save Jordan, even if that means joining forces with the strange and mysterious Rafael, who at their first meeting, she recognized him as the boy she had dreamed about for weeks prior to his arrival at the school. Angel cannot shake the feeling that she knew Rafael before, and is hopelessly drawn to her extremely handsome fellow hunter.

Rafael frightens her, he hints of a secret; another time and another life lived.

Can love survive two lifetimes?

Events unfold that provides the answers to who Rafael really is and what they mean to one another; and along with these strange and blossoming emotions for Rafael, along with guilt and fear for her brothers safety; Angel discovers that she is more than just a Vampire Hunter, and that she plays a major role in a ancient prophecy, which she must fulfill by facing a force so evil that survival is not promised.

But she will face the Dark One, Angel will sacrifice all, if it means saving all whom she loves.

Many questions are answered, but the drama is just beginning.

What inspired you to write this book?

A local school located near my house. When seeing it, the idea sprung into my head about a different student body residing in the school.

Excerpt:

A thought came into my head and I turned, pinning Rafael with a please don’t mess with me right now…or I’ll rip your heart out stare. I said, “When we first met, you said we knew one another that you were with me when I was little, that we’ve always known one another…always…l-l-oved one another…” I quickly tuned out the others in the room, not wishing to focus on the reactions of the others…although I did catch the big smile from Elin; an incurable romantic it seemed. I knew this should have been a private conversation, but deep down I felt Rafael knew what was happening; I wanted to know what he knew…

He looked at me, with one of those intense, smoldering I’m a hot guy, and I really know what this look is doing to you stare…but I wasn’t going to allow it to affect me. I simply held his gaze in a stable, strong manner…and hoped I didn’t look like a deer in the headlights… he sighed and said, “Do you really want to talk about this here?” Rafael looked at me intently, leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees…hands pressed together in the steeple formation that everyone uses to signify they are deep in thought.

I said quietly, “Yes.” He looked at me again, and I swear, if he didn’t stop looking at me that way, I would completely forget what we were talking about. He stood up, and crossed the room and came to stand in front of me—did I happen to mention how close he was? Well, enough that I felt a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t step back, and I refocused. I needed to hear what he had to say.

“I knew you because I am ThunderKin; yes, I knew who you were and what this meant in the war coming Samhain…”

“Okay,” I said trying to digest that here stood one of the legendary Thunderbirds…I saw how his eyes glowed, now appearing that unearthly golden hue; a worried expression passed over his features, and I wondered what worried him. I said, “And the rest about knowing me?”

“I knew you because…” he said as he reached out, placed his hand on the side of my face, and leaned in close, lips almost touching. He whispered, “I knew you because you are my destiny…my mate.”

Really can you believe this?

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am actually going to complete, then re-edit A LOT my 2012 NanoWriMo creation, Chrysalis.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I know we are to say when putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard…I know the old adage, that whenever we write even if no one sees it, then we are still writers. I agree that is true. But I did not “feel” like an actual writer, or the vision was clear to me, until one of my kids in the After School program where I work said “When will the next one be released?!”

The fact the child was awaiting my next novella that just shifted me into full gear to go towards this dream!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

No, currently I still work an outside job; I work with children in an After-School program. I write whenever a morsel of free time appears.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I love to listen to music, and many times whatever I am listening, dictates the narration of my story.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a writer. Always and Forever.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Please join the Hunter Series Fan Club on Goodreads and FaceBook!

As a member, you will be the first to hear about great deals, giveaways and much more involving the series.

Also there are great Author Guests (Hunter Allies) that give guest posts speaking with our junior members 5^th-12^th grade.

Places to find the novella:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

And here's the book trailer. 

Thanks, Michelle. Readers, don't forget about the SEVERAL giveaways up for grabs with this tour. Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with satire/fantasy writer Jonathan Gould

Today's guest is Australian writer Jonathan Gould. He's just starting a virtual book tour for Flidderbugs and Doodling. With cute titles like that, how can this not be a fun interview, right?

And, along with a few chuckles, Jonathan will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour. Details are after the interview.

Bio:
Jonathan Gould has lived in Melbourne, Australia all his life, except when he hasn't. He has written comedy sketches for both the theatre and radio, as well as several published children's books for the educational market.

He likes to refer to his stories as dag-lit because they don't easily fit into recognisable genres (dag is Australian slang for a person who is unfashionable and doesn't follow the crowd - but in an amusing and fun way). You might think of them as comic fantasies, or modern fairytales for the young and the young-at-heart.

Over the years, his writing has been compared to Douglas Adams, Monty Python, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, the Goons, Dr Seuss, and even Enid Blyton (in a good way).

Please tell us about your current release.
I’m never quite sure how best to characterise Flidderbugs. Sometimes I call it a political satire. Sometimes I call it a fable. It’s a little bit of each. But mostly it’s just a funny little story about a strange group of insects who spend most of their time arguing about really insignificant things, mainly involving the number of points there are on the leaves of the tree they live on (the Krephiloff Tree). It’s the sort of thing that hopefully can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups. Younger readers will enjoy the antics of the bugs while adults will get a laugh from some of the satirical elements

What inspired you to write this book?
It was actually inspired by another book – actually two books – although these couldn’t have been more different to Flidderbugs on the surface. They’re books about psychology by John Cleese (yes, that John Cleese) and Robyn Skinner called Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How to Survive It. Both books had some really interesting insights into why people choose to believe what they do and how that relates to their identity and the “tribes” they belong to. I thought these ideas could work really well in story form. Mind you, I’m still not quite sure where the insects came from.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m in the closing stages of finishing my first genuine novel (Flidderbugs is more of a novella). It’s called Magnus Opum and I definitely hope it’s exciting. It’s the story of a little person who goes off on an adventure in the big world. He finds danger and drama, but he also makes some really good friends, and in the process has all his ideas about the world turned on their head. I like to describe it as an epic fantasy with a twist – Tolkien meets Dr Seuss.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
What time is it now? Seriously, I think the moment I really felt like a writer is after the first university revue which I’d contributed to (a university revue is a theatre show comprising songs and comedy sketches, often of a satirical or political bent). Sitting in the audience, hearing the crowd laughing at my jokes felt pretty good.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Do I write full-time? I guess the answer would be yes and no. I do have a day job which does involve writing – I actually write material for online university courses. So I could say that I write full-time. And while I quite enjoy this work, ideally it’s not the sort of writing I’d be doing if I could. Writing fiction, especially humorous fiction, is my first love.

And how do I find the time to write it? A large whip applied to my back at regular intervals? Maybe not quite as extreme as that, but I do have to force myself. I can go months without writing a thing, then finally give myself a push to get up and running again. It’s just a question of making the time and having the motivation to do it.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure if you could call it a quirk, but I tend to work in bursts. I’ll sit there for ages, staring at the screen. Then, without warning, I’ll suddenly attack the keyboard in a frenzy of wild typing. Then back to staring at the screen. It seems to work for me.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A paleontologist (someone who digs for dinosaur bones). Now I just dig for story ideas. Funnily enough, I have one about dinosaurs up in my head at the moment.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes. A big block of chocolate. But you’re all a bit far away from me so I suppose I’ll just have to finish it off myself.

Gee, I might be up for a road trip for chocolate! Jonathan, thank you for being here and chatting about Flidderbugs and other things.

Readers, Jonathan will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from the tour. So, comment here and comment at other tour stops to increase the odds of winning.