Author Spotlight Interview: Lauren Smith
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on March 14, 2023
Today’s interview is with multi-genre, and multi-pen name author Lauren Smith who also writes as Emma Castle and Daphne Hunt. She shared with us her journey to publication and the challenges she has overcome. It was a pleasure getting to know more about her writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? LS: I write romance, historical fiction and cozy mysteries under the names Lauren Smith, Emma Castle and Daphne Hunt. All of my writing has a timeless feel no matter the subgenre. I’m an attorney who now writes full time. HG: Fantastic. You’re both traditionally published and self-published. Can you explain to readers what that means for an author and how it differs when it comes to the publication process? LS: I first started out in my career publishing with a small publishing house that… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Jeanne Felfe
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on February 14, 2023
Today’s interview is with author Jeanne Felfe. According to her official bio, Felfe writes character-driven stories from the heart, often defying genre-classification. She shared with us her journey to publication and the challenges she has overcome. It was a pleasure getting to know more about Jeanne’s writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? JF: I’m a “life happens” kind of writer. Most everything I write has a real-world feel to it with strong female characters (never damsels in distress) in dramatic situations. While Bridge to Us is technically a romance, it leans toward women’s fiction. HG: Wonderful. Tell us a bit about your publishing journey. How did you know you were ready to take on the “author” title? JF: I’ve been an on-and-off-again writer for many years. It wasn’t until my mother passed in 2012… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: K.T. Rose
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 31, 2023
Today’s interview is with horror author K.T. Rose. She shared a lot about her writing and the challenges she has overcome. It was a pleasure getting to know more about K.T.’s writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? KTR: I write horror. All of it is on the darker side of the spectrum, so reader beware. HG: What feeling do you hope readers are left with when they finish one of your novels? KTR: There is hope on the other side of a tragedy and true life lessons can be learned through horrific experiences. HG: Ah, I love that. Could you tell us a bit about your publishing journey? How did you know you were ready to take on the “author” title? KTR: Back in 2016, I was dealing with some personal trauma and decided… Read More >
5 Fantasy Authors to Check Out This Year
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 17, 2023
Each month we have the opportunity to interview the writers that bring awe-inspiring stories to your eReaders. From debut authors, to seasoned pros we’ve enjoyed getting to know these folks and learning about their inspiration and lives outside of writing. Today we’re pleased to bring you a round-up of five recent interviews with fantasy authors dedicated to bringing you stories full of wonder and imagination. Self-published and traditionally published authors face a lot of competition to be seen with well over 1 million books published every year, according to Bowker. Through the Hidden Gems ARC program, we’ve introduced readers to books in over 15 genres from authors of all walks of life, from just starting out to well seasoned pros. It’s been an honor connecting readers and writers through stories and feedback. The Hidden Gems ARC program is 100% free for readers. Each morning we send out offers for books… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Bentley Turner
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on January 3, 2023
Being able to have a candid one on one conversation with an author is an absolute honor and for our first published interview of 2023, we had the opportunity to get to know mystery and thriller author Bentley Turner. Having written for most of his adult life, Mr. Turner shared with us details about his writing career and life outside of writing. If this is a new-to-you author, we hope you’ll consider checking out his stories. And if you’re already a fan, we hope you enjoy learning a bit more about the author! HG: Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Let’s start with the basics. How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? BT: I write short stories and primarily mysteries or thrillers. So far, I have written The File on Thomas Marks, a police procedural; The Prize Winners and… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Rene Astle
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 20, 2022
Today’s interview is with the sci-fi, fantasy and urban fantasy author who writes as Rene Astle and C. Rene Astle. It was an honor to learn more about her publishing journey, approach to writing and life outside of all that. We hope you enjoy learning more about Astle’s books and consider adding one or more to your TBR! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? RA: I write what I love to read: scifi and fantasy books driven by outsiders, the odd ones, trying to make their way in the universe. Add to the mix a dash of action and a kiss of romance. I love dashes and hate semi-colons. And I’ve been known to use conjunctions at the beginning of sentences. I write in Canadian English – I have a whole blog post about. HG: What inspires your stories and why… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Ashley Bostock
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 6, 2022
Today’s interview is with USA Today Bestselling author of seductive, addicting, thigh-clenching romance, Ashley Bostock. It was a pleasure getting to learn more about her writing, publishing journey and life outside of that! We hope you enjoy learning more about Ashley and consider picking up one of her books as your next read. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? AB: I would say that my writing style is lighthearted, with some humor and I have no problems writing explicit sex scenes or cussing. I tend to write close-knit friends or family and most of the time there is always a grandma. HG: We all love a grandma figure! That’s fantastic. Tell us a bit about your publishing journey. How did you know you were ready to take on the “author” title? AB: Unlike a lot of authors who do their research… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Karina McRoberts
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 22, 2022
Today’s interview is with Australian author, illustrator, musician, and theatre producer Karina McRoberts. She shared her writing process, passions and details about projects that are in the works. It was an honor getting to know more about Karina’s writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? KM: If you want different, try me. Example: “Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts is by far one of the most unique books I have ever read” (editorial review from Readers’ Favorite). I’m eclectic and write in several genres. I mainly write what I call Intelligent Fiction. Stories that entertain, of course, but also give pause for thought ̶ on a whole bunch of fascinating topics! I want to involve readers in some magic, not just “talk at them”. We need magic! It’s a constant challenge to create words that… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Beth Barany
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 8, 2022
Today’s interview is with award-winning author Beth Barany. We learned more about her journey to publication, how she switches between genres and her interests outside of writing. It was an honor getting to know a talented writer like Beth. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? BB: I write popular fiction in science fiction and fantasy, with adventure, mystery, and romance. HG: You also write non-fiction, is that correct? Which did you publish first? BB: I published in non-fiction first, my e-book Overcome Writer’s Block. I used these tips and techniques to be the prolific writer I am today. More about the book: From a writing teacher who has taught hundreds of students in writing classes in-person and online! Do you have writers block? Do you wish you could get writing now? Are you looking for writing prompts and story ideas to… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Jacky Gray
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 25, 2022
Today’s interview is with prolific multi-genre author Jacky Gray. We learned a lot about her writing style, things that interest her and the obstacles she has faced in her publication journey. It was lovely getting to know more about Jacky’s novels, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? JAG: I write the kind of stories I enjoy reading, so they’re completely character-led with bags of (very British) humour, adventure and a dirty great dollop of romance. My prose takes few prisoners, assuming the reader is fully invested and paying attention. I always imagine my readers are way more intelligent than me and don’t like to be spoon-fed lots of unnecessary detail. Lee Child and Stephen King are my role models in this – every word has to earn its place on the page. HG: Excellent. You write… Read More >
