Author Meet & Greet

All are welcome here.

Connect with authors through their social media links (if they choose to share them), learn about their writing process, and purchase their works.

The 4 most current interviews are posted here. Older ones may be found under the Archive: Author Meet & Greet on the main page of this blog by the author’s last name.

**Jack Ketchum’s Interview from December 2017 is PINNED at the bottom of this page**

So, without further ado, let’s get to know

Meet & Greet Author:  #186

Anne Fifield

Your Name: Anne Fifield

Genre(s) of your work: Children’s Mysteries

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Princess Caroline’s Adventures Series – Book One – The Princess’ Hand –  Published in August 2019

Book Two – Trip to Lake Ahrooo – Published in August 2020

Book Three – The Hunt for the Jeweled Swords – Published in November 2020

Book Four – The Missing Knight – Published in August 2021

Bio:

Anne Fifield is the creative visionary and best-selling children’s author of “The Princess Caroline’s Adventures” book series. Written for ages 7 to 12 and the young at heart, she is delighting kids worldwide. Her books are unique as she weaves in the elements of her rescued doggies, specifically basset hounds, into each of her stories and book covers.

Her first titled ‘The Princess’ Hand’ was released in August 2019, book two titled ‘Trip to Lake Ahrooo’ released in September 2020, book three followed in November 2020 with ‘The Hunt for the Jeweled Swords,’ and book four newly released in August 2021 titled ‘The Missing Knight.’ All are available on Amazon Books, Amazon Kindle, & many fine online book sites.

Anne is the youngest of three siblings and was born and raised outside Oklahoma City, OK. She met and married the love of her life, Tom, and they have been married for 24+years. Their kids are the four-legged variety who had adopted them over the years.

Her career was also a passion. She was an ‘American Sign Language Interpreter’ for over 25-years and taught ASL at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Since both were her passions, she says she felt like she never worked a day in her life. In 2006, she became heavily involved in basset rescue and co-founded another one in 2011.

Now retired, she decided to move on to her next passion, the love of writing. She and her husband have rescued and fostered basset hounds for 20-years, so as Anne shares, “it felt natural to write children’s books with bassets as the characters. Our hounds provide the comic antics and inspiration for all my books. Thus, “Princess Caroline’s Adventures Series was born.” All the characters in her books are actual rescue dogs. Their pictures are on the back of each book.

Anne and her husband enjoy retired life and reside in the ‘Great State of Texas.’

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I’ve been owned by basset hounds for the last 20 years. I knew I wanted to write about my love of hounds, so a children’s book was appropriate. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. I knew my books needed to be mysteries. I affectionately refer to Caroline as the canine Nancy Drew.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

 It’s widened my circle of associates and friends. I love it when parents send me a picture of their child reading my books. That makes my day and keeps me motivated to keep writing.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Agatha Christie, James Patterson, and Patricia Cornwell. I love mystery and suspense.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

Social media is important – your own website, an author’s newsletter, FB author’s page, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon author’s page, etc. So far, knock on wood, I haven’t encountered a bad one. Some are more successful than others.

Where can people find you and your work?

I publish on Amazon. You can search for me by my name, Anne Fifield.

https://authorannefifield.com

https://facebook.com/authorannefifield

https://instagram.com/authorannefifield

https://twitter.com/AFifieldBook

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Reed Alexander

Your Name: Reed Alexander

Pseudonym (if you use one): You get Reed Alexander and that’s it.

Genre(s) of your work: I mostly work with horror but I did self publish an action piece.

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN (2018)

IN THE BEGINNING (2019)

UPD TEXAS CASE FILES (2021)

Bio:

I’m a horror writer from the capital region NY. I specialize in the terrifying, the macabre, and the bizarre. I write under the publishing house Madness Heart Press and St Rooster Books.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I write mostly horror and there’s two reasons for this. The first is that I have really epic nightmares.  I mean like full blown horror movies with plots and characters and settings.  I fucking love it so I wanted to share it.  Nightmares being what they are, horror was inevitable, really.  But there is another reason I tend to stick to the genre, even when I’m not writing about one of my nightmares.  There is something kinda pure about horror.  I call it the universal genre, in that it can easily adapt all other genres, comedy, action, romance, you name it.  There is something in horror that universal to the human condition.  Through fear and what makes people afraid, we sort of learn some very honest thing about them, don’t we.  This is why horror tends to be so political.  We’re picking the scabs of society and examining the damage underneath.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

I’ve always tried to express myself. I was an artist, I was a singer in a rock band. I’ve always had the desire to create and express myself. I sorta need a creative outlet to function as a person. I mean, what’s it all for, this life and all this nonsense.  I’m just trying to make sense of the world.  I’m also kinda a story teller already.  I’ve always spun yarn, my whole life, long before I started to write it down.  So, of course I had these stories in me, what with the nightmares and all, so I felt like I needed to get them on paper.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Harlan Ellison is my all time favorite writer.  You wanna talk about a man who can peal back the scabs on society.  And in vivid narrative.  He could really get into your head and make you think in ways that were particularly uncomfortable.  An amazing writer, really.  I’m also fond of Heinlein.  His capacity to make the terrifying somewhat plausible and in staunch scientific detail, was absolutely captivating.  Of course I’m a fan of Lovecraft.  I write cosmic horror.  I’d be flat out lying if I said he didn’t influence me in some way. My first novella IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN, is a direct head nod to WHISPERER IN THE DARKNESS.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

Neither, really.  Audiobooks will always have their place and for that I appreciate them.  But they’re not the future so much as they’re just a staple of the world.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

Look, I’m not a fan of corporate anything and as an indie author, I can tell you they filter what the mainstream wants you to read in order to control the market.  That really holds us indies back.  Besides, there’s something special about little used book stores.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

The best marketing tool in the industry is engaging your community.  Romance, Mystery, Horror, it doesn’t matter.  Getting involved on the forums, the pages, the groups, and the twitters gives you visibility and completely for free.  TALK to people, get interested in them and what they do.  They then get interested in you.  Don’t just go on there and spam, actually engage.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Yes and no.  I was just talking about this with the movie A SERBIAN FILM.  We’re just trying to be taboo for taboo sake.  It doesn’t impress me.  A good story impresses me.  In a sense, if the story really means something, really has something to say, there is no real taboo.  But then, you gotta ask yourself, what are you trying to say and is it worth saying?  You can go to some pretty dark places and say something meaningful.

Where can people find you and your work?

https://madnessheart.press/reed-alexander/

Reed Alexander

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20521082.Reed_Alexander

https://www.patreon.com/ReedsHorror

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorReedAlexander

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Dave Ramacitti

Your Name: Dave Ramacitti

Pseudonym (if you use one): Dave Lager

Genre(s) of your work: Crime, Mystery, Thriller (Police Procedural)

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Ro’s Handle (2021)

Hear Evil (2021)

Losses (2021)

They are the first three books of a projected series recounting the adventures of female Deputy Sheriff Ro Delahanty. Books four and five have been drafted and are in the polishing stage:

Secrets Never End (projected for early 2022)

Secrets Never End: Revelations (projected for late 2022)

Bio:

Dave Lager is the pen name of Dave Ramacitti, who is supposedly retired, except Ro won’t leave him alone, demanding that her story be told.

Dave’s career includes newspaper reporter and magazine editor and publisher and free-lance marketing / public relations consultant. Under his own name he has previously published non-fiction books and manuals for the small business market.

He has been married to his best friend for almost 30 years and has three grown stepchildren and seven step-grandchildren. He lives next to the Mississippi River in Rock Island, Illinois.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I’ve wanted to write fiction since junior high school. Over the years I tried my hand at science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary fiction. A dozen or so chapters of a novel might be drafted, but then life would get in the way and the writing set aside.

When I retired, I decided to get serious about my writing. I wanted to focus on a female protagonist, as I’ve always liked strong female leads – Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, Sarah Connor of Terminator fame, and Ellen Ripley from the Alien films. Ro Delahanty is in that tradition.

Next, I decided to make her a cop so she would have plenty of opportunity for action and danger. However, there are loads of female private eyes, FBI agents, and big city detectives, so I made her into an ordinary street cop (a deputy sheriff) in a semi-rural county in Iowa.

Never fear, though, Ro is very good at getting herself into all kinds of trouble!

In an upcoming book, Ro’s nemesis, a female captain with the sheriff’s department, calls her “a gunslinger,” it is not meant as a compliment.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

To have a novel published is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, so there is a lot of personal pride involved.

The ideal for a fiction writer is to have their lead character “take over,” almost as if the character is dictating their story and the author is just writing it down for them. Ro has definitely “taken over” (my wife teases me that I’m having an affair with her). The next two novels in the series are drafted and I have notes and plot summaries for at least two or three more in the series, including one where she goes undercover.

Ro wakes me up at night with plot situations. When I am driving somewhere, or walking the dog, or tending to my outdoor plants, there is always a corner of my brain mulling over some aspect of Ro; a scene, a conversation, other characters she interacts with.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Ernest Hemmingway. Partly because we are from the same hometown, Oak Park, Ill. But mostly because of he took the lean and spare journalistic style – packing as much information in as few words as possible – to a whole new level.

James Patterson because of his emphasis in police procedures.

Clive Cussler because he’s a master of action and adventure.

Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) and Veronica Roth (The Divergent Series) because they know how to make their female leads both vulnerable and heroic.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

Somewhere in between. They are definitely an important way for authors to reach their readers, yet I am regularly amazed at the number of people I see still reading physical books.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

They are pretty much irrelevant for self-published, indie authors.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

I am still a neophyte at the book marketing game. I do book fairs and book signings because I like the physical interaction with readers but have found them to be of mixed success at selling books. I have not tried advertising on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads or Bookbub yet; those were all waiting until I got my third book out, so are definitely on my to-do list for later this year and next year. The same with starting to build my own email list, which is also on my agenda for next year.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Never! If for no other reason than bans of any kind don’t work, have never worked, can’t work.

Where can people find you and your work?

I am exclusive with Amazon for the time being: Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and softcover.

https://www.amazon.com/Losses-Book-Three-Ro-Delahanty-ebook/dp/B09DT9SSXX/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=dave+lager&qid=1630250393&sr=8-4

https://davelagerbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Davelagerbooks/

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Hollye Green

Your Name: Hollye Green

Genre(s) of your work: Children’s Fiction, Adult Supernatural Horror Fiction

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

FrankenSister, Three Sisters of the Sky. I Would Bring You Sun

Bio:

I’m an author, artist, singer, and lover of origin stories and myths. I also teach SEL and body safety to K-12 and adults with disabilities. Our stories make us who we are and connect us in the human experience. I live in Peoria, Illinois with my son Connor and two lovely dogs.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I have always loved a good supernatural story. The first novel I read was The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (I was nine.) I devoured anything by Ray Bradbury. I also fell in love with Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. The children’s books are informed by the work I do as a teacher. Three Sisters of the Sky is a lullaby book about nighttime not being so scary. I Would Bring You Sun is about showing caring and empathy to loved ones. The book I am working on now is “Oh. Snakey Snake”. It is about a snake, a skunk, and a bat who become friends because no one wants to play with them.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

It has given me other worlds to visit. It has allowed me a voice even when I am alone in my room.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Neil Gaiman – his stories are rich, scary, funny and engaging. Amy Tan – because she effortlessly weaves research, biography and truth into a beautifully crafted work.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

I believe they are here to stay. Having a story read to you is a tradition that some people never experience in childhood. It is a gift because you still get to use your imagination to make it come alive. I have horrible eyesight so it is a lot of effort to actively read for pleasure. Also, some people like to create while listening, crochet, tidy up, make art. Humans have a need for story and this is just another successful delivery system.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I think they miss the point sometimes. It used to be about a welcoming atmosphere and browsing and “smart” gifts instead of the real “meat” of literature. I prefer small, indie stores – we have one in Peoria “Lit. On Fire”. Dynamite little place with live events. The owner is a wonderful friend who really helps others.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

Word of mouth – opportunities to read in person (libraries, events, etc.)  I feel like Amazon Kindle can take advantage of new authors through some of their programs. I took my books off for a while until it was requested that I put them back on – where I could control the price instead of having to accept their “free for 90 days” ebook program.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Edited for quality – yes. Not sure about censored. Clearly there is an audience in mind when someone writes. I have been told not to write about some dark things that happened in my childhood, but I do because they are important. Discussions and conversations about controversial issues can shed light on hidden problems and spark healthy solutions. Ultimately, the things that happened inform who I am today and allows me to help others.

Where can people find you and your work?

You can find everything at my website: HollyeBGreen.com, but books are available at Barnes & Noble.com and Amazon (including ebooks for Kindle).

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Jack Ketchum

(PINNED – Interviewed in December 2017)

Name: Dallas Mayr

Pseudonym (if you use one): Jack Ketchum

Genre(s) of your work: Horror and Suspense (and the occasional Black Comedy.)

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):  Writing professionally since 1970, first fiction 1976, first novel, OFF SEASON, 1981.

Bio: see my website http://www.jackketchum.net/and add to that, Most Recent Novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF SOULS, written with Lucky McKee and Most Recent Collection, GORILLA IN MY ROOM.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?  

I grew up loving fantasy, and horror is the dark side of fantasy.

How has writing changed/altered your life? The usual perks of self-employment — no punching the time clock, no damn bosses hovering over your desk.  But in addition to that, writing mandates continual periods of self-examination.  You don’t easily get away with lying to yourself on the page.  It requires you to scour your history and your present for your deepest faults and pleasures, to reveal and revel in them, to find the strengths in your life and work from there, reaching outward.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Far too many to list here.  I read all over the place and consequently my favorite writers come from all genres and backgrounds, from Henry Miller to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, from Raymond Chandler, Elmore Leonard and John D. MacDonald to Thomas Hardy, Philip Roth, Michael Chabon, Joyce Carol Oates, Peter Straub and Stephen King.  Why?  Because they’re smart, empathic, courageous.  Because they’re good!

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I wish we had a lot more mom-and-pop, brick-and-mortar bookstores.  I seriously miss browsing.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

The need for empathy and tenderness in the world, that the souls of beasts and humans matter.  And a few hours of just plain fun.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

Depends on the piece.  Some, like THE GIRL NEXT DOOR and RED, are highly personal, others…?  I don’t know where the hell they came from!

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?  

Finishing a piece is almost always easy.  It’s getting started that’s hard.  Getting all your ducks in a row and then having the balls and suspension of disbelief  to say to yourself, this is really going to work.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

I give books a first paragraph test.  If it passes, then a first chapter test.  If it passes that, I’ll almost always finish the book — I can tell from there that I’m going to want to.   If it fails I scuttle it immediately.  Very occasionally, too much repetition will make me dump it.  I don’t want to waste reading-time.  Too much good stuff out there.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

Nothing should ever be censored.  Everything is worth discussing.  How long a discussion is another matter entirely.

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

 Life’s short.  I don’t bother with peeves.  If I’m bored, I just close the book.

Where can people find you and your work?

Website, see above. I have a list of published works there.   Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/jackketchumofficial/ Twitter, https://twitter.com/jackketchum Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ketchum

What can I say?

I am honored to have snagged a bit of Jack Ketchum’s time, for him to share his thoughts and words with me (and my readers), and for his participation in a blog such as this one. Thank you so much – for the interview as well as your writing. It has and continues to be an inspiration.

Readers, I implore you to look into Jack Ketchum’s work, especially if you are a horror/suspense fan. From the mouth of Stephen King – “Who’s the scariest guy in America? Probably Jack Ketchum.”