*Author Feature: Normandie Alleman

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Our next author feature introduces us to the lovely Normandie Alleman! Normadie is a fantastic multi-genre author & a recent addition to the USA Today best sellers list! 

Please check out this awesome interview & don't forget to check out Normandie's author fan page & book info on the bottom of the feature!

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1) Why did you decide to start writing? 

I was a blogger, and I was inspired to try writing fiction when I heard Stephanie Meyer say that the story in Twilight came to her in a dream. It made me vow to write down my next dream. It happened to be a dirty one, and things took off from there.

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2) Do you think authors can succeed in multiple genres or should they stick with a single genre?

Oh, I hope authors can succeed in more than one genre because this year I’m starting two other pen names (Amity Allen has a YA Cozy Mystery already and N.D. Hill will be releasing a psychological thriller later this year). I read in several genres so I wanted to stretch myself and write in other genres. It keeps my work fresh.

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3) What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing? 

I love hearing from readers!

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4) Who are some of your favorite authors & why? 

Lisa Gardner, Jodi Picoult, F.X. Toole

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5) What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author? 

Discoverability. It’s difficult to get noticed with so many new books being released all the time.

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6) Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers? 

Keep working on craft. Always work on craft. You can always get better.

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7) Tell us a few random personal things about yourself personal & professional! 

I’m addicted to salt. I put it on almost all my food. But don’t worry – I don’t have high blood pressure. Also, I have a 500 lb. pet pig named Petunia. She lives outside thank goodness because pigs are super smart, and she would have figured out how to open the refrigerator if I let her near it.

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*LINK: NORMANDIE'S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE WITH ALL BOOKS LISTED*

**NORMANDIE'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE**

**Author Feature** Bree Lewandowski

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Our next author feature involves a gal who has not only made me fall in love with her work, but she's also become a great friend of mine, as well! I hope you'll adore her as much as I do! Meet the gorgeous Bree Lewandowski!  

Bree's books are in the drama/romance/suspense genres and involve the often-scary underworld of a professional ballet dancer!

Check out her interview!

(You'll find her links at the bottom of the feature.)

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1) Why did you decide to start writing?

 As a little girl, the answer to why I decided to start writing was because it was fun. I liked creating characters and living out my own small fantasies. Older, it became a drive to share those stories with an audience. However, the original answer is still true. I write because I enjoy it. I continue to write because the desire has yet to fade. 

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2) Do you think authors can succeed in multiple genres or should they stick with a single genre?

Definitely, authors can succeed in various genres.Nora Roberts is a prime example. While she writes vibrant romance novels, under an alias, she bangs out gripping dramas. In terms of "sticking to your knitting," I think it's great when authors branch out. Quite frankly, I hope to genre jump in time. 

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3) What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing?

Honestly, and you can laugh-getting it done. One of the biggest hurdles for me with writing was beginning stories and never finishing them. Knowing I'd left characters and plots dangling really wormed its way into my psyche and whispered doubts of never reaching my goal of "the end." But, this jump into Indie publishing has let me see I can begin a world, color it, and offer it to those who might want to see.  

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4) Who are some of your favorite authors & why?

Edna Ferber, Alexandre Dumas, J. R.R. Tolkien, Victor Hugo, George Elliot, Dean Koontz. 

Edna Ferber is incredible. She has this gift for putting the little, everyday, fleeting thoughts everyone has down on paper. It makes her characters jump to life and their struggles so relatable. 

Dumas is my hero. He writes characters that sizzle on the page. Men mightier than the world they live and move in. He's my guilty pleasure author. 

And while I won't go through them all, I'll finish with Elliot. Her writing stabs the reader in the heart with its simplicity. Characters simple as snow seem to melt into the reader and reveal a depth not expected. 

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5) What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author?

Myself. Honestly. Taking time to write can feel selfish. I know I'm putting off chores, friendships, my marriage. And frankly, writing doesn't look like much. I'm not swearing at the computer screen, typing till my fingers bleed. Most often, I'm just sitting, staring. Allowing myself to take the time, proving to myself it's time worth taking, has been the biggest obstacle. 

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6) Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers?

Write. Write all the words. And read too. Writing without reading is like a painter saying he/she wants to be among the greats without studying what made them great in the first place. And to the new writer, understand that you're working your brain. And the brain is a muscle. At first, just like all physical exertion, it's going to be difficult. However, just like going to the gym, you'll always feel better after. 

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7) Tell us a few random personal things about yourself personal & professional!

I can't swim. In fact, I'm terrified of the water. I drink too much coffee and noodles are my Kryptonite. If you seem to notice a dance-related trend in my novels, it's because I am a dance teacher in real life. When writing, I can't listen to music with lyrics; it totally distracts me. Only instrumental. But when the writing is done for the day, I love to rock out to Kpop! 

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*BREE'S FACEBOOK AUTHOR FAN PAGE LINK*

*UNDER WINTER LIGHTS: AMAZON LINK* 

*UNDER MIDNIGHT LIGHTS: AMAZON LINK* 

*Author Feature* Jenn Windrow

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We recently had a chance to chat with Author Jenn Windrow! She's a lovely, graceful & intelligent author of snarky paranormal romances & you'll adore her work! Check it out! 

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1) Why did you decide to start writing? 

My husband traveled for a work a ton, leaving me with two toddlers under 5. My whole life was about his job, the kids, the house, groceries, and I had nothing that was really for me. I was slipping into depression, things were getting kind of ugly, so I started to take my day dreams and put them on paper. I turned them into stories. Then one day I decided to go to a local writers group to see if I was any good. Turned out I didn’t suck, so I kept going and it became an obsession. It also became something in my life that was just mine. Four years later, I have three books published, multiple contest wins, and a career I am really proud of.

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2) Do you think authors can succeed in multiple genres or should they stick with a single genre? 

I do. If they write in genres that kind of mesh together. I write in Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy, they kind of go together, so it’s not a stretch for me. I did try writing in contemporary romance, but kept wanting to add vampire fangs to all my characters, so I gave up pretty quick :)

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3) What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing?

 

Making my readers cry or laugh or feel an emotion along with my character. If they can feel what my character feels, then I have done my job.

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4) Who are some of your favorite authors & why? 

Jeaninne Frost, Darynda Jones, JR Ward, Kelley Armstrong, Karen Marie Moning. They all write stories that I can’t stop reading. Characters that I think about after I close the book.

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5) What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author? 

Rejection, but I’m sure you’ve heard that before. And not just the rejection you get before your published, but the rejection that can come from readers too. My other is writing in genres that publishers and agents don’t even want to consider buying at this time.

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6) Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers? 

Don’t give up. Seriously, no matter how bad you think it is don’t stop. Find yourself some like minded writers in your area and work together to make your writing stronger. They will turn out to be your greatest support staff.

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7) Tell us a few random personal things about yourself personal & professional! 

1 Husband, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 rabbit, and 1 horse. I kind of have a zoo, but I love them all. The first book I wrote was the third to get published.

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Here are some links to check out Jenn's Author Fan Page & her books:

**JENN WINDROW'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE LINK** 

*STRUCK BY EROS: AMAZON LINK*

*PIERCED BY VENOM: AMAZON LINK*

*EVIL'S UNLIKELY ASSASSIN: AMAZON LINK*

**AUTHOR FEATURE** Lara Bernhardt

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Our current featured author is Lara Bernhardt!

Lara recently released her first novel "The Wantland Files" through the Amazon Scout program. I had the chance to meet Lara in person about a year ago & she is an absolutely lovely lady, inside & out! I'm thrilled to be able to work with her to help get her new book out to readers everywhere! 

Lara recently took a little time to sit down with us & answer a few questions... Hope you'll take a moment & check her interview out! 

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Author Q & A Questions

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Why did you decide to start writing? 

I can’t remember a time I didn’t write. I’ve read voraciously for as long as I can remember. Going to the library was the biggest treat as a child and I always left with a stack of books. I told my younger siblings bedtime stories I made up and I started writing my own stories in elementary school. Why? Because I love it! I love to escape into a good book and always wanted to provide the same thing for others.

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Do you think authors can succeed in multiple genres or should they stick with a single genre? 

I read almost any genre - if it’s a good book, I’ll read it! Traditional publishers want authors to stay firmly in one genre. I think if you write a good book, it will be a success. I hope that proves to be true because I don’t want to be constrained to one. I love what I’m writing now but have lots of other ideas too.

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What do you feel is the biggest reward to you with writing? 

My biggest reward is hearing people tell me how much they enjoyed my book.

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Who are some of your favorite authors & why? 

Jojo Moyes, Katherine Center, Jodi Picoult - these authors write beautiful women’s fiction, moving stories that grip me emotionally with protagonists I enjoy spending time with. Dean Koontz - read everything of his I could get my hands on as a teen - loved his intriguing stories with sci-fi elements. Douglas Adams - not only hysterical but brilliant - stories take you on a wild ride with even wilder characters and keep you laughing - they’re timeless as well, considering my 16-year-old son just read them at my recommendation and loved them. He was a visionary - imagined computers and devices half a century before they existed. Ann Rice, JR Ward - vampire stories before the genre exploded that captivated me years ago.

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What are the biggest hurdles to overcome as an author?

Finding time to write is my biggest hurdle. Now that my first book is published, the biggest hurdle is marketing.

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Is there any advice that you can offer for new writers? 

Take the time to seek out writing instruction prior to hammering out that first novel. Writing is a craft like any other art. You’ll be less frustrated with the process and far more satisfied with the completed project if you learn the craft first.

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Tell us a few random personal things about yourself personal & professional! 

I love Asian food - noodles, rice, sushi. I love to cook. Some of my favorite movies are Poltergeist and Ghostbusters. The X-Files remains one of my favorite series ever. I have 5 biological children and 3 stepchildren (4 boys and 4 girls so extreme Brady Bunch).  My favorite place to write is in a hot bath with a mug of hot green tea.

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Join Lara at her Facebook Fan Page: *CLICK HERE*

The Wantland Files by Lara: *AMAZON LINK*

The Steamborn Trilogy by Eric R Asher

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Wow! Steamborn, Steamforged & Steamsworn are truly the BEST steampunk inspired novels that I've ever had the pleasure of reading! When you meet Jacob, Alice & Charles, you'll be launched headlong into a fantasy world like no other! The sheer amount of research that the author did for these stories is positively mind-boggling! The settings, people, automatons, creatures and fascinating worlds will keep you turning the pages!

Eric Asher is a unique, interesting & intriguing voice in the Steampunk world and he seriously knows how to grab hold of the reader & never let go!  

If you're a fan of any type of Steampunk, this is one set you don't want to miss! Check it out today! 

Platinum Book Reviews & Promotions gives the Steamborn Trilogy:

5 Platinum Rings!

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Steamborn blurb:

Jacob, a tinker's apprentice and sometime thief, has lived his entire life in the mountain city of Ancora, protected by the city walls. These towering barriers keep the Deadlands creatures at bay, but the monsters move higher into the peaks every year. More and more, they breach the defenses of the Lowlands while the Highlands rest easy. 

★★★★

Steamforged blurb:

There are old wounds in the forgotten places of the world, and some are soaked in blood. 

Jacob and his allies flee into the Deadlands after the fall of Ancora. Charles, the enigmatic smith, hopes to find answers in the desert city of Bollwerk that could prevent a war. 

Their enemies are many, and here Jacob will learn the cost of life in the Deadlands.

★★★★

Steamsworn blurb:

The world dies in war only to be reborn. It is the way of things, and always will be. 

Forged in the Deadlands crucible, and armed with the knowledge of their true enemy, Jacob, Alice, and their allies bring the fight back to Ancora. The wounds cut deep in their darkest hour, but in the end, vengeance will light their path.

★★★★

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~~CLICK HERE TO FIND THE STEAMBORN SERIES ON AMAZON~~

~~CLICK HERE TO GO TO ERIC'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE~~