How did J.E. Jones choose the names for his characters? When did he first feel the desire to write? What is the most exciting part about writing a book to him?

J.E. Jones, author of The Eternal Sphinxman, agreed to answer some questions for me. What are his feelings on fraternity hazing? How long did it take him to complete this novel?

The Eternal Sphinxman is a hard-to-put-down mystery/thriller that takes place in southern Louisiana. The plot did remind me just a bit of And Then There Were None, but the story, complete with a crazed, psychotic killer, does not take place on an island from which there is no escape.

Will you save a mutt on National Mutt Day? On Monkey Day, are you going to wear a monkey costume? How many cats will you herd on Cat Herders Day? Are you going to wear a mask on Day of the Ninja? On National Salesperson Day, are you going to thank your salesperson?

In the conclusion of my interview with Laura Barkat, discover how she balances her writing life with her family life and the advice she has for writers who haven't yet been published.

Laura Barkat, author of The Novelist, agreed to answer some questions for me about her life and her writing experiences. Discover why she felt the need to write this book, how she develops her characters, and more.

Have you ever wanted to see inside the mind of a writer? The Novelist, written by L.L. Barkat, allows you inside the mind of Laura during her attempt to write a novel in just months. But what should she write about? After all, there is nothing new under the sun.

It’s been my experience that readers will forgive clunky writing or plots with holes, but they don’t forgive boring or flat characters. As a writer, the question then becomes how do we write exciting, 3D characters?

Leprechauns, naiads, nymphs, pixies, and sprites, will any of these have a place in your story? Some are tricky, some are nice, and some can be either crafty or kind. Maybe it really does make a difference which side of the bed they get up from. Then there is Santa Claus. Santa is an elf?

Did you realize that fiction plays a big part in many of our Christmas traditions? No, I'm not talking about the birth of our Lord and Savior. His birth is not fictional, but many of the things now believed about that special event are; they have been set in place by poetry, books, movies, songs,