• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Andy Graham Author

Author of dark fiction and fantasy, dystopia, horror.

  • News & Free Book
  • My Books
  • About
  • Views
  • A.R.T.
    • Advance Readers Team
    • I Died Yesterday Book Offer
    • The Morgen Towers Book Offer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Affiliate Links
  • Supernatural Thrillers
  • Dystopian Thrillers
  • Dark Fiction Tales
  • Box Sets
  • Anthologies

#military

One Book Interview #15 – Graham Watkins (Author)

May 25, 2017 by andygraham Leave a Comment

We’ve had a Scottish man, an Irish man, and an English man, and this week we have a Welsh man. Hailing from a beautiful part of the world near where I grew up, good people of the Internet – Graham Watkins.

Name one book:

1 – everyone should read

The Quest by Pulitzer Prize winning author Daniel Yergin. Yergin’s book is a mighty, but very readable, tome about the quest to secure energy, particularly oil, by different world powers and explains a lot about modern world politics.

2 – you would take with you if you were going to be marooned on Mars

Alternative 3 – a book first published in 1978 by Leslie Watkins who is my father. His book was recently republished with new material and made into a film called ‘Packing for Mars’ by the producer Frank Jacob. As the name of the film implies Alternative 3 provides an explanation as to why man is on Mars.

3 – you took a chance on and were pleasantly surprised by

The collected autobiographies of Maya Angelou. I was introduced to Maya Angelou by my book club through her autobiography ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.‘ Not normally my cup of tea but her story really hooked me and I went on to read the other volumes. Well worth a read.

4 – you’ve written that is your favourite

My favourite book is ‘The Iron Masters‘ – a historical novel set in the armaments industry of South Wales during the Napoleonic Wars. I have a family connection to the period when Merthyr armed the nation and researching the background was a joy. It was my first novel and a huge learning curve for me.

5 – that has influenced you most as a person

Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom.’ I visited South Africa in 1995, to watch the Rugby World Cup Final and remember seeing Nelson Mandela walking onto the pitch at Ellis Park Stadium before the game wearing a Springbok’s rugby shirt. The crowd went wild. After thirty four years of apartheid, his release from prison was the beginning of a new age.

6 – that has influenced you most as a professional

That’s a difficult question. It’s tempting to answer Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People.‘ I first read his book when I began my business career in the 1970s and it helped me a lot. More recently I discovered two books by David Howarth ‘Waterloo‘ and ‘Trafalgar.’ Howarth is a superb writer and a great narrator.

7 – of yours that prospective readers should start with if they want to get to know your work and where they can get it.

Readers new to my work might like to start with ‘A White Man’s War‘ – a novel set during the siege of Mafeking. The commanding officer there was Colonel Baden-Powell, you might have heard of him. His opponent General Cronje sent a letter, under a flag of truce to B-P – that’s what everyone called Baden-Powell. His letter was my muse for the book.

Sir

It is understood that you have armed Bastards, Fingoes and Baralongs against us – in this you have committed an enormous act of wickedness…reconsider the matter, even if it cost you the loss of Mafeking… disarm your blacks and thereby act the part of a white man in a white man’s war.

Signed

General Cronje 29th October 1899

You can find Graham at: www.grahamwatkins.info

Graham Watkins started writing Welsh legends and myths. A project exploring rugged mountains, mysterious castles, enchanting waterfalls and golden beaches to discover the tales that have been handed down from generation to generation. Today, he’s a novelist, hobby farmer and explorer. He explains, ‘When I retired, my wife and I bought a farmhouse high in the Brecon Beacons which we renovated. After the house was completed, I needed something to focus on and writing was the ideal choice. It’s all been great fun and the story isn’t over yet.

Check out my website for the latest news and details of free books which I love to give away. Right now I’m giving away ‘The Iron Masters – Volume 1 For the Love of Eira’ and ‘Legends and Myth from North Wales’ containing a collection of sixteen legends and myths from Wales. I know you’ll enjoy them and come back for more.’

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #amwriting, #author, #military, historicalfiction

One Book Interview #8 – J.L. Hendricks (Author)

April 6, 2017 by andygraham 1 Comment

Good people of the Internet, for edition number eight of the One Book Interview series, please welcome an author who writes in many genres, has served in the US army, penned a best-seller, speaks Russian, and who is, I suspect, a die-hard romantic – J.L. Hendricks.

Name one book:

1 – everyone should read

Death Becomes Her by Michael Anderle. This book goes against so many grains, and yet is a huge hit! Almost everything a writer is told not to do, is actually done in this series! It’s such a fun series readers don’t even realize all of the “don’ts” of writing.

2 – you would take with you if you were going to be marooned on Mars

Anna Karenina in both English and Russian so I can polish up on my Russian, and finally finish this book I have started too many times to only put down. LOL

3 – you took a chance on and were pleasantly surprised by

Date Night on Union Station. It’s a fun and clean read that is really smart and entertaining. Now I want to write a series based on a space station. Reminds me of Deep Space Nine, but with romance.

4 – you’ve written that is your favourite

My two favorite books happen to be in one series. Worlds Away is such a fun story that sets up a very intricate arc and universe where so many things are possible. Paris is one of my favorite characters and she has developed so much since I first created her.

Inside this universe, my next favorite book is Worlds Explode. It’s a novella about an Army wife, Maddie, who lost her husband to war. Now she’s fated to mate with another warrior, only he’s from a different species. A fun and heartwarming story of love, loss, and finding love again.

5 – that has influenced you most as a person

Pride and Prejudice. I have read this many times. I also have three different versions on DVD and watch the 5 hr. BBC version often. Because of Jane Austen, I know that true love is out there and I shouldn’t settle for a “happily for now” kinda man. I should wait for the one who curls my toes and makes me feel like a queen. Maybe even a man who’s willing to fight for me.

6 – that has influenced you most as a professional

I hate to repeat a book, but I must. Death Becomes Her, Book 1 of The Kurtherian Gambit series has really influenced me as a writer more than anything else has. Since I first started writing in February 2016, I have heard all of these things you aren’t supposed to do, like tell a story in third person from various POV’s. Well, there a ton of authors doing it and selling like hotcakes. You must release once a year is another myth that was busted by Michael. The list goes on and on.

7 – of yours that prospective readers should start with if they want to get to know your work and where they can get it.

Miss Claus and the Secret Santa is the first book of mine that made International Bestseller Status on Amazon by itself. It’s a fun Christmas story that tells the “truth” about Santa Claus. LOL I tend to really get into my stories and let everyone know that the legends in my books are actually true, and the perspective of my characters is how you get the absolute truth of the story. In this case, it’s the truth about Santa. In the case of Roswell, you will find out the truth if you read the Worlds Away series.

You can find  at: J.L. Hendricks at: http://jlhendricksauthor.com/

J.L. Hendricks is an independent author who enjoys many genres, as evidenced by her catalogue of available books. She is currently focused on Scifi and Urban Fantasy, but has also written Paranormal and Christmas books.

Her latest series is a combination of litRPG and Military Scifi with a few space pirates for fun! Let her know what you think!

She is very proud to have served in the US Army before she went to college. Early 2016 she decided to finally write, and finish a book, because of a few friends who encouraged her to do so. She hopes her stories entertain you and can bring a laugh on occasion.

Actually, it was her roommate’s cat who talked her into staying at home to be her minion all day long! Pyper truly believes that J.L. is here to serve her alone.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Interviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: #amwriting, #author, #military, #scifi, writing

Footer

Contact me

Copyright © 2023 · Author Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoRead more
    You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button.Revoke Cookies