Next up in author interviews is YA science fiction/fantasy author Laura Popp, whose novel Treasure Traitor was released in November 2012 by Starsongs. Congratulations on the debut! It was a hard-fought fight to win publication for this book, as Laura explains, since it crosses markets and pushes boundaries.

The whole interview process has been great for me as a writer, because it's allowed me to explore other genres and get a better feel for them. Part of the fun also has been getting to know great people like Laura, who has lived just about everywhere and done just about everything, despite having not reached her 30th birthday.

Laura Popp’s novels, short stories, and plays have won numerous local and international awards in the fields of children’s literature and science fiction. In her “normal” life, she has been a model, film maker, teacher, world traveler, and missionary to Japan; India; Malawi, Africa and the U.S. She currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

You can connect with Laura on her blog, and of course buy her book. Read on for the full interview!

The lovely ladies over at Castles & Guns graciously invited me to contribute a guest post to their blog, and I was delighted to comply. Guest posts are a boon to both the guest and the owner of a blog - the owner gets new content from a fresh voice, and the guest gets to connect with a new audience. A win for everyone. 

Later this week I'll post my interview with Laura Popp, whose book Treasure Traitor was released on November 8. Congratulations, Laura! 

Did any of you attend the World Fantasy Convention in Toronto earlier this month? One of the conference themes this year was urban fantasy. I'd love to hear how it went.

Lastly, for all of you who were affected by Hurricane Sandy, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. My family and I were lucky - we never lost power, and were able to offer hot showers and coffee to those who did. The damage in Connecticut, while severe in several places, did not reach the level of devastation in New Jersey and parts of New York. I know you folks down there are still suffering, but I also know you're resilient people, and, with the help and caring of others, you'll rebound. Peace!

For your reading pleasure, here's another author interview, this one with Mark Roman, who wrote The Ultimate Inferior Beings, out with Cogwheel Press. I'm venturing outside my accustomed fantasy realm for this one, as TUIB is sci fi humor (or humour, as Mr. Roman is thoroughly British). By day he's a science guy; writing is his moonlighting career, but you'd never know it from his crisp, dry prose that still manages to make you giggle. Kind of like hard cider.

Mark Roman is the pen-name of a bioinformatics scientist who works at a research institute near Cambridge, UK. He lives in London with his wife and two children, aged 9 and 10. He wrote his sci-fi comedy, The Ultimate Inferior Beings, many years ago when he was young and foolish. Now that he is old and foolish he has had it published by Cogwheel Press.

You can find Mark on Facebook pretty much anytime, no matter what your time zone. Read on for the full interview!