John McFarland is a man of many talents. He has written poetry, short fiction, criticism, humor, co- authored a play, and has been published in magazines such as National Lampoon and Twilight Zone. Welcome, John!
Tell us a little about yourself. I am the father of two phenomenal grown children whose names both appear in Annette. My first major publication was in National Lampoon Magazine, followed soon after by The Twilight Zone Magazine. At 21, I wrote a play which toured to Europe, and my short fiction has appeared in several magazines and anthologies.
What is the title and genre of your book, and who published it? My latest novel is for Young Readers and is about Bigfoot. It is called Annette: A Big, Hairy Mom and is published by New Babel Books.
Tell us a little about your book. The book tells the allegedly true 
story of a spoiled second grader lost in the woods who is rescued by a lonely Sasquatch mom suffering from empty nest syndrome. She teaches the boy life lessons and how to have fun, as she tries to get him safely home again.
What inspired you to write it? I have a lifelong love of Bigfoot and when I met a young illustrator, Brenna Vaughan, I got the idea to write the book.
When did you first start writing? The first thing I ever tried to write was a novel about Hercules when I was 9 or 10.
What authors have most influenced you? How? Why? I grew up reading classic adventure and 19th century horror like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Time Machine, Tarzan, etc. As an adult I still read horror, but also enjoy Flannery O’Connor, James Joyce, Ray Carver, Charles Baxter, and many more.
How and where have you marketed your book? I have marketed this book by requesting signings at bookstores, starting author pages on Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, and by requesting interviews online. I will start a book tour next month.
Do you have other publishing credits? My work has been anthologized with Stephen King in A Treasury of American Horror Stories. My historical horror novel, The Black Garden, was published in 2010. My mainstream work has appeared in many literary anthologies. And both my horror story, The Little Dead Thing, and my mainstream story, The Iceman, will both appear in anthologies in 2015.
What is your current writing project? I am working on a sequel to my first novel as well as several short stories. The sequel to Annette is written and will be published if we reach a sales threshold of 500.
Do you have a website and/or blog? My website is annettethemom.com
Where can your books be purchased? They are available on Amazon, and Annette can also be purchased from New Babel Books.
What advice would you give to a new writer? Best advice I can give to writers is READ! Also, find a community of other writers to discuss your work with; you need feedback. And, commit a definite amount of time each week to writing and stick to it.
What do you wish to say to your readers? I hope readers will enjoy Annette and my other work as much as I enjoyed writing them. My sequel, Annette: A Big, Hairy Grandma, is even funnier and more action-packed than the original. So buy this one, and then enjoy the next!
TINA FRISCO 