Interview with author T.M. Witko

[Mandie]

Tell us a little bit about your book.
Helios Renewed is book three in a three-book series called The Helios
Chronicles. In book 1, Helios Awakened, we meet Andrew and Madison.
Its love at first sight but Andrew has a past that proves to be
problematic for their happiness. In book 2, we find our couple in New
York, trying to make a life for themselves but it’s not so easy. In this
third book, things seem to be going well for them, but will that last?
 
Have you published before?
Yes, I actually published an academic book way back in 2006, but my
first fictional story was published in 2015. It’s called Thirty Eight and it’s
a story I wrote with my daughter. It’s a coming of age story about a
young Native girl who goes on a traditional horse ride, the Dakota 38
Ride, to honor her recently deceased father. In the process, she finds
herself and where she belongs.
  
Are you currently working on anything else?
Yes, I have three completed stories set to release in 2018. One is a
paranormal young adult story called An Unexpected Gift which I wrote
with my daughter. It’s about a young girl who finds herself battling a
demon in her new town. The second one is a crime suspense story called
Retaliatory Justice about a group of elite ATF agents, trying to solve a
multi-city crime. The third is an adult romance called Beyond the Beach,
which is the story of two people who decide to have an island fling, only
they end up falling in love with one another.
 
What is your favorite writing snack?

I inherently crave salty foods, so I usually have a bowl of chips, or Dot’s
pretzels near me when I’m at my computer.
What gets you in the mood to write?
It depends. Usually I like music. I have several playlists that I listen to,
depending on the type of story I’m writing. For the Helios Chronicles, I
listened to Bobby Long on loop.
 
Who is your favorite character and why?
In the Helios Chronicles, it’s definitely Andrew. I have a soft spot for a
damaged man with a good heart. He makes all kinds of mistakes with
Madison at first, because he has no understanding of relationships and
no frame of reference for love. Over the course of the story we see him
grow and change, as he learns about himself. That makes him very
endearing to me.
 
Favorite book of all time?
That is a hard one for me. I have two favorite books. The first is Maya
Angelou’s, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. That book really touched
me in ways I can never truly articulate. I will say this, I adore Ernest
Hemingway. His novels, A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell
Tolls, stayed with me, haunted me, and made me want to be a writer.
 
I think breakfast says a lot about a person, what is your perfect
breakfast?
Oooh, the perfect breakfast would be pancakes with over medium eggs,
hashbrowns, and sausage patties. YUMMY!!! But generally, I’m a
creature of habit and have my eggo waffle with some Nutella on it
along with my Chobani Greek yogurt (either pineapple, peach or
mango) with granola in it.
 
Do you have a favorite period of time that you like to write about or
would like to live?

I don’t know. This is gonna sound weird but I’d love to go back to the old
times, where there was no electronics, where people wrote each other
and read paperback books. But, as a Native woman, I don’t think that
would be a time that would work for me as I would really be limited and
I’m so outspoken I would probably be executed… LOL. So, I think I would
like to write about a future where there were none of those things and
we all had to learn to be human again 
 
Please tell us in one sentence why we should read your book!
Helios is a character you will instantly fall in love with and want

The Helios Chronicles is a contemporary romance series that follows the lives of Andrew ‘Helios’ Harrison and Madison Ellis as they fight for their happily ever after in a world that seems determined to tear them apart. It is only through their love for one another, that we are able to see that we are more than the mistakes we’ve made, more than the labels placed upon us and more than even what we believe we are worth. Can their love survive the life he had before her or will the consequences of his past prove too much to bear. Read the Helios Chronicles to find out! The Helios Chronicles is a five book series which includes three full length novels, one prequel novella and one epilogue novella. Please note that this is an adult romance and as such there will be some graphic language and situations that are clearly not suitable for younger audiences. In the prequel novella, Helios Beginnings, we will explore Helios’ life before he becomes Helios, beginning with his time in Detroit, through his difficult life on the streets and subsequent incarceration and ending in Bakersfield with the arrival of Madison Ellis, the woman that would forever change the way he saw the world.

Helios Beginnings: https://www.books2read.com/u/mZw89D

In Book 1, Helios Awakened, Madison moves from New York City to the California desert to care for her ailing grandmother but she never expected that she would meet the man of her dreams while there, a man that would set her heart, body and soul on fire. However, this man comes with a price, a heavy price. Is she willing to pay it?

Helios Awakened: https://www.books2read.com/u/4N1qnW

In Book 2, Helios Exposed, we will find out whether or not Andrew and Madison can survive a life in New York City, where they find that things aren’t as simple as they hoped they would be. They soon discover that there are just as many enemies back east as there were on the west coast. When everything begins to crumble around them will their love be enough to hold them together?

Helios Exposed: https://www.books2read.com/u/47koa8

In Book 3, Helios Renewed, we find Andrew and Madison living the life they were meant to live, with family and friends, in California. Unfortunately, things are set in motion that force them back to New York where they find themselves fighting for not only their lives but their freedom as well, against old enemies in a battle that will test them in more ways than one. Can their love stop the forces that are trying to tear them apart or will they be destroyed in the process? Buy HERE