Authors are listed alphabetically by LAST name beginning with S
*All the information/websites/links were current AT THE TIME OF INITIAL POSTING. As time passes, please be aware that the links provided might no longer be active.
Brady J. Sadler
Your Name: Brady J. Sadler
Genre(s) of your work: High Fantasy and Horror
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Eve of Corruption, Book One of The Days of Astasia (2012)
The Acrid Sky, Book One of The Malice of Light (2023)
The Withered Roots, Book Two of The malice of Light (2024)
Relic Meyers & The Rhythms of Ruin (2024)
*I’ve also designed a plethora of tabletop games and written for RPG books with various publishers since 2010.
Bio:
I am the founder and drummer for the fantasy metal band Lorenguard, whose debut album was based on my first novel, Eve of Corruption (2012). Since then, I have designed a lot of board games between 2010 and 2020, but have now recently returned my focus to writing novels. I got into writing through my obsession with fantasy-themed European power metal music. During my late teens and early 20s, I was drumming for a variety of bands, working various jobs and flunking out of college. After getting a job as a third-shift janitor at Purdue University, I decided to spend my days taking classes, repairing my GPA, and getting my Bachelors in creative writing. The rest is history.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I’ve always been a fantasy nut, ever since I created epic Robin Hood scenarios with my Dark Forest Lego sets. My twin brother and I were obsessed with HeroQuest, and then later Warhammer, so gaming always drove my interest in storytelling and themes. As I got older, my interests in horror occasionally overlapped my fantasy pursuits, especially after playing the original Resident Evil on PlayStation. I took an early interest in zombie and slasher movies, but the Resident Evil franchise really solidified that part of me. While my most recent noel is my first horror book, I think it’s safe to say there will be a healthy balance of fantasy and horror in my future works.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Writing gave me a tangible focus for my erratic, wandering mind. I didn’t do well in school as a kid, and I suspect it had a lot to do with my busy imagination. I’ve had a lot of collaborative creative pursuits—being in bands, film projects, designing games with my brother—but writing was something I could devote myself to at my own pace. Even when I’m not writing structured fiction, I still enjoy journaling and taking notes on whatever ideas are keeping me up at night; the process of actually writing things down is very therapeutic (as many people already know), but for me, it also keeps me balanced and able to function normally.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I feel like I have to say George R.R. Martin, because reading A Game of Thrones was pretty pivotal for me. Long before that book series was on the HBO radar, it fundamentally changed how I thought about fantasy. While I’m typically a D&D/Tolkien/high fantasy purist, the dire soap opera approach that Martin uses really gave me a new set of tools with my own writing.
On the fantasy side of things, I’m a big Steven Erikson fan as well, in addition to R.A. Salvatore who solidified my dedication to high fantasy. And I’m sure it’s cliche, but Stephen King had a big impact on me as well.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
I’m no expert in that regard, but I’m sure it’s a growing space with services like Audible creating original audio dramas and such. I’m an older guy, so I remember listening to the occasional book on tape on my Walkman, so in a lot of ways it’s not new to me. But now that it’s easier to access those materials on a variety of devices, I’m sure the accessibility has an impact, but audiobooks are still competing with my digestible content like podcasts—for all I know, that balances things out.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
You are asking the wrong guy, haha. I’m not great at marketing myself, and still trying to find something that works for me. Currently, I don’t find social media to be as useful as it used to be, but it feels like the only viable option for an indie author without a marketing budget.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
I don’t have strong feelings on this, as I don’t tend to push many boundaries with my writing. However, the main problem of censorship is what is it based on and where do you draw the lines? I think as long as there isn’t deception in regards to the content—like tricking readers into not knowing what they’re about to consume—censorship isn’t really necessary, but there are always extremes obviously.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
I don’t really have an opinion, honestly. I don’t use trigger warnings and I don’t pay attention to them when they’re given, but I have no problem with them being there. I’m sure many people appreciate them.
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
I definitely sell better in person. I’m not exactly an extrovert, but I do find that I can connect with a lot of people easier in person than I can through online exchanges. Also, I usually have all kinds of cool toys (like dioramas set up with miniatures of characters from my books), so that helps me showcase my stuff better and provided a good icebreaker.
Where can people find you and your work?
Pretty much anywhere (Amazon, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
My website is www.bradyjsadler.com (all my social media links are on there)
Amy L. Sauder
Your Name: Amy L. Sauder
Genre(s) of your work: mystery and fantasy grounded in reality
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
I Know You Like a Murder: 2018
Unfixed: 2024
Picked Up Pieces (Unfixed #2): 2025
Bio:
Amy L. Sauder is a creative and an author of introspective psychological stories, including the Unfixed duology and I Know You Like a Murder. She lives on the edge of an enchanted wood with her husband Josh and her mannequin Delilah. Amy has been called quirky meta mystery and walking fairytale. Legend has it she’s been cursed by mermaids. But that’s another story.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I like my reality with a touch of magic and mystery, and I guess that’s what I like in stories, too. The sense that not everything has an easy answer, that there is always more to explore, even in the seemingly ordinary and mundane. So I love both reading and writing stories with fantastical flair, a hint of the outlandish, and even better with a good secret or murder to uncover.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
My favorite author is probably always gonna be “the next one.” I love a fresh story uncovered that I didn’t see coming. I love finding something new (even if it’s just new-to-me.) I certainly pick up books by authors I’ve enjoyed in the past, too, but it’s difficult for me to commit any to the label of “favorite.” A couple books I’ve recently loved are The Last Murder at the End of the World and The Impossible Girl.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Probably just about any tool can be a good marketing tool in the right circumstances, and ideally any business will have multiple so there are backups when one gets bumpy for a season. I think the key is finding the marketing options that maximize on your strengths and energize you, and studying over time to learn approaches that work instead of throwing money around like playing the lottery.
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
So far I sell better in person at events, and I love connecting with fellow readers in that way. I am learning how to sell better online because that will be more scalable, and especially for this introvert. I am making some traction online, but it’s still definitely in the learning phase.
Where can people find you and your work?
Website/Shop: AmyLSauder.com
Facebook: /AmyLSauder
Twitter/X: @AmyLSauder
Instagram: @AmyLSauderCreations
Don Sawyer
Your Name: Don Sawyer
Genre(s) of your work: Urban fantasy
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
More than 12 books published, beginning with Tomorrow Is School, a Canadian best seller, and most recently The Burning Gem, which was released in May of this year.
Bio:
An educator and writer, I grew up in Michigan and came to Canada in the 1960s, where I more or less flunked out of my PhD program in Modern Chinese History at the University of British Columbia. This turned out to be a blessing as it opened up a world of opportunity and experiences. From teaching in a small Newfoundland outport to training community workers in West Africa to teaching adults on a First Nations reserve in British Columbia to designing a climate change action course for Jamaican youth, I have worked with youth and adults from many cultural backgrounds and in a variety of locales.
Inevitably, these experiences have made their way into my writing. I have authored over 12 books, including two Canadian bestsellers: the YA novel Where the Rivers Meet (Pemmican) and the adult non-fiction Tomorrow Is School and I Am Sick to the Heart Thinking about It (Douglas and McIntyre). The first book in my Miss Flint series for children, The Meanest Teacher in the World (Thistledown) was translated into German by Carlsen and Ravensburger. My articles and op-eds have appeared in many journals and most of Canada’s major dailies
Before moving to Ontario, I lived and worked in Salmon Arm, BC for more than thirty years. There I taught adult education, served as the Chair of the Okanagan University College (OUC) Adult Basic Education Department, Curriculum Director for the Native Adult Education Resource Centre, and Director of the International Development Centre. I currently live in St Catharines, Ontario, with Jan Henig Sawyer, my very tolerant wife of 54 years.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
My published work has ranged from children’s chapter books to adult non-fiction. I have written two successful YA novels and a series of novellas for adults with limited reading skills. And many curriculum guides I am very proud of. Writing is a remarkably transferable skill, and you can apply your skills and knowledge to an astonishing array of situations. Don’t look down your nose at them. Be the best writer you can be in whatever area you are working, and you might find that “great” writing can occur – and make a difference – in contexts you might not have considered.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
It has been my avocation and vocation. My published writing has been an essential outlet for my creativity and a way of sharing stories that matter to me. My professional writing has helped me earn an income while impacting teaching and training from British Columbia to West Africa. A writer friend of mine says this is what he wants engraved on his tombstone: “Well, at least he got a book out of it.” I am much the same way – I write what I’m passionate about and that has arisen from my experiences.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I like authors who transport and transcend. Who challenge us intellectually and threaten our world view. And whose writing is elegant and precise. One of my favourite authors, Ursula LeGuin, once wrote, “While we read a novel, we are insane, — bonkers. We believe in the existence of people who aren’t there, we hear their voices. Sanity returns in most cases when the book is closed.”
If I look at other favourite authors, it’s a pretty eclectic crowd. Besides Ursula LeGuin, I would include Tolkien, of course, as well as Barbara Kingsolver, Ken Kesey, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Laurence, Anthony Doerr, Bill Bryson, Jim Harrison, Erin Morgenstern, Joseph Boyden, Ray Bradbury and a Pueblo writer who has been largely forgotten, Leslie Marmon Silko. And that’s just to name a few.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
I have never read an ebook or listened to an audiobook. Audiobooks aren’t reading; they’re oral entertainment. Which isn’t necessarily bad – a good story well told is still a marvelous experience – but for me they lack the ability to transport and immerse. Plus you can’t smell the ink and paper. They seem a symptom of our times, sort of like fast food. No time to read, so I will listen to a book on the way to the Swiss Chalet.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
My past books were published in Canada in a time when books were routinely reviewed in national papers and magazines. Now it’s a swamp of podcasts, paid reviewers and dubious “award” contests. Hire a good publicist to negotiate the terrain.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No. I especially dislike the new trend toward attacking books on the basis of “cultural appropriation” and limiting available characters based on the author’s gender, cultural background, “lived experience” and age. Carried to its extreme, we could only write autobiographies. Be respectful, research, verify, and write well. Let the reader decide if you’ve succeeded or not.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
I fear we have become risk averse when it comes to a lot of things, including reading (and universities). Not every situation should be a “safe place,” and that’s especially true with books. Anthropologist Wade Davis points out that there is a difference between discomfort and danger. Most books worth reading are going to trigger something – reflection, doubt, anger, sadness, regret. It is going to challenge and possibly push you out of your comfort zone, which is often a good thing. If you find the book to be discomfiting while reading, stop reading it. If you’re not up for a story that revolves around dysfunctional families, read reviews and stay away if it sounds too disturbing.
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
In the past my publishers have been able to get my books in the hands of the right people, and I have had books bought by both school and public libraries and used in classrooms and university teacher training programs with considerable salads success. That is increasingly difficult, so like most authors, I now rely on Amazon, the MacDonalds of book sellers.
Where can people find you and your work?
Books: www.donsawyer.org
International development: www.northerned.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558529432508sawyer
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/donsawyer
Stephen Paul Sayers
Name: Stephen Paul Sayers
Genre(s) of your work: Horror/Supernatural Thriller
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Caretakers series:
A Taker of Morrows 2018 (book one)
A Taker of Souls (tentative release date: Fall, 2018) (book two)
Bio:
Stephen Paul Sayers grew up on the sands of Cape Cod and spent his first thirty-five years in New England before joining the University of Missouri as a research professor. When he’s not in his laboratory, he spends his time writing and devouring his favorite forms of genre fiction—horror, suspense, and thrillers. His short fiction has appeared in Unfading Daydream. A Taker of Morrows is his debut novel and the first in the planned Caretakers series. Throughout his journey, he has accumulated five guitars, four herniated discs, three academic degrees, two dogs, and one wife, son, and daughter. He divides his time between Columbia, Missouri and Cape Cod writing and teaching.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Ever since I was a kid, I loved horror. My brother and I watched horror movies all the time. I think the 70s and 80s were a golden age of horror movies – and we got really into it. That’s also when I discovered Stephen King, and I read just about everything he wrote. That was my base, and no matter what different literary roads I may travel, I always veer back into the genre. Even the books I read today transport me back to childhood and reignite those shivers again.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I never set out to be a writer. But after a challenge from my daughter I decided to write her a novel. I thought it would just be something I’d give her some holiday or birthday, something she could put on her shelf as a gift from her father. But when I started writing, a switch turned on inside me, something I’d never felt before. So writing has helped me find a passion I never had before. Writing has taught me it’s never too late to branch out and try things, you may find something you never expected. It helped me finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I have so many authors I love reading in so many genres. They say writers should really focus on their own genre to improve their writing, and that’s definitely important, but there’s just too many good books out there to limit yourself. I grew up on a steady diet of Stephen King and Peter Straub. I loved those authors because they put real chills down my spine, and still do. I’m also a big fan of a new generation of horror writers, Joe Hill, Paul Cornell, J. Lincoln Fenn, and Paul Tremblay. I also love writers of suspense and thrillers, especially Jo Nesbo, Dennis LeHane and Randy Wayne White because their plots are so tight and carefully constructed. I’ve recently discovered Melissa Lenhardt’s “Jack McBride” mystery series, which sort of borders on chick lit, and yet I really like it. You never know what will hit you.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I’m an Indie bookstore kind of guy, and I’m actually trying to set up distribution of my first novel to the ones I used to wander through on Cape Cod when I was a kid. I read recently that New York Indie bookstores are making a comeback, and this is quite encouraging.
That being said, I’m surprised when I hear authors spout venom at the BIGS (we don’t have to mention names). Being angry at the mainstream/corporate bookstore is like blaming Walmart for being successful. This is how we choose to consume our groceries (and literature) in 2018. It’s not their fault. And while I have a real concern that one specific online retailer (he who shall not be named) may completely take over the publishing industry, many of us authors would never been published, read, or allowed to pursue our passion—or make a living at it—without them.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
Horror and thriller fiction should be entertaining, number one. I want readers of my work to feel as if the time spent between the pages was a good investment. If they can escape from their world for a few hours, connect to my characters, and feel like they’ve made some friends they’re going to miss when they turn the final page, then I’ve done my job.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I’ve read great legal thrillers from former lawyers, war novels from veterans, and sports stories from former athletes, but I don’t bring much to the table in that way. As a researcher at a university, I think my scientific eye helps in crafting a pretty tight story. With research, you are always juggling different variables and studying their influence on a particular outcome. A tight plot is dependent on understanding how one variable, a plot point or clue, affects other parts of the story. So, I think the way my brain is wired for research actually helps in my development of plot in my novels.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
I’ve written two books in the Caretakers series, A Taker of Morrows (released June 15, 2018) and A Taker of Souls (tentative release date: Fall 2018). In the first book, I knew exactly how it was going to begin and how it was going to end, but I had no idea how I was going to get there. In the second book, I knew the beginning and middle, but I had no idea how it was going to end. So, my motivation so far has been the same as any other reader, wondering what the hell was going to happen in the story!
I also believe that any book or story doesn’t truly exist until its completion, until the characters have gone from some starting point to a definitive ending. I can’t speak for other authors, but the characters I write are so important to me I feel an obligation to let them see the light of day, to let others experience them. It’s such an overwhelming feeling, I don’t think I could ever NOT finish a book once I’ve started.
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
Actually, I rarely leave a book unfinished. I know that every writer has something that will intrigue me, challenge me, anger me or scare me somewhere along the way. If they’ve hooked me enough to buy the book, I’m going to commit to them. Books are like pizza…and I don’t think I’ve ever really had a bad slice of pizza.
Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?
I am always amazed at other authors, how they phrase things in ways I never thought, how they evoke emotion by their creative assortment of words, and the amazing stories they tell. I think I learn something about writing from every book I read. But whenever I read something about how someone’s eyes “…looked daggers…” I start to squirm. Ha ha!
Where can people find you and your work?
My novel, A Taker of Morrows, is now available for pre-order on Amazon (release date: June 15, 2018): https://www.amazon.com/Taker-Morrows-Caretakers-Book-ebook/dp/B07DFRGW6V/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Check out my website and social media links:
Website: https://www.stephenpaulsayers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephenpaulsayers
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SayersAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17982176.Stephen_Paul_Sayers
Amazon: https://www.amazon/author/stephenpaulsayers
Otto Schafer
Pseudonym: Otto Schafer
Genre(s) of your work: Contemporary Fantasy
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Title: The Secret Journal
Series: God Stones
Bio:
Otto Schafer grew up exploring the small historic town in central Illinois featured in his first work of fiction, The Secret Journal. If you visit Petersburg, Illinois you may find locations familiar from the book. You may even discover, as Otto did, that history has left behind cleverly hidden traces of magic, whispered secrets, and untold treasures.
Like many of you, Otto Schafer always wanted to write though, occupied with raising a family and building a successful career, he struggled to find the time. But the stories refused to rest, springing into his mind as he ran the forested trails of Illinois and invading his dreams at night, until finally he began writing them down.
Otto is currently working on the second book in the God Stones series. He and his loving wife reside in a quiet log cabin tucked away in the woods. You can often find him sitting out back by the koi pond, whittling words into stories for his readers.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
A fan of adventure, mystery, and fantasy I have always loved to read books that take me on an action-packed journey. For me, it’s the journey to what lay hidden in the cave, at the end of the rainbow, or buried under the old oak tree that is much more exciting than what is actually there. Somewhere along the way I realized I want to create journey’s for readers to get lost in. I want to build mysterious quest full of adventure – you know the ones. The ones you can’t put down. The ones that keep you turning page after page.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
So far, completing this first book and learning the process of publishing and marketing has opened up a whole new world to me. Where this goes and what I can make of it is unknown. I would love to answer this question five years from now.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Jules Verne and J.R.R. Tolkien for the hours and hours of classic adventure they provided. Glen Cook and his Black Company was the first fantasy series I ever read and he got me hooked. Stephen King for his ability to develop his characters and draw me into his world.
My all-time favorite may be Ray Bradbury. I default to Mr. Bradbury whenever I need inspiration and he never fails me.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I am grateful. Grateful for the ability to get my own book out there into the world. Amazon made that a lot easier for writers. That said, one of my favorite places to spend a rainy Saturday is sitting cross legged on the floor of a local bookstore reading blurb after blurb trying to find the next perfect read.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
So much! Everything from the locations to the people I write about. I certainly relied heavily on my knowledge of Petersburg, its history, and my own childhood for The Secret Journal. I put my whole heart in those pages, pulling on very real events and very real places from back in the day.
I am currently working on a side project about a serial killer in the Peoria area. I rely heavily on my knowledge of trail running and the areas local trails since I frequent them often and know them well. What is it they say? Write what you know. There is truth in that, but I also find it fun to write what I don’t know. I spent endless hours researching for this first book and loved it. It is fun when you get to pick the topics you study.
What motivates you to complete your (writing) work?
I think I have always been very self-driven. I go all in, whether it is completing a 100-mile ultra-marathon or writing a book. What drives that inner motivation is a mystery to me, but I feel it always there, tugging at me.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No, I don’t. We always have a choice not to read it. If it isn’t your thing find something else.
Where can people find you and your work?
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Schafer/e/B081ZK9MQ8
Website: https://ottoschafer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottoschaferauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottoschaferwriter/
Kyle Schiebel
Your Name: Kyle Schiebel
Genre(s) of your work: Fiction (Suspense/Mystery)
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Hawking’s Grove (2015)
Bio:
Kyle Schiebel is a lifelong Midwesterner, still living in his hometown of Bloomington-Normal, halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. Growing up amidst the cornfields of Illinois, he was raised on “Twilight Zone” reruns, John Hughes movies and 80s new wave music. Those influences, along with a familiar heartland setting, are evident in Kyle’s debut novel, “Hawking’s Grove.” He can also be found reviewing albums and reporting on new music on his YouTube channel, Track X Track.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I have never considered myself to be a genre-specific writer. I have many, many story ideas that span various genres of fiction. “Hawking’s Grove” happened to be in the suspense genre. The story in my mind that is the most developed right now happens to be science fiction. Close behind that is an idea for a light-hearted, character driven, heist style story that has the potential to become a series. Ultimately, for me as a writer, the story dictates the genre and not the other way around.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I’ve been a writer from a very young age, long focused on narrative storytelling. I can remember writing short stories all the way back in middle school. In high school, I wrote one act plays and was also editor of the school newspaper. In college, I started screenwriting while studying film. “Hawking’s Grove,” in fact, started out as a screenplay before shifting formats to a novel. So writing has always been a significant part of my creative life.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Two contemporary authors I enjoy are Nick Hornby and Chuck Palahniuk. They tell wildly different kinds of stories, but both have such a visual, cinematic style to their prose. In addition, they both write fantastic essays and non-fiction pieces that are very good. That ability to so expertly and effectively play in both fiction and non-fiction is something I respect a great deal.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
With the arrival of MP3 and streaming audio, it made perfect sense for audiobooks to rise in popularity. They’re easier and more convenient to consume now than they ever have been before. Outside of writing, I have a professional background in radio, so recording an audiobook of my novel would seem to be an obvious choice. I haven’t done it because I’m not convinced the market is there for it yet for independent authors. It is already a tremendous struggle for independent authors to reach meaningful numbers of traditional readers. While I’m certain there’s readers out there that would prefer to consume my novel on audiobook (I’ve heard from a few), my instinct tells me the volume of readers I could realistically reach with that format is too small to provide any ROI for the effort it would take to create the audio version. To be clear, that’s mostly a reflection of my personal platform and limited audience rather than of audiobooks in general. If/when my platform or audience grows more substantially, it may become “worth it” for me to do audiobooks. Naturally, the argument could also be made that audiobooks could do just that—grow my platform or audience. I’m just not convinced that is the best place for me, personally, to concentrate my creative energies at this stage in my writing.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Meeting readers face to face has unquestionably been the best “marketing” tool. Connecting with potential readers personally has been the most effective way to generate interest in my book. I’ve done paid advertising and paid for targeted social media, and nothing has provided a positive ROI. The saying goes, “your mileage may vary,” but for me, paid marketing efforts have all been a big waste of money.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
Generally speaking, I don’t think writing should be censored. I think writers should have the freedom to write what they’re driven to write. That being said, an audience is not promised, nor is it a right. You are entitled to express yourself, but you are not entitled to be heard. No one is obligated to read your book, nor is any store obligated to make it available for purchase. If a writer chooses a “taboo” topic, they risk alienating themselves from reaching a wider audience, but that should be their risk to take.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
The idea of trigger warnings relates closely to censorship—or more specifically self-censorship. I think a potential audience for any media deserves to have some reasonable idea about what they’re going to consume. As writers, we can’t presume to know every element, small or large, that may “trigger” a reader. Something as simple as two characters being divorced could be a trigger for readers with a traumatic divorce experience. Still, there are certainly topics that, broadly speaking, a writer should know might be triggering, and they have to reconcile for themselves how to best handle that possibility. In “Hawking’s Grove,” the main character is a male high school teacher who has been engaged in an intimate relationship with one of his female students. That relationship is central to the plot, but the inappropriate nature of that relationship has the strong potential to trigger some readers. In my description of the book, I do reference the relationship not only to describe the story but also to act as an unofficial trigger warning. If a teacher/student relationship is something that would make a reader problematically uncomfortable—AKA “triggered”—by my book, it is probably best that they avoid reading it. I’d rather they know what they’re getting into before they crack the spine than have them be traumatized on only the second page.
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
Selling is so much easier in person. In today’s fast paced, social media driven culture, audience attention is the most valuable commodity there is. In all forms of media, you have fractions of seconds to capture the audience’s attention, and after that a massive battle to retain it. In person interactions will almost always be more effective in gaining and holding attention, and ultimately in making a sale.
Where can people find you and your work?
http://www.kyleschiebel.com
https://www.youtube.com/@TrackXTrack
Ralph Schiller
Name: Ralph Schiller
Pseudonym: Ralph Schiller
Genre(s) of your work: Film History
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Complete Films Of Broderick Crawford (2016)
Bio:
Ralph Schiller is a government employee who resides in Chicago’s Western suburbs. He is an author and Hollywood historian (past and present) who writes for several magazines including Film Fax, and for Cult Movies.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois which had great channels like WGN-TV which presented thousands of classic movies to local viewers. I loved the old movies so much that began to read many books and articles on my favorite motion pictures and movie stars before writing Hollywood history myself.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Writing has given me respect, a sense of accomplishment, and a chance to put what used to be my hobby to work. Money wise, no change worth speaking of!
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I see so many films which are fictional, I often enjoy non-fiction beside just film history. This includes the ‘true crime’ genre. My favorite author was beyond a shadow of a doubt the late Ann Rule. Alas she will write no further books.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
They put the little booksellers out of business but now because of the internet the mainstream/corporate bookstores are the last of a dying breed.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
In my book, I hope the readers will be intrigued enough to seek out Broderick Crawford’s great body of film and TV work, and judge for themselves.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I tracked down Mr. Crawford’s 95 films to review every single one of them and his many TV appearances. I also interviewed many of his co-stars and co-workers who contributed so much to the finished book. Sadly some of them have since passed so I reached them just in time.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
I admired a powerhouse and brilliant actor who reached the towering heights of fame in motion pictures and television with an Academy Award Oscar but is completely forgotten today.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No.
Where can people find you and your work?
Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, CP Books, Oldies.com and for an autographed direct mail copy:
Send $26.00 plus $6.00 for shipping and handling to
Ralph Schiller
PO BOX 273
Winfield, IL
60190
Karin Melberg Schwier
Your Name: Karin Melberg Schwier
Genre(s) of your work: Historical fiction is the genre for my novel (and the sequel I’m working on). My other work is mainly in non-fiction.
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Non-fiction:
Speakeasy: People with Mental Handicaps Talk about Their Lives in Institutions and in the Community (1990).
Couples with Intellectual Disabilities Talk about Living and Loving (1994).
Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters with Intellectual Disabilities (2000).
Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections: People With and Without Disabilities Together at Mealtime (2005).
Hear My Voice: Stories Told by Albertans with Developmental Disabilities Who Were Once Institutionalized, editor (2006).
Flourish: People with Disabilities Living Life with Passion (2012).
Children’s books, illustrated:
Keith Edward’s Different Day (1992).
Idea Man (1997).
Fiction:
Small Reckonings – A Novel (2020, 2021 revised edition; 2023 re-released edition by Shadowpaw Press.)
Bio:
A freelance writer, editor and illustrator, Karin contributes to Saskatoon HOME and Prairies North magazines. She began her career as a reporter for a northern Alberta weekly newspaper while still in high school. Her series of profiles on pioneers of the Peace River country was published as a book, Yesterday’s Children, when she was 19. She worked on a dairy farm in New Zealand, and back in Saskatchewan, she spent over 25 years in communications work for an advocacy organization for people with intellectual disabilities. There, she produced an award-winning newsmagazine.
Karin has written and co-authored six non-fiction books and two illustrated children’s books exploring the lives of people with disabilities, and edited several others. Other creative non-fiction has appeared in anthologies in Canada and the U.S. In 2013, Karin received a YWCA Women of Distinction Award (Arts, Culture and Heritage) for her writing on disability issues.
Small Reckonings, first published by Burton House Books in 2020 and re-released by Shadowpaw Press in 2023, is her debut novel. It received the John V. Hicks Award for Fiction in 2019, a Saskatchewan Book Award in 2021 and also that year was named by a national jury to the Glengarry Book Award Short List, Recognition of Literary Excellence.
The sequel, Inheriting Violet, won first place in the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild 2022 John V. Hicks Award for Fiction.
Karin lives in Saskatoon with husband Richard, Professor Emeritus, University of Saskatchewan, and son Jim, who has a disability. And cats Ed and Gracie.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I’ve always been fascinated by homesteading tales and prairie fiction. When I was in high school, I worked for a weekly newspaper and did a series of profiles on pioneers of the area. The columns were popular with readers, so they were published in a book. The details were really interesting and I’ve gravitated toward those types of novels. And my childhood was spent on a farm, so when I write prairie fiction, I dig deep in my own well of memories and experiences.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I know it sounds cliche, but being a writer is what I am not just what I do.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I would be happy if my work appeared on bookstore shelves alongside historical prairie fiction like Homesick and Man Descending (Guy Vanderhaeghe), A Good House (Bonnie Burnard), The Bean Trees (Barbara Kingsolver), Cool Water, The Diamond House (Dianne Warren), works rich with detail in both farm characters and prairie settings. I really like novels by Leona Theis, like If Sylvie Had Nine Lives, The Art of Salvage, Sightlines, and Marina Endicott’s Good to a Fault, The Difference, Open Arms, The Little Shadows. I also enjoy a good Stephen King novel. I seem to feel an obligation that, no matter who the author is, if I start a novel I need to finish it. Perhaps because I have a bit of understanding what a job it is to write a novel, even if I’m not immediately taken with the story, I owe it to the author to read the whole thing.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
Frankly any tool that gets stories into the hands (or ears) of readers is a good thing. Audiobooks have been around for quite a while now so I don’t see them disappearing. My daughter lives in California and has a one-hour commute to and from work every day and she devours audiobooks. We always line up several for long road trips. For a good audiobook, the selection of the narrator is critical. We’ve passed up some when we just couldn’t get beyond the voice.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
When I was doing a lot of my own promotion for a book released by a very small publisher, I found getting to book clubs was a very good way to sell my books. I offered a discount for bulk sales and many book clubs have at least 10 members. That book was released the year the pandemic started so even though book clubs weren’t meeting in person, they still got together via zoom as they learned how that technology worked. I was invited many times to be a zoom guest for book clubs. Probably my only experience with a ‘bad’ marketing tool was when I tried to self-promote with a shotgun approach. I spent a lot of time and expense just blasting away, and I should have made a more considered, targeted plan to reach potential readers looking for that genre.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
This is something I need to think more about. Perhaps this is something that should rest with the publisher and their marketing efforts. There’s a difference between hate speech and storytelling. I’m trying to decide, too, if trigger warnings are a bit like spoiler alerts (“don’t read further if…”) But curtailing the writer’s ability to fully tell their story without fear of upsetting a potential reader seems a slippery slope. Who decides what content will trigger whom? What does a writer not write because of potential offense? As we craft a story, do we need to constantly review what we’re doing and worry about a potential reader’s sensitivity to myriad of issues? These two questions put me in mind of a recent letter to the editor in our local newspaper in which someone suggests the modern art gallery exhibits should first be vetted by a public committee so as not to offend or upset anyone. Can you imagine?
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
I’ve had a couple of in-person book launches that were populated by friends and family, so there were sales. It’s very useful to have my re-released novel, Small Reckonings, with a publisher who uses a publicist. Having a person dedicated to promotion, and who has established relationships with reviewers, bloggers, etc who can get that word out is really helpful.
Where can people find you and your work?
karin.schwier@mac.com
https://shadowpawpress.com/product/small-reckonings/
Jennifer Shaw
Your Name: Jennifer Shaw
Pseudonym (if you use one): J. M. Shaw
Genre(s) of your work: Fantasy Adventure
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Ascension – published in 2021
The Convergence – published in 2022
The Fractured Veil – published in 2023
Forsaken Souls – published in 2025
Bio:
M. Shaw lives in Airdrie, Alberta, with her husband and two young children. Her family’s shared diagnosis of autism and ADHD marked the beginning of an ongoing journey of discovery, self-acceptance, and growth. A passionate storyteller, Shaw seamlessly blends her love of nature, music, and martial arts into her creative works, crafting stories that reflect her imagination and unique perspective.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Fantasy fiction—or fiction in general, since there is ample room for crossover—grants me the freedom to let my imagination run wild. Living with autism and ADHD has shaped the way I experience the world. This genre allows me to explore vicariously through my characters, confronting reality and exploring social norms and taboos through storytelling.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Writing has been a constant in my life for over thirty years. What began as a way to channel my imagination gradually transformed into a passion—a sacred space where I could be wholly myself. As a neurodivergent, navigating this world is often overwhelming, so writing has become more than just words on a page; it is my sanctuary, my joy, and my therapy. It helps me process my thoughts, manage stress, and find clarity in life’s chaos. Writing didn’t just change my life; it shaped it, and I can’t imagine who I’d be without it.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Some of my favourite authors are Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Brandon Sanderson. It’s not just their gripping plots that attract me, but their fearlessness in pushing genre boundaries and exploring the human condition. King brings psychological depth and a sense of adventure, Atwood offers sharp social insight, and Sanderson weaves heart into his epic worlds, crafting wholesome messages that resonate deeply—all of which I admire and strive to emulate in my own writing. What I respect most is their wild imaginations and willingness to peel back the curtain on social taboos, exploring the world not just as it is, but as it might be.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
While I understand the appeal of audiobooks, I’d hate to see bookstores and libraries disappear. That said, when ebooks were introduced, many dismissed them as a passing trend, yet they’ve clearly found a foothold in the literary world. I expect audiobooks may follow a similar path, as they offer accessibility and convenience, which are essential in our increasingly hectic lives. Still, I believe print books will always endure. There’s something wholly satisfying about holding a physical book and flipping through its pages. The smell of paper—the older the better—is a tangible delight that digital and audio formats simply can’t replace.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
While online media is essential, I’ve found greater success by establishing a physical presence through author talks and book signings. There’s something meaningful about connecting face-to-face with current and potential readers—taking the time to engage can create a stronger bond with both the author and their work. Beyond this, allowing my work to speak for itself, through the voices of inspired readers, has become a powerful force in its own right. On the other hand, paid advertising—whether through Amazon or social media platforms—has proven far less effective in my experience. While visibility may increase, it rarely translates into actual book sales, making it a costly and often disappointing investment.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No. I do not believe that writing should be censored. Not only does it restrict creativity, but full censorship is unrealistic. Given that society is constantly evolving, what is taboo today might be widely accepted within a single generation. Likewise, what is permissible now might become offensive in the future, making universal censorship untenable. Even if we were to develop a standard criterion, we would need to apply it to every written work across the ages. That means we would need to censor all historical works as well as modern publications. Think of all the incredible stories that would never have existed. Moreover, just because one individual might deem something unacceptable doesn’t mean everyone else does. Which begs the question: who gets to decide what should be censored—and why?
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
Trigger warnings are important. Stories are powerful and can elicit strong thoughts and emotions that linger in our minds long after we’ve finished reading. As such, readers deserve the opportunity to make informed choices before they become fully immersed in a novel, just as they do with television and film.
To clarify, trigger warnings are not about censorship. They’re about compassion and respect for those who may be navigating personal trauma—a thoughtful heads-up to help someone feel safe while enjoying a riveting story.
Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
I tend to see better results at in-person events. While most readers typically purchase only the first novel in my series on the spot, many return to buy the subsequent books later—either in-store or online in the following days or weeks.
Where can people find you and your work?
My books are available at select Indigo and Chapters locations across Alberta, as well as online through Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. You can find direct links to all my titles on my website:
www.jmshawauthor.com
There, you’ll also find links to my Instagram and Facebook at the bottom of the homepage, along with an Events page where you can see when and where I’ll be appearing next.
Website: www.jmshawauthor.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmshaw_author/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmshawauthor
Email: jmshawauthor1@gmail.com
Terry Shepherd
Your Name: Terry Shepherd
Genre(s) of your work: I write thrillers about awesome women detectives and mystery stories for kids.
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Chasing Vega – 2020 (English, Spanish, Audiobook)
The Waterford Detectives (English, Spanish) – 2020
Juliette and the Mystery Bug – 2020/2021
Chasing the Captain – June, 2021
Students in Time – September, 2021
Bio:
Terry Shepherd wrote his first short story at age eleven and was first published as a non-fiction author in 2008. He created Detective Jessica Ramirez in 2019, publishing his thriller “Chasing Vega” in 2020. The book earned 5-Star ratings on Amazon and is also available in audio book and Spanish language editions. The second installment in the trilogy, “Chasing The Captain” was released this summer. When his grandchildren asked to star in their own stories, he created the “Waterford Detective” stories for his grandson and published the popular “Juliette and the Mystery Bug” series, co-authored with his wife, Colleen, when his granddaughter wondered how kids could protect themselves during a pandemic. His forthcoming books include “Students In Time,”(September, 2021) a time travel adventure that parallels the 4th grade public school history curriculum.
Terry is also a prolific book narrator and audio-artist, voicing 7 novels, along with dozens of commercials and promotional trailers. He hosts the popular Authors on the Air podcast, was a moderator and panelist at Bouchercon 2020 and is co-chair of the Sisters In Crime – Capitol Crimes Chapter’s 2021 Anthology project. He was an early social media adopter, authoring “Social Media and Your Personal Brand” in 2012.
He has written over 400 motivational essays since 2004, the best of which were aggregated into three popular self-help books.
Terry and Colleen live on the ocean in Jacksonville, Florida and are co-founders of “Down Syndrome Nation” a web resource for friends and families of persons with Down syndrome. Terry is a graduate of Michigan State University, has studied at both Harvard and Oxford and toured South America as a rock drummer in the summer of 1972.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I want to create stars that can inspire people of color and persons with special abilities to dream that they can be heroes, too. During my corporate life, my greatest joy came from seeing people reach beyond self-imposed limits and creating company cultures that reflected the customers we served. As an author, I have the privilege of creating worlds where protagonists can face incredible challenges with courage and tenacity, where good ultimately prevails and the stars of the dramas are transformed in the process.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
It’s opened doors to a whole new community of friends and colleagues who are part of the creative process. Writing is something you can take up in every season of your life and the process of learning The Craft is a never ending exploration.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Wow. There are so many. I grew up reading C.S. Lewis and translations of Homer’s great epics. Megan Abbott is one of my favorite fiction writers. Her prose approaches poetry. Lee Goldberg’s fast paced plots influence my own style. Among the new generation of great story tellers, I admire Shawn (S. A. Cosby), Shoshona (S. M. Friedman), Boyd Morrison, Owen Laukkanen, Kate Anslinger and Tori Eldridge. Each creates compelling characters and tosses them into deep waters without a life jacket. They bring different styles to the table pieces of their delectable story telling approaches have helped me become the writer I am.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
Full disclosure. I am also a narrator of audio books and read each chapter of my own works aloud as the final edit. A great narrator can bring depth and a rich new dimension to the printed word. I’m definitely biased, having been a broadcaster, voice-over artist and voice actor for over 50 years. But there’s something about the ability to take your story teller with you, whether it’s in your car or whispering in your ear as you drift off to sleep that is alluring.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
They definitely serve a purpose and can expose our work to a broad audience. I still love hanging out with the smaller booksellers and in the back stacks of used book shops. The unique personalities of each place and the dedication of the folks who work there adds to the charm of the reading experience.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Hosting the Authors on the Air podcast with my partner, Pam Stack has been a mutually beneficial experience that has helped sell my own work and given me the privilege of promoting some really great writing talent. I have yet to get a return on my investments in ads on the major social platforms.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
The reader ultimately decides what sells. There are genres that I don’t personally enjoy, but personal taste is personal taste. In a free society, the exchange of ideas, even if they make us uncomfortable is crucial.
Where can people find you and your work?
I’m all over the traditional on-line outlets (https://www.amazon.com/Terry-Shepherd is my Amazon outpost) and am active at TerryShepherd.com, TerryShepherdWrites on Facebook, the.terry.shepherd on Instagram and TheTShepherd on Twitter. We have a Little Free Library initiative, where I provide my books for free and for families, teachers and kids who want to learn more about the hygiene habits we teach in Juliette and the Mystery Bug, visit Mystery-Bug.com
Bryan G. Shewmaker
Name: Bryan G. Shewmaker
Pseudonym: Secrets don’t stay secrets if you share them.
Genre of work: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Titles / Year of Published Works
The first work published under my own name was published this year, titled “Providence Ends”; the first installment of my “Solar Winds” series.
Why do you write in the genre you do?
Before I can really answer that, I really have to define the genres as I treat them. Space Opera and Science Fiction are all too often equated to being the same thing. Not uncommonly with the former being used as a derisive term as the latter, though it is less common these days.
I would consider science fiction to be “A story where the reader is shown how man’s capacity to invent and develop technology has resulted in a change of the human condition, as well as the implications of those changes.”
I would consider space opera to be “A story where technology has advanced, but the human condition has not changed and the implications thereof.”
When I have discussed this in the past I have often used the two most well-known examples as proof of concept. Star Trek is widely considered science fiction, and perhaps the apex of its genre. In Star Trek we see a society where inventions such as replicators have solved issues of poverty, hunger, and more. Star Trek then extrapolates that this kind of development allows the human race to explore a new type of existence where our daily motivations are not predicated upon meeting our instinctive needs to hoard resources and power. Instead the human motivation becomes one of exploration and self-betterment. While I don’t agree with Star Trek’s premise that such technologies would bring about the change the show often depicts for us, it is an excellent example of the principle of science fiction.
Star Wars by contrast is a space opera, and I’ve known a few of its die-hard fans who become annoyed that Star Trek is considered science fiction while their favored franchise is dismissed as “science fantasy”. Especially when by some accounts Star Trek is even more unrealistic than ‘Wars. (Utopian societies and all.) But it is an accurate description to say that Star Wars is not science fiction. Star Wars depicts a civilization with technology far more advanced than our own in most respects, but the human race remains unchanged. There are still rich and poor, strong and weak, privileged and oppressed. All of the social ills we as real people face, are faced by the characters. Thus Star Wars is not a work of Science Fiction, but of Space Opera.
Now that I’ve completed my tangent. Why do I write the genres I do? For one they are my favorite genres so it is only natural that my interest gravitate to them. But more than this. Think of how many times science fiction / space opera have predicted our future. Rockets that can take us to the moon, ships that can sail under the water rather than over it. Atomic weapons that can make war such a costly effort that no one who has them dares to fight each other. Personal computers, cell-phones, railguns, lasers, AI, and more. If you look for them, you will see all the hallmarks of our modern day’s great technology was foreshadowed by fiction.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, was written in 2,100 BC. Mankind has been writing fiction for thousands of years. There are only so many ways to tell a story, only so many plots and twists to be had. Every story has already been written. What truly sets one story apart from another is the characters in the story, and the setting of that story. Space opera allows you to create a new setting, one that is different from our own. But one where the people are…people. Space opera creates a setting that real life might one day resemble. Science fiction allows you one of the few opportunities to create truly new stories, as technology changes our way of life and opens the door to plots that may have never occurred to those who came before.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Honestly, the biggest thing it has done is ruin a lot of fiction for me. I’ve studied story-structure, character archetypes, and plot development to the point that unless I completely shut my brain off, I’ll have most any book / movie / game story figured out within a few minutes. Annoys my friends sometimes, when 5 minutes in I can tell who is going to die, who is going to be the hero, who is going to betray someone else, etc. (Don’t worry, I’m polite enough that I usually keep it to myself…unless I want to annoy them) I’ve sometimes been accused of having inside knowledge, or lying about whether or not I’ve seen or read something. Its very hard now for a story to surprise me in any meaningful way, though I do (usually) appreciate it when the writer pulls it off.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Its very hard for me to pick, I’ve read a lot of things by a lot of authors. The only way I can give a reasonably brief answer to this, is to choose some for whom I went out of my way to read more of their work after doing so the first time.
Stephen Coonts – He has a unique gift to explain technical things, in detail, without boring the reader nor significantly digressing from the progression of his plot. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an author who can explain a real or fictional technology, how it works, and why it was made quite as well as Mr. Coonts.
Timothy Zahn – To be honest its been a long time since I’ve read one of his books, but I never read one of his books that I didn’t finish. There are a lot of authors for whom I can’t say that.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I’m afraid I can’t really say that I have an opinion.
What do you hope readers will take away from your work?
First I hope it entertained them. That is after all the purpose of fiction. We all have problems we deal with in our lives. Who died recently? Which creditor isn’t getting paid on time this month? Who is getting the pink-slip next? What trouble are the kids going to get into? The list goes on for miles. Fiction is one of the few ways we have to leave the burdens of the world behind for awhile. I take the purpose of fiction and its creation quite seriously. So naturally my first concern is that my work does its job.
Second, I hope it leads them to wonder “what-if”. Nothing has done more for humanity than attempts to answer that question. If what I have written leads someone to ask “Is that possible?” “Could that be done?” “Should that be allowed to happen?” Or any of these questions, that would be a nice bonus.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Personally, I don’t like it when people try to conjecture about an author’s views, or state of mind from reading their work. But it would be effectively impossible for a human being to write a book without their personal experience playing some part in the final product.
As to me, it plays a significant role. I place characterization above everything else in the creation of my story. I try to present the characters as real people. People with real goals, real ambitions, and even their own opinions that other people (such as readers) might not agree with.
I’ve done a lot of things, had a lot of different jobs, and met a lot of different personalities. I have been a martial artist, a firearms instructor, a professional wrestler (minor leagues), a telemarketer, a tech-support agent, a dishwasher, a sous chef, an IT-Agent, a hunter, and a few other things. I’ve met people from across all the spectra of religion, politics, creed, social class, and most other means we might wish to distinguish one group of people from another. When I try to create a character, I consider step-1 to be the separation of the character from the creator. By thinking back on those many personalities I have encountered, that first step becomes a lot easier. A character deserves to be their own person, not a mere avatar of the author. Like a child they may share some traits with their parent, but they remain their own unique being. Besides, if the author was that interesting, people would be reading a biography rather than a work of fiction.
Of course it does apply in other ways. My experience as a firearms instructor tells me what kinds of malfunctions a gun is most likely to have, what causes them, and how to fix the problem. My experience in tech support / IT has taught me that there are a lot of people who think they can lie to an expert about having knowledge in the expert’s field. My time as a professional wrestler taught me that some things can’t be faked, and sometimes you simply have to endure the pain to make things go-off correctly. My time as a martial artist taught me that people who say things like; “Size doesn’t matter” have never been in a fight with people significantly bigger / stronger than them.
I try to draw on all of these experiences when I write.
How do you find the motivation to complete a story?
I would rather have a book that no one likes, than to have a story that I never finish. Too much work goes into making a book to never finish it.
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
There’s a lot of things that can do it. For my preferred genres, here are a few.
1) An idiotic plot. How do I define that? Simple. If the story could be resolved by either the protagonist or antagonist taking the single most logical option open to them, its the start of an idiot plot. If there is no good reason they cannot pursue this most logical option and yet they don’t, its an idiotic plot.
2) If the author has invented a fictional technology but has clearly not made the effort to think through the implications, I have a hard time staying engaged.
3) If the author insists on jumping on the sci-fi bandwagon that depicts futuristic society as a social justice utopia, I tune-out. Such settings are not only more unrealistic than space aliens and FTL-travel, they are in my view, boring.
4) If the author uses scientific terms but clearly does not understand the terms he/she is using. I can only let so many of these go before the narrative/author loses too much credibility for me to continue.
5) If it becomes painfully clear that the story’s inner paradigm of good/evil, right/wrong etc is predicated solely upon the author’s political views. (Hint, I don’t care.)
6) One of the biggest, if a character is stated to be an expert in a particular field but the author has made no effort at all to educate themselves on the relevant subject matter. I’ll use firearms as an example. If the author’s character is a sniper, but doesn’t know the difference between bore, gauge, and caliber. Doesn’t follow basic firearms safety, doesn’t know enough to position himself on the hillside rather than directly on top of the hill, doesn’t know how to clear a jam etc. I don’t need textbook accuracy, but I can’t take the expert character or his story seriously when its painfully obvious that he or she is in fact no expert.
There are more, but I’ll stop…for now.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No, and I think people who try to censor literature should be hanged. (Yes hanged. I don’t know if she was right, but my English teacher taught me that pictures are hung, and people are hanged so that’s how I’m saying it.)
As a general rule, stupid people don’t read. Smart people are perfectly capable of making their own judgements.
Any pet peeves in writing while reading others work?
This kind of overlaps with the one about what makes me quit reading, but I’ll go over (and expand) on a few. Let’s see if I can do it without going on any tirades.
1) When its clear that the author is simply using their fiction as a vehicle for their political views. I don’t care about your politics. If you think I should care, I’ll ask this. What have you done with your life that is so great, so praise-worthy, and so beneficial shaped the lives of others, that I should care what you think? For 99% of people, and just as many authors, the answer is nothing. Precious few people who have ever lived can answer this question in the affirmative. That’s why we build statues of them, name things after them, and tell our children to emulate them.
You’re a writer, your job is to entertain me, not to push your politics on me. And no, having political views similar to mine does not excuse you. As far as I’m concerned, if your story can’t exist without your politics, you don’t have a story. (Sadly I’ve had to apply this to some of my favorite authors.)
2) I touched on this already, but authors using terms they don’t know. Mass is not the same thing as weight, energy is not the same thing as power, there is no such thing as “pure energy”. I don’t expect an author to have a physics degree. But trying to follow characters who don’t know these things (and clearly should) is like trying to watch a game of football between two teams that don’t know the rules. It might be funny at first, but humor only lasts so long and only gets you so far.
3) A lot of things involving firearms, weaponry, and the military. It would take me an entire book to list them all, but I’ll give one example. Why is it, in so much sci-fi/space opera, we see armies that have abilities that would make the real military powers of the world green with envy. Yet these same forces employ the tactics of redcoats about to go muzzle-to-muzzle with militiamen? I know why, military tactics are a science unto themselves and it would take a writer a lot of time to familiarize themselves with it to the degree that they can be both plausible and dramatic. I know I should excuse it, but I can’t. It annoys me every time I see it.
4) 100-pound beauty queens who can beat up grown men twice their size (and often trained fighters at that.) This one I consider a plague that has infested every facet of fiction. I see it in books, in movies, on TV, and in video games. I’ve met and worked with real women who were cops, soldiers, martial artists, and body-builders. Not one of them was a beauty queen. (Not limited to physical things either, I’ve met real female scientists, none of them would have passed for a bikini model.) Yes I know this is fantasy, but suspension of disbelief is relative and it has limits.
And maybe its just me, but when women asked for “strong female characters”; I don’t think supermodel/killing machine/nuclear physicist was what they meant. I’m pretty sure they meant female characters who had their own goals, beliefs, values, opinions, and ambitions, and dare I say own character arcs. Rather than simply being extensions of the male protagonist.
But maybe I’m wrong.
5) “Hero Classic”. You know him. He’s kind, he’s chivalrous, he’s charitable, he believes the strong must protect the weak. He never gives up. (Not because he’s too prideful mind you, but rather because too many people are depending on him.) If he isn’t smart he has a good heart, and if he has a flaw its that he takes his virtues too far. He will always do the “right” thing rather than the convenient or practical thing,
Many a protagonist falls into this mold, but I still hate it when I see it. He better be surrounded by some compelling side-characters, or I likely won’t be finishing. I hate this guy as much as I hate the superwoman above. I find nothing interesting about them.
Where can people find you and your work?
If anyone is interested in speaking with me, they can connect with me via my series’ facebook page.
www.Facebook.com/SolarWindsSeries
I can also be reached via Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16844044.Bryan_Shewmaker
I have a website, but it is still under construction at this time. When completed you will be able to visit…
www.TheEncephalon.com
My work can be found at these links…
https://www.amazon.com/Providence-Ends-Solar-Winds-Book-ebook/dp/B071YJ8S88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=14xv4931275&sr=8-1&keywords=providence+ends
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/providence-ends-bryan-g-shewmaker/1126427414?ean=9780998960609
Danielle E. Shipley
Name: Danielle E. Shipley
Genre(s) of your work: Mostly YA Fantasy that puts a new spin on old fairytales and folklore.
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Wilderhark Tales novellas – “Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.”
1 – The Swan Prince (2013)
2 – The Stone Kingdom (2013)
3 – The Seven Spell (2014)
4 – The Song Caster (2014)
5 – The Sun’s Rival (2014)
6 – The Surrogate Sea (2015)
6.5 – The Sky-Child and Other Stories (2015)
7 – The Story’s End (2015)
The Outlaws of Avalon trilogy+ – “Welcome to Avalon, a Renaissance Faire where heroes of legend never die…”
1 – The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale (2016)
1.5 – An Avalon Christmas Carol (2016)
2 – The Marriage of Allyn-a-Dale (2017)
2.5 – Truly Great Words Never Die (2017)
3 – The Legend of Allyn-a-Dale (coming October 2017)
Inspired – “For a muse like Lucianíel, one story’s end is another’s beginning…” (2014; currently out-of-print, but relaunching – with a sequel! – in 2018)
Plus a number of short stories in various anthologies, for readers who haven’t tired of all my words yet. ;D
Bio:
Danielle E. Shipley is the author of the Wilderhark Tales novellas, the novel Inspired, and several other expressions of wishful thinking. She has spent most of her life in the Chicago area and increasing amounts of time in Germany. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Well, as my old author bio put it: “Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. …Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof.
When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them.” I haven’t figured out how to restrict my imagination to worlds without magical shenanigans, so I just embraced it. XD
How has writing changed/altered your life?
It’s given me my best friends! One of whom is a fellow writer I met during my first National Novel Writing Month, most of the rest of whom are – *cough* – technically imaginary. But seriously, without the BFF outside my head and the character pals inside of it, there are SO many adventures – real and fictional – that I may never have experienced. So for that, as well as their endless encouragement during my authorial highs and lows, I am most grateful.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
My latest fave is Maggie Stiefvater. From her “Scorpio Races”, to the Raven Cycle series, to her posts on Tumblr, I just deeply enjoy the way she uses words. I also have to give props to Brandon Sanderson for his mind-blowing world-building, and to the aforementioned BFF, Tirzah Duncan, who’s barely published anything yet, but I get to read her works in progress, so I know what good stuff the world has to look forward to.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
If it’s a place with books in it, I’ll generally approve. I love browsing bookshelves and fantasizing about all the titles I’d buy if my writing career was making me independently wealthy. I can get bummed thinking about how my self-published works will probably never have a place there, but that’s part of the price to be paid for total artistic control. One can’t have it all.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
Entertainment. Maybe a bit of sweet heartache. And if they can see and appreciate my characters as real, free-thinking, incredible people who just happen to live on a different plane of reality, I’ve done my job.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
It varies. Some stories have next-to-nothing to do with me. Then you’ve got “Inspired”, which may be the closest I’ll ever come to writing an autobiography. Most often, it’s somewhere in between. I draw from things I’ve seen, done, and felt, as needed. The rest is straight out of imagination.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
I remember that if I die before the story’s done, no one else will write it. So honestly, as often as not, books are my motivation to not complete my life too soon.
Where can people find you and your work?
Website = http://deshipley.weebly.com/
Blog = http://everonword.wordpress.com/
Twitter = https://twitter.com/DEShipley
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/Danielle.E.Shipley.Author
Tumblr = http://outlawsofavalon.tumblr.com/
Amazon = https://www.amazon.com/Danielle-E.-Shipley/e/B00HG4A0N0/
Sylvia Shults
Name: Sylvia Shults
Pseudonym: J. K. Rowling. (Nope, just kidding about that one.)
Genre(s) of your work: I started out writing fiction (horror and romance), but now I work in paranormal nonfiction – true ghost stories, which I’ve adored ever since I was a kid.
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
My fiction works include: Timeless Embrace (four romance novellas), The Taming of the Werewolf (supernatural romance/Shakespeare mashup), The Dark at the Heart of The Diamond (horror short stories), The Dreamwatcher (horror novel), and Borrowed Flesh (horror novel). These are all available from Crossroad Press.
Nonfiction:
Ghosts of the Illinois River (2010)
Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital (2013)
Hunting Demons: A True Story of the Dark Side of the Supernatural (2015)
44 Years in Darkness: A Story of Madness, Tragedy, and Shattered Love (2016)
Spirits of Christmas (2017)
Bio:
Sylvia Shults has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don’t have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.
After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the Peoria State Hospital.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I am absolutely fascinated by true ghost stories. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, which meant that I grew up listening to my father tell tales of Resurrection Mary and the ghostly monks of Saint James-the-Sag and the screaming mummy of the Field Museum. I’ve always been entranced with history, too, the idea that people who lived in times gone by were much like we are today. I firmly believe that you can’t really appreciate the ghost stories of a place without knowing the history too, because that’s the reason there are ghost stories to tell in the first place – people lived these stories, which then became fodder for tales.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Through my writing, I’ve gotten to know so many fascinating people, fellow paranormal investigators and fellow writers, some of whom have been heroes that I’ve admired in book form from afar for years. And now I get to brush elbows with them and consider them friends. It’s awesome!
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Horror writers are always at the top of the list. I LOVE the work of Jay Bonansinga, who writes the Walking Dead novels. Jay and I have been friends for nearly twenty years, and he has always been so encouraging – I do consider him one of my mentors, as he’s taught me so much. I was so thrilled for him when he was tapped to do the Walking Dead novels. A big break like that couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. I’ve adored Tamara Thorne’s work since I was in college, and I finally plucked up the courage to ask her to be on my podcast. She’s just as nice in life as she is nasty on the page, and that’s saying something.
Hmm, let’s see … Andrea Jones writes literary fantasy (the Hook and Jill saga). I don’t usually read literary stuff – I usually go for the genre books – but her writing is just so lush and powerful that it’s a pure joy to read. Stephen Lancaster writes paranormal nonfiction, and he scared the paste out of me with one of the stories in his book Dark Spirits. He’s got a new book coming out next April, about a haunted doll. You better believe I’m all over that one! Holly Nadler also writes true ghost stories, and her writing is just gorgeous. I’m going to have both Holly and Stephen on Lights Out soon.
Troy Taylor is just amazing at true ghost stories – he puts a LOT of history into his books, which of course I find fascinating. Ursula Bielski is a wealth of knowledge about the paranormal, especially about Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, up by Chicago. And I really dig S. M. Stirling’s writing (the Change series). He is SO good at battle scenes. Simon Green is good too – I follow his Eddie Drood series and his Ghost Hunters series. I could go on and on …
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I believe that anything that gets people reading is a good thing. There’s room on this big beautiful earth for indie bookstores, corporate bookstores, and of course libraries. There’s room for ebooks as well as print books. Anything – anything – that gets people reading is a good thing. (Yes, I know I’ve repeated myself. But it’s important, and it’s something I feel strongly about. Reading is the sharing of information as well as entertainment, and nothing’s more important than that.)
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
Quite honestly, it depends on the book! A lot of my work centers around the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois, which is regularly listed on the top ten most haunted places in Illinois. Now, when you say “haunted mental asylum”, your mind goes all American Horror Story on you, and you might assume it was a place of pain and fear and abuse. It is my privilege and my joy to tell people this was not the case with the Peoria State Hospital. This was a place of caring and compassion, where the patients were treated like family members. My aim in writing about this place, and about the people who lived there, is to share the idea that mental illness is not something to be feared. The people who suffer from this shouldn’t be feared, but treated with compassion.
Same goes, I guess, for ghosts! I like to say “ghosts are people too”. It sounds flippant, but it couldn’t be more true. What we call ghosts, and search for in dark houses or spooky abandoned places or creepy cemeteries, are simply the spirits of people who have gone on before us. Yes, they’re dead, and death is scary because it’s the great unknown. But most of the ghosts I’ve met are just that – people. People who have the same personality quirks as anybody you’d meet on the street. (It’s just a LOT harder to have a conversation with them, because, you know, you can’t see or hear them most of the time.)
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Oh my goodness, a TON! I think a lot of people want to go out on paranormal investigations, but they don’t know how to find a group. The next best thing is to read a book by someone who has done that, and who can recapture that experience for the reader. That’s also why I do my true ghost story podcast, Lights Out. That really takes the listener along on investigations, and I’m so fortunate to be able to share that.
I feel that any time an author can put some of herself into her work, it just makes the book that much more relatable for the reader. We read to connect, and to share our passions.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
Well, deadlines help! My last two books were written under deadline – I wanted 44 Years in Darkness to be released October 10, 2016, as that is Rhoda Derry’s birthday (and October 9, 2016 was the 110th anniversary of her death). And of course I wanted Spirits of Christmas to come out in early November, to take advantage of the shopping season.
Other than that, I find motivation every day that I work at the library. I’m very lucky in that I have library patrons that know that I’m a working writer, and they’re very good about asking me, “So, how’s the new book coming along, and what’s it about?” I’m polite enough that I feel that I have to have an answer for them!
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
I read voraciously and omnivorously. I’d rather read than do anything else. But life’s too short to read books you’re not interested in. I have zero compunction about abandoning a book if I’m bored with it.
Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?
There’s a habit some writers have, of not putting quotation marks around their dialogue – either leaving them out entirely, or just putting a dash when a character is talking. That bugs the crap out of me, as I find it difficult to follow the dialogue. Plus I’m hyper-sensitive to POV – if it changes in the middle of a scene, without a scene break, I tend to assume the writer is either lazy or doesn’t know what they’re doing.
And I must confess that I’m completely baffled by the entire concept of “cozy mysteries”.
Where can people find you and your work?
I’m at www.sylviashults.wordpress.com, and I’ve got several Facebook pages too: pages for Ghosts of the Illinois River and for Fractured Spirits. But WordPress is where most of the good stuff is, including links to my true ghost story podcast, Lights Out. (You can find that on YouTube and on iHeart Radio, too. But links are on the WordPress site and at http://www.sylviashults.com.)
Kenny Sills
Your Name: Kenny Sills
Genre(s) of your work: Horror/Thriller/Suspense
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Tattoo: A Beautiful Sin (2011)
Tattoo: The Soul Reaper (2021)
Bio:
Kenny Sills, award-winning author, attended Southeast Missouri State University from 1988 – 1994 where he studied creative writing, philosophy, theology, martial arts, and music. Life is an adventure and Kenny has spent his, traveling and exploring the world, both alone, and with his wife, Syndi. They now call the St. Louis area, home.
When he’s not writing, he works with people with special needs. Kenny, or “Sifu” to his students, is also a 5th degree Black Belt and owns Ohana Martial Arts in St. Charles, Missouri where he teaches classes for typically developing people as well as people with special needs.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I grew up in the 80’s, watching the great (and not so great) horror films, Freddy, Jason, Michael, Chucky, etc. I always reveled in the excitement of being scared but safe in the theater or in my living room, watching them again on VHS. That feeling stuck with me throughout my life and “bled” into my writing style.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Writing has opened up my mind and imagination and helped me realize more of what’s going on around me. Also, it’s opened up a world of travel and meeting tons of interesting people at all of the book signings I do.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Brian K. Morris is an amazing author and a more amazing person!
I also enjoy the writings of Dan Millman and reading about all of his mystical adventures.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
I think audiobooks have their place for a certain type of person. However, I know that there are traditionalists who love the feel of the book in the hand and the turning of the pages. I’m sure that’ll never change.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I’ve never really thought about them in a positive or negative way. They’re an avenue to connect readers with authors, so I guess they’re alright in my book! 😉
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Facebook! So many ways to get your word out to the world on Facebook.
I’ve also tried ebay, craigslist, etc. No traction there, for me anyway.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
Although I’m a horror writer, I can’t get myself to write about rape. I can’t say it should be censored in other people’s work, but I can’t do it myself.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
Again, I grew up in the 80’s. We didn’t have “Trigger Warnings.” If something upset us, we dealt with it, which helped us learn to deal with other hardships and things that bothered us in life. I think we’re doing a disservice to the younger generation who want’s to be shielded from reality, and the negativity that it can bring from time to time.
Where can people find you and your work?
You can email me for a personalized and/or autographed copy at tattooauthor@gmail.com
You can also order a copy online:
Tattoo: A Beautiful Sin
Tattoo: The Soul Reaper
https://www.facebook.com/kenny.sills.1
https://www.facebook.com/TattooABeautifulSin
https://www.facebook.com/KennySillsTattoo
https://tattooauthor.wixsite.com/tattoo
C.G. Sins
Name: C.G. Sins
Genre(s) of your work: Fantasy Fiction
Published Works:
The Vampire Lilitu: Rebirth (2016)
Bio:
I am a 30 year old fantasy author born and raised in Chicago, IL. I am of Honduran and Puerto Rican descent and I’m certified in various genres of fiction writing. I am an autism advocate, and make bath products in my spare time!
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Fantasy fiction was always my favorite genre, most of the books in my library are young adult fiction. I also have a love for dark and spooky things!
How has writing changed/altered your life?
When I published my first book it was an amazing feeling. I worked years on perfecting the story and there are many other stories I want to release within that story’s universe (someday). A lot of family and friends supported my journey along the way and it was great to reach my goal and show everyone that I was serious about my work.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Holly Black is my absolute favorite author! I read many others that write young adult fantasy but I think I’ve read almost all of her books and actually keep an eye out for new releases. Her work is dark, twisted, and full of mythical creatures and I don’t think I’ve read a novel by her that I haven’t liked.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, a passing fad, or somewhere in between?
I think audiobooks are more just a preference. Now that I have my audible account I prefer getting books in audio. If I absolutely love the book after hearing it I’ll buy the hardcover for my library. Sometimes I listen and read along with a hard copy or ebook, sometimes I listen while I get things done at home. I have two kids and it’s harder for me to focus on reading silently, with audiobooks I can listen while I wash dishes or even while taking a shower!
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I don’t really have an opinion on corporate bookstores. I worked at one for awhile and it was really the only customer service job I enjoyed. I tend to shop at both small business and mainstream bookstores. I will say as an author the smaller bookstores are better for promoting and asking to do book signings. I asked bigger stores and they wouldn’t let me since I self published my book.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Not too much. Maybe if I was writing more realistic fiction it would be, but I don’t base any of my characters or events on my life.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
I think it depends on how the topic is handled. If it’s in a respectful way and brings awareness to something important then it deserves to exist. If it’s just for shock value or to be offensive for the sake of being offensive there’s no point.
Where can people find you and your work?
I am very active on Instagram and Facebook and I self published my book with Amazon kindle direct publishing. It’s listed if you go to amazon.com and it’s available in paperback and kindle format.
https://www.amazon.com/Rebirth-Vol-Vampire-Lilitu-Trilogy
@cg_sins (instagram)
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008976014841
Jerrod S. Smelker
Name: Jerrod S. Smelker
Genre(s) of your work: Fiction (horror, general), Non-Fiction (crime prevention and personal safety)
Titles/Year of Published Work(s): Self-Published via my company Last Leaf Publishing
Includes short stories:
Lies in the Attic, Casey and Amusing Anecdotes from Bootcamp
Books (ebook and paperback):
Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre (book one) – Published 2018
Vigilant In Today’s World: Volume 1 – Published 2018
Amusing Anecdotes from Bootcamp – Published 2019
Bio:
Jerrod S. Smelker grew up in Ionia Michigan, a quaint small town smack dab in the middle of Michigan between Grand Rapids and the state capital of Lansing. He enjoys reading, writing, fine cigars and pipes, craft beers, coffee, Michigan road trips, the Fall season and the greatest holiday of Halloween. He is a freelance writer, author and blogger who has published several magazine articles, short stories and books. He is always working on several other short stories and book projects to publish. He is the owner, operator and blog writer for Last Leaf Publishing, Wicked Harvest and JerrodSmelker.com. He currently lives in Grand Blanc Michigan with his wife, kids and cats. He can be reached at jsmelker@hotmail.com.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
For this question and others, I’ll stick with fiction and my latest book series about spooky stories.
Fiction I think lets you do whatever you want to do. My imagination lets me run wild and do all kinds of crazy things I would never do in real life…or are not allowed to do. I can create characters in my mind completely made up, or take a person from real life and alter their personality, looks, and actions.
I have found within the last few years that I really enjoy writing spooky stories. I guess most would title it as horror, but I prefer spooky. I don’t write about really gory things, it’s more like scary stories people tell around a campfire. Halloween is my favorite holiday and fall is my favorite season, so many of my stories revolve around those two things.
I do have plans to write a few non-fiction books about real-life ghost stories and legends in the near future.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I’ve enjoyed writing since I was young. I took all of the creative writing courses I could in high school and college, however, I never thought I would get as far as I have. I don’t sell millions of books and I’m not on the New York Best Seller list, but I have published a few books and stories and that makes me happy.
It’s altered my life because now writing has become a daily aspect. Whether I’m sitting at the computer writing or jotting down ideas in a journal; writing is now a constant in my life. I made the decision last year on what my priorities are and along with family and work (cuz I still have to have a day job) writing has become a top priority.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I honestly don’t really have specific authors that I would say are my favorite. I would say I have favorite stories or certain books I enjoy. I love classic stories like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, a few Poe and King stories, and newer stories and books like This is Halloween by James A. Moore.
I’ve been reading a lot of Halloween and spooky books and stories lately (because that’s what I’m currently writing), so I tend to lean towards those authors at the moment.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
Boy this is a loaded question. I’m torn…part of me says any way people can get their hands on books is a great thing, so whatever works. I’ve shopped at large corporate bookstores and have enjoyed my time there. Now, the other part of me would rather have the small town mom and pop bookstores. I understand both and I know there is a time and a place for both. It’s a Catch 22. I feel the same when it comes to most retail businesses…the local hardware vs the big box, chain restaurants vs home cooked diners, etc. It’s the way of the world today whether we like it or not.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Sometimes, I guess it depends on what I’m writing about. Some of the spooky stories I write about have some personal experiences within them. Most of my stories and books also contain personal things like names of friends and family for characters, dates correlate with actual dates like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Just fun things for me to toss in. Most people don’t even realize it.
I am working on a book currently called “Nina” and the main character is basically based on me…but a bit more handsome. HA! He looks like me, he’s a writer, he’s from a small town, he loves his flannel shirts and his coffee. This story was one of the first serious stories I started working on about 15 years ago. I really hope to finish it and publish it within the next few years.
What motivates you to complete your (writing) work?
There are a few things…
This may sound funny, but I want to finish one story or book to move on to the next one. I don’t feel or say that to just write a bunch of trash to get it out. I say it because I have so many thoughts and ideas when it comes to stories and books that I just want to get them all out. I boggle my own mind and think, “Let’s finish this one and then start the next one, and then the next and so on.” My brain never seems to take a break, especially when it comes to story ideas.
I want to complete my work because I want to read it. I remember seeing a sign (and no idea who originally wrote this) that said “Write the book that you want to read” or something similar. A friend of mine said he reads all of these books and stories out there, but he didn’t like the ending or certain aspects, etc. So I told him the quote and you could tell a light bulb lit up over his head. His eyes got wide and said “Oh yeah!” So if the story that I really want to read isn’t out there…I guess it’s up to me to write it and get it out.
Now this one…may seem a little egotistical. I want to see my name on a book cover. I want to see my name on a book list. I want my name out there. I want to build a legacy. I don’t think there’s an author out there who doesn’t do a little dance or even pop the cork on a bottle when they first see their name and book on a bookstore shelf or ready to purchase on Amazon. It’s very exciting to write it, finish it and see it out in the world.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
I don’t think censorship is the right thing to do especially when it comes to writing. I think people should know what a book contains and then decide for themselves whether they should read it or not.
Where can people find you and your work?
Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Jerrod-S-Smelker/e/B07CQWSDXD?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1563713495&sr=8-2
Websites and Blogs
www.jerrodsmelker.com
Blog – The Smelker Files – https://smelkerfiles.blogspot.com/
www.wickedharvestbooks.com
Blog – Wicked Harvest – https://spookystoriesmi.blogspot.com/
www.lastleafpublishing.com
Wicked Harvest Books
Jerrod S. Smelker
Brian J. Smith
Name: Brian J. Smith
Genre(s) of your work: Horror and mystery fiction; crime/noir
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
“Dark Avenues” (novella) published an e-book on Amazon Kindle (July 2012)
“The Tuckers” published as an e-book on Amazon (December 2014)
“Three O’Clock” reprinted as an e-book on Amazon (March 2018)
“Dark Avenues” (collection) published by Amazon on December 3rd, 2019.
Bio:
Brian J. Smith has been featured in numerous anthologies, e-zines and magazines in both the mystery and horror genres. His novellas Dark Avenues (the novella featured in the short story collection of the same name) The Tuckers, and Three O’ Clock are still available on Amazon for Kindle. He lives in southeastern Ohio with his brother the author J.R. Smith and four dogs where he eats more than enough spicy food that no human being should ever consume, already has too many books and buys more and doesn’t drink enough coffee to suite his palate.
His book, Dark Avenues, is available on Amazon for Kindle and paperback this December.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I was born in 1980 when horror movies were starting to peak. I grew up with Freddy, Jason and slasher movies like Pieces, Slumber Party Massacre and the like but I never watched those because my personal favorites were the Bugs-Gone-Bad movies. My favorites were Kingdom Of The Spiders, Slugs, Island Claws, Alligator, Frogs and Tentacles. The writing part came in a little later when I was thirteen and I was one of those kids who never fit in with the popular kids; I was the (to quote the actress Jordana Brewster from the movie “The Faculty) “the geeky Stephen King kid”.
If I were meant to write anything, it had to be horror.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
It’s taught how to look at the world in a different way. I’ve had a rocky childhood and being a writer has made me how to channel the after effects of that and apply it to my writing so it doesn’t eat me up inside.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Stephen King, of course. Dean Koontz, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene, Bentley Little, Richard Laymon, Robert McCammon and H.P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft has influenced a lot of good writers nowadays including myself. The list of writers I’ve mentioned have made a profound impact on my writing and opened my eyes to a whole new world of horror.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
In between. I prefer physical copies over electronic but I have a Kindle app on my I-Phone in case I’m somewhere and I’m bored to death I have something to do.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I have no problem with them. I think they should offer more resources to their customers but that’s just my opinion.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
A lot. I wrote a crime-noir novel where the main character suffered from PTSD because he caught his father slamming his mother’s face into their bedroom closet door. I suffer from PTSD because of the same thing and when I incorporated that into my book it gave me the chance to lift that anger and frustration off of my chest.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No. Writing should be what it is set out to do. Entertain the masses and piss everyone else off.
Where can people find you and your work?
I’m on Facebook under Brian J. Smith, Instagram under singleandhappywriter9, Twitter under brianjoseph913 and on my Amazon author page under amazon.com/author/brianjsmith
Christopher Smith
Name: Christopher Smith
Genre(s) of your work: fiction and poetry
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Is Choosing a Goat Like Choosing a Dog? 2018
Bio:
Christopher is a writer of poetry and fiction. He’s a graduate of DePaul University with a Master of Writing and Publishing and a graduate of Baker University with a Bachelor of Art in English.
He’s been published in Eclectica Magazine http://www.eclectica.org/v22n1/poetry_list.html and is currently trying to find an agent for his YA novel about a high school freshman in Kansas who struggles with staying in the closet or coming out.
He loves reading YA, Star Trek comics and Joan Didion.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I wanted to explore my childhood and poetry felt less intimidating than a novel.
On the other side of it, I love how much we get to know characters in novels and like being able to explore larger issues in fiction.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I very much believe in the power of sharing our stories and journaling to understand ourselves and others.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was the first book I read on my own.
Frederick Backman: his characters and stories are so emotional and he writes older people so well.
Kate Mulgrew: I loved both her biographies.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I find my life is a springboard for my stories. I like fictionalizing things I find from myself.
What motivates you to complete your (writing) work?
My husband.
I have a writers group who is so supportive.
I want others to read my work.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No.
Where can people find you and your work?
Www.Chrislorensmith.com
Twitter @csmithwrites
G.E. Smith
Name: G. E. Smith
Genre(s) of your work: Dark/Horror Fiction
Bio:
I’ve lived and worked all my life in north central Illinois. I’m married and have a stepdaughter. My first extended writing period was in the 1990s; gospel clown skits and scripts for my hometown junior high D.A.R.E. and PeaceBuilder programs. From there I got into silly, rhymed children’s verse, some novelette-length works, short stories, flash fiction, and micro fiction.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
When I wrote silly, rhymed poetry, the fun challenge was the meter and the nonsense. In horror, the challenge is a fresh approach on how to make the reader interested and uneasy. Plus, it’s (horror) a great way to fictionalize a real-life stress event.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Increased my confidence in saying what I mean and paying attention to how I communicate.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Michael Arnzen: his short work gets right to the action. Jeff Strand: great blending of humor and horror. Christopher Moore: his novel A Dirty Job is fantastic.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I’ve always been a hard-copy guy, both reading and submitting to a critique group. Been awhile since I’ve been to a bookstore, but stay in business, folks! Amazon is convenient, but I can’t get a caramel mocha and take a seat with a book in hand at Amazon.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
Enjoyment, entertainment. To hold a small place in their mind when I creeped them out would be cool too.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Other than general venting, nothing in the past or present.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
Knowing once my head is clear of what I’m working on I can move forward to what’s next.
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
Overuse of f***. I get that it’s part of certain characters. However, too much makes a character one dimensional. A story loaded with f-bombs becomes predictable, and predictable is boring. Also too much detail and lengthy flashbacks cutting into the story flow.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No. Let writers write. Readers can decide what they do or don’t want to read.
Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?
Too much editing while writing my first draft. As for the work of others: using ‘that’ instead of ‘who’ when referring to a person.
Where can people find you and your work?
The Haunted Traveler, Cult of Me, Unfading Daydream, Lonesome October Lit (forthcoming Nov. & Dec. 2017), FunDead Publications, and Trembling With Fear (Horror Tree).
https://www.facebook.com/WritefullyMinded/
Jeffry Smith
Name: Jeffry Smith
Pseudonym: Andy Zach
Genre(s) of your work: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, and Middle School
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Zombie Turkeys 2016
My Undead Mother-in-law 2017
Paranormal Privateers 2018
Secret Supers 2019
Challenge Accepted (anthology) 2019
Bio:
With his first book, “Zombie Turkeys” Andy blazed new ground in paranormal humor. The second book in his Life After Life Chronicles, “My Undead Mother-in-law” expands the zombie plague from turkeys to humans, with hilarious results. You can find both volumes on Amazon Kindle, Createspace print, and Audible audiobook editions.
Not content to keep in zombies earthbound, Andy puts them afloat in his third book, “Paranormal Privateers”. Just when you thought every funny zombie trope had been explored, new humorous horizons open up. You can get “Paranormal Privateers” in Kindle and print formats. The audiobook will be available for Christmas.
Andy Zach was born Anastasius Zacharias, in Greece. His parents were both zombies. Growing up, he loved animals of all kinds. After moving to the United States as a child, in high school, he won a science fair by bringing toads back from suspended animation. Before turning to fiction, Andy published his Ph.D. thesis “Methods of Revivification for Various Species of the Kingdom Animalia” in the prestigious JAPM, Journal of Paranormal Medicine. Andy, in addition to being the foremost expert on paranormal animals, enjoys breeding phoenixes. He lives in Illinois with his five phoenixes.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Science Fiction – because it’s my first love in reading and in creative writing, since third grade. I’m a child of the space age, following NASA through the 60s and 70s.
Fantasy – Sometimes the laws of physics are just too confining and you need to burst out, magically.
Humor – Humor and sarcasm, irony and puns come naturally to me. When I learned that many writers have trouble writing humor, I thought, “I’ve found my niche!”
and Middle School – I’ve learned from fellow authors there is a tremendous dearth of fiction for middle school children. Mentally, I’m not too far removed from that age group. Then there’s the business side: If I can engage middle school children, perhaps they’ll read my adult and YA works.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Life is so much more fun! I delight in going to my office and working on my current or next project. I love seeing my books sell. I love writing. I love publishing my books. What’s not to like?
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Fantasy – Tolkein – Beautiful language, massive world building, deep symbolism. Patricia McKillip – Again, beautiful language, combined with mysterious plots and wonderful characters.
Science Fiction – Heinlein – Hard science with cracking good stories with good characters. John Ringo – great military science fiction and fantasy. David Weber – great military science fiction, epic world bulding, hard science.
Humor – PJ O’Rourke, Eric Flint, David Fleer
Middle school – Madeline L’Engle, CS Lewis
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
Sad. They’re dinosaurs in a shrinking brick and mortar marketplace.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
Entertainment first. I want everyone to be happy they’re read my books. Then, that they may have learned some trivia or non-trivia along the way.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
Quite a bit. I set my books and scenes in places I’ve been and know about.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
I think of each new book an opportunity to reach a new audience and delight them.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
Certainly some thoughts and behaviors are harmful to yourself and to other people. If a person portrays these taboo subjects as good or beneficial, they are lying to their readers and should not be read or published.
Where can people find you and your work?
My website: https://andyzach.net
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/andyzachauthor/
My Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01M3Q35H1
My Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16034100.Andy_Zach
My newsletter signup: https://mailchi.mp/22d3daf2a1b7/get-your-books-by-andy-zach
My Twitter handles: @AndyZach2, @Zombie_Turkeys, @UndeadMotherLaw
Keith E. Smith
Name: Keith E. Smith
Genre(s) of your work: Action/Thriller
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Black Chamber: Paradise Lost – 2016
Bio :
Keith E. Smith was born in the capital city of Kentucky, in the southeastern United States. From an early age he was taught how to use firearms, hunt, fish, and work with his hands. He’s been a construction worker, videographer, auto-mechanic, restaurant worker, and a guitarist in a rock band. He’s poured concrete, video-taped a gubernatorial election, laid sewer pipe, built bridges, bussed tables, cut tobacco and even sold insurance.
In the early 2000’s he began writing articles for a newspaper, and later went on to publish two non-fiction books. He is also a ghostwriter for a book writing company based in Texas.
His novel, Black Chamber: Paradise Lost, is an action-packed thriller that takes readers on a chilling journey into a dark world of conspiracy and violence.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I have always been interested in action, military, spies and conspiracy type stuff. The first books I ever read, even comic books, were all on those topics. When I decided to write a novel, I naturally wanted to write an action thriller story, but with a twist. Typically, books in this genre usually have a main character who is former, or current, military; they’re almost always highly trained and skilled in all sorts of things. In short, they are usually a bad ass. I love those books, but I wanted my main character to be an every day guy who gets caught up in that world.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I convinced myself, for years, that I could never be a writer. I had received no formal training of any kind and felt that I did not have what it takes. Of course, that was garbage and my desire finally overcame my fears and I wrote an article. It ended up being in a newspaper. That experience showed me that being a writer was not only within my reach, but that I was already a writer. I have written four books now, and more are on the way. Writing has completely transformed me and my life.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Louis L’Amour- because he was a phenomenal story teller, and the way he wove facts into his fiction. Brad Thor- He is just a great action writer and his stories are very plausible.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I love all bookstores. I do love independently owned bookstores the best.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
I hope that my readers learn things that they did not know before reading my book. Like one of my author heroes, Louis L’Amour, I put a lot of facts into my work, and I hope my books are as educational as they are entertaining. I also want to make people think. I want them to read my book and think, “Man, this could actually happen.”
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I have a diverse background that really helps me to see things from different perspectives. That helps me a lot when writing. I also weave some of my own experiences into a story sometimes.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
The entire time I am writing, I keep visualizing that book in my hands. There’s nothing like the feeling of investing hundreds and hundreds of hours into a work, and then it being completed and in your hands. It definitely keeps me going.
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
When it is obvious that the author did not research the facts. Fortunately, I have found that to be pretty rare.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
I do not believe anyone’s work should be censored. Whether it is a book, a song, or art.
Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?
Not really. I think every writer should take the time to write the absolute best they can, and to put out the highest quality work they are capable of at that time.
Where can people find you and your work?
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Chamber-Paradise-Keith-Smith/dp/1530960878/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509311651&sr=8-1&keywords=black+chamber+paradise+lost
WebSite: http://www.authorkeithesmith.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KeithESmithAuthor/
Laura Smith
Your Name: Laura Smith
Genre(s) of your work: middle grade fiction
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Stable House
Published 2013
Saving Hascal’s Horrors
Published: 2014
The Castle Park Kids
Published: 2015
Bio:
Laura Smith earned her Creative Writing degree from Carlow University in 2007. Since then, she has self-published three middle grade novels. Her writing has been featured on the websites ProWriting Aid, Listosaur, Support for Indie Authors, Ok Whatever, and Cleaver Magazine. She also writes blog posts for HubPages, book reviews for LitPick, and book and horror movie reviews for Horrorscreams Videovault and is currently working on a middle grade trilogy. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. So, it only made sense that I would write children’s books. While working on my degree, college steered me away from writing for kids. They wanted us all to write the great American novel. But once I was out of school, I returned to children’s fiction. It’s where I’ve been the most comfortable, and those are the stories that I most want to tell.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
Writing has shaped how I see the world, how I spend my time, and how I judge my productivity. I make time for it because it’s the one thing that I’ll allow myself to say that I do well. So, even if my work isn’t widely read, it gives me a feeling of satisfaction and self-worth to put words to paper, whether it’s a story, an essay, a blog post, or a book.
I work writing into my schedule wherever I can. If I can get everything done on my to-do list and still have time to write something worthwhile or have worked it in before or in between tasks, I consider it a productive day.
Some good advice that I’ve heard when it comes to any creative pursuit is, “Quit if you can.” I can’t quit, and I don’t want to quit. So, that feeling lets me know that I’m making good use of my time.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I love Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was named after her (my mom was a fan of the show), and I reread the Little House series every few years.
I also grew up reading Ann M. Martin’s Baby-sitters Club series, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series along with Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Wilson Rawls, and Betsy Byars.
I also love Stephen King who I got into in high school and still follow closely. I don’t love all of his books, but he has a huge body of work, and the ones I do love, I love a lot.
As an adult, I read a lot of celebrity memoirs, particularly by comedians. Steve Martin, Martin Short, Gene Wilder, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Rob Lowe, and Michael J. Fox have all written some great memoirs.
I’ve read all of John Green’s YA novels, and even though I don’t like all of his books, I love his writing. I also like his brother, Hank Green. Ever since I read The Fault in Our Stars, I’ve bought every book by the Green brothers new and the week they were released, which is rare.
I’ve been working my way through Malcolm Gladwell’s books.
I also love graphic novels, particularly Batman.
As a book reviewer, I read a lot of books by indie authors, and I’ve come across some great work by unknown authors who deserve a lot more recognition than they get. You can find my indie author book recommendations on my blog. I only review the ones I like, and any purchases made via the bookshop.org links go to support the authors, local bookstores, and my blog!
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
Yes, I think they’re here to stay, though I don’t necessarily think they’re going to replace hard copy books. Pre-pandemic, I would borrow audiobooks from my local library all the time and listen to them in the car or on long trips. Now, I have the Libby app on my phone and borrow audiobooks from there.
About a third of the books I read in a year are in audiobook format. It allows me to read two or three books at a time because I read the audiobooks while I multitask. So, I can “read” while I get ready for work, clean the house, or make dinner at night.
Then, I’ll read hard copy books on my lunch break, while I exercise, or in bed at night. So, it allows me to maximize my reading time. It also allows me to stay up-to-date with more mainstream books while I work through my list of indie books to read for the various blogs I write for.
I’m a big podcast person too. So, I think people will jump on the audiobook bandwagon as a result of listening to podcasts, particularly if a podcast host recommends a particular book or if listeners sign up for Audible, whose ads are often featured in podcast commercials. If audiobooks will get an otherwise non-reader to read, I’m all for it.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I love stopping in at my local Barnes & Noble, and I was a big fan of Borders when they were still around. I love the wide aisles, the calm atmosphere, and the smell of coffee permeating the air (even though I’m not a coffee drinker).
However, more often than not, I browse for a long time and then leave empty-handed. I’m a bargain hunter. So, if I don’t find a good sale or something in the discounted section, I won’t buy anything and will go to Half Price Books or any pop up used book sale instead.
I’m a big fan of “the hunt.” I have a mental list of books, movies, or music that I want to own one day, but I don’t want to just go to a particular aisle, find that title, and buy it at full price. I want to find the edition that I read 20 years ago, and I want to find it on sale after months, or even years, of looking.
There are so many books to read and only so much time available to read and space available in my home. So, playing this game keeps me from buying too many books or overflowing my shelf space with books that I’ll never read.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Social media has proven to be an invaluable marketing tool for me. I’ve spent years building up a following, particularly on Twitter. Facebook and Pinterest have been useful as well, and my Instagram is slowly growing. I like to follow fellow writers and bloggers, and they have been instrumental about helping me to spread the word about my work.
A bad marketing tool has been table sales. I started trying to sell my books at flea markets, and those places just don’t contain consumers looking for new, self-published books. They want to buy old, dusty paperbacks for a quarter.
I also once tried to sell my books at a small bookstore. It was part of an event that they were hosting for indie authors, but it was a bust, and we all lost money on the event. You can read about the whole ordeal here.
One table sale that was successful was selling my book during a book sale at my local elementary school, but the school librarian made me feel so unwelcome there that I never wanted to go back again. I hope that visits to other schools will be a part of my marketing plan for future books, but I’ll be more selective about the schools I reach out to.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
As a children’s author, I do obviously steer clear of anything that is too dark or inappropriate for that age level, but my books do have an edge of darkness to them. I try not to talk down to kids or censor my work too much, but there is a definite line to be drawn.
As for other people’s writing, I’d like to say that no topic should be off limits, but the world isn’t that black and white. I don’t want to see any type of writing that’s going to cause a distorted way of thinking that could lead to violence or other dangerous consequences.
The problem is, judging what content is dangerous and what isn’t is a slippery slope. We all know that more than one famous assassin has had an obsession with The Catcher in the Rye, but most people who read that book don’t become assassins. The Harry Potter series was banned by some religious groups for promoting magic and witchcraft, though it was never intended to be anything more than a coming-of-age fantasy series for kids.
I’d like to think that readers are smart enough to be able to tell between what’s real and what’s fantasy, propaganda, or blatant misinformation, but I’ve seen how easy it is to fall into those rabbit holes and how influential the power of words and our modern ability to exchange information can be. But just like you can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater, we need to judge writing by how dangerous and destructive it could be to share a particular viewpoint in a particular way.
There is so much in the world to write about that can be entertaining, challenging, and educational for readers. Why spend your time writing something taboo just to piggyback on the sensationalism and interest that the shock value provides or with the intent to cause trouble so that you can grow a reputation based on infamy? There’s nothing inspiring, legitimate, or lasting that comes from taking that path.
Where can people find you and your work?
I’d really like readers to check out my blog, Laura’s Books and Blogs. There, you’ll find all of the blog posts I’ve written for the past few years, my portfolio of writing, writing tips, resources, and free downloads, and more about my books, including links to buy.
You can also find me on social media. I’d love to connect.
Here are links to my accounts:
Goodreads
Finally, here are the links to my Amazon and HubPages accounts:
Amazon
HubPages
Edward J. Spock
Your Name: Edward J. Spock
Genre(s) of your work: Horror
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
The Eyes Of Mary Beth McCreary ( 2021 ) This is my first published work and it will be also appearing in Books Of Horror, Volume 3 Book 1 that was just released on October 27th 2021.
Bio:
I am a card-carrying member of Gen X. The entirety of my teenage years was in the decade of the 80s. I was a part of the rise of heavy metal, witness to the resurgence of the horror genre in the film industry and discovered a horror legend as he rose to a pinnacle of his writing career. All of this was part and parcel to forming my love for the genre. The imagery and lyrical content employed by the heavy metal artists lent itself perfectly to the horror film industry. The horror film industry in turn found a well of material in the Stephen King catalog. It was a three-pronged attack. It worked and I was all in. I spent the decade immersing myself in the world of horror fiction through music, movies and books.
In my twenties I was one of the founding members of a hard rock / heavy metal band called Ballbreaker. We were part AC/DC tribute band and part an original hard rock band. Over our twenty plus years we appeared on a number of various artist collections as well as three of our own all-original cd’s. Our original music is where I got to display my love for the genre by crafting lyrics to our songs about freaks and apocalyptic visions all with a tongue in cheek fun. Writing the lyrics and melodies to our compositions was one of my favorite parts of crafting a song.
Once the band dissolved, I found that I again needed to find a creative outlet. Having always enjoyed the lyric writing aspect while working in the band, I thought that I would really like to try my hand at creating my first horror story. I began coming up with a nice stock of ideas and starting in on my first attempt. It is still currently sitting on my computer unfinished, tentatively titled “Ruff Draft”. It sits unfinished because another idea had struck me that I was able to run with. The story kept coming to me as I wrote, and the completed work is “The Eyes Of Mary Beth McCreary”. My first story to see the light of day.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I once read an article with Joe Hill in which he talked about how he had spent so much time trying to stay out of his fathers shadow with his own writing. Eventually he realized that he couldn’t. He grew up around the horror genre, it was what he knew. He embraced the legacy of his father and began to write in the style and he is now one of the biggest names in the genre today. He began to write what he knew. I had always felt that way when writing lyrics for the band and is why I am writing in the horror genre. I have always felt that people can see through when a writer or musician is not being themselves. So when I decided to take a stab at writing it was only logical that it was going to be in horror. It was what I grew up watching, listening to, and reading. It is what I knew.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
As I am new to the writing field, it really hasn’t changed my life much …. Yet. But what it has allowed me is a creative outlet. After my band dissolved I was feeling the need to be creative somehow. I had picked up reading again and was reading a lot. I really enjoyed the lyric writing aspect of songwriting and had always written privately. With that being said, I decided to push my writing a little further and actually publish some of my work. I completely enjoyed the process of getting my first story out there and looking forward to getting more of my work out there.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Of course, Stephen King to start with as he was one of my original gateways into the genre. Some of my other go-to authors are Tolkien, Lovecraft and Joe Hill. Most recently I have been enjoying works by Stephen Graham Jones and Nick Cutter.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
I don’t know that audiobooks are the wave of the future, but what I do think they are is another great tool for authors to get their work in front of people. Audiobooks are perfect for when you are driving or just working around the house. It’s an opportunity for someone to pop one on and listen to where it was not an option before. It certainly helps broaden an author’s playing field and opens another door for an author to get their work out there.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I do believe that the big box bookstores have their place. They have been able to diversify what they sell, such as adding coffee shops, toys, stationary and more. They have also been able to put themselves in high profile locations like malls. I would like to think that this all has a positive effect on the industry as a whole in that it keeps bookstores and books in general in the public’s mind. A not so avid book purchaser / reader may be more inclined to enter the store and buy something with these added factors. At the same time some of your greatest treasures are found at an independent store and it is hard to beat their atmosphere. So I can definitely see benefits to both for the book industry.
Where can people find you and your work?
You can find my author page on Facebook as Edward Spock. You can also find me on twitter (@ejspock70), Tiktok ( @ejspock ), and I am currently in the process of having a new website built at edwardspockauthor.com .
You can also find my book “ The Eyes Of Mary Beth McCreary”. on Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com as well as good reads. I am steadily working at getting my book added to new outlets and will update everyone through my social media platforms.
RW Spryszak
Name: RW Spryszak
Genre(s) of your work: Irrealism, Gothic.
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Edju (2018) – a novel
Numerous works in alternative ‘zines since the late 1980s.
Bio:
Born in Chicago. I came out of Columbia Chicago in the early 70s before that school was accredited and was still considered “experimental” for its time. I was also a member of Marjorie Peters’ Southside Creative Writers Workshop in Chicago then, as well.
Since 1988 my work has appeared in alternative, or “altzine,” publications around the country. A large portion of this material is archived in the John M Bennett Avant Writing Collection at the Ohio State University Libraries.
Nine years ago, I co-founded Thrice Fiction Magazine and Thrice Publishing, where I have been managing editor since 2010. I edited So What If It’s True a collection of work written by the late Chicago slam poet Lorri Jackson, and I Wagered Deep on the Run of Six Rats to See Which Would Catch the First Fire, an anthology of current surrealist writing from around the world. Both of these are available at Amazon and your finer independent bookstores.
I still reside in the Chicago area, but my city has never returned the very deep affection I have for it. Every book publisher in Chicago consistently turned down my offerings. I had to go to New York to find a publisher for my book. In late 2018,
Edju was published by Spuytin Duyvil.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I never felt I was writing to a genre. My heroes are people like Leonora Carrington, Jorge Luis Borges, Nikolai Gogol, Ann Quin, and Andre Breton. I write today as I’ve always written. With, hopefully, no bowing or beholding to realist orthodoxy.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I have been writing since a very young age. I don’t have an answer to this question, directly, because I’ve never been able to imagine my life without writing and have been doing it since 1st grade.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Add to those above the names of Kafka, of course. But, also, Naguib Mahfouz, Gillaume Apollinaire, B. Traven, and Donald Barthelme. What draws me to all of these – as well as those aforementioned – is the pureness of their originality. I like to be challenged. I like to read as a writer and be able to say, after a shock formed by what I just read – “you can DO that??” I’m bored by modernism, realism, and sometimes even memoir; the quotidian and expected. I hate the usual. But don’t let that bother you – I’m still a sucker for my grandkids’ faces when they open the Christmas presents I bought them.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I don’t have one, really. The chains have become the reflection of the Big Five publishers. Oh well. You get what you get. They have shareholders to assuage. The best bookstores are the independents. Like Quimby’s here in Chicago. Those indies willing to take a chance on “odd” things have established themselves over the years. Their survival all this time should quiet the “market specialists.”
But, listen – as a writer you shouldn’t let corporate profits determine whether or not your work has validity. Every writer – not just those deemed “experimental” – should write from the soul, not with an eye to the market. Work created to try to be a bestseller is rarely interesting to me. As an editor of a magazine that kind of thing is rejected post haste.
What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?
I would like them to be on page 75 before they realize they are reading something.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I utilize a lot of what the surrealists call “automatic writing.” And this comes from the unconscious mind. That’s as personal as you can get if you understand the lexicon. So, there are obscure metaphors at work all the time. In Edju, I think I have maybe seven different scenes drawn directly from my own life. I was once a member of a cult. My drug use in the late 60s is well-known among my friends. My current politics may be explained by saying I was once a member of the IWW. But in my novel those things are explained by metaphors because my actual life is really boring. It’s like the meaning of dreams. Certainly you, as a writer yourself, are probably aware that the symbols in your dreams mean something else. You have a dream where you lose somebody else’s dog and when you wake up you come back to a world where you feel you let someone in your real life down.
I’m blithering. Suffice to say every writer creates through the prism of their own life. I don’t think any of us can escape it.
How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?
I have never had writer’s block in my entire life if that’s what you’re getting at. A piece of flash fiction, or a short story, or a novel, is a cellular thing. It either is or it isn’t. I don’t really have to motivate myself because I’m cursed with it. I write because it happens. And, when it’s going nowhere, I set it aside.
The thing that may differentiate me from some is that I don’t write with dollar signs in my head. I write to create an artifact.
What makes you NOT finish reading a book?
The moment I stop being enchanted.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No.
Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?
For this I’ll revert to my editor’s hat.
- Overuse of the word “had.” Writers would increase their immediacy exponentially if only they’d find some other way to say “had.”
- Stories about your dog.
- Using the voice of John Boy Walton.
- New ways to say the same old s**t.
- Back to “had.” Open something you wrote. In “search for” type the word “had.” Kill two thirds of them.
- Writers sending work to Thrice Fiction who don’t follow the guidelines or bother to look at the free issues online to see what we like.
Where can people find you and your work?
Edju is on Amazon. The rest of the story is at http://www.rwspryszak.com/work.htm
Eli Steele
Your Name: Eli Steele
Genre(s) of your work: Fantasy
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Blood & Iron (ongoing series) 2019-2020.
Bio:
I’m a husband, father, and fantasy fiction author. When I can get away, I like to kayak fish from my Hobie.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I try to write things I enjoy, and I’ve always loved a good fantasy book.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I tend to take in content – books, shows, etc. – differently now, and find myself considering the plot and story arc more. Writers also daydream differently – we tend to spend our free time thinking up more lies. 😉
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I like my authors with four letters, like JRRT and GRRM. John and George are incredible world builders; I enjoy getting lost in their writing.
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
In a world as busy as ours, audiobooks are an opportunity to reach an audience that may otherwise never pick up a book. They’re here to stay.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
Several years from now, I don’t know if any of our opinions will matter. Bookstores in general are a round peg in today’s square world.
How much does personal experience play in your written work?
I’ve never manned a shield wall or stood down a cavalry charge, but my emotional experiences certainly influence my work. I think that’s what we mean when we say things like, “Write what you know.”
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
Perhaps they should, but the bigger problem is – who decides? Today’s censorer is tomorrow’s censored, so I think it best to let the market decide for the most part.
Where can people find you and your work?
Find me on Amazon! Part 1 of my series is currently free: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XCTWXLH/
Website: https://elisteele.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Elisteele17
Reddit: u/elisteele000
Email: elisteele000@gmail.com
Diana Stevan
Your Name: Diana Stevan
Genre(s) of your work: Historical Fiction, Romantic Mystery, Women’s Fiction
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
A Cry from the Deep, 2014
The Blue Nightgown, (a novella) 2015
The Rubber Fence, 2016
Sunflowers Under Fire, 2019
Lilacs in the Dust Bowl, 2021
Paper Roses on Stony Mountain, coming out 2022.
Bio:
Diana Stevan likes to joke she’s a Jill of all trades as she’s worked as a family therapist, teacher, librarian, model, actress and sports reporter for CBC television.
Her novels cross genres: A Cry from the Deep (2014), a time-slip romantic mystery/adventure; The Rubber Fence (2016), women’s fiction, inspired by her work on a psychiatric ward in the 1970s, and Sunflowers Under Fire (2019), historical fiction / family saga, based on her Ukrainian grandmother’s life during WWI and the wars that followed in Russia. This last novel was a finalist for the 2019 Whistler Independent Book Awards, sponsored by the Writers Union of Canada, a semi-finalist for the 2019 Kindle Book Awards, Literary Fiction category, and Honorable Mention in 2020 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards.
Her latest novel, Lilacs in the Dust Bowl (2021), set on the Manitoba prairie during the Great Depression, is the sequel to Sunflowers Under Fire. Diana is set to publish the third novel in the series, Paper Roses in Stony Mountain, in the summer of 2022.
She’s also published newspaper articles, poetry; a short story, and a novelette, The Blue Nightgown, and was featured as one of 100 authors in Alex Pearl’s book, 100 Ways to Write a Book (2022).
When she isn’t writing, she loves to garden, travel, and read. With their two daughters grown, Diana lives with her husband Robert on Vancouver Island and West Vancouver, British Columbia.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
That’s a good question. I write where the muse takes me. I’m particularly interested in the stories of women, their relationships—love and family—their dreams, and the challenges they need to overcome to see their dreams become reality.
The first one, A Cry from the Deep, started out as an idea brought to me by a friend. We struggled to write the screenplay together and when that failed and he gave up, I expanded on the idea and wrote the book. Because I’m a sucker for romance, it became both a romantic mystery and time-slip adventure, set in Ireland, Manhattan and Provence, all places I’ve travelled to.
The Rubber Fence was a screenplay at first, inspired by my work on a psychiatric ward in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I was so traumatized by my time there as a psychiatric social worker that I had to write about it. It’s fiction, but it’s a story that portrays what was going on in that ward in the early 70s. Not much has changed since then. It follows the stories of three women: a psychiatric intern (who has her own troubles at home), an old lady who’s been shocked too many times, and a mute young mother, accused of trying to kill her baby.
As for Lukia’s Family Saga series (Sunflowers Under Fire, Lilacs in the Dust Bowl), my granddaughter encouraged me to write my grandmother and mother’s stories after she heard a number of anecdotes. The first is set during WWI, the Bolshevik Revolution, the typhus epidemic and the wars that followed in Ukraine, and the sequel, an immigration story, is set during the Great Depression in Manitoba, Canada. And now I’m about to publish the third and final book of the series, Paper Roses on Stony Mountain, set during the last years of the Great Depression and WWII.
How has writing changed/altered your life?
I sit all day, and I have to force myself to get up, and exercise. But I love what I do. I’ve wanted to write since I was in my early twenties, but I got married at 19, had a baby at 20, and then my husband wanted to go back to university and writing was not a guaranteed way of living. It’s probably less so today with so much competition. Fortunately, I’m retired and comfortable, so I can afford to sit and write.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I have so many authors I love. Below are a list of books by authors who’ve impressed me with their brilliance.
One I’ve recently discovered is Esi Edugyan, whose prose is exquisite. She says a lot with few words. I recommend: Half-Blood Blues and The Second Life of Samuel Tyne.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy M. Montgomery is a classic and a book I loved because of the emotion the author conveyed. I remember reading it when I was eight and sobbing.
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, a powerful look at a marriage in trouble. (I’m a former family therapist).
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler, the family dynamics in this story were powerful emotionally. I will read anything of hers
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, a master at weaving the stories of different protagonists and linking them in the end.
Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx, brilliant at characterization. You want quirky; you get it in spades in this lovely story.
And Alice Munro, the Queen of short stories. And a Canadian. 😊
I could go on, but…
Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
I don’t believe they’re the wave of the future, but it’s a wonderful addition to the other ways we can access a book. I only have one audiobook, Sunflowers Under Fire, narrated by myself and that was a joy to voice, as it’s based on my Ukrainian grandmother and her family’s life in Ukraine during WWI and the turbulent years that followed.
What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?
I’m not sure if you’re asking about online vs. brick-and-mortar stores, but I believe they are a critical resource for readers. Amazon, though it controls a high percentage of the book market, made it possible for more writers to express themselves through a published book. And the reviews Amazon posts helps readers sort through which books are worth checking out.
I enjoy browsing books online as well as in bookstores. It was especially helpful to browse and purchase books during the pandemic.
But I’m pleased, that despite the power of these mainstream/corporate bookstores, independent bookstores have continued to thrive. I get tremendous support from local bookstores in my area and those outside of it can order through Book Manager or the Ingram catalogue.
In other words, I believe there’s a place for all types of booksellers.
What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
That’s a good question. I don’t know which is a good marketing tool. I’ve used Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to some success. I prefer to write rather than market, and have to remind myself to expose my books in various ways, so that readers know they’re there.
I’ve had some significant success through a Facebook group site that posts about my heritage. Because Lukia’s Family Saga series is about my Ukrainian grandmother and her family, many from this culture have bought my book and passed the word along.
However, Sunflowers Under Fire and Lilacs in the Dust Bowl, have reminded some readers of the Little House on the Prairie series, as it’s about family and homesteading and survival on a farm. And interestingly enough, I’ve also had readers of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah purchase my family saga.
Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
I don’t believe in censorship in literature.
I’m against child pornography or any kind of writing that incites violence against one another. But if we make that a rule in literature, then we wouldn’t have books like Lolita, or Silence of the Lambs. The perverted and violent are among us, and we need to understand who and what they are so we can deal with the bad seeds in our communities. Books can entertain, but they also inform and educate the reader. They help us find our way in the world.
What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?
I wouldn’t want them for myself, as they could ruin my reading experience. I like being surprised by the author. I can tell early on if I’m in the hands of an author who’s done their homework. If so, I trust that whatever they impart will make sense in the story they want to tell. I personally am not crazy about authors depicting extreme violence or graphic sexual acts, but I have a choice to either not buy those books or skip through those pages when they come up.
But then again, films have warnings, so maybe books should, too. You can see, I’m on the fence about this one.
Where can people find you and your work?
On all the major booksellers’ sites.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vMKxse
My website: https://www.dianastevan.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianaStevan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diana.stevan
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/diana.stevan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-stevan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/dianastevan
And any questions, I’m always happy to hear from readers at info@dianastevan.com
Julie Stielstra
Your Name: Julie Stielstra
Genre(s) of your work: fiction, some essays
Titles/Year of Published Work(s):
Fourteen short stories in various literary journals
Protected Contact and Other Stories, 2017 (WordRunner eChapbook)
Pilgrim, 2017 – historical novel (Minerva Rising Press)
Opulence, Kansas, 2020 – youth novel (Meadowlark Books)
“The Snake Lover,” forthcoming 2021 – short story, Zizzle
“County Fair,” forthcoming 1/27/2021 – short story, Voyage
Bio:
- Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan a couple weeks after Jonas Salk announced the effectiveness of the polio vaccine at Rackham Auditorium. One thing my parents did not have to worry about, at least. And yes, I am a lefty – neurologically and politically.
- I was reading the comics in the Ann Arbor News by age 4, with an endlessly patient mom who kept answering when I would say, “Mom? What does C-A-T spell? Mom? What does “H-O-R-S-E spell?”
- Checkered career: BA in Art History (and no, I’ve never regretted it and it even got me a job once!); state license as a veterinary technician; finally a Master’s of Library Science, working mostly in hospitals (human, animal… a spleen is still a spleen).
- A cat shared my crib when I was a baby, and I’ve never been without at least one since (current count is 4). We bred, showed and hunted Labrador Retrievers; there have been Italian Greyhounds, a whippet, a couple of Border Collie/Lab crosses, and the world’s finest dog Pippin, an American Natural Dog, who could beat the Border Collies in agility.
- There have been horses too – hunter jumpers, eventing, dressage. My almost 30-year-old mare went to her peaceful home far away 7 years ago, and it was time to lay that part of my life to rest with her.
- I love birds, art, Paris, cheap wine, good wine, peanut M&Ms, lemon poppyseed muffins, spring, good movies, and the Kansas prairie. I also love well-written crime novels with a setting and characters so interesting I don’t even care who did it.
- I hate noise, Chicago (sorry – just not a big city girl), most vegetables, winter, action/thriller/horror/romcoms/blockbuster/superhero movies, cozy mysteries, and anyone who hurts an animal.
Sue Rovens 