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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Defense of Huo Quiana (Shadow Casters Series Book 2)?

Oddly enough, the spark for this series came from when I was on an evening walk with my wife and we were making shadow puppets on the side of a walkway tunnel, which inspired my idea for a magic system based on forming shadow symbols! But Shadow Casters is so much more than that. It is truly inspired from an assortment of my favorite books, movies, shows, and video games, like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, Fullmetal Alchemist, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, and so many others...creating a set of characters and an intriguing story that I’m thrilled to share with the world! Defense of Huo Quiana is the second book in the series and specifically explores seeing the world through others’ perspectives, even when it’s challenging or uncomfortable.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Ironically I read more science fiction than I read fantasy! But I love both, and I read plenty of both genres. After I finish the Shadow Casters series, I’d like to write a sci-fi series I've had planned for several years.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

So, so many! I just finished reading Book 3 in the Red Rising series so I’m eager to finish the rest of those. I also have heard such good things about The Sword of Kaigen that I’d like to read it too. At some point I’d really like to get to the Expanse Series and I’m really intrigued by what I’ve heard about The Will of the Many. I’ve also been putting the books of all the fellow indie authors I interact with on my TBR so the list is getting quite long!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I have to pick two. Without spoiling anything, the “casters’ clash” scene in Torcia and the scene in the Wellinway Mountains where the main characters execute Nigel’s big plan to confront the raiders are my two favorite parts in Book 2!

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Not really... unless you count re-reading and over scrutinizing chapters to a fault in the wee hours of the night a quirky writing habit haha!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I want to do a better job of figuring out how to embrace it, but I've always loved a quote from the movie 3 Idiots - "Make your passion your profession, then work becomes play." Creative writing is definitely my passion so I'm doing all I can to make that path a reality!

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

An excitement for the characters/direction of the series, a deeper desire to see the world from others' perspectives, and an excitement to read more!

Jared Woodcox is the author of the new book Defense of Huo Quiana (Shadow Casters Series Book 2)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Murder on the Steel Pier (A Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery)?

This is going to sound crazy, but one of my neighbors has a shiny black 1950s Buick that I would often pass on my morning walks. Seeing it really sparked my imagination and provided the premise of the story: What if a Millennial went to Atlantic City for a drunken birthday blowout and woke up the next morning in 1955? And then had to save her own grandfather from Death Row? I just ran with it, and Murder on the Steel Pier was born.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Murder on the Steel Pier (A Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery), what would they be?

There's a Gershwin song that comes up in the story, "Someone to Watch Over Me," sung by Frank Sinatra. It was recorded before my main character, Tess, was born, but she is moved by the song when she first hears it. And when Tess ends up in the 1950s, she indeed has to "watch over" her Italian ancestors, so I think the song is fitting..

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love the classics, particularly 19th century British literature, but my escape reading has always been mystery and romance. I love writing mysteries, but I've got a couple of rom-coms I'm also hoping to publish.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I'm on the middle of An Old, Cold Grave, by Fiona Wishaw. Waiting on my Kindle are Same Time Next Summer, by Annabelle Monaghan, The Witch Elm by Tana French, and Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

It’s hard to choose as this book has been a labor of love for me. But I would have to say it’s the scene in which Tess shows up at the 1955 newspaper office where she works. It’s a bustling, noisy, smoke-filled place in which she’s the only woman. She refers to it as “a nicotine-infused man jungle” that she has to navigate. It was great fun to write the modern-day Tess clapping back at the guys.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I keep a little bit of candy in my desk to help me get through the afternoon malaise!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

It's never too late to be who you might have been, attributed to George Eliot.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I would hope they remember the immersive world of 1950s Atlantic City, as well as my sassy main character, Tess Mancini.

Rosie Genova is the author of the new book Murder on the Steel Pier (A Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls (A Jaycee Grayson Novel)?

I always felt that the failures of contemporary sisterhood played a role in the workplace brutality exposed in #MeToo Hollywood. Setting my debut novel inside a famous Midwest doll company that celebrates girls—where there literally aren’t any men around to blame for anything—pretty much gets the job done.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls (A Jaycee Grayson Novel), what would they be?

"In Your Shoes," by Sarah Maclachlan (for Jaycee) "You've got a light that always guides you; You speak of hope and change as something good; Live your truth and know you're not alone."

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I'm not a genre queen, but I guess I like somewhat amorphous literary humor, and by that I mean it's not trying to be either literary or humorous, it just is. John Irving is my spirit animal.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I don't like to think about it; it makes me feel wrong and bad, for some reason. Right now I'm failing to keep on top of spring titles releasing in my categories, but I'm humbled and overwhelmed to be sitting anywhere near these folks in anybody's overstuffed Kindle.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

To avoid being fired for illegal drug use, Jaycee accuses the H.R. woman, Trina, of corporate malfeasance despite having no solid evidence. But just then, Trina's nursing bra starts to milk her and things cool down a notch under the far more serious threat of a bra full of mommy cottage cheese.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I will literally be looking at you and paying zero attention to anything you may be saying while writing a key scene in my head as it comes to me. Sorry.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Never wait for a call. Never wait for or anything, or anyone. I have very few regrets, but these would definitely be up there.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Never give up. Never, never, never, never. I think that's a Winston Churchill misquote, but don't do it anyway.

Julie Ann Sipos is the author of the new book Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls (A Jaycee Grayson Novel)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Autism?

My son was diagnosed with high functioning autism in 2007. He is 24 now. Because he is high functioning, he gives off the appearance of being able to navigate the ups and downs of daily life. And to a large degree, he can. But we all know that appearances can be deceiving. Jack appears one way on the surface, yet beneath it, he is a completely different person that operates in ways that are foreign to most of us. In any given moment, it’s difficult to pinpoint and define what makes him different, or to make sense of a situation gone wrong. He is trapped halfway between assisted and accomplished. No one offers him the assistance he needs because no one can see that he needs it, and no one understands why he can’t accomplish more because they can’t see that he’s trapped in place by something he can’t control. It’s an unfair gray space that creates a unique set of problems whose answers aren’t always easily found, and the impact of that extends beyond just the world’s perception of Jack. It impacts his perception of himself. He carries a label around with him that he struggles to accept because it implies that he is less than or limited, and that, of course, that is incredibly destructive to his self esteem and confidence. I have been walking a very fine line for the last 17 years trying to balance all the unknowns, and making every mistake possible. I feel an obligation to share that with other parents that are on the same path we’ve already traveled. Yes, there are far more resources available today, but medical and educational resources aren’t always enough. There is immense value in connecting with someone else who has been in your shoes, feeling their support, and knowing that you are not alone. In sharing my fears and failures, I created space for others to see themselves in my journey and know that a path forward is possible. By telling my truth, I am contributing to a broader conversation about autism awareness, acceptance, and the challenges and joys of parenting a neurodivergent child. My memoir has become a personal form of advocacy, a way to amplify not only my voice and experience, but my son’s as well, and in turn so many others that are too often misunderstood or overlooked.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Autism, what would they be?

For my son, Jack, it would be “All Star” by Smash Mouth. I’ve always told him that despite his limitations, he can be and do anything he wants—he’s an all star! Also, his greatest obsession has always been baseball. He was a standout on every team he ever played on. The organization he played with for many years was All Star Baseball Academy. So that song is fitting.

For me it would be one of two songs: “Universe & U” by K.T. Tunstall (This song speaks to the more emotional side of things. My son and I are one in the same. Technically I may not have a disability but the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. I relate to so much of what he experiences on a daily basis.) or “Don’t Panic” by Coldplay (Panic is an everyday thing in our world, but in reality, life is still all good!)

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Without question, memoir is my favorite genre to read. Relationships are the most important aspect of life and when you read a memoir, you’re entering into a relationship with the author. I’ve learned so much about life and myself from reading other people’s life stories. This is the only book I’ve written so I can’t say as though I have a favorite genre to write. I would love to write a novel one day but I’m not sure it will come as easily as writing this memoir did.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I am currently reading five books: Patriot by Alexei Navalny, Untypical by Pete Wharmby, Normal Sucks by Jonathan Mooney, Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell, and Didion and Babitz by Lili Anolik. In the queue are: Dog Love Stories by Patricia Eagle, Finding KIND by Kari A. Baker, What I Mean When I Say I’m Autistic by Annie Kotowicz, and Half My Sky by Carrie Cariello.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There is a scene in Chapter 28 (For Appearance’s Sake) where I take my son to NYC for an interview with a modeling agency. It was fun to write because the events of that day were the perfect mix of him being the lucid, “normal” kid that I always know exists in there somewhere, and him turning into the impatient, intolerable jerk that his autism elicits. For whatever reason, every detail of that day is crystal clear in my memory. It’s emotional, heartfelt, humorous and immensely frustrating all at the same time.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I wouldn’t call this quirky so much, but I am an avid cyclist and I would say 75% of my book was written while out on my bike. All the right words seem to flow when I’m pedaling away. I store them up, mull them over, arrange them in my head just so, and when I come to the next stop sign or traffic light, I dictate an email to myself. Then my head is clear and once I start off pedaling again, I’m free to move on to the next passage.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Absolutely. I have carried the following quote by Goethe around with me since I was a teenager: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

We’re all the same. We all have strengths and weaknesses of varying degrees, and if we could learn to navigate one another with patience and acceptance, there would be no need for labels and we would all get through life with far less friction.

Kathleen Somers is the author of the new book Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Autism

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Next Big Thing?

I had a record deal when I was younger, toured with David Bowie and Oasis, was in and out of studios, saw the industry from that side of the curtain, so that was the inspiration to write the story.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Next Big Thing, what would they be?

Si – "People Make Mistakes" by Happy Dust Gang

Danny – "Jealous Guy" by John Lennon

Em – "Danger! High Voltage" by Electric Six

Hayleigh – "Guinnevere" by Miles Davis

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I like literary fiction, sci-fi dystopia, and magical realism. I write in all three.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The Snail on the Slope, Wittgenstein’s Mistress, and the Anthony DeCurtis’ biography of Lou Reed.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

It’s at the start of the third chapter but I wrote the scene last. The band members are at an awards ceremony. I’ve always been fascinated at awards shows (Oscars etc.) when the camera pans to the losers immediately after they realise that they haven’t won. They have to appear magnanimous, applauding and smiling, even though that moment must be crushing their souls. It’s the best acting they’ll ever do in their entire careers. I find it in equal parts fascinating and cruel. So, I enjoyed playing with that idea in my own scene.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

None.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a Mogadon, not a mint.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That I’m not, Danny.

Andrew McLinden is the author of the new book The Next Big Thing

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