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Interview with Sue Wilder, Author of Malice Moon

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Malice Moon?

I often get a phrase stuck in my head. For Malice Moon, it was this: A woman who kidnaps an enemy ends up sacrificing herself to save him. I start to build the story out of that concept, and I'm not sure how the magic works, but by the end of the process, there's a story.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Malice Moon, what would they be?

Music from The Witcher, Vikings, and The Last Kingdom covers it.

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

I read everything, but my favorite genre to write is fantasy.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Both new books and old friends I want to re-read.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scene where she's stuck in the tree like a dragon snack. The other favorite scene was close to the end.

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

Post-it notes are everywhere.

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

Do what you love, love what you do, and put light into the world.

Sue Wilder is the author of the new book Malice Moon

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Interview with Christopher D. Williams, Author of Gralmar's Staff

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Gralmar's Staff?

In 2022, I asked readers what book I should write next. They voted for "urban fantasy," which I had never done before. It took a year, but I published "The Stiamaq Emerald" after that. Months later, I was struggling with a sequel to a post-apocalyptic novel I'd written a few years prior. Couldn't get the plot to line up right, so I took a break from writing that book, and cast about for something else. One day, while my mind wandered (it likes to do that), I started to think about "Stiamaq" again. Before I knew it, I'd scrawled out half of a sequel plot into a little spiral notepad. And here we are.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Gralmar's Staff, what would they be?

Hah! Oh, that's hilarious. Here are a few:
1. Adrian - Enter by The Birthday Massacre.
2. Meilianna/"Mei" - POP STARS by K/DA.
3. Oghren Vignor - Mein Herz Brent by Rammstein.
4. Drifa Skadisdottir - Maidjan by Heilung.
5. Lord Glanbrin - One Night in Tokyo by Beast in Black. 6. Pynn - Bark at the Moon by Ozzy Osbourne.

More characters exist, of course. But you'll have to read the book to figure out a good theme song for them. (I'd love to hear your ideas.)

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

To read? Horror. I very much enjoy good spine-tingling horror. Have I written horror? Yes, but this book is definitely not. It's a good romp through a modern-day-with-magic world. Weird creatures chasing you through magic-based cities, ancient cultural rivalries played out with yelling and swords, techno-spells making people speak in dead languages...you know, fun!

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

A book on website development, the newest Dwarves books from Markus Heitz, a book on Sasquatch, and a book on reading human behavior. I'm something of an eccentric eclectic.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

At the beginning of Chapter 9, we meet Lord Glanbrin. His introduction includes chaotic magic, bizarre behavior, and several snort-worthy lines all at once. His very presence takes the story and throws it in a different direction. Can you figure out what he's up to?

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

I use an old digital typewriter, set on a lectern, facing a blank wall, to write. This way I stand while writing, have no distractions, and can occasionally pontificate aloud without people looking at me funny. (I prefer the funny looks to come when I do something deliberate.)

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

I suppose a good one here would be, "The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

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

I write my books to be enjoyable reads. But I also include easter eggs. There are connections, hidden surprises, and "ah-ha" worthy moments throughout Gralmar's Staff and Stiamaq Emerald. Go hunting!

Chris Williams is the author of the new book Gralmar's Staff

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Interview with Alexa Aston, Author of Heartstrings and Helmets

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Heartstrings and Helmets (Hearts in Hawthorne Book 1)?

I’ve set two of my small-town contemporary romance series in Texas (Sugar Springs and Lost Creek, Texas Hill Country). Being a native Texan, I have a feel for all things Texas, and I love making my setting of a small town one of the characters in my romances. This series focuses on five cousins who all return to their hometown of Hawthorne, looking for a slower pace of life, ready to settle down and find their soulmate.

As a longtime Dallas Cowboys fan, it was fun to make West Sutherland, the hero in Heartstrings and Helmets, the first to come home. He’s retiring at the top of his game, having won a Super Bowl, and his goal is to coach football at the high school he graduated from. As a former teacher, I certainly know the inner workings of a high school, so it was fun to bring that aspect to my romance novel, as well. I also like the idea of second chances, and West will find that Kelby Blackstone, the one who got away, has just landed in Hawthorne again.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Heartstrings and Helmets (Hearts in Hawthorne Book 1), what would they be?

I would go with Every Road Leads Back to You, an old Bette Midler song from a movie she did called For the Boys. It talks about two old friends running into one another. Years have passed, and they’ve been through a lot, but they always knew each other better than anyone else has. It ends with talking about how they always could make one another smile and how, after all this time, you’re the one I still want beside me, and how every road leads back to you. West and Kelby dated briefly in high school, but they knew they were headed in different directions and ended their relationship. Fourteen years later, they now have a second chance to be together.

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

Even though I write historical & contemporary romance, I don’t read but a handful of romances because I don’t want other romance authors’ voices in my head. I want to keep what I write fresh and sound like Alexa Aston! I adore thrillers and read everything by Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Brad Thor, and David Baldacci, to name a few favorites. I also enjoy mysteries, women’s fiction, and biographies.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I just finished Jeremy Renner’s autobiography, as well as John Sandford’s Lethal Prey. I’m looking forward to Daniel Silva’s An Inside Job and Steve Berry’s The List. I’m most excited for Stephen King’s Never Flinch.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

It would have to be the epilogue. I think romance readers enjoy pulling back the curtain and seeing the couple who earned their HEA down the line, even more in love with one another. West is the head football coach at Hawthorne High School now, and we see how he’s doing professionally. We also meet the adorable children he and Kelby have, and this final scene ties a lovely bow on their love story.

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

I actually do a lot of my writing when I’m walking every morning. I’m a true believer that movement spurs creativity, and I get my best ideas when I’m briskly walking. I dictate a chapter into my iPhone as I’m pounding the pavement, then I transcribe it once I arrive home. When I’m in my office writing, I always have to burn a scented candle. Vanilla and cinnamon are favorites.

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

It would have to be from Lao Tzu—“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Writing a novel is an incredible, sometimes daunting journey. You have to start with that first word, and then all the words that follow, which, over time, create your story.

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

Since I write romance, I want my readers to know they’ll always find a happy ending for my heroes & heroines. The journey they embark upon certainly has a lot of bumps along the way, but they learn they are better together, as well as learning to be better individuals because of the love they have for one another.

Alexa Aston is the author of the new book Heartstrings and Helmets (Hearts in Hawthorne Book 1)

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Interview with Matthew Fults, Author of Messenger for the Dead

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2)?

This is the second book in the series. It picks up where the first book, The Scotland Project, left off with a cliffhanger. You don't need to have read the first one to understand what's happening (but I'd be grateful if you did!). The inspiration for the series came after three failed attempts at finishing a novel. I decided to lean into things I knew well. I found a real-life thread to pull on (the speculation that there was a fifth bomber in 2005 is true). And then I was able to get on location - sensory description and narrative description are my strengths, and things came together. There will be a final book in this series to finish the story. It will be out in early 2026.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2), what would they be?

Mathieu James would be Trouble's Coming by Royal Blood. Conan MacGregor would be Mr. Brightside by The Killers, and Aadan Mukhtaar would be Go It Alone by Beck.

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

Literary fiction. While it's not the same genre as this book, I do have a literary fiction novel coming out this fall called The Sunflower Widows.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Guns of August, the Pulitzer Prize winner by Barbara Tuchman, Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, and The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The hunt through the streets of Bergen leads to the big finish.

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

I prefer writing on location. It really helps me bring the story to life. I spent six weeks in Scotland for the first book and six weeks in Norway for the second.

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

I'd rather not say! But when you get to the end, you'll know...

Matthew Fults is the author of the new book Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2)?

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Interview with C.S. Smith, Author of Fatal Misstep

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Fatal Misstep?

I wish I could remember! It’s been a while since I plotted this story. Caleb is the one member of Dìleas Security Agency who doesn’t show up in the prequel novella. He first appears in book 1, working for Ryder Montague in Kabul. When it came time to tell his story, I was inspired by my trips to Arizona, especially northern Arizona. As someone who grew up and still lives on the East Coast of the U.S., I was shocked at how little I knew about the prevalence of the Native American tribes in the Southwest, especially the Navajo Nation, which is the largest Native American tribe in the U.S.

I didn’t want to tell their story (not my place), but I did want to shed a tiny sliver of light on their existence and culture, while still keeping my focus on my romantic suspense story. The rest of the story, in some ways, comes from reality and what you see in the news.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Fatal Misstep, what would they be?

Hah! I’m not one of those people who curate song lists for my stories, but when I had to come up with a ring tone for Caleb (assigned by Nathan, as he is prone to do), I came up with Desperado by the Eagles. However, when I think of my guys in general, heavy metal or rock comes to mind (Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, AC/DC, Disturbed), or when I get to the scenes where it looks like they may not make it, I get sappy (Louis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved comes to mind).

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

Romantic suspense/military romance, of course—I write what I like to read! I also like paranormal romance and have begun to read romantasy, although the size of the books and the cliffhangers frustrate me.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Too many to list! I think I have over 160 books in the unread books folder on my Kindle. Mostly romantic suspense/military romance, my paranormal author favorites (J.R. Ward, Nalini Singh), some of the popular romantasy titles (ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, Blood and Ash), and some military/political thrillers that aren’t romance, as well as books on military operations.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I don’t want to give away too much, but the first scene where Caleb and Gia make love. What he does for her…I’ll leave it at that.

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

Nothing quirky. I light an aromatherapy candle and tell my Alexa to play relaxation radio in the background (something I can't sing to, because if I put on Taylor Swift, I'm singing, not writing).

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

Love hard. Fight harder. Every damn day. That’s how I live—and it’s the heart of every story I write.

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

That love takes courage. That loyalty is earned. And that no matter how twisty the road, the fight for love—and for the people who matter—is always worth it.

C.S. Smith is the author of the new book Fatal Misstep

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Interview with Kristy T Dixon, Author of Suite Lies and Alibis

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Suite Lies and Alibis (Harmony Landing Mysteries Book 1)?

Suite Lies and Alibis is the first book in my Harmony Landing Mystery series, and the idea actually came to me while I was working on one of the Ivy Clark books. I thought a hotel would make a great setting for a mystery—people are always coming and going, which opens the door for all kinds of secrets, surprises, and suspects. I also love writing quiet, slightly unpredictable characters, so adding Chase to the mix felt like a perfect fit.

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

I like cozy romance built into other genres.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Murder Goes Solo, A Witchy Surprise, The Whisp and the Prince, and Ghost Mortem.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I like writing scenes that are funny, so I'm going to say the scene where Harmony and Chase are stuck in the elevator.

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

My husband teases me because I can’t write without a mug of hot chocolate nearby. I used to insist on drinking it out of a teal moose mug that said, “I don’t do mornings”—it was my official writing mug. Unfortunately, one of my kids broke it, so now I’m stuck with a plain blue replacement. It works… but it’s just not the same.

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

“Have courage and be kind.” It’s from the live-action Cinderella, and it’s stuck with me ever since I first heard it. It’s such a simple, beautiful reminder. Bravery and kindness can go a long way in life.

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

I hope readers walk away with the reminder that everyone has a backstory—people are more than they seem at first glance. A little empathy can go a long way.

Kristy T Dixon is the author of the new book Suite Lies and Alibis (Harmony Landing Mysteries Book 1)

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