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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Cartagena Cartel (The Misadventures of a Modern-Day Nomad Book 2)?

The idea came to me while I was in Cartagena, Colombia (the setting of the novel). I went on a first date with a local woman and she spiked my drink inside a restaurant. I blacked out and came to in the back of a horse carriage with nothing on me except my underwear. I could not remember anything that happened except for the last sip of my drink of the Sangria at the restaurant. My wallet, phone and cash were gone and it was a traumatic experience at the time. A silver lining was that it gave me the spark of an idea and served as the catalyst for making my first stand-alone novel into a series. It was difficult to write at times, revisiting what I went through but it has also been a healing process. The Cartagena Cartel is undoubtedly the most personal story I’ve written and I imagine it will be the most personal I ever write.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Cartagena Cartel (The Misadventures of a Modern-Day Nomad Book 2), what would they be?

"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland.

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

Adventure. Yes, I love to live a life of adventure as well as read and write about it.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Halfway through To Have and Have Not - by Ernest Hemmingway. Mango Bob by Bill H. Myers. And Drunk on a Plane by Zane Mitchell.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The Ayahuasca ceremony deep in the Colombian Amazon. My protagonist has an out-of-body purging experience while sitting on a toilet amongst the rainforest canopy and ends up talking to a monkey.

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

Does drinking copious amounts of wine and sometimes questionable amounts of alcohol count?

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

"In order to write about life first you must live it." ~ Ernest Hemmingway.

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

That travel isn't always fun. It can test you, sometimes to your limit. It can even be painful, but with that comes tremendous personal growth.

 

T.C. Roberts is the author of the new book The Cartagena Cartel (The Misadventures of a Modern-Day Nomad Book 2)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Fury of the Dragon’s Maiden?

I’ve always loved creating different stories within the fantasy romance genre. While many of my past tales featured warrior maidens and strong heroines, I had never ventured into the realm of knights and dragons. Blending the grit and spirit of medieval life with an entirely fictional world fascinated me. About a year and a half ago, I immersed myself in researching medieval culture and dragon lore, then built a tentative outline to bring the story to life. As always, the characters grew beyond the original plan, shaping a world where strength, loyalty, and love are put to the ultimate test. What inspired me? My love for GOT, Tyrian, is a tribute to Tyrion, my favorite character in that series. The name is the only resemblance. I fell in love with my characters. I write alternating POVs because I want to know what drives the characters; some have more prominent voices than others.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Fury of the Dragon’s Maiden, what would they be?

I’d say it’s a mix between “This is Love” from the original Cinderella and “Slippin’ into Darkness” by War. It’s a fun contrast—capturing the innocence and magic of true love and the darker battles the characters must face along their journey.

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

I love reading fantasy, paranormal romance (PNR), and nonfiction that explores time travel and past lives. Those genres spark my imagination and curiosity in a big way. And yes, partly, fantasy, PNR, and time travel romance are my favorite genres to write in! I’m drawn to stories that blend magic, mystery, and the idea that there’s so much more to existence than what we see.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Oh my, so many! A few at the top of the list are Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, The Apocrypha: The Complete Volume by Joseph Lumpkin, Life After Life by Raymond Moody, and The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs. I also have a growing stack of indie books waiting for me—but I’ll keep those names a secret so that no author friends get upset if I don’t mention them all!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I loved writing Chapter 17. It’s the climax of the story—the battle between light and darkness—and one of the longest chapters in the book. I leaned into the action, raised the emotional stakes, and let the characters fight for everything they believe in. Battle scenes are some of my favorite to create because they allow me to blend fast-paced action with deep, heartfelt moments.

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

My husband jokingly calls it my “writing hole.” I have a favorite spot on the sofa in our entertainment room where I write most. I have my trusty booty pillow, and when I really get in the zone, I can sit there for hours without even realizing it. To keep my back happy, I usually tuck pillows under my legs to take the pressure off my spine. It’s not the prettiest setup, but it’s my little corner of creativity—and once I’m there, I’m in my own world.

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

It’s my tagline: May love light the way!

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

I hope they remember that there’s always a path back to the light, even in the darkest moments. Forgiveness isn’t about forgetting—it’s about setting yourself free. When you let go of bitterness and open your heart to love, even if it’s not returned, you create space for hope, healing, and new beginnings.

(I publish under both D.F. Jones and Dawn Jones. I chose to include both names because a deceased author, also known as D.F. Jones, wrote in the science fiction genre—a category some of my titles also cross into. Using both helps readers to quickly find my books while honoring the legacy of the original D.F. Jones.)

D.F. Jones (also Dawn Jones): is the author of the new book Fury of the Dragon’s Maiden: A Romantic Fantasy of a Cursed Knight, A Maiden’s Heart, Magical Destiny

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Indelicate Deception?

I came of age in Berkeley, California, during an era of profound social change: feminism, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, riots, hippies and ‘free love.’ With my fictional characters, I seek to capture the good and bad of the era, and make sense of its lessons in a moving family story.

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

Literary fiction, crime fiction, and suspense. I read and write in all of these genres.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I'm currently reading Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey; next up is Amsterdam by Ian McEwan and Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The denouement: when family secrets and character motivations are laid bare in an emotional scene.

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

I hope to engage my readers with the story of Caty and her parents, to feel their joys and sorrows, the love, loss, reckoning, and renewal.

 

V.S. Kemanis is the author of the new book Indelicate Deception

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Recruited (The Frequency Book 2)?

The first book had a scene in which Raimi meets up with people he knew back in Boston -- they accuse him of being involved in terrible experiments. I wanted to explore how Raimi turned into the rogue agent he is in book 1.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Recruited (The Frequency Book 2), what would they be?

For Raimi, probably "Destroyer" by the Kinks.

For Emily maybe "Defying Gravity". She strikes me as a musical theater kid in the scenes we don't see.

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

I love light rom coms or romantasy, but also dark spy-gone-rogue. As you can imagine, I loved the Mr. and Mrs. Smith series with Donald Glover and Maya Erskine!

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

So many I can't count!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I loved sending Raimi to Michigan. Once my husband and I tried to drive to Hell, Michigan to see what it was like. We couldn't go -- the bridge was out!! We literally went to Hell and back, but apparently we're not allowed in!

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

I tend to try to eat what my characters would eat and/or listen to music they would listen to.

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

Michigan's motto is "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." It's kinda cheesy, but fits with the whole "You've always had the power to return to Kansas" idea from the Wizard of Oz, which sparked the first book.

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

It's just a book! It's made up! There's a reason we read books -- we get to escape reality. If I want something realistic, I'll read non-fiction!

 

Amy Quick Parrish is the author of the new book Recruited (The Frequency Book 2)

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