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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Invocation (Days of Iron and Clay Book 1)?

I had a run-in with a Mexican witch doctor when I was 8 that really opened me up to what the spiritual realm was. That was reinforced by my Catholic and then Eastern Orthodox upbringing. I wanted to tell a story about a girl who could see and interact with the spiritual realm, and that character became Samantha Lopez.

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

I love to read contemporary romance. I love the structure, emotions, and HEA. I love to write anything in the speculative fiction realm with a healthy dose of romance woven into it.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Endless, the finale in Josephine Angelini’s Starcrossed series and The Perfects by Rachel Van Dyken are the two at the top of the pile.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The final battle. I wrote the whole book just to have that scene. It’s creepy and fun and romantic and has some serious Poltergeist vibes.

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

Not really! I just need a quiet, comfy spot and the right music—which can be tricky. My husband travels for chunks of time for his job, so I’ve gotten good at writing on the go. Then, I had a kiddo and had to get even more flexible, squeezing every second of writing time I can into every day. Thankfully, Scrivener is on every device I have and syncs across all platforms, so I can work even if I only have my phone with me.

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

Just breathe. You can breathe through just about any painful things—physical, emotional, anxiety and stress. If you can just take one big breath, and then another, you can get through it. And knowing that it’s not the end. My father always said that it would be alright in the end. And if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end. So, I don’t give up, and I keep breathing. It’s gotten me through some really rough spots.

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

The escape and fun! I want to take people on an adventure, make them feel things, and leave them with hope and wanting more. That might be more than one thing…

Aileen Erin is the author of the new book Invocation (Days of Iron and Clay Book 1)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Guest House?

This book was inspired by my daughter who, like the protagonist, is deaf with a cochlear implant. In it, Allie Dawson comes to Silicon Valley after receiving a grant from Laura Foster, to bring her captioning device to market. I wanted to educate people about what it’s like to sometimes hear, sometimes not, and most of the time, not be able to hear very well. Cochlear implants have internal and external parts, and the external part can’t get wet. They don’t work as well in noisy places. I tried to pepper this into the scenes and not hit readers over the head with it. Just enough to get the feel of what it’s like. If people only read one book of mine, I’d like it to be The Guest House. It’s important to me because of my daughter, and my desire to honor her struggles and accomplishments. I also think it makes for a great thriller read, playing with the different senses that need to compensate for not hearing. I’m most proud of this book.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Guest House, what would they be?

Tubthumping, by Chumbawaba. "I get knocked down, but I get up again...and you're never gonna keep me down."

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

Mostly I like psychological thrillers and crime fiction, so yes it's the same. But once in a while I like a rom-com or women's fiction.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I'm reading Lisa Jewel's I Found You, and a cozy called Death Unfiltered, which I'm reviewing for The Big Thrill, ITW's magazine.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I really loved the scene where Ricky takes Allie on a date to the San Francisco Zoo. I went there on a date with my husband when we were dating, and it brought back fun memories.

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

I like to write before dawn, when the house is dark and quiet, with a strong cup of coffee.

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

Carpe Diem!

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

I liked the climax scene, where Allie faces off against the antagonist. And I liked the scene where Ricky takes Allie on a date to the San Francisco Zoo, because I went on a date there with my hubby, one of our first. It brought back fun memories. I also liked the epilogue, but you’ll have to read it to find out why!

Bonnie Traymore is the author of the new book The Guest House

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Sylver Platter: Becoming?

The inspiration for The Sylver Platter actually came from my dog who, at the time I’d begun writing this novel, we’d only recently adopted. I’d suffered a devastating loss several months earlier that had left me with terrible writer’s block while I’d been researching for a work of historical fiction. One day I looked at Maisie. She cocked her head and spoke in that hilarious Wookiee way that she does. Suddenly I was laughing and thinking about how far she’d come from the frightened, abandoned mother of nine to this sassy, smart, affectionate, and highly communicative companion. That instantly inspired canine sidekick, Moondogger, but it also conjured an image of a most unlikely and similarly transformed hero. From that moment onward, I spent my days with an introverted, plus-sized pacifist as she struggled to overcome her sheltered existence and everything she believed about herself to become something no one would ever expect of a woman like her: a superhero.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Sylver Platter: Becoming, what would they be?

For both Sylvia and Celia, Rachel Platten’s Fight Song would certainly be apropos, but, as tragedies mount, as more obstacles unfold, I’d say our heroine would definitely be rocking out to Katy Perry’s Roar.

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

I grew up on the classics and, while I’ll delve into those or historical fiction periodically, I lean toward both magical realism and lighter speculative fantasies these days, character-driven stories that pull me out of the harsh realities of the modern world and into fantastical places or situations. I most enjoy writing within these genres as well. Whether I’m penning a tale myself or immersed in another author’s work, much like dreaming, these literary reveries provide a delicious escape.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

How long have you got?

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I’d have to say there were many, but, while there is a sense of satisfaction that comes with finishing off the kind of adrenaline-pumping confrontation expected of a superhero, I think my favorite scenes would be those lighthearted moments between Sylvia, Celia, and Rudyard when their open playfulness with one another, their unshakeable bonds really shine. These three, to me, are the epitome of true friendship and chosen family, and I hope my readers will feel that connection to them as well.

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

Most every morning my work begins before I’ve even stumbled out of bed. It’s a rare day that a scene isn’t playing out, developing in my mind while heavy eyelids are still begging me to go back to sleep. Once I get through my morning routine (not a dance routine, because, I assure you, that would be horrifically frightening), I call my lovely assistant, sometimes by playing a sweet little kalimba tune she can’t seem to resist. Only after eighty pounds of German shepherd-beagle mix curl up beside me does that previously imagined scene find its way onto the page. Maisie is not only my muse and indispensable helper, she is very much the inspiration behind Sylvia’s own extraordinary canine, Moondogger. She’s also a wonderful listener, even through the earliest drafts of a story.

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

Never grant anyone else the power to define who you are.

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

So many of us have felt like we don’t belong, that we’re living outside the mainstream because of our differences, but those differences—the things that set us sometimes painfully apart from our peers—can ultimately become our greatest assets. Every one of us possesses an inner strength we may not know we have until it is tested. Like Sylvia Platt, every one of us holds the power to become the hero of our own stories.

J.B. Fitzgerald is the author of the new book The Sylver Platter: Becoming

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