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Interview with Arslan Athar, Author of Forty Days of Mourning

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Forty Days of Mourning?

My father’s family is originally from Hyderabad Deccan. However, at the time of the Partition of the Indian Subcontinent and the subsequent annexation of the Princely State of Hyderabad, the family moved. In their new home, Pakistan, they never really talked about that time of turmoil. I only found out about it because of an assignment, and learning about the annexation became the impetus for this novel. From all the research about the time, the character of Saleema was born, and the story blossomed from there!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Forty Days of Mourning, what would they be?

Saleema would love “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”; it would be on her Spotify Wrapped, haha.

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

I read quite widely, but I’m really drawn to contemporary fiction. I’m definitely in the Sally Rooney camp (I don’t think she counts as a genre in and of herself, but I imagine her that way). Reading across genres has really helped me understand what works where and how to execute the scenes I wanted to write, so I can’t really answer that question in any concrete way.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai, Rebel English Academy by Mohammed Hanif, Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, and Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I loved writing the beginning. Saleema is such a fierce character, and I had to nail her introduction to the world as best as I could. It was a lot of pressure, but it was also a really fun challenge. I wrote and rewrote it so many times, but the version of the introduction that exists today is the one I’m most proud of!

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

I really cannot write in silence; I like writing in public! I feel I’m unlike other authors in that way.

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

Perfection is a construct. Perfection is the enemy of creation.

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

The world is run on the whims of a few, and we have to contend with that power imbalance while surviving the curveballs that global powers throw at us.

Arslan Athar is the author of the new book Forty Days of Mourning

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Interview with A. K. Frailey, Author of My Road Goes Ever On: Rise Again

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write My Road Goes Ever On: Rise Again?

My writing journey began years ago while my husband was still alive. He encouraged me to write reflections about the Christian themes in The Lord of the Rings, which I was using in our homeschool. His support helped me publish that book. After he passed away, I faced raising my large family alone, and I had no idea how I was going to manage.

With the same spiritual tone, but not focused on LOTR, I began a regular blog post, relating my journey as a widow, mother, educator, and author. That became my My Road Goes Ever On series, of which Rise Again is the third book. It is less about raising kids now that my children are grown, but it offers wider reflections about a world that seems intent on tearing itself apart in a maelstrom of new innovations we hardly understand. It’s a human-to-human reflection, trying to remember above all the most noble value of drawing out the good in others.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of My Road Goes Ever On: Rise Again, what would they be?

Not a “fun” response, but if I listen to music, I usually choose classics. I love Mozart, and his Requiem speaks poignantly to the pathos of human experience.

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

I read a variety of books: biographies, histories, mysteries, sagas, sci-fi, and some fantasy. I’ll read almost anything with a good recommendation or if it catches my eye. Maybe that’s why I write in a variety of genres.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

C. S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, a history of Tolstoy, and Book 4 in the Maisie Dobbs series.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I enjoyed writing You Can’t Own a Cat. It unfolded as I wrote it, and I understood my relationship with my pets better afterward.

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

Peanut M&Ms have a secret power to awaken the creative muse.

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

Will the good of others through the goodwill of God.

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

That self-reflection is an opportunity to be quiet, ponder, and listen.

A. K. Frailey is the author of the new book My Road Goes Ever On: Rise Again

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Interview with Cathryn deVries, Author of Son of Osivirius

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Son of Osivirius?

It was one of those serendipity moments. I was struggling to come up with an idea for a scene-writing exercise where the prompt was “three characters, all with different goals.” I was getting super frustrated, beginning and discarding idea after idea. Imagine a “rip the paper out of the typewriter, scrunch it into a ball, then toss it into the pile littering the floor” scenario.

I’d actually given up for the day and was cooking dinner when I suddenly remembered a short story idea I’d jotted down months before: “A helicopter pilot in a WWIII scenario crash-lands near a valley belonging to some people who are a bit like the Amish and refuse to be a part of the war effort, but the government is trying to force them into it. They look after him, and when the government eventually comes to their valley, he has to decide what to do.”

Suddenly, neurons were firing in all directions. I combined that premise with the vibes of Avatar, and boom—I had my scene mapped out. Not only my scene, but almost the entire book. I wanted to use it to explore fear responses and the scarcity mindset, and what an abundance mindset might look like in practice.

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

Fantasy and science fiction, followed closely by historical fiction (which I could never write).

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Song of the Mysteries by Janny Wurts; Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson; The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin; The Last Wayfinder by Ellen McGinty; Eventide by A.M. Daylin—plus many, many more.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Hard to pick, but maybe the philosophical battle at the end, or perhaps the final scene.

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

Not really, but I must work in silence.

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

I’m trying to live by: “Just take the next step.”

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

Nature is an amazing teacher. We mustn’t lose our connection with it. We have removed ourselves so far from the source of our life, and we’re worse off for it. If we are to dig ourselves out of this mess we’ve made for ourselves and consented to, we must connect with what it means to be truly human.

Cathryn deVries is the author of the new book Son of Osivirius

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Interview with Maria A. Eden, Author of Daughter of the Pines

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Daughter of the Pines?

The Jersey Devil folklore has always been my favorite campfire story, and I grew up wondering if the demons in the Pine Barrens were more than just monsters. When I finished writing the Elemental Realm, I started playing with ways to retell the story, and Harper began to take shape as a character.

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

In the Woods Somewhere by Hozier.

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

Paranormal and Fantasy, especially in Romance.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I just finished The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman and immediately picked up the sequel, The Night Prince.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The first time Harper speaks into Logan’s mind. They’re sneaking to the scene of a crime to spy on possible culprits, and they have to hide behind a door together. I loved the tension in that scene!

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

I have a nice desk, but I always sit in the same armchair. My cats stare at me from the couch.

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

In the movie Frozen 2, Anna sings the most heartbreaking song ever written in a time of desperation. Whenever I feel lost, I tell myself to “Do the Next Right Thing.”

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

Sometimes, the things we fear the most can become our greatest powers.

Maria A. Eden is the author of the new book Daughter of the Pines

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Interview with Ivy Davis, Author of King

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write King?

I love writing mafia romance books, so I wanted to write one that was a little dark and sweet at the same time.

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

The theme song for this book is “Honeymoon” by Lana Del Rey. It’s a romantic, dark-sounding song that fits very well with this book.

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

My favorite genre to read is honestly any genre. I don’t read as much romance now that I write it, but I do love a good romantasy. I also love a good thriller.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The next book on my list to read is The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was when Irina and Nikolai—my main characters—meet for the first time. I just love writing the tension and passion of a first meeting.

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

My writing habit is to stick to my routine. I don’t have any good luck charms—it’s just discipline for me to be able to write. Writing in a genre I enjoy also helps.

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

I always say, “Just keep writing.” As long as I keep writing, I’ll be able to do what I love to do—one page at a time.

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

It would be to remember to trust the people in your life. You can’t be an isolated island.

Ivy Davis is the author of the new book King

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Interview with Nzondi, Author of DeathCon

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write DeathCon?

I wanted to write a horror story with a teen protagonist dealing with identity, trauma, and trust issues.

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

It would be “Dirty Angel,” a song I wrote, produced, and performed with Jenny Sabi, available at major digital music stores.

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

I love to read horror and speculative fiction.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

It by Stephen King and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was when my character travels to an alternate dimension, and her body is in an abstract form.

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

Not really quirky, but I usually have a cup of coffee before and during writing, and I usually play house music in my ears to tune out the world.

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

I read to inhale, and I wrote to exhale; breathing story.

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

Family is everything.

Nzondi is the author of the new book DeathCon

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Interview with Sally M. Evans, Author of Once Upon A Leader

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Once Upon A Leader?

I spent years using children’s books to teach and inspire leadership skills in my teams. I received great feedback from my teams and from other leaders who wanted to know more about this method of leadership. This is definitely a passion project for me. I am working on Book 2 in the series now.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Once Upon A Leader, what would they be?

“A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman. It opens with imagination and builds into shared belief. That arc mirrors Once Upon A Leader perfectly. It starts with one person seeing differently—Vision. It grows into inviting others in—Influence. It risks being misunderstood—Integrity. It keeps building anyway—Adaptability. And emotionally, it feels like reclaiming something we forgot we knew. This song says: What if we built it differently? What if we believed again? That’s not corporate. That’s culture-shifting.

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

I read in many genres, but I really do like the business leadership genre for reading and writing!

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Story Business by Gavin McMahon.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The introduction, because it was where I could begin to paint the picture this book would bring to life.

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

My puppy sleeps on a small table next to me so I can pat her throughout my day.

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

Build what lasts and helps others. Lead with heart. Choose impact over urgency.

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

People don’t follow titles. They follow leaders who help them belong.

Sally M. Evans is the author of the new book Once Upon A Leader