Dana Bradford-Majors is a prolific author known for her contributions to the acclaimed Black Boy Joy series, including titles such as "Humans Can't Fly," "Because Big Boys Aren't Afraid of Outer Space," and "Hey New Kid!" Collaborating with her sons and co-authors, Pheldon J. Majors III and Atreyu Majors, Dana brings a unique blend of creativity and family bonding to her storytelling.
Atmosphere Press is proud to bring readers the Atmosphere Press Presents author interview series. We’re happy to have this archive of excellent interviews and author success stories for you to enjoy. Learn about writers and their books, from book title origin stories to music playlists that relate to their writing to what it was like seeing the cover for the first time.
Atmosphere puts the author experience first, and these interviews make up just one facet of a meaningful and rewarding author journey. Please share your favorite interviews and author success stories on social media, and stay in touch so you can be the first to know when new posts are published. Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on interviews, Atmosphere Press Presents readings, and other news!
Elizabeth Motes is a fiction writer from Dallas currently living in Flagstaff, Arizona. She’s previously been published in the Querencia Press Winter 2023 anthology for her stories “Perfect Memory” and “When a Door Closes.” “When a Door Closes” has also appeared in the Venus Rising anthology. Her stories have otherwise appeared in the Windward Review, the Trinity Review, and the Outrageous Fortune magazine. She currently works as the fiction editor for Thin Air magazine.
Gina Tempesta has been a broadcast journalist for more than twenty-five years and has an extensive background in on-air announcing, production, and writing. She has worked as an anchor and reporter for some of the most well-known stations Boston. While working as a traffic reporter, Gina began to dabble in creative writing and decided it was time to write a children’s book about Boston’s famous (infamous?) Big Dig. What’s a Zakim Anyway? is the second in her series A Story About the Big Dig about the massive road construction projects that changed the landscape of the city. Gina is currently the afternoon drive traffic reporter for WBZ-AM. She lives with her husband in a suburb north of Boston.
Jaclyn graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from Coe College. She has several poems published in various publications. She currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her wife and cats and dogs. She spends her free time with her wife and family. Jaclyn is currently working on earning a master’s degree in social work at Grand View University.
Kay “Kro” Kroger is an on-demand typewriter poet. They teach creative (type)writing classes and are poet-in-residence at the WNDR Museum. They have a linguistics MA (2016) and are an MFA student (2025). They are the DePaul Publishing Institute’s Editorial Assistant. Their interactive poetry/essay/activity collection, Prayer Wheel, was self-published in 2022 with grant support from the Illinois Arts Council. Their work has appeared in Outpatient Press, The Prairie Light Review, and QWERTY Quarterly, among others.
Thomas Kneeland is the author of We Be Walkin’ Blackly in the Deep (Marian University Department of Media, Communication, and Design) and a 2022 Frontier Poetry Global Poetry Prize finalist for the continent of Africa. He is a 2024 Speculative Play & Just Futurities Scholar-in-Residence, which is funded by Indiana University, the Mellon Foundation, IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute, IUPUI Center for Africana Studies & Culture, and the Ray Bradbury Center.
I'm shallow. Things roll off my back easily and I try not to take things too seriously. Laughing is more fun than crying and worrying. I'm old-ish so I've got lots of experiences to choose from. I've got kids, grandkids and great grandkids and if they don't slow down I'll have great great grandkids soon. They have no interest in anything I write so I can be as smutty as I choose. I love to make my lady friends gasp when they read my stories but I don't cross the line.
AJ Marshall is the Typesmith Fantasy award-winning author of Fate of the Scaled: The Receding Wings, a book that took ten years to craft. Although the work is fictional, certain situations were drawn from AJ's real-life experiences to give a more personal touch to the story.
Paula Banks, a natural storyteller, discovered her talent for crafting compelling narratives during her high school years. Today, she juggles her roles as a writer and Implementation Specialist with ease, effortlessly balancing her professional and creative pursuits. Alongside her literary endeavors, Paula takes pride in raising two successful sons and supporting her spouse. Drawing inspiration from her life experiences, Paula continuously hones her storytelling skills.
Kara is a writer who lives with her family in the Midwest. With degrees in History and Interior Design, she brings a wealth of knowledge to every project she tackles. Kara also serves on the city council in her hometown and proudly serves on the local library board.
