Author Interviews

Jessie E. Turner is a native of the beautiful mountains of Colorado. Her passion for world-building was born out of her experiences in this idyllic environment. In college, Jessie pursued her interest in the behavioral sciences, but it wasn’t until she started writing novels that she truly began to understand human behavior. By exploring characters in her own stories, Jessie was able to delve deeper into the complexities of human nature.

Charnjit Gill has an MA in Creative Writing and a BA in English Literature & Creative Writing and has been writing and performing poetry for over nine years. She was a member of Apples and Snakes: The Writing Room. Her work has been published in the London Spoken Word Anthology 2015-2016 by Gug Press, Typishly, Minerva Rising Press, From Whispers to Roars, KYSO Flash, Ghost City Press, San Fedele Press, Starfeather Publishing, Poets Choice, the Road to Nowhere, DominAsian Magazine, and Brownies Verse. She has three poetry collections: Impression, For the Moment, and Pray Tell. She was one of the winners of the Art Fund Prize 2023, where her poem ‘Triggered’ was displayed on billboards throughout the UK.

Just a (nearly) middle-aged mum from the UK, looking to spread some love and joy through writing. Writing romance novels, with some spice, and allowing the reader to find escapism from our, often stressful, lives.

Award-winning authors Ryan Hollatz and Catherine LaCroix are a husband-and-wife team who co-author the hit LitRPG, Everyone’s a Catgirl! Both were born and raised in Arizona, and they met as friends in 2006, then married in 2023. They began co-writing in 2021 in addition to freelance ghostwriting, personal commissions, and journalism work. When not at their desks, they’re busy serving two budgies, five snakes, and six tarantulas.

Elly Bookman grew up in downtown Atlanta and earned an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Since 2013, she has worked as an educator while consistently publishing her poetry in some of the most widely-read markets in the country, including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The American Poetry Review, and The Atlantic Monthly. She was the recipient of the first annual Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize from The American Poetry Review and the Loraine Williams Poetry Prize from The Georgia Review. She teaches middle and high school at the Paideia School in Atlanta.

Mary Flint, encouraged to try writing by a family member, discovered her love of writing from her life-long love of stories. Inspired by the books and success of teenage author Christopher Paolini, she began writing her first book, Red Star: The Hunter Trials, at the age of fifteen and published it two years later. Water Bird’s Shadow is the second book of the thrilling Red Star trilogy, and Mary hopes that readers will enjoy exploring the characters and their worlds as much as she does. She also enjoys interacting with Red Star fans at conventions, book signings, and online. Mary currently writes from her home in South Texas, USA.

K.N. Salustro is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author who loves outer space, dragons, and stories that include at least one of those things. When not writing, she can often be found drawing and painting, designing and sewing plushies, and trying to play video games while her cat demands her attention. She doesn’t get to play a lot these days. K.N. Salustro has been an indie author for just over ten years now, with a total of nine books out. She is currently hard at work on the next installment of her Southern Echo fantasy pirate series.

Ho Lin is a Pushcart Prize-nominated author, musician, and filmmaker, and the co-editor of the literary journal Caveat Lector. His books include China Girl and Other Stories and Bond Movies: A Retrospective. His publishing credits include work in Pulp magazine, The Adirondack Review, Your Impossible Voice, The New York Journal of Books, and Foreword Reviews.

C.L Brierley is a Manchester-based writer dabbling in fantasy, horror, thriller, romance, and more. With a love of mythology, history, gaming, and fantasy from a young age, she developed an excellent imagination very quickly that serves her well to this day for creating stories. She has been writing since she was fourteen and has been on a few different platforms but now is on Inkitt, where she has won awards and had many stellar reviews, as well as Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and more.

The joy of Christmas is always important and making up stories at bedtime is one of my favourite ‘jobs’ as a parent. My son was engrossed by stories filled with mischievous moments of magic whilst my daughter loved the tale to have a character saving the day and resolving the hilarious events.

An artist of many kinds, writing fills Mariah Rae’s creative well to the brim. She lives near the mountains with her spouse and furry children. When not writing, she bakes, lurks in nature, and plays games with her small circle of heart family.

Richard Newman is the author of four books of poetry, most recently Blues at the End of the World (Kelsay Books, 2024), and the novel Graveyard of the Gods. His work has appeared in American Journal of Poetry, Best American Poetry, Boulevard, I-70 Review (featured poet), Innisfree Poetry Journal, Literary Matters, Poetry East, Rattle, Tar River Poetry, and many other magazines and anthologies. He currently teaches Creative Writing and World Literature at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco. Before moving to the Maghreb, he and his family lived in Vietnam, Japan, and the Marshall Islands.

Nathan is an award-winning, best-selling epic fantasy author based in Southern Idaho. His mission is to write empowering stories that will bring readers hope and purpose. Nathan truly believes that every person has a story, and every story is a part of something greater.

Naira Khan is an emerging author known for weaving powerful stories that explore deep emotional journeys and cultural complexities. Her latest novel, Mist and Unappeased Spirits, masterfully blends romance, mystery, and Zimbabwean mythology, taking readers on a captivating adventure through the mystical Mount Nyangani. The novel delves into themes of love, loss, and spiritual encounters, all while addressing personal struggles and societal expectations.

Alex Conway was born in 1978 in Bedfordshire, the UK. He served in the British Army between 1997-2000 and was based in Paderborn, Germany. During his service he was involved in two tours of the Balkans region: serving in Bosnia–Herzegovina and Kosovo. He now lives in London, working in brand licensing. His first novel, Destiny: 0422, was published in 2020.

Kathryn Rossati is an author of YA and children’s books, and a poet. She is neurodivergent and has hypermobility spectrum disorder. Her favourite hobbies include: country walks (despite her achy limbs and misbehaving joints), tai chi, painting, and anything to do with The Legend of Zelda games. She lives on the Isle of Wight and is often found daydreaming or receiving “constructive” criticism from her boisterous parrot and chatterbox budgie.

My name is Jerome R. McGinn and I was born in Southfield, Michigan. My formative years were shaped by the diverse landscapes and cultures of California, Illinois, Virginia, and Maryland—a journey guided by my father’s service in the United States Navy. This rich mosaic of experiences undoubtedly contributed to my worldview and creative perspective. In 1992, life’s path led me back to my Michigan roots, where I now reside in the Metro-Detroit area as a bachelor. I live near my immediate family, who encourage my artistic pursuits in writing and film.

Zoë is a shamanic artist, creating immersive energy landscapes for magical and sacred spaces. She is also the creator of her SacredExpression™ method, combining sacred geometry, Jungian mandala psychology, and fully embodied, energy-expanding self-expression.

FaRose DéVon is a poet, born and raised in London. She began writing poetry in her teenage years as a form of therapy to express her deepest thoughts. She professionally became a poet at the age of seventeen.

I am a part-time illustrator inspired by all things South Asian. Most evenings I am sat with my digital tablet drawing character illustrations from Indian Television or completing commissions for personal orders. I have also created GIFs for use within all social media platforms and most recently I have produced a couple of colouring books.