Author Interviews

Keana Aguila Labra (they/she) is a Cebuana-Tagalog Fil-Am poet, writer, and playwright residing on stolen Ohlone Tamyen land, otherwise known as San José / South Bay / Bay Area, California.

After retirement, friends and family urged me to publish some things I’d written that were just sitting idle in my file cabinets, and that led to two books published with Atmosphere Press. Many of the poems included were new, but some had been written years before. Now two more books are available just for children on Blurb Books—a poetry book called What’s in YOUR MIND? and a short story—“Honey Boy and His Fisher Dog!”—based on my late grandson’s “perfect home” on the lake.

Nick Gibbons is a neurodivergent writer and former biomedical scientist with a PhD in pigmentation biochemistry who is ethnically English & Jamaican. He spent years working in protein modelling, structural bioinformatics and molecular dynamics research before turning to creative writing during the 2020 pandemic. His epic fantasy series, The Aufeisia Chronicles, explores identity, transformation, and mythical equines in a richly imagined world.

Silpa Kona is a South Asian children’s book author dedicated to empowering young readers through funny, adventurous stories that celebrate curiosity, courage and representation. With a PhD in engineering and a research background that sharpened her love of asking big questions, Silpa now channels that same curiosity into writing imaginative picture books where every kid can see themselves—especially in spaces like the outdoors, where diverse stories are still growing. She lives in Oregon, spending her days hiking, writing, and dreaming up new stories inspired by nature and adventures with her two children.

Brandon Jones is a lover of all things fiction, spending his free time reading the likes of H.P. Lovecraft. Ignoring books until the age of 15, Brandon used to hate reading. But after a death in the family, he couldn’t stop reading. Now inspired by his departed mother, Brandon is writing daily. After 11 years of struggling with himself, he’s finally done it. Book 1 finished, with 2 and 3 in the works at the same time!

My name is Clara Foxlow, and I’m a writer from the UK with a deep love of folklore, autumn, and cats. The Hollow Season is my debut novel, a young adult story set in the village of Wrenlow, where mystery and memory weave through the lives of its people and six watchful cats.

Robin writes dark, emotionally-charged fiction with razor-sharp edges and tender undercurrents. Her stories dissect love and trauma, survival and control, with characters who don’t just break—they unravel. She’s the voice behind the Four Husbands and a Bottle of Trouble series, where resilience is messy, love is dangerous, and control is always an illusion.

Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou is a globally acclaimed musician and songwriter, celebrated for her culturally rich and diverse music-earning over two dozen international awards. Alongside her musical journey, she has been creating pysanky since the age of twelve, inspired by the vibrant traditions of her Ukrainian and Slavic heritage.

Kaylee’s writing career took off at the age of twelve, when she decided to record the stories she and her older brother had created while they played. Six years later, now a high school graduate, Kaylee Umstead is ready to share her debut novel with the world. Having traveled the world as a little girl, she learned how to stretch her dreams beyond the horizon and pursue her passions with the fervor of a pitbull. She’s a two-time winner of the VFW’s Voice of Democracy in her community, and a Blue Ribbon winner in Equestrian competitions. Kaylee prides herself on achieving excellence in everything she does. All the glory and honor to her personal Lord and Savior. Joshua 1:9.

Christopher Bolsover joined the Derbyshire Constabulary at sixteen, then the Royal Military Police serving in Germany and Northern Ireland, the latter as an investigator with the Special Investigation Branch during the major troubles there. He immigrated to Australia in 1974 and was a private detective before starting his business career, which took him to the heights of Corporate America with multi-billion-dollar companies.

Christopher J. Rziha completed his undergraduate studies at Benedictine College, earning degrees in philosophy, theology, and Spanish. He earned his MA at Baylor University, where he analyzed the presence and role of marriage in the religious theater of the Spanish Golden Age, and he is currently completing his PhD at the University of Notre Dame. On the way he met and married his amazing wife and welcomed two children. Christopher’s research interests lie at the intersection of mystical and theatrical literature of the Spanish Baroque.

Ted Virts’ life has wandered and wondered through preschool teaching, labor in startup manufacturing, Planned Parenthood management, ministry and pastoral supervision. There were stops along the way: Korea, the Philippines, China, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Arctic. There were stumbles and sorrows, play and puzzles: SCUBA diving, triathlons, friends lost and found, dulcimer playing, academic degrees, divorces, a happy marriage of forty-two years to Charlene, and homes in desert, suburbia and forests of the Western US. Ted and Charlene are recent residents of southern Arizona.

Marinela was born with a rare form of Retinitis Pigmentosa, where she lost her central vision but not her peripheral vision. She has written her blog, Nerdy Shique Universe, which is a variety blog that aims to all types of nerds, such as books, anime, music, and more. She has also done press for conventions and interviewed such actors as Richard Epcar, Tia Ballard, and Christopher Kayman Lee. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities and a Minor in Writing & Rhetoric in 2014 from the University of Central Florida and her Master’s in Assistive Technology from George Mason University in 2023.

Former journalist for a short time before I married. Studied journalism (dah) and international politics. Taiji player. Bridge bum. Genealogist focusing on family stories. Cat lover. Destroyer of almost any houseplant. Hockey fan. Bite at poetry but I have written a novel that’s in the drawer and am halfway through with another. Student of Don Maass and Lorin Oberweger and graduate of their Breakout Novel Intensives, which is my version of getting an MFA.

Carol A. Taylor is a Texas-born poet who loves meter, form, and rhyme. Her poems are more intellectual than emotional. She has four chapbooks, including the bilingual Sonetos del Inglés, and in 2023 she gathered up her complete works to date and had them printed as a private legacy to her children. Houston Skyline is her first commercial book. Her poems have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies.

Nancy Golden is a wordsmith with an inquisitive mind and adventurous spirit. She has held many positions in her life, ranging from assistant manager of a pet shop to a semiconductor test engineer, and most recently, a mentor and coach to software boot campers. She has always had a heart for pouring into her community, including teaching ESL and starting a writers group. Nancy has always loved space and has been a Trekkie for as long as she can remember. She has a love for learning about other cultures and believes we are much richer when we open our hearts and minds to one another.

Susan Scheid is the author of After Enchantment, which was inspired by beloved fairy tale characters. Scheid’s poetry has appeared in The Southern Quill, Blue Heron Review, The Mid-Atlantic Review, The Orchards Poetry Journal, Burgeon Press, Gargoyle, About Place Journal, Truth to Power, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Little Patuxent Review, The Sligo Journal, Silver Birch Press, Tidal Basin Review, and other journals. Her work is also included in the anthologies Poetic Art, Enchantment of the Ordinary, and Dear Vaccine: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic. Scheid served for a number of years as the Board co-chair for Split This Rock. She lives in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Harry Edgar Palacio is a U.S.-born celebrity: an award-winning author, prize-winning fine artist, and critically acclaimed underground indie/alternative musician. He reached #1 on Luxembourg’s indie/alternative charts with the single “Coral Relief” and has performed with Grammy winners and nominees, including Ari Up of The Slits (godmothers of punk) and former members of The Raincoats—bands championed by Kurt Cobain. He has been featured on MTV.

Elaine taught middle school Language Arts for thirty-six years, co-authored The Great Debate Project and Educators Take Charge, and her plays won the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival and the Premiere Stages New Play contest. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Dramatists Guild, NEA and NJEA, and is an avid tennis player.

Originally from Austin, I grew up in Dallas and Waco and attended Texas Tech University, where I received a BA in Spanish with a minor in public relations. After teaching Spanish in Midland and Richardson ISD, I received a master’s degree in curriculum. Bruce grew up in West Texas and attended school in Wichita Falls and the University of Houston. We retired together in 2020 after returning to Texas from Brazil and currently live out in the country near Horseshoe Bay.