Author Interviews

E.M. Chapel is a speculative fiction author and teacher. E.M. Chapel is the author of The Weight of Silver. When she isn’t writing or teaching, she can be found practicing martial arts, reading, or spending time on the water—all with a cup of coffee in hand.

Kelsey Bigelow is a spoken word and page poet based in Des Moines. In her work, she molds incredibly specific emotions into something human, digestible, and cathartic. She is the author of Sprig of Lilac (2018), Depression Holders and Secret Keepers (2021), and Far From Broken (coming in 2024). Her work is published in or forthcoming with Central Avenue Publishing, Pile Press, Lyrical Iowa, Backchannels Journal, Spirit Lake Review, and elsewhere.

Keira N. James is a thriller author hailing from Danville, GA. While the U.S. Navy once claimed her dedication, her heart has always belonged to the world of words.

James Aaron Snow is a poet birthed from the womb of the Deep South. He brings an honest historical vantage point of view and writing framed by a educational background in Social Work to create poems unwilling to dismiss the sins of America.

I hope I encourage my readers to follow their dreams—write the book, start the project, travel, learn a new language, do what is on their hearts—you never know where that will take you!

My first short story was published in a national magazine Popular Dogs at age 14. Over the years, I have written and traditionally published in different genres and ventured into stage and screenplay writing with some awards and productions that include That’s The Spirit: A Haunting Comedy (produced stage play), The Great Mudbug War (produced stage and screenplay), Riders of the North Wind (award-winning unproduced screenplay), and The Swamp Dragon (award-winning unproduced screenplay).

Stacy Alderman’s short story, Steel Valley, won the Children of Steel Fiction Award and will be published by Anaphora Literary in 2024. Her other writing has been featured by local newspaper, The Valley Mirror, as well as Rune Magazine, Defuncted Journal, Macro Magazine, Capsule Stories, and several more. She lives near Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and two defiant rescue dogs. If she’s not writing or reading, she’s probably watching hockey or (dreaming about) traveling.

Janie Sullivan, MBA, MAEd, has been teaching adult learners for over 30 years; online for over 25 years. She specializes in writing, communications, and small business applications. She was a faculty trainer for over 15 years at both the University and Community College levels. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a master’s degree in both business administration and education administration, with an emphasis on training and performance improvement.

Beth Overmyer is the author of the fantasy trilogy The Goblets Immortal. Booklist describes book one as ‘packed full of adventure’ with an ending that leaves readers ‘anxiously awaiting a sequel.’ Beth’s works can also be found in various magazines and anthologies.

The one thing I hope readers take away from the book is that it’s okay to be different, in fact our strengths often lie in our differences. Rat wouldn’t have been able to fly on Pino’s back without Pino’s tuft of hair. It turns out to be the perfect handle for Rat to hold onto. The book is about celebrating our differences and not allowing people like Worm to get us down.

When she was a teenager, JK Chichester wanted to be a crime scene investigator. She loved—and still loves—solving complex puzzles. When she isn’t writing, she is watching true crime shows, reading psychological thrillers, or spending time with her family.

Mike Norris lives in County Durham with his wife Kayleigh, their daughters Eleanor and Imogen, and their three needy cats. This is his first novel. When Mike isn’t pondering the inner workings of the AfterLife, he presents the popular podcast ‘My Classic Album’, where musicians share their love for their all-time favourite album.

Madeline has contributed to books and documentaries about music including Stardust: The David Bowie Story (1985), The Wild One – The Story of Iggy Pop (1988), Mick Ronson: The Spider with the Platinum Hair (2003), and The Nomi Song (Klaus Nomi documentary, 2005). Madeline was a staff writer at CMJ from its inception in 1978. She has contributed to a variety of magazines including Mojo, Dazed & Confused, and Goldmine.

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying oolong or chai tea. She, her co-adventurer husband, and their rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and studies other languages.

I have been married to my wonderful husband for ten years (as of 2023) and we have two beautiful daughters. I work part-time at my daughter’s school while being a stay-at-home mom as well. I also am a shop owner on Etsy and my shop name is SarahsPoeticPrints. I sell some digital prints of my poems since I do write for special occasions too. I have two self-published books on Amazon. The first one is called In Between the Lines and the second and most recent one is called Seasons of Change. I am also a mental health advocate on social media because I want to help as many people as I can by spreading awareness and positivity through my writing/poems.

Aylish Dowsett is an award-winning writer, tutor, and copywriter. She teaches creative writing at The Writers’ Studio, The Writing Quarter, Creative Writing Ink, and SGSCC. Her work has been published in Mythrill Fiction, Collider, Grapeshot, The Quarry, and many others. She loves cats and all things weird and British.

I’d love to say I head to a cozy little cafe I know and write there each day, with a coffee and fresh baked pastry, because that’s how I’d like to write…but actually most of my writing takes place in my bed each day, with my morning cuppa by my side, before the demands of my day take over…

J. Rose Black weaves stories about obsession, redemption, and the transcendental power of love. From her early days writing fanfiction for a passionate following of international readers, to crafting novels with her own characters, Rose has always been drawn to broody protectors and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they believe in.

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, and photographer from beautiful East Texas. She and her husband Gregg have over 40 years of raising sheep together and currently have a flock of Katahdin Hair Sheep.

Over the last year, coming back to writing after a long health and caring forced break, I have had a poem, articles and letters printed in The Writers’ Forum Magazine, before its closure, and short stories shortlisted. I have entered various competitions with NYC Midnight and took part in Mary Adkins’ 10,000 Words in 10 Days Challenge. I am currently doing a creative non-fiction course with Nicole Breit.