Author Interviews

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.

Along with being a mental health therapist, Kirsten Miles is an award-winning author and writer. She has been writing since about four years old, when she used to poke holes in the paper and tie ribbons to keep the pages together. Kirsten volunteers at an animal rescue and is a proud vegan. She has published several poems, including, “If Love Was a Color” in the 2019 edition of New Jersey’s Best Emerging Poets. She has self-published an award-winning novel and has a new published book out now. She lives with her wife and dogs, Ruffles and Jack Jack, in the heart of New Jersey.

A.M. Davis is an artist and an author from Ohio. She co-authored her first novel, The Shrike and the Shadows—a dark and twisted retelling of the classic tale, Hansel & Gretel. By daylight, she is the marketing manager for an upscale resort. By night, she is seeking out her next story, playing video games, or imagining what new piece to draw and anguish over-dramatically.

Koushik Banerjea is the author of two novels, both written while still the sole carer for his late mother: Another Kind of Concrete (Jacaranda 2020) and Category Unknown (London Books 2022). His short stories have appeared in Feign Lit, Jerry Jazz Musician, Salvation in Stereo, Minor Literatures, Verbal, Writers Resist, and in the crime fiction anthologies Shots in the Dark and Shots in the Dark II. He has had poems published in Third Space, Building Bridges (forthcoming Renard Press November 2024), Mogadored (Tangerine Press), Razur Cuts Magazine, and online in House of Poetry magazine.

Paul Jantzen grew up in what would be described as typical Americana, and from an early age, he was fascinated with the art of storytelling. Paul loves captivating his audiences with his imagination and sense of humor. He took up filmmaking in college and his first short film, The Leopard Frog, debuted on the USA network in 1991. He then took up writing, a more budget-favorable medium. Though he enjoys a good novel here and there, he was never big on reading so he wrote a book instead. Sour Apples is his award-winning debut novel.

Mirka Hokkanen is a Finnish-American author-illustrator who likes quirky animal characters and stories that make kids laugh. She began her career as a fine art printmaker before transitioning to book illustration. Mirka is the illustrator for Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book, and the author-illustrator for the graphic novel series Mossy and Tweed (Holiday House), the picture book series Kitty and Cat (Candlewick), and the non-fiction picture book series Little Seasons (OddDot).

John Peragine is an award-winning author and master storyteller of the fantasy genre. With a passion for world-building and character development, John has created immersive and unforgettable worlds that have captivated readers around the globe. He is known for his skill in crafting complex characters that readers can relate to and root for.

Sophie is a professional blurb writer, cover designer, and mother of six children aged eleven and under. She received a Master’s degree in writing genre fiction from Edinburgh Napier University, which presented more than the usual challenge considering she homeschools all her children. She is an avid Ben and Jerry’s eater, lover of cosiness, and holds the award for the ultimate cookie-making mama. She currently lives in the gorgeous folds of Scotland where nature abounds and no one can hear the gunshots.

Liz Cain is a nuclear medicine physicist by day, and an urban fantasy author by night. She was born in East Yorkshire in the UK and grew up near the sea with her parents and two sisters. She moved to the midlands, which was much too far south for her, and spent 2twenty0 years trying to move back to her hometown.

I am a small-town girl who has always loved to read and write creatively. I always wanted to be able to be an author but never was able to try and didn’t know where to start. But now, in my middle age, I have decided to give it a try.

Gabriella Buba is a mixed Filipina-Czech author and chemical engineer based in Texas who likes to keep explosive pyrophoric materials safely contained in pressure vessels or between the covers of her books. She writes adult romantic fantasy for bold, bi, brown women who deserve to see their stories centered. Her debut Saints of Storm and Sorrow is a Filipino-inspired epic fantasy out with Titan Books. Daughters of Flood and Fury is to be released July 2025

Margaret Ann Philbrick is an award-winning poet and author who writes at the intersection of art, culture, community, and faith. Her new novel, House of Honor, received a Kirkus Star Review, saying, “Philbrick’s thriller is a gripping tale about the intersection of art and crime. The author’s skill at drawing her characters is impressive; even the supporting players, feel entirely fleshed out in this nuanced and moving novel.”

Christy Schillig is a middle school teacher who lives in a log cabin in suburban South Jersey with her two children, her husband/best friend since 6th grade, and her dogs, Puppay and Sheep. Christy graduated from Villanova University with a degree in Italian Literature and Language (yes, that’s a real degree) and uses that degree to commentate classroom science games in Italian and plan off-the-grid trips to the Italian Rivieras. On any given day, you can find her reading young adult paranormal romance beneath her desk at school.

I started writing at an early age, creating comics based on Mayne Reid’s works, particularly The Boy Hunters: Or, Adventures in Search of a White Buffalo, because one of the main characters was my first crush. My dad used to read “grown-up” books to me out loud, and I’m still immensely grateful to him for that. Later on, my interests were shaped by numerous fantasy books I devoured. Naturally, Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Anne McCaffrey’s The Dragonriders of Pern, and Roger Zelazny’s The Chronicles of Amber had a strong influence on me. I like to say that I’m made of books and can easily trace each bit of my personality back to a specific story.

A story lover at heart, Morgan has always been crafting stories. Growing up in East Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains, their mystery and beauty have inspired many of her tales. She’s a big fan of rain, stargazing, coffee, and taking the long way home.