Author Interviews

Karl Wegener is an American author who served as a Russian linguist in the United States Army Security Agency and with the Intelligence & Security Command during the Cold War. He also served as a combat interrogator in the United States Air Force Intelligence Service Reserve.

My first written work was in market research, in engineering and sales. I have written many papers on subjects including Taxonomy, Entomology, Plant Diseases, and Landscaping as an Advanced Master Gardener at VanDusen, Vancouver. What Really Happened to the Hat and the Gloves is my first nonfiction novella. I have written from personal experience about the impact Alzheimer’s can have on the person affected, their closest relatives, and caregivers.

After leaving a career in music (classical guitar) due to injury, David Linebarger earned a Ph.D. in English at UC Davis before becoming a Professor of Humanities at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His publications include scholarly essays on Wallace Stevens and Modern Music, poems in over thirty journals, and two small collections of poetry: War Stories (Pudding House Publications) and Bed of Light (Finishing Line Press). A nationally ranked tennis player in his age group, his most recent book is Tennis Players as Works of Art, which features short writings on art and tennis alongside artwork from forty-five artists. His current project is a book on composers and their music.

Brian Sullivan worked in legal publishing for almost thirty-five years as an editor and writer, and is now enjoying retirement with his wife in suburban Chicago. As a father of three, he always wanted to write stories that children would enjoy, but life continually got in the way. It was only when he became a grandfather that he found the time to write a children’s book inspired by his first grandchild, Beau. Beau Wants to Know was followed by a second book, Lilah Loves Life, about his second grandchild. After being blessed with a third grandchild, Dylan, Brian was thrilled to make the book series a trilogy by writing Dylan Is Delightful.

Jastrow Hill is a retired attorney who spent thirty-four years in law enforcement and law. He has had an ongoing love affair with books since first grade. He currently buys and sells books, collects books, and writes books.

Cathy Schieffelin is an avid reader and writer. A love of nature and years of adventure and travel contribute to her daily writing life. She is a regular attendee of local writing workshops and participates in writing competitions. Her work has been published in the Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, Adanna Literary Journal, Halfway Down the Stairs and Microfiction Monday Magazine. The Call, published by Atmosphere Press in December 2024, is her first novel.

I help take care of the elderly. I got my associates in creative writing. I’m getting my bachelor’s in English and I’m also getting a certificate in technical writing while I’m a stay-at-home mom going to school full-time.

Martha Siede lives with her husband, Andrew, and her dog, Bronte, at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Western Sydney, Australia. Martha’s passion is to show others that anything is possible if you are determined to improve and reach your goals. Martha has a wacky sense of humour and enjoys making people laugh. In Pursuit of ‘Normal’ is the first book Martha has written.

An independent investment advisor and former high school history teacher, Bland Weaver is an elder at the Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church and president of the Kiwanis Club of Tuckahoe. Bland enjoys racquetball, swimming and taking long walks with his faithful chocolate lab, Lovey. Bland lives in Glen Allen, VA with his wife, Joy, who is the inspiration for his writing. They have two sons, Eli and Zachary.

Kalpana Sutaria is an architect, an author and a project manager working for the City of Austin. She has worked on climate responsive buildings and has promoted sustainable guidelines in City’s buildings throughout her career. She has been a volunteer at the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which is working to create a political will to transition away from polluting fuels. She believes that green buildings are crucial but to cool our environment, we need policies to lower carbon from all sectors of our economy. She has a master’s in architecture from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a licensed architect (AIA) in the State of Texas, LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C) and a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Joel Geier has covered the craft beer scene since 2016 via social media, multiple podcasts, his website, freelance articles, and now as a member of the Badger Beer Report. He resides in Glendale, WI, but has lived in fourteen states with his wife Rosa since they were married in 2015. After completing his master’s degree in nonprofit management in 2019, he became a stay-at-home dad and is the proud father of Lily and Beau. He loves visiting breweries and sharing his experiences with others, which is culminating with his first book, Flights Across America.

I’ve been writing since I was fourteen years old. Majored in mathematics at university, tried four or five different careers, worked as a stable-hand for my equestrienne ex-wife, finally settled down in Hickory, NC, with a significant other, cats and chickens, and volunteer work at the Hickory Aviation Museum.

Writing under the pen name Louisa Clare, I am an indie author who has published four romance novels to date, and am currently working on the fifth. Living in beautiful North wales, I am always able to find inspiration right outside my own front door!

Boaz Kelvin C. Smith is an ordained minister and a chaplain. He has ten years of experience working in the Disability and Mental Health sectors and is a veteran of the Australian Army. A qualified higher educator with a Community Service diploma and a BA from Harvest Bible College, he is the founder and director of The Kelvin Smith’s Youth Foundation and general overseer of Calvary Ministry. Boaz is passionate about developing good character leaders and working with grassroots communities. His children inspire him. Boaz loves to cook, play football, and listen to reggae music.

Nigerian-British writer and TV producer, Deborah Somotun, has been captivated by speculative fiction since discovering Frank Herbert’s Dune at the age of eight. A lifelong love affair with the works of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Michael Crichton, J.K. Rowling, and other genre giants fueled her own creative aspirations. As a devout Christian, the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement sparked a profound dialogue with her faith, leading to the creation of her debut fantasy novel, Ileri: Spirit Over Shade. This book, the first in the Ileri series, delves into themes of prejudice, power, corruption, and the liberating power of faith. Deborah’s writing blends her heritage, vivid imagery, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes to offer a unique voice within the fantasy genre.

John Gonzalez was born in a small town of 12,000 people in the highlands of Mexico. At age thirteen, his family immigrated to the U.S., hoping he would forge a solid future for himself. Gonzalez always remembered why his parents decided to leave their home country and the sacrifices they made while uprooting the family. He learned English and French and earned several degrees, including a doctorate in educational leadership from UCLA. After receiving his doctorate, Gonzalez was appointed American Council on Education Fellow. He has worked in academic positions from middle to graduate school in the U.S. He lived in South Korea for five years, where he worked at an American School as a Spanish and English teacher and academic counselor.

L. P. Simone lives and writes in Washington, DC, where she has worked as a history and writing teacher, a librarian and an advocate for human rights.

Kara lives in rural Minnesota with her husband, son, two fish, and two male cats. She was once an avid traveler, venturing to Egypt, Peru, and the Yucatan Peninsula, but now can usually be found outside on her patio with a cup of coffee and a notebook. She is the author of The Intra-Earth Chronicles and Beneath Storm Mountain.

My interest in writing came not just from my own reading but also from the process of teaching others about reading, writing and understanding the written word. The ideas for my first novel came from my experiences in education and travelling in Europe, as well as my enjoyment of a well-told psychological thriller. I focus on human behaviour and individual motivation when faced with life-changing events and difficult decisions.

Rachel Baker is a queer, disabled writer who haunts the Pacific Northwest with her sister and their cat, Boo. She loves writing spooky stories, knitting warm things, and devouring every book in her path.