Author Interviews

I’m a qualified teacher and tutor of English literature.

Born and raised in the Metro-Detroit area, Karis Smith got her BA in Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago. When she’s not writing or doing something else when she should be writing, Karis can be found listening to audiobooks at almost twice the normal speed, playing video games like Pokémon or Baldur’s Gate III, or going on a variety of adventures either on her own or with her family.

JL Daughtrey is a former police officer and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Fantasy novels, comic books, police experiences, mythology, and video games provide much of the inspiration for his writing. Emergence is his debut novel and the first book in The Orbit Stone Saga. Mr. Daughtrey enjoys travelling with his family, playing soccer, and spending time at the beach or on the water. He currently resides in South Georgia with his wife and daughter, where he works on nuclear submarines.

Jim D’Andrea was born and raised in New England, the last of five kids. After graduating from Fairfield University, he spent a year in San Francisco running a clinic for the homeless population as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Hayley Mitchell began her writing journey crafting enchanting children’s books before exploring the lyrical world of poetry and, most recently, reimagining timeless myths for modern readers. Her work has been recognized with the Indies Today 2021 Best Poetry Award, and her latest release has just earned a five-star Open Book Award. Hayley’s stories and poems celebrate the power of imagination, the depth of emotion, and the voices of women and mythic figures long overlooked.

Eli Potter is a Silicon Valley technology executive who has advised more than one hundred and fifty companies on human values and converting technology into economic value.

Patrice Bellflower is a historical romance author who weaves together elegance, intrigue, and scandal in her debut novel, Desire in Disguise. Fascinated by the grandeur of Versailles and the secrets hidden behind its gilded walls, she brings to life stories where forbidden love burns brightest in the shadows. When she isn’t writing, Patrice can be found exploring castles, sipping coffee, and dreaming up her next tale of passion and deception.

Living in a 112-acre piece of paradise near Canada’s capital brings me immense joy. Every day, I share this beautiful space with my husband and a wonderful menagerie of animals—horses, dogs, alpacas, cats, chickens, and guinea pigs. Animals and nature are my sanctuary, fuelling my passion for the healing arts and teaching. My love for poetry began in childhood, as I listened to my mother read enchanting verses that sparked a fascination with rhythm and flow. There’s something truly magical about expressing deep thoughts with just a few carefully chosen words, and poetry has always felt like my authentic voice.

Edie Goodwin worked as a pediatric physical therapist for forty-four years, serving children in their homes, schools, and institutions. She has a passion for anything related to kids and fun! Edie is a mom, step-mom, grandma, and great-grandma who started this novel in her late sixties.

I’m an American romantic suspense author. I write about soft-hearted bada**es with brave, sassy women at their side—and I love creating a good plot twist. I’m a meteorologist/science writer by day, and a fiction novel writer by night.

Todd Medema is the author of How To Surf A Hurricane, a heist thriller showing that stories about climate change and adaptation can be fun and hopeful. He wrote it because he believes the future doesn’t have to be a dystopia, and he got tired of only reading stories of doom and gloom.

Gary Alan McBride is the producer and host of Writers Who Read, a podcast about how to read like a writer, and he is also the founder and facilitator of the Boulder-based Literary Forensics study group of the same name that has analyzed over seventy novels published since 2017. Gary is a fourth-generation Denverite who has traveled extensively for work and pleasure, living for over a decade in Europe and Southeast Asia.

Angela Kern has been writing, fact-checking, and editing for over two decades. Currently, she contracts with other indie authors to provide book coaching as well as developmental and copy/line editing services.

Hi, I’m Luke. I’ve only recently discovered the joy of writing at the age of thirty-six.

Gal Podjarny was born and raised in Israel/Palestine and has made homes in Canada and the UK. She draws from these diverse cultural landscapes to examine how social forces shape personal narratives and relationships. Her writing, including the short story collection Human Fragments and contributions to various anthologies, captures these intersections of identity and community.

This is my second book. The first, A Leaf From My Own Book is historical fiction. I was writing Unwrapped and Leaf simultaneously. I am a lifelong resident of New Jersey and get my ideas for the mysteries from my every day surroundings. I’ve always heard “Write about what you know,” and I did with Unwrapped.

Katherine Elberfeld’s southern childhood and background as an Episcopal priest infuse her work across a variety of genres including fiction, nonfiction, and reflections. In addition to advanced degrees in writing, Elberfeld holds a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary. She was ordained to the priesthood in 1994.

I’m a life-long reader and writer, taking some breaks to pursue competitive amateur Muay Thai kickboxing in my youth, which introduced me to other martial arts, allowing me to authentically inspire the action in my stories. Some of that ‘break time’ involved being a personal trainer, self-defense instructor, and defensive tactics instructor during my fifteen years in county corrections in my hometown.

I worked as a reporter and editor for The Buffalo News for twenty-three years before retiring in 2017. Before that, I worked as a reporter for WEBR Radio in Buffalo, and as the director of information for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. I’m currently an occasional columnist for the Buffalo Sports Page website, and I serve as one of the pitch clock timers for the Buffalo Bisons of the International League. I have written sixteen books, and number sixteen will be published sometime around November 1, 2025.

Johanna lives in Kelowna, BC, Canada, and Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico. Born in 1949, she is an immigrant from The Netherlands (1982). After many years as a child protection social worker, she discovered her love of writing short stories in her late fifties. She attended creative writing courses in her free time at the U of BC and Okanagan College, and attended writers’ conferences and workshops to hone her skills.