Author Interviews

Not far from here, there have been sightings of a strange silhouette roaming the night using a jar of lightning bugs as a lantern. These sightings suggest that he paces back and forth and only stops when he finds a fallen animal at his feet. On this occasion, this man can be seen kneeling down and reciting a eulogy for the roadkill before beginning to pace again. There are rumors that this odd fellow is none other than Alec B. Hood, the author of this collection. However, the only firsthand account of this man’s face offers a chilling revelation; that this man has no face at all. The eyewitness describes a skull with scattered freckles instead of some skin and a smile. If this account is to be believed, this could not be Mr. Hood, and as a result, this small story is completely irrelevant.

Deborah Jennings is an environmental lawyer, retired from a global law firm. She was a partner for thirty-four years. The author is the mother of adopted twins and herself an adoptee who didn’t learn she was adopted until she was thirty-two years old. She wrote this memoir about the discovery of her adoption and ensuing international search for her origins. She grew up in very modest circumstances but discovered an illustrious biological family, including a grandfather who was a political figure and John Kennedy appointee and a grandmother who was from the Yucatan and graduated from Cambridge University. She is a former board member of Adoptions Together, now named Paths for Families, in Washington, DC.

Elizabeth Eastwood is a retired editor, developer, writer, and publisher of curriculum materials and textbooks for elementary school students. A former teacher, she produced teaching guides and authored articles and newsletters about best practices. In the early 1990s, she adopted two Peruvian children as a single woman and raised them in a suburb of San Francisco. This is her first trade book.

I am a writer, high school English teacher, and school counselor from Vancouver, Canada. My flexible career has allowed me to work in America and Europe for the last twenty years. Recently, while residing in the Netherlands, I finally found the time to complete my first young adult novel, Below the Surface, which was triggered by a real event. I am currently working on a women’s novel, a menopausal memoir delving into the remembrance of my past courage. My greatest accomplishments include raising two magnificent daughters and a clever border collie, learning enough German to marry a Swiss man, completing an Ironman, and swimming in over thirty countries…so far. I’m forever grateful to the wonderful people and stories that I have gathered along my journeys.

I’m Kayra Lilith Oz, a teen author who published my first book at the age of thirteen. Mythology and horror are my biggest inspirations, and as I approach my sixteenth birthday, I continue writing – hoping that my stories will reach and resonate with more people.

I grew up reading myths and legends so it’s no surprise that my fantasy books reflect that – my first independently published trilogy is based on the legends of King Arthur but with a twist, and I’m currently working on the final book of The Viking Saga, a Norse-inspired trilogy. My romance novels are in the same vein as Hallmark movies but are set in the UK and are inspired by my travels – I have a five-book series set in the Lake District (Romance in the Lakes) and I’m currently working on another series set in the Cotswolds (Appleford). I’ve also published two standalone novels and two Christmas novellas.

Chelsea Muzar holds her MFA in creative writing from the University of Nebraska Omaha. Her work has been published in Clarkesworld Magazine, Planet Scumm, and Kansas City Voices. When she isn’t writing, she’s enjoying time with her husband, daughter, and their toy poodle.

I am the author of six novels and a collection of short stories, all released by Nightbird Publishing. I have been writing fiction for forty-plus years, moonlighting for thirty-one of those years while working a day job as a technical writer for corporate IT companies in the Atlanta area. My first five attempts at a novel currently reside as dusty manuscripts in the deep dark confines of what I call my ‘apprenticeship trunk.’ They were absolutely dreadful and amateurish (LMAO!). They will never see the light of day, but they taught me a lot about the craft of writing commercial fiction.

Kristen Capezza is a nationally recognized leader, storyteller, and creative strategist. After more than fifteen years as a senior executive in higher education, where she led award-winning marketing and enrolment initiatives, Kristen followed her calling to write children’s books that inspire imagination, wonder, and heart. She is president and founder of Three Little Lights LLC, a company dedicated to bringing ideas to life through personalized consulting and children’s book publishing.

Selma Byrd is a romance writer with a background in fashion, criminology, and sociology. Her work blends contemporary romance with dark and gritty themes. Drawing from her academics, she crafts multifaceted and complex characters that feel real and compelling.

Nick Paskoski is an activist and writer from the Washington D.C. area. Simultaneously heartfelt and sarcastic, his debut novel, American Pride, combines a rock and roll style with thoughtful political and social explorations.

Russell Gerney is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and the Duquesne University School of Law. He has published two novels, Eighty Hours and To Sleep, Perchance to Dream. He has also had the poem Dreams of the Beach published in Scribeworth magazine.

J.L. Kirby is a pen name for sisters Jacqueline and Lauren Kirby. Jacqueline lives in New Jersey with her husband, Mike, and daughters Emma and Lorelai. She runs a marketing agency, First & Vine Marketing. Lauren lives in South Carolina with her husband, Tyler, and their cat, Meadow, DJ’s sister. Lauren teaches third grade and loves working through writing prompts with her students.

Tracey Kyler lives in Ohio with her family and mini Goldendoodle, Tucker, who thinks he runs the show. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, crocheting, visiting local restaurants, taking family walks, and binge watching The Great British Bake Off and documentaries. She is an avid Formula One fan and loves cheering on her favorite hockey and football teams. And of course, all things paranormal, mythological, and Star Wars!

Michelle Campbell is an indie author who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, but moved to South Carolina with her two children a decade ago. Another Life Lesson is her debut novel. It comes out on February 1.

Christopher Cole is currently editing his first book, Ephemeris, which he wrote while winding down a thirty-year career in marketing and communications in the higher education and public utility sectors. During that time, he has also earned his Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor. He passed the Kentucky Bar Exam in 2009 and the Kentucky Real Estate Exam in 2022.

A saxophonist and music lover, Daniele holds a MA Degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage from the University of Venice. In 2004 he relocated to Lisbon, specialising in photography and film production at the Cinemateca Portuguesa-Museu do Cinema of Lisbon. Over the last two decades he has collaborated with private and public institutions across Portugal, Spain, Italy, Finland, Albania, and the UK.

William Bundy is a writer and filmmaker with an expanding portfolio of short stories and screenplays. He has directed short films and intends to publish short stories and several novels, as well as produce feature films.

Elise lives in the UK with her husband and children, surrounded by antiques, teacups, and far too many books. She loves stories steeped in history, magic, slow-burn romance, and a hint of darkness.

Mary Jumbelic, M.D. is an author and former Chief Medical Examiner of Onondaga County, NY. In her twenty-five-year career, she has performed thousands of autopsies and helped to pass national safety policies for consumer products, preventing untimely deaths. You might’ve seen her as an expert witness on Dateline, 48 Hours, Discovery Channel, Law&Crime, and more. While retired from government work, Mary continues to consult on cases, pursuing her passion for writing by sharing her stories of experience both in and out of the morgue. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and her first book, Here, Where Death Delights (2023), has been featured in Times Square and is the recipient of international press and awards. Mary’s second book, Speak Her Name: Stories from a Life in True Crime (2025) has received early praise, and is now available.