Author Interviews

J.L. Askew is an award-winning author and a lifelong bibliophile. With a psychology degree from the University of Memphis, he had careers in social work and the medical industry.

Amy J. Smith currently lives and works in Surrey as a primary school teacher. The Magic Emporium is Amy’s debut novel.

J.L. Toussaint, aka Jen, is an author living in the state of Vermont with a passion for writing, music, tarot, astrology, and graphic design. She fell in love with fantasy, romance, and general badassery quite young, thanks to the films Star Wars, The Princess Bride, Willow, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Dark Crystal, Aliens, and Legend. Those stories came to life on the ‘big screen,’ giving her all the feels and inspiration to create her own stories ‘her way.’ These new tales – mostly of romance, action, and adventure involving her as the main character – lived rent-free in her mind for years. Some made sense, some not so much, but rather than keep them all to herself, she decided she wanted to share them. So she put pen to paper – or rather, fingers to keyboard. That’s when the writing bug hit her like a sack of bricks.

Rachel Meisner holds a Master of Arts in History, a Master of Arts in Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Ed.S. specializing in Learning, Instruction, and Innovation. She has taught college-level history since 2019, and specializes in twentieth-century world history, Vietnamese history (specifically the development of Vietnamese communism), women in world history, modern American history, and Colorado history.

M. Almelk is the author of The Fallen Kind trilogy, a post-apocalyptic saga blending sci-fi, fantasy, and human drama. His work draws inspiration from mysterious, layered shows like Lost and The Leftovers, as well as the atmosphere and energy of rock music — from stadium anthems to the haunting weight of metal.

Stevie Dustmore is the pen name of UK-based cleaner-turned-author Claire Jones. After years on the frontline of grime, she decided it was time to tell the stories hiding behind the spray bottles — the messy, hilarious, and unexpectedly human side of cleaning that most people never see.

Tristan Zelden is a former journalist who now focuses his time on book writing and editing. He made his debut with the urban fantasy novel The Huntress and the Trickster and is about to release his first horror novel, Unfold. This will mark the beginning of exclusively writing horror for the foreseeable future, as he sees it as the ultimate art form through which to tell stories and discuss deeper themes about humanity and society. He lives in California. When he isn’t writing, he can be found getting tattoos, watching TV and movies, or playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends.

Ada Nwadigo is a multi-award-winning civil engineer, entrepreneur, and author dedicated to advancing innovation, inclusion, and leadership within the engineering and technology sectors. She is the president and CEO of Jona Infrastructure, an independent organisation supporting African countries in planning, delivering, and managing sustainable and resilient infrastructure aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Graham Daydy is a UK-based writer and creative with a lifelong love of science fiction and storytelling. By day, he leads copywriting for some of the biggest names in gaming and entertainment, and by night, he builds universes of his own.

Andrea Casanova is a Hispanic author from South Texas. Her love for writing came after her third-grade teacher, Ms. Bolado, assigned a creative writing paper for Halloween. One page was all it took for her to become obsessed with storytelling. Years were spent filling in composition books and carrying around USB drives so she could write on any computer she could get her hands on.

Kate Campo is originally from New England. An only child, she grew up reading voraciously – creeping around her neighborhood like Harriet the Spy, or curling up to read Little House on the Prairie when it snowed, imagining that she was living in a log cabin. After college and a gap year, she began medical school, deciding to pursue primary care and ultimately practice near her hometown.

Kassidy Coursey has lived with fantastical stories in her imagination for as long as she can remember. Her dark fantasy books speak to her greatest loves: redeemable anti-heroes, sweeping character arcs, and unbridled love that crushes souls (but deliciously). She otherwise thrives on terrible jokes, harmless pranks, caramel macchiatos, and being right.

Calial McCarty is an AuDHD writer, parent, advocate, and private practice clinician. She is a LMHC in Washington state and holds a board certification as an Autism Specialist through IBCCES. This is her first publication, as she brings a first-of-its-kind resource to the community.

Hope Redgrave is a twenty-two-year-old university student who initially developed her love of writing through fanfiction at age seventeen. Stress from studies suppressed that flame briefly, but she reclaimed it in her university life. Writing was her go-to refuge – her means of world-building outside lecture theaters and deadline projects.

Adria Bailton (she/they) imagines entire worlds and universes to share while spending her days studying atoms, the smallest unit of matter. More of their science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories, where they strive to create characters that reflect their own bisexuality, neurodiversity, and disability, appear in The Colored Lens, ZNB Presents, Constelción Magazine, Wyldblood Flash, and Worlds of Possibility, among others. Her debut YA science fiction novel, Worlds Divide, will be out in April 2026 from Balance of Seven Press. She recently moved from the PNW to New England.

Critically acclaimed, award-winning novelist Sarah V. Barnes is both a historian and a horsewoman. Her first novel, She Who Rides Horses: A Saga of the Ancient Steppe, received the 2022 Best Indie Book Award for Historical Fiction, among other prizes. A Clan Chief’s Daughter represents the second installment in the She Who Rides Horses trilogy. When not writing stories, Sarah practices and teaches riding as a meditative art. She also offers equine-facilitated coaching and wellness workshops. Sarah holds a PhD in history from Northwestern University and spent many years as a college professor before turning full-time to riding and writing. She has two grown daughters and lives with her husband, dogs, and horses near Boulder, CO.

M.K. Smith grew up filling notebooks with stories, scripts, and even a few chicken-themed plays. With the unwavering support of her parents, she nurtured her love of writing into adulthood. Now a teacher in Montana, she spends her days convincing students of the Oxford comma’s importance, grading essays, and dreaming up mysteries that blend wit with suspense. When not teaching or writing, M.K. and her daughter explore the vast beauty of Big Sky Country, or relax at home with their calico cat, Callie, whose antics often inspire feline characters on the page.

I am the author of four previous biographies, of artists Grace Hartigan, Elaine de Kooning, and Nell Blaine (all published by Oxford University Press) and writer Elizabeth Hardwick (published by WW Norton). I’m a past president of Biographers International Organization (BIO) and have been involved with it for many years. Now I work with biographer members to help them write proposals (for agents and editors), improve their interviewing skills, and organize and refine their manuscripts.

Nan Evenson has published three books. The first two in the Not Really series, Good Night (Not Really): Let’s Count Forward AND Backward and It’s a Terrible Day (Not Really): Let’s Count by Twos, are unusual counting picture books that have won several awards, making her Ukrainian illustrator and herself quite proud. The third book, Walk On, is a middle-grade/young adult historical fiction, Western-type adventure novel published by Atmosphere Press in 2025. She has also published and won awards for several short stories. Her love for young people, cultures, history, and the less well-known inspires her writing.

Christina Owens is a seeker of life’s many discoveries. With Oklahoma in her heart and Virginia beneath her feet, she carries both places as home. One grounds her beginnings, the other shapes her becoming.