Author Interviews

The one thing I hope readers take away from the book is that it’s okay to be different, in fact our strengths often lie in our differences. Rat wouldn’t have been able to fly on Pino’s back without Pino’s tuft of hair. It turns out to be the perfect handle for Rat to hold onto. The book is about celebrating our differences and not allowing people like Worm to get us down.

When she was a teenager, JK Chichester wanted to be a crime scene investigator. She loved—and still loves—solving complex puzzles. When she isn’t writing, she is watching true crime shows, reading psychological thrillers, or spending time with her family.

Mike Norris lives in County Durham with his wife Kayleigh, their daughters Eleanor and Imogen, and their three needy cats. This is his first novel. When Mike isn’t pondering the inner workings of the AfterLife, he presents the popular podcast ‘My Classic Album’, where musicians share their love for their all-time favourite album.

Madeline has contributed to books and documentaries about music including Stardust: The David Bowie Story (1985), The Wild One – The Story of Iggy Pop (1988), Mick Ronson: The Spider with the Platinum Hair (2003), and The Nomi Song (Klaus Nomi documentary, 2005). Madeline was a staff writer at CMJ from its inception in 1978. She has contributed to a variety of magazines including Mojo, Dazed & Confused, and Goldmine.

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying oolong or chai tea. She, her co-adventurer husband, and their rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and studies other languages.

I have been married to my wonderful husband for ten years (as of 2023) and we have two beautiful daughters. I work part-time at my daughter’s school while being a stay-at-home mom as well. I also am a shop owner on Etsy and my shop name is SarahsPoeticPrints. I sell some digital prints of my poems since I do write for special occasions too. I have two self-published books on Amazon. The first one is called In Between the Lines and the second and most recent one is called Seasons of Change. I am also a mental health advocate on social media because I want to help as many people as I can by spreading awareness and positivity through my writing/poems.

Aylish Dowsett is an award-winning writer, tutor, and copywriter. She teaches creative writing at The Writers’ Studio, The Writing Quarter, Creative Writing Ink, and SGSCC. Her work has been published in Mythrill Fiction, Collider, Grapeshot, The Quarry, and many others. She loves cats and all things weird and British.

I’d love to say I head to a cozy little cafe I know and write there each day, with a coffee and fresh baked pastry, because that’s how I’d like to write…but actually most of my writing takes place in my bed each day, with my morning cuppa by my side, before the demands of my day take over…

J. Rose Black weaves stories about obsession, redemption, and the transcendental power of love. From her early days writing fanfiction for a passionate following of international readers, to crafting novels with her own characters, Rose has always been drawn to broody protectors and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they believe in.

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, and photographer from beautiful East Texas. She and her husband Gregg have over 40 years of raising sheep together and currently have a flock of Katahdin Hair Sheep.

Over the last year, coming back to writing after a long health and caring forced break, I have had a poem, articles and letters printed in The Writers’ Forum Magazine, before its closure, and short stories shortlisted. I have entered various competitions with NYC Midnight and took part in Mary Adkins’ 10,000 Words in 10 Days Challenge. I am currently doing a creative non-fiction course with Nicole Breit.

Matthew Moody is an imaginative storyteller and a passionate advocate for fostering a love of reading in young minds. With a flair for mystery and an understanding of the curious minds of children, he captivates young readers with an engaging detective book series designed specifically for children aged 7 to 11.

Sherry Buckley-Brown is a resilient survivor, an inspiring life coach, and an emerging force in the world of motivational speaking. She found her strength through the most challenging circumstances, transforming a traumatic event into a powerful message of hope and empowerment. Born into a life marked by domestic violence, Sherry experienced unimaginable loss at the tender age of 12 when she tragically lost her mom to domestic violence. In her book, Who Will Take Care of Me Now?, Sherry shares her journey through the depths of despair, detailing the emotional turmoil and struggles she faced.

Helen Summer is the author of three sports books: Running Crazy (true stories from people who have run over 100 marathons), Are You Tough Enough? (featuring the toughest sporting challenges in the world), and The Man Inside the Machine (approved biography of Steve Edwards, one of the World’s most successful multi-marathon runners). More recently turning to fiction, she has now completed a romcom entitled Semi-Detached—a light-hearted tale of two divorced couples whose pasts won’t let go of them—or is it them who can’t let go of their pasts?

Dom is a former journalist and current detective who works in the child abuse department at a police force in northern England. He writes short stories and novels for fun (and when he can find the bloody time). Despite the numerous bylines from his press days he is most proud of the two short stories he has managed to get published. He began writing his debut novel A Better Crown when he was just 17, channeling his love for fantasy, adventure, and anti-heroes.

I’ve tried my hand at poetry, short stories, and screenwriting. I’m currently working on my first novel while taking the Ultimate Novel Writing Course at Jericho Writers. I am a member of the London Writers’ Salon writing community and find it supportive and empowering. I plan to publish under the penname Tiana Dunbar.

Ingrid received a BFA in Creative Writing and BA in English Literature at the University of Evansville before going on to earn a BA and MSci in Natural Sciences (Physics) at the University of Cambridge. At the University of Evansville, she served as Non-fiction Editor, then Editor-in-Chief of the Evansville Review. Ingrid currently serves as Co-Director of the UK’s National Flash Fiction Day, Editor-in-Chief of FlashFlood, and a consultant for The Prose Poem.

Amanda Waters is a former journalist-turned-librarian, and author of the feel-good romance novels You Again and With You. She’s a midwestern girl currently living in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their two children. When she’s not writing or hiding from the humidity, you can find her reading, drinking way too much coffee, or playing endless games of UNO and Exploding Kittens.

Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Book Magic mysteries, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, and the Bread Shop Mysteries, written as Winnie Archer. A former secondary English/Language Arts teacher and Creative Writing teacher with Southern Methodist University’s CAPE program and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institution with North Carolina State University, she has applied her love of teaching to the creation of WriterSpark Academy, an online school for aspiring and new writers seeking to hone their craft.

Stephanie always intended to write a novel but it wasn’t until 2004 when she was shortlisted for the BBC End of Story Competition that she believed it might be possible. That was the motivation to develop The Memory of Wood, which she self-published in 2011.