🎤Interview with Karen Charles, Author of Evan's Stormy Voyage #AuthorInterview

Karen Charles grew up in West Africa and traveled across Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Europe. Her rich background and lifetime experiences are reflected in the depth of her writing. In her stories, she transforms real-life narratives into gripping thriller fiction. Her novels intricately weave threads of truth into a tapestry of suspense, intrigue, and riveting storytelling. She is the author of three children’s books in the “Evan’s Adventures in Africa” series, including Freeman Earns a Bike, Evan’s Gift, and Evan’s Stormy Voyage. Her three thrillers include Fateful Connections, set in the aftermath of 9/11, and Blazing Upheaval, set during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and the Northridge earthquake. A Glimpse Too Far offers the mystery and heart-pounding suspense of a psychological thriller and is based on a true story. Karen Charles has two businesses—a global company that trains international teachers to teach American English and an Airbnb on a beautiful bay in Washington State, where she and her husband currently live.

Karen’s latest book is Evan’s Stormy Voyage.

Visit her website at www.weaveofsuspense.com.

Connect with her on X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

 

Can you tell us what your new children’s book, Evan’s Stormy Voyage, is about?

Eight-year-old Evan has never crossed an ocean before.

When his parents tell him they are leaving New York for West Africa, everything familiar slips away in a blur of crowded docks, towering cargo ships, and tearful goodbyes beneath the Statue of Liberty. Soon, Evan finds himself aboard a freighter crossing the Atlantic — a floating world of roaring engines, endless water, mysterious passengers, and adventures around every corner.

At first, the voyage feels magical. Evan explores the ship’s library, watches flying fish skim the waves, spots whales from the bridge, and celebrates his birthday on the open deck, lit by strings of lights. But the journey grows far more complicated when Evan meets Mateo, a quiet boy with secrets of his own.

As storms pound the ship and hurricane-force winds churn the sea, the boys form an unlikely friendship over puzzles, model ships, and long conversations about leaving home behind. Yet when Evan’s treasured airplane kit suddenly disappears, suspicion threatens to destroy the bond they have built.

Far from home and surrounded by the vast Atlantic, Evan must learn that courage is not about being fearless. It is choosing kindness when hurt runs deep, forgiveness when trust is broken, and compassion when someone needs it most.

Filled with unforgettable characters, breathtaking ocean scenes, and heartfelt moments of friendship, Evan’s Stormy Voyage is a rich coming-of-age adventure that celebrates empathy, resilience, and the power of human connection across cultures. Perfect for readers who love emotionally rich adventure stories, this second book in the Evan’s Adventures in Africa series invites children into a world of discovery they will never forget.

What is the main message or feeling you hope young readers take away from your book?

• Courage doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. Evan can feel scared, uncertain, or overwhelmed and still keep going. That gives children a healthier picture of bravery: I can be afraid and still be brave.
• Storms are temporary. The voyage can become a gentle metaphor for difficult moments in childhood. When things feel chaotic or frightening, children can learn that they can make it through and eventually find calmer waters.
• Trust yourself and keep moving forward. Evan’s journey can encourage children to listen to their inner voice, make choices, and discover that they are more capable than they initially realize.
• You don’t have to face hard things alone. The story includes people who help Evan, reinforcing that asking for help isn’t a weakness — connection is part of courage.
• Adventure can come from uncertainty. The storm isn’t simply an obstacle; it changes Evan and teaches him something. Children can come away seeing challenges not just as things to escape, but as experiences through which they grow.

The feeling I’d want children to leave with:

“I can handle hard things. Even when I’m scared or don’t know what will happen next, I can keep going, ask for help, and trust that I can find my way.”

And emotionally, I’d want to leave them feeling brave, hopeful, comforted, and curious — not that storms are nothing to fear, but that they are not bigger than the child facing them.

That could become a particularly strong central message: “Every child has a stormy voyage sometimes — and every child has the courage to navigate it.”

If your book has pictures, how does your work with the illustrator function? Do you collaborate closely or see the art at the very end?

The illustrator who did the pictures for the first book in the Evan’s Adventures Series was unavailable, so, with great trepidation, I did the illustrations using AI. That is acknowledged at the front of the book.

How can parents or teachers use your book to start meaningful conversations with kids?

At the end of every book in the Evan’s Adventures in Africa series, there are questions for parents and teachers to use to start meaningful conversations with kids as well as activities. 

If your book could be turned into a movie, TV show, or video game, which format would you pick and why?

I would choose a movie because I think Evan’s journey would be beautiful to experience visually. The ocean, the storm, the uncertainty, and the moments of courage could create a really immersive experience for children. I also love the idea of watching Evan grow throughout the journey and seeing his emotions reflected in the world around him. A movie could capture both the excitement of the adventure and the story’s deeper message — that even when we face storms and feel afraid, we can find courage, keep going, and make it through.

When plotting out your books, do you outline everything first or write by the seat of your pants?

I plot out the story in an outline, which I change along the way.

If you could give one piece of advice to kids who want to write their own stories one day, what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to use your imagination! You don’t have to know the whole story when you start. Just begin, have fun, and let your characters take you on an adventure. And remember — your story is special because only you can tell it.

Where to purchase the book:

https://a.co/d/0frRfGi8

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/evans-stormy-voyage

Where to find Karen:

https://www.weaveofsuspense.com/post/coming-soon-book-two-in-the-evan-s-adventures-in-africa-series

🎤Interview with Mary Lawlor, Author of Fighter Pilot's Daughter #AuthorInterview

Mary Lawlor is author of a memoir, Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War (Bloomsbury 2015) and two books of cultural criticism, Recalling the Wild: Naturalism and the Closing of the American West (Rutgers UP 2000) and Public Native America (Rutgers UP 2006). She studied at the American University in Paris, the University of Maryland, and New York University. She divides her time between Easton, Pennsylvania and Gaucin, Spain. Her novel, The Translators, is set in 12th century Spain and fictionalizes the experiences of Robert of Ketton, first translator of the Koran into Latin. She hopes to see it out next year. In the meantime, she has started a second novel, The Women’s Hospital, set in 18th century Spain and inspired by the life story of an Irish woman whose family moved to Cádiz, escaping English oppression in their own country.

╰┈➤ You can visit her website at https://www.marylawlor.net/.

Connect with her on social media at:

╰┈➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lawlor.186/ 

 

Thank you so much for this interview, Mary. How did your family feel about having you write a book that might include them?

My parents were both gone by the time I wrote Fighter Pilot’s Daughter, and one of my older sisters had passed away. I was worried about how my other two sisters and the larger, extended family would feel about my describing intimate dynamics in the book, like my parents’ fighting or my father’s alcoholism.

But my sisters and I talked about these things, and they were supportive. Before publication, I sent them both the finished manuscript — not promising to make changes but to hear their feedback and be influenced or not by it. I know one of them has read the entire book, and she was very moved. Her response has meant the world to me.

What was it like living in military quarters and never having a ‘real’ home that stayed in the same place? Do you feel it shaped who you are today?

In some ways, it wasn’t so much of an issue, since from the time we were very young, my sisters and I were moving every two years or so. It was all we knew and all we expected. The other kids on the Army posts where we were stationed had the same experience.

But a couple of things complicated that normality. Whenever they could, my parents enrolled us in Catholic schools, off post, and we would find ourselves surrounded by kids who had known each other since kindergarten. Generally, they looked at us like we were irrelevant — at least at the beginning. Eventually we’d make friends and be invited to their homes, where we’d see the continuity and stability of their lives, in contrast to our own.

And there were the visits to see our New Jersey cousins, who lived in a lovely house in a country town where they’d been all their lives. They’d gone to the same school, had the same friends, and so forth. It was an ideal domestic scene, and I loved being there. I was envious of their world but couldn’t imagine it for myself. It was too far out of reach.

When we were young, the moves were exciting. My parents would talk about the places we were going — California! Germany! — and my sisters and I would start imaging what they would be like. We’d read about and picture ourselves in the new situation. As we got older and had close friends and boyfriends, the moves were more difficult. It was sad and painful to have to leave, and we wished very much we could stay in the same place. Then, again, the new place would be exciting and different. We’d make new friends, and the cycle would continue like that.

Moving so much and not having a home has shaped me a great deal. After leaving my parents for college, I kept moving and am still am not quite rooted, although I’m married and have a nice house in Easton, Pennsylvania. But every three months my husband and I shift off to Spain, where we have a cabin in the mountains of Andalucía. I love being in Spain and would move here if I could. We have friends and more of a history here than we do in Easton. We don’t, however, have residency in Spain, so after three months, we come back to Easton. The year is divided up like this, and it feels perfectly familiar to me.

In one of your interviews you said, “Memories of my girlhood and forgotten fears of nuclear apocalypse were running through my brain day and night.” I can’t imagine the fear. Can you elaborate on this and tell us how you coped?

Living on military posts, I think we had more of a sense of the potential for nuclear war than other children in America. Because our fathers’ jobs were to get the defense apparatus ready for that eventuality, we were made constantly aware of it. Civil-defense shelters were everywhere, and we practiced the “Duck and Cover” moves at school, huddling under our desks and hoping that would do the trick! On the posts in Heidelberg and Stuttgart, Germany, there was a lot of talk about the Fulda Gap, a point on the border between West and East Germany where it was predicted the Soviet army would flood through to do battle with the Germans and the rest of Europe. These images and warnings kept the possibility of nuclear apocalypse in our minds almost all the time.

Apart from that, our parents were practicing Catholics, and the story of St. John’s Apocalypse often came up in the post chaplain’s sermons. Apocalypse offered a ready analogue to the talk of nuclear annihilation, and the chaplain would build on it, trying to imbue in us a sense of how close the end of world might be. The terrifying judgement of the living and the dead and the assignment of eternal damnation or happiness was always upon us.

These twin discourses of apocalypse were in the air, in our dreams and produced what I’d call a habit of fear, a trained response to seeing whatever troubling situation emerges as a sign of the end of days. Or the end of something. Like now, so many people my age are seeing the current political situation in the US as signs of the end of democracy and, perhaps, of America. But on a more personal level, the habit of fear has stayed with me and been a real handicap to my self-development and to my ability to genuinely live with confidence. Fortunately, it’s an obvious enough problem that I’ve known about it for a long time and have spent a lot of time (and money!) trying to come to terms with and manage it in therapeutical contexts.

Can you tell us the name of some of the places you have traveled to when your father was an aviator and which were your favorite?

We lived in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, infamous as a cancer hot-spot for people who lived there in the 50s. Then there was Fort Rucker, in Dothan Alabama, where my father taught pilots how to fly helicopters and I got to ride in a Bell helicopter once — like being up in the air inside a giant eyeball. We rented a farm way out in the country and had a horse, cows, chickens, guinea hens to look after. That was hugely fun, although rural Alabama was a very unfamiliar place and the people there weren’t easy for us — especially for my mother — to understand. I go into Franny’s way of responding to southern culture in the book, but suffice it to say here that she was quite unhappy. Later we moved to Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, where we lived off post in a swampy development called Forestdale. There was a creek behind the house, but you had to watch out for water moccasins. I started my writing career there with a little newspaper a friend and I created, The Forestdale Gazette, in which we reported news of the neighborhood, using carbon paper for copies.

Later we moved to Fort Ord, in Monterey, California. This was really my favorite and my sisters’ too. We lived on post, but our parents enrolled us in the beautiful Carmel Mission School in Carmel, situated in an old monastery and arranged like a cloister walk around a gorgeous garden. We made friends there and loved the school, although some of the nuns were stricter than others. We stayed at Fort Ord long enough for my older sisters and me to start high school in Monterey. Then my father had orders to go to Stuttgart, so we had to say goodbye to people who had become important to us.

We crossed the Atlantic on the SS United States, an adventure in itself, which I also recount in the book. Germany opened up a whole new world. The enormous differences of language, styles of dress and manners, of what kids were allowed to do that they weren’t in the US and vice-versa, not to speak of the economic differences between them and us in those days — all these surprises were overwhelming. But it was fascinating. I scrambled to learn the German language and understand the few German friends I made. For the first couple of years we were in Stuttgart, a beautiful industrial city, and then we moved to Heidelberg, a handsome and historic university town. In both places we lived in the very closed environment of the post and didn’t get to know German people or their language or society very well. Among the military kids, my sisters and I came of age and got a taste of American teenage life that we’d never had in the States — drinking parties in the local Gasthauses that had no drinking age, and moonlit adventures in old Nazi sites. It was a strange and exotic experience which made me into a very different person than I’d been before.

Having lived through the Cold War, you know the fear of Russians invading or setting off a nuclear weapon was very real. Can you help us feel what that was like?

We were shown films in school with images of an enormous blast, followed by empty streets with trash blowing in the nuclear wind. The announcer would insist again and again that if we heard the atomic warning siren, we were to “duck and cover,” wherever we were. And we were told there might be no warning, that a blast as bright as the sun would suddenly happen, anywhere, anytime. Duck and cover movies warnings were played in schools and in the base movie theaters. Readiness warnings were issued at sports events and even in church. Repeatedly, we were told to be always alert for the warnings or the sun-bright blast itself. The message was meant to live in our psyches and be part of our thinking, our identity. We were people under threat. Nuclear holocaust was in my dreams and fueled a steady sense of fear and trepidation. From one moment to the next, you had to be ready for the world to fall apart under your feet. It was a tremendously unsettling discourse and kept all of us, I think, on edge and fearful.

I see this now in hindsight as a terrible experience for a child. Whatever the actual threat level at any given moment, ducking and covering probably wouldn’t have helped much. It only left us with a habit of fear. It probably made some of us more philosophical or religiously-minded than we might otherwise have been, given the end-of-the-world scenario we lived with all the time; but I think the more general effect was a fear, bordering on neurosis, of what could happen from one moment to the next. No wonder the late counter-culture that followed saw such an explosion of liberation and care-lessness, to counteract the intense, imposed caution of our childhood years.

In an earlier interview, you said you just wanted your mother and father to be remembered. Can you tell us what you would like people to know about them?

I think Jack and Franny were in some ways typical of their generation. Born in the 20s, they lived through the depression and came of age in the second World War. They weren’t subtle but saw things in black and white terms; and were very clear with their comments about everything from politics to homemaking. In many ways, I think they thought of themselves as opposite to the communists who they considered the enemy: communists were subtle, cagey, didn’t put their cards on the table. You couldn’t trust people like that, since what you saw wasn’t necessarily what you got.

Jack and Franny were both larger than life for me, but others outside the family responded to them as if they too saw them as striking characters. They were outspoken and definitive in their opinions. They were both loud and ready for an argument. I never heard them identify themselves as such, but they were politically independent and would size up the candidates carefully, then decide which was the better man (it was always, of course, a man). And once decided, that was it. There was little room for dialogic discussion of things, much less changing their minds.

As parents, they could be very difficult. They were strict, demanding, and kept a close eye on my sisters and I. They weren’t alone: child-rearing was like that in those days. Kids got spanked, and nobody thought it was wrong. My parents set the rules and the tone for our household, and we followed. There was no consulting us as to what we thought or hoped for or worried about.

But they were affectionate, and we knew they loved us. They hugged us a lot and always made a big deal of our birthdays. Christmas was a huge celebration with lots of good presents. And Jack and Franny were fun. Our moves across the country were always treated like adventures. The hotels, the pancake breakfasts at roadside restaurants, the sites along the routes of America — Carlsbad Caverns, Route 66, the Rocky Mountains — were part of a great expedition we were making. They inspired us with their excitement.

At a certain level, I suppose it’s simple vanity: I want them to be remembered because they meant so much to me. But they both contributed something to the world they came of age in, and they were characters of that time. I think that’s worth remembering.

What would you like future readers of your book to know?

I’d like future readers to know what life was like in the middle-to-late years of the twentieth century, particularly for the children of military families, a generally little understood component of American society. The focus of attention to US forces fighting overseas and preparing for war at home is usually on the service members themselves — all their adventures and sacrifices. I’d like readers to know more about the people who came along with them, followed in their wake — the spouses and children of the warriors. They may well not share the warrior’s priorities or even their ideology, but the children in particular are called on to be part of the picture anyway, like camp followers of all ages everywhere. I’d like people to know more about what life was like for us in our time, but I also hope readers will see how military children still experience the difficulties of moving all the time and the instability of life in warrior society. It’s an age-old portrait and one that’s little understood.

 

🎤Interview with Michael Okon, Author of Monsterland #AuthorInterview

 

MICHAEL OKON is a best-selling author and award-winning screenwriter whose compelling storytelling spans paranormal, horror, thriller, action-adventure, and self-help genres. With a BA in English and an MBA in Business and Finance from Long Island University, Michael merges his creative passion with entrepreneurial spirit to craft unforgettable narratives across his novels and screenplays.

Born into a family of avid writers and readers, Michael’s passion for storytelling runs deep—writing isn’t just something he does; it’s who he is. Ever since he first watched The Goonies as a kid, Michael has been captivated by the power of adventure, compelling characters, and the ability of stories to entertain and inspire. Whether crafting monster theme parks or penning insightful guidance in self-help, his goal remains the same: to create narratives that stick with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, a horrendous golfer, and a sucker for esoteric & self-help books. He lives on Long Island’s North Shore with his wife and children.

His latest book is Monsterland.

Connect with Michael on X and Instagram.

 

 Can you tell us what your book, Monsterland, is about? 

A teen has to save his date in a theme park whose main attractions – real werewolves, vampires and zombies – descend the place into chaos.

Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters? 

Wyatt Baldwin is a restless, big-hearted teen caught between small-town normalcy and the terrifying secrets of Monsterland. His journey forces him to confront fear, responsibility, and the courage to stand against forces far bigger than himself.

Your book is set in Copper Valley. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?  

I chose Copper Valley – a fictional desert town in California, because it represents the kind of small, overlooked town where people feel forgotten, making it the perfect backdrop for a story about exploitation, corruption, and hidden truths. Its isolation heightens the tension, while its everyday familiarity makes the supernatural horrors of Monsterland hit even harder.

How long did it take you to write your book? 

About 4 months.

What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life? 

The most pivotal point of my writing life was realizing that my stories could resonate beyond just entertainment…that they could carry themes, metaphors, and emotions that stay with readers long after the last page. That moment shifted my focus from simply writing cool ideas to creating worlds and characters with lasting impact.

What kind of advice would you give up and coming authors? 

I’d tell up-and-coming authors to write relentlessly and fearlessly. Don’t wait for inspiration….build discipline. Read widely, study structure, and never be afraid of rewriting, because that’s where the real magic happens. Most importantly, trust your voice…no one else can tell your story.

🎤Interview with Kate Damon, Author of Jury Duty is Murder #AuthorInterview

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy RVing, spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.

Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 40 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.

Not counting the book she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.

Website ➜http://margaret-brownley.com/

Twitter ➜https://www.x.com/katejuryduty

Facebook ➜https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBrownleyAuthor/ and https://www.facebook.com/p/Kate-Damon-61565155275435/

Instagram ➜https://www.instagram.com/katedamonbooks

BookBub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-damon

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4072660.Kate_Damon and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163681.Margaret_Brownley

 

Can you tell us what your book, Jury Duty is Murder, is about? 

It is a cozy mystery that follows the aftermath of a high-profile trial where jurors, who convicted a famous athlete for murder, find themselves in danger when members of their group start dying under suspicious circumstances. As the story unfolds, four of the surviving jurors must overcome their differences and work together to solve the mystery surrounding their peers' deaths. The novel explores themes of friendship,

betrayal, and resilience in the face of danger while maintaining a light-hearted tone amidst serious themes.

Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?

Mindy (CeeCee)

Mindy, known by her nickname CeeCee, is an exotic dancer whose life has been significantly impacted by the trial. As a result of her involvement, she lost both her job and her boyfriend, leaving her in a precarious position both financially and emotionally.

Helen (Schoolmarm)

Helen is a 72-year-old woman facing challenges related to aging. Her family is attempting to place her in an assisted living facility, which adds to her feelings of isolation and frustration.

Harold (Shoe)

Harold, nicknamed Shoe due to his habit of staring at his feet, experiences a series of unfortunate events upon returning home from the trial. His house is destroyed when a news reporter crashes into it on his first day back. Additionally, he faces financial difficulties as his hardware store teeters on the brink of bankruptcy and his marriage struggles under the strain.

Alex (Reporter)

Alex is an actor whose career has hit rock bottom. His personal life is equally troubled; he lives in a garage owned by an eccentric landlady. The combination of professional failure and romantic woes contributes to his sense of despair.

Your book is set in Palm Valley, California. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?

Palm Valley is a fictious town set in Ventura County, which just so happens to be where I live. 

How long did it take you to write your book?

I had the idea years ago, but I’m actually a western romance writer (writing under my own name, Margaret Brownley), so no one was interested in letting me switch genres. The book might not have gotten written had it not been for a dark period in my life. My husband passed away at the same time Covid hit. I was very much alone because the lockdowns prevented me from seeing family or friends. The experience shifted my focus away from romance. Feeling at loose ends, I went through my files and found the notes I’d written years earlier. I was able to get it published by using a pen name.

What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

The most pivotal point in my writing life was when I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a writer despite failing eighth-grade English and being advised by my teacher not to even think of becoming a writer. It took a while to get to that point, but once the decision was made, I enrolled in creative writing classes, wrote magazine articles, and eventually published more than forty-six novels.

What kind of advice would you give up and coming authors?

My advice is to join a writing group, preferably in your genre. I belonged to two. I honestly don’t think I would have gotten published had it not been for my writing groups.  One was a local group which offered monthly meetings, critiques and. most importantly, support.

The other was a national group which offered writing contests, conferences, and even chances to meet with agents and editors. 

Jury Duty is Murder is available at Amazon.

🎤Interview with Caitlin Rother, Author of Body Parts #AuthorInterview

New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 15 books, ranging from narrative non-fiction crime to thrillers and memoir. Among her recent titles is an updated edition of BODY PARTS with 32 pages of new developments about the Wayne Adam Ford case, and DEATH ON OCEAN BOULEVARD, the story of the Rebecca Zahau death case. Coming out in June is DOWN TO THE BONE, about the McStay family murders, and in 2026, DOPAMINE FIX, the first in a two-book deal for a new crime fiction series with Thomas & Mercer. An award-winning investigative reporter for 19 years, Rother’s stories have been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The San Diego Union Tribune, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, and The Daily Beast. Her more than 250 TV, radio and podcast appearances include 20/20, People Magazine Investigates, Crime Watch Daily, Australia’s World News, and numerous shows on Netflix, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, HLN and REELZ. A popular public speaker, she also works as a writing-research coach-consultant and website designer. For fun, she binges on limited series, swims, and plays keyboards and sings in a jazzy bluesy trio called In the Lounge with her partner. Rother earned a bachelor’s in psychology from UC Berkeley and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. 

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ https://caitlinrother.com  

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/caitlinrother 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/caitlinrother/  

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/the_real_caitlin_rother 

BlueSky ➜ @caitlinrother.bsky.social 

 

Can you tell us what your book is about? 

Serial killer Wayne Adam Ford, a long-haul trucker, picked up troubled women in his truck, where he raped and killed four women during rough sex, dismembered two of them, then dumped their bodies into

the California Aqueduct and other bodies of water. This updated edition is a re-release of the book with 32 pages of new developments prompted by the ID of his first dismembered victim as Kerry Anne Cummings via genetic genealogy—25 years after she was murdered.  

Why did you write your book?

I wrote the original edition, which was released in 2009, because Ford is the only serial killer I’ve ever heard of who turned himself in so he wouldn’t be able to kill again. He made national news because he had his latest victim’s breast in his jacket pocket when he turned himself in at the Humboldt County sheriff’s station in Eureka, CA. Ford is also a complicated fascinating subject with many psychological problems and disorders, including sexual paraphilias, which are like fetishes x100. But he was also a decent guy at one time, a karaoke singer and school bus driver who joined the Marines as a teenager, and stopped on the freeway to help a car crash victim. While he had his hand against the victim’s neck to stop the bleeding, he was hit by a drunk driver and knocked 40 feet down an embankment, suffering a severe head injury that put him into the ICU for nine days. His family said his personality changed dramatically after that.

What kind of message is your book trying to tell your readers?

We don’t live in a black and white world, but a world of gray, where no one is all good or all bad. Mentally ill people are not evil, they are sick. Ford never got the mental health treatment he needed. Two of his victims didn’t get the mental health treatment they needed either, and unfortunately, as a result, they ended up dead. 

Is it hard to publish a book?

Always. Books are hard to write and they are also hard to get published. Some of my nonfiction books have taken 12 years to complete. Two of my novels have taken 17 years. Each. And yet, here I am still crazy enough to keep doing this. But that’s how I got 15 books published, with four more waiting to be published. Two of those four are already under contract, and I’m manifesting a second two-book contract for the next two, which are all part of the same fiction series. You just have to keep trying, rejections or not. Because if you give up, you will never get them published.

Have you suffered from writer’s block and what do you do to get back on track?

Go for a walk around the block and chew a couple of pieces of sugar-free bubble gum. 

I can’t come up with ideas or solve plot problems when I’m sitting still. I often come up with ideas when I’m swimming or in the shower, so apparently, being in the water helps too.

What do you like to do for fun?

I exercise, either walking or swimming, every day, and I also recently added weights to my routine to try to get stronger. I also play keyboards and sing in a jazzy, bluesy trio. Exercising and playing music are both extremely important to my mental and physical well being. I also watch a lot of movies and limited series, because my goal is to get a movie or TV series made based on one or more of my books. My other goal is to write the script myself.

What do you like the most about being an author?

I love having the freedom to write what I want to write about. I spent the first 19 years of my professional writing career as an investigative newspaper reporter, where I had to write what my editors told me to. I wrote a lot of throw-away stories that held little meaning to me. That evolved over time to where I was able to choose my topics and go deeper, but I could never write as long as I wanted to. Space was always an issue. So that’s why narrative non-fiction books are so great. They are long-form journalism and they allow me to dig deep and spend years, if necessary, researching a topic of my choosing. Lately, after many years of trying, I’ve become more successful at writing fiction, and thrillers in particular, so I’m doing more of that, which is much less stressful and way more fun. Although I still do research and conduct interviews, it’s far less intensive than nonfiction and I can write it much faster. And unlike nonfiction, where I don’t make up a single thing, with fiction I can go into my imagination and come up with all sorts of wild plots and characters. It’s great fun. Watch for my thrillers (Thomas & Mercer) in 2026!

What kind of advice would you give other true crime authors?

You can’t fake this stuff. You also can’t make it up. You need to do your research and learn your writing craft. To write narrative nonfiction, which reads like a novel but is all true, you must do way more research than you do for the newspaper or even a magazine so that your tone is authoritative. If you want to embellish, exaggerate or make up your characters, you should switch to fiction, but even there you still need to know your material, and if you don’t know it, you need to ask someone who does. The last thing you want is for a reader to catch you making a mistake because you didn’t ask the right questions or you thought you could just wing it when it comes to a myriad of issues from guns to SWAT protocols, criminal charges, Miranda readings, courtroom antics, and so so so much more.  

BODY PARTS is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Body-Parts-Serial-Killers-Compulsions/dp/0806543914.

🎤Interview with Michael Dow Author Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What Are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere #AuthorInterview

Michael Stephen Dow is married to Perla in Arizona and has 3 kids.  Michael was on a path to attend medical school and then the events of September 11, 2001 occurred.  Michael became angry at the terrorists and decided to join the US Air Force.  He went through Officer Training School and then graduated specialized Navigator training to become an Electronic Warfare Officer.  Michael deployed 6 times for the Global War on Terror between 2005 and 2009 with the EC-130H Compass Call mission.  Michael medically retired in 2010 and then became an US Army contractor serving Wounded Warriors and ensuring they received all of their entitled benefits for 8 years.  Michael always had a love for science and the human body so he then used his GI bill to go through nursing school and graduated in August 2020.  Michael now works as a Registered Nurse at an inpatient psychiatric hospital.  Michael’s education is as follows: B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 1999, B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2001, M.S. in Management from Troy University in 2010, Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2017, and M.S. from the University of Arizona in 2020 through its 15 month accelerated Masters Entry to the Profession of Nursing program.  Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC.  His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time).  Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face.  More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org.  Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises.  The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society.  With teamwork, inclusion, faith and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.nursedorothea.com

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095060389625

 

Can you tell us what your book is about? 

As the title suggests, it is about why coping skills work to help with stress and what some are that almost anyone can do.  We focus on healthy coping skills of course.  We want to empower the population to improve their mental well-being.

Why did you write your book?

It is time to remove the stigma associated with mental health and improve ourselves to live the best version of ourselves.  We believe people are very capable, adaptable, teachable, approachable, and can be motivated to do their best for their life.

What kind of message is your book trying to tell your readers?

Self-care is important and we should practice coping skills, which are healthy, often and daily.

Did anyone influence you to write your book?

I had friends encourage me over the years to put my psychiatric nurse experience to work in book form so that many others can benefit.

Is it hard to publish a YA nonfiction book?

Writing the Nurse Dorothea series is much harder for me than writing the Nurse Florence® series which is for kids ages 9-15.  The Nurse Dorothea series is meant for teenagers and young adults, but it appears it is beneficial to all ages.

Have you suffered from writer’s block and what do you do to get back on track?

No.  My small company does not have enough revenue for me to work full time as an author so I work 55+ hours a week as practicing nurse to pay for the series.  If I had more time to write, then I may experience writer’s block.  Now, I write every chance I can to keep the projects moving forward.

What would you do with an extra hour today if you could do anything you wanted?

Spend time with my wife.

Which holiday is your favorite and why?

Thanksgiving because it is important to look inside and discover the things you are truly grateful for.

If we were to meet for lunch to talk books, where would we go?

Starbucks

What do you like to do for fun?

Hiking

What do you like the most about being an author?

Creating something that has the potential to be evergreen and always applicable to all societies for every generation.

What kind of advice would you give other YA nonfiction authors?

Write, write, and then write some more.  Never give up.

Nurse Dorothea Presents Why Coping Skills Work and What Are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere is available at Lulu.

🎤Interview with P.K. Eden Author The Mirror #AuthorInterview

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

***

Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.

One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums. 

She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey. 

Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies. 

Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand,  that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.  

Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in  New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.

Social Networks for P.K. Eden:

Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/PKEdenAuthor 

Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/P.K.EdenAuthor

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.k.edenauthor/

 

Can you tell us what your book, The Mirror, is about? 

 

The Mirror is an urban fantasy involving the Artifacts from the fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm. This is the first book in a series of three each set on a different continent and involves a different artifact. in The Mirror, Snow White's mirror activates and shows a man getting into a cab at Penn Station, New

York. When the cab reaches the intersection, it is hit by a city truck and exploded into flames. The Mirror then shows the city in ruins. It is now up to the Primogen Sentinels to find the man and discover who wants him dead and why before the omen becomes reality.

 

Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?

 

The Primogen Sentinels are a secret group who have been protecting the artifacts in the fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm from being discovered for hundreds of years. 

The Sentinels are:

 

• Siene and Reed Dower, Europe, brother and sister, direct descendants of the Brothers Grimm and overseers of the Grimm Protectors,
  • Siene – adept at German engineering, dabbles in nuclear technology
  • Reed – weapons expert, likes fast cars and fast women

• Kai Soong, Asia, female, martial arts expert and electronics wizard

• Caleb Buru, Africa, male, tracker and runner

• Jon Two-Bear, North America, male, Shaman, attuned to the elements and nature

• Paz Santos, South America, female, large network of contacts who can get almost anything

• Quinnock E’ak, Antarctica, male, expert in survival techniques

• Jack Brumboo, Australia, MacGyver-like abilities to make something from nothing

The Primogens are opposed by Taltos, a splinter group of former Primogens who have gone roue and want to use the artifacts for person gain and world domination. They are led by Lucian Davalos, one time Prime and former lover of Siene Dower.

Dr. Ben Michaels, Primogen code name the Catalyst, is caught between fact and fantasy after Siene saves his life. With his science background cracking by the minute, he reluctantly agrees to follow her to find out why someone would want him dead. 

 

Your book is set in New York City and three continents. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?

 

I am very familiar with the city and go there often.  Also, with New York being one of the hubs of commerce, trade and science, it was only natural to start there. 

I chose to use three continents in the race for the artifacts to accent the fact that there is legend and folklore everywhere.

 

How long did it take you to write your book?

 

I write with a talented writing partner, Patt Mihailoff. Her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We both have a fascination with fantasy and wanted to write something different from all those out there already. So, with the back and forth and editing and reediting, it took us a little over a year and a half to get it to a point we could begin to search for a publisher. We are thrilled the Wild Rose Press liked our story as much as we did.

As an aside, P. K. Eden comes from the initials of our first name - P and K - with Eden coming from the plot of the first book we wrote together called Firebrand about the return of the Garden of Eden.  

 

What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

 

Besides meeting Patt, it was publishing my first book after 10 years of rejections.  That taught me to persevere and not give up on my dreams.

 

What kind of advice would you give up and coming authors?

 

I can only give them the best advice I ever got, and it was from my father. 

He asked if I knew the definition of failure. I gave him my thoughts on this, and he said no, that wasn't it. He told me failure was giving up right before you were going to succeed. 

 

So, keep on writing. You will succeed.

 

The Mirror is available at Amazon.

 

🎤Interview with Jean Hackensmith Author A Dream in the Wilderness #AuthorInterview

I have been writing since the age of twenty. (That’s 47 years and, yes, I’m disclosing my age.) I am the proud mother of three and grandmother to four wonderful grandchildren. After losing who I thought was the love of my life, my late husband Ron, in November of 2011, I met Rick. So, it is definitely possible to have more than one “love of your life.” Rick and I were married in July of 2018 and are still going strong today. He is my soulmate, my confidant, and my biggest fan. He has read every book I have ever written (even the romances!) 

Next to writing, my second passion is live theater. I founded a local community theater group back in 1992 and directed upwards of 40 shows, including three that I authored. I also appeared on stage a few times, portraying Anna in The King and I and Miss Hannigan in Annie. I am sad to say that the theater group dropped its final curtain in 2008, but those 16 years will always hold some of my fondest memories. 

I moved from Superior 15 years ago, seeking the serenity of country living. I also wanted to get away from the natural air conditioning provided by Lake Superior. We moved only 50 miles south, but the temperature can vary by 20-30 degrees. I guess I’m a country girl at heart. I simply love this area, and am lucky to, once again, have someone to share its beauty. I love the solitude, the picturesque beauty of the sun rising over the water, the strangely calming effect of watching a deer graze outside your kitchen window. Never again, will I live in the city. I am an author, after all, and what better place to be inspired than in God’s own backyard.

Let’s Connect!

Website: https://www.jeanhackensmith.com.

X: https://x.com/Author911 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/jean-hackensmith-61554012674412/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/32957713?ref=nav_mybooks 

Can you tell us what your book, A Dream in the Wilderness, is about? 

A Dream In the Wilderness -- Book One in The Wilderness Saga

Unable to find a teaching position in the flooded job market that is New York City, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Bentley accepts the position of nanny to Caleb Wachsmann’s three children after the farmer’s wife, parents, and infant son die in the Cholera epidemic of 1834. The twist? The job is in Superior, Wisconsin in the Michigan Territory, an unsettled wilderness located on the northwestern tip of Lake Superior.

Caleb is not looking for love; his heart will always belong to his beloved Annie. What he does need is a woman to watch after the children while he toils in the fields making a living for his family. Sarah turns out to be that woman. She raises his children with a gentle and loving hand and also helps Caleb to overcome an unbearable loss. As Wisconsin vies for statehood, the young couple will face challenge after challenge as they struggle to tame a wilderness that really doesn’t want to be tamed at all.  

Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?

Caleb Wachsmann is a widower with three young children who is determined that he will never love again. He is also a farmer. He quickly comes to the realization that he cannot work the fields and care for the children (not if he wants to be a good farmer and a good father.)

Sarah is kind, gentle, and she loves Caleb's children almost from the moment she meets them. One passion drives her, though. She wants to be a teacher, but the children have to come first and, as it turns out, so does Caleb. She never intended to fall in love, with the children or their father, but could not deny what was meant to be.

The main supporting characters are the three children, each with their own unique personalities and quirks, who miss their mother terribly and turn to Sarah to fill that role. Without a doubt, these three young souls will endear themselves to the reader, who will watch them grow as The Wilderness Saga progresses.

Your book is set in Superior, Wisconsin. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?

I grew up in Superior and have always wanted to write a series of books based on its rich history. In fact, my co-author, Kathe Birch, and I did start another series set in Superior years ago called the Gitche Gumee Saga, but when Kathe passed away after the fourth book was finished, I could not bring myself to continue without her. So, twenty years later, The Wilderness Saga was born. Superior is located on the northwestern tip of Lake Superior and shares one of the largest shipping ports on Lake Superior with Duluth, MN. As mentioned earlier, the area is alive with history, including the feud between Superior and Duluth over the Duluth entry to the harbor, which I should get to in Book Five of the saga. Later, battleships were built at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, then dismantled and shipped via the St. Lawrence Seaway and reassembled on the east coast for use in WWll. Like I said, LOTS of history.

How long did it take you to write your book?

About two months, which tends to be typical of late with this series.

What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

Actually, it came earlier in 2024 when I released "The Promise." For a reason I cannot fathom, that book in particular put me on the map. To date, it has sold over 20,000 copies and, for the first time in my writing career, I am able to make a decent living as an author. Before, I always had to supplement my writing income with a standard job. Not anymore, and it's looking like "A Dream In The Wilderness" will follow suit. I think I've found my niche.

What kind of advice would you give up and coming authors?

Don't give up. I've been at this for over thirty years, and am just now coming into my own. Just keep writing and improving your craft and one day there will be that one certain book that will open the door for you, too.

 A Dream in the Wilderness is available at https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Wilderness-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B0DJS19HMH.