Featured Interview With Chadwick Wall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in New Orleans and its suburbs, and have lived in so many states, even in another country–but for the last seven years I’ve resided in Austin, Texas. I’ve written for various publications–for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Sewanee Purple, the Riverside Reader, the Baton Rouge Advocate, and most recently Austin.com. But I fell into my groove when I returned to writing fiction–I’ve published two novels, Water Lessons and The Second Cortez.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother taught me to read at age four, and I believe she helped instill in me a love for language, books, and the written word. She would teach me to read at home, and one day when she was driving me through Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, she was shocked to hear me read off a sign that we passed: “Danger, High Voltage”. Then a year later, when I was five, I realized I wanted to be a writer. Since then, I’ve felt that I HAD to write, that there was no other way. Age five is when I started to write creatively.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
It’s hard to name only a few. Walker Percy–who I knew briefly as a boy (see my website for the blog piece). Fyodor Dostoevsky, James Joyce, William Faulkner, Papa Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Herman Hesse, Eudora Welty, Philip Roth, Virginia Woolf, Albert Camus, William Butler Yeats, Marcel Proust, Cormac McCarthy. Shakespeare and Cervantes. There are many others. So many writers I have not named here also inspire my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Second Cortez is my second and latest novel, published in June 2018. Originally, I wanted to depict the experiences and struggles of a desperate man who crosses into the United States illegally, but in this particular case that man is a young but esteemed professor-turned-fugitive. Years spent living in the Southwest and a decades-long interest in Mexico and the American West also helped inspire the novel. This is one of those novels that began with both a character and a situation, in the author’s head. I spent five months writing the first draft. Then about a year and a half working with two different professional editors: a widely-known developmental editor and a copyeditor/proofreader. The novel went through five drafts, and the ending alone changed three times. I also spent considerable time and money researching for The Second Cortez. It was all so worth it, and thoroughly enjoyable.

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Chadwick Wall’s Website

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Featured Interview With Chadwick Wall

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in New Orleans and its suburbs, and have lived in so many states, even in another country–but for the last seven years I’ve resided in Austin, Texas. I’ve written for various publications–for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Sewanee Purple, the Riverside Reader, the Baton Rouge Advocate, and most recently Austin.com. But I fell into my groove when I returned to writing fiction–I’ve published two novels, Water Lessons and The Second Cortez.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My mother taught me to read at age four, and I believe she helped instill in me a love for language, books, and the written word. She would teach me to read at home, and one day when she was driving me through Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, she was shocked to hear me read off a sign that we passed: “Danger, High Voltage”. Then a year later, when I was five, I realized I wanted to be a writer. Since then, I’ve felt that I HAD to write, that there was no other way. Age five is when I started to write creatively.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
It’s hard to name only a few. Walker Percy–who I knew briefly as a boy (see my website for the blog piece). Fyodor Dostoevsky, James Joyce, William Faulkner, Papa Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Herman Hesse, Eudora Welty, Philip Roth, Virginia Woolf, Albert Camus, William Butler Yeats, Marcel Proust, Cormac McCarthy. Shakespeare and Cervantes. There are many others. So many writers I have not named here also inspire my writing.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Second Cortez is my second and latest novel, published in June 2018. Originally, I wanted to depict the experiences and struggles of a desperate man who crosses into the United States illegally, but in this particular case that man is a young but esteemed professor-turned-fugitive. Years spent living in the Southwest and a decades-long interest in Mexico and the American West also helped inspire the novel. This is one of those novels that began with both a character and a situation, in the author’s head. I spent five months writing the first draft. Then about a year and a half working with two different professional editors: a widely-known developmental editor and a copyeditor/proofreader. The novel went through five drafts, and the ending alone changed three times. I also spent considerable time and money researching for The Second Cortez. It was all so worth it, and thoroughly enjoyable.

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Chadwick Wall’s Website

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Featured Interview With Warren Brown

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I live in London in the United Kingdom. I grew up in India. I am of Anglo-Indian (Eurasian) or mixed-race origin.
I have written over thirty books on fiction, poetry, internet marketing and recipes.
I am also a Life Coach, Copywriter, Hypnotherapist, Affiliate Marketer,poet and artist.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was always fascinated with reading books and writing, as my father is also an author. I started writing and publishing ten years ago.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The authors who have influenced me are James Patterson, Frederick Forsyth, Anthony Horowitz, L J Ross, Joy Ellis. The books which I enjoyed reading are Great Expectations, Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes and “To Kill A Mockingbird.”
I enjoy reading suspense, mysteries and thrillers.
I have been inspired by my father Melvyn Brown and great writers like Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and James Patterson.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is “Impostor Assassin”. I was inspired to write this book due to my love for writing and independent publishing. “Impostor Assassin” is a novel which is about one man’s struggle
to save independent authors and publishing in a world controlled by one evil corporation.

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Warren Brown’s Website

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Featured Interview With J.S. Sterling

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised on the east coast of Florida where we could watch Space Shuttles lift off from our front porch. I moved to Tampa for college at the University of South Florida. Now I live in the much less chaotic city across the bay, St. Petersburg with my wife and daughter. I taught middle school English here before becoming a professional writer and I always keep those advanced, inquisitive kids in mind while I’m coming up with new stories.
Our pug, Frank, should have received a co-author credit on Grail of the Grimoire. He was snoring right next to me while I wrote at least 75 percent of that book.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My parents said I was reading beer cans and car logos by the age of 2. In fourth grade I read Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities to impress my teacher. That year I also came in second in the class’s writing contest. As far as I know, the kid who beat me doesn’t have a book out so I guess I’m winning now.
I started taking writing seriously in college, really because I wasn’t very good at anything else. My freshman Creative Writing professor did a lot to encourage me to continue. It still took another 10 years or so for me to have the confidence to finish an entire novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I read a lot of YA, obviously, but more contemporary than fantasy. I like to have my own ideas while I’m working on a project rather than risk cross-pollination with another story. I also read a lot of non-fiction, including history and biography. My favorites right now include Erik Larsen, Neal Shusterman, Christopher Moore, and I really enjoyed Matt Haig’s latest novel. I’m also looking forward to Hank Green’s new debut.
The British novelist Nick Hornby convinced me that you don’t have to write high-minded literature to have your stories mean things to people. John Green convinced me that there was a place for men in YA literature. My daughter inspires me by trying to keep her attention span with my stories for longer than two minutes.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Grail of the Grimoire takes Christian biblical legend and applies it to one of the most chaotic and important periods of Western culture, the Third Crusade. What if all of the myths and stories we know by heart were actually true, and that that sort of magic still exists around us?
Cassandra knows that she is capable of some strange things, but is scared to explore her powers beyond easy tricks to hustle dice games. It turns out she’s capable of so much more, but it takes her being kidnapped to find her true place in the world and just how important she is.
Grail of the Grimoire came from a thought I had while my daughter and I were finishing up the Harry Potter series. I wondered why the magical and Muggle worlds didn’t rely on each other more, considering they had so much to gain from each other. The story obviously took a lot of turns along the way, especially in deciding that it should be historical fantasy and what time period in which it should be set, but that was the original nugget.
The first draft took about four months to complete, but it took another four months or so of rewrites to get it where it made sense. Through that it changed tense and point-of-view about five times, major characters had racial and religious identity crises, and the romance element was amplified a bit. Thankfully only my wife knows how bad those early attempts were.

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Featured Interview With SJ Wilke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a world travel, currently resting in the Appalachian mountains in West Virginia. I’ve lived in a number of places through out the United States, but originated from Nebraska. I have three cats, purebred Bengals, who keep me entertained. I like to hike the trails or ride my bike. I have an overactive imagination and I have the problem of too many ideas for books and not enough time. I’ve never had a case of writer’s block.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I’ve been a daydreamer my whole life. It wasn’t until 2010 that I decided to be a little more serious and worked on the first novel in The Spotted series. I write every day. My first few books took a year to write. Now I can write a book in a month or two, but edit and refining the work takes a little longer.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like the magic, mystical, and fun of the Harry Potter books. But I also like the cozy murder mystery. I can’t say who has inspired me more other than editors and mentors who have helped push me towards being a better writer and offering me the criticism that people are scared to give.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is Bantering With A Gun. This is a sequel to Bantering With Murder. Both are murder/mystery/thrillers. Banter is a gun-for-hire, who falls for a police detective. So we get a little romance between two people on different sides of the law. The new book has them teamed together, battling crime, handling parenting issues, and fixing bullet holes in the front door. Banter is a strong female character and one to recon with. She loves to strap a gun to her back, can pick a lock, pick someones pocket, and borrow cars (although the police call it stealing, but she always brings them back). The only thing she can’t do is make dinner for four people. Banter is such a fun character. Both books only took two months to write and about two months of editing and beta reading. I have a couple of educated readers who critique me.

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SJ Wilke’s Website

Featured Interview With Brett Currah

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised primarily in Red Deer, Alberta, but I also lived for seven years I Calgary, Alberta and was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. I am currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada with my wife and two pets Arwen and Cece.

I originally got into fantasy writing in kind of an odd way. I was never really that into reading in my earliest days. It was hard for me to say the least. The most exposure I got to reading was from my mother who read to me. My biggest exposure to fantasy was the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. To this day it is still one of my favorite games and yes I do own an ocarina. Besides that my other exposure to fantasy was the Harry Potter book series which I had my mother read to me when I was young and I continued to read when I got older.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I first got into writing when I was about eight years old. I was in grade two at the time and despite my limited reading ability my teacher discovered that I had quite the knack for writing during our creative writing assignment. From there the fires of passion were lit and I continued to write despite not being very good at the English language and having a constant frustration with reading. It was also that teacher who made me more confident in my reading abilities which allowed to read on my own. It would still be a while before I started reading regularity. I read casually in high school, but started seriously reading in college where I took every single class available to a Canadian history major.

I would never call my reading a fascination with reading, but I do have a fascination with the structure and what makes up a well written story. I also have a deep fascination with history which is why I take a great deal of care and time to put so much history into what I write and the setting that I am writing in.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Hands down my favorite authors are C. S. Lewis and Alexandre Dumas. Of course I can’t discredit authors like Stephen King with his fascinating stories that are just so well put together they are hard to put down.

While each of these writers inspire me to write, by far my biggest inspiration is life itself. I love, love, love to explore the world around me. One of my favorite past times is hiking. I think that is why so many of my works have these vast landscapes ready to be explored with the mind. I guess it isn’t so much a who inspires me, but a what that inspires me. With out my love for the rich history and the world around me I would never have the stories I do.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book, Under A Crimson Sky, is set primarily in the lands of Alriche which is an island content off the coast of the Elflands. Of course the elves have a name for their lands that is richer in meaning, but humans never bothered to learn it and just took to calling it the Elflands. Humanity is split into tow man groups. Average man and the Theocracy of wizards which control the northern isles. While neither like the other very much the somehow peacefully coexist. The only problem is the wizards have grown lazy in their vigilante watch over all the evil, twisted things in the world.

The one item in question is so evil and so disgusting in the world that it survives only in a single rare text and in the most obscure lore. This magical gemstone is so vilified that it doesn’t even have a name, but it is sought out by a name named Lord Rihm for him to gain magical abilities. The only problem is he doesn’t realize that this magic rock that he is looking for has a mind of its own and is set on regaining its own kingdom.

Dag, Kor-Voda, Gotrrak and Oremothe set out to combat this wicked Lord Rihm and the stone that takes over his mind. They don’t know if they can do it though. The rest of the world is squabbling and is so intent of seeing out its own interests that they are left to combat this foe on their own. Dag in particular struggles the most on their quest since he feels responsible for Lord Rihm finding the stone. Indeed it was Dag who had the soul rare text that led him to it, but in his defense he did not know the motives behind Lord Rihm until it was too late. If it were not for his friends, especially Kor-Voda even I do not think that he would have been able to redeem himself and go after Lord Rihm. It is a story about magic and war, but it is also a story about the bonds between these four travelers and how they keep each other going in the face of darkness.

Under A Crimson Sky took me four years to write. From the time I was eighteen to the age of twenty-four I worked on this project. It went through a number of changes. So many that I don’t even remember all of them. History changed in the world. How Lord Rihm came about the stone change. Its name change, how they defeated the darkness changed. Even some of the names of the characters changed. One thing that stayed constant was Dag and his friends Kor-Voda, Gottrak and Oremothe. They were the one constant just as my friends were the one constant through the unstable years of my early adult life. All I know is that I am happy with the finished product. The culture of Alriche is finally set in stone and will continue to grow and flourish as time goes on. By far I think that is one of the strongest parts of this story. This lore and history of Alriche and the wizards keeps me coming back to my first creation and reminding me off all the good and bad times we had together.

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Brett Currah’s Website

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Featured Interview With Joseph Strickland

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Well, I was born and raised on the West Side of Chicago. I grew up in a family of ten, including myself, eight brothers and one sister. As a kid, I always loved drawing, comic books, and movies, especially the classics that starred legends like Humphrey Bogart and Orson Welles. Also, I loved watching films by Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, and many others of their visionary ilk. I currently live in Chicago with my wife Cat Ellington, our three children, and our pet Pomeranian.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books began when I was nine. I started writing at the age of 12. And my writings included everything from short stories to comic books.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As far as books are concerned, my list of favorites is endless, but I’ll be brief. Books by Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, James Baldwin, Ursula Le Guin, Anne Rice, Carl Hiaasen, and Elmore Leonard are only a few of my most loved to read. My favorite literary genres include: mystery and suspense, thrillers, horror, crime capers, and history. As an author, I am most inspired by those works of Stephen King, James Baldwin, and Tom Wolfe.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style, a book that I co-authored with theater critic and writer B.J. Patterson and Reviews by Cat Ellington author Cat Ellington, was inspired by the motion picture Dual Mania, a psychological suspense thriller that I wrote, produced, and directed. The story came into being while I was watching the Jeffrey Dahmer trial on cable TV in 1992. This book takes the reader on a personal journey through the process of making an independent feature film on a low budget, and details the creative process of interacting with other creative artists from actors to film production crew members to Hollywood producers to behind the scenes battles with film distributors, etc.

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Joseph Strickland Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Nate Nasralla

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Among the most important things about me are my loves for peanut butter toast and cracking up at my own jokes. And, of course, my love for wife, Erin, and our adorable Chocolate Lab, Belle.

We’re all fortunate enough to live in Denver, Colorado.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was in 3rd grade, I got my hands on a copy of the book “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen. I quickly discovered my love for books when I stayed up all night, reading it cover-to-cover by flashlight – even though my teacher, Mrs. Berry, had only assigned our class the first chapter.

Fast forward a number of years, I began writing after moving cities, getting married, selling my company, and cycling through a rapid series of major life changes. Life was speeding up for me, and candidly, I was too proud to admit that I needed therapy to help me process all of the change.

While I lived through an extraordinary series of events, I began writing as a way of finding more meaning in the everyday, routine moments of my life — and to help others do the same.

That’s the very theme of my lastest book, “Living Forward, Looking Backward.” Through it, I help others understand the greater purpose behind their own life’s ordinary days.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read anything by Donald Miller or Bob Goff. I really appreciate how they’re able to blend the Christian narrative with the art of storytelling. They also fall into my favorite genre – memoir. I suppose I have a bit of a bias because that’s the genre I fall into, but I’ve found I really enjoy reading about life events, and how they shape us.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Well, if we’re being honest, we’ll admit our days are filled with normal routines, like eating cereal and sitting in traffic. We often wonder, “is this it?”

But do we really have to quit our jobs and travel the world to find a fulfilling, purposeful life? Is it possible to find significance in our daily routines, right here and now?

After experiencing a rapid series of major life changes within a single year, I stumbled upon a reality that’s shared by us all: there’s profound meaning in our ordinary, everyday moments, but we can’t see it.

Through painfully-honest storytelling and candid conversation, I share how years of mistakes and missteps uncovered a simple framework that reveals the greater purpose behind our everyday lives, and why the answers to life’s deep questions are often backward from what we expect.

I cover all of this and more in my latest book, “Living Forward, Looking Backward.”

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Featured Interview With M. Gail Grant

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Hello! Thank you for speaking with me today. I am thrilled to be joining you. I was born in West Virginia and spent my young childhood years there. When I was thirteen my family moved to the greater Atlanta, Georgia area where I attended middle school, high school, and college. After marriage, I moved to Akron, Ohio for a few years and most recently spent the past ten years in California. Half of that time was in the San Francisco Bay area and the other half was in the San Diego area. A little over a year ago I returned home to north Georgia.

I do have pets! I have two small dogs that are precious to me. My oldest (age 4.5 years) is a maltipoo named Cali. She was a gift from my father and we adore her. My youngest (age 2.5 years) is a chihuahua mix we rescued in San Diego. We named her Chloe. They both LOVE to bark at everything, that includes the wind. It makes life interesting sometimes as I will be writing a scary section of my book, you know, I will be completely submerged in the storyline. Suddenly, they will bark and scare me so bad I can feel my heart-beat coming through my chest. I have to laugh as it keeps things very real.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Some of my oldest memories are going to the library with my mother in the summer and checking out Nancy Drew books. I LOVED them, so much so that I believe I read the entire series. That is where it all began, my love of books. I even remember the ambiance and feeling that would overcome me just walking into the library and being surround by shelves upon shelves of children’s books. The smell of a paperback or hard cover book stuck with me.

I remember vividly middle school summers. I would stay up all hours of the night reading because I just couldn’t put the book down. During my 7th grade year, I was selected to attend a young writer’s camp over the summer. I remember it was called camp SAGA. It was hands down one of the best moments of my life.

I didn’t start writing until about a year ago. My youngest daughter has a love of books and is truly my mini me. We often talk about the books she is currently reading and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to write a book for her. So, I gathered as much information as I could and sat down to write book #1 of the Magdalena Gottschalk series. Those middle school grade years were so influential to me in regards to developing my love of writing, I chose to write my first book series for that age group.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Some of my favorite authors to read are J.D. Robb, Nelson DeMille, and Dan Brown. I tend to be one of those “series” readers. If I pick up a book by an author and like the book, I want to read the entire series. I am currently waiting on Nelson DeMille to come out with the next book in the John Corey series. Radiant Angel came out in 2015 and I am anxiously awaiting the next book!

My inspiration in my writings are my children. I have three girls ages 20, 17, and 10. Two of the three girls have always loved reading. My oldest and youngest read the Harry Potter series beginning to end several times. So, as a family we have a love for magic, the unknown, and the enchanted. The series I have begun combines all of those things in a world where teamwork, friendship, and faith come together in a story full of survival action and adventure.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My most recent book is book #2 of the series titled Magdalena Gottschalk: The Slippery Slope. This was a really fun book to write. It takes place during the holiday season, about a week before Christmas. Magdalena and her friends, also known as MALB (The Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke), decide to go camping under the stars and do all the fun things that go along with that like roasting smores, swinging on a tire swing, and spooky stories by the campfire.

Magdalena happens to awaken, hearing noises that at first she couldn’t identify. Within moments, she knew the awful sound ringing in her ears was that of the demons’ gatekeepers, the werewolves. Not wanting to bring any harm to her friends, Magdalena sneaks off into the woods to deal with the problem on her own. Little did she know, a trip down the slippery slope would land her into the basement cellar of a haunted mansion with lots of surprises around every corner. The rest of MALB discovers their friend missing and off to the rescue they go. Still shaken from their first adventure, they weren’t quite ready to learn the demons they successfully defeated in book #1 had left a little surprise.

This book took me about three months to write as the storyline picks up at the conclusion of book #1. The first book, Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail, has a good bit of background information for the series, making the book longer than book #2 which allowed me to jump right into the action and adventure. Book #3 is in production and expected to go to print late fall this year.

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M. Gail Grant Twitter Account

Featured Interview With Jared Heldt

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Raised in the pacific northwest, I’m fairly introverted, I do like to go out some. Growing up I did martial arts for about 8 years. I got into philosophy and spirituality when I was in high school. I’m also a big tech guy as well, always had generally a console and a pc. I used to work as a prep cook and cook but it was a stressful occupation. I’ve been dealing with health issues since I was 21 and going on 30 now, I try to bring more awareness to these health problems as well.

I have 4 dogs, some chickens and goats.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think early on, I know when I was a teenager I was big into science fiction, fantasy but also manga as well. I started to read Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time series and the Ender series as well. There were other books I got into as well, like the writing of Bruce Lee but also books on buddhism and martial arts as well.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favorite authors would have to be Timothy Ferriss, Neil Strauss, Paulo Coelho, Teal Swan, Dave Asprey, George R.R. Martin and those are the ones I can remember. I started out with fantasy and science fiction but I also like to read books on self-development, business, spirituality, and philosophy.

Timothy Ferriss but also Paulo Coelho have been big influences, both “The Alchemist” and “Four Hour Work Week” not only changed my life but my perspective and so much more.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Psynautical is a book which is a collection of past articles, blog posts mixed in with some new content and some resources as well.

I felt like I had enough material to do a small, fairly inexpensive ebook that I could expand on over time and follow up on. It covers biohacking, martial arts, self development, business and some other topics as well.

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Jared Heldt’s Website

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Featured Interview With Penelope Morcillo

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
MEDIA Q&A
SHAKE BEFORE USE: A Basic Guide for How Life Works By Penelope Morcillo
Q: Share with us a little bit about why you wrote this book. How did you come up with the idea for it?
One morning about three years ago, I woke with this revelation that a big part of my life’s purpose was to help others. I had just overcome some significant challenges in my life and had really found life-changing happiness through my personal journey. I had sought understanding about why I felt so stuck and lost in life, and then discovered how to change that all that for the better. I truly had transformed myself from the inside out, and that particular morning I woke up, I realized I could help others do the same. It was like this overwhelming sense of urgency hit me, and I needed to proactively do something about it – in a tangible way!
So, my first goal was to write this book. It felt like the responsible thing to do in order to pass onto others all the insight and practical exercises I had collected throughout the years. I wanted to pay it forward. I knew there were a ton of people who were not living but really just existing. They were suffering, like how I was, and I felt compelled to help in some way.
That morning, I decided to make it my mission to help others in life learn how to evolve. If I can enlighten or empower any child or adult through this mission, then all my hard work is worth it. So, here we are.

Q: It sounds like this book can appeal to people of all different ages. Are there specific life stages that it primarily targets?

A: I wrote this book for all different types of audiences, I wanted it to be a guide for adults – especially women. But It’s also for families to review with their teenagers together because it’s never too
late or too early to learn and grow ourselves in all aspects (mind, body and soul). This book is especially ideal for anybody who is not happy with their current life and is looking for a way to improve it themselves.
I would also love for parents to read it so that they can be sure to instill in their children life development tools and to give them the freedom and the encouragement to create their own paths in life and be who God designed their children to be.
Q: I’m sure there’s been people along the way who have inspired you to dive deep into researching and exploring this topic of enlightenment and how we can all empower ourselves by becoming more conscious about not only what’s within us but also around us. Who has been your sources of inspiration?
A: Yes, there are many, many leaders whose life stories have inspired me! But, one of the most important ones for me was Nelson Mandela. Studying everything about his full life experiences—the what, why, how and what for—provided such valuable learning for me. I am reminded of how Mandela, after his father died, was placed in the care of a Regent who became his guardian. He and his wife educated Mandela just like they did with their own children, just as the son of a king. What an example he was for empowerment, life reflection, personal integrity…and his ability to confront and overcome any obstacle in his life, including nearly 30 years in jail!
Also, reflecting on my own experiences growing up has inspired me to explore that connection between how we think and feel, and what we do. Of course, back then, I could not understand or even recognize even 25% of what I know today. But, I’ve learned throughout the years how to look back and reexamine that time in my life and reflect on those experiences, and that has been so gratifying! When I started learning about life through the lens of a pyramidal-exponential approach, I recognized more and more the beauty and power of creating the life you always wanted to have. It’s very possible!
Q: Why do you feel this book is so needed right now?
A: Our current educational system typically does not teach us how to develop life skills and overcome challenges (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual). And so, many of us just don’t have the insight, tools or even the support to improve our lives, even though we want to. Having met so many people who are going through life feeling hurt or numb or hopeless, I simply just wanted to give them hope. Light. There IS a way to create a more meaningful life. I found it, and I wanted to share it.
Q: What was one of your challenges in writing this?

A: I’m sure you can agree with me, writing a book is no easy task! Especially if you’ve never done it before! But, I was determined—even obsessed—to teach myself how to write a book so I could effectively communicate all the things I had learned in a way people could absorb that insight and then create happiness for themselves.
I knew they could relate with my story, so I wanted to tell it as simply and authentically as possible in the hopes they could recognize areas of strengths and weaknesses in their own lives and then work to leverage or change that. I really relied on collecting insights from my experiences, observations and analysis, and then essentially wrote about them from the heart and in the most organic way I could.
Q: What are some key points that your readers will takeaway from this book? And, what is your hope they’ll be able to feel or do after reading it?
A: Some key takeaways are:
Life is not in black and white; therefore, if you live in absolutes, you will only set yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Learn to look at your experiences, situations and relationships from a more holistic—mind, body and soul–approach.
Also, some of us are stuck in the hole of fear; my book will guide you on how to overcome fear and climb your way out towards the light.
Additionally, a lot of us either are really good at playing the ‘victim role’ or know those who do it, and I believe that prohibits us from moving forward in life. In my book, I show the influence of intrinsic motivation that can shift a person from ‘powerless victim’ to ‘empowered leader.’
I hope that readers will implement the concepts, use them and reflect on them. Also, they need to practice the techniques I present in the book. Creating habits takes time, effort and constant practice.
Q: Anything you’ve learned about yourself as you’ve gone through this writing and publishing process?
A: You just have to commit to do it and then persevere until it’s done. Once you know it is good enough, then publish it. Do not hesitate. Don’t wait for it to be perfect. You can always have a second or third version later on. As life continues to evolve, so do we. This means that my current book highlights many of the experiences I lived and things I discovered, but I know in a year from now, I’ll be exploring new concepts and increasing my knowledge base. So, I might need to write a sequel book ;-).
Q: What’s next for you in terms of sharing your story and promoting this book?
A: I created my own Publishing House called the Royal Hispania Group in order to help others on a mass scale. I want to eventually publish content in the form of children stories so young people can better understand concepts such as manipulation. “I’ve developed some fun educational techniques that

simplify complex life topics and engage children in ways they better understand who they are and their own self-development. I test it all the time with my nephews and other kids, and I’ve found they learn these concepts really fast that way.
This book is just the beginning. Additionally, I will be hosting seminars and other events as part of my learning platform.
Q: How can we buy your book?
A: You can order it from Amazon. Just do a search in this site and write my name and surname, and it will appear (Penelope Morcillo). To make it easier, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1732640807?pf_rd_p=d1f45e03-8b73-4c9a-9beb- 4819111bef9a&pf_rd_r=QH74M0EWCQ2NXC1VCAPK . You can also visit my personal website www.penelopemorcillo.com or the publishing website at www.royalhispania.com for more information.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Q: What is the underlying theme of the book?
A: One of the most powerful themes in my book is that of empowerment. I’ve found that if people feel they cannot change something, then they feel powerless and hopeless. I want them to know that change IS possible – and it’s in their control. They might not be able to change their circumstance, but they can change how they view and react to that situation. Knowing that YOU can change your own behaviors, independent of anybody else, is empowering. And then having the tools to actually change it is even more rewarding.
Another theme is the concept of consciousness. We’re primarily taught to not think for ourselves but instead required to blindly follow rules, standards and expectations that have been set forth before us. But, as discussed in detail throughout my book, when you increase your consciousness—and begin to recognize or acknowledge your thoughts, feelings, emotions, triggers, experiences—you can then see the patterns and responses you want to change. You cannot change what you cannot see. My book points out everything you should be looking for and reflecting on so that you can get better at discerning and responding in healthier ways.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Q: I’m sure there’s been people along the way who have inspired you to dive deep into researching and exploring this topic of enlightenment and how we can all empower ourselves by becoming more conscious about not only what’s within us but also around us. Who has been your sources of inspiration?
A: Yes, there are many, many leaders whose life stories have inspired me! But, one of the most important ones for me was Nelson Mandela. Studying everything about his full life experiences—the what, why, how and what for—provided such valuable learning for me. I am reminded of how Mandela, after his father died, was placed in the care of a Regent who became his guardian. He and his wife educated Mandela just like they did with their own children, just as the son of a king. What an example he was for empowerment, life reflection, personal integrity…and his ability to confront and overcome any obstacle in his life, including nearly 30 years in jail!
Also, reflecting on my own experiences growing up has inspired me to explore that connection between how we think and feel, and what we do. Of course, back then, I could not understand or even recognize even 25% of what I know today. But, I’ve learned throughout the years how to look back and reexamine that time in my life and reflect on those experiences, and that has been so gratifying! When I started learning about life through the lens of a pyramidal-exponential approach, I recognized more and more the beauty and power of creating the life you always wanted to have. It’s very possible

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Q: What are some key points that your readers will takeaway from this book? And, what is your hope they’ll be able to feel or do after reading it?
A: Some key takeaways are:
Life is not in black and white; therefore, if you live in absolutes, you will only set yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Learn to look at your experiences, situations and relationships from a more holistic—mind, body and soul–approach.
Also, some of us are stuck in the hole of fear; my book will guide you on how to overcome fear and climb your way out towards the light.
Additionally, a lot of us either are really good at playing the ‘victim role’ or know those who do it, and I believe that prohibits us from moving forward in life. In my book, I show the influence of intrinsic motivation that can shift a person from ‘powerless victim’ to ‘empowered leader.’
I hope that readers will implement the concepts, use them and reflect on them. Also, they need to practice the techniques I present in the book. Creating habits takes time, effort and constant practice.

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Penelope Morcillo’s Website

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Featured Interview With Bryan Alaspa

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am born and bred in Chicago and I still live in the Chicago area. My wife and I have three dogs!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Early on. I was reading from an early age and always a little ahead of my class. I wrote my first short story in third grade on my mom’s electric typewriter. As for novels, I wrote my first one my senior year in high school.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Stephen King is at the top. Paul Tremblay, Ronald Malfi, Josh Malerman, Patrick Greene, Iain Rob Wright, Ian Woodhead, Joe Hill.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a collection of short horror stories and one novella called When the Night Comes Out. The book will be published October 23, 2018,right before Halloween. I published them individually as ebook-only and now have collected them into one place and am releasing them in print and as audiobooks, too. I think it’s some of my scariest stuff.

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Featured Interview With Henry Pelifian

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Grew up in upstate New York on the Canadian border near the St. Lawrence River. Live in Western Nevada among the Sierra Nevada Mountains bordering California. No pets at this time, though I have looked at dogs the Humane Society for the last year which I am not interested because the majority (90%) are pit-bull mix and the rest a tiny lap dogs.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Around 16 and throughout high school I was interested in literature and started reading Hemingway, Melville, Thoreau, Chekhov and many others including Faulkner who was difficult to read initially. I really liked and read American playwrights like Arthur Miller, Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams who are among our greatest writers. I was especially taken by Melville’s Typee in high school, which is a great book based on his experience in the Marquesas Islands.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like de Maupasant, Somerset Maugham, Tolstoy and Thoreau. I like fiction and biography. I guess Henry David Thoreau is a great example for writers because he likes to the essence of life, though, of course, he wrote non-fiction, yet he encompasses the full range of the world we live in. A great story teller is Elmore Leonard, especially in his novel, Hombre which is superb.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The most recent book has had many ups and downs trying to get it down because it is a work inhabited by people who are the least admirable and even despicable. How do you write about such people and remain true to the story without sentimentality and falsehood? I guess I am saying how do you write a book about such people who appear normal, yet in the environment they control to some extent interacting with others it becomes maddening but that is the challenge.

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Featured Interview With R.A. Gregory

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
So, you want to know all about me, eh? Well, pull up a stool, buy me a drink and I’ll spill all of my deepest, darkest secrets before the night is out. No, not really, it’ll take a lot more than alcohol to peel back the layers of that particular onion. So, you’ll have to make do with the edited truth instead. Born and raised in Bristol, England, I fled the shores of my homeland for those of New Zealand back when I was only a pup. Since then, I’ve split my time between my adopted home country and S.E. Asia, working as an animal welfare expert and more recently an author. I’m also the real dad of a boisterous five-year-old and the adopted dad of a ‘stretched’ Jack Russell, who sleeps behind my chair and makes sure that I keep writing and not goofing off too much.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been reading and loving it, ever since I can remember. I was fortunate to have an Uncle who was an English teacher, so I got lots of exposure to books, not to mention creative writing exercises (including during my summer vacations!) as a child. I remember devouring everything I could read in the local library, as well as going out to buy books with my pocket money at every opportunity. I was so innocently geeky back then, it was adorable!

In terms of writing, it’s hard to put a precise date on when I first began. I did lots of small, creative pieces as a child, but the first ‘proper’ story I wrote was really when I was about 15. It was called ‘The Bunker’ and got an A grade. I’ve still got it and might publish it one day. My grown-up career began in 2007, with a short story called ‘Death and the Schoolboy’, which got shelved until 2017, when it formed the first part of the ‘DATS’ Trilogy. Since then, I haven’t stopped writing!

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a massive fan of the late Terry Pratchett and am gutted that there probably won’t be any new Discworld novels. I’m also a big fan of Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Tom Sharpe and George MacDonald Fraser. In fact, reading that, I’ve just realised that most of the people I like are dead. I must find some new (and preferably living) people to read! As far as genres are concerned, then I have to admit that it’s probably fantasy, sci-fi and humour that I enjoy the most, although if someone gives me a good novel from another area then, chances are, that I will give it a go and probably enjoy it at the same time. I’m a bit of a book omnivore, to be honest, but more the type that snuffles around the lower shelves, looking for the book equivalent of truffles, than flitting lightly among the higher shelves of the canopy.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest published book is called ‘Drynwideon, The Sword of Destiny – Yeah, Right’. It’s a very light-hearted poke at the fantasy genre from someone who loves it dearly. Starting with a sarcastic, self-centred anti-hero, who flees from his cannibalistic village in search of paradise, it’s the kind of book in which nothing quite works out the way that you or the characters expect. It’s a bit like real life in that respect, although as far as I know, the real world isn’t populated by claustrophobic-agoraphobic dwarfs, psychotic half-fairies and ancient, chemically assisted barbarians with Farting Phoenixes!

Their adventure takes them the length (but not breadth) of a land populated with plenty of unusual characters and situations, drawing them ever closer towards an inevitable, but highly unwanted, encounter with Ka, the merciless Dragon Princess, who thinks nothing of crushing her adversaries skulls between her fingertips, when she is not fricasseeing them with blazing hot gouts of flame, that is.

Believe it or not, although it’s a shade over 100,000 words, I enjoyed it so much that it only took me three months to write from beginning to end. Talk about the words just pouring out. It really was a story that wanted to be told!

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Featured Interview With Y K Willemse

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a fantasy fiction author, coffee addict, and music teacher. I was raised all over the place. I was born in Christchurch, NZ, but have lived in many places throughout New Zealand and have also lived in Australia. I am an Australian citizen, and my husband and I are heading back to Oz next year. We’re planning to live in Queensland. I do currently have a beautiful Yorkshire Terrier dog, who is absolutely tiny. But I don’t want to put her through the stress of moving, so I am leaving her behind in New Zealand with a friend. I may get another pet in Australia. I know I will certainly get back into bird watching in Australia, as the parrots over there are amazing. And I still want to meet one of my lifetime goals, which is to see a wedge-tailed eagle.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved words, but I probably didn’t start reading with any kind of dedication until I was ten. And that was when I started writing my own books as well. I began my very first book (which is published today and called Rafen) at age ten years old.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like Mark Lawrence as an author, and I also love Thomas Hardy. I’ve greatly enjoyed many Dickens books over the years. I love books that are real emotionally. They could be in any genre, but they have to be honest about the reality of what it means to be human and how various events might effect a real person. For this reason, I found The Gulag Archipelago, I Am David, and Bridge to Terabithia very moving – even though all of these are vastly different books.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Okay – I have a book that will be coming out soon, but I’ll tell you about my fourth book in The Fledgling Account series, which is the one that has been most recently released. It’s called The Fourth Runi, and I wrote most of it when I was about fourteen, but it turned out really horrible, so I rewrote it a number of times until it read well. It also nearly killed me to edit it when the first edition released, because we were running so late with the deadline that I was rushing through the revisions with only two weeks until the release day.
Anyway, The Fourth Runi is again all about the ex-slave boy Rafen who is quickly rising to a prominent position in the kingdom of Siana. Rafen falls in love with the Princess Etana (which is about as awkward as it sounds) at almost the same moment her betrothed Richard Patrick returns to Siana to rule. While Richard Patrick makes rather odious overtures to Etana, Rafen discovers to his amazement and fear what the phoenix feather he has possessed for so long means. It sets him apart as the only one who can destroy the sorcerer the Lashki Mirah and the demonic force from which he draws his powers: Nazt. Instead of immediately seeing this as an impetus to begin working responsibly towards carrying out these actions, Rafen first uses this information as leverage to marry Etana. Despite their mutual affection for one another, he quickly discovers this rash act was a mistake, as it throws him and Etana into a whole lot of trouble. And while he’s distracted with all of that, the Lashki Mirah himself appears and decides to try feeding Rafen to Nazt.
Much of this book takes place in the mountains in which the Lashki created a new body for himself. This is why there are evil looking mountains on the front cover the second edition.
You can find the book (and its prequels) here: https://www.amazon.com/s?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=y+k+willemse

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Featured Interview With William Hill

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I love fantasy, adventure, thrillers and the supernatural, so that’s what I write about, both for adults and young adults. Back in the sixties, I was a reluctant reader until I discovered Dr. Seuss, Star Trek, Doc Savage, and Marvel Comics. Born in Indiana to a household active in state government and loving basketball, I stayed out of trouble, usually, by reading and drawing. The political atmosphere, Dracula and Dark Shadows sparked my interest in vampires and ghosts. In Kansas City during high school, I read spy thrillers. During college, I devoured fantasy and SF novels. This creative brew influences my stories. I escaped the corporate drudgery of human resources to write fiction back in late 1989 and moved from near Dallas, Texas, to Lake Tahoe and then the Carson Valley of western Nevada where I am happily: married for 26 plus years to Kat, snow skiing, hiking, writing, drawing, using photoshop, and encouraging my son in college. No pets. We decided to raise a child instead. One of my mottos is Eat dessert first. Life is uncertain. I am a chocolate lover.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I despised Dick and Jane. I loved Dr. Seuss, but I started learning to read in first grade because there were too many interesting comic books to read for them to be read aloud to be. Also, my mom forced me to change school and attend a school where she worked, a long drive. If I learned to read, I could return to my neighborhood school where all my friends attended, so I worked at it. The opposite of many kids, I read a lot in middle school, and the Lord of the Rings and Dune in high school. I wrote my own stories for English assignments, from science fiction to spy thrillers. This was before computers. I started writing seriously as an escape from the corporate world when I experience my first writing software. February of 1987, I moved onto a peninsula at Spring Creek Lake in Texas, purchased a computer, wrote, and commuted to work. I wrote what eventually became Wizard Sword. It led to Dawn of the Vampire being published.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My current favorite authors are Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher, Rick Riordan, writers of YA and regular fantasy. I have been reading lots of graphic novels because they’re faster to read. I am inspired by the works of: Tolkien, Roger Zelazney, Michael Moorcock, David Eddings, Dean Kontz, Stephen King, cartoonists Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes, Schultz of Peanuts, and Breathed of Bloom County. Too many Marvel Comics writers to list, from Walter Simonson to Stan Lee, Neal Adams, Kirby, Ditko, and on.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Dawn of the Vampire, a story about a reunion of buddies who discover a haunted underwater mansion and release a new breed of vampire, then they have to deal with them, was originally published in 1991. It was my first novel to reach print, sold well, especially in NE Tennesse around Bristol, TN/VA and the Tri Cities, because it was set in God’s Country. The book was a bit of a rush because my editor was going back to law school, so I had a deadline. The project was finished by an assistant.
So why did I rewrite it?

I first set out to correct errors and add the real names of place, like the graveyard from King College to East Hill. Then, I wanted to improve the interconnectivity of the story: John’s death, Aunt Jada, and the history of South Holston Dam, especially the building of it and the flooding of communities. I know a little about what happened when Shenandoah NP was built, and they relocated lots of reluctant moonshiners. Knowing most of my readers lived in or were connected to Bristol, I felt I should highlight more of God’s Country. I wanted to add more humor and diving, as well as strengthen the female characters. I modernized DOTV, too. At that time, I was also working on the screenplay, which led to the decision to revise or eliminate some of the characters. The most common complaint about the story was introducing too many protagonists to start. I wanted fireworks, not head scratching questions of who is that? To improve the writing flow, I told the tale from one POV, Troy’s, who is referred to as Heavensent as he had survived near death experiences. That removed some of the choppiness. Having lived out west now for nearly 30 years, I learned wildfires come with droughts and changed the atmosphere.

So what is the book about? Living on the edge. Coming back to life and the shades of gray between living and undying. Finding out what’s important in life.

Wreythville’s cemetery had rested quietly submerged under South Holston Lake for decades, but now a drought and receding waters have exposed an island of graves. Those coffins should have been moved when the dam was constructed, but no one, certainly not the TVA, wanted to go near such cursed ground, nor what lurked within the hidden pine boxes. Some things were best left alone. And yet, more than a half century later, a reunion of childhood friends disturbs the newly emergent graves and a lake bed-dwelling mansion of haunts. Where the blood brothers seek adventure, they find death, dark transformation, and a new breed of the undying.

A malevolent spirit and its kindred, an ancient breed of blood drinkers, return with frightful new powers that defy even the sunshine. These vampires can stalk by day to exact vengeance on those who entrapped them. Vanishings and murders plague God’s Country as former nightwalkers work to reclaim Holston Valley and stalk the shadows of Bristol. Von Damme’s zealots and vampires will let nothing stop them, not the eroding waters, not the forest afire, and not even the glare of broad daylight. Troy, Silke, and his blood brothers must join forces with the darkness if they have any hope of stopping the Dawn of the Vampire.

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Featured Interview With Emmanuella Hristova

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Oakland, California and grew up in the Bay Area. I’m the third daughter to Bulgarian parents who immigrated to California shortly before I was born. I began drawing at the ripe age of four, and studied the fine arts in high school. There, I received many art accolades, including a Congressional award for my piece “Boy in Red” in 2009. In 2015, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley. I earned my Master’s in Education from the same alma mater in 2017. After, I spent two years as an English teacher in Richmond, California. During that time, I self-published my first poetry collection: “The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder”. I speak English, Bulgarian, Spanish and am now learning French.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
At a young age, I began drawing, reading and writing. As a child, I was an avid reader and writer, but I focused on the fine arts in high school. I had an unquenchable thirst for reading as a child, from the time I was in third grade to now! Some of my fondest memories of childhood are reading Lemony Snicket’s novels underneath my bed, a trail of chocolate foils following me behind me as I devoured my Christmas presents. I used to copiously document my travels as a child, and I also wrote dark poetry about love on Xanga as a teenager. I began writing poetry again at age twenty-four when I was in graduate school. Currently, I’m writing my first novel.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My biggest influence would be Georgi Gospodinov–his novel “The Physics of Sorrow” in particular. He’s a contemporary Bulgarian author and the novel is about a sense of apathy and identity-finding following the communist fall in Bulgaria. It also dabbles slightly in magical realism, which is surprising to see outside of Latin American literature, but it’s fantastic. “100 Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is also another novel that has kept inspiring me long after I finished it. Sylvia Plath is one of my favorite poets; her boldness in exploring her own darkness encourages me to explore mine. Similarly, the musical artist BANKS and her album “Goddess” aided and inspired me to write my first poetry collection, “The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder”. Then, rupi kaur inspired me to self-publish and promote myself on Instagram! I also think we have similar writing styles, ironically enough. Female (especially women of color) authors like Chimamanda Adichi and Yaa Gyasi (if you haven’t read “Homegoing” yet–go read it NOW) make me realize that I CAN make it as a female author, if I have a good enough story to tell. Lastly, “Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens has always been one of my favorite novels. I always come back to that opening chapter–its a masterpiece.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is a poetry collection titled “The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder”. I started it while I was a soon-to-be graduate musing about feminist issues like street harassment. Eventually, I began writing about the romantic relationship I was involved with at the time, and about the man I was falling in love with. When that relationship ended, the poetry took a tumultuous turn into heartbreak that melted into a depression once I found out my sister was dying, two weeks after my break-up.

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