Author Interviews

About the author Tell us your story? What made you start writing? My interest in writing didn’t become noticeable to me until later in life. However, I’ve always enjoyed reading a good book. This interest in reading started with my mom (who spent many years as an educator and administrator). She introduced me to the world of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, at a very young age. From there, my interest in reading really bloomed. I read everything as a kid. One of my absolute favorite book series from childhood was “Hank the Cowdog” by John R. Erickson. My parents actually took me to meet Mr. Erickson at the Victoria Public Library at one point in my childhood and I still have a book he signed for me from way back then.  However, my true interest in the fantasy genre didn’t come along until the sixth grade. I had an English teacher, Mrs. Warden, who introduced me and my class to the Hobbit. What made that experience really stand out to me wasn’t necessarily how good the story was, though it is still up there near the top of my all-time favorites. Rather, what made that book so exceptionally appealing to me at the time had more to do with what was going on in my home life when I found the story. You see, at that time in my life my father was dying of terminal cancer, my family had just moved to a new city to be closer to… Read More »D.N. Woodward

About the author Tell us your story? What made you start writing? I started writing for the fun of it. As a child, I was a constant daydreamer and eventually started documenting some of those dreams, which turned into stories. I enjoyed creating characters (yes, I was the kid who had imaginary friends!) and making them do all sorts of crazy things. It was entertaining and it made me feel free. It still does. Seeing the way people have connected with Rose, Roosha, and all of the other characters in The Night Sender is rewarding and makes me want to keep writing.  What’s your favorite family tradition? I’m actually a big fan of traditions and we had quite a few growing up, some of which I imposed on everyone! But my favorite was probably decorating the Christmas tree. Every year, my father and I would find the perfect tree, and then we’d all spend the night in the living room putting up lights and ornaments, listening to Christmas music, and sipping hot chocolate. It made the house warm and cheery and during the month of December, we’d spend more time in that room together as a family than any other time of the year.  If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? I’d go all the way back to around 50BC. I’ve always been fascinated by Ancient Egyptian culture, so I’d love to see firsthand what it was like, and 50BC is right around the time Cleopatra… Read More »Christina Tsirkas

About the author Tell us your story? What made you start writing? I’ve always written here and there. Poetry in high school. Creative writing classes in college. That sort of thing. But I never tried to write a book until my son was born. I worked in professional theatre for many years, acting, directing, designing. Mostly Shakespeare. After my son was born, I became a stay-at-home dad. Which was probably just about the best decision I ever made. I absolutely loved being home with him. But I no longer had the creative outlet I’d had for my entire adult life. I missed using my brain to create the imaginary characters and worlds that I had been part of while working as an actor and director. Eventually, I realized that writing was something I could do, in the limited time I had, that used my brain in the same way. So, in the midst of massive new-parent fatigue, I started writing a book. I would write during nap time. I would write after the rest of the family was asleep. I would have an idea while playing with my son, I’d text it to myself and add it in the next time I got my computer out. Eventually, over the course of months and months, a book took shape. A massive, unwieldy book about another world that I’d imagined with my brain. I showed it to my wife, who was utterly shocked, as I’d written the book entirely in secret. But… Read More »R. Chris Reeder

About the author Tell us your story? What made you start writing? As a kid I loved puppet shows, and plots, and cheesy historical sets. Every story inspires me to write my own. I had very supportive parents, who would no doubt have dialed their support back a little if they had known how close I came to quitting school to try to write full time. Thankfully I dodged that bullet/certain bankruptcy, but I still can’t stop writing. I love cheesy genre fiction, and that’s often what inspires me, even though what I write tends to be more pretentious, I mean literary. Have you always been into mysteries? Where do you think it started from? I love genres too much to pick just one. I love whodunits for the way they include the reader in their puzzles. I love fantasy for the escapism. I love science fiction for the thought-provoking what-ifs. At the same time, I wouldn’t be mad to be type-cast as a mystery writer, since the things I can say the things I want to say in any genre. I always start with a character or a feeling and work from there. What’s your favorite family tradition? Is it too cheesy to say “reading?” Something that became a tradition was my mother and I jumping into the car for a couple of days without a clear idea of where we were going. Well, she probably knew, but small child that I was it might as well have been… Read More »Madeline Kalvis

About the author Tell us your story? What made you start writing? I’ve always wanted to be an author. Writing comes easy to me. Always has. I got serious with it ten years ago when I was trapped in a horrible job. I hoped I could make enough money so I could quit, but that never happened. Fortunately, I’m no longer in that situation. But I’m not a millionaire either. lol What’s your favorite family tradition? Christmas when I was a child. We’d open presents, eat breakfast, and head over to my one grandmother’s and open more presents. Go home and play with what we got so far. Eat dinner and then go to my other grandmother’s for more presents. Nowadays, I don’t really have any traditions like that. What three items would you take with you on a deserted island? I could be practical and list things that would get me off the island or help me survive. That wouldn’t be fun though. So . . . . The entire original run of the Batman comic series. The entire Detective Comics run. And a roll of toilet paper.  If you were ruler of your own country what would be the first law you would introduce? Freedom of speech and censorship issues are important to me. Free speech for everyone! If you had a warning label, what would yours say? “You break it, you buy it.” What’s your go-to guilty pleasure? I don’t believe anyone should feel guilty about what… Read More »Erik Handy