Author Spotlight Interview: Stacey Wilk
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 21, 2021
Today’s interview is with author Stacey Wilk. She writes novels about true family, steamy love, and second chances. It was an absolute pleasure to get to know more about her writing style, life outside of writing and upcoming projects! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? SW: If someone is finding my books for the first time, they should know I write broken characters. I like to make things complicated for the people in my stories. Personally, I love a good thriller or mystery, so when I can, I add those elements to my books as well. I would categorize my novels as commercial women’s fiction or romantic suspense. HG: Where does the inspiration for your writing come from? SW: Such a great question. I believe all stories are character driven. If an author doesn’t have complex characters making choices under pressure,… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Casey Dembowski
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on December 7, 2021
Today’s interview is with award winning author Casey Dembowski who writes contemporary romance. Reviewers call her books engaging, fun, and thought-provoking. We were thrilled to chat with Dembowski about her writing journey, style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: Your debut novel, When We’re Thirty was just named the 2021 NYC Big Book Award Winner for Romantic Comedy, congrats! Tell us more about the book and why readers may enjoy it. CD: When We’re Thirty is a friends-to-lovers/marriage of convenience mashup about two friends who follow through on a pact they made to get married if they were both still single when they turned thirty. It’s a fun story and really tackles the experience of being thirty in New York City. Will and Hannah have a lot to overcome not only in their relationship but with their careers and families and the direction they want their lives to take. HG: Oooh,… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Sean Fletcher
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 23, 2021
Today’s interview is with Amazon-bestselling and award-winning author of YA fantasy, sci-fi, and middle grade fantasy, Sean Fletcher. We were honored to chat with Fletcher about his self-publishing journey, writing style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: To start, how would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? SF: I’m an author of young adult contemporary fantasy that’s chock full of everything from dragon-kin (dragon shifters), witches, mages, monsters, magic, mythology (lots of “M” words), and much, much more. To boil it down, I write fast-paced, twisty YA fantasy with deep, complex characters and stories, tons of magic, snark, heroes, anti-heroes, twists, and magical creatures (most recently dragons) all with some romance sprinkled in. One of my favorite things to do as a writer is create loveable heroes and heroines…and then torment them throughout my entire series. But it’s okay, they wind up okay in the… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: John Christopher Frame
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on November 9, 2021
Today’s interview is with author John Christopher Frame. John’s passion is combining his interests in theology and social concerns to help Christians become more aware of global issues so they can better live out their faith. We were honored to chat with him about his life, writing and exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe your writing? JCF: Before I wrote my first book, Homeless at Harvard, I shared some of my writing with a journalist. We sat upstairs at a small Middle Eastern-themed café near the Harvard campus. That day, my understanding of how to write began to change. The journalist told me what every future author will hear at some point: show don’t tell. I also shared my writing with a professional editor. She told me the same thing. For years, I had written papers for professors at college. What I was learning was that writing a… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Katherine Eddinger Smits
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 26, 2021
Today’s interview is with author Katherine Eddinger Smits. With a fascination for the occult, a master’s degree in social work, and over 20 years clinical experience, Katherine writes paranormal romance that addresses real-life issues of self-acceptance, body image, relationship dynamics, fears, and phobias, through stories filled with fantasy and romance. Her books often include mages, mermaids, and magical creatures. Mystery, suspense, and a little sex add spice to her novels. We were honored to chat with Katherine about her writing journey, style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? KES: First, thank you so much for interviewing me today! I’m so pleased to have this opportunity. I love stories and read all kinds of fiction. So, elements from many genres sneak into my books. Romance is my favorite, but I like to read and write books which include… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: JP McLean
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 12, 2021
Today’s interview is with award winning author JP McLean who writes urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers. Reviewers call her books addictive, smart, and fun. We were thrilled to chat with McLean about her writing journey, style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? JPM: People who know me and then read my books are often surprised by the supernatural nature of the stories. I’m described as grounded and dependable—the opposite of someone who writes supernatural thrillers. Admittedly, I’m an introvert, an observer. I keep to myself, but I’ve always had a healthy imagination. It’s fueled by my fascination with the supernatural and paranormal. I’m intrigued by unsolved mysteries, like the Mo‘ai Heads on Easter Island and the lost city of Atlantis. It’s that curiosity and my willingness to consider the impossible that fuels my story lines and the… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Stephanie Queen
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 28, 2021
Today’s interview is with USA Today bestselling author of romance, Stephanie Queen. Stephanie has published more than fifty novels and novellas, and now also teaches novel writing classes and speaks at libraries, conferences and workshops. We were honored to chat with Stephanie about her writing style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: Hi Stephanie! Thanks for allowing us to get to know you better today. So tell us, how would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? SQ: Hot and tense with twisty plots, pops of humor and distinct non-cookie-cutter characters (according to readers). HG: Sounds fantastic. You’ve got a couple of upcoming books, He Has a Baby is a single dad hockey romance, which releases October 15th and is available for pre-order now. Can you tell us a little bit about the main characters and what readers will love about this story? SQ: Readers will… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Yolanda McCarthy
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 14, 2021
Today’s interview is with speculative fiction author Yolanda McCarthy. Her debut novel is currently a #1 New Release on Amazon in the Teen & YA Dystopian and Science Fiction Romance category. We were thrilled to chat with Yolanda about her author journey, life outside of writing and exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? YM: As a reader, I enjoy the fast-paced twists and turns of a thriller, the yearning of star-crossed lovers, the hollowness of a villain who’s lost faith in the world, and for my setting I need something ‘more’ than the everyday. Whether that’s a science fiction invention, magical-seeming powers, or historical details… I guess I just like escapism! I also like young adult literature, because that’s where we find the really powerful choices on which the rest of a lifetime turns. As a writer,… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Hamour Baika
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 31, 2021
Today’s interview is with author Hamour Baika. His contemporary historical fiction novel is inspired by real events during a tumultuous period preceding the Iran Iraq war. Baika has crafted a memorable cast of characters of divergent and conflicting political allegiances, all who struggle to do the right thing in a morally complicated world. It was an honor to learn more about his writing journey, why this book is important to him and about his upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? HB: I’m an Iranian American author who writes about atypical characters and settings. Before growing roots in the Washington DC area, I lived in several countries as a refugee. Migration, whether internally or across international borders, is a factor in many of the pieces I’ve written or am writing. LGBT issues are also on the forefront. As I write… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Susan English
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 17, 2021
Today’s interview is with award-winning author Susan English. Her debut novel Callisto 2.0 is the transformative first book in the Shambhala Saga feminist science fiction series. It was an honor to learn more about her writing journey, why this book is important to her and about her upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? SE: I am someone who writes from the heart. I try to be as honest and open as possible, both with my autobiographical work and fictional characters. My main impetus for writing the Shambhala Saga in particular is to imagine what the not-too-distant future might look like. But instead of the typical post-apocalyptic dystopia, with brutal regimes, zombies, or nuclear fallout, I figured if I’m going to create my own reality through my writing, why not go for something more positive? Why imagine a future full… Read More >
