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In Extremis (The Rosy Dream Book 2) by Matt Duggan Review + Interview

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews, reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man continues his journey of discovering his identity in author Matt Duggan’s “In Extremis”, the second book in The Rosy Dream series.

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The Synopsis

In Extremis is the second novel in Matt Duggan’s The Rosy Dream trilogy and takes readers on an immersive journey through the contrasting landscapes of 1990s and 2008 Los Angeles. Jack, the protagonist, navigates a series of misadventures and encounters with peculiar characters, uncovering a web of secrets and revelations that challenge his understanding of life and his own identity. The novel skillfully weaves together the two timelines, immersing readers in the vibrant energy of Los Angeles and its gritty underbelly. With suspense, introspection, and dark humor, In Extremis explores the depths of human nature, the search for meaning, and the unexpected paths one may take.

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The Review

This was a compelling sequel to the author’s first book in this series. The changing perspective in timelines and the rich setting of California allowed the personal story of Jack to evolve and grow naturally, and the balance of witty absurdism with mounting permitted tension the narrative to feel alive on the page. The way Jack’s story mirrors the life of so many people who seek to make their dreams come true in Los Angeles is very engaging, and the wealth of different characters he encounters during his adventures will leave the reader eager for more.

The heart of this narrative rests in the continuing evolution of Jack, the story’s protagonist. His growth and changing perspective on life between the ’90s and 2008 were fantastic to read about. His growing desire to educate and gain knowledge of anything involving the abstract and his laid-back, almost carefree outlook on life that he took on when undertaking any situation made him such a relatable character, as readers either identify with or know someone like Jack intimately.

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The Verdict

Though thought-provoking, entertaining, and deeply heartfelt, author Matt Duggan’s “In Extremis” is a must-read novel. The sense of adventure and exploration of 90s era Los Angeles will stay with readers long after they finish this book, and the humor that the author pierces the tension within the book with makes this feel like such a well-rounded journey for the protagonist, leaving readers eager to get their hands on the final book in the trilogy. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Matt Duggan, an award-winning writer based in Los Angeles, California, boasts a rich and diverse creative background. After graduating from Boston College with degrees in English and Communications, Matt immediately jumped into the world of filmmaking. As one of the first members of the renowned Annex Film Group, Matt contributed to the production of their critically acclaimed short films, recognized with numerous awards and global screenings.

Duggan’s directorial debut, Inverse, a feature film which he produced, wrote, and directed, garnered widespread acclaim, winning multiple accolades throughout its yearlong festival tour. Notably, Inverse premiered at the prestigious Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival, captivating audiences with its innovative narrative. The film continued to impress, securing Best Sci-Fi Narrative Feature Film at the Philip K. Dick Film Festival and other esteemed awards.

In addition to his successes in film and literature, Matt has garnered acclaim for his web series, including Man Vs. and Not Suitable for Work, demonstrating his versatility across various mediums.

A career highlight for Matt was his involvement in Marlon Brando’s documentary on acting, Lying for a Living, where he had the honor of spending two weeks alongside luminaries such as Robin Williams and Sean Penn.

Matt’s creative endeavors extend beyond the realm of cinema, with his literary works showcased in publications such as The Menacing Hedge and The Literary Hatchet. His debut novel, Ostraca, marked the inception of his compelling The Rosy Dream series, captivating readers with its vivid storytelling and exploration of the human condition.

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Interview with Author Matt Dugan

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I was born and raised in a small town on the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York City. I went to school in Boston, then after graduation I drove to Los Angeles to be an actor. I studied acting for three years, but it was more like a graduate program in being an artist. Not long after, I turned my artistic focus onto writing. I became interested in writing back in high school. I took a class on Greek mythology which I loved. I made-up my own Greek mythologies and wrote really bad poems about my made-up gods. In college, I was an English major. I had a creative writing class with Pagan Kennedy, a terrific author and columnist. She gave me confidence in my writing. She highlighted where my strengths were. She was an excellent teacher. I’ve been writing ever since. I started writing plays, then wrote screenplays, and then wrote my first book Ostraca which I published in 2019. 

2) What inspired you to write your book?

When I drove across the country in 1996, I camped out most of the way. The encounters and experiences that I had really affected me. I had a powerful desire to write it all down, so I filled a journal with the experiences. Flash forward to 2015. I had an urge to write a novel based on that journal from all those years ago. The result was Ostraca. My inspirations were connection and experience. The protagonist in the novel, Jack Darmody, references Leonardo Da Vinci, who called himself a “disscepolo della sperientia”, a disciple of experience. That resonated deeply with me.  That was the driving force behind the novel. Specifically, the experience and connection we have with each other. I was inspired to translate my feelings about this into words.  

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope readers feel a connection when they read each novel in my trilogy, starting with Ostraca. The world today is especially dark, angry, and disconnected. It shouldn’t be. We should instead focus on human interaction; it draws out the best parts of ourselves. The undeniable truth about us is that we need to be loved, and also, we want to give love. We should live these truths.  

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

When I was a kid, I hated reading. I wanted to live outside. My parents had to practically drag me into the house each night. I was like a wild animal. Reading was boring. But suddenly in young adulthood, I couldn’t read enough. I devoured books. But my interest was mostly in the literary fiction genre. That genre most appealed to me because, artistically, I’m fascinated with the artist’s voice. With 200,000 years of human existence, we aren’t going tell new stories. The themes, plots, tropes, structure…they’ve all been done. But what stands out is how each story is told. The voice it’s told in. I find that in the literary fiction genre. 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I’d sit down with Jack Darmody, my protagonist. I’d ask him, “Why are you running so hard from your past? Why don’t you stop and face the demons?” But of course, unpacking this is what makes the story so fun to write. 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’m awful at social media. I’d rather wander around my backyard and watch the birds return after a long day, or admire the sun arching west. It’s the wild animal in me. I hate staring at a screen, scrolling vitriol. Also, I don’t think I have a good online personality. Too much is lost in translation. I have a very gallows sense of humor; that doesn’t always go over well in a tweet or post. With that said, I will be activating my Twitter/Facebook/Instagram accounts to promote the second installment of my trilogy in May. So, social media is an unavoidable reality, I guess. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

There are two keys to being an author. The first is to write. Write and write. Write and write and write. All that verb requires is elbow grease. Discipline is the second key. You have to be a dictator over your writing. You have to write regardless rain or shine. It is hard work. It is largely unrewarding, mostly without recognition, it requires a lot of sacrifice, and it is always lonely. But if you embrace all of that, and are not deterred by that, you will crack open whole new universes of possibility and joy. And the rest will come. You first have to discover, develop, and embrace your talent and voice. You do that through writing. I’ve written heaps of garbage. You have to sludge through it to find the gems. They’re there. 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m releasing In Extremis, the second installment of my trilogy, at the end of May of this year. I’m also finishing a streaming series that has some industry interest, called Hell High. Starting in 2025, I’ll begin work on the third and final installment of   my Rosy Dream trilogy. That prospect frightens me because I’ve spent nine years now with Jack and his menagerie of characters. It will be very hard to say goodbye. 

About the Author

Matt Duggan is an award-winning writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Boston College with degrees in English and Communications, Matt jumped into filmmaking. He was one of the first members of the renowned Annex Film Group, a film co-op that produced sixteen critically acclaimed short films, recognized with numerous awards and global screenings. Duggan’s feature film, Inverse, which he produced, wrote, and directed, garnered widespread acclaim, winning multiple accolades throughout its yearlong festival tour. Notably, Inverse premiered at the prestigious Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. The film also secured Best Sci-Fi Narrative Feature Film at the Philip K. Dick Film Festival and other esteemed awards.

Beyond film, Duggan’s literary works have been featured in publications like The Menacing Hedge, with his debut novel Ostraca initiating the captivating The Rosy Dream trilogy. He’s also known for his popular web series and his involvement in Marlon Brando’s documentary Lying for a Living. 

Currently, Duggan is developing the series Hell High while eagerly anticipating the release of In Extremis, the second installment in The Rosy Dream series, showcasing his visionary storytelling and creative versatility. In Extremis will be published in May 2024.

Interview with Author Dawn DeBraal

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I started writing songs at the age of 13. When I paralyzed a vocal cord in 2018, I turned to writing short stories to relieve my creative outlet. I also retired early, my husband and I bought a winter home. After a few weeks I knew I needed an outlet or one of us, was not getting through the winter alive.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

An idea hit me regarding the Lord’s Prayer. What if I were to write a short horror story for each line of that prayer? Our Father Who Art, In Heaven became the first story in the book where a boy who loses his dad at a young age, thinks he’s been praying to his father, Art, in Heaven. He ends up with a distant stepfather

who is mean and not good for his mother and decides the man must go. From the first story, to Amen, the last, I loved writing this series.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The Lord’s Prayer Series is about the struggle between good and evil. Even though we were given this prayer to pray, we are inherently sinners. It’s about man’s fragility and how close we are to stepping off the wrong side of honor.

4) What drew you into this particular genre? 

I have always been fascinated with horror. You take the scariest thing, you can manipulate it, control it to its end. I love the power in that.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why? 

Each story in this book has some great characters. I’d like to find out why they did what they did. Why they went in the direction they did, and why they couldn’t conquer their shortcomings.

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6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook has helped a lot. Author groups are a wonderful support system, we hold one another up.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Don’t give up. If you don’t submit it’s a no. Read, read, read. You learn something new in every book. A phrase, a vision. Something that motivates you to write another story. It is hard to put yourself out there, naked, and exposed but when a publisher says “yes,” it’s so worth it.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

The Lord’s Prayer Horror series is coming out in July 2024 from Myth Mart Publishing. I am currently working on a work I call, The Morgan Dollar Series. Morgan silver dollars, were minted from 1878 to 1904.

I have written a short story for each year about a person whose hands the money passed through. The silver coins either did good or brought out greed in people. I was inspired by my husband showing his coin collection to a neighbor telling her, “Just think, this coin could have been in a cowboy’s pocket.” That inspired me to write where the coins had been, by telling the stories of the owners. I have a handful of stories yet to complete.

Thank you, Anthony, for asking me to interview. Bread Pudding was a fun write. A vampire who is a bit of an agoraphobic germaphobe, was an interesting contradictive character fighting his fears, but enslaved by the creature he has become. I was proud to be the runner-up in that competition.

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About the Author

Dawn DeBraal lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband, a stray cat and a rescued dog. She has published over 600 short stories, drabbles, and poems in online ezines and anthologies. She tends to lean toward the horror genre because it makes her life seem so much better! Falling Star Magazine nominated Dawn for the 2019 Pushcart Award; she was Runner-up in the 2022 Horror Story Competition, two-time Author of the Month, nominated 2020,2022,2023 Author of the Year and received Contributor of the Year 2023 Spillwords Magazine, she was named Member of the Month in Issues 103 and 115 in The World of Myth Magazine and Finalist in the Owl Canyon Roost writing contest. Dawn also writes under the pen name Garrison McKnight.

https://www.facebook.com/All-The-Clever-Names-Were-Taken-114783950248991

https://linktr.ee/dawndebraal

Interview with Author Dolores Reynals 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

When I went to university in Buenos Aires I first signed up to journalism. Mainly because my family tried to derail me from studying acting, and this was the only other thing I wanted to do. I felt I was going to write, not sure what. Maybe for the travel section of a paper one day, or as a correspondent going away around the world on assignments. I left after one year, to study Drama full-time. I still wrote stories for myself, and I minored in Creative Writing. 

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I began writing to try to understand what was going on with me at a certain moment. I was very uncomfortable with the expectations placed on me as a woman, being expected to want to get married, to want to change my name, I thought it was outrageous. I was hurting someone I loved with these feelings. At the same time I could not betray myself. I felt alone and wanted to speak to my teenage self, my child self, to figure out my situation, I wondered if there was something very wrong with me. So I wrote a story which now is chapter 5, a day at a wedding when I was a child. 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Everyone who connects with the book enough to read it will take their own, I would like to stay out of that. That connection is enough, I just hope they take away something useful for their lives. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Maybe the introspection I needed. I didn’t mean to write a book or be in a genre. I just wanted to put down a story to make a short film, to talk about the expectations put on me, and then there were more stories that came out because I was in a writing class. After about a year I looked at everything I had written and the short film had been left behind, the book was there plus many more pages to get rid of. 

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5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Instagram is the only social media I have, and there are new independent publishers and independent book-shops that showcase writers, new ones and older ones. They make curious and want to get new books.

6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Joining a writing workshop to work on ideas was very useful to me. I will do it again. Apart from developing skills there, to feel like I am working with other people. Being an actor I am used to working with groups of people. Then there were times when I had to be writing on my own for a long time of course, but writing is such a lonely thing to do, and quite torturous to me, and this way I felt less alone in it for a while. 

7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon? 

I am inspired to tell other people´s stories at the moment. I am working on one idea and researching now, I am not sure what shape it will take exactly, but it is already going in a certain direction. 

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About the Author

Dolores Reynals was born in Mendoza, Argentina. She started out as a radio actress before moving to London to attain her BA (Hons) in Drama from the University of Surrey. Since then she has worked internationally and now lives nowhere in particular, often between Europe and Mexico.

https://www.doloresreynals.com

Interview with Author Roberta Satow 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a young kid. I had a cousin in England and had a regular correspondence with him. Then as a Sociology professor I was writing academic articles for 40 years. 

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I have been collecting notes about my own sessions as a patient and sessions I had with patients, for many years. The book has been in the works for more than 10 years.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope readers will empathize with Rose’s growth and also learn about what psychoanalysis is about. Many people think it means the analyst is predominantly silent and just makes interpretations.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I wrote academic articles until I published Doing the Right Thing: Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents Even if They Didn’t Take Care of You in 2005. That book was a combination of personal experience with my mother and interviews with 50 caretakers across the country. My next book was a novel Two Sisters of Coyoacan which was about the assassination Leon Trotsky. Our Time is Up is my second novel.

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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

The main character is based on myself so I don’t have any questions to ask her.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I have not had great success in promoting the book. I am trying Facebook ads now.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Plan the publicity before the book is published. It takes a lot of time  and some things require doing before pub date.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I am focussed on trying to promote Our Time is Up, but I am also thinking about a second book with the same protagonist later in her life.

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About the Author

Roberta Satow, Ph.D. is a practicing psychoanalyst in Washington, CT. She is a senior member of the faculty and control analyst at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis. Dr. Satow is Professor Emerita of Sociology at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. In addition to her non-fiction book Doing the Right Thing: Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents Even if They Didn’t Take Care of You (Tarcher/Penguin 2006), she is the editor of Gender and Social Life (Allyn

and Bacon, 2000) and she has written a novel Two Sisters of Coyoacan (2017). Dr. Satow writes a blog for Psychology Today: 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/life-after-50

https://www.robertasatow.com

Interview with Author Cliff Mcnish 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten  she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. For the first time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger. It became my middle-grade fantasy about magic and witches, The Doomspell, which was eventually published in 26 languages. I just wanted to stay in more contact with my daughter. I was separated from her at the time, and though she spent every other weekend with me it was not as much as I wanted. Discussing the story ideas gave me an opportunity to spend more time with her.

It was only during pandemic that I turned to adult horror writing.  

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I’d done a bit of  online dating. The idea of a woman who just wants to creatively carve men up but they keep misinterpreting her meaning seemed like an amusing premise.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Read the online profile carefully.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I’ve always loved SF, fantasy and horror. Comedy horror is hard to pull off, and I was drawn to give it a go.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I’d ask them why they like particular knives over a variety of other killing tools.

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6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook. Most of my readers know me form my children’s novels, and they are still mostly on Facebook.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write what you enjoy and don’t expect to make any money. If you adhere to that you won’t go too insane.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I have several projects ongoing – a film treatment for my ghost novel BREATHE, a new middle-grade ghost novel which should come out next year, and also several new horror and fantasy stories for adults.

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About the Author

I was born in Sunderland, a city in the north-east of England.

I don’t recall too much about my first 8 years of life other than I loved being outdoors especially in the woods near our house. I came home every night covered in scratches. 

My first real book memory is being given C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew by my English teacher, Mrs Baldwin. I loved that, and all the other Narnia books.

So how did I become an author?

As a parent I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten, however, she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. This time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. It became The Doomspell. 

After I finished it, I continued my love affair with fantasy by creating The Silver Sequence which I still think is probably my best and definitely my most original work. Following that, I tried to scare everyone half to death with a couple of ghost novels – Breathe and The Hunting Ground.

I could tell you more about myself, but the truth is that perhaps the biggest gift we can give anyone is our imagination and everything important I have to offer you about that is in the novels.

https://www.cliffmcnish.com

Gold: Heart of a Warrior by Eden Robins Review + Interview

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews2 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young explorer with a shocking past and an immortal warrior must temper their growing attraction in the face of a growing threat in author Eden Robins’s “Gold: Heart of a Warrior”. 

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The Synopsis

It’s just gonna be one of those days…

Empathic healer and business owner, Dora Alexander decided to celebrate her 25th birthday by exploring the stalagmites and stalactites in Kartchner Caverns. Kinda nerdy? Maybe, but you do you, right? Things take a nasty turn when an earthquake rocks the cave, leaving her alone in complete darkness. Searching for a way out, she accidently awakens an immortal warrior who’s kind of cranky after his 100-year nap. Wouldn’t you be?

Philoctetes, one of Demeter’s immortal Gold warriors wakes up to the disturbing sound of a female sobbing. Thinking she’s one of the Silver demons he’s sworn to hunt down and destroy, he almost kills her before realizing she’s human. Correction. Turns out she’s not just human. She’s also the woman responsible for sending his kind to hell and causing woe and misery for the entire human race.

Dora never asked to be Pandora reborn. And she certainly didn’t ask to be paired up with an insanely hot immortal demon hunter on a mission to save the world and redeem them both. But The Fates seem to have their own quirky ideas. One of them being if she and said hot demon hunter consummate the inferno like attraction blazing between them, they’ll simply cease to exist, with any memory of their time on earth erased forever.

Oh goody, the day just got worse.

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The Review

This was such an engaging and impressive blend of mythology and modern fantasy. The author masterfully brought the mindset and morality of the Ancient Greek gods and goddesses to life in the more modern-day setting of Arizona, with its blistering heat, technology, and desert environment. This allowed the reader to get lost in the rich atmosphere that was developed. 

The narrative did a great job of bringing out those epic, destiny-fueled adventures to life on the page, and the action and dangers the villainous Silvers represented allowed the reader to feel the stakes of this story. Yet the dynamic between the two protagonists and their back-and-forth chemistry that evolved and grew over time brought the heart of this narrative to life. Their singular evolution throughout the narrative and how they embraced their journey was unique. Yet, the growth they shared and the romantic tension were an immediate draw into the story.

The Verdict

Author Eden Robins’s “Gold: Heart of a Warrior” is a heartfelt, compelling, and entertaining novel. The narrative’s twists and turns, the emotional pull of the protagonists’ shared goals, and the shocking cliffhanger will keep readers eager for more of this incredible story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Eden Robins believes in second chances. Eden’s journey as an author started in 2000 with the release of her first book, a time travel romance entitled, Never Until Tomorrow. Over the course of the next eleven years, Eden wrote and shared nine stories from her heart with her readers. After a divorce and big changes to her personal life, Eden’s writing came to a crashing halt and her path took a different direction.

Twelve years after her last romantic tale was published, Eden found a home for her latest novel, Gold: Heart of A Warrior with Champagne Book Group. A magical, modern-day romantic romp into Greek myths come to life, this story gave her a second chance to do what she loves. Write. Connect with Eden Robins and check out her blog, Living the Path.

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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Interview with Author Eden Robins

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’m a creatress at heart. Always have been. Creativity has been my companion and guide since I was little.  I love to create through writing, gardening, cooking, crocheting, and playing piano. I’m an avid reader who loves to get lost in a great book. I also love to move my body, whether that’s through dance, or hiking or running or jumping or working out at the gym. Moving my body on a regular basis keeps me happy. What I eat matters a lot to me as well. I switched to a mostly whole food plant-based diet several years ago, and like how that makes me feel. I enjoy being outdoors, but also can spend a lot of time writing, reading, and daydreaming inside my home. My home is my sanctuary, my respite from the rest of the world. I often interact in group settings and like to be social, but I always need to balance that with alone time to decompress for a bit afterward. I can be, at times, very “hermit-like.”

I got into writing after I finished my first book. Seriously, that’s exactly how it happened. Growing up, I journaled, penned poetry, and wrote some articles for my high school newspaper, but I never pictured writing as a career path rather than a hobby until I finished my first novel. Both of my parents were in the medical/science field, and I was (and still am) fascinated by many aspects of science. The catalyst for my dive into writing was the death of my paternal grandfather. After he died, I had regrets about not spending more time with him. I kept wishing I could go back in time to get to know him better. I felt the urge to sit down and write about it, and that’s how my first book, a time travel romance entitled, Never Until Tomorrow, was born. It was as I typed the words “The End” that I knew I was hooked, and realized writing was something I wanted to take seriously for the rest of my life.

From that point forward, I was lucky enough to find publishers interested in my work and have had the privilege of sharing ten of my published novels with the world.

What inspired you to write your book?

Each book has its own inspiration. My current release, a modern-day romantic romp into Greek mythology entitled, Gold: Heart of A Warrior, was inspired by a children’s book on Greek myths I had bought for my kids. I read a lot to my children while they were growing up and was always looking for literature that would stimulate their minds and inspire their imagination. I picked up Usborne Illustrated Guide to Greek Myths and Legends by Cheryl Evans, and the complex and juicy lives of the characters in these myths caught not only my children’s attention, but mine as well. Particularly, reading about Pandora opening the Jug of Woes and releasing evil and misery into the world pulled at something inside of me. I felt like this was a woman who had been used by the Gods (Zeus) as a pawn, and then forever punished and maligned after she had done the deed she was manipulated to accomplish. I began thinking about how her story could go in a different direction. I started wondering what would happen if Pandora was offered a second chance at life. What would she do? How would she live? Who would she become if she were no longer a pawn of the Gods, or at least less of a pawn than before?

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The path to empowerment is always through the self, and second chances are possible at any age.

What drew you into this particular genre?

Love and hope. Although romantic fiction isn’t the only genre I write (I also write mainstream fiction and nonfiction), that feeling of falling in love is so magical. I enjoy creating that for my readers. I also like writing stories that have a happily ever after that leaves the sweet taste of optimism in my readers’ mouths. Those two reasons keep me excited about writing in the romance genre.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

At this point, I’d have to say it’s Instagram. The reader community is very supportive, engaged, and interactive.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Just pick up the pen and write. It’s not about perfection or getting the grammar just right. There’s a magic in the process of simply putting your story on the page that can transform a writer’s thoughts into a masterpiece. As Michelangelo once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” That blank page offers a writer the opportunity to unlock the story of their heart. Just start writing. The rest will come together.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

The future feels so bright. Especially in light of the past. After my initial foray into my writing journey, with nine of my novels getting published, I hit a wall. I got a divorce, and for more than a decade after, I just couldn’t write. I came to believe my creativity had dried up. I didn’t put a book out into the world during that time. It was a frightening period in my writing, but looking back, I know that “ten years of drought” taught me so much and provided an evolution and a deepening for me that I needed. I understand now that while I wasn’t creating stories for my novels during that time, I was creating the story of my life. A story I needed to establish before I could continue my book writing journey.

Now, more than a decade with no books published, I’ve begun this second chance chapter of my life with the release of Gold: Heart of a Warrior. I’m forever grateful to my publisher, Champagne Book Group, for providing me with this opportunity to share my writing with the world once more. I’m excited to announce that editing has begun on A Warrior’s Peace, book two in my Gold series! I’m also working on a short story holiday collection of modern-day fairytales, a fallen angel romantic suspense, a magical realism retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, and a nonfiction book about the creative path. I’m so thankful to have my creatress back as my companion and look forward to her guiding me for years to come. 

Eden Robins believes in second chances. She’s been lucky enough to have a few in her life and knows there’s a magic in seizing the moment to try again. As a mentor, her heart’s purpose is to guide people into living as their full, innate, creative potential. As a writer, her heart leads her to inspire readers through her tales. Creating stories about people courageously living, loving, and experiencing life true to themselves, no matter how messy it gets, are the ones Eden wants to write and will keep writing for you…and for her. Connect with Eden at https://linktr.ee/edenrobins and check out her blog, Living the Path, https://awholeheartedme.com/blog

Interview with Author Massimo Fantini 

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1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

My name is Massimo Fantini, and I am an Italian author and free thinker, writing from my home in the hills just outside Bologna. In quiet moments, when I am neither writing nor working, I enjoy classical music, particularly orchestral works and Italian opera.

I graduated from a university in Bologna with a degree in civil engineering. However, the studies of my youth do not represent my life’s passion—that is, delving into the realities which unite all of humanity:

suffering, frustrations, conflicts, and the human reactions to these. These are the events that take every human as an innocent in the crib and twist and turn them into 8.1 billion unique (but intimately connected) forms.

In short, I am obsessed with exploring the intimate recesses of the human condition.

In 2018, entirely dissatisfied with my job, I sought a new form of expression. Thus, I began to write.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I consider myself to be a keen observer, and my stories are inspired by the observation of reality.

After observation, comes analysis. Why did that person react that way? Why did they say those things?

Why don't they react to conditioning by developing their own critical sense?

Art is wonderful because it is a representation of what we otherwise cannot express. I seek not to provide myself and my readers with a mere distraction (what so often passes for “entertainment”). Not a hole in which to stick our heads for a few hours, only to emerge weakened and even less able to face our reality.

Rather, I offer up a representation of our shared condition.

The human condition.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Echoing the sentiment of Heraclitus, no two people may look at the same problem the same way, because it is different to each. From the old and cynical Leonard in Concerning Fanaticism to young Tommaso (a character inspired by my own youth) in Concerning Intellectual Suicide, I tried to shed light on a path that is a constant part of our lives, but also constantly shifting.

Through my writing, I encourage readers to find their own perspective on life. Rather than embracing the comfortable mold that society provides, like a goldfish “free” to swim around in its little bowl, I hope my readers can use my books as a stepping stone toward their own unique way of thinking. And then, I wish them the freedom to pursue it.

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4) What drew you into this particular genre?

The philosophical nature of my works lends itself to both the essay and fiction genres. However, I believe that the fiction genre is more easily accessible to the general public. The emotional strength of characters who live a story, who suffer, and who try to escape the grip of the human condition makes philosophical reasoning deeper and more effective.

Over time, I experimented with many kinds of writing, wondering how best to give my ideas form.

Finally, I found my voice through stories, giving life to characters who explore, triumph, and fail for us to watch.

5) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I must admit that writing is exhausting. I thought that once I completed my trilogy, I would have no more ideas to express. Instead, I have a Word document with dozens of ideas to develop, ideas suggested by the simple observation of the people around me. I’m currently working on my fourth manuscript. The story draws inspiration from the previous "Intellectual

Suicide" and brings to light aspects of human nature that I have not focused on in previous works.

I can’t wait to complete it!

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About the Author

Greetings, readers.

I am Massimo Fantini, an Italian author and free thinker, writing from my home in the hills just outside Bologna. In quiet moments, when I am not writing, I enjoy classical music, particularly orchestral works for violin and the Italian opera.

I graduated from a university in Bologna with a degree in civil engineering. However, the studies of my youth do not represent my life’s obsession—that is, delving into those realities which unite all members of the human race: suffering, frustrations, conflicts, and the human reactions to these. They are the events and forces that take every human as an innocent in the crib and twist and turn them into 8.1 billion unique (but intimately connected) forms.

In short, I am obsessed with exploring the intimate recesses of the human condition.

In 2018, entirely dissatisfied with my job, I sought a new form of expression. Thus, I began to write. Incessantly.

I experimented with many kinds of writing. How best to give my ideas form? Then, I found my voice through stories, giving life to characters who explore, triumph, and fail for us to watch.

In each installment of my Human Condition Trilogy, these same all-encompassing issues are approached from different directions, under different circumstances, and by different characters.

Echoing the sentiment of Heraclitus, no two people may look at the same problem, because it is different to each. From the old cynical Leonard in Concerning Fanaticism to young Tommaso (a character inspired by my own youth) in Concerning Intellectual Suicide, I tried to cast a light on a path that is a constant part of our lives, but also constantly shifting.

Through my writing, I encourage readers to find their own perspective on life. Rather than embracing the comfortable mold which society provides, like a goldfish “free” to swim around in its little bowl, I hope my readers can use my books as a steppingstone toward their own unique way of thinking. And then, I wish them the freedom to pursue it.

Art is wonderful because it is a representation of what we otherwise cannot express. I seek not to provide myself and my readers with a mere distraction (what so often passes for “entertainment”). Not a hole in which to stick our heads for a few hours, only to emerge weakened and even less able to face our reality. Rather, I offer up a representation of our shared condition.

The Human Condition.

Interview with Author Julie Rogers

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1)    Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?


Growing up with several disabilities from Rubella (including a hearing impairment) was hard. Reading and studying music helped me understand speech patterns, idioms, and vernacular I might’ve otherwise missed. I started taking writing seriously after I won a themed essay competition in high school, which prompted me to consider an education in writing at Southern Methodist University—where I somehow managed to survive David and Betty Lynn McHam’s school of journalism. Upon graduation, however, my day job was an athletic trainer, and writing remained a side-hustle until my first book was hybrid published when I was forty. I’d decided to indie publish because most of my books color outside the lines—cross-genre and one-off projects that don’t fall within standard marketing comps.

In 2014, I began freelancing as a ghostwriter and editor with Upwork and James Innes Group. I later signed on with Edioak in New York City, an in-house editing partner for fourteen houses across the globe, publishers like Gamahouse Publishing and Simon & Schuster. Currently, I freelance as a developmental editor for authorsassistant.com and my own company, julierogersbooks.com. This type of work opens up literary avenues way beyond my own titles—projects from novellas to novel series, self-help, how-to, inspirational, spiritual, blog, technical, academic, resumes, and LinkedIn profile enhancements. Genres I write include YA, children’s, adult fantasy, stories based upon or inspired by true events, as well as contemporary, paranormal, and sci-fi romance, thriller, horror, and action adventure. I’ve also done some screenplays and screenplay doctoring along the way.

I enjoy helping indie authors from idea to launch, those who want to get quality books on board while avoiding some of the costly missteps I made.

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2)    What inspired you to write your book?


Twenty years ago I had a story rolling around in my head, one with the depth and breadth of a classic. That was the goal I had in mind, you know—the situations, characters, and worlds converging into—well, this big book. Not commercial fiction (once again!) Also, I wanted a dilemma that avoided anything gratuitous, just the bare bones of two unbeatable issues: terminal illness and individual mortality. What do we do when we outlive someone, for example? That sort of stuff. These nemeses were challenging for me because they’re not your two-dimensional bad guys. Illness can be a nemesis, and cancer, a monster—but how do we show those in a compelling way?

Another idea came along and paired with the first one, remembering the boy in my third-grade class who was an avid fan of the TV cult classic Dark Shadows. This was in the daytime soap’s heyday after Canadian actor Jonathan Frid joined the show and its ratings went through the roof. I still wonder why my classmate chose live action role-playing, really before LARPing was a thing. I think he did it because he loved the TV show, and his theatrics were fun and games when school got boring.

He could’ve passed for a vampire himself, the complete package with the dark hair and eyes, the long cuspids—and his ability to act the part. He had a flashy cape too, not just any old cheap one, with which he regularly entertained our classroom performing Barnabas Collins impersonations. But it posed a question to me: what if a young boy roleplayed a vampire for a much more serious reason, and where would that take us?

I originally wrote Falling Stars as a screenplay and pitched it at the Maui Writers’ Convention in 2001 to Alison Rosenzweig, one of the producers of Windtalkers. I put it away with all the other pitches that weren’t greenlighted at the time and pulled it out again in 2021. In a novel, I had more room to weave in some of the incredible Eureka Springs’ history and develop the whole Claudius Fallon persona, this vampire-human hybrid who struggles with his own disease process, and how he integrates a successful art gallery into a tourist destination without being discovered.

3)    What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?


A deeper exploration of our own biological mortality and the dilemma of outliving someone you love. I decided to take the risk of stepping outside boilerplate language, even if this created a circuitous narrative of sorts.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?


An education in journalism instills a love of learning and an openness to receive stories of all shapes and forms. Truth be told, Falling Stars is cross-genre—a mixture of urban fantasy, magical realism, historical fiction, and family drama.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I think I’d choose Tommy Lucas because I found myself intrigued with his snarky little personality. As I wrote Tommy, I kept asking what he’d hope to gain from such aberrant behavior. Did it give him an edge? Courage to live another day? And how would he manage to carry on with such an attitude—so annoying, yet so loveable? I think I could easily get caught up in youthful bitterness because that kind of pluckiness seems to carry more innocence and hope.

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6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

There are two: Tina Hogan’s Cuppa & A Natter Facebook group, and Story Origin.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Trust the stories that inspire and intrigue you, what shows up at your heart’s door. Use all the writing resources available to you both locally and online. Friends and family who will take a first look should never be discounted. If anything, it’s easy for a new writer today to become overwhelmed and confused by the excess of resources available. Every writer will make a different journey, and no one journey is better than the other. All of us are a mix of mastery and mistakes. Study the language. Get used to getting back up and dusting yourself off.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m currently shopping two screenplays, one I co-wrote with Nashville musician Bart Bryars, as well as my own screen adaptation of Falling Stars. An audiobook version of Falling Stars will be available soon, narrated by actor Keith Michael Pinault.

I also feel like it’s time to dust off my backlist with new covers, content, and whatnot. I’m noodling on a trilogy in the magical realism vein and plan to continue working as a freelance editor and ghostwriter. I’ve recently begun hosting the Write Now podcast for the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. And of course, there’s a new time-management breakout I enjoy sharing with other creatives at workshops, The New Time Paradigm.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089579155275

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julierogersbooks/

X: https://twitter.com/BooksRogers

Website: https://julierogersbooks.com

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@julierogersbooks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julierogersbooks/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@authorjulierogers6645

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About the Author

Julie is a multi-genre author. Her articles and stories are featured in self-help, inspirational, trade, and fiction publications including Writer’s Digest, Coping With Cancer, Complete Woman, and Daily Meditation.

She is the 1999 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition Grand Prize Winner for her horror short story, “House Call.”

Her seventh novel,  Falling Stars, is an eleven-time award winner, including the 2023 International Firebird Awards First Place in Urban Fantasy, the 2023 Pinnacle Book Awards Best Book in Fantasy, and the 2023 Outstanding Creator Awards First Place in Medical Fiction.

Other awards include Fade In magazine’s 2005 Screenplay Semi-Finalist for the thriller, Grave Jumper, and the 1998 Writer’s Digest Writing Competition First for her stage play comedy, Garage Sale.

Julie works as a remote freelance ghostwriter and editor for julierogersbooks.com and authorsassistant.com in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the setting of her seventh book, Falling Stars. She lives there with her husband, Jim, a primary care physician, their furry children Madison, Kate, Sukie, and mollusks Dewey, Decimal, and System. She has one son, Seth, who works as a video game level designer in Austin.

Interview with Author Martha Everitt 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve been ‘writing’ since before I could write! I had a period of illness when I was five and spent some time in hospital. Having exhausted the hospital library and endless games of noughts and crosses, my mum whipped out a pen and a notebook and told me to tell her a story. She wrote it down. That became our go-to method of keeping me entertained during hospital visits, until I was able to write by myself (and until, thankfully, I got well). I love stories. I love their ability to take us out of the real world, to teach and enlighten us, to amuse and offer hope and camaraderie. I always knew I wanted to be on the other side of it, delivering the experience to other readers someday, I just wasn’t sure which medium was the one for me. I worked on a couple of screenplays and a stage play, and even tried my hand at writing a graphic novel before eventually circling back round to short stories and novels.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

I’m a big fan of fairy tales (I’ve lost count of the number of Beauty & The Beast retellings I’ve read). The stories are timeless, but there’s also a lot of humour to be found in retelling a much-loved story through a modern-day lens. Like, what if Cinderella wasn’t the only woman in the kingdom with dainty feet? What if the Seven Dwarfs (rightfully) called the cops on Prince Florian for kissing Snow White without her consent? I also knew I’d have a lot of fun writing a modern-day version of Little Red Riding Hood if I made the ‘grandmother’ figure paramount to the story. In these

stories, grandmothers are usually portrayed as a bit meek, vulnerable, or scatterbrained, but I’ve met my fair share of sassy, confident and refreshingly blunt older women. In most versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Granny ends up either eaten by the wolf or, at best, locked away in a cupboard. I wanted to put Granny back in the driver’s seat (literally!), where she belongs.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I prefer not to beat my reader over the head with my views, and rather that my story simply gets them thinking. In The Bhad Wolf, there are definite themes of gender and gender stereotypes, physical strength versus weakness, and ego versus insecurity.

What message readers glean from my story will be based on their own life experiences and views — I just hope the takeaway is a positive one.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I’ve written (and continue to write) across genres, but I tend to fall into comedy when given free rein over my work. I think this is because I generally write often quite difficult or emotional subject matter, and humour just… softens the edges a little.

Makes it more digestible. It might also have something to do with that old British attitude of finding the joke in almost everything, because feelings are uncomfortable.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Mrs Granger would “tell it like it is”, so I’d probably ask her some really big, imposing question, like, “What’s the key to happiness?” or “How do I stop caring what people think about me?” I imagine she’d sit me down with a nice cup of a tea and a few biscuits, and we’d talk out all out. Who needs a therapist when you’ve got Mrs Granger?

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6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I’ve definitely had the most joy through X (formerly Twitter — how long do we need to keep saying that?). It’s where I connected with Julian and Remy, who run Endless Ink Book Publishing, and other writers in their catalogue, as well as an established readership. My youngest sister (and trusty consultant on all things Gen Z) has been trying to convince me to sign up to TikTok. She says it’s where all the readers are.

Like so many other writers, I’m a little (a lot) shy, and so putting myself out there on social media platforms can be a bit of a daunting task. But I’m working on it!

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

The main advice I would give is to keep learning and keep challenging yourself. Even established writers can continue to improve and hone their craft, so be open to critique and suggestions. This doesn’t mean accepting every criticism as gospel and altering your manuscript beyond recognition at every beta reader, editor, or publisher’s say-so, but be open to thoughtful and considered feedback. Attend workshops, read wide and diverse stories, and recognise and work on your weaknesses. I wish I’d been humbler in my early writing days. All of us can improve.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’ve been privileged to contribute another couple of stories towards Endless Ink’s Earth’s Final Chapter, including a short story and a novella. The short story has fantasy elements and some incredible characters we’ve only seen glimpses of so far in EFC, while the novella builds on a fantastic story by Nathan Banks (and illustrated by John Hawkins). I also have a couple of other projects in the pipeline, including a novel and a children’s book. I’m trying to keep myself contained to just one or two projects at any given time, but there are plenty of other ideas floating around in my brain, waiting to come out.

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About the Author

Martha Everitt is the author of The Wilding and Dove: A Mother’s Instinct, both of which are featured in the Earth’s Final Chapter series. Her short story The Bhad Wolf was published within the collection Blood Pudding and Other Horrific Delicacies. She lives in the UK and divides her time equally between reading copious amounts of literature and hollering football chants.

https://twitter.com/Writing_M_Eve
Blood Pudding & Other Horrific Delicacies (Paperback)