1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I LOVE to read, and one day, I thought, why not try writing? I had so much fun with it, but I never planned on publishing a book until I started to receive feedback on my Wattpad account for more.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
I was going through a doomsday prepping phase. I really don’t know why. Intuition? The whole Covid thing started a few months after I had finished writing the book. Also, I read One Second After by William Forstchen. I loved the book, and I wanted more. So, I wrote my own with more excitement and a more sinister twist.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That an EMP catastrophe is not that far-fetched. If it brings some awareness and some prepping, then I’ve done my job.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’m not sure, actually. It’s just fine to write in this genre. I also have written in the New Adult genre (sort of like Young Adult). I received good feedback from that as well, but it didn’t gain the same traction as The Days books.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I think I am all of my characters. I’d probably chat with Franks some more, though. If there is a third book in the series, it’ll be heavily Frank-centered.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m not that big on social media. Facebook is the only one I really use, and it’s only because I feel like “I have to.”
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Think of your writing ambitions as an expensive hobby until you’ve got numerous books under your belt. Don’t expect to quit your day job after just one or even a handful of books. In other words, don’t do it for the money, but if it’s your dream career to be an author, KEEP GOING and join Facebook groups for writers to keep you inspired and receive valuable feedback.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
The sequel to The Days That Followed just came out, and I’ve got another Dystopian Novella hitting shelves soon, but I’ll probably pull back on writing for a bit so that I can read more! I read 50 books in 2023, and that was a bit of a bummer for me.
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About the Author
Hailey was born and raised in Salmon, ID. She now lives in Park City, UT, with her husband, two young daughters, and two dogs. The Days That Followed is her debut publication and is book one in a two-part series. She’s also passionate about educating herself on health-related topics and advocates for healthcare reform. When not writing, reading, or researching, she can be found in nature or having princess tea parties at home.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve been in the sales industry for over 40 years. I have helped develop sales training programs and have written numerous articles on the subject. For years I was intrigued with a certain relative who was a family legend (a black sheep of the family) and wanted to learn more about his story. I had a desire to hear the details, so I sat with him for months and the story just fell onto paper.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
The story was so intriguing and captivating that the urge to write it was so overwhelming.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
The lure of money is so powerful that it motivates people to stretch the limits of the law.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
The motivation for the story was the rarely seen, dark world of high stakes, high pressure telemarketing sales industry.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I was taken on a trip into the mind of Scott Newman. That gave me all the motivation I needed to bring the story to life.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Amazon and facebook have been the most successful to date. Self publishing makes it more difficult getting the story to the masses. A lot of work is still needed to reach a larger amount of readership.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I guess, for me, the only advice I would have is for an aspiring author to find a subject he/she is passionate about. That will make the juices flow and help jumpstart the writing process.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I do have another project I am working on. It is based upon several intersecting stories of severe anxiety leading to frightening results. The working title is “Panic In The Mirror…Reflections Of A Vision Lost.”
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About the Author
David Fisher is a first time author with four decades of hands-on experience in the sales industry. He has published numerous sales training articles. The subject matter for this comical peek he provides into the dark side of this ethically challenged telemarketing industry comes from hours of one-on-one interviews with a close family acquaintance who made this his career. His detailed, true life experiences were the foundation for this wonderfully fascinating, compelling read you won’t be able to put down.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
A: The first time I remember thinking about writing was watching Looney Tunes cartoons on TV after school. I quickly learned that the name Chuck Jones or Tex Avery meant that I was in for a great cartoon. I didn’t have any idea what a director was versus a writer but that didn’t matter. What did was the realization that real people tell stories, that they don’t just come from nowhere.
Shortly after I got into comic books, and the opening credits page in comics really let me obsess over certain writers. Some of them just told stories I liked more than others and I started following the work of people like Marv Wolfman, Keith Giffen, Frank Miller, and Neil Gaiman. After a while I got it in my head that I wanted to write comics when I grew up. I knew I’d never draw well enough to pencil them, but I’ve always liked to daydream and I had a million ideas. I hoped that if my comic book writing heroes could do it so could I.
From there I tried to write things down, but I was too undisciplined to finish anything. Eventually those ideas turned into D&D campaigns with friends until I decided that I didn’t want to have my stories changed around by the collaborative nature of gaming. I fiddled around with writing in college (first as a creative writing major, then as a journalism major) but then I let my passion fade away. Now it’s twenty-five years later and I find its back, and I’m doing want I can to indulge it.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
A: On December 10th, 2021, my dog Scout died. My wife and I rescued her when she was two years old, and she had been a part of my life for more than fifteen years. I’ve worked from home either part or full time for much of the last decade, so she was my daily companion. Scout was a poodle, and poodles are strange dogs in that they have their person. While friendly and loving to all, Scout was never settled unless I was around, I was her person. She was always watching me, following me, and with me through thick and thin. Losing her was a real gut punch.
About a month before she died, I was sitting at my laptop as she slept quietly next to me in her bed on the floor. I remember looking at her and knowing that she wouldn’t be with me much longer – seventeen is pretty old for a dog. I turned back to my laptop and the first sentence of The Maiden’s Sleep just spilled out of me and into a word document I had open for work. I stared that sentence – “I hate kids, and yet there are two in the pile of sticks and mud I call home.” – and wondered where the hell it came from. So I followed it. I kept writing whatever came to mind and within fifteen minutes I had two pages of Bow’s voice.
That has never happened to me before.
After Scout’s death I was visiting family for the holidays. My mother could see how much I was grieving Scout’s loss and, knowing I liked to write, suggested I write a story about her. Something that would help me remember how much she meant to me. When I got back home, thinking about what my mother had said, I opened that document I had written that day next to Scout and just kept going. I completed the first draft of the story in a month.
I don’t think The Maiden’s Sleep is at all what my mother had in mind when she suggested writing a story about Scout – sorry mom. But given what I was going through it should come as no surprise that Bow’s story deals with the themes of death, loss, and grief. I also think it really captures how I found my way through such a significant loss. Ultimately, it’s a hopeful story about how those we lose live on in our memories, inspiring us to be better with their love. In that way they never really leave us.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
A: Yes. If things are dark, there is light ahead. Just hang on because eventually it will reveal itself. Also, it never hurts to look around for friends, you might just find some when you really need them.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
A: I’ve always loved fantasy books, and the chance to play around in this space seemed natural to me. That said, I do feel like I cross genres a lot when I write. I can’t help it. In this case it seemed exciting to mash-up detective fiction and fantasy. I really liked the idea of solving a mystery within the confines of fantasy. When other writers do that I just think it’s a blast.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
A: Maybe Bennie. He’s such an unrepentant jerk I’d want to know who hurt him so bad that he feels like he needs to punish the world as a result. Frankly, I only hint at his history with Bow in the The Maiden’s Sleep but it’s something I’d like to explore further if I write another story with these characters.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
A: I’m pretty terrible with social media so I mostly stick to Facebook. I think that’s been helpful in letting people know what I’m up to. In terms of learning things about publishing and writing, I find Reddit the most useful. There is an awful lot to learn on that site if you know where to look.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
A: Oh, wow, I don’t really know. I mean, in almost every way I’m still an aspiring or starting author. I’ve been lucky enough to get a few short stories out there and two novellas, but I hardly feel like an authority in this space. I can only share that any success I’ve had getting my work published has come down to relentlessly looking for opportunities, never getting down when I hear ‘no’, and constantly trying to create the best stories I can. I can’t control if someone likes what I’m writing but I can control how good the work is I’m putting out and how I present it to others.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
A: I’m almost done with another novella about Houdini in WWI that I’m really excited about and I’m probably three fourths of the way through writing my first real novel about high school metal heads in the 1980s who get mixed up in paranormal adventures. That book has been a blast to write. Someday I would love to come back to write more stories about Bow. I have another one in mind already.
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About the Author
Michael J. Stiehl has had a lifelong passion for fiction, in particular horror, comics, adventure and science fiction, and is thrilled to finally be writing some of his own. Michael lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, two kids and his very silly poodle Jack. When not writing fiction, Michael spends his time riding bikes, camping, reading books, obsessively listening to music and playing D&D with his friends. In short, he hasn’t changed a bit since junior high.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Growing up, I wasn’t interested in writing like many friends who kept diaries. My passion was singing and playing the piano. In fact, I had never written down my thoughts until I was a freshman in high school when our English teacher introduced us to the rhythm and rhyme of poetry. Writing poems was like creating music but with my own lyrics. It became my diary, where I expressed myself on the written page.
I stopped writing poetry after I headed to college to get a music degree. Unfortunately, after my first year, I foolishly married a senior music major, who unexpectedly changed his career right before the wedding and tossed me unprepared into the role of minister’s wife at age eighteen. Yikes! That caused enough stress to send poetry into hiding.
After several years of playing a supporting role in someone else’s life plan while raising children and slowly trying to finish my music degree, poetry came back into my life to help me express my feelings. I also began journaling, which provided a larger canvas to paint longer sentences onto the page. The more I wrote about my life in the trenches of church ministry, the more I exaggerated until I was rolling on the floor laughing at what I’d written. That’s when I realized I could write humor. Surprise!
I joined a writer’s group without knowing I would have to submit a story or poem to our group leader every month so she could deliver our writings for publishing in the local newspaper. I was writing about my minister’s wife gig, so I used a pen name to keep my identity a secret. Being in the writer’s group inspired me to change my college degree from Music to English. I finished my degree two years later. In total, it took me five colleges and twenty years to graduate.
What inspired you to write your book?
Initially, when writing about my minister’s spouse life, I thought I would someday compile those stories into a book, but after my graduation, I got divorced and just wanted to put my marriage and traditional religion behind me. However, I still wanted a spiritual life. So, for the next twenty years, I dove into metaphysics, mind-body-spirit, higher consciousness, astrology, quantum physics, you name it.
As I approached retirement, the urge to write new humorous short stories and poems about my current life took hold. I posted them on Facebook and eventually created a website for blogging. Then came the strong pull to write the book. However, when I read those old stories, I realized I wasn’t that minister’s wife anymore. I had been on a journey of self-discovery. I had overcome obstacles and reclaimed my identity. I had a much bigger story to tell. One that could help those discouraged by traditional religion but still want a spiritual life and those hiding their authentic voice out of fear of what people might think of them.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Life happens for you; you can’t get it wrong. You are more than enough to see your dreams come true. You don’t have to meet the expectations of others. You are the only authority over what is best for you.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I write primarily in the first person. Since I had a personal story to tell, it made sense to write a memoir with my own kind of humor and honesty that resonates with readers.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Facebook is the only one I have. I promoted my book once a week for 8 weeks without buying ads. The book became a #1 Amazon bestseller on the first day of the ebook pre-orders. Then again, seven days later when the paperback came out.
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What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
You don’t have to have an ending before you start writing. It will show up as you write.
When you have an idea, write it down immediately, especially if you are in bed in the middle of the night, because you will NOT remember it in the morning.
Get seven to eight hours of sleep, and when you awake, stay in bed with an open mind for thirty more minutes because that’s when you will get the ideas and words you were looking for the day before.
To really enjoy writing, you must write regularly, even if it’s just a few words because the more you procrastinate, the more your writing project will haunt you. You don’t want that.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m currently focused on promoting my book. Other than that, I don’t know what is in my future, but I’m excited and open to whatever is coming.
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About the Author
Gaye Kick graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield, where she studied writing under novelist and children’s book author Jaqueline Dougan Jackson. She writes humorous short stories about finding balance and inspiration as she navigates the highway of life. In addition, Gaye is a talented pianist, singer, and songwriter specializing in new thought music. Explore her work at www.gayellenkick.com
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember. One of my first memories of writing was when I was ten. I wrote a story about racism that involved a child driving a bulldozer over the home of his racist tormenters. My teacher was horrified by the homicidal implications of my story and thought I might be a budding serial killer. So, she called my parents in for a meeting to discuss my mental state. My parents, bless their hearts, laughed and told her they were proud of me, and that they thought my theme and content were both appropriate and commendable.
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What inspired you to write your book?
I had originally intended to write about a little-known piece of American history called the Great Upheaval, a massive strike wave that erupted in the summer of 1877, in which at least 100 workers were killed by police and national guards nationwide. It spread from New York to Louisiana, and west, to California, with uprisings in several towns. Armories were looted. Black and white workers united in New Orleans, Louisville, Galveston, and in Saint Louis, where they took over management of city services, and called it the Saint Louis Commune, after the Paris Commune of 1871. But I soon realized this was way too big for a single book. And as I did the research, I discovered that just a few weeks before the Great Upheaval began, twenty innocent Irish miners were hanged in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania—ten in a single day. It was the second largest mass execution in U.S. history. They were convicted of murder, accused of being terrorists from a secret organization called the Molly Maguires. Dozens more were imprisoned. All were union activists. And there is no evidence that an organization called the Molly Maguires ever existed in the U.S. So, I decided to do a trilogy, with the first book, Anywhere But Schuylkill, telling the story of Mike Doyle, one of the accused Molly Maguires who got away.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I didn’t write this book to be didactic. For me, reading and writing are fun, and that was why I wrote the book. But in the process, I did hope to right an historical wrong. Arthur Conan Doyle’s final Sherlock Holmes novel, Valley of Fear (1915), the 1970 Sean Connery film, Molly Maguires, and a majority of the academic texts about the Molly Maguires and the miners’ union of that era, were based on Allan Pinkerton’s own work of fiction, The Molly Maguires and the Detectives (1877), which he falsely marketed as nonfiction. These works universally treat the Molly Maguires as an actual Irish terrorist organization, which conspired to murder mine owners and scabs, despite the fact that there is no evidence that such an organization ever existed in the U.S., other than the claims of Pinkerton, who had been hired by the coal companies to disrupt and destroy the union. So, there’s that. But I also hope readers will find beauty and inspiration in the characters’ struggles.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I love history, especially labor history and the history of social movements. I’ve been blogging and writing nonfiction on these themes for years now. And I also enjoy reading historical fiction. But I really wanted to write the story of the Molly Maguires, from their own perspective, the story of impoverished immigrants and first-generation Americans, persecuted for their ethnic and religious identity, struggling to support their families during the worst depression the country had known, trying to collectively organize against one of the most powerful corporations of the era: the Reading Railroad. Plus, fiction can reveal the truths that reality obscures, to paraphrase Emerson.So, historical fiction seemed the perfect genre.
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would like to talk to Da, about the antidraft protests he was involved in during the Civil War. I’d like to know if there were many others, like him, who saw the war as a fight between two opposing factions of the ruling class, rather than as a fight against slavery, and tyranny, as many of the German immigrants saw it.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m not sure yet. I do have an Author Takeover on Facebook on January 15, with the Historical Fiction Club. You should check it out. I’ll be posting eight short pieces throughout the day. I’ll be giving away free copies of my book. And it’ll be a fun way to get to know about me and my writing, ask me questions, and maybe even learn a little working-class history. To participate, go to the Historical Fiction Book Club Facebook page on Jan 15:https://www.facebook.com/groups/historicalfictionbookclub
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
First, I’d tell them to do their homework. Learn something about the craft before embarking. I didn’t. I was super naïve going into it. I thought, Hey, I’m good at telling stories and I read a lot. Of course, I can write a novel. Plus, the actual facts were so fascinating, I thought the story would write itself. But I had no training in fiction writing. I made a lot of mistakes. My first draft was terrible. The side characters were one-dimensional. There were no emotional arcs. The subplots weren’t fleshed out enough. I didn’t provide enough sensory details. I had to go back and take courses, find mentors, read a lot about the craft. Consequently, it took me nine years from when I first started working on this project to the time when it was actually published. Of course, I was also working full time, and being a father. So, that also made it take longer.
Second, I’d tell them to learn to embrace the editing process. No one, except maybe Kafka, churns out a finished product on the first draft. The editing and rewriting are the most time-consuming parts of the process. You could end up rewriting the entire thing 5-10 times before it’s really done. If you don’t have resilience and perseverance, and an enjoyment of this process, you might have a hard time producing a good quality book. That said, I really do enjoy the editing and rewriting. It’s a lot of fun trying to get all the pieces to fit together artfully.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
The Molly Maguire mass hanging that occurred in 1877, the second largest mass execution in U.S. history, is the opening scene of the next book in my Great Upheaval Trilogy: Red Hot Summer in the Big Smoke. The main character is Mike Doyle’s kid sister, Tara. It takes place in Pittsburgh, during the Great Upheaval strike wave, where much of downtown was burned to the ground, and where 20 strikers were gunned down by soldiers. I’m about halfway through the first draft. And then it will be on to the third and final book in the series. Not sure yet about the title. But it will take place in Saint Louis.
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About the Author
Michael Dunn writes Working-Class Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. “Anywhere But Schuylkill,” is the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he has always been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular working people, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families. Stories most people do not know, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robber barons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories are among the most compelling in America.
They resonate today because they are the stories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles and tragedies, were so similar to our own. When Michael Dunn is not writing historical fiction, he teaches high school, and writes about labor history and culture. His labor history has been published in several online and print magazines:
Reform: The Trojan Horse Wheeling into Schools (Labor Notes 7/28/11); The dangers of a
California megaflood (World Socialist Website, 10/25/21); and The Modern School Movement
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
My name is Cheryl Gillespie, and I live in the beautiful, hospitable region of Atlantic Canada. I am fortunate to have one of the most rewarding occupations as I am a private piano teacher and educator in music theory.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed the craft of writing, from the journaling I did at age 12 or 13, to the assignments I was given in high school. Of course, the love of reading is a strong asset which for some, can be a pathway to writing.
When my niece was a little girl, I recall reading stories to her which sparked the idea of writing about the antics of my two cats. Therefore, my first published work was a children’s book entitled, Tigger and Jasper’s New Home, a tale of 2 mischievous kittens who were adopted by a young blind woman. Yes, it is a true story, except in this case the cats are able to speak to each other.
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2) What inspired you to write your recent book?
The word that comes to mind is – serendipity. Following my children’s book, I had no designs on a second publication. However, my music mentor who was in the process of writing his memoir, suggested my own story is one which should be told and that it may be of great interest to many. After jotting down my thoughts and a fair bit of reflection, I made the decision to write, I Feel Your Stare: An Autobiography.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Everyone has their life challenges, whether economic, social, physical or other, so I hope readers can identify with this to some extent. I think one message is that breaking down societal barriers is best achieved with a positive determination, rather than to approach it with a negative, griping attitude.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
Quite simply, I tend to relate better when writing my own experiences. For instance, the comic-like episodes that took place with my cats in the children’s book, actually happened. Then there are the lifetime hoops I’ve had to jump through in order to attain an education, receive proper healthcare, or to gain my independence as revealed in my autobiography.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
Of course, as this is an autobiography, I have had interactions with each of the players. There are some, however, to whom I’d like to give an earful as an adult since I was unable to defend myself as a child.
But, perhaps the person I’d choose is the superintendent of the residential school for the blind in Halifax, the one who told me in no uncertain terms, “You’ll never make it in a sighted world.”
My questions: After uttering those words to a child, did you feel like a big man when you went home to your cozy house that night? And second, how did you feel when I completely defied you, exposed your lies and proved you wrong?
My reasons for asking: I would want to make it absolutely clear that not a single drop of credit is owed to him for my successes. They belong to me, along with the help of caring people throughout my lifetime.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
This is an issue for me, given how time consuming it is for blind individuals to navigate through these visual platforms. I guess I would have to say Facebook where I can be located, and where information has spread to readers the most.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
First, do your own research. There are a lot of good author blogs and writing tools out there, so take advantage of them. Personally, I perform best when making relevant notes from what I’ve learned, then mapping out the direction I’d like my writing to flow.
Second, editing is a must. Seek recommendations on collaborating with an editor you can trust.
Third, take your time. Write because you love it.
— —
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~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
In her home province of New Brunswick, Canada, Cheryl Gillespie, along with her cat Mattie, will often be found basking on the backyard deck beneath the warm sunshine. Here, in this very spot is where many of the chapters for her award winning autobiography, I Feel Your Stare were written.
A childhood diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and associated blindness, coupled with physical and societal barriers, has proven only to strengthen her resolve. Following graduation from Fredericton High School, Cheryl advanced in her private studies through the Royal Conservatory of Music, attaining First Class Honours in piano, theory and history.
Today, well established in her teaching career, she takes pride in the education of her students, highlighted by a two-time provincial medal winner through Mount Allison’s Local Centre Examinations Department of Music. Through her active role within the Fredericton Music Teachers’ Association, Cheryl has built invaluable, longstanding friendships with her colleagues. In 1993, Cheryl was the recipient of the Stanley B. Cassidy Memorial Award, presented by the Fredericton Music Society, recognizing her dedication to excellence and personal achievements.
Cheryl’s first work for adults, I Feel Your Stare, gained literary status in 2023: a winner in two categories through The Firebird Book Awards, earned a RED RIBBON from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and was a finalist in the Independent Author Network Book of The Year Awards! This title was preceded by her children’s book, Tigger and Jasper’s New Home, and likewise is a Firebird Book Award winner, and a cover art finalist with The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve always been fascinated by the power of storytelling and its ability to connect people, evoke emotions, and inspire change. My journey into writing was a natural progression from my passion for communication and my desire to make a meaningful impact on others’ lives. Initially, my writing was a personal outlet—a way to process experiences, explore ideas, and articulate the insights I gained from my roles in leadership, coaching, and speaking.
The transition from personal reflection to published author was driven by a realization that the lessons I learned, particularly through overcoming adversity and embracing intentional living, had the potential to resonate with and benefit others. This led me to write “Passion Struck,” a culmination of my experiences, research, and conversations with thought leaders across various fields. Writing became not just a means of expression but a mission to empower individuals to unlock their potential and lead lives filled with purpose, passion, and authenticity.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
The inspiration behind writing “Passion Struck” stemmed from a deep-seated desire to address the pervasive sense of “unmattering” that affects so many individuals today. Observing friends, colleagues, and even strangers grappling with feelings of insignificance, despite their achievements, propelled me to explore how living intentionally and with passion can transform lives. My own journey—navigating personal and professional hurdles, including overcoming severe injuries as a combat veteran—underscored the power of intentionality in forging a meaningful existence. “Passion Struck” is my endeavor to share these insights, offering a blueprint for others to ignite their passion and live with purpose.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
The central theme of “Passion Struck” is that every individual has the inherent capacity to live a life that TRULY MATTERS—to themselves and to the world. The message I hope readers will embrace is one of empowerment and transformation: that by making intentional choices aligned with their deepest values and aspirations, they can overcome obstacles, realize their potential, and lead lives of profound impact and fulfillment. It’s about shifting from a passive existence to an intentional and passion-driven life, where every decision propels one closer to their ideal self.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
My draw to the self-help and personal development genre was a natural extension of my life’s work and experiences. Having witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of intentional living in my own life and those around me, I felt compelled to contribute to a genre that offers practical wisdom and guidance for personal growth. This genre allows for a blend of storytelling, science, and actionable advice, making it the perfect medium to convey the principles of living a “Passion Struck” life. It’s a field that not only offers the opportunity to inspire and educate but also to connect with readers on a deeply personal level, supporting them in their journey towards becoming their best selves.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Instagram has been instrumental in developing my readership for “Passion Struck.” The platform’s visual and interactive nature allows me to connect with my audience in a deeply personal way. Through Instagram, I share insights, quotes, and stories from the book, engaging with followers through posts, stories, and live sessions. It’s a dynamic space for fostering a community of like-minded individuals passionate about personal growth and intentional living. The ability to visually represent the concepts of the book, coupled with direct communication with my audience, has made Instagram an invaluable tool in spreading the message of “Passion Struck.”
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
To aspiring authors, my advice is threefold: First, write with authenticity. Let your unique voice and perspective shine through your work. Readers are drawn to authenticity; it’s what will make your book resonate on a personal level.
Second, be patient and persistent. Writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires dedication, resilience, and a willingness to embrace the process, including the inevitable challenges and rejections.
Lastly, never underestimate the importance of building a community. Engage with your audience early on, whether through social media, blogging, or public speaking. This community will not only provide support and motivation but also become the foundation of your readership once your book is published.
7) What does the future hold in store for you?
Looking ahead, I am excited to bring the transformative message of “Passion Struck” directly to audiences worldwide through a series of keynotes and interactive workshops. My immediate goal is to deepen the engagement with the book’s principles, making them more accessible and actionable for individuals eager to embark on their journey towards intentional living.
In parallel, I’m developing an online training platform, envisioned as a comprehensive university of life, where the book’s concepts can be explored in greater depth. This digital academy will offer courses, resources, and community support designed to empower participants to unlock their potential and embrace their authentic selves.
Additionally, the “Passion Struck” podcast will continue to play a pivotal role in expanding the book’s reach and impact. By delving into topics related to personal mastery, resilience, and purposeful living, the podcast will serve as a dynamic extension of the book, offering fresh insights, practical advice, and inspiration to listeners worldwide.
Behind the scenes, I’m exploring the possibilities for my next writing project. While “Passion Struck” remains my current focus, the journey of personal transformation is ever-evolving, and I’m passionate about continuing to contribute to this vital conversation through future books and projects.
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About the Author
John R. Miles is the dynamic force behind Passion Struck®, captivating millions with his globally-renowned podcast and national radio show, making a significant impact as a thought leader in the fields of behavior change, health and wellness, the science of personal mastery, and self-leadership. His journey, from the U.S. Navy to senior executive roles in the Fortune 50, grounds his insights in real-world experience. He’s not just a voice on leadership and personal growth; he’s lived it, making his guidance and storytelling resonate authentically with his audience.
As an author, keynote speaker, and entrepreneur, John blends practical wisdom with relatable anecdotes, making complex ideas about health, wellness, and personal mastery both accessible and inspiring. His Podcast, Passion Struck, is one of the world’s leading shows and the #1 alternative health podcast, featuring engaging conversations with notable figures like Angela Duckworth, Seth Godin, Susan Cain, Robin Sharma, and Dr. Mark Hyman.
His latest work, “Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life,” delves into the heart of what it means to live a life fueled by passion and purpose. Drawing on insights from luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and Astronaut Chris Cassidy, the book offers twelve science-based principles designed to awaken the dormant potential within us all. It’s a journey through overcoming self-doubt, catalyzing personal growth, and embracing a life lived with unwavering intention. It’s been honored as a 2024 must-read by the Next Big Idea Club and The Best Business Minds Book Awards for 2024.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I grew up in England – Yorkshire, Devon, London, but most of all in Suffolk, which is farming country about 80 miles from London. Also the arlocationea of rural scenes painted by John Constable – and I used to live in a very pretty small town called Hadleigh. Not that I cared so much about the prettiness then – I wanted to escape to big city excitement! But a lot of the background feel to the Home Ground of Ferren’s tribe in FERREN AND THE ANGEL comes from memories of Hadleigh and the countryside around.
Afterwards, I was 3 years in Cambridge, then migrated to Australia – an accidental migration, because I never intended to stay. But then I fell in love with the place and the lifestyle. I’ve lived always around the Sydney area – inner city, Newcastle, and now the Illawarra. Wollongong manages to combine having the biggest steelworks in the Southern Hemisphere with having a beautiful green escarpment and a whole string of picture-perfect beaches.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to create stories. I was always imagining scenarios and events for my own enjoyment and for friends playing games when I was a kid. But I never particularly thought of being a writer, until I started getting top marks for creative English composition – only because I discovered how to use a Thesaurus and throw around impressive-sounding words. Bad start! And worse, when I won a big prize for a short story, which was only impressive because I’d read some literary stuff more advanced than other kids my age, so I could pretend to use symbols and stream of consciousness and … you get the idea! I was a fake and a poseur, and all the natural story-telling instinct I started off with got lost in the process!
Anyway, I paid the price with 25 years of writer’s block. Now I truly did want to become a writer – and I couldn’t write. Or, more accurately, I couldn’t finish anything I started to write. And I started plenty, short stories, poems, novels – no use, I bogged down on every single one.
It took me a long, long time to rediscover that old storytelling instinct, but I did in the end. I got back to what I did well in the first place, which wasn’t fancy words and techniques, but making up live-in worlds and intriguing characters and stories that read like a movie.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
This will sound corny, but it really began with a dream. If you look at the opening half-dozen pages of FERREN AND THE ANGEL, that’s like a transcript of the dream. I was Ferren peeking out at terrible sounds and lights in the night sky, understanding that it was a war going on between the armies of Heaven and the armies of Earth. And I was Ferren seeing the bright light of an angel come hurtling down towards me, shot out of the sky and crashing close by. I’ve always been lucky with my dreams!
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Probably the idea that the downtrodden can rise up, exploitation can be defeated. I don’t really think in terms of themes or messages – if they’re there, they come out of the characters.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
If you call my genre Fantasy, then I guess I’ve always enjoyed imagining otherworlds. I love the challenge of creating a world far removed from the reader’s – and my own – experience, and then turning it into solid experience that makes you feel as if you’re actually living through the events right there. I think you’ll agree that the Ferren world is very way out – I hope you’ll agree that it still seems real when you read it!
But although I’ve always been drawn to Fantasy, I’ve also wanted to create fantasy worlds that aren’t like other fantasy worlds. I truly believe fantasy OUGHT to keep opening up new doorways, new imaginative possibilities, and I get disappointed when it falls into formula and stereotype. FERREN AND THE ANGEL is fantasy, OK, but when you get on to describing its sub-genre, then it becomes difficult. Easy to say it’s not traditional epic fantasy or swords and sorcery or medieval fantasy … but I wouldn’t know how to say exactly what it is!
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I guess I’d love to sit down with my second most important character, Miriael, and ask her about her life as an angel! What was she taught by the Cherubim in the schoolrooms on the Third Altitude, how does it feel to share a perfect communion of touching spirit to spirit with every other angel? And a million suchlike questions – there’d be so much to ask!
But for just sitting down with – and not particularly asking any questions – I’d go for my third character, Zonda. She may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’d really enjoy meeting her.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Maybe too early to give a proper answer … I’ll have a better answer in 6 months time! But I have enjoyed working through NetGalley, which is a site for making Advance Reading Copies available to reader-reviewers. I think it’s a great system! (And I don’t say that because all of my NetGalley reviews to date have been five-star … though it helps!)
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I’d say, enjoy the writing and the writing process, because that’s a pleasure no one can ever take away from you. Success goes up and goes down, your next book can’t always be more popular than your last. But to have a story unfold and start telling itself and zoom towards its climax – whoo-ee! Best feeling in the world!
I guess my 25 years of writer’s block gives me more reason to enjoy it than most. I’m on a winner just being able to finish a book at all!
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
First business is completing the Ferren trilogy. After FERREN AND THE ANGEL comes FERREN AND THE DOOMSDAY MISSION, then FERREN AND THE INVADERS OF HEAVEN. The story began big and keeps getting bigger! I’m already pre-filming those next 2 books in my mind, and I absolutely believe the whole trilogy will be the most satisfying – and mind-boggling – thing of all. INVADERS OF HEAVEN involves what the title says, an actual invasion of Heaven. Can’t reveal who the ‘Invaders’ are, but it’s no spoiler to reveal that the foot-soldiers of the invasion will be the very ugly, soulless Hypers who’ve been the backbone of the Humen (sic) army ever since Book One.
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About the Author
I’m the author who nearly wasn’t – it took me 25 years to beat writer’s block. In those 25 years, I migrated from England to Australia, became a singer/songwriter, a poet and then a university lecturer. But all I truly wanted to do was write speculative fiction.
Finally I finished my first novel, the comic macabre, The Vicar of Morning Vyle. With its prequel, The Black Crusade, it grew into a cult. When mainstream Australian publisher Pan Macmillan contracted my next novel, I resigned my lectureship, and I’ve been a full-time author ever since.
I live south of Sydney between green escarpment and golden beaches, with partner Aileen and Yogi the labrador. Writing, writing, writing … I have those 25 missing years to make up for!
My big international success has been with my YA steampunk novels, Worldshaker, Liberator and Song of the Slums. The French Le Worldshaker picked up the Prix Tam-tam du Livre Jeunesse. In the US, Worldshaker and Liberator were published by Simon & Schuster.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
• I honestly don’t know why, but I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I have distinct memories of myself as a child, maybe five or six, writing stories and poems. I’d carry a notebook around with me everywhere.
• But what’s funny is that I was never much of a reader as a child! I had my favorites. I devoured Harry Potter and other books. But I don’t think that my drive to be a writer came from a love of reading.
• In college, I majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. As a part of my studies, I took workshops each semester, and that’s where I finally began to come into my own as a writer — developing my own voice and style instead of just mimicking other writers. I credit my professors at the time — Sharon Bryan, Darcie Dennigan, Penelope Pelizzon, Gina Barreca — with helping me find my voice.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
• To be quite honest, when I sit down to write poetry, it isn’t with a book or some greater collection in mind. All I’m doing is writing a poem. So I can’t really say that anything inspired me to write the book, because in my mind there never was a book — until there was.
• That being said, with a few exceptions, I wrote these poems during the pandemic. The early days of the pandemic were very lonely for me. I was single during the lockdown, and found myself longing for human connection at a time when it was impossible to have. Those feelings of love and longing and loss really permeate the poems that eventually made it into the collection. In that way, writing Dancehall was a way for me to make sense of the world.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
• More than anything, I want readers to connect with the poems and come away with a sense that love is universal.
• The poems in Dancehall follow the narrative arc of a single relationship from start to finish. I call the book a queer love story, because I myself am queer and I see the book as coming from that perspective. But I also made very conscious stylistic decisions so that the poems would appeal to everyone — gay or straight, single or partnered, male or female or non-binary.
• You may notice, for example, that except for in two instances the poems don’t make use of pronouns. Instead, the speaker (“I”) is talking directly to the subject (“You”). I did this so that it would be easier for the reader to put themselves in the poem — either as the speaker or the subject — and feel the immediacy of the work.
• If I, a queer man writing about queer relationships, can write a poem that allows a straight person to feel something about their own relationships, then I think I’ve succeeded in my mission. It’s kind of cliche at this point to say it, but love is love.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
• I think I was drawn to poetry because I myself read poems that triggered an intense emotional response in me, which made me realize that poetry could be powerful. Some of the most powerful poems I’ve ever read were short poems — under 10 words — and yet they had the power to conjure memories and emotions in what is really an awe-inspiring way. Once I experienced that, I knew that I wanted to learn how to do that myself. I wanted to make people feel something, and I personally haven’t found a better way of doing that than through poetry.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
• I have to admit, I’m terrible with social media. I use it mostly for personal reasons — staying in touch with friends, etc. But I’m starting to get a handle on it as a means of building my reader network! I’ve just begun sharing videos and pictures of my work on Instagram (timstobierski) and TikTok (tendre_croppes) and they’re definitely both powerful tools. I think TikTok has the most potential to get your work in front of millions of people quickly, but it’s also tricky to know what’s going to go viral or do well and what’s going to be a flop. I guess I’m still learning.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
• I think the most important bit of advice I have is to not let rejections get to you. If you submit a poem or a story or an entire book to a press and get a rejection, do your best not to take it personally. Brush yourself off, think critically about whether or not there’s a way you can make your submission stronger, and find a new press to submit to. Just because your work isn’t for someone doesn’t mean that it’s for no one.
• When I first pulled together the manuscript for Dancehall, it was very different from what the book now looks like. I was submitting it to contests and presses that wanted books of poetry consisting of 30 poems max, so that’s how I arranged the book. It wasn’t until I got my fourth or fifth rejection that I looked at the collection and thought, “Well, they keep turning me down when I send them what they say they want. I’m going to submit what I want.” I doubled the poems, reorganized the book, and gave the collection a narrative arc that didn’t exist before. And when I sent it out the next time? The book was accepted by not one, but two presses.
• The moral of it all: Rejections are a part of being a writer. So do your best to build up a thick skin.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
• The way I write poetry is slow. It takes time. I don’t set out to write a collection — they amass over time as I write a poem here or there and realize that a theme has emerged.
• Recently, I’ve been writing a lot about grief, tied specifically to my father’s death. I think that those poems will eventually form the body of a collection. Likewise, I’ve been writing more explicitly about my experiences coming to terms with my sexuality, and I think that will eventually form a collection
About the Author
Tim Stobierski writes about relationships. His work explores universal themes of love, lust, longing, and loss — presented through the lens of his own experiences as a queer man. His poetry has been published in a number of journals, including the Connecticut River Review, Midwest Quarterly, and Grey Sparrow. His first book of poetry, Chronicles of a Bee Whisperer, was published by River Otter Press in 2012.
To pay the bills, he is a freelance writer and content strategist focused on the world of finance, investing, fintech, insurance, and software. In his professional writing, he prides himself on his ability to help the reader understand complicated subjects easily, a quality that informs his poetry.
He is also the founder and editor of Student Debt Warriors, a free resource for college students, graduates, and parents who are struggling to make sense of the complex world of student loans.
