Author: Demi Michelle Schwartz

UnCensored Ink Interview – Johnny Francis Wolf

Hey everyone,

Ian Tan here, lead editor and project coordinator of UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology, set to release this October 29. Here is the UnCensored Ink interview series to introduce you all to the incredible writers, as well as the local bookstores and libraries that gave them safe creative spaces. Hopefully you can put these incredible places on your to-visit list, and feel inspired to support your own local bookstore, library and indie authors.

Today I am with Johnny Francis Wolf, from Key West, Florida. Homeless for the better part of these past 10 years, he has surfed friends’ couches, shared the offered bed, relied on the kindness of strangers — paying whenever possible, performing odd jobs. Johnny has been all over the place, from NY to LA, Taos and Santa Fe, Mojave Desert, Coast of North Carolina, points South and Southeast, back North to PA, hiking the hills, and looking for home. Still, he considers himself blessed.

And yes, he’s found such a home in Key West, with rug and bed and pictures on the wall.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

It’s a simple tale about a picnic. There are two friends soon to move from the small town they grew up together in. One to a University.. I’m imagining the East Coast. One to LA to seek stardom.

Their friendship is simple, a story about like and unlike kids. It is a moment examined where their innocent love, something no one in their circles has ever mentioned as wrong, coalesces in a kiss.

It is the kind of fable that those who ban books are especially keen on — making the loathsome specter of homosexuality, pure and natural. How distinctly wretched of me, feeding readers’ minds with the notion that love is love.

This song from “South Pacific” sums it up for me.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

I love to write more than anything else. Lately, however, I’ve added more art to my repertoire. And although my art is digital, with some AI assist, I come from an art and design background. I think of digital and AI as new brushes.

Still, one needs to know how to wield them. A gorgeous and real sable brush can only make a canvas lovely if the artist guiding it knows what the heck they’re doing.

Favourite book quote is not a quote at all, but a moment with no words. Funny that, for a writer.

I’ve queued this up to where the scene gets iconic for me. It is when a little boy in a wheelchair looks up and sees our angel (invisible to everyone else). For children and animals see angels all the time.

We seem to learn our way out of such things.

Library scene (Wings Of Desire 1987)

I first came to writing when, as an actor wannabee, I was aging out of leading man roles and into character actor territory. I was determined to make it as a thespian (still living in LA).

I began to right my own star vehicle.. a script written specifically for me, by me, as Billy Bob Thornton did with his film, SLINGBLADE.

Oddly enough, I saw nothing whatsoever wrong with adding poetry to my screenplay.. a notion that any ‘real’ screenwriter who I discussed it with lambasted me for.. among other things, like adding links to songs I thought would go well with a scene, and photos I thought would be nice for the set designer.

Anyway… that’s where it all began, many moons ago.

Always a pariah, seems.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

The local library (god, I loved the xerox machine) was a favourite of mine growing up in Woodhaven, Queens, NYC.. First book I can recall checking out is Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan.

My favourite two bookstores, today, are Books & Books owned and run by Judy Blume (yes, HER). And around the corner, Key West Island Books, owned and run by Suzanne Orchard. I adore both ladies and have a story about each.

I’ll recount them below.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

One day, my Fausto’s supermarket jacket still on, I was looking around (both bookstores carry my books) at recent arrivals, and there is Ms. Blume at my feet.

“Am I in your way?” she queried looking up at the disheveled, uniform-wearing stockboy (who ALSO sits on the floor to neaten up the bottom shelves on aisle four in Fausto’s).

“I don’t know how many times a day I say the same thing,” I said, pointing to the store’s embroidered name on my jacket.

She smiled knowingly.

My very first day on Key West, almost a year ago to the day, I walked into Suzanne’s Island Books. Hot and tired from a day of travelling and travailing, I launched into (without my internal editor working all that well), “Do you have a job? Know of an room share? I’m a writer. I have two books out and hope to have a third soon….”

I prattled on praying I had made the right decision in coming to this new place to live.

She continued to type on her laptop while listening to me. I thought it kind of rude with this hot, sweaty man pouring his soul out for her consumption, hoping for, at the very least, her attention.

She swiveled the laptop around and announced..

“I just ordered your books for the shop.”

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

Places to peruse, sit, sample, dream, learn, learn, learn..

Essential.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

Always poems and poetry books in the offing.

I’m also writing a sort of “Tales of the City” (the original by Armistead Maupin, a series beginning in 1978, written for the San Francisco Chronicle). I am writing it for Key West… “Key West Stories”.

And although I write prose regularly, I’m still getting my sea legs with this episodic format.

And hoping, maybe, perhaps, perchance, could be, imaginably might become a book?

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you? (Social media and websites are all encouraged, this is to highlight and champion you guys)

Facebook is my fave. The only one that lets a writer ramble on (and on), and inspires a myriad of others to comment.

Well, that’s Johnny Francis Wolf, everyone. We’re still in Florida for a while, stay posted! Two more amazing authors while we’re here!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Kim Plasket

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Kim Plasket. She enjoys writing horror and paranormal and romance. She has various stories in different anthologies of varying genres, such as The Thrill of the Hunt: Cabin Fever (Thrill of the Hunt Anthology Book 6), Scary Snippets: A Halloween Microfiction Anthology, and Blood From a Tombstone Volume 2: Fear

She released her debut novel this past year, called The Forgotten Ones.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

The story is about Emmaline’s wish to find a Church she feels comfortable in after having dealt with her mother’s obsession with the Church as a child. Emmaline went to many churches before she came upon this one. I wondered how it would feel to find a church to accept you for you. They would love you no matter what and accept you even if you were different than they were or thought differently.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

In my free time, I enjoy listening to all kinds of music. My favorite book quote is “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”- Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban.

I know it’s silly but if you think about it does make sense. One cannot be happy if all one can see is darkness but when you turn on the light then can happiness be found. I’ve been reading and writing for as long as I can remember. I started out writing short little stories when I was a kid then started doing poetry in high school. I didn’t start writing novels or submitting my short stories until I was an adult.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also, can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

I used to go to Books a Million for some writer events when I lived up North, in Deptford Township NJ. Unfortunately, it is no longer there. It was nice. We would take over a few tables and drink coffee and write for a few hours just losing track of time.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

I loved that they didn’t rush us out like some places would do if they thought you were taking up too much space and time. We would be there for a couple of hours but they never chased us out. It was nice.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

We must keep them alive because it’s great to see books in print and to be able to go to bookstores and libraries to get books.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

I’m currently working on a novel about a cult just started to do the research on it and jot down a couple of things.

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you?

Twitter (X) @KimPlasket

My Amazon profile

Well, that’s Kim Plasket, everyone! Stay tuned till the next one! We’re going to be down here for a while because there are three other authors to meet!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Bruce Buchanan

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Bruce Buchanan from Greensboro, North Carolina. He has been a professional writer for more than 25 years, as both an Associated Press award-winning newspaper reporter and, currently, the senior communications writer for an international law firm. He is the author of two previously published books and his debut YA fantasy novel, THE BLACKSMITH’S BOY.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

Genevieve Burleson is a young, educated woman living in the Appalachian Mountains in 1853. In “The Doctor of Bear Creek,” she uses her knowledge of the still-controversial science surrounding germ theory to help a deathly ill young child, But that puts her at odds with the community doctor, who still believes the ancient (and dangerous) practice of bloodletting is the child’s only hope. Can Genevieve persuade the boy’s parents not only to believe the science, but also to defy a respected community leader?

And if you are thinking the story was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, you would be right. There was so much misinformation going around. The doctors and scientists doing their best to help were the targets of blame, while opportunists spread false information for their own purposes.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

No matter what I do in my free time, I prefer to spend it with my wife, Amy, and teenage son, Jackson. But I love reading (no surprise!) and make time to read every day.

I love this quote from Ernest Hemingway: “If the reader prefers, this book may be regarded as fiction. But there is always the chance that such a book of fiction may throw some light on what has been written as fact.”

And how did I get into reading and writing? You would have to ask my Mom about that! I’ve always enjoyed stories. Even when I was a small child, I loved reading kids’ books and making up my own stories.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

Here in Greensboro, North Carolina, we have a great independent bookstore, Scuppernong Books. I’m also a huge comic book fan and we have several great comics shops in town. My favorite is Acme Comics, which has been around for 40 years.

But I fell in love with books at the Cleveland County Library, in my hometown of Shelby, N.C.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

The public library honestly was a magical place when I was a kid. And for good reason! They had more books than I could count. And my Dad loved it as much as I did. Our library trips were special time together–I’ll always cherish the memories of those library visits.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

The open exchange of ideas and information is essential to democracy. Bookstores and libraries are the hubs where those exchanges take place. Plus, they are magical places where we can get lost in stories. What’s not to love?

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

Yes! I have two novels coming from Wild Ink Publishing. In 2025, my New Adult fantasy tale THE BLACKSMITH’S BOY will be published. Then, in 2026, my adult superhero novel THE RETURN OF THE CERULEAN BLUR gets its time to shine. I can’t wait to share these two novels with the world!

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you?

I’d love to connect with readers on Twitter/X: @BBuchananWomble, and on Instagram: @brucebuchanan7710.

Well, that’s Bruce Buchanan from Greensboro, North Carolina, everyone! Stay posted till the next one! Next we’re heading on down to Florida on the last leg of our East Coast journey.

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Thom Hawkins

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Thom Hawkins from Maryland. He has written books soliciting anecdotes from people on a particular topic (In Name Only, A First Time for Anything, Alphabetical Orders, Musical Madeleines)—as well as children’s books (The Yeti Made Me Do It, Baldwin, Two Kings, Claudine)—and has co-authored several poetry books (Thirty Placebos; O, DeJoy; Slight Refreshments). His video art and drawings have been displayed at exhibitions or in performances in Baltimore, Wilmington (DE), Philadelphia, and New York. Thom has also appeared with the Baltimore Improv Group, Ignite Baltimore, Ignite DC, and on The Stoop Storytelling podcast.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

I have four poems in the anthology. “New Policies” is extrapolated from a real incident where I tried to ban hugging across the department at work. “On Reading Bukowski to a Baby” is also based on a real-life situation where I tried to combine reading with soothing an infant (my son, who is now sixteen!). “The True Word” was inspired by something I read about history and culture; history is so strange and magnificent, it is often the point of departure for things I write. Finally, “Being and All” combines stories of aggressive policing with the philosophy of being. I think of myself primarily as a storyteller, whether in prose or poetic form.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

As soon as I learned how to read I was hooked. My interest in writing didn’t come along until high school. I went to a Jesuit high school, and the priest who taught the religion class my sophomore year said that he liked my class reflections and offered that I could write a short story in lieu of taking an exam. So, really, I was just trying to get out of work. For my undergraduate degree, I went to Washington College in Chestertown, MD, known for the U.S., largest undergraduate writing prize. I didn’t win, but I did earn the school’s very first minor in creative writing. I later got a master’s of library and information science at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, and I’m now enrolled in an information sciences PhD program at a school in California. I’m fortunate that there’s a lot of overlap between my job (which is technical in nature), my education, my research, and my writing. It’s often difficult to know whether I’m doing something for work or personal reasons!

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

If I’m looking for a specific book just to read or reference temporarily, I first try my local public library. If I’m looking for a book I might want to keep, I go to bookshop.org, where I order through Washington DC’s Solid State Books. With my busy schedule, it’s much easier for me to read short books, so I’ll often pick short books from another culture to be exposed to different times and places. It’s hard to pick just one favorite store, but to represent my home town of Baltimore, I have to go with Normals Books and Records. I’ve bought so much from there over the past twenty-five years, I joke with the owner about acting as their offsite storage facility. I’ll give shout-outs as well to some other fine used bookstores I frequent: Baldwin’s Book Barn in West Chester, PA; Second Story Books and Capitol Hill Books in Washington, DC, Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, PA, and Bookhaven in Philadelphia, PA, where the owner described his buying strategy as “when someone buys a book, I buy more books by that author”–the result being that I often find books I didn’t know about by authors I love.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

I love to browse used bookstores–especially for the magic of finding something I didn’t know existed. If it’s not in their inventory, librarians will always help you find what you need.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

It’s wonderful to see, in what certainly seems like a time of adversarial conditions, a resurgence of independent bookstores, including co-ops, and a diversity of owners and employees. One of my favorite things to do is ask an employee for recommendations–books that they find exciting and well-written. It’s a great conversation-starter with someone you know also loves books. Libraries and librarians are also a wonderful resource. I taught my kids at a young age to go to the information desk to talk to a librarian about what they were looking for, or for recommendations. Using the catalog is like using GPS–it will take you right to where you need to go, but you will miss a lot along the way.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

I’m currently writing a book about people who do jobs related to music–critics, DJs, engineers, teachers–and how their work impacts their relationship to music. At the moment, I’m studying the structure of oral histories to inform how I’ll develop the interviews into a cohesive book.

Well, that’s Thom Hawkins from Maryland, everyone! Stay posted till the next one, we’re heading further south into North Carolina!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Demi Michelle Schwartz

Hey everyone,

Ian Tan here, lead editor and project coordinator of UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology, set to release this October 29. Here is the UnCensored Ink interview series to introduce you all to the incredible writers, as well as the local bookstores and libraries that gave them safe creative spaces. Hopefully you can put these incredible places on your to-visit list, and feel inspired to support your own local bookstore, library and indie authors.

Today I am with Demi Michelle Schwartz from Pittsburgh, PA. Represented by Michelle Jackson at LCS Literary. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, along with BAs in Creative Writing and Music. Currently, she is a publicist at Wild Ink Publishing, the host of Literary Blend: A Publishing Podcast, and a freelance fiction editor through her independently-run services, Amethyst Ink Editorial. When Demi isn’t busy in the publishing industry, she’s chasing her music dreams as an award-winning songwriter and recording artist.

Demi has also contributed GREATLY to this interview series in her publicist duties, and offered me a ton of her time and helpful advice as I went about putting it together. We all owe Demi some well-deserved appreciation!!

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

For UnCensored Ink, I wrote a middle grade dystopian story, “Age of the Vocaprompter,” which takes place in the United States in the year 5012. Books have been burned, writing utensils have been banned, and verbal communication is censored by a bluetooth technology system called the Vocaprompter. At age six, Americans are injected with speech serum that carries a liquid transmitter through their veins, which is paired to their Vocaprompter. Words appear on the tablet, and if someone doesn’t speak exactly what’s on the screen, the speech serum in their bloodstream electrocutes them. Once someone hits one hundred zaps, they die.

Lotus, my protagonist, wants to bring down the bluetooth technology system before her little sister, Alexa, turns six years old and loses control of her voice. Ever since her father died by the hands of the government’s wicked invention, Lotus has been sneaking into her mother’s room at night to steal her copy of the only book in the United States, which is about the Vocaprompter, and a folder of classified documents, since her mother works for the Department of Communication. Lotus has found a document with the technology’s self-destruct procedure, but the sequence’s last number is replaced by a question mark and Lotus can’t figure out what it is. She’s out of time, though, because Alexa turns six the next day. Left with no choice, Lotus takes her mother’s key to the government building that houses the pool of speech serum. The number pad that controls the technology is at the bottom of the pool, so Lotus must crack the sequence’s code fast and swim through the poison to reach the number pad. Little does she know her intrusion will get her locked inside the chamber with death mist, and once she enters the sequence at the bottom of the pool, she’ll have only a minute to escape the building before it explodes.

My idea for this story came from my fear of being restrained from using my voice as I wish. The scary thing about the Vocaprompter is that it isn’t totally beyond the realm of possibility. With technological advancements, a bluetooth system that pairs a liquid transmitter in a serum with a tablet that controls speech could actually exist some day far in the future. I have always been drawn to dystopian stories because they imagine societies that are damaged but reflect our present world in many ways. We may not have tablets censoring what we say, but we are dealing with book banning and other threats to intellectual freedom. Yes, my story is fictional, but I hope it makes readers stop and think about the horrors that could be lurking in the shadows of the future, waiting to turn our reality into a dystopia.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

Me? Free time? Haha. Gosh, I don’t think that exists for me, since I’m always doing one thing or another. I’m an author, editor, songwriter, recording artist, podcaster, and publicist. Yeah, that last sentence made my brain hurt, too.

Anyway, I’m trying my best to make a conscious effort of working free time into my schedule, even though everything I like to do when I’m relaxing is tied to my passions. I love listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and music. Other than that, I enjoy spending time with friends and family.

There are so many amazing book quotes, but I’ll have to go with one from The Lightning Thief, which is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. The quote is, “If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” I resonate with this one because I have always followed my heart and chased my dreams. Rather than living the life others may have wanted me to, I chose to write my own story. Every day is so meaningful and special because I’m doing what I love. So, this quote is one of my favorites.

As far as how I got into reading and writing, I have always loved stories as a child. I looked forward to silent reading time in school and enjoyed creative writing assignments. When I was a senior in high school, my creative writing teacher told me I should study English in college. I had already decided to be a music major, so I didn’t think much about what he said. Then, when I was a freshman in college, my professor for my honors writing course told me I should consider studying English, too. After this, I started giving it some thought. I added a creative writing minor that turned into a major, and then, another professor suggested for me to get a masters degree, which I did. I graduated with my MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June 2022. So, the moral of the story is that my teachers and professors believed in my talent as an author before I did myself. I’m so glad they encouraged me to go down this path because I couldn’t imagine not being involved with the publishing industry now.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

Absolutely, my favorite is the Murrysville Community Library. I have loved this one ever since I was young. I remember going to pick out books with my sister. We had our own library cards, and I still have mine today. Also, my elementary school was right across the street, so we took frequent trips to the library, which was always fun.

Demi standing outside the Murrysville Community Library and wearing her Wild Ink editor shirt

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

I have known this library since I started to read as a child. I feel like I have grown up with it, and I’m so grateful that my parents and teachers encouraged me to visit and check out books. This library played a role in shaping me into the reader and author I am today, and for that reason, it will always be special to me.

Also, something I love so much about the Murrysville Community Library is their support for local authors. I have attended quite a few events, and I’m always inspired by hearing others’ journeys and enjoy celebrating the publication of their books. Now, being an author myself, doing my own event at my local library and seeing my book on one of the shelves is a dream I hope will come true someday.

Demi in the YA section of the Murrysville Community Library and wearing her Wild Ink editor shirt

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

Gosh, I could say so much, but what I want to stress is that bookstores and libraries are absolutely essential in giving people access to books, and more importantly, all kinds of books. One of the biggest things that upsets me about book banning and censorship of the written word is how works of art are being targeted and kept from readers. Books educate, offer an escape, build empathy, save lives, and so much more. If we fight against the censorship and do our best to support bookstores and libraries, we can join together in a collective effort to maintain the accessibility to all books.

Demi sitting at a table in the Murrysville Community Library and wearing her Wild Ink editor shirt

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

Yes, I recently received my first publication with Clio’s Curious Dash Through Time, another fabulous Wild Ink anthology. My short story, “The Scribe from the Lost City,” is a middle grade fantasy reimagining of the Atlantis legend.

I’ll also be published in Enchanted Tales & Twisted Lore: Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables Reimagined by Cabbit Crossing Publishing with my new adult dark romantasy short story, “Dabria’s Shadows,” which is a reimagining of “Death’s Messengers,” a lesser-known Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The anthology is coming in early 2025.

I have made writing stories for anthologies my whole personality at this point, so you can expect to see my work in more of them in the future. I’m also staying busy with my novels and hope to have a book deal soon.

7. Lastly, on what platforms can we find you?

You can connect with me on my website and social media. I’m very active and love interacting with others in the publishing industry.

Website: http://demimschwartz.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/demimschwartz

Instagram: http://instagram.com/demimschwartz

Well, that’s Demi Michelle Schwartz closing out the Pennsylvanian chapter of this tour, everyone! Stay posted till the next one, we’re moving on to Maryland!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Nicole Smith

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Nicole Smith from just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is an advocate for mental health and body acceptance. Recently she was published in the Pennsylvania Bards Western PA Poetry Review 2023. If Nicole isn’t writing poetry, you can find her with her nose in a book.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

My poem is about the white-washing of history. In recent years I learned much of what I was taught wasn’t the full truth. “Historians” made our country look heroic and strong, and left out much of the darkness and truths that aren’t pretty to the narrative we perpetuate.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

In my free time I spend time with my family and I read many, many books. My favorite book quote is from the last page of The Berenstain Bears and Spooky Old Tree, “Home again. Safe at last.” It was my favorite book as a child and my mom would read it in a crazy voice. Now I have taken over reading it, using my spooky voice, and passing the magic on to my kids, nieces, nephews, and cousins. I have been an avid reader since the 1st grade sticker chart and Book It!.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

My favorite library is the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, PA. I have

a lifetime of fond memories there.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

My library has been around for well over 100 years. Books have always provided me an escape and the library has been a place of safety for me since I was a child. I volunteered there as a teenager. Every Tuesday I stop and pick up books I have requested. I made some of my first mom friends at Babies and Books, and some of our babies graduated in 2023 from high school. I have gone to Embracing Our Differences Book Club, writing seminars, and a meditation group. The library is such a valuable part of the community. During Covid, when you requested books online, they would bring you the book curbside and place them in your trunk. When the world was falling apart, the library helped keep us sane.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

The library is a place to find help with so many things. They are a vital part of the community. They offer so much more than just books these days. Our libraries have books, movies, magazines, games, and e-books. They have people that help with taxes. They offer books-clubs, crafting, teen hangouts, Lego groups and much more. There is always something going on.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

I have poems being published in a couple of anthologies like Western Pennsylvania Bard Review 2023 and 2024, Tenpenny’s Dreadfuls: Tales as Hard as Nails (September 2024), and Gathering Poetry Anthology 2024 etc.

But if you are looking to keep up with my writing, please follow my blog, linked below.

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you?

My Blog https://momoetry.wordpress.com/

Insta @Momoetry22

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momoetry

Well, that’s Nicole Smith from Pennsylvania, everyone! Stay posted till the next one, where we move a little closer into Pittsburgh!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – D. S. Lerew

Hey everyone,

Today I am with D. S. Lerew from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. She lives with her husband, two teenage sons, and black lab, too far away from the river to enjoy walking along its banks, but still able to enjoy books and stars. D. S. Lerew has written a poetry chapbook called Stars in a Jar. As Leta Hawk, she penned the Kyrie Carter: Supernatural Sleuth series, which includes The Newbie, School Spirits, The Witch of Willow Lake, An Uneasy Inheritance, and Dandelion Souls.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

My piece is called “A Sonnet of Stone-Cold Stupidity.” It’s, well, obviously, a poem, a sonnet about the replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David that stands in St. Augustine, Florida. When we were on the trolley tour, the guide told us that Ripley’s had had to erect a hedge around it because some folks were offended by David’s state of undress, which I found humorous. Having been involved in ministry at one time, I recalled the passage in Scripture where King David was doing a worshipful dance in just his undergarments. His own wife was embarrassed and offended over his display. My poem combines the two events and pokes fun at the idea of the human body being censored in such a way.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

In my free time, I enjoy crocheting, frequenting thrift shops and cafes, traveling, and stargazing.

Favorite book quote? Oh, good heavens. I can pull song lyrics at the drop of a hat, but a book quote? Um, I guess there are a couple I jotted down from “The Mists of Avalon.” The first is “Do not betray the dream,” and the other is “If you do not step forward, you will always be in the place you started.”

I got into reading much the same as other children of my generation. My mother always read to us at bedtime, which made me love stories. Then I learned to read and got a library card, which opened the world of books to me. As for writing, I was always telling stories, or at least embellishing the boring things that happened during the day. In high school, I started writing poetry, and in college I began toying with novel writing.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

Alas, my favorite bookstore closed down a couple years ago. I’m not typically a fan of chain bookstores, as they just seem so cookie-cutter and blah. I do enjoy sniffing out bookshops when we’re on vacation, however.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

Our library in Dillsburg has been fairly supportive of my books. I held a couple readings for the early books in my series, but unfortunately they weren’t well attended, so I haven’t done any recently.

Two other libraries that have been supportive are Ross Library in Lock Haven, PA and the Renovo Library in Renovo, PA. My series is mainly set in that part of Pennsylvania, so I’ve done several readings with them.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

Obviously, bookstores are important to both authors and readers. Physical books are so important both for entertainment value and for information purposes. The Internet has been such a wonderful invention, but there’s always the chance of the worldwide web crashing at some point. That won’t happen with physical books.

Libraries are also crucial for our society, and not just for books. Our county library system hosts all kinds of classes and programs for all ages, they have tax forms and information during tax season, and they have public computers and printers for people to use at little or no cost.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

I am currently working on Book 6 of my series. For a number of reasons, it’s been delayed, but I’m working on it.

I’m also working on a second poetry chapbook and a cozy mystery series.

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you? (Social media and websites are all encouraged, this is to highlight and champion you guys)

I’m on Facebook

Instagram: @leta_hawk_writes

Pinterest: @LetaHawk

TikTok: @leta.hawk.author

Well, that’s D. S. Lerew from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, everyone! Stay posted till the next one, still having fun in Pennsylvania!

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Kelly Webber

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Kelly Webber from New Jersey. She is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland’s library science program. Before entering the library world, she earned her BA in English literature and taught literacy in a variety of contexts, from reading with preschoolers to assistant teaching for an undergraduate linguistics course. Her first experience working in libraries took place in a beautiful (and possibly haunted) public library. She now combines her passions for libraries and education as a school media specialist in her home state.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: a banned book anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

My piece for Uncensored Ink, “Alexandria Again,” is an essay reflecting on the role of libraries in our world. I couldn’t possibly say everything I want to about this topic in one essay, but I made sure to include a combination of key historical moments in library history, up-to-date statistics on censorship, and some of my own personal experiences. My goal was to demonstrate that libraries are not fading into obscurity; they’re more important than ever before! In addition to being included in Uncensored Ink, excerpts of my essay have been heard by a live audience in a hearing for the Freedom to Read Act, a bill in my state that would implement structures to protect libraries and librarians in the face of book bans. (njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S2421/bill-text?f=S2500&n=2421_I1)

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

I got into reading as a kid with authors like Erin Hunter, Madeleine L’Engle, and Gail Carson Levine. I found one of my favorite book quotes in middle school, from the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot: “Never think that you can’t make a difference. Even if you’re only sixteen, and everyone is telling you that you’re just a silly teenage girl—don’t let them push you away.” I think I took that to heart when I started writing for my school newspaper. I wanted to write something that made a real, positive difference in the world.

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

I grew up in a town with a big library, Westfield Memorial Library, and a small independent bookstore, The Town Bookstore (yes that’s the actual name haha). I loved both so much! I participated in the library’s summer reading program and the bookstore would sometimes give out Advanced Readers Copies of upcoming books. As an adult, I briefly worked in Raritan Public Library, a little public library I adored.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

The library where I worked was an old historic building, with some parts being nearly 300 years old. It was such a cozy space, with relics of the town’s history preserved in glass cases between bookshelves. I’m not sure how the superstition started, but several library employees swore the building was haunted and refused to stay a minute after closing time because they said the ghost would come out at night.

Kelly put one of her favorite books on display at the library

I got to put one of my favorite childhood books on display at the library!

A library event focused on sustainability: We helped kids make “seed bombs” with soil, wildflower seeds, and clay that they could take home and plant in a pot or garden. Wildflowers are good for local pollinators like bees and butterflies!

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

I was initially drawn to libraries because who doesn’t love free access to books? But I’ve come to see libraries as so much more: a place where anyone can find community and all kinds of resources. Families come in for storytime; the building provides an escape from harsh weather for those with nowhere else to go; and there’s often free classes or tutoring for adults learning English or working toward their GED. When censorship threatens library funding, we risk losing access not just to books (although that would be bad enough on its own) but also many more resources that entire communities depend on. If you’d like to delve into these topics more and learn more, I’d recommend looking into the organization Every Library (everylibrary.org/) and the book Before the Ballot: Building Political Support for Library Funding by John Chrastka.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

I’m currently working on The Battle of Goldenrod, a sequel to my debut novel Wisteria. It’s an interactive gamebook, so readers will be able to solve mysteries, break curses, and make choices for the characters.

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you? (Social media and websites are all encouraged, this is to highlight and champion you guys)

Website: kellywebberbooks.com.

Instagram: @kellywebberbooks

Tiktok: @wisteriabooks

Well, that’s Kelly Webber from New Jersey, everyone! Stay posted till the next one, next door in Pennsylvania.

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UnCensored Ink Interview – Victoria Holland

Hey everyone,

Today I am with Victoria Holland from Massachusetts. She is a Pushcart Prize-Nominated Author for her work in I’m Not the Villain, I’m Misunderstood, as well as Lead Anthologist for The Carnation Collection. She has also published in multiple other collections including Into the Mirror and The Magical Muse Library Vol. 1 & 2. She is a romantic, daylighting as an activist and moonlighting as a witch and healer.

1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: a banned book anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?

My piece is actually an essay! It gives a frank explanation of my belief that to censor the arts is to censor the human heart. The idea for this piece came along because when it comes to topics of activism, I don’t believe in beating around the bush. Expression of oneself and the creation therein is such an important part of the human experience. To censor that is to limit authenticity. In my life, I have experienced a time without authenticity and it just… not worth it.

2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?

In my free time, I enjoy storytelling in all its forms (books, films, tv, video games, theater, etc.), studying magic and mythology, taking walks in nature, traveling, and hanging out with my friends at my local bar!

My favorite book quote… I don’t have one, as of present. Sorry to disappoint.

I got into reading and writing at 7-years-old after I saw the first Harry Potter movie and read the novel it as based on shortly after. That took me all year! Then I wrote my first story, which was essentially Harry Potter fanfiction. It was called Emma Kenya and the Cursed Owl, which was basically a retelling of the first HP book lol
Since then, storytelling has become like a soul journey for me. All the stories I love have breathed life into my own stories, and vice-versa. My own imagination and inner world grew, and so did my skills as a writer. It became my escape and my happy place. I figured making it my vocation was the next logical step lol

3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?

I don’t really. I was a big Barnes & Noble kid. I remember on my tenth birthday, my dad gave me $100 and said “Buy as many books as you can to fill up that bill.” It was one of the best birthdays I ever had!
I also have incredibly fond memories of the Scholastic Books Fairs at my school every year. It was one of the best days of the year and to be honest, I think I’d have even more fun at them today then I did then.

4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?

The Barnes & Noble I attend is one of the bigger ones with multiple floors. When you walk in and look up, there is a balcony above that wraps around the whole store. The balcony in front of you is where the kids section is and they have it set up so that you always feel like you are walking into another world up there. There were other stuff at the store, fiction for adults, music, a café, and other stuff that a bookstore would usually have. But that kid’s section had bean bag chairs and a reading nook surrounded by paper-cut-out trees and a space where one of the booksellers would read new books to children in the area. I loved it there… such good memories.

5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?

Despite the fact that I haven’t engaged much with my local bookstore scene, I have quite a lot to say on this topic. One of the better things about America is the public distribution of knowledge that at one time in human history was kept exclusively only to the higher classes. This concept—knowledge belonging to all—is exactly why we need to sustain local bookstores and libraries.

Libraries, in particular, allow the every-person to be able to learn so much about the world in a way that emphasizes that basic right to knowledge. It being free is absolutely key. The more a person knows, the more they can empathize with the world around them. That is how healing happens. That is how positive changes happens! Libraries are one of the most beautiful things modern society has to offer.

As for independent bookstores, the sustenance of them is necessary because if some corporate behemoth comes along and consolidates all book sales for only their store, it sets a dangerous precedent for what could come next. Corporate bookstores have a direct link to very affluent, powerful people who could very well decide one day to police what books these stores sell. That would impact the general public, the publishing world, and little old writers like me in a really debilitating way!

Power to the people is why sustaining bookstores and libraries is important.

6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?

On sale now is a Greek Mythology-inspired literary collection called The Carnation Collection; a lot of Goddess power in that book. I also just finished up a fandom project for the Frozen 10^th Anniversary, a fanzine called Water Has Memory: A Frozen Decade and it is so good. I had such an incredible team for that and if I hadn’t, there was no way it could have been finished.

And as for now? I’m finally working on my novel again after a year-and-a-half. Without giving too much away, it is a spiritual fantasy novel following a young artist as she discovers the world of magic… and how it impacts, well, everything. Including her own life.

7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you? (Social media and websites are all encouraged, this is to highlight and champion you guys)

Well for a full list, people can check my linktree:
linktr.ee/victoriaholland

I can be found at @toriofthetrees on all my socials, but please check especially Instagram and Tumblr (where I have posted all my creativity and writing).