Category: Wild About Publishing

A Chat with A.J. Hooks

When I first sat down with AJ Hooks to talk about Eugenesis: Inception, I felt that spark you get when a writer knows exactly what world they are building and is bold enough to follow it wherever it goes. His debut sweeps you into the life of Maria Guevara, a brilliant genetic engineer who finds herself pregnant under circumstances that refuse to make sense. One moment you’re in a quiet Spanish town, and the next you feel the walls shift around you as Maria realizes she is not alone, not safe, and not entirely in charge of her own future.

Hooks writes with a confidence that caught my attention. He blends science with the unsettling tension of conspiracy. The story moves quickly, yet it lingers in your mind long after you close the book. I found myself leaning in as he described how the idea took shape. It started with a simple question about genetic engineering, and then it spiraled into a full exploration of legacy, secrecy, and how far people will go to shape the world in their image. You can purchase Eugenesis: Inception here.

**What sparked the idea for Eugenesis: Inception?**

Eugenesis: Inception grew out of my interest in what might be the dangers of bio/genetic engineering if it was used for nefarious ends and, more generally, the question of the nature of humanity in the face of accelerating technology. Also, I wanted to explore the complicated terrain of personal identity vs. family/group heritage.

How do you approach writing on days when inspiration feels thin?

When I get stuck I will first wait a day or two and take some walks in nature, as I feel it’s often the case that my unconscious is still chewing something over that’s not quite ready. If nothing comes after that, I will go to a separate table in a different room and start working on (or re-working) the outline for the next chapter or two. When I’m writing I feel more in a nonlinear flow (right brain?) state, almost letting the characters lead me on, but when outlining I’m more in a plotting/linear (left brain) state. If the writing is stuck or drifting, it helps sometimes to zoom back up to the overview and re-examine/re-arrange some skeletal plot and action points which I can use to then dive back in and guide my flow.

What part of your book changed the most during revision, and why?

The character arc of a secondary antagonist. I originally thought I would have him transform towards the end and fall in love with the main character. About a third of the way through the book that changed though, as I had developed a sympathetic supporting character and, as I was writing, it just seemed natural that he and the main character were drawn together and [SPOILER ALERT] ultimately fell in love. My lesson from that is often your characters and their emergent character development will sometimes lead you in story choices rather than the other way around.

What do you hope readers carry with them after finishing your work?

A curiosity about what it really means to be human and a realization that we will always need to be careful about how new technology is deployed and used when humans are involved. Because there will almost always be misguided, or just plain bad, people that will eventually use it in the wrong way.

Is there a scene or moment in the book that feels closest to your heart?

Probably the climactic scene where the main antagonist [SPOILER ALERT] meets his end. It’s a scene imbued with historical parallels and irony, and happens in a place that I have personally visited and where there are powerful, tragic historical echoes. It’s also a bittersweet scene because another character, one that we have been rooting for, [SPOILER ALERT] dies in the process of protecting the main character.

What book or writer shaped your voice in a way you still notice?

The narrative non-fiction of Hampton Sides (Blood & Thunder; The Wide, Wide Sea) and the novels of Stieg Larsson (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc.)

What are you working on now, and how is it taking shape?

I’ve recently finished the sequel to Eugenesis: Inception, and it’s with the editor and is targeted for a 2026 release. It’s called The Second Becoming. And I just started working on a collection of 3 short (~ 30 pages each) stories with a loosely unifying theme. I’m enjoying the challenge of distilling the essence of a story into a shorter format and writing in a different POV.

I wanted to send a warm thank you to A.J. for these amazing answers. THANK YOU!

Go check out A.J. Hooks here.

A Conversation with Riley Kilmore

By Emily Groff

While a wide variety of hats have topped Riley Kilmore’s head across the years, the only one you’ll see these days is that of an author. Kilmore has worked as a police officer, as an EMT and firefighter, has driven a forklift in a flooring factory, and even served as the Administrative Assistant to the president of a chemical waste management firm. Still, throughout the years and changing jobs, Kilmore was always writing.

“I don’t think there’s any kind of work that doesn’t ‘mix’ with a career as a writer,” Kilmore told me. “People driven to write will find ways to fit it into their lives no matter what else they do.” Kilmore went on to express the belief that varied employment experiences can inform an author’s writing—often in ways not always apparent on the page.

The published author of award-winning poetry, essays, and short stories in multiple genres, Kilmore also served as a regular columnist for several online publications, including The Illuminata, a Sci-fi/Fantasy webzine. These days, Kilmore is most recognized as author of our particular favorites, Shay The Brave, a middle grade fantasy, and its newly released sequel, Alexy, Strong And Silent. We want them to be your favorites too, so let’s dive into this interview to learn more about the author and these fantastical books.

When did you first know you wanted to start writing? What got you interested?

Most authors are going to tell you they knew they wanted to be writers from the moment they picked up a pencil and learned to scratch out letters on a piece of wide-ruled paper in grade school. It’s a common refrain, but it’s really not an origin story. I think perhaps there are more pointed ways to ask this question. Maybe, “What was the first story you attempted to write as a child?” and “What was the triggering incident that drove you to try to recount it as a story?”

I’m pretty sure I still have some of those earliest writings—opening chapters to books that ended up stillborn—but the lives of the lost remain with us and continue to inform our work. One early story, Sada of Onada, featured a lonely kid convinced she was an adopted alien. Another story, Shibboleth, was inspired by a biblical tale about a fortress that recognized enemies by their inability to pronounce carefully crafted passwords. My spin on it was that the “enemies” had a lisp. The story was going to be an allegory about discrimination.

Recalling these early attempts at storytelling, I’m able to draw a thread through to today and see that most of my writing throughout my life has centered on themes of not fitting in. Prevailingly, across genres, my stories feature characters who, in one way or another, couldn’t (or wouldn’t) toe the lines societies draw for their (accepted) members.

**Tell me about each of your books: Shay The Brave, Share With Shay, and Alexy, Strong And Silent.**

All three books are part of the Oldenshire Series, a set of quirky middle-grade fantasies that, while clearly not set on Earth, take place in a pre-industrialized time reflective of our own Medieval period.

Shay The Brave takes place in the village fortress of Oldenshire itself, and features a feisty protagonist animal lover (young Shay) who wants everyone to stop eating meat. Hers is a family of means, but she is against classism and ablism—her pal is Alexy, the laundress’s son, who also happens to be mute. The story is an allegory promoting animal rights, intercultural friendship, and trans dignity: a small book filled with big ideas.

The Share With Shay Workbook invites young readers to project their own ideas and creativity over the world of Oldenshire, especially as it reflects social issues at play in the real world. The workbook is a great companion to Shay The Brave, offering hundreds of prompts that encourage kids to ignite their imaginations and delve into their own origin stories—both cultural and individual.

Alexy, Strong And Silent is the second installment in the Oldenshire Series. The story follows the sidekick from Shay The Brave as he must venture afield from the only home he’s ever known and face a larger, crueler world. This second story takes place in the town of Indusdorp. Perhaps think of it as an Oldenshire take on Oliver Twist meets Jumanji. While Shay isn’t featured in the second book, she does appear, as do other beloved characters from Book One.

How did you get the idea for each of these books?

Shay was a filler book to engage my spare time during my MFA program. My thesis novel was a sweeping 400-page Sci-Fantasy family saga with anticolonial themes, so I wanted to try something different. Honestly, I didn’t know what, so I just sat down at my computer, pulled up a blank page, and decided to write whatever occurred to me. No plan. No outline. I ended up writing a chapter a day, and in three weeks Shay The Brave was born. In a way, it felt more like a channeled story than one I wrote. The workbook was the brainchild of Abby Wild, owner of Wild Ink Publishing. The idea for Alexy came from Shay. It was Abby’s idea to expand Shay The Brave into a series. How I approached that was up to me, so I decided there was more to Alexy’s story to be told, more of his character to unfold. He deserved a book of his own.

Why should readers read your book? What is your target reader for each book? Why did you choose to write for this audience?

I’ve written eleven books, yet Shay The Brave was my middle grade debut. My other works are geared more for young adult, adult, or YA-crossover readers. That said, I do market Shay The Brave as having been written for “kids from nine to ninety-nine,” because it appeals to readers of all ages, especially fans of books like Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass or Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events.

I think I eventually gravitated toward writing for younger readers by realizing how deeply influential books were in my own formative years. Authors who most influenced me include Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Marguerite Henry, Lewis Carroll, and Helen Garrett. By reaching out to younger readers, authors have an opportunity to plant seeds of better and broader thinking in the coming generations. Writing for young audiences is an act of hope, an investment in the future, and a declaration that young minds are the fertile landscape whereon our entire world’s survival hinges. Writing for young readers (and for the adults who will be reading our works to them) is a way to pass on tidbits of wisdom we’ve garnered along the way.

Do you have a specific genre that you write in? Why this genre? Do the books you read tend to influence this?

Throughout my teens and early adulthood, I did read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, so yes, the books I read definitely influenced my writing. I’d say the bulk of what I’ve written through the years could be considered one or another sub-category of fantasy. I’ve written novels in other genres as well; they simply haven’t found their way to publication yet (i.e.: romance, family drama, western). In more recent years, I’ve actually been reading fewer and fewer works of fantasy or sci-fi—probably because I feel I can simply imagine more engaging stories on my own. For instance, I’m no fan of dystopian or vampire or zombie stories, and nowadays a lot of work seems to center on those sorts of things. Frankly, my first and lasting love has always been non-fiction, especially history and biography, yet I have no driving desire to write non-fiction like I do fiction. Go figure!

You write in multiple different formats—poetry, short stories, novels, etc. Which format is your favorite and why?

I can’t claim a favorite. Each form of storytelling fills a different need, in the writer and poet as well as for the reader. One can’t replace another. Poems that are most memorable pack a strong emotional punch; they leave us feeling something. You might call them “emotional snapshots.” Short stories that stick with us the longest tend to have unexpected endings, twists that leave us thinking something. I’d categorize them as “cognitive snapshots.” But novels are entire photographic albums in word form. The most memorable ones run us all up and down an emotional flagpole while at the same time making us think—usually about things we didn’t show up prepared to think about at all.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular tips, methods, or writing strategies that help you?

My personal “process,” if one can call anything I do a process (Inner monologue: Is flying by the seat of your pants a process?), is to walk a lot. I used to run a lot, but now it’s mostly walking. This is my development time, the space and place where my stories and poems are seeded and begin to grow. Then, at night, that sweet twilight between lying down and falling asleep becomes the fertile ground wherein those seeds shoot up, spread out, and blossom. Finally, the following day, I sit at my computer or take pen in hand and gather the harvest, weaving it into words on a page that garden of ideas, smells, sensations, emotions, images, events, and conversations.

As for tips or strategies, my take is pretty straightforward: you do you. Do whatever works best for you as a writer. I’d suggest the way to discover that is by sampling many different approaches. Try writing at different times of the day. Write in different kinds of light. Write in different rooms and locations. Explore a variety of mediums (pen and paper; computer; audio recordings). Maybe try writing to music, then while wearing sound-cancelling headphones. Eventually, you’ll discover your personal writing sphere, which will lessen your writings fear.

Tell me a fun fact about yourself.

As a teen I was once runner-up to the Chicken Corn Soup Queen in my hometown. That’s probably a pretty small club. Also, at both my wedding and my police academy graduation—unbeknownst to me until it was all over—I had my hat on backward. That’s embarrassing (you’d have thought someone might say something, but no!). Also, I have some vision issues, so I’ve pulled a number of what I call my “Mr. Magoo” stunts. I once mistook a fellow shopper for a mannequin and began feeling up her outfit, admiring it; I nearly had a heart attack when she moved. Another time I gave an extended lecture to an up-ended mop in the corner of my kitchen till I realized it wasn’t my daughter quietly sulking there.

To learn more about Riley Kilmore visit https://rileykilmore.com/.

An Interview with author Sarah Floyd

By Emily Groff

Publishing your work means putting your heart and soul out into the world for everyone to read. It’s a scary process, but it is also a fantastic process that brings connection and joy. But what happens if your publisher shuts down and can no longer sell the book you worked so hard on? Sarah Floyd experienced this and feared what this meant for her book. Would no one get to read it anymore?

Our favorite publisher, Wild Ink Publishing, made sure this would never happen. Securing the rights for Floyd’s Butterfly Girl, they made sure the re-release was even more special. With what seemed like all hope lost, Butterfly Girl made its comeback and is ready to hit the shelves of stores near you. Learn more about Butterfly Girl and its author in this interview with Sarah Floyd.

When did you first know you wanted to start writing?

My dream of becoming a writer started in childhood. I loved to read, and if you had asked eight-year-old me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response would have been “a children’s book author!” But, I landed in Communication Studies instead of English Lit and moved into professional sales after graduating from college. I have always loved to write, and I wrote ads and brochures for my real estate career. However, I didn’t start writing books until after my son was born, when I began reading to him. At that point, I took a break from real estate and started helping my husband part-time with administrative tasks in his home office, a flexible job that allows a lot of free time for writing. My first published book was a children’s picture book, Ten Clever Ninjas. Butterfly Girl came next, and my new novel, Survivor Mountain, will be released later this year.

Tell me about your book Butterfly Girl.

Butterfly Girl is a coming-of-age, middle-grade novel about family, friendship, and finding the courage to chart your own course.

In the summer before seventh grade, Oregon farm girl Meghan McCoy-Lee discovers there’s magic in the sap of her family tree. She follows instructions in her great-grandmother’s journal… and grows leathery wings! When Meghan’s story goes viral, her absentee mother swoops back into town with superstar plans for her Winged Wonder Girl. Grandpa says stay on the farm and ignore the paparazzi, but her charismatic mom wants her to leave for Hollywood and start a new life together. The popular girls at school wouldn’t miss her– they want her gone, like yesterday– she’s getting way more attention than they are. One thing is certain: Meghan is going to make up her own mind, and with the help of her friends, she may even find a way to bring the popular girls down a peg or two. Then Meghan must decide if a Hollywood life with the mother she longed for is worth leaving the friends who stood by her, and Grandpa, who loved her before the whole world knew her name.

How did you get the idea for this book?

Butterfly Girl, or at least the idea of flying, has percolated in my mind for as long as I can remember. As a child I often dreamed of flying, and on one particularly windy day in kindergarten, I ran across the playground with my umbrella open and lifted myself two feet off the ground! It was thrilling, but my teacher didn’t think it was a great idea. Later, as a fourth grader, my friends and I tried to levitate. During lunch period, we would sit cross-legged on our school’s tall lab tables, eyes closed in meditation, whispering “light as a feather” and waiting to float toward the ceiling, mind over matter. And in sixth grade, we created wings out of cardboard and duct tape and ran down the hills of San Francisco, where I grew up, flapping our arms and trying to fly. None of our attempts were successful, but there was a delicious sense of almost flying, that the secret was ever so slightly out of reach. That secret, that mysterious missing ingredient, is magic—and magic is the secret ingredient that gives Meghan wings in Butterfly Girl.

Why should readers read your book? What is your target reader?

I think many of us wish we could fly, and Butterfly Girl takes us there… but it’s a deeper story too, of self-acceptance, courage, and finding the strength to be your authentic self. The target audience is ages 9-13, but many of my readers are adults. I think one of my reviewers, YA author Bruce Buchanan, said it best: “Kids of any age will love it– even those of us who haven’t technically been kids in quite a while!”

What are you most excited about with your release of Butterfly Girl?

Butterfly Girl was actually released by a smaller publisher back in 2019, but that publisher experienced a distribution collapse and was unable to consistently fulfill orders. I was thrilled when Wild Ink acquired the rights! They have now republished Butterfly Girl with an editing update and a beautiful new cover, created by one of Wild Ink’s talented artists, the amazing Melanie Mar. It’s a wonderful feeling to see this story, the book of my heart, find such a strong and dynamic publisher.

What books/genres do you tend to read? Do these books/genres influence the genre that you write?

I mostly read YA and MG, but I like adult books too, as long as there’s no graphic horror or extreme violence. I don’t read fiction at all when I’m writing, to keep my own voice and themes clear in my mind. Instead, I re-read my favorite books on craft, such as Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, Orson Scott Card’s Characters & Viewpoint, or Donald Maass’ The Emotional Craft of Fiction. If I need inspiration, I re-read Stephen King’s On Writing, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, or I revisit Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. When I’m reading these books, my subconscious somehow merges “craft” with “story” and I’m able to deepen my own characters, ramp up the stakes, and tighten the turning points.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular tips, methods, or writing strategies that help you?

My writing process is slightly bonkers. When I have a great idea in the works, it starts to take over my life and I work hard to find balance. Butterfly Girl literally woke me up at 5:00 every morning, demanding to be written. I navigated daily life distracted by thoughts of magic spells, wings, frenemies, farming, paparazzi, and first crushes. I became a master list-maker and relied on timers to pry myself away from the manuscript to take care of my family and other responsibilities. Some days my head was so full of characters chatting with each other and plot points twisting and turning that I could hardly fall asleep at night!

For writing strategies, I’m a combination of “plotter” (plotting with an outline) and “panster” (writing by the seat of my pants and letting the story develop spontaneously). I write a long narrative summary to capture the overall story (“plotting”), and then I dive in and free write the first draft (“pants-ing”). When the first draft is complete, I refer to screenwriter Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat beat sheet to make sure the pacing is on target.

Tell me a fun fact about yourself.

I’m a certified scuba diver! It’s the closest I can get to the sensation of flying. There’s a line from Butterfly Girl that says, “It’s like swimming on the wind. Easy once you get the hang of it.” Scuba diving is fun and challenging, and it’s the closest I can get to the sensation of flying. But instead of birds and butterflies, there are dolphins and tropical fish. I love it!

To learn more about Sarah Floyd, visit https://wild-ink-publishing.com/sarah-floyd/, sarahfloydbooks.com, or connect on X/Twitter: @kidlitSarah.

Meet S.E. Reed

By Emily Groff

You may be wondering, “What is the best way to write a book?” The answer is simple: by doing. How do those two add up, you may ask? Inspiration. Doing is the inspiration– there is a setting, there is a plot, and there is an adventure. ‘Doing’ is the most impactful way to write a convincing story. Even if we know it’s fiction, we always live in that make-believe world, pretending it’s our own. So, do ‘it’, whatever ‘it’ is, and convince us that we are living ‘it’ too.

Doing for Reed takes multiple forms. S.E. Reed has lived in all five regions of the United States and has used her adventures to help her write, to help her craft. She does multiple jobs–cooking, teaching art, being a seamstress, being a swim coach, a healthcare administrator, and a wife and mother. Reed has lived multiple adventures in all the places and jobs she’s done. Can we say that these adventures, the truth she’s shared, are how she became a multi-award-winning author? Let’s find out in this interview with Wild Ink author Shelby (S.E.) Reed.

When did you first know you wanted to start writing? What got you interested?

I started writing stories in elementary school. I think my first “book” was about a cat. I’ve always been an avi reader and had a big imagination. So it makes sense that I use creative writing as a major outlet in my life.

**Tell me about each of your books: My Heart is Hurting, Old Palmetto Drive, and Ask Grace.**

All three books feature a young, female protagonist facing a major hurdle in her life that she has to overcome.

In My Heart is Hurting, Jinny is brilliant, lonely, and looking for friends. It’s in the school bookclub that she finds her friends and a boyfriend she never knew she needed. But when her Mama spirals out of control and threatens her entire existence, it’s Jinny’s Everglade ancestors who arrive in a mist of magic, bringing the swamp and hope with them.
In Old Palmetto Drive, Rian is fierce, spoiled, and learning how to fit into a new place. While Rian spends time in the Everglades with her cousins, Travis and Sam, and falls head over heels for vintage-loving Justine, she learns it isn’t just her mom keeping secrets. They’ve all got secrets too. Until one fateful night, the dark, murky waters of the swamp decide to tell the story about what really happened on Old Palmetto Drive.
In Ask Grace, Grace is scared, angry, and wants to understand what is happening inside her mind. Her next-door neighbor, and enemy, Gloria, goes missing, and the only clue leads back to Grace. Seth, Grace’s boyfriend, goes missing, putting an even bigger target on her, and she starts experiencing stress-induced flashbacks of a kidnapping scene right out of some campy horror flick. The kind her and her friends spoof on their weekly podcast. Armed with new clues. Grace and her friends race against time to find Gloria and Seth, before the rotten-face man from her memories turns Richmond Hill into a real life horror movie. One they can’t spoof on their podcast.

How do you find the ideas for your books?

I have teenage kids, so many of my YA novels have been inspired by my kids or things they’ve said or situations they’ve described. Usually my ideas start as a seed (someone says something or I see something and it sticks in my brain) and from there it starts growing, taking shape, developing and expanding until there’s enough that I can flesh out a plot for a book. I used to sit down at that point and start writing the MC and see what they were doing. Now I sit down and write out a high-level outline for the entire book from start to finish.

Why should readers read your book? What is your target reader for each book?

I think I write books that are highly readable with characters that you can’t help but cheer for. My novels with Wild Ink are intended for readers aged 13-18, however, I believe they can be enjoyed by adult readers as well. A great coming-of-age story generally transcends age and gender, because as humans we can all relate to those kinds of growing-up feelings.

**What are you most excited for with your release of Ask Grace?**

It’s always exciting to have a new book released–because maybe it will help me find new readers who will come back to read some of my other novels. I experimented with breaking the 4th wall in this novel, which is new for me. (That’s when the main character speaks directly to the reader). I thought it might be interesting in this book because Grace (the MC) is an unreliable narrator, so when she talks to the reader it creates a sense of trust or maybe mistrust for her. You decide!

You have won a series of awards for your books. What did this feel like for you? Do you have an award you are most proud of?

Writing and publishing can be a very solitary activity. People read my books and maybe (if I’m lucky) will leave a short little review, and that’s my only temperature gauge to know “how I’m doing” so to speak. So winning awards is exciting, because it’s a boost, it’s someone (or a group of people) saying my writing is good! Worthy! I feel seen and heard as an author. And no, I’m not sure I’m more proud of one award over any other. Each award has provided different opportunities– I’ve been invited to the Florida state capital to receive an award in front of a huge audience, I’ve been given prize money, my book has been sent on a world-wide book blog tour, and other opportunities.

You are a multi-genre author. How do you change your writing for each genre style? Do you have a favorite genre to write in?

I’m a character-driven author, so when I come up with an idea and a main character, they usually dictate the type of story I write. Whether it’s young adult contemporary or adult romance or new adult science fiction. I change my style to conform to the characters and the story they are telling or participating in. I can see it in my head and hear them, so I just tell it. No, I don’t have a favorite genre. I’m currently in my thriller era.

You have lived in all five regions of the United States. Do you have a favorite region? Does each region you have lived in have any influence on your writing or setting?

Yes, I’ve lived all over and driven all over the country. It’s so interesting to see the regional difference in things like architecture, food/restaurants, people, music and more. The south is my favorite. I’m a big fan of the weather, landscape, food, and designs. All of my Wild Ink books are set in the south, in either Florida or Georgia. So yeah, I’d definitely say that my writing has been influenced where I live.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular tips, methods, or writing strategies that help you?

My novel writing process starts with an idea. Over the years I’ve learned to heavily outline and draft the novel from start to finish before I start writing. My first few published books were written without an outline. Another strategy I use is word count tracking. Probably because I’m a bit of a numbers and data nerd. So I like to use a spreadsheet and track my daily word count, it is motivating to me.

Tell me a fun fact about yourself.

When I was in college I was a DJ. I had turntables, a mixer, records, the whole nine-yards. My club name was DJ Barbie, and I used to go to parties and play, and travel around the PNW to go to raves.

To learn more about Shelby (S.E.) Reed, visit her website, https://www.writingwithreed.com/ and sign up for her newsletter https://www.writingwithreed.com/subscribe.

Getting to Know D.L. Broom

By Emily Groff

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to become a debut author? D.L. Broom has always been a voracious reader and has awaited her chance to write. She held many different careers through the years, the primary one being an early elementary educator, but she is most excited for her new career as an author who touches the hearts of all who read her words.

Broom reads thrillers, light, and sci-fi, and enjoys writing historical fiction and horror. You may be wondering how she came about publishing a young adult novel, a genre out of her usual comfort zone. Look no further. I had the pleasure of interviewing Donna Broom and learning more about her debut novel, Sunflower.

Tell us about Sunflower, your Wild Ink Publishing debut novel. What is this book about, and how did you come up with this story? Why should readers read this book?

Like most people in my age group (Gen X), I read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. I love the cozy mystery format even though I also enjoy authors like Jo Nesbo, Preston & Child, and Freida McFadden who write much more intense stories. I’m also sensitive to my writing being authentic. Teens have access to incredibly written, hard-hitting, topical novels that aren’t my life experience. I wanted to give the YA audience a fun, cozy mystery with a bit of sweet romance that harkens back to the Nancy Drew series. This YA mystery explores what happens when a girl’s boring summer job turns into a dangerous search for answers to a tragic family secret. I’m excited to offer Sunflower to the world!

You are a debut author with Wild Ink Publishing. What was this experience like?

Working with Abby and her team at Wild Ink has been wonderful! I spent almost two years in the querying trenches, completing my MFA at SNHU in 2022, and she took a chance on me and Sunflower. I love working with fellow SNHU grads (and instructors) and the journey has been so exciting and rewarding. I can’t believe my novel is actually out!

When did you first know you wanted to start writing? What got you interested?

I’ve wanted to write since I was a child, but I didn’t have the confidence to go the distance. I wrote occasional stories through the years, but I always ripped them up and disposed of them. I will say that children these days have so much more support for their writing. Teachers have the training and resources to give children writing opportunities, and authors come in to give advice through workshops and assemblies-it’s amazing!

How did you begin writing Sunflower, and what sparked the idea?

My Sunflower project started after a compilation of opportunities. I was working at an Atlanta private school when the children’s author, Jack Gantos, came by and not only did an incredible assembly for the students, but also did a teacher workshop that I was lucky to attend. He outlined his process for writing children’s books and made it feel so attainable. I highly recommend his book, Writing Radar. The second opportunity came when my husband and I traveled to Boyne City, Michigan, to visit with great friends. I had never been to the state of Michigan, let alone any of the Great Lakes. I was blown away by the beauty of the region. When we visited the sweet town of Walloon Lake, I was just charmed, and my idea of a teen girl coming to the town, meeting a cute boy, and solving a mystery just popped into my head.

You read thrillers, light sci-fi, and enjoy writing historical fiction and horror. How did you tie in these interests to Sunflower, or is Sunflower a whole new genre for you?

A totally new genre for me. I’d never read what was considered Young Adult when I was growing up; I’d jumped right to adult novels because that’s what was on the bookshelves at home. It never occurred to me that I’d write a YA novel until I thought of Ivey’s story. I was in the middle of my MFA and working on a historical novel as my thesis project when I decided to switch to YA. SNHU has so many experienced instructors in the YA world, I felt Sunflower had a better chance of publication than my historical fiction project at the time. I’m still working on the historical novel, which centers on my Irish ancestor who was hanged for treason in 1798. I’m also working on the second book in the Sunflower series and a futuristic sci-fi.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular tips, methods, or writing strategies that help you?

Gosh, I feel like I’ve tried everything from outlining extensively to writing streams of consciousness. When writing Sunflower, I decided to have short chapters, so I made an outline using the chapter numbers and wrote a sentence or two about the chapter content. When I got stuck midway through the manuscript, I received great advice to go ahead and write the ending. That was a game changer! It made my writing easier when I knew where I wanted Ivey’s story to go. Being a committed reader is vital. Not only does it keep me current on genre trends, but it also shows me what types of characters and plots are in demand. Bottom line- what I love to read or write may not be what the masses want, but I need to know, so I can be successful in publishing.

Tell me a fun fact about yourself!

Most people find it interesting that I lived in Hawaii when I was a little girl. My Dad was in the Air Force, so we moved to Oahu when I was seven, and we lived there until I was ten. It was a unique experience because Hawaii is culturally very different from the “mainland”. It was a beautiful place to run around as a child, and it inspired my original fairy tale titled “Pele’s Hair”.

Oh! I also attended summer school at Punahou, from which President Obama graduated.

To learn more about Donna (D.L.) Broom, visit her website: https://dlbroomwrites.com/

Behind the Cover

By Emily Groff

Do you know the famous saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Of course you do. And while we tell ourselves we would never judge a book by its cover, deep down, we do. This is why creating the book cover is an extremely important part of the book publishing process.

When creating a book cover, you need to allow for creative freedom, with structure. The cover should capture the significance of the book. Providing too little direction to the designer will lead to confusion and possibly a cover that doesn’t align with the book’s purpose at all. On the same note, too many restrictions will stifle the creativity of the designer, and the cover will feel unnatural or forced. “The more creative direction you give your designer, the better” (Emotive Brand). Designers flourish when given clear brand guidelines and project goals, with room for creative freedom. Even with the same specs, every designer will create something unique, and that’s the beauty of creative work.

Most people think a book cover needs to have decoration, and that is what makes up the design of the books. The truth is that designing isn’t just about making things look pretty and having decoration; designers have way more work cut out for them. They have to think about a series of steps before creating the book cover:

Color theory and visual hierarchy
Psychology of imagery
Visual rhetoric
Typography legibility

Designers must be aware of typography legibility when designing a cover, meaning that they need to be aware of leading, tracking, and readability. Leading refers to the vertical spacing between lines of text, while tracking refers to the uniform spacing between characters within a word or block of text. Leading affects the readability of the text, while tracking impacts the visual balance and flows of words. Consumers pick up a book if the cover is readable and the text matches the aesthetic of the rest of the book. This is what our designers work so hard to accomplish.

Accessibility

Accessibility refers to the fonts and colors used on the cover. You may not think that these are important features of a book, but to some, it is extremely important. Visually impaired and neurodiverse users care and require fonts and colors on covers to match their needs. Fonts and colors are not important only for the attractiveness of the book, but for the consumers who are buying it.

Designers can only make those decisions if they are given input on content. Collaboration is key. Designers should be involved early in the process when back cover text and blurbs are being written. The designer fears too much text, and the reality is that no one reads a wall of words. It is important the designer be given text that is tight, clear, and purposeful, so that the design can support it.

Designers need to have control in the cover creating process. Their role in designing a cover is message alignment. They need to be sure that the cover they’ve created matches the purpose of the book. In order to do that, the purpose of the piece must be made clear. They also need control over brand consistency, including font, color, and logo usage. Each cover will be unique, but will share similar features to entice readers to experience something similar to what they’ve loved before. This all ties into their knowledge of the user experience and how people will interact with the piece.

While the general rule for businesses is three rounds of revisions, it is not the rule for book covers. For book covers, there will be as many revisions as needed until the author feels it. The cover is the author’s. The cover is what captures the essence of the book and makes the consumer want to pick it up off the shelf and hold it in their hands. The author needs to be sure that the cover matches their book. After all, that book is their baby. The designer will begin with three design concepts and then pull together the best elements for the final design. If the author approves, the cover is complete.

The process of creating a book cover can be a long and stressful process. Rude or overly controlling clients can derail the process. Having discovery calls to assess client vibes early is important to creating that healthy relationship and beautiful cover. To reduce stress in the long book cover design process, keep these things in mind:

Giving Feedback the right way
- Be specific while remaining respectful. If something isn’t working, express that and say why.
- Instead of saying you don’t like something, offer an alternative for something you don’t like asking, “Could we try this instead?”
Provide design briefs with clear goals and visual inspiration
Don’t micromanage once work begins- trust the process
- If it’s finished, and still doesn’t feel like it’s a right fit, then it’s okay to turn down work.
Avoid spamming your designer with DIY Canva mockups mid-project. Let them use their creative genius on the information you’ve already provided!
Let creatives do what they’re good at- that’s why you hired them.

Using these helpful tips, you can be sure that there will be a healthy co-relationship between designer and author, and that the cover will not only be appealing, but will match the purpose and meaning of the book– a cover design success.

Reading Through the Seasons

By Emily Groff

Do you love reading? Do you need help deciding what book to read off your long TBR list? Seasonal reading may be the right fit for you. What is more fun than reading books that fit with the season you are in? So slather on the sun block, put on your shades, and buckle in to plan your reading for the next year.

Why should you read seasonally?

Reading seasonally will add richness to your reading experience. It allows books to transport you into each new season. Feel more immersed in your reading by experiencing the reality of nature with the imagination of your books. As you look forward to each season change, you get to look forward to each new seasonal book.

Seasonal reading allows you to have variety in what you read, both in authors and in genre. Broaden your horizons and dive into each new world that the pool of literature gives.

What books should you read?

Conquest and Wild Ink Publishing offer a variety of books that are perfect for each season.

For some, Fall is about pumpkin spice, chai, sweater weather, and the dropping of autumn leaves. For others, Fall is the magic, spells, mythical creatures, death, and mystery.

If you are looking for the magic and spells that is Fall these are your perfect picks:

My Heart is Hurting by S.E Reed.

Jinny Buffett’s father is dead. She is trying to start a new life: break from the loneliness that consumes her, but her mother is spiraling out of control and threatens her entire existence. It is her ancestors who arrive in a mist of magic, bringing the swamp and hope with them that come to save Jinny Buffett.

The Subtle Art of Spellcasting and Sarcasm by Airie Avant

Callie Aigean drove thirty-six hours, carrying thirty-six extra pounds on her plus-size frame, staring down her 36th birthday- in less than thirty-six weeks. That’s the day she’s due to make her magical ascension into a full witch and take her place among the elite spellcasting community of Blue Crab Bay.

If you are looking for the death and mystery of Fall, read these books:

Ask Grace by S.E. Reed

Grace Everly is not friends with her next door neighbor Gloria Sanchez. So when Gloria goes missing, and the only clue leads back to Grace, tensions run high! Seth, Grace’s boyfriend, goes missing, putting an even bigger target on her–and she starts experiencing stress-induced flashbacks of a kidnapping scene right out of some campy horror flick. Armed with new clues, Grace and her friends race against time to find Gloria and Seth, before the rotten-faced man from her memories turns Richmond Hill into a real life horror movie.

A Murder of Crows by Mia Moon

Ember Wildes comes from a family of witches. After the death of her mother, it was the right time to start a new life and learn more about the craft that her grandmother had taught her as a child. But a dark evil has befallen the town, leaving the bodies of murdered women on its shores. After settling in town, Ember learns of these horrible murders and quickly finds herself at the center of the mystery.

If you want to read about mythical creatures, these are your perfect Fall picks:

Fury’s Fate by Shaelynn Long

Olivia Beckett has lived through thousands of lifetimes, dispatching miscreant supernatural creatures alongside her sisters as the mythological trio of Furies. Memories of her past lives begin to appear and haunt her, and she starts questioning everything she thought she knew about her life and her duty. In the midst of a brewing war between the factions of Creatures, Olivia goes against all the rules and falls in love with a human, only to realize he may be connected to her mysterious past. Can she have it all, or will she have to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to stop the war?

Vampire Metropolis by Robin Brown

Caiden is a 200 year old vampire who has been dropped into a walled-off prison city for the world’s fantasy creatures. In his time there he will work with a courageous leader of rag tag elves, an ambitious warrior vampire, street-wise goblins, a hapless halfling, and finally a young and headstrong vampire girl called Alma.

After you’ve finished these fall reads, Winter will be just around the corner. Winter is full of snow, love, and holiday adventures. Here are our Winter picks:

Pretty Unexpected by Arini Vlotman

After being roped into spending Christmas with her best friends and her alluring ex, Thando finds herself questioning her holiday spirit. For Jimmy Warner, Christmas means cold beers and comfort food, but reuniting with the captivating, yet prickly, Thando ignites memories of a fiery weekend they once shared. Pretty Unexpected is a Christmas romance novella weaved with drama, friendship, and wrapped in a touch of holiday magic.

Stuck on the Slopes by Jessica Salina

The cabin is heating up in this romantic comedy as a pro-athlete and corporate marketer dodge the tabloids and save a ski lodge. Professional athlete Juniper Hart was forced into retirement after a permanent injury. He acquired a failed Colorado ski lodge. Rachel Friedman looking for a raise begins working at the resort and begins to wonder if this was the right choice. Rachel needs to thaw Juniper’s icy heart so they can work together to save the lodge.

After the holidays, warmth seeps in and so begins Spring. Spring gives warmth of love and new beginnings. Any book can be read in Spring, but here is our choice of a Spring book:

A Touch of Love by Adrianna Schuh

Set in 1890s New York, Elijah Jameson inherits a steel fortune, a fancy townhouse, and a free pass to enter New York City high society. While he doesn’t want this, he needs the position to give his sister the best life. Isabella Marin is a pushy and stubborn socialite who wants nothing more than to be far away from the social season. Instead of finding a suitable husband, she is locked in verbal sparring matches with Elijah Jameson, the boy she left in another life. No matter how much she likes Elijah, Isabella knows they can never be together. If he knew what she’d done, he would never look at her the same. Even though Elijah has fallen for Isabella, society will never see them as equals.

Adding a little more warmth into your life, here are our Summer picks:

Sunflower by D.L. Broom

Sixteen-year-old Ivey Des Jardins knows her summer is going to suck. Rather than working with her friends at a local Florida boutique, she’s been sent to Walloon Lake, Michigan, to work at her Aunt Lauren’s summer shop where she meets her handsome coworker, Rafe Torres, and discovers a devastating family secret. Rafe has his own secrets that threaten his new romance with Ivey. With her Aunt Lauren grief-stricken, Ivey takes on the summer shop and sets out to solve her family’s mystery. But there are people who don’t want this mystery solved, and they’re on Ivey’s trail.

Epicurus On Writing

By Anthony David Vernon

Epicurus is perhaps one of the most misunderstood philosophers and writers. He was a man of simple pleasure mistaken for a hedonist, and his writing resume is usually reduced to one work, The Art of Happiness. This is partly because the vast majority of his work did not survive, but “Estimates claim that Epicurus wrote over 300 works during his lifetime.”^[1] Nonetheless, this all has led to Epicurus being an underestimated writer. But, Epicurus, in the fragments we have from him, presents quite useful pieces of writing advice.

Epicurus speaks to his writing, stating, “I write this not for the many, but for you; indeed, each of us is enough of an audience for the other.”^[2] Epicurus points out that writing is always between the writer and a single reader. Too often, writers focus on a potential mass of readers instead of focusing on the fact that is is always one reader engaging with a work of writing. Even if a work of writing is being read aloud to a crowd, each reader is having a personal engagement with a given piece. When writing, imagine that there will only be one reader of your work, this will allow your writing to be more intimate. For Epicurus, writers are too concerned with having mass appeal and so lose out on emotionality. This is not to say that writing for one person cannot appeal to the many, quite the opposite, personal works possess personality.

The above quote from Epicurus also teaches another writing lesson: a writer should be happy that they have readers at all instead of being worried that they do not have enough readers. As the proverb sometimes goes, expectation is the thief of joy, and writers often suffer from expectation. Having a quantity of readership expectations can kill the writing process because it shifts the writer away from the joyful intimacy of writing into mass expectations that can never be actualized. A writer can never fully know who their readers will be or how their writing will be interpreted. Thus, a writer at any level should write with the satisfaction of knowing that they even have the potential of having a single reader.

Epicurus also states, “Writing presents no difficulties to those who do not aim at a constantly changing standard.”^[3] What Epicurus means by this is many-fold, but for one, Epicurus is advising writers not to worry about writing trends. For Epicurus, it is more important for a writer to hone in on their style rather than the style of the day. If one writes as themselves, they will not struggle to be as themselves. Meanwhile, it is a struggle to fake a writing style that is not one’s own to wear sheep’s clothing.

In addition, for Epicurus, writing should be an act of personal ease, not an uphill battle, but instead a demonstration of a self-constant standard. This means that writers should not set shifting goals but instead aim for one simple goal. What this goal is depends on the writer. However, a writer should pick a goal that at least rarely shifts and ideally is a constant.

Likely, a great deal of writing wisdom was lost among Epicurs’ missing works. Still, what we hold from Epicurus is extremely limited, it holds depth both mentioned and not touched upon. This is part of the greatness of Epicurus; a writer can dig for inexhaustible writing advice from Epicurs with examination.

^[1] https://www.thecollector.com/epicurus-on-the-values-of-family-and-friendship/

^[2] https://marxists.architexturez.net/archive/marx/works/1839/notebook/ch05.htm

^[3] https://www.attalus.org/translate/epicurus.html

Written by Anthony David Vernon

Author’s Bio

Anthony David Vernon mainly writes poetry and philosophical articles when he is not walking trails.

Education:

Oklahoma State University MFA

Publications & Prizes

Anthology:

Faery Flying: The Art of Self Care (Fae Corps Publishing, 2023)

Book:

The Assumption Of Death (Alien Buddha Press, 2022)

Journals:

Apocalypse Confidential

Beautiful Space: A Journal of Mind, Art and Poetry

Brief Wilderness

Conceptions Southwest

Poetry Super Highway

Synchronized Chaos

The Drabble

The Literary Yard

Unlikely Stories

ZiN Daily

Prizes won:

Pushcart Prize Nominee 2022 for “Guilt is a Pleasure” nominated by Alien Buddha Press

An Interview with K.M. King

By Bruce Buchanan

K.M. King has worn many hats—she’s been a journalist, a teacher, a business owner, a corporate trainer, a student of history, and a member of the U.S. Army.

She recently added one more line to her already impressive resume—Wild Ink author. Her novel The Bomber Jacket will be released on Aug. 20, 2024.

K.M. King has worn many hats—she’s been a journalist, a teacher, a business owner, a corporate trainer, a student of history, and a member of the U.S. Army.

When an American college student buys a World War II vintage bomber jacket, it sends here on a search to learn more about its original owner. Along the way, the veil between past and present becomes ever thinner.

You’ve said you fell in love with reading at a young age. Did that also extend to writing?

I always loved reading stories and creating stories in my head. The first writing I remember doing outside of schoolwork was in the little pink diary I got as a Christmas present in fourth grade. All through school, I was involved in writing for our school papers and was editor of our high school newspaper in my senior year. I loved all the writing assignments for English class. I had a hard time deciding whether to study English or history in college—history won.

As for writing fiction, that didn’t happen until I was in my mid-twenties. I was taking some business classes at a local college and signed up for a fiction writing class. I wrote a short story and got great feedback from my professor. The rest, as they say, is history.

It sounds like you’ve had some amazing career and life experiences. How have those experiences shaped your writing?

That’s a challenging question to answer. I think for me writing is so ingrained in who I am, I’m not always sure I can parse out what influenced my writing. Every job I’ve had involved writing, whether as a teacher, journalist, non-profit publication specialist, personal coach, or creator of staff development curriculum.

I’m essentially an introvert—like a lot of writers—and very self-reflective. I almost minored in philosophy in college. My journal, which I’ve kept from my early thirties, provides a space for me to ponder the inexplicable mysteries of life. I think I ponder those same mysteries in my fiction, through my characters, hoping they’ll give me the answers I haven’t found elsewhere.

How did the idea for The Bomber Jacket come to you?

I’ve always been fascinated by flying. Probably should have joined the Air Force instead of the Army! When I was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, I used to go to the Frankfurt Airport and watch the planes come and go. Something about that planted the seed of a story about a pilot.

In 1997 and 2004, my husband and I took trips to Scotland, and among the places we visited was Drem Aerodrome, a former Royal Air Force base near Edinburgh. That seed, which lay dormant for more than two decades, sprouted into a Scottish bomber pilot from World War II. I began reading extensively about the RAF, and the characters crystallized during a trip to Scotland in 2011 with our oldest granddaughter, Zoe, who was 11 at the time.

I’m also interested in the idea that the veil between the past and present could be very thin. Spirits and ghosts have always fascinated me, and the possibility that spirits linger among us until they’ve completed whatever unfinished business holds them here helped shape the novel.

I am documenting the whole process of writing The Bomber Jacket on my website: www.kmkingauthor.com.

Were you interested in World War II history before you started this book?

Yes, definitely, both because I was a history major, and my father served in the Army in World War II. Like many of his generation, he never spoke about his experiences, except for a few succinct statements here and there when he was older. I’ve been reading World War II fiction and non-fiction for years and share my enthusiasm for history of all eras with my husband.

You’ve written other novels. What has been your biggest challenge in writing? And how did you ultimately overcome it?

I think my biggest challenge is I don’t just write in only one genre. I started writing novels in the early 1990s—a series of young adult fantasy books. Wild Ink is publishing the first of them, Jenna’s Journey: The Bronze Key in January 2025. I wrote The Bomber Jacket next; it’s World War II fiction.

I’m currently working on a three-book rom-com series with fantasy elements. I also have a mother-daughter generational story half-finished and the skeleton of an idea for a comic novel about a woman who gets obsessed with K-drama and K-pop. Nothing biographical there at all!

I’ve yet to overcome this challenge.

My other challenge is imagining my books might attract the interest of a publisher, especially after 45 rejections in attempting to find an agent for The Bomber Jacket, let alone a publisher. I am astounded and incredibly gratified that Wild Ink has seen something worthwhile in my stories.

Getting published was always a dream, not a motivation for writing if that makes any sense at all.

What is your writing process like? And how has it evolved?

I have to say, my process is different for different kinds of books. But for every book, the motivation is the same: I have questions about life, about an experience I’ve had, about someone I’ve known, and I write to find the answers to those questions by giving them to my characters to grapple with. I don’t always like the answers they come up with; sometimes, I’m not even sure what question they are working out in their story. I often discover it when they do, sometimes at the end of the first draft.

With Jenna’s Journey, the story simply appeared, and I wrote it when it did. There were long periods of time when I didn’t work on it, except to edit what I had written. No wonder it took me ten years to write the four books.

With The Bomber Jacket, I did extensive research, character development and plotting, but still the characters sometimes did things I didn’t expect them to. Or the story took an unexpected twist or turn.

For all the books I write, I first tell myself the story. That’s the first, second and third draft. When I am satisfied that my characters have answered my questions, even if I don’t like their answer, then I’m ready to consider sending the story into the world and work with an editor or a writing group to hone it.

What tips would you give to new or aspiring writers?

I still feel like a new and aspiring writer, because every book is a new adventure and has its own unique challenges.

I’ve read and continue to read books on writing. I think some of the advice is awful. One famous writer, who shall remain unnamed, said unless you write every single day, you’re not a writer. Hogwash. Writing is unique to each writer– the process, the purpose, the story to be told. Discover what works for you.

I have learned that very often the first several chapters of a first draft are the backstory—what the writer is telling him/herself about the story. Finding where the story actually begins for the reader can take some work.

Also, work on your book for a while, have at least 75 pages or more written, and then join a writers’ group, but one with serious writers who give valuable and supportive feedback. Or find a developmental editor.

Anything else you want to mention, either about yourself or your novel?

I also teach journaling workshops and have written two workbooks which will soon be available on my website: Pen, Power & Possibilities: A Guided Journaling Experience to Expand the Horizons of Your Life and Time: Tyrant or Treasure: 11 Steps to Embracing Life in All Its Messiness.

Preorder K.M. King’s book, The Bomber Jacket, through Aaron’s Books here.

Interview by Bruce Buchanan

Bruce Buchanan is the communications writer for an international law firm and a former journalist. But he’s been a fan of fantasy and heroic fiction for most of his life. His influences range from the novels of Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman and Terry Brooks to the Marvel Comics stories of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko. Bruce has short stories appearing in the upcoming Wild Ink Publishing anthologies Tenpenny Dreadfuls, Clio’s Curious Dash Through Time, and UnCensored Ink. He lives in Greensboro, N.C. with his wife, Amy Joyner Buchanan (a blogger and the author of five non-fiction books), and their 17-year-old son, Jackson.