Book Shop Chats:

Book Shop Chats:

By Victoria HopkinsEducationArtsBooksFiction
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Book Shop Chats: episodes

  • Behind the Pages: Legal Drama to Literary Debut with Victor Suthammanont

    Victor Suthammanont shares his journey from aspiring playwright to debut novelist with "Hollow Spaces," a dual-timeline thriller about a man acquitted of murder and his children who, decades later, attempt to determine his true guilt or innocence.

    • Former actor and current lawyer who balanced creative writing throughout his career
    • Drew inspiration from a New York Times article about a man whose life was ruined despite being acquitted of murder
    • Explores intergenerational trauma and what we inherit from our parents
    • Writing process involves "pantsing" (discovery writing) for most of the book before outlining the final quarter
    • Discusses how anger often masks sadness, particularly in men
    • Writing requires perseverance through constant rejection
    • Advises new writers to treat their journey as "a marathon, not a sprint"
    • Finds joy in crafting sentences and discovering unexpected narrative directions


    Book Blurb:

    The sole Asian American partner at a prestigious law firm sees his professional and personal life demolished when he is put on trial for murder. Three decades later, his children reunite to uncover the truth and try to salvage what remains of their family.

    Thirty years ago, John Lo, the only Asian American partner at a prestigious New York City law firm, was acquitted of the murder of an employee he was having an affair with. The repercussions of that long-ago event still haunt his adult children. Brennan, a lawyer following in her father’s footsteps in more ways than one, has always maintained that the trial got it right. Hunter, a disgruntled war correspondent whose similarities to his father run more than skin-deep, believes their father got away with murder. Their convictions have pushed them apart. Now, spurred on by their mother’s failing health, the estranged siblings decide to reconcile their differences by reinvestigating the murder to come to a definitive conclusion, and, in the process, salvage what’s left of their fragmented family.

    Told in a dual timeline that moves between John’s perspective thirty years prior and Brennan and Hunter’s present-day investigation, Hollow Spaces is a moving portrait of a flawed man’s shocking fall from grace and a gripping exploration of race in corporate America, filial loyalty, ambition, and the fallout of a sensational trial for those caught in its wake.

    About Victor:

    I am a writer who practices law in New York City. I write literary/upmarket and crime fiction. My debut novel, Hollow Spaces, is scheduled to be published by Counterpoint Press on August 5, 2025. I am also the author of the Audible Original Little Surrenders.

    I was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School, where I was, among other things, the editor of the literary magazine and a varsity swimmer. I attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where I studied at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School. While at NYU, I wrote, produced, and directed an off-off-Broadway play, as well as performed stand-up comedy.

    LINKS

    Website

    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that

    26 min
  • Paranormal Chronicles: Inside the Alex McKenna Series

    Vicki Ann Bush returns to discuss her Alex McKenna paranormal YA series, exploring how she develops this gifted psychic protagonist through increasingly darker supernatural mysteries across multiple books.

    Author Bio

    Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently resides in the Pacific Northwest. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting the sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision.

    Released in September 2023 by Creative James Media, the second edition of Alex McKenna & The Geranium Deaths. The first book in the YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ series, that features a seventeen- year-old, transgender boy with paranormal abilities.

    Alex McKenna & The Academy of Souls, October 2024.

    Alex McKenna & A Winter’s Night, February 2025.

    Alex McKenna & Death Is Not The Beginning, Coming October 2025.

    The first edition of Alex McKenna & The Geranium Deaths, received the Gold Medal in the Readers Favorite Book Awards for Young Adult, Paranormal in 2020.

    In 2022 Vicki-Ann signed an additional two book publishing deal with CJM Publishing, which includes the YA Paranormal Romance, The Darkest Light, and the Sci-Fi, Liminal Space. 

    Vicki-Ann is also a produced short screenplay writer of Alex McKenna: Alex & Margaret’s Beginning, a mutli-award winning short film inspired by her supernatural, LGBTQ+ Alex McKenna novels. https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm13181597


    Website and Social Media: https://vickiannbush.carrd.co/

    Book Blurb:
    One winter's night can change everything

    With only a year left of high school, the love of his life, Margaret at his side, and the most supportive family anyone could want, Alex McKenna couldn't ask for anything more.

    Alex was learning more about his family's abilities as Strega witches and his psychic powers were continuing to grow. Things were good.

    Until one night when everything falls to pieces.

    Margaret lay in the hospital after a serious car accident, her disembodied spirit searching for a way back to the living. Alex is desperate to save her and the victims of his next case. An ominous being is haunting the hospital and stealing the souls of infants and the elderly, sending them straight to hell.

    Can Alex solve this case and save Margaret before it's too late?


    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    40 min
  • Uncovering Rose Valland: The Forgotten Fighter Who Saved Europe's Art with Michelle Young

    Michelle Young unveils the extraordinary story of Rose Valland, an art historian and resistance spy who gathered intelligence for the Monuments Men during WWII Paris. She explores how this highly decorated war hero faded into obscurity despite her crucial role in tracking Nazi-looted art across Europe.

    Book Blurb: 

    A riveting and stylish saga set in Paris during World War II, The Art Spy uncovers how an unlikely heroine infiltrated the Nazi leadership to save the world's most treasured masterpieces.
    On August 25, 1944, Rose Valland, a woman of quiet daring, found herself in a desperate position. From the windows of her beloved Jeu de Paume museum, where she had worked and ultimately spied, she could see the battle to liberate Paris thundering around her. The Jeu de Paume, co-opted by Nazi leadership, was now the Germans’ final line of defense. Would the museum curator be killed before she could tell the truth—a story that would mean nothing less than saving humanity’s cultural inheritance?
    Based on troves of previously undiscovered documents, The Art Spy chronicles the brave actions of the key Resistance spy in the heart of the Nazi’s art looting headquarters in the French capital. A veritable female Monuments Man, Valland has, until now, been written out of the annals, despite bearing witness to history’s largest art theft. While Hitler was amassing stolen art for his future Führermuseum, Valland, his undercover adversary, secretly worked to stop him.

    Author Bio:

    Michelle Young is an award-winning journalist, author, and professor whose writing and photography has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Hyperallergic, The Forward, and Narratively. She is a graduate of Harvard College in the History of Art and Architecture and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she is a Professor of Architecture. She is the founder of the publication Untapped New York. She divides her time between New York City, Paris, and the Berkshires, Massachusetts.

    Social links: 

    Instagram @michelleyoungwriter

    Threads @michelleyoungwriter, 

    X @michelleyoungny

    Bluesky @michelleyoung.bsky.social

    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    34 min
  • Where Do Stories Come From? A Chat with Fantasy Author Erica Rose Eberhart

    Victoria and fantasy author Erica Rose Eberhart discuss the delicate balance between creating books, promoting them, and maintaining creative energy while avoiding burnout.

    • Erica shares details about her debut novel "Tarnished" and the upcoming releases in her Elder Tree series
    • The importance of scheduling intentional breaks and "blackout dates" to prevent creative burnout
    • How stepping away from social media can actually spark creativity and new book ideas
    • Embracing the natural evolution of writing skills and letting go of perfectionism

    About the author:
    Erica Rose Eberhart is a neurodivergent, disabled writer of queer characters, dragons, girls who grow feathers, and boys who become trees. She resides in the Finger Lakes of New York with her partner and child, and has sampled landscape inspiration from her time living near mountain ranges of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Having written stories since she could string a sentence together, she now focuses primarily on young adult and adult fantasy, as well as whimsical personal essays. Her work has been featured in Bella Grace Magazine. TARNISHED is her debut novel.

    Diminished coming August 2025
    The king is dead and a queen has taken the throne.

    While magic is now legal, the repercussions of years of magical genocide and prejudice aren't so easily wiped away. With the threat of war looming, Wimleigh Kingdom must look northward, beyond a dangerous forest to a small, seaside town for aid. If they have any hope of surviving the incoming danger of battle from a land where magic triumphs all, they must convince a powerful, unknown prince to join their side.

    Ailith and Caitriona return in the second novel of The Elder Tree Trilogy as they seek someone thought lost. Left behind is Greer with her mother, Róisín, to rule the kingdom while threats grow, the city is plunged into darkness, and warnings of death are on the wind.

    Can Greer guide her kingdom through this storm, will Ailith and Caitriona find help, or will the war consume all?

    LINKS

    Instagram

    Books2Buy page (for book purchases): 

    Bookshop.org

    Connect with Erica

    About Victoria:

    I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE
    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. 

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    41 min
  • Write Now or Never: Publishing Through Pandemic & Perseverance with Selina Violet

    Selena Violet shares the journey of her romance trilogy "What We Can't Have," which started as a poem she wrote for her middle school students and evolved into a three-book series about characters connected by one life-changing song.

    • Story revolves around college students Sidney and Austin who reluctantly partner on a music project
    • The trilogy follows their "When Harry Met Sally" dynamic with a guaranteed HEA at the end
    • Features a plus-size protagonist who faces self-image challenges without focusing on dieting
    • First book in the series ends on a cliffhanger, with the full arc resolving in book three
    • Began writing seriously during COVID lockdown after years of focusing on other priorities

    What We Can’t Have – Hollywood Hot Shots

    The right song can touch your soul…             

    Becoming a songwriter was never on Sydney Campbell’s radar. No; she chose a music major to one day inspire children as an educator. But all that changed when she met him…  

    Paired together on an important assignment, Austin Mitchell—the country star wannabe—quickly becomes the bane of her existence. Majoring in partying, his carefree attitude causes the duo to clash at every turn. 

    Despite the tension, they make beautiful music together, creating a song powerful enough to change the trajectory of their lives… 

    Forced together, the two battle to cope with their budding attraction as they struggle to navigate the pitfalls of the Los Angeles music industry.  

    Hollywood Hot Shots is the first instalment in the What We Can’t Have Trilogy. This story is a spicy, contemporary, opposites-attract novel featuring a curvy heroine and tortured hero that you can’t help but fall for. If you like compelling characters, light drama, and spicy scenes, then you’ll adore Selina Violet’s coming-of-age adventure.

    About the Author

    Selina Violet is a writer, entrepreneur, and author. She is passionate about sharing her stories with others. She has lived in several metropolitan areas: Pittsburgh, Chicago, Kansas City, and Washington D.C. Her favorite things include: 80s music and movies, concert tickets, and Hershey Kisses. Selina lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her children and a spoiled rescue dog and cat. 

    website: https://selinaviolet.com 

    Instagram: @selinavioletauthor 

    Tik Tok: @selinavioletauthor

    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    33 min
  • Book Magic: Writing, Marketing, and Finding Your Voice with Danielle

    Danielle, author and visibility strategist, shares her journey of re-releasing her book "Beauty in the Breaking" with a new perspective gained from her own healing journey. Her approach balances heavy topics like trauma, domestic violence, and PTSD with hope, demonstrating how characters can overcome their past.

    • Revising a previously published book after personal growth and healing
    • Using storytelling to show readers they're not alone in their trauma
    • Creating relatable characters who move from trauma to healing
    • Finding a marketing framework that works across industries while remaining flexible
    • Choosing 1-2 social platforms you genuinely enjoy rather than trying to be everywhere
    • Building authentic connections through in-person events as well as online presence
    • Honoring your current season of life and giving yourself permission to take breaks
    • Remembering that the purpose of a first draft is simply to exist
    • Finding joy in the writing process rather than making it feel like a chore

    Find Danielle at @RoseAvenueLiterary on Instagram and TikTok, or visit roseavenueliterary.com. Her book "Beauty in the Breaking" will be available through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and all major booksellers in June 2025.

    Beauty in the Breaking  releases June 6th:

    Some love stories don’t begin in perfect places. Some start in the wreckage.

    Natalie Morrison learned the hard way that love comes with conditions. After years of witnessing her father’s alcoholism and violence, she’s built walls she has no intention of letting down—not for her mother, not for her best friend, and certainly not for Cameron O’Connor. But as her past comes back to haunt her, she finds herself reluctantly relying on the one person determined to break through her defenses.

    Cameron has spent the last three years running—from his grief, from his guilt, from the night that shattered his world. But meeting Natalie changes everything. For the first time since the accident, he sees a reason to stay. To fight. To hope. And as the barriers between them begin to crumble, he finds himself falling for the girl who refuses to let anyone in.

    But love isn’t easy for two people still bleeding from their pasts. And when Cameron’s time in Indiana runs out, Natalie is forced to make a choice—keep her heart protected behind the walls she’s always known, or risk everything for a chance at healing.

    LINKS:
    Instagram


    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    30 min
  • Behind the Fantasy: Creating Magic and Monsters with Brittany Ranew


    Victoria Jane speaks with fantasy author Brittany Renew about her new adult romantic fantasy series "Riley Jordan and the Fire Prophecies" and the creative process behind building magical worlds. Brittany shares how a dream in 2009 sparked her entire series concept, which she describes as "Percy Jackson meets Narnia, but for grown-ups."

    • Book one "Lion of Fire" features college-age characters, slow-burn romance, elemental magic, and dragons
    • Main character Riley Jordan is a wizard about to graduate college who hasn't discovered his special magical gift
    • Brittany took 10 years from finishing her first draft to independently publishing in October 2023
    • Creating content that feels authentic and fun is crucial for successful book marketing
    • Consistency is the key to success in writing and marketing—"you can't lose if you don't quit"
    • Finding a routine that works with your current season of life is essential for sustainable progress

    If you're a writer or author in need of a developmental editor, please reach out to Victoria Jane Editorial through the links in the show notes. And if you enjoyed today's episode, leave a review and support indie authors by following them on social media, commenting on their posts, and sharing their work.

    Short Blurb: 

    Riley Jordan & The Fire Prophecies is a New Adult Romantasy series that’s Percy Jackson meets Narnia for grownups! It’s a high stakes, coming of age story with dark prophecies, slow burn romance and elemental magic - perfect for lovers of fast-paced adventure where magic blends in with the real world.

    Popular Tropes in Lion of Fire: 

    • He Falls First
    • The Chosen One
    • Forbidden Love
    • Slow Burn Romance
    • Monsters and Dragons
    • Elemental Magic
    • Friendship & Found Family
    • Magic in the Real World

    Author Bio: 

    Brittany Ranew has been in the creative arts her whole life. She graduated from college with a degree in music, but never let go of her passion for writing. After graduation, the idea for her debut fantasy series was sparked from her own wanderings, realizing that she still hadn’t truly found her place in the world. She completed her first book in 2013, but let her limiting beliefs keep her from sharing it with the world. Ten years later, in 2023, her time building a business helped her finally shed the imposter syndrome and publish the first book in the series, Lion of Fire. Today, she continues to write and has a podcast called, Be Your Own Hero, where she hopes to inspire others to be brave, and become the heroes of their own stories. 


    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Ed

    27 min
  • Author Khushi T Saha on Breaking Cultural Barriers in Romance

    Khushi T Saha joins Victoria to discuss her steamy romance novel "Free Fall" and her journey writing authentic stories that explore the South Asian-American experience.

    • Writing romance with South Asian representation that explores identity and finding love
    • Balancing between two cultures and navigating different expectations for women and men
    • The challenges of writing from a male perspective for the first time
    • How a vivid dream during a personal crisis sparked her writing career
    • The reality of marketing as an indie author while balancing other responsibilities
    • The freedom of self-publishing to tell authentic cultural stories
    • Finding balance between social media marketing and creative writing time
    • The value of in-person events and author collaborations


    About the author:

    Bringing you interracial romances with tons of heat, passion, and a healthy infusion of love ... unapologetically Aunty unapproved and HEA an ALWAYS!

    I'm a notorious daydreamer. Ask anyone close to me and they’ll tell you I'm a positive mushy person, too. Enter in ‘writing romance novels’: what began as self-care to overcome personal trauma, ended up evolving into something much more fulfilling. Bringing stories of angst, personal growth, and passion (the steamier the better!) with some snarky humor to romantics all around has become a hunger I can’t seem to satiate. In fact, once I'm done with a story, there’s already another one brewing. I'm also first-generation Bangladeshi—born and raised in the US—so my connection to the motherland is fierce, with sprinklings of a sense of loss in there. I include South Asian nuances/representation in my writing because I want experiences like my own to be seen (that of straddling two very strong cultures and finding one's identity).

    When I'm not writing, I manage my local craft business and teach, garden in the spring and summer months, run around with my boys and puppy, and spend time with my hubby and family. I'm also obsessed with murder mystery shows and podcasts.


    LINKS
    website: www.ktsromance.com

    purchase my most recent release, Free Fall:

    https://books2read.com/Free-Fall-kts

    purchase signed paperbacks & receive character art + swag

    https://www.etsy.com/shop/KTSRomance

    connect with me:

    https://www.instagram.com/ktsromanceauthor

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076841631484

    https://www.tiktok.com/@ktsromance


    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial

    35 min
  • Between Romance and Mystery: The Art of Blending Genres with Ashley Hawthorne

    Ashley Hawthorne reveals her journey from writing fan fiction during COVID lockdowns to becoming a published author of contemporary romantic suspense novels. She discusses how finding an online writing community transformed her passion into a sustainable career.

    • Found a supportive Discord server with experienced authors who guided her publishing journey
    • Writes contemporary romantic suspense where "romance drives the plot and the mystery adds to the stakes"
    • Published with a small press that handles covers and editing while giving her creative input
    • Uses the mantra "firm in goals, flexible in methods" to balance writing with homeschooling
    • Recommends finding beta readers who give honest but kind feedback

    Author Bio-

    Ashley Hawthorne writes contemporary romantic suspense. A soft-hearted idealist, she writes stories that take her character to dark places, but always with an eye on what love means to us, how far we'll go to get it, and what we're willing to give up to keep it. She lives in Texas with her husband, their two teenagers, and far too many rescue pets.

    Book Blurb-

    Every old house has its secrets...

    When Grayson Barlow's grandfather dies under mysterious circumstances, he's forced to move back to his hometown of Widow's Point. After twelve years of running from his past, he's in no hurry to return to Barlow House or to confront the memories it holds, but he knows he now has to take care of the elderly grandmother he'd left behind.

    His childhood home is exactly the way he remembered it, except his grandfather is gone and the house has gained a feisty new dog and a beautiful new caretaker, both of whom seem determined to protect the only family member he has left, even if that means driving him out before he has time to unpack his bags.

    He wants nothing more than to leave, but he can't bring himself to break his grandmother's heart again. Staying means making peace, at least on the surface, with Becka Simmons, the enticing hellion who's determined to make his life miserable. 

    Becka is as grumpy as her pint-sized guard dog, but as he begins to understand her, he has two impossible revelations. The first is that he's in love with her. The second is that she may have killed his grandfather. 

    LINKS:
    Website: https://www.ashleyhawthorne.net/

    Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ashley-Hawthorne/author/B0C2NCLRWQ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_15&sr=1-15&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true



    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS:

    36 min
  • When Characters Surprise You: Dustin Archibald's Journey from Comic Books to Novels

    Dustin Archibald takes us into the world of the Asha Anderson series, where a teen girl discovers she has superpowers in a world without superheroes and must learn through trial and error alongside her friends.

    • Teen protagonist Asha must navigate newfound powers without mentors or guides
    • Series combines superhero elements with relatable teenage struggles like bullying and family issues
    • Author's background as both comic book writer and computer programmer influences the storytelling
    • Characters drive the narrative, with some even surprising the author during the writing process
    • Finding a "flow state" helps overcome writer's block and produces more authentic writing
    • Face-to-face marketing at comic conventions proves more effective than online promotion for this genre
    • Building a series creates reader loyalty and makes marketing subsequent books easier



    Author Bio:
    Though I mainly write fiction I have been known to dabble in computer programming (20+ years), martial arts (22+ years), business (20 years), and a whole bunch of other things. I try to keep open to learning new things and making new connections. I write books for children, teens, and adults, although my current focus is on pre/teen books especially with the Asha Anderson Series. I live in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada with my wife, Tracy, and my son, Logan.


    Book Blurb
    FROM LOSS TO POWER, AFTER TRAGEDY STRIKES, ASHA AWAKENS WITH EXTRAORDINARY ABILITIES. BATTLING THE DRAGON, SHE FACES CHAOS AND DANGER, WITH HER CITY'S FATE HANGING IN THE BALANCE.

    Asha's life took a dark turn on her birthday trip to Ascension's Cross. A brutal attack by the criminal syndicate known as The Dragon left her mother dead and Asha in a coma for weeks.

    Now, she's a lonely outcast, living with a neglectful father in a shabby apartment, haunted by her mysterious "condition" that triggers spasms, screams, and blackouts. Starting at a new school in the same city that stole her mother's life seems like the final blow.

    But when The Dragon strikes again, Asha discovers her condition grants her extraordinary abilities: super strength, speed, and endurance. Every encounter with the sinister organization pushes her to new limits, and the stakes get higher with each battle.

    Asha's newfound powers may be the city's only hope against The Dragon's malevolent plans.

    Links

    https://dcarchibald.com

    https://www.facebook.com/dcarchibald



    About Victoria:

    Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!

    Here’s how I can help:
    📖 FREE Manuscript Prep Workbook: Take the stress out of editing with simple steps to organize your revisions.
    Grab it HERE

    📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
    ✍️ 1:1 monthly support Writer's Haven: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

    Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

    📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
    🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial


    34 min

About Book Shop Chats:

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to Book Shop Chats, your go to podcast for indie authors and learning insight into what it takes to write a book (HINT: You can do it too!!)

Join authors as they share their personal…