Bringing Life To Characters

My next guest is author Sebastien de Castell. Sebastien had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realised how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor and product strategist. His only defence against the charge of unbridled dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way. Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats.

My next guest is author Gregory N. Whitis. Gregory was born in Gainesville, Florida, raised in Dubuque, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University, and earned a Master's in Aquaculture at Auburn University. After marrying Karen Schimek, they resided briefly in central Iowa. Raising fish north of the Mason-Dixon line soon lost its glamor. He landed a job as a farm manager on Alabama's largest catfish farm. His church friend and writing mentor, Aileen K. Henderson, suggested that he should write novels about catfish farming. He cranked out Blue Green and Nighthope. At the age of forty-four, he suffered a midlife crisis, proudly graduating fourth in his class at the Tuscaloosa Law Enforcement Academy. He served ten years as a Hale County deputy sheriff. He's run in eighteen half-marathons, three triathlons, and two Warrior Dashes. His doctor still says he's too fat. Most of his writing epiphanies sprout between bouts of boredom while running. Now retired after thirty-three years with Auburn, he spends his non-writing time turning his pine acreage into OCD Park, violating every forestry management guideline in the book. He says his chainsaws won't run properly in eighty percent humidity. The old refrigerator in the garage still frosts the Leinenkugels. His fan club has an open invitation to drop in for a cold one. Critics are escorted to the Dewberry patch. The chiggers are free.

My next guest is author Dale T. Phillips. Dale has published novels, over 80 short stories, collections, articles, jokes, and poetry, Stephen King was Dale’s college writing teacher, and since then, Dale has found time to appear on stage, television, radio, in an independent feature film, and compete on Jeopardy (losing in a spectacular fashion). He’s a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Sisters in Crime. He’s traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and through Europe. He worked for over thirty years as a Technical Writer in a number of major industries, translating the work of software developers into clear instructions for using computer software. Before that, he’s worked as a farm laborer, entrepreneurial bait salesman, yard worker, golf course pro shop assistant, factory assembler, clean room machine operator, holiday Santa, construction worker, hotel worker, office assistant, theater apprentice, busboy, waiter, bartender, wine steward, assistant maitre’d, website designer, lab experiment subject, and blackjack dealer.

My next guest is author Margaret Mizushima. Margaret writes the internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. She served as a past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She is the recipient of a Colorado Authors League Award, a Benjamin Franklin Book Award, a CIBA CLUE Award, and two Willa Literary Awards by Women Writing the West. Her books have been finalists for a SPUR Award by Western Writers of America, a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, and the Colorado Book Award. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest.

My next guest is author J.M. Shaw. J.M. lives in Airdrie, Alberta, with her husband and two young children. She and her family embarked upon a journey of understanding, acceptance, and life-long learning when they discovered their shared diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Writing is her passion and, with experience and interests in healthcare, psychology, martial arts, and personal training, she pours her unique insights and knowledge into all her creative fictions.

My next guest is author Bjorn Leesson. Bjorn has always been fascinated with many topics to include history, the supernatural, and writing. These interests combined led to the Outside the Thalsparr series, with the first book in the series, "Runes of the Dokkrsdottir." Bjorn was not formally trained as a writer and has worked in the industrial manufacturing field his entire life. Writing his stories and hoping others enjoy them is a passion and not a career.

My next guest is author Lynda Williams. Lynda's stories have appeared in Grain, the Humber Literary Review, and The New Quarterly, among others. She holds a graduate certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and is a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award.

My next guest is K.T. Anglehart. K.T. is an award-winning Canadian author with a love for folklore, history, and the quiet magic of the natural world. A lifelong wordsmith, she holds degrees in Journalism, Scriptwriting, and Creative Writing, and speaks English, French, Italian, and “Spanglish”. Her travels through Ireland and Scotland inspired her witchy YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Scottish Scrolls, where Celtic myth and modern-day mysticism entwine in tales of magic, identity, and belonging. When she’s not writing, K.T. leads creative writing workshops and enjoys hiking, thrifting, and cozy TV marathons with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband, Andy. They live in small-town Ontario with their rescue dog, Nessie, and two whimsical bunnies, Onyx and Stirling.

My next guest is author Kay Sparling. Kay is an international opera and sacred singer. Now retired, she lives in the Upper Midwest with her feline writing buddy, the invincible Paducah. When not teaching voice lessons or writing, Kay enjoys gardening, hiking, adventure travelling, and cooking for family and friends.

My next guest is author Zachary Hagen. Zachary is a Florida based fantasy author and teacher. He lives there with his wife, Claudia, their son, and their dogs, Flynn and Bellaluna. When he isn't busy writing his next book or teaching, you can often find him at a great restaurant or reading a good book.