Drinking With Authors

Drinking With Authors | Featuring J.R. Blanes

Guest: J.R. Blanes plays bass guitar. His introduction to horror was the Universal Monster movies. He used to work on private train cars traveling from Chicago to New Orleans. Author of Portraits of Decay

Drink of Choice: Old Fashion Bourbon Cocktail

J.R. Blanes is the author of the novel, Portraits of Decay, from Ruadán Books. His short fiction has appeared in Allegory, Tales to Terrify, The No Sleep Podcast, Creepy, among others. He lives in Chicago with his wife and their neurotic dog. You can visit him at https://jrblanes.com/ or https://ruadanbooks.com/

I will be at the St. Louis Horrorcon July 11-12.

Join Nick Savage, award-winning author and host of Drinking With Authors, for a fireside-style conversation with J.R. Blanes

To keep up:

 https://jrblanes.com/

 [email protected]

 Facebook: @jrblanes76

Instagram: @jrblanes76

 BlueSky @rblanes

Subscribe and join us live for a brilliant blend of drinks, banter, and darker discussions!

www.4horsemenpublications.com

📱 Facebook: @drinkingwithauthors 

📷 Instagram: @drinkingwithauthors 

💫 Threads: @drinkingwithauthors 

🌐 Bluesky: @drinkingwauthors.bsky.social 

👯 TikTok: @drinkingwithauthors 

📌 Pintererst:@drinkingwithauthorspodcast 

🎥 YouTube: Drinking With Authors The Podcast

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #JRBlanes #PortraitsOfDecay #BassGuitar #BourbonOldFashioned #Chicago #StLouisHorrorCon #Podcast #AuthorInterview

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. As the newest host of Drinking With Authors, he brings humor, curiosity, and a love of storytelling to each episode.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: @theauthornicksavage

Pour a drink, dim the lights, and lean into the strange—Nick Savage welcomes Lou Kemp to Drinking With Authors for a conversation steeped in atmosphere, immortality, and storytelling without a map.

Lou Kemp’s early work explored horror and suspense, eventually evolving into a rich blend of magical realism, mystery, and adventure, layered with horror when the story demands it. A self-described “seat-of-the-pants” writer, Lou writes without outlines, trusting instinct, mood, and music to guide the way—often with “Black” by Pearl Jam setting the tone.

In this episode, Nick and Lou dive into unplanned storytelling, writing into corners, and the enduring appeal of immortal characters—especially Celwyn, the magician who has anchored Lou’s long-running and beloved series. Expect a thoughtful, literary conversation about craft, atmosphere, and the strange magic that happens when writers surrender control and follow the story where it leads.

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. When he’s not writing, he’s sketching, gaming, or exploring the stories that linger in the dark corners of imagination. As host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings warmth, curiosity, and a deep respect for the creative process to every episode.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: @theauthornicksavage

Lou Kemp is the author of the Celwyn series, a body of work shaped by decades of publication across prestigious anthologies and presses. Her fiction is known for its immersive atmosphere, immortal magicians, and a seamless blend of mystery, magic, and menace.

Explore Lou’s work: www.loukemp.com

Follow: Instagram @ccloukemp

Join us for a richly layered conversation about immortality, music-driven writing, and the magic that emerges when a writer lets go of the outline and trusts the dark.

www.4horsemenpublications.com

Pour yourself a glass (or a cup!) and get ready for a magical evening—Leslie & Janice Sommers, the dynamic mother–daughter duo behind The Amulet Series, are joining Nick Savage on Drinking With Authors!

Their captivating fantasy series is packed with adventure, ancient secrets, and powerful family bonds that span generations—both on and off the page. With rich worldbuilding, vivid characters, and heart at the center of every spell, The Amulet Series weaves magic and mystery in perfect harmony.

Tonight, Leslie and Janice are keeping it classic—drinking water and black tea—while chatting with Nick about their creative process, co-writing as a team, and what it’s like to build an entire world together one chapter at a time. Expect laughter, behind-the-scenes insight, and maybe even a few enchanted confessions.

About Your Host – Nick SavageNick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. When he’s not crafting stories, he’s sketching, gaming, or exploring new creative realms. As the new host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings his signature humor, curiosity, and warmth to every conversation.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: Facebook @savagewritings | Instagram @theauthornicksavage

About Leslie & Janice Sommers

Leslie and Janice Sommers are the co-authors of The Amulet Series, an imaginative fantasy saga that explores courage, destiny, and the power of belief. Their collaboration brings generations of storytelling passion to life through rich lore and unforgettable characters.

 Discover their books and latest updates: https://4horsemenpublications.com

Follow their adventures on social media: @authorljsommers

www.leslieandjanicesommers.com

Join us for an inspiring and magical chat about family, fantasy, and the creative sparks that never fade.

www.4horsemenpublications.com

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #LeslieSommers #JaniceSommers #TheAmuletSeries #FantasyBooks #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #TeaTimeTalks #FantasyReadersUnite #4HorsemenPublications

Drinking With Authors | Featuring Linda Royal 

Guest: Linda Royal can mimic Donald Duck and have no idea how she discovered this skill; is the shortest person she knows at 4ft 10in, and she knows all her credit card and other relevant numbers by heart but don’t expect her to reveal them on air! Author of The Star on the Grave & The Star on the Sleeve 

Drink of Choice: 10am Sydney time means a cup of Chai tea brewed with honey and soy milk  

Australian author Linda Margolin Royal makes her U.S. debut with the award-winning, Australian bestseller The Star on the Grave.  

In 1940, her father and grandparents received 

life-saving transit visas in Lithuania from the man often touted as the Japanese Schindler - Chiune Sugihara, who saved 6,000 refugees from the Holocaust. This allowed them to enter Japan, escape death, and settle in Australia; hundreds of her other relatives were murdered in concentration camps.  

A graphic designer and then copywriter, Royal spent thirty years in advertising in Australia and the United States working on national and multinational accounts. The Star on the Grave is her first novel. It began its life as a movie script and segued to a book during Covid. The prequel is in development as is a TV series covering both stories. 

Bestseller and award winner in Australia, her book has just been listed in the US with an official launch to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day April 14, available now on Amazon and bookstores can order through IngramSpark. 

Join Nick Savage, award-winning author and host of Drinking With Authors, for a fireside-style conversation with (author) 

To keep up: 

 staronthegrave.com 

 [email protected] 

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567722544547 

Instagram: @lindaroyal8968 

Threads: @ lindaroyal8968 

Subscribe and join us live for a brilliant blend of drinks, banter, and darker discussions! 

www.4horsemenpublications.com 

Facebook: @drinkingwithauthors 

Instagram: @drinkingwithauthors 

Threads: @drinkingwithauthors 

Bluesky: @drinkingwauthors.bsky.social 

TikTok: @drinkingwithauthors 

Pintererst:@drinkingwithauthorspodcast 

YouTube: Drinking With Authors The Podcast

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #LindaRoyal #TheStarOnTheGrave #TheStarOnTheSleeve #HolocaustRemembranceDay #GraphicDesigner #CopyWriter #USDebut #Podcast #AuthorInterview 

About Your Host – Nick Savage 

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. As the newest host of Drinking With Authors, he brings humor, curiosity, and a love of storytelling to each episode. 

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series 

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com 

Follow: @theauthornicksavage 

Drinking With Authors | Featuring Cheryl Peña 

Guest: Cheryl Peña had a job taking photos of billboards, once saw a rare triple rainbow over the mountains on Oahu, once got to meet (and flirt with) Mitch Pileggi from The X-Files Author of Void Pirates, scheduled for release May 28, 2026! 

Drink of Choice: Coffee (café au lait) or chamomile tea  

Cheryl is an avid reader and photographer. She is also a self-proclaimed nerd who knows sci-fi is really cool. When she’s not writing, she’s probably knitting, weaving, or drawing (or revising). Her novella, The House of Wynne Lift, won Gold in the Literary Titan Book Awards and an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Indies Today Awards. She’s also the author of The City That Disappeared and Void Pirates. Tacos and coffee 4eva! 

Join Nick Savage, award-winning author and host of Drinking With Authors, for a fireside-style conversation with Cheryl Peña. 

To keep up with all her doings check her out: 

 www.cheryljpena.wordpress.com 

 [email protected] 

 https://www.facebook.com/cherylpenawritesbooks 

 https://www.instagram.com/fr.lutece 

 www.threads.com/fr.lutece 

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage # CherylPeña #VoidPiratres #LivePodcast  #AuthorInterview 

www.4horsemenpublications.com 

📚 www.drinkingwithauthors.com 

💌 [email protected] 

📱 Facebook: @drinkingwithauthors 

📷 Instagram: @drinkingwithauthors 

💫 Threads: @drinkingwithauthors 

🌐 Bluesky: @drinkingwauthors.bsky.social 

👯 TikTok: @drinkingwithauthors 

🎥 YouTube: Drinking With Authors The Podcast 

📌 Pintererst:@drinkingwithauthorspodcast 

About Your Host – Nick Savage 

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. As the newest host of Drinking with Authors, he brings humor, curiosity, and a love of storytelling to each episode. 

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series 

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com 

Follow: @theauthornicksavage on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, @thenicksavage.bsky.social on BlueSky and @theauthorNickSavage2 on YouTube 

Pour yourself a drink and settle in—Nick Savage welcomes Lucas LaMont to Drinking With Authors for a heartfelt, imaginative, and delightfully candid conversation.

Lucas LaMont lives near the mountains of Colorado and has been a storyteller since childhood. His writing journey spans fiction, poetry, and a deep love of gay fiction, with a recent and passionate dive into the Omegaverse genre. He’s the author of The Chronicles of Fate, a male/male Omegaverse series centered on connection, destiny, and the powerful bonds forged through love and choice.

In this episode, Nick and Lucas talk about discovering genre obsessions, the influence of beloved series like The Adrien English Mysteries, and how relationships—romantic, emotional, and chosen—remain at the heart of every story Lucas tells. They’ll also dive into Lucas’s newest creative venture: Boy Love Visual Novels, beginning with Fated: Type 6, and how interactive storytelling opens new doors for emotional connection.

Expect thoughtful conversation, creative enthusiasm, and a peek behind the curtain of a storyteller who believes the journey matters just as much as the ending.

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. When he’s not writing, he’s sketching, gaming, or chasing the stories that refuse to leave him alone. As host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings warmth, curiosity, and a genuine love of craft to every episode.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: @theauthornicksavage

About Lucas LaMont

Lucas LaMont is an author whose work focuses on the emotional power of relationships and the journeys they take. When he’s not writing, he can be found traveling to Las Vegas to gamble or escaping to the rustic lakes of Minnesota to fish. His current creative focus blends prose and visual storytelling as he expands into Boy Love visual novels alongside his fiction.

Author of: The Chronicles of Fate

Website: www.lucasmikaellamont.wixsite.com/website

Follow: Instagram @newwolflamont | Facebook Author Lucas M Lamont

Join us for a conversation about love, genre discovery, storytelling evolution, and the creative pull of fate itself.

www.4horsemenpublications.com

Sharpen your claws and pour a drink—Joseph Asphahani joins Nick Savage on Drinking With Authors!

Joseph is the author of the Animal in Man series and The White Shadow, a gripping blend of myth, moral conflict, and primal transformation. His stories dive deep into the savage nature of humanity, exploring what happens when instinct takes over intellect and beasts wear human faces. Through vivid worldbuilding and psychological depth, he blurs the line between man and monster in unforgettable fashion.

Tonight, he and Nick are talking all things creativity, the duality of human nature, and the power of storytelling that bites back. Expect bold ideas, introspection, and a few surprises along the way—all paired with good drinks and better conversation.

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. When he’s not writing, he’s sketching, gaming, or exploring new creative worlds. As the new host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings charm, curiosity, and humor to every conversation, inviting guests to share their stories one sip at a time.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: Facebook @savagewritings | Instagram @theauthornicksavage

Joseph Asphahani writes thrilling, character-driven fiction that explores identity, instinct, and the darker corners of human emotion. His acclaimed Animal in Man series examines the beast within us all—through layered storytelling and cinematic action that captures both brutality and beauty. His standalone work, The White Shadow, continues his exploration of power, consequence, and survival against impossible odds.

Author of: The Animal in Man Series & The White Shadow

Learn more: www.josephasphahaniwrites.com

Follow: @bullettime000

Join us for a raw, thought-provoking chat about transformation, storytelling, and what it truly means to be human.

www.4horsemenpublications.com

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #JosephAsphahani #AnimalInManSeries #TheWhiteShadow #4HorsemenPublications #HorrorFiction #FantasyThriller #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #DarkFiction #MonsterWithin

Drinking With Authors | Featuring Mikel Melwasul

Guest: Mikel Melwasul: Dave is a veteran. Mik has 2 disabilities. They met in college fighting zombies. Authors of The Galvorn Saga. Paragon Exordium. Paragon Apocrypha.

Drink of Choice: Vodka and soda and an energy drink

Mikel Melwasul is technically a co-authorship that combines the minds of Mik and Dave to write contemporary rural military fantasy in the world of The Galvorn Saga.

They've got a Kickstarter and a sequel release soon!

Join Nick Savage, award-winning author and host of Drinking with Authors, for a fireside-style conversation with Mikel Melwasu.

To keep up with all their doings check them out:

📚 www.melwasul.com

💌 [email protected]

📱 https://www.facebook.com/MikelMelwasul

📷 https://www.instagram.com/@mikelmelwasul

🌐 BlueSky @mikelmelwasul

💫 Threads @mikelmelwasul

👯 TikTok @mikel.melwasul

💢 Twitter @eMikelmelwasul

https://www.youtube.com/@MikelMelwaul

Subscribe and join us live for a brilliant blend of drinks, banter, and darker discussions!

www.4horsemenpublications.com

FB: @drinkingwithauthors

Instagram: drinkingwithauthors

Threads: @drinkingwithauthors

BlueSky: @drinkingwauthors.bsky.social

TikTok: @drinkingwithauthors

YouTube: Drinking With Authors The Podcast

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #Mikel Melwasu #TheGalvornSaga #Fantasy #MilitaryFantasyBooks #Veteran #Disabilities #LivePodcast #AuthorInterview

About Your Host – Nick Savage

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. As the newest host of Drinking With Authors, he brings humor, curiosity, and a love of storytelling to each episode.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: @theauthornicksavage on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram or @theNickSavage on BlueSky or ⁨@TheAuthorNickSavage2⁩ on YouTube

Mystery lovers, rom-com readers, and travel buffs—this episode is for you!

This week, host Nick Savage sits down with the talented Ann Shepphird, author of The University Chronicles and the Destination Murder Mysteries. Ann’s career has spanned journalism, editing, advertising for animal rescue groups, and now fiction that blends wit, romance, travel, and just the right amount of sleuthing.

Her rom-coms are inspired by her time teaching college communications, while her cozy mysteries pull from her love of travel—and her brief but unforgettable stint working for a private investigator.

Get ready for a charming, insightful conversation filled with travel tales, academic antics, and behind-the-scenes insight into mystery plotting—all with a drink in hand.

Nick Savage is an award-winning and best-selling author of Modern Romance and Contemporary Fantasy. When he’s not writing, he’s sketching, gaming, or diving into stories across every genre. As the new host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings humor, warmth, and genuine curiosity to every interview—making each episode feel like a conversation between creative friends.

📚 Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

🌐 Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

📱 Follow: Facebook @savagewritings | Instagram @theauthornicksavage

With over 20 years in writing and editing, Ann has covered everything from sports and food to travel and design. Today, she blends that experience into fiction with heart, humor, and an irresistible sense of adventure.

Highlights:

✏️ 20+ years as a writer and editor

🐾 Writes ad copy for California-based animal rescue groups

🔍 Lifelong fan of Nancy Drew & Sue Grafton

🎓 The University Chronicles – flirty, fun rom-coms set on a college campus

🧳 Destination Murder Mysteries – travel-inspired cozy mysteries full of charm & clever twists

🌴 Based in Santa Monica with her partner Jeff and their two furry co-stars, Melody & Winnie

🎾 When she’s not writing, you’ll find her on the tennis court, in her garden, or plotting her next fictional crime scene

🌐 Website: www.annshepphird.com

📱 Socials: @ashepphird on Facebook, X (Twitter), & Instagram

💬 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe!

Tell us your favorite fictional sleuth—or your dream travel destination for a mystery adventure!

#DrinkingWithAuthors #NickSavage #AnnShepphird #DestinationMurderMysteries #UniversityChronicles #CozyMystery #RomComReads #NancyDrewGrownUp #TravelMystery #AuthorInterview #BooksAndBooze #4HorsemenPublications

Tonight the tables turn as Chelsea Burton Dunn—multi-genre storyteller, community builder, and creator of some compelling supernatural worlds—joins Nick Savage on Drinking With Authors!

Chelsea is the author of The Dead Man’s Hand, By Moonlight, and Dolce Obsurità, weaving together paranormal horror, urban fantasy, dark romance, and emotional depth. Her stories explore the boundaries between humanity and monstrosity, love and danger, fate and choice—all brought to life through unforgettable characters and immersive worldbuilding.

About the Guest:

• Kansas City native (yes, the Missouri side—because it matters!)
• 
  
• Author of By Moonlight and Dead Man’s Hand—genre-bending stories that blend fantasy with deep emotional arcs
• Upcoming: Dolce Obscuritá – a fiery, family-fueled mafia romance set in KC’s criminal underworld
• Former opera kid turned author—don’t be surprised if there’s a soundtrack behind every scene
• A creative force at 4 Horsemen Publications, developing shows, coordinating events, curating marketing and community engagement, and still manages to craft entire fictional ecosystems fueled by grit, imagination, and just a touch of chaos.

Tonight, Nick dives into Chelsea’s writing rituals, her passion for all things supernatural and shadow-kissed, the sparks behind characters like Ace, Nero, Vee, and Six, and the creative storm that keeps her building worlds before the sun even rises. And of course… they’ll be sharing what they’re drinking.

Nick Savage is an author of modern romance and contemporary fantasy. When not writing, he’s sketching, gaming, or diving deep into the stories that shape us all. As the new host of Drinking With Authors, Nick brings warmth, humor, and genuine curiosity to every conversation.

Author of: The Fairlane Series & The West Haven Undead Series

Website: www.theauthornicksavage.com

Follow: @theauthornicksavage

Chelsea Burton Dunn writes paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, and romance that blend dark atmosphere, sharp emotion, and unforgettable characters. Her worlds explore supernatural danger, forbidden desire, and the thin line between salvation and ruin.

Author of: The Dead Man’s Hand • By Moonlight • Dolce Obsurità

Website: www.chelseaburtondunn.com

Follow: @chelseaburtondunnauthor

🎧 Raise a glass and join us for an episode filled with monsters, magic, mafia families, moonlit tension, and the creative fire that fuels Chelsea’s storytelling.

🌐 www.4horsemenpublications.com

💬 Hit that like, drop a comment, and don’t forget to subscribe! Let us know your favorite supernatural trope or dark romance disaster—we’re all monsters here.

#DrinkingWithAuthors #ChelseaBurtonDunn #DolceObsurita #MafiaRomance #DarkRomance #ParanormalFiction #FantasyWithFeelings #WeirdIsGood #BooksAndBooze #AuthorInterview #ByMoonlight #DeadMansHand #KansasCityWriters