In this episode we interview self-published sci-fi author JR Winton, creator of the Desolation Trilogy and the Witch and the Rifleman series. Winton explains how a Josiey Wales/Star Wars image sparked his “space western” style, how his hero Reed Cooper drew from old-school lawmen he knew as a child and a fighter-pilot father, and how mentors and life events shaped his grit, rewrites, and eventual decision to self-publish via Amazon KDP with improved second-edition covers and edits. He discusses pitfalls like marketing scams, the importance of discernment and learning from anyone.