Nancy Houser-Bluhm now hails from Michigan after living in the Colorado foothills for 26 years with her husband, various pets, and many, many trees. When she retired from a full-time career as a Speech Pathologist, report writing was replaced with creative projects-novels, short stories, and inspired poems. Nancy shifted reader’s thinking about the earth’s soil with her debut novel, Whispers for Terra. Her second novel, The Nickel Loop released in July 2024. Nancy enjoys being carried away by a good story while given cause to ponder some aspect of our existence.

More:

www.nancyhouserbluhm.com

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

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Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

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This time on a quick bonus episode of the Rocky Mountain Writer podcast, a chat with Sue Hinkin of Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America about the 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Virtual Con, a FREE conference for all writers being held on Saturday, Feb. 8 via Zoom.

Sue Hinkin is the author of the award-winning thriller series, The Vega & Middleton Novels, featuring the investigative team of Los Angeles TV news journalist Bea Jackson and best friend, photographer Lucy Vega. BestThrillers.com called Lucy and Bea one of the top female detectives of 2023. A former Cinematography Fellow at the American Film Institute, Hinkin was a TV news photographer like her character, Lucy. Now living in Colorado, she was voted Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year.

Complete details about 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Virtual Con - and to register, for free - are at rmmwa.org

Schedule for Virtual Con:

SCHEDULE: 10-10:55 AM CRAFT: The Power of Now The former President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, Mark Stevens is the son of two librarians. Raised in Lincoln, Massachusetts, he has worked as a reporter, as a national television news producer and in public relations.  Stevens is the author of acclaimed The Fireballer (Lake Union, 2023). He is also the author of the award-winning The Allison Coil Mystery Series including Antler Dust, Buried by the Roan, Trapline, Lake of Fire, and The Melancholy Howl. He has had short stories published by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Tribune, and in Denver Noir (Akashic Books, 2022).  Denver Noir went on to win the Colorado Book Award for Best Anthology in 2023. In 2016 and again in 2023, Stevens was named Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Writer of the Year. He hosts a regular podcast for that organization. Stevens also publishes reviews for the New York Journal of Books, Four Corners Free Press, and on his review website.  He lives in Mancos, Colorado. Learn more at www.writermarkstevens.com

11-11:55 AM Book Marketing Strategies: What Publishers and Authors Say What Works NowBestThrillers.com founder Bella Wright and Staff How are publishers, writers and publicists marketing their books right now? What are the most valuable formats, services and channels? To find out, we reached out to hundreds of authors, publishers and publicists involved in creating and promoting mystery and thriller books. There are quite a few surprises in our BestThrillers.com Book Marketing Survey. You’ll earn about what we found. See more at www.BestThrillers.com

LUNCH BREAK

1-1:55PM CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: THE LATEST IN FORENSIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DP Lyle, MD, is the Amazon #1 Bestselling; Macavity and Benjamin Franklin Silver Award winning; and Edgar (2), Shamus, Agatha, Anthony, Scribe, Silver Falchion, USA Today Best Book Award (2), and Foreward INDIES Book of the Year nominated author of 25 books, both non-fiction and fiction, including the SAMANTHA CODY, DUB WALKER, JAKE LONGLY, and CAIN/HARPER thriller series, and the ROYAL PAINS media tie-in novels. His forensic science books (FORENSICS FOR DUMMIES, HOWDUNNIT:FORENSICS) and his very popular Q& A Series (MURDER AND MAYHEM, FORENSICS AND FICTION, MORE FORENSICS AND FICTION) are published worldwide. See more at www.dplylemd.com

2-2:55PM Writers LIFE: Anne Hillerman New York Times best-selling author Anne Hillerman’s debut novel, Spider Woman’s Daughter, received the Western Writers Spur Award as best first novel.\That book and the six novels that followed were all New York Times best sellers. Her ninth mystery, Lost Birds was launched April 23, 2024 and the tenth book in the series is due for release in 2025. Her mysteries continue the Navajo detective stories her father Tony Hillerman made popular. Anne has also been involved in script development for the AMC TV show, Dark Winds, featuring Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito. When she’s not working, Anne likes to read, cook, ski and travel. She lives in Santa Fe and Tucson with frequent trips to the Navajo Nation. Learn more at www.annehillerman.com

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Rachel Delaney Craft is a travel writer by day and storyteller by night. Her work has appeared in publications such as Cricket, Uncharted, and Cast of Wonders, and she co-edited the anthology Wild: Uncivilized Tales from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Her most recent novel won the Colorado Gold Rush Literary Award and was shortlisted for the Searchlight Writing for Children Award and Voyage YA First Chapter Contest. She lives and writes in Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a succulent collection that is slowly taking over her house. Learn more about her at racheldelaneycraft.com, or connect with her on X and Bluesky @RDCwrites.  

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Bryan Canter is an author, independent publishing consultant, and retired Army officer with overseas tours in Iraq, Korea, and Okinawa.

Bryan helps authors navigate the complex world of independent publishing as a book and audiobook publishing consultant for My Word Publishing out of Denver. Additionally, he is an Amazon Ads specialist with the Successful Writer Marketplace.  As an international speaker and educator, Bryan has addressed large groups and conducted training seminars in venues across the USA, Nicaragua, India, Scotland, the Middle East, and Japan. Bryan lives full-time in a motorhome with his wife, Dawn, visiting historic sites and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of the United States. This time on the podcast, Bryan takes on a deep dive for authors on the best way to run advertising campaigns on Amazon

https://www.mywordpublishing.com/

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

This time on the podcast, I’m joined by my two co-editors on a brand new anthology called Four Corners Voices - Stories, Poetry, Essays. The collection is a production of the new nonprofit Four Corners Writers, an organization based in Cortez. The volume includes 24 poems, 13 essays, and 12 short stories that were selected following a submission process in the Summer of 2024.  Chuck Greaves edited the short stories, Lisa C. Taylor edited the poetry, and I had the chance to edit the essays. Chuck and Lisa each introduce themselves on the podcast, but please visit chuckgreaves.com and lisactaylor.com.  The anthology is available wherever books are sold, but also feel free to visit fourcornerswriters.com and click on the anthology tab.

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Living just west of the Continental Divide, in the traditional homeland of Shoshone and Bannock peoples, sid sibo has won the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award, and has work selected for the Best Small Fictions 2022 anthology, along with excerpts highlighted in the craft book Reader Centered Writing. Bison Books published a debut novel, The Scent of Distant Family, in 2024. Published stories can be found in the charity anthology Maine Character Energy, honoring victims of the 2023 mass shooting in Maine, as well as Fourth River (Tributaries), The Hopper, Orca, The Literary Hatchet, Cutthroat, Cardinal Sins and Brilliant Flash Fiction, among others. Positive news about people and planet can be found on the Acoustic Burro blog at sidsibo.com.

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

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Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Ann Lowry, Ph.D. is an author and expert in human interaction. Her debut novel, The Blue Trunk, was inspired by the discovery of a family heirloom—a travel trunk from Norway. Ann’s writing dives deep into the complexities of relationships, conflict, and the human condition. Reviewers have noted that she provides sharp social commentary in her writing. She has made significant contributions to academic journals, authored insightful opinion pieces, and crafted content for various platforms, including Writer’s Digest, Women’s Writers/Women’s Fiction, and Girl Talk HQ. She’s also appeared on several podcasts and has been interviewed on television and radio discussing genealogy research and the treatment of mentally ill patients in the early 1900’s.

When not writing, Ann enjoys a range of activities, from swimming and golfing to baking cookies and bread. She treasures moments with her therapy dog, Loki, and cherishes time with her family. She is always eager to explore new adventures in life and storytelling. Ann lives in Timnath, Colorado.

More:

www.annlowry.com

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Elizabeth Devecchi spent her formative years in Rhode Island, setting out after high school to travel and gather degrees. She writes in a variety of genres and styles, but lately has focused on horror. Her debut horror novel, A Whisper in the Dark, was released by Wicked House Publishing in October, 2024.

Other recent releases include: “Oh, Brother,” found in Volume II of Black Spot Books’s annual women in horror poetry showcase, Under Her Eye (November 2023); a recipe accompanied by a flash fiction story in Nightmare Fueled Inc’s anthology Cooks of Horror (August 2024); and horror poem “In the Belly of the Mills,” which appears in the anthology Monsters in the Mills, launched at NecromoniCon in Providence, RI (August 2024).

Upcoming releases include: “A Corporate Family,” a tech-gone-wrong horror short which will appear in Rabid Otter Horror’s anthology Error Code this November; short horror story “Open House,” to appear in a Running Wild Press anthology in 2025; and debut thriller/suspense novel, A Twist of the Lens, to be published by Wicked House Publishing in 2025.

Elizabeth is a member of the Horror Writer’s Association, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Castle Rock Writers, and the Italian American Writers Association. She currently resides in Parker, Colorado with her husband, children, and an ever-changing menagerie of pets and “guest creatures.” 

For more info: elizabethdevecchi.com

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

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Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Jason always wanted to be a writer, he just didn’t know it. He grew up in Southern California and taught high school social studies after college until he got married and moved to Denver in 2004. He continued in education and earned an MA in History, until he realized his heart was in fiction. Since 2012 Jason has had over a dozen short stories and essays published, ran an online magazine, and became a regular panelist at local conventions. He blogs regularly on his own website and newsletter. The Whimsycon Anthology was published March 2nd, 2018, giving Jason his first editorial credit. His debut novel, The Gallowglass, was published in July of 2019 Jason’s latest novel, The Righteous and The Damned, is being published this month.

More:

https://jasonhenryevans.com

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

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Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Over a 30-year Air Force career, author Cam Torrens delivered combat supplies and personnel across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He piloted the first mobility aircraft into Iraq during the Iraq War, served as the United States Air Attaché at the US Embassy in Beijing, China, and spent four years as the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Virginia Tech. Cam is proud graduate of the Class of 1984 at Montesano High School.

A father of six, Cam and his spouse live in Buena Vista, Colorado where he serves as the Vice President of the Central Colorado Writers, volunteers with the Chaffee County Search & Rescue team, and chairs the board for the Buena Vista Public Library.

He’s admittedly weird—he likes to count things, like consecutive days running, books read, hiking miles, tennis/pickleball/ping pong matches, jacuzzi use, and so on. Cam will release a prequel to his Tyler Zahn Series, Damaged, in February 2025.

More:

https://camtorrens.com/

Intro Music by Moby Gratis:

https://mobygratis.com/

Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs:

https://danosongs.com/

Host Mark Stevens

www.writermarkstevens.com

Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216