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Author Update 2026: Cassie Sanchez

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Award-winning author Cassie Sanchez writes fantasy stories whose characters wrestle with forgiveness and search for redemption. Her newest release, Battle Beyond the Veil: An Urban Fantasy Where Angels and Demons Collide (April 2026), draws readers into a “battle for humanity’s future—a story of loyalty, temptation, and the fragile line between light and shadow.” Look for Cassie on her website CassieSanchez.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and her Amazon author store. Learn more about Cassie’s work in her 2022 and 2024 interviews for SouthWest Writers.

What is at the heart of the story you tell in Battle Beyond the Veil?
At the heart of my story is the battle between good and evil, darkness and light, where a spiritual war is unfolding all around us—a war our human eyes can’t see. Alongside that cosmic conflict, I explore the deeply human themes of forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

After writing a traditional medieval fantasy setting in The Darkness Trilogy, what kind of challenges did you face tackling an urban fantasy?
Switching from a medieval fantasy world to an urban fantasy was surprisingly refreshing. I didn’t have to worry about inventing systems for electricity, plumbing, or long‑distance communication. But writing about real places like Iraq, Boston, and Las Vegas meant I had to do more research to get the details right. Another unexpected challenge was language. In the trilogy, modern slang was off‑limits, but in an urban fantasy I had to strike a balance: using enough contemporary language to feel authentic without letting it overwhelm the tone of the story.

What was the process like to create a new set of characters? Who are Zahra and Kyden, and why will readers enjoy following them as the story unfolds?
Letting go of Jasce, Kenz, and Kord tugged at my heartstrings, but creating a new cast for Battle Beyond the Veil was genuinely fun. Zahra, an assistant museum curator addicted to Dum-Dums lollipops, shares a lot of my personality, which means she gets to say out loud the things I usually keep to myself. Kyden, on the other hand, is my brooding warrior angel who loves 80s rock and coffee — and yes, he has a few traits pulled from me as well. Readers will enjoy following them because they’re flawed, funny, stubborn, and deeply human, even in the middle of a spiritual war.

Tell us about the journey from inspiration to completed book for this first in a new series.
I like to blame my husband for the inspiration for this story, but in truth, I’ve always been fascinated with the spiritual realm. I wanted to write a book that reflected the truths of that world while still giving myself room for creative interpretation. From idea to finished book, the process took a little over a year. It’s a standalone, but I already have plans for future spin‑off stories.

As with all my books, the first draft is the hardest part. Once that’s done, the real magic begins in the editing and rewrites. When I’m comfortable with the story, I send it to my trusted beta readers, take in their feedback, and continue refining until it’s ready for my editor. While the manuscript is with her, I finally get to breathe and start brainstorming the next project. After the editing comes the cover design, interior formatting, and everything else involved in launching a new book.

What makes this novel unique in the urban fantasy genre?
A lot of urban fantasy stories that feature angels and demons tend to center on angel–human romance, or they flip the script and make demons the heroes. I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to take either of those routes. I wanted to write a story that respected the spiritual realm and stayed grounded in certain Biblical truths, while still giving myself room to imagine and explore. That balance of reverent but creative, supernatural but not sensationalized, is what sets Battle Beyond the Veil apart in the genre.

When did you know you had taken the manuscript as far as it could go, that it was finished and ready for publishing?
I remember Jerry Jenkins once saying that, during editing, you have to recognize the difference between making changes that make the story better and changes that simply make it different. I knew I’d reached that point with Battle Beyond the Veil. The revisions I was making weren’t improving the story anymore, they were just shifting it sideways. That’s when I knew it was ready. Of course, it’s always scary releasing your book baby into the world and hoping you caught every typo, but eventually you have to trust the work and let it go.

How and why did you choose the title of the book?
The idea of a thin veil separating the human realm from the spiritual kept circling in my mind from the very beginning. Beyond the Veil was the first title I came up with, but one of my beta readers pointed out how common that title was. Adding Battle not only made it more distinctive, it perfectly captured the heart of the story — the unseen war happening just beyond what our human eyes can perceive.

Now that you have your first series behind you, is the pressure to “perform” as strong? Do you still suffer from imposter syndrome?
I think I’ll always struggle with imposter syndrome, especially when I’m drafting a new story. With Battle Beyond the Veil, I had to keep reminding myself that I’d already written three award‑winning books, I could do it again. And now I have fans, which is an incredible feeling, but it also means there are expectations. So yes, the pressure to perform and to meet readers’ hopes is still very real.

Do you think your writing style has changed since you wrote your first novel?
I do think my writing has improved since I first wrote Chasing the Darkness, though there’s still so much to learn. My grammar, especially commas, continues to be a work in progress, but that’s what my fabulous editor is for. I’m also pushing myself to strengthen my metaphors and weave a bit more mystery into my storytelling. Every book teaches me something new, and I love that the craft keeps evolving.

Do you prefer the creating or editing aspect of writing? How do you feel about research?
I love the editing and rewriting phase. Once the pressure is off to get the words on the page, then I feel free to let my creativity flourish. As for research? There’s a reason I don’t write historical fiction.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Prince Nicolaus Jazari’s story. He appeared in the second and third books of The Darkness Trilogy and quickly became a fan favorite. I actually wrote his book back in 2024, but I disliked it so much I shelved it for an entire year. Now I’m back at it with a completely new twist — think fantasy rom‑com with teeth. It’s been refreshing to rebuild his arc from the ground up and let him step into a story that finally feels worthy of him.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
If you’d like to learn more about my books or what I’m working on next, please visit CassieSanchez.com. And come hang out with me on social media @cassiesanchezauthor. I love connecting with readers, sharing updates, and giving little peeks into my writing life.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update: Sharon Vander Meer

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Retired journalist Sharon Vander Meer is a poet and an author of contemporary fiction and futuristic novels. Her newest release is the second edition of Future Imperfect (December 2025), a fast-paced, dystopian novel that “delves into the conflict between good and evil after a scientific breakthrough produces catastrophic consequences.” Look for Sharon on her website VanderMeerBooks.com and on Facebook. Future Imperfect is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Read more about Sharon’s work in her 2019 interview for SouthWest Writers.

What is at the heart of Future Imperfect?
Nothing in life is perfect or predictable. Yes, we can plan for the probable, but we can’t predict what will happen tomorrow or even a heartbeat from this moment. Future Imperfect answers the what if question with sci-fi suspense, a villain with something to hide and something to prove, a woman determined to regain her identity, and a man seeking justice and to serve honorably in a changing world. Thought-provoking and hauntingly vivid, Future Imperfect explores a near-future transformed by self-interest and suspicion. More than an environmental disaster, the story delves into the conflict between good and evil after a scientific breakthrough produces catastrophic consequences.

Who are your main characters? What are their most endearing qualities?
Hana Evans, wary and distrustful, navigates a world she doesn’t understand and a painful block where her memories should be. Commander Stone Walker battles a crumbling system that hinders his every move. Escalating political and environmental chaos conspire to drive a wedge of mistrust between Hana and Stone as the world spirals toward ruin. Although her past is out of reach, there is sturdy resilience in Hana that keeps her moving forward. Stone follows a long tradition of service, integrity, and courage. Together they seek peace, understanding and justice.

Describe one or more of the main settings.
Following the plague war that decimated society, those who could went to ground, literally, creating a warren of underground habitats, air kept pure with elaborate filtering systems and heavily guarded entrances. Above ground existed a broken society, trying to survive in a world gone mad and an environment under siege by plague infested vegetation that can only be controlled by fire. The problem is that the vegetation grows back and with it spread of the plague.

This is the second edition of Future Imperfect. What kind of revisions did you make to the first edition, and why did you feel they were necessary?
I found a serious plot hole in the first edition and errors in grammar and spelling. It made sense to fix them.

Tell us more about the book.
Future Imperfect is a cautionary tale. Not everything painted as “good” turns out to be, in fact “good.” The scientists who developed inoculated saplings intended to create fast growing forests to eliminate or control global warming instead introduced an environmental disaster that led to a devastating plague that decimated entire cities. It’s the question every politician and policy maker should ask before making decisions about the future of our environment, of our world: Will the decisions we make today have a negative impact on tomorrow and all the tomorrows that follow?

How did you go about choosing the title of the book?
Future Imperfect was the title from day one. Everyone’s future is imperfect, but it’s our imperfect future to do with what we will.

What did you learn in writing/publishing Future Imperfect that you can apply to future projects?
Trust the process and write from your heart first. Your head will fix what is broken in the editing process.

Your writing takes many forms — articles, essays, short stories, novels, poetry. Is there one form you’re drawn to the most when you write or read?
My husband passed away in May 2024. I didn’t realize how much of an inspiration he was and how much I relied on his encouragement. I feel like it’s time to get back at it, with my husband’s magical smile spurring me on. After all, writing is what I do; being a writer is who I am. At the heart of that is being a lifelong reader of just about everything (except horror!), sorry Stephen King.

What do many beginning writers misunderstand about telling a story?
Characters are real people, as weird and flawed and funny and foolish as your nextdoor neighbor.

What is the greatest challenge of writing for the speculative fiction market?
World building.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update: Roger Floyd

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Author Roger Floyd writes science fiction about regular people who use their wits to find a way out of difficult situations. His newest release, Traveler: Part II of the Anthanian Imperative Trilogy (September 2025), follows Leos on “a journey of honesty and deceit, friendship and enmity, peace and violence, even love and hatred that carries” him to other worlds “inhabited by friends and foes who will shape” his future. Look for Roger on his website RogerFloyd.com. Traveler is available in most bookstores and on Amazon. Read more about Roger’s work in his 2025 interview for SouthWest Writers.

Distill the story you tell in Traveler into a few sentences.
Leos is a college-age student who is kidnapped from his home planet of Anthanos by visitors from a strange planet. He is taken to live on their planet, and from there he begins a series of travels to other worlds and to increasingly difficult lifestyles. It’s up to him to learn to live in and accept each of the worlds he goes to. Very little help is given to him, especially on the last world he encounters. He’s on his own; he must reach deep into the depths of his own character and bring up the resolve, the persistence, the perseverance he needs to extricate himself from numerous difficult situations. That’s the only way he will ever get back to Anthanos.

What was the most difficult challenge of continuing the story you started with book one of the Anthanian Imperative Trilogy?
For me, the most difficult challenge of starting a new book is putting aside the old and switching my thinking and mindset to a completely new story and new characters. After spending so much time on the first book, Explorer, I had to take time off and think about what I needed to do, to develop the plot and characters. Starting Traveler wasn’t quite as difficult as starting a totally new story since it followed directly from the first and contained some of the same characters, and I already had built the world of Anthanos, though new characters had to be created as well. Interesting and stimulating.

Who are your main characters and what do you like/respect most about them?
The main characters in Traveler are Leos, as mentioned above; Esmerelda, a young woman he meets on the first world he’s taken to and who [Spoiler Alert!] accompanies him to the second world; and Jad, [another Spoiler Alert!] a character from the first book he meets in later travels.

What makes this novel unique in the science fiction market?
Hard to say. I’ve read so many sci-fi stories of many different themes and tropes and motifs and subject matter that it would be difficult for me to say how my novel is unique or how it fits into the world of science fiction. All I can say is that it is unique to me.

How did the book come together?
I started Traveler around 2005. I had been attempting to get Explorer represented by an agent, but wasn’t having any luck, so in between attending meetings and sending out queries, I began Traveler, as well as continually making changes and revisions to Explorer, so really, I was working on the two at the same time. I didn’t do any serious editing until I moved to Albuquerque in 2010, when I managed to finish and self-publish Explorer in 2024. (If you’re wondering why the long lag between arrival and publication, I was also working on the third volume of the trilogy, Warrior.) So, Traveler fell into place right after publication of Explorer. I got several beta readers and had the interior illustrations and cover designed around 2025. It was self-published in September, 2025.

Was there anything surprising/interesting you discovered while doing research for this book?
As far as interesting things about Traveler, keep in mind these books are almost entirely a figment of my imagination, and research was minimal. (I actually did much more research for the first book, Explorer, having to do with Earth climate and geography and weather of about 15,000 years ago.) There was little of that in Traveler. All the planets Leos goes to are fictitious.

Do the novels in your trilogy lean more toward hard science fiction (science and technology that makes sense scientifically) or soft science fiction (focusing on social sciences)? Does the writing fit into a particular subgenre?
I work with soft science fiction—sometimes called space opera—almost exclusively. My stories are about people, regular people, the standard man-on-the-street type of person. People of an everyday nature put in difficult situations from which they must use their own skills and knowledge to get out of. (See Explorer for a good example of this.) Leos is a prime example. He’s not a superhero. He doesn’t fly a huge, sophisticated, highly weaponized, galaxy-traveling, planet-destroying spaceship that he can use to get out of any situation. He’s asked to do the impossible with only what he knows and can do himself. As to why I’ve chosen to write in that style, I think it’s that I’ve seen so many shows of superheroes, or of characters that utilize big, brutal inventions that serve the main character, and, admittedly, I have enjoyed them, but they’re not my style.

What did you learn in writing/publishing Traveler that you can apply to future projects?
Traveler is only my second book. In writing the first, Explorer, I had to start at the most basic level to learn to write fiction. I read about writing, went to lectures, talked to other writers, and so forth, as new writers are encouraged to do. (And I do, too.) It took me almost twenty years to write that book to get it to a point where I was satisfied with it. Traveler took a much shorter time, about twelve years, and now the third book in the trilogy has taken even a shorter time. Writing is a continuous learning process. The more you write, the more you learn. I hope that within those twenty years I’ve developed my own unique style.

You have decades of experience as a virologist. How has this experience benefited your fiction writing?
Virology was my bread and butter (and bacon) for almost fifty years, but, and this may seem odd, I’ve put very little virology into my writing. Virology is a scientific discipline as much as any other branch of science, and the basics of science are applicable in all other scientific disciplines as well, whether biological or physical. The only difference between writing fiction and writing scientific papers is that it helps to be a reasonably good observer of human nature to write fiction, which in its most obvious character, is greatly unscientific. Science is good and necessary, yes. But so are flawed human beings.

Who are a few of your favorite authors, and what do you admire most about their writing?
I think my favorite science fiction author is Connie Willis. I’ve read several of her books, and I have been impressed by her organization and the research she does for some of them. I wouldn’t want to try and do as much research as she had done.

What are your strengths as a writer?
I’m not sure I have any real strengths as a writer. I’ve written only two books which together don’t make for a very strong record. I’m still working on it.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I’m working on the third installment in my Anthanian Imperative Trilogy, called Warrior. As you read this, it is just about to be self-published.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
I write mainly from a desire to be entertaining. I’m not trying to project a specific theme or moral, I just want to provide characters who can continue to exist in the presence of very difficult circumstances. These are people we can admire; people we can look up to. There is no nod to current events in my books. I’m not trying to teach a moral or elucidate a universal truth, and I don’t purposely put them into my stories. All my books were written well before the current administration took office. None are allegories. They are adventure stories the reader can immerse him/herself into and escape into an alternative lifestyle. And admire the characters while doing it. Traveler is an adventure that I hope the reader can relate to.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update: Gency Brown

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Author Gency Brown’s down-to-earth take on life influences her stories and the characters she creates for her contemporary women’s fiction. In her newest release, Light in the Dark Forest (The Wild Rose Press, November 2025), a newspaper reporter seeking clarity for her life finds her “path to the future is illuminated by friends.” Look for Gency on her website at GencyBrown.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and her Amazon author store. Read more about Gency’s work in her 2024 interview for SouthWest Writers.

What is at the heart of the story you tell in Light in the Dark Forest?
A woman’s search for answers about her life/future while on a sabbatical to finish her second novel. The reader gets to experience her adventure and the people she meets at a mountain retreat.

Who are your main characters, and why will readers connect to them?
Ava Hardy is a down-to-earth newspaper reporter and novelist who yearns for more in life. Marvin Cameron, a man she meets at her mountain retreat, who deals with PTSD. Gerald Rainwater, Ava’s new love interest. The characters are all different but share the love of their mountain and each other.

Why did you use Oklahoma as the setting for the story?
I am from Oklahoma and wanted to share the beauty of the southeastern mountains, the people and their culture.

Tell us how the book came together.
This novel took the better part of two years including the creation, research, and publication. My research was extensive into the ravages of PTSD and the Choctaw Nation of her friend Gerald. I used sensitivity readers to ensure accuracy and respect for some difficult topics.

Why did you title the book Light in the Dark Forest?
The darkness is the uncertainty of Ava’s life and of some around her. She becomes the light for those she meets. I struggle with titles and this one was no different. Finally my editor suggested this one and I thought it fit the bill nicely.

What was the greatest challenge of putting this project together?
I call it a novel within a novel. While reading what I wrote about Ava, the reader is occasionally given a scene or chapter of the novel Ava is writing. By the end, they seem to merge.

What did you learn in writing/publishing the book that you can apply to future projects?
The handling of numerous stories in one was a good exercise to expand my writing skills.

What does a typical writing session look like for you?
I work better in the early morning with soft music playing in the background. I sometimes go out of the house to a park, café, or library to work using paper and pencil instead of my laptop. The change in atmosphere seems to open creativity that may have become stifled.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I have a story percolating, again set in Oklahoma, which will feature a main character involved in the Red Dirt Music genre which was started there in the 1970s.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Whenever I do book signings and events, and someone asks questions about how to start or improve their writing, I always suggest SouthWest Writers.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



An Interview with Author Samantha Corfield

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Samantha Corfield is a writer, teacher, and spiritual counselor who has spent decades helping people explore the mysteries of life and the beyond. Her 2026 release, Create Your Own Afterlife: Take Control of Life After Death (Llewellyn Publications), “features exercises to release religious guilt, define your spiritual truth, and create a detailed afterlife blueprint.” Look for Sam on her website CreateYourOwnAfterlife.com, on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Substack, and her Amazon author store.

Who did you write Create Your Own Afterlife for?
When I started writing the book two years ago, I wasn’t exactly sure who my audience might be. As the book progressed, it became clear to me this book could be for anyone and everyone. It is written from the point of view that no matter what religious and spiritual beliefs a person has can be worked within this book. It is written with no dogma and no rules about its usage.

The main premise is to live better when you have secured your own plan for the afterlife. I want the reader to believe they have agency and freewill over what happens to them next. That is for everyone.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
There are several things I hope readers will take away from this book: Releasing a fear of death. For some, the fear of death is crippling and affecting their everyday lives. When a person is in the grip of overwhelming fear, this is a condition called thanatophobia. Since the book has been published, I have had several readers reach out to me who suffer from this condition. They have found some relief to complete relief from the book! Of course, most of us have some fear of death. That is part of self-preservation so we don’t just step out in front of a bus.

For others, this book aims to help those who are grieving. When I was in the last edit of this book, my 21-year-old grandson died. I was painfully aware my own book could be the biggest help I could find. It was time to put my money where my mouth was. When you lose a loved one, all hope of a future is taken away. We can only mourn over the past, and risk getting stuck there. However, using the techniques in the book, the reader can start to see hope for a future again. I have planned many things now that Preston and I will do in the afterlife — not only all the things we had planned, but new plans. Did this absolve me of all grief? No. But having the feeling of hope in my heart again has been profound.

For disenfranchised and marginalized groups, my hope is taking control of what happens in the next life helps them maintain autonomy and control in this life.

Recognizing you are a free spirit and can manifest into whatever you want is the belief I hope readers will take away from this book. The book is all about the reader and what the reader desires. My aim is to help them with a blueprint on how to do just that.

What challenges did this work pose for you?
Many outside challenges presented themselves while writing the book. The book itself was a joy to write. I feel so strongly about the message the words came easily. However, some of the joy was stunted by traumatic events like losing my grandson.

How did the book come together?
This book was born out of the tragedy of losing a dear friend. Before her death, we talked about how she could create her own afterlife. I asked her to write down all the things she could visualize about her eternity. It brought us such peace in her final days. I felt like that peace and reassurance was for everyone and Create Your Own Afterlife, Take Control of Life After Death manifested itself.

I was working with Llewellyn Worldwide on a different project and I mentioned this body of work I was also working on. My editor wanted to take a look and miraculously I was offered a contract. Having worked on other projects, I know how lucky this break was. It certainly isn’t the story for very many writers. I never take it for granted.

What makes the book unique in its genre?
After an exhaustive search, the publisher found no other book like it. It is unique in its workbook/blueprint approach to planning your afterlife. We have exercises, meditations, affirmations, all designed to help the reader in embracing their power over their own life and afterlife.

The book does not set out to prove to the reader there is an afterlife. Many books are already written about that. In fact, the book doesn’t try to prove anything — the reader is free to interpret and use the book as it works best for them.

Do you have a favorite quote from Create Your Own Afterlife you’d like to share?
One of my favorite quotes from the book comes not from me, but from the opening epigraph of the first chapter. The opening lines of Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death:”

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

The whole poem speaks to how we face death alone and it is inevitable for each of us. How we plan and what we want to happen in the afterlife is, in my opinion, something you can shape for yourself.

Was there anything surprising you discovered while doing research?
In researching different religious and spiritual beliefs, there were so many rituals and beliefs from around the world. I wanted to include as many different belief systems as I could for the readers’ benefit. I wanted them to know that no matter what they chose, it was okay to be different. Verifying burial rituals and afterlife beliefs that have gone hand-in-hand for thousands of years wasn’t as surprising as it was fulfilling. Even though my degree is in Theology and World Religion, honing in on the death aspects of the belief systems was incredibly fascinating.

From the Chinese Terracotta Army, to the Egyptian’s meticulous burial rites, to the Taraja people of Indonesia who keep their dead loved one in their home, sometimes for years until they can afford a burial — burial rites and belief in the afterlife is as varied as humanity itself.

What was the most rewarding aspect of putting the project together?
At the risk of sounding like a beauty pageant contestant, I want to help people. I always have. Having people contact me and tell me how this book has helped them is the reward of the project. Hearing people talk about how this book has given them hope again, has helped them alleviate their fear of death enough so they can go to the grocery store again. Having a grieving mother tell me this book is the only thing that helped her recognize a future with her lost child — these are the rewards of this book. Knowing my book has improved the life of people who truly needed it, that’s the gold.

What do you want to be known for as an author?
I would like to be known as being there for my readers. Doing podcasts, having people reach out with questions, being accessible to readers, these are the important things. I want people to feel my compassion and caring for them. The idea of creating one’s afterlife in such a way it helps this living life, I want to be known as the person who was there to help them get there.

Tell us about the writing projects you are working on now.
I am excited to be working on a book about my grandmother’s wisdom — her remedies, her wisdom, and her magickal spells from the mountains of Tennessee.

Additionally, I am researching the subject of alien healing. This is new to me, but there are many people who believe their alien encounters have cured them of diseases. Right now, I am looking into the approach of Hz tonal music as one of the aspects. I am hoping to interview some of the people who are making this claim. It’s New Mexico so it feels so right to take a walk along the alien path.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update 2026: Lynne Sturtevant

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Award-winning author Lynne Sturtevant writes how-to nonfiction books as well as engaging contemporary fantasy set in the hollers of Appalachia. Her 2025 release, The Witch Jar (The Off-Kilter Chronicles Book 3, April 2025), “draws readers into the weird and wonderful world of backwoods West Virginia” where home health aide Ginger confronts a “legendary curse” that “jeopardizes [her] elderly clients and threatens to expose secrets as old as the mountains themselves.” Look for Lynne on her website LynneSturtevant.com, on Facebook, and her Amazon author store. Learn more about Lynne’s work in her 2020, 2021, and 2023 interviews for SouthWest Writers.

What is at the heart of the story you tell in The Witch Jar?
The traditional folkways of Appalachia are fading fast, but there is still magic afoot in the isolated hollers. Do cultural heritage, old wisdom, and long-guarded secrets have a place in today’s ultra-connected world, or are they just meaningless artifacts of the past?

Snarky, mature Ginger and octogenarian Birdy return in this next installment of The Off-Kilter Chronicles. What do your characters have to overcome in the story? What makes the pair such an enjoyable set of characters to follow?
The story opens with a wealthy woman buying the holler where Ginger is working as a home health aide. When the buyer announces her plans to evict the elderly residents and transform the holler into an upscale resort, long-dormant supernatural activity begins bubbling up. Ginger turns to her friend Birdy, a woman with Appalachian magic coursing through her veins. Can they help Ginger’s clients save their homes? Could the key to the holler’s survival lie in the ancient secrets of the mountains?

Ginger and Birdie are fun to follow because of their interplay. Ginger is middle-aged and jaded. She’s struggling with a dead-end job, financial issues, and an alcohol problem. Plus, she’s sick of supernatural entities intruding into her life. Birdy is a feisty, independent, no-nonsense woman with a spotless ranch-style house and an outbuilding where she whips up charms and potions and communicates with her dead ancestors.

Why is Black Hand Holler, West Virginia the perfect place for your story to play out?
Black Hand Holler is the perfect place because I designed it that way. That sounds smart-alecky, but it’s true. I took bits and pieces of actual places and built an imaginary holler around them. As the story developed, I modified, added or subtracted elements until the holler was exactly the way the plot needed it to be.

What challenges have you faced in writing the series?
My key challenge has been making sure each book fits into the series but also stands on its own. Because each title has recurring characters, similar settings, supernatural aspects, and elements of folk magic, there’s also a risk of the stories becoming formulaic.

Tell us how the book came together.
Several years ago, I read an article about a woman buying a small town in upstate New York. I knew I’d write about that someday. It just took me longer than I expected to get there. Thanks to several false starts, the entire project took almost 3 years.

The Witch Jar is such an evocative title. What was the process like in choosing it?
People in Medieval Europe used to fill bottles with magical ingredients to protect their homes from witchcraft. These charms were called witch bottles. An updated Appalachian version plays a key role in the story. To make it feel more authentic, I swapped the traditional bottle for a mason jar, like those used in home canning. I knew it would make a fantastic cover.

What did you enjoy most about working on this project?
Every time I sat down to write, I escaped to a different world. I can see the Sandia Mountains from my writing desk. I loved gazing at their arid brownness while I was spinning a story set in the green, mossy dampness of a West Virginia holler.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update 2026: E. Joe Brown

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E. Joe Brown is an award-winning author of memoir and historical fiction. His third book in The Kelly Can Saga, A Cowboy’s Dilemma (Artemesia Publishing, August 2025), blends “historical fiction, western adventure, and family drama into a fast-moving story that keeps readers invested from beginning to end.” Look for Joe on his website EJoeBrown.com and Happy Trails blog, as well as on Facebook and his Amazon author store. Read more about Joe’s work in his 2022 and 2024 interviews for SouthWest Writers.

What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in A Cowboy’s Dilemma?
That Charlie and Susan are resilient and fighters not letting life’s challenges deter them from their dreams.

Are the themes you explore in the book important to you on a personal level?
Similar to what I stated in my answer to question one. I have my protagonist face the challenges of the 1920s and overcome them. I have lived my life meeting challenges head-on, and so that’s what I write about.

What do you like/respect most about your main characters, Charlie and Susan? They endured quite a bit in the first two books — what do they have to overcome in this story?
Charlie has always followed the Cowboy Creed. Your words are your bond, your handshake is your contract, and you’ve got your buddies back. Susan easily adopts that as well. In book three, the Chicago Mafia, as they expand across America, become an adversary.

What historical events do you cover in the book?
Growth of ranching, Prohibition, the oil boom in Oklahoma, Texas, and California and the expansion of crime driven by the Mafia.

Tell us how the book came together.
This is a continuation of the Kelly Can Saga, and therefore, the research started several years ago. A Cowboy’s Destiny was published in August of 2022, A Cowboy’s Fortune in 2024, and now A Cowboy’s Dilemma. As the story expands, research, editing, cover design, and all continue, following the overarching storyline and theme.

Were you surprised by any aspect of the project as it unfolded or did it meet your expectations?
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the wonderful response I’ve had from my readers. I have been told on several separate occasions that, in light of the popularity of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, Dutton Ranch, and the others, along with Jodi Thomas’s success with Ransom Canyon, my story would make a good screenplay.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
It’s actually two-fold. The research has been fun (I love history), and the way the story unfolds. Somehow, it just flows from me when I sit down and start.

At what point did you realize the Kelly Can Saga storyline and/or its characters were strong enough to carry a series?
I wasn’t thinking about it at any time. A lot of the story came to me during COVID. I wrote 400,000 words while we were locked down. It was my publisher’s enthusiasm that made me think we might have something. Book four, A Cowboy’s Venture, is at my publisher now. We expect to launch it in January 2027. I’ve already been asked for a book five.

You began writing fiction later in life. What did your mature self bring to the writing table that your younger self never could have?
I can only speculate, but I think I’ll be able to mature my protagonist and supporting characters over time with a much better perspective.

What do you want to be known for as an author?
He’s a mighty fine storyteller.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update 2026: Donna Pedace

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Prior to starting a career as a nonfiction author, Donna Pedace worked in program management for the first operational Trident Submarine as well as the Phalanx Weapon System project before moving into managing national education and arts organizations in the nonprofit sector. Now her projects focus on writing about women who step beyond traditional roles to make a mark in history. Her 2026 release, The Fastest Woman in the World: Jackie Cochran, spotlights the first woman to break the sound barrier and who holds “more speed, distance, and altitude records than any other flyer — man or woman — of her era.” You’ll find Donna on her SWW author page, on Facebook, and her Amazon Author Store. Read more about Donna’s writing in her 2025 interview for SouthWest Writers.

When readers turn the last page of The Fastest Woman in the World: Jackie Cochran, what do you hope they will take away from it?
I hope readers will be inspired by how Jackie’s relentless drive, determination, and willingness to defy expectations enabled her to raise the bar — and shatter it — time and again throughout her remarkable life.

Tell us about the journey from inspiration to completed book.
Jackie’s story was originally intended to be just one chapter in another book I am writing about the pioneering women of American aviation. However, the more I researched her extraordinary life, the more convinced I became that she deserved a book of her own — and current recognition she so richly deserves.

What was the most challenging aspect of putting this project together?
The greatest challenge in writing about Jackie was deciding how to weave her countless achievements — as an aviator, entrepreneur, military leader, and record-breaker — into a single, coherent story.

Share a few of the more surprising/interesting facts you discovered while doing research.
Jackie attended only two years of formal schooling, yet she possessed an extraordinary ability to educate herself. She navigated the business world with remarkable skill, mastered the complexities of dozens, if not hundreds, of different aircraft, and moved comfortably among people of every background, from aircraft mechanics and engineers to generals, U.S. presidents, and international leaders.

Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share from the book?
“I possess a rather simple-minded approach to religion. The universe is so ordered and so divinely planned that there must be something more. It’s that simple. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

“I’m satisfied that if my body goes back to nourish and create flowers, then I’m part of an infinite, divine plan. It’s only human to believe in an afterlife where your personality is important and you’ll continue to do and love the same pleasures you pursue and love here on earth.”

What did you learn in writing/publishing the book that you can apply to future projects?
I make every effort to verify the information I uncover, checking, double-checking, and even triple-checking my sources whenever possible. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of inaccurate information in circulation, and some authors embellish or even invent details to make a story more dramatic or romantic.

I am sometimes criticized for not injecting my personal opinions into my writing. My goal, however, is not to tell readers what to think, but to present the most accurate account possible. Achieving that level of accuracy is often challenging when writing about historical figures, whose lives are frequently surrounded by myths, conflicting accounts, and long-repeated inaccuracies.

What was your favorite part of working on The Fastest Woman in the World?
For me, the research is always the most fun. I love to learn about the women and the diverse areas of their life. I had never been interested in airplanes, but as I discovered her enthusiasm of being a test pilot, breaking records, and taking on ever more challenging flights, I developed a much greater appreciation for the abilities of the aircraft.

In 2025, you published Women Warriors of WWII: Nancy Wake, The White Mouse. Nancy Wake was one of 52 people you highlighted in Women Warriors: The Hidden Spies of WWII (2024). Why did you choose her, out of all the others, as the focus for an entire book?
I have an unusual name, so it is relatively easy for readers to find me. After the publication of Women Warriors: The Hidden Spies of WWII, I received numerous requests for more information and photographs of Nancy Wake. Fortunately, I had accumulated additional research that had not been included in the original book, so I expanded her story and published it as a separate volume devoted entirely to her remarkable life.

Of the four books you’ve published, which one was the most challenging, and which was the easiest (or most enjoyable) to write?
Women Warriors was the most difficult of my books to research and write. It tells the stories of 52 individual women who served as Special Operations Executive (SOE) intelligence agents during World War II. At the end of the war, the British government made a conscious decision to keep many of the female SOE files classified for decades.

By the time I began my research, all of the women were deceased. In many cases, they had died before their families ever learned the full extent of their wartime service. I was able to have seven of these files declassified in 2024 by making a personal request to the British National Archive. For many of the survivors, tracing family records was also difficult, as a significant number never married and left few direct descendants.

Eleven of the women were executed by the Nazis, and two died of illness while in concentration camps. As a result, my research relied heavily on official records in England and Germany, as well as written accounts from surviving agents and from individuals who had known these women personally during or after the war.

What are your strengths as a writer?
My love of research is what allows me to go down countless “rabbit holes” in search of information that is not readily available. I take the same approach when searching for photographs, because I want to learn as much as possible about each remarkable woman I write about. Often, it is the small, overlooked details that bring a historical figure to life and provide readers with a deeper understanding of who she really was.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I am about halfway through my next book, which explores the pioneering women of American aviation, with a special focus on the 1929 Women’s National Air Derby — nicknamed the “Powder Puff Derby” by humorist and pilot Will Rogers. It was the first sanctioned cross-country air race exclusively for female pilots and marked a turning point in the recognition of women in aviation. Most of the research is now complete, and I have moved into the writing stage — the part of the process I enjoy a little less than the thrill of research.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update 2026: Marty Eberhardt

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Marty Eberhardt is a former director of botanical gardens turned award-winning author of cozy mysteries. Book three in her Bea Rivers Mystery series, Crime on the Coast (Artemesia Publishing, February 2026), is “an intriguing and satisfying whodunnit, wrapped in a botanical cozy, set among the old-money elite of La Jolla.” You’ll find Marty on her website MartyEberhardt.com and on Facebook. Look for her books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and read more about Marty’s writing in her 2021 and 2023 interviews for SouthWest Writers.

What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Crime on the Coast?
This is the kind of book you pick up when the cares of the world get to be too much. It’s light, but I hope it also engages your brain, as you try to solve the mystery along with Bea.

What sparked the story/plot idea for the book? Did what-if questions help shape this work?
The first two mysteries took place in the desert, one of my favorite environments. I wanted to set this one in another favorite…the southern California coast. I also wanted to bring back some of the characters from the first two books, and, of course, to add some quirky new ones.

I did toy with a couple of different murder scenarios and villains before choosing falling off the cliffs of La Jolla.

Why is Bea, the main character, the perfect protagonist to carry the story and the series? Did she surprise you as you wrote her story?
Bea is Everywoman. She could easily be the reader. She has no background in solving murders; she’s a botanical garden staff member. She is a single parent in the earlier books, and in Crime on the Coast, she’s dealing with kids and aging parents…in other words, her home responsibilities are a big part of her day and affect her work… as is the case with many of us, especially women. Yet given all this, she shows smarts and guts, as most of us can. I’m not sure she surprises me; everything she does seems to flow from her personality.

Tell us more about the book.
I interrupted writing this book with making revisions to a historical fiction novel that I’ve been working on for years. I suppose it took a little more than a year to write Crime on the Coast. With this book, I didn’t have to do a lot of research, as I’m familiar with the area and with the workings of botanical gardens. I sent it to the publisher, and he accepted it; that began another more than year-long process of developmental edits, cover design with the artist, edits to the Advanced Reader Copy, etc.

What did you learn in writing the book that you can apply to future projects?
I learned I need help with anything having to do with police work! I guess I already knew that, but this was the first time the police did much in sight of the viewers besides interview folks. Bea doesn’t know much about police work, of course, unlike protagonists who are actual detectives. She’s learning more in each book as she gets caught up in murders, however.

What is your favorite part of putting together a mystery?
I have several favorite parts. I love thinking up the characters and seeing what they’ll do… and what their motives are for murder. I love throwing red herrings in readers’ paths. It’s fun to bring beloved physical environments to my readers. I enjoy gently weaving in themes of real import (climate change, racism, the privileges of the very wealthy).

Any “Oh, wow!” moments while doing research for Crime on the Coast?
Maybe the worth of some cycad plants…hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What are the challenges of writing a series?
The biggest challenge for me in writing a series is figuring out how much background to give readers. If they’ve read the other books, I don’t want to bore them. If they haven’t read them, there are things they need to know. It’s quite a balancing act.

The fun in writing (and reading) a series is bringing back characters; readers get to know them better and better. I hope they’re happy to see them reappear; certainly, that’s my reaction when I read a series.

Do you prefer the creating or editing aspect of writing? How do you feel about research?
Oh, I love the creating. It can be pure joy when the story takes over my life. But I also like editing and research, fortunately.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I have just submitted a historical novel to my publisher. I’ve been working on it for thirteen years. In American Innocents, an American family is deeply changed by living in 1960s Saigon, before we had combat troops on the ground, at the time of coups d’états and Buddhist burnings. The book is partly based on my childhood memories.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Reading has been one of the huge pleasures of my life ever since I was six. I consume books—usually a couple a week. For those who enjoy reading as much as I do, why not try your hand at writing your own stories? I started writing in my sixties.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



Author Update: Jeff Otis

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Author Jeff Otis satisfies his need for creativity through his passion for painting in oils and writing short stories and novel-length speculative fiction. His newest release, A Giant Tale (Not a Normal Sophomore Year Book 1, January 2026), is a “coming-of-age story about bravery, friendship, first love—and discovering that the world is far stranger and more wonderful than we’re told.” You’ll find Jeff on his website JeffOtisAuthor.com, on Facebook, and his Amazon author store. Read more about Jeff’s work in his 2024 interview for SouthWest Writers.

What would you like readers to know about A Giant Tale?
It’s a very funny, warm-hearted young adult book about the trials and tribulations of growing up today.

What themes do you explore in the book?
How a teenage boy learns to overcome his awkwardness and be himself with a girl. How this romantic relationship grows into trust and love. It explores the world of bullies and why they are the way they are. It explores the nature of reality. And it displays the true warmth between friends who recognize each other’s foibles. The need to connect with other people (or a giant) is a central theme.

I want to invoke emotions in the reader. If it’s funny, it should be really funny. At times there is sadness, awe, fear, and so on. My goal is to take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. Lastly, I tried to capture the awesome power of nature, in this case in the form of a giant.

Did what-if questions shape this story or did something else spark the story idea?
What sparked this story is my love of humor, some of it autobiographical, and my desire to discover a giant living in the bosque (along the Rio Grande).

Who are your main characters? Why will teen/middle-grade readers connect with them?
Fern’s brilliant best friend, Divit, who is very scientifically oriented, has difficulty believing Fern (who has been known to be a prankster). A spunky sophomore named Manda sees through Fern’s initial awkwardness toward her and appreciates his sincerity and honesty. The story deals with teens being teens and dealing with all the big issues they face in high school.

Tell us how the book came together.
The book took a year to write and another year to edit, including the design of a cover (I went to 99designs.com).

When did you know you had taken the manuscript as far as it could go, that it was finished and ready for publishing?
When everything flowed into a very satisfying ending, I knew I was finished with the bulk of the writing. Then came the editing. I let fellow writers in my critique group read it and provide comments. I also hired a story editor to make sure the story unfolded in a captivating way. The story continues in the sequel, The Lady and the Spider Witch, and the as yet unnamed third and fourth books in the series—each as funny as the first.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
Writing about such funny predicaments and the awe at seeing something magical.

What makes the storyline or characters from A Giant Tale strong enough for a new series you’re calling Not a Normal Sophomore Year?
The main character, Fern, is based on myself, so he’s very real and believable. I think I’ve done a good job of creating three-dimensional characters, based on real people I’ve known. I want the reader to either care deeply about my characters, or dislike them intensely (think bully). I was like a teen tennis ball—bouncing from one crisis to another, which provides me with a wealth of things to write about.

This is a departure from your previous science fiction novel, Raptor Lands, geared toward an adult audience. Why did you choose to go in this new direction?
I love young people. Having been one myself, I have intimate knowledge of their world. I want to especially reach out to stressed teens and show them what took me a long time to understand about relationships, expectations, feelings of inadequacy, and truth.

What are the challenges of writing for the teen/middle-grade market?
I’m still a kid at heart, so it wasn’t difficult. There are things like sentence structure that need to be tailored to younger adults. I find sexually explicit scenes take the reader out of the story so I don’t go there.

What does a typical writing session look like for you? Do you have any writing rituals or something you absolutely need in order to write?
I’m a pantser—I sit down with an idea and begin writing. I know what the book is about and what the ending will look like, but I don’t have a tight outline to work from. This approach keeps the scenes fresh and engaging. Later, during editing, I make sure the scenes flow smoothly and make the reader want to read the next scene. As for rituals, at least in the morning, I need coffee.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I’m editing the third book in the series Not a Normal Sophomore Year and the fourth is in the queue. I also have a book called Secrets of the Second Son that is almost fully edited about a boy who tragically continues to grow too quickly until the end. That one still makes me cry. I also have a dystopian series about the rise of AI with two books written and in the editing stage.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
If A Giant Tale doesn’t make you laugh, please get help.

KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.



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