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An Interview with Author Astrid Tuttle Winegar

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Astrid Tuttle Winegar considers herself a recipe wrangler, moderately tortured writer, and non-professional photographer at large. She plans and tests recipes for years, photographs the results, and writes clever tidbits to include in her cookbooks before releasing them into the world. Her newest publication is the award-winning Celebrating Comfy, Cozy Foods from North America: Cooking for Halflings & Monsters, Volume 3 (October 2024). Look for Astrid on her website AstridWinegar.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. And visit her Amazon Store as well as her Etsy shop, ElegantSufficiencies.

Who did you write the book for, and where did the subtitle Cooking for Halflings & Monsters come from?
My cookbooks are for anyone who loves to eat delicious comfort foods! But more specifically, having an interest in nerdy stuff, like Middle-earth, Narnia, Star Wars, etc. is a plus. Not a requirement, but a plus. My subtitle became the series title after my first cookbook was threatened with a cease and desist from the J.R.R. Tolkien estate. I had to rewrite almost everything. I came up with Halflings & Monsters as a non-litigious way of referring to characters from his books. Now it encompasses any sort of fantastical creature and character in a wide variety of works.

What was the greatest challenge in writing this particular volume?
After releasing my second cookbook on Halloween of 2019, I was sort of fiddling around with the idea of a third book, and I figured I’d get around to doing something eventually. Then COVID happened. Suddenly I had all sorts of time (in theory) and really no excuses for not writing anything. However, finding ingredients was sometimes challenging, which I discuss in the cookbook. Yeast was hard to find for a while. Grocery shopping was sometimes a nightmare. My husband and I were the official caretakers for three of our grandchildren during the COVID pandemic, so we had lots to do! One child was in preschool, but two others were doing the remote learning program. The whole time was a challenge, to say the least. But perhaps that made me focus more efficiently.

Tell us how the book is structured and why you organized it that way.
This volume is structured around a few holiday chapters surrounded by a few subject categories, such as “Lunchy Stuff,” “Main Events,” or “Hot Sides.” I have various chapters devoted to menus for holidays such as July 4th or Cinco de Mayo. I approached this one as sort of a casual year-in-the-life kind of book.

How did Celebrating Comfy, Cozy Foods from North America come together?
This volume took a total of four years. Many of my recipes have been floating around for decades, though some have also been completely new. Once I determine which recipes to include, they start appearing on our family’s rotation frequently. Then I recruit others to try recipes and give me feedback. These testers are usually in the United States, but I have had testers from Europe and Australia. Writing takes a year or so, then I have to take all the photographs and work on them. Editors and proofreaders take as long as they need to; some are fast, some are slower. I design my covers, which never fit into any pigeonhole, though a leather-looking background is always a must. For this cookbook, I had thought I would go with a certain photo for the cover, but then I suddenly was inspired to go with a yin/yang, green/red chile photo, which seemed to be a perfect representative of the menu items, as well as my own personality.

You include many recipes on your website at https://astridwinegar.com/recipes-2/. Do you have a favorite seasoning mix or go-to comfort-food recipe that you’d like readers to try?
I would advise starting with the first recipe on the website, “Shire Seasoning.” This is known in my cookbooks as Savory Seasoning, because I wasn’t sure if “shire” belonged to Tolkien (it probably doesn’t, but I figured I’d better be safe than sorry…). I actually use this seasoning constantly, even today. It would be difficult to pick just one recipe from my three cookbooks as a go-to, but my husband will always request my traditional coleslaw recipe, which is his namesake: Bob’s Obsession. He wants me to make that every week! I don’t do this, however.

What keeps you motivated to move forward and continue the hard work of producing more cookbooks?
I have two more cookbooks in me, and that will be it. I’m simply motivated to finish them, though I’m taking my time. It’ll probably take four years to do each one, and that’s fine.

What was your favorite part of putting volume three together?
Besides the incessant eating and drinking? Well, though I’m not a professional photographer, I have most enjoyed cooking or baking something, then staging it somehow for a photo. Maybe I missed my true calling.

What was the inspiration for the first book, Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls (2017)? When did you know your idea was strong enough for a series?
During my undergraduate days at University of New Mexico, I took a class on Tolkien. We all had to produce some sort of end-of-semester project. Since I’ve been cooking since I was ten, it was logical for me to make a Middle-earth cookbook with items mentioned in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. After I finished my MA, my advisor (who had also taught that undergrad class) wistfully mentioned that she wished I would expand my project and try to be published. Four years later, I was able to do this. My cookbooks are only a series because I have way too many recipes and I’ve had to distribute them into smaller portions to fit into manageable books. Though this current cookbook ended up a bit long.

Who or what sparked your interest in cooking?
My mom was probably the strongest motivator. Maybe she didn’t want to cook much anymore? Perhaps.

Have you ever wanted to write fiction? If so, what genre, and what has held you back from trying that new direction?
During those undergrad years I definitely wanted to, so I dabbled with fiction. I tried a few genres in a half-hearted way. Constructive criticism from creative writing classes and plenty of honest self-reflection held me back from bothering to try fiction. I suppose it’s really not my cup of tea.

What genre do you enjoy reading the most?
Fantasy probably tops my genres, though I also read mysteries, fiction, science fiction, memoir, classics of many kinds, and lately I’ve been reading some romance.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I am currently working on volume four, with a few detours to volume five. Four will concentrate on European cuisine, from Scandinavia to Italy to some Middle Eastern foods. Five will be centered on Asia.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
The best place to get updates for any of my work is my Facebook page, astridtuttlewinegar. I run contests for free books, share photos, and I recruit recipe testers there (amongst other things, of course). I don’t write on my blog anymore, because I think it has proven to be a waste of valuable time. I’m also on a few other social media platforms.

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.



An Interview with Author Sharon Kayne

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Sharon Kayne spent more than 30 years as an award-winning writer/editor of nonfiction, working in journalism and in nonprofit advocacy, before retiring to pursue fiction writing. Her newest historical romance release, The Green Silk Gown (August 2025), is set in late 19th century San Francisco and touches on themes of self-determination, independence, and women’s rights. Look for Sharon on her website SharonKayne.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her Amazon author page.

What is your elevator pitch for The Green Silk Gown?
I don’t really have an elevator pitch for any of my books—which is probably not the best way to sell your books! I usually talk about my books in fairly general terms, such as: The Green Silk Gown is a second-chance historical romance about a young woman who finds love with a portrait painter only to have her world shattered by a shocking assault. Though it is a romance at its core, it delves into larger themes, such as independence, self-determination, and women’s rights. Book club discussion prompts are included.

I do have a new-and-improved book blurb, however (and that’s sort of an elevator pitch, right?), which reads: Emily’s father expects obedience. And that means marrying the man he’s chosen for her. But Jonathan is coarse, over-confident, and controlling. And he doesn’t love her any more than she loves him.

Emily, who works in her family’s flower shop, is as hopeful as she is resilient. She decides to get to know two interesting customers: Edmund, a handsome artist who asks her to sit for his next portrait and a suffragist who invites her to a meeting. As Emily begins to forge a close and romantic friendship with the portrait painter and hears new perspectives from the suffragist about the rights she is denied, she becomes determined to take charge of her life. Then angry threats, an unspoken ultimatum, and a shocking sexual assault force Emily to make an unthinkable escape. She must ultimately discover if she has the courage to eschew social expectations and set her own terms for her future. Sometimes, the darkest, most daunting path is the one that leads to the brightest possibilities.

Who are the love interests in the story, and why will readers connect to them and cheer them on? Which point of view did you enjoy writing the most?
The heroine, Emily, is a sweet young woman who works in her family’s flower shop. Readers will connect to her and cheer her on because she is being pressured by her father to marry a man she does not love. Although her options in the late 19th century are limited, she wants more from her life—especially once she begins to attend suffrage meetings and learns new perspectives. The hero, Edmund, was born in a well-to-do family but has given up his inheritance because he wants to be a portrait painter—something his father disapproves of. Readers will connect with him and cheer him on because he is pursuing his dreams rather than settling for the life that is expected of him. I generally enjoy writing all points of view in my novels, although I usually find female characters slightly easier to write because I can relate more to their issues.

What is the main setting of the book? Why is it the perfect place for your story to unfold?
The book is set in San Francisco. Aside from having been there a few times, I’ve always found it to be a rather romantic city. I love the architecture and the hills, as well as the bay. I also needed a city large enough to have flower shops and art galleries, not to mention having the sort of clientele that could support a portrait painter. I also needed a setting that would have the kinds of factories that women and children worked at in the late 19th century. That it has the trolley system in the late 19th century was also a plus, as it allowed my character some independence of movement.

How did the book come together?
I came up with the idea just after having completed my first novel, This Restless Sea, which I’d written during a three-month sabbatical from my job. Not only was I shocked that I’d been able to write a novel from start to finish, but I was fairly certain it was the only idea I would ever have for a novel—mainly because the idea for This Restless Sea had been banging about in my mind for years! But I’d loved writing it and wanted to see if I could write another. So, I flopped down on the couch and started thinking up another plot. This consisted mainly of asking myself a lot of “what if?” questions. I came up with the idea fairly quickly and so I spent the last two weeks of my sabbatical working on it. It took me another few months to complete after that. As if I’d been bitten by a radioactive spider, I felt compelled to write every weekend (I didn’t write in the evenings because I was working as a writer/editor, which took up a lot of my creative juices during the week) and I completed three more novels over the next couple of years. During that time, I also worked with a developmental editor that a friend had introduced me to, who taught me many valuable lessons (such as why you don’t head hop), so that meant going back and doing some major rewriting on all of my manuscripts. I have some wonderful friends who are excellent writers who act as my beta readers. I’ve also joined a critique group through SouthWest Writers and have learned a great deal about writing from them. I found my cover designer through a friend who is also a published author, and it was another friend who suggested I use an image of green silk fabric on the cover, since it was impossible to find an appropriate image of the green silk gown that Edmund paints Emily wearing.

What makes this novel unique in the historical romance market?
While most historical romances deal very minimally with the strictures that women used to live under, The Green Silk Gown delves into them in a much more comprehensive way. Most historical romances—at least those set in England—revolve around women living very privileged lives (have you ever noticed how many historical romances have the word “Duke” in the title?!). Privilege brings with it rights and freedoms that common folk lack. I think it does modern women—especially young ones—a disservice to wholly romanticize what life was like for women before the mid-20th century. If we don’t understand how hard-fought our current rights are, we are too apt to lose them. I certainly don’t make women’s rights central in any of my historical romances, but they are always important to my heroines, so they make an appearance. Since Emily attends suffrage meetings, she learns about things like inheritance laws, the Comstock Act, what role the AMA had in constricting abortion rights, etc. That’s also one of the reasons I set my historical romances in the late 19th century—because suffrage movements were really picking up steam and, until women had the right to vote, they had no way to hold lawmakers accountable. Because my novels are infused with information about women’s rights, they make good reading for book clubs—and that is also why I include discussion prompts at the end.

Why did you choose The Green Silk Gown for the title?
The green silk gown is instrumental in getting the main two characters together, so it made sense as the title. Emily knows that it is improper for her to sit for a portrait for Edmund without a chaperone on hand—and she knows her parents would never approve of it. Edmund sees Emily as something of a muse, and he also believes that her red hair, fair complexion, and green eyes will set off the gown beautifully. So, he uses the gown to lure her into the sitting. Coming from a working-class family, she’s had neither the opportunity nor occasion to wear such a beautiful gown. The only drawback to the title, as I mentioned before, was that I knew I wouldn’t be able to find a photograph for the cover that depicted both the gown and Emily correctly. Most historical romance covers show the woman being disrobed and that was the wrong message to send. Not to mention, so many photos of models in historical dress are distressingly inaccurate! They show women in evening gowns wearing huge sunbonnets, for example. And, very conveniently, the women being disrobed are never wearing corsets!

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
Writing the first draft of the manuscript is always my favorite part, although I also enjoy rewrites (which makes me something of an oddball, I know!). It’s also exciting to see the cover art when it’s complete, as it gives the novel its face, so to speak.

You published your first novel, This Restless Sea, in May 2025, just a few months before the release of The Green Silk Gown. Why did you choose to release two novels in the same year? What did you learn in writing/publishing these books that you can apply to future projects?
My initial plan was to grow my readership with This Restless Sea before I released The Green Silk Gown. But I soon learned that growing your readership is a slow process, so I thought a rapid release of a second novel might help. The jury is still out on whether that was a good plan! I have a third historical romance that I may release before the end of the year. After that, I’ll continue working on my rom-com romantasy series, and I’ll be looking for a publisher for that.

Looking back to the beginning of your writing/publishing career, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then?
I knew self-publishing would be hard, but I had no idea just how hard. Marketing your book takes a great deal of creative and emotional energy and, so far, mostly I get crickets back, which feels like failure on a near-daily basis. Also, if you promote your stuff on social media (and who doesn’t?) you’ll find that you are chum in the water for marketing sharks. TikTok is especially bad about this, and so many of the sharks out there are scammers. It’s disheartening!

What writing projects are you working on now?
As I mentioned, I have one more straight historical romance to release. After I’d finished writing that one, I decided to go back to the kind of writing I enjoy the most—humor. So, my current project is a rom-com romantasy series that has a fairytale basis. I’ll be looking for a small publisher for that series, as self-publishing is much harder than I imagined!

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.



An Interview with Author Lisa Page

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Retired physical therapist Lisa Page crafts stories using her love for the natural world and her passion for the magical and the everyday sacred. Her debut novel, Saving Cottonwood (June 2025), “is a heartfelt, genre-blurring tale of love, loss, and quiet awakening. With elements of magical realism, mystery, and environmental soul, it invites readers to believe in the power of place, the pull of destiny, and the fierce, hidden magic in everyday lives.” Look for Lisa on her website LisaPageAuthor.com, on Goodreads and Instagram, and her Amazon author page. Besides Amazon, Saving Cottonwood is available at Page 1 Books and Organic Books in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Saving Cottonwood?
When I first sat down to write, I didn’t know much about publishing genres beyond the basics. Later, I stumbled across “cozy mystery,” and then, believe it or not, “cozy, paranormal, mystery, romance.”  That’s where Saving Cottonwood landed, though I think of it more as my love letter to magic, community, and resilience. More than genre, I want readers to know that this is an optimistic story about the power of ordinary people to face the forces of wealth, politics, and destruction, and protect what matters most.

What was the greatest challenge or obstacle to completing this work?
This was my first novel, so every stage was a mountain — writing, revising, self-publishing, and then (deep breath) marketing. But the real summit wasn’t the mechanics, it was keeping the faith even when I felt doubt. Learning to keep going page after page was the hardest and most essential part.

Who are your main characters? Your favorite secondary characters? How did you go about creating/developing them and working out their relationships?
At the heart of the story is Iris, a middle school librarian in her thirties, newly divorced and trying to rebuild her life. By locking herself out of her house, she meets Ezra, a locksmith with a gift for practical magic, and their chance encounter changes everything. Then there’s Xena, a stray cat with a secret identity: a bodhisattva disguised in a long black coat, tasked with guiding Iris toward her purpose. And Annabelle, a brave 11-year-old who is fiercely protective of the forest and all that is vulnerable. She becomes Iris’s moral compass. I see parts of myself in all my characters, but I can’t say I created them. It feels like they were already there and just waiting for me to tell their stories.

What makes New Mexico the perfect setting for the book? Did you model the town of Cottonwood after a particular location?
The fictional town of Cottonwood will feel very familiar to anyone who knows Albuquerque, especially the North Valley acequias, and the bosque along the Rio Grande. The land, the river, and the cottonwoods verge into being characters in their own right, carrying the bosque’s history, magic, and life pulse. I think it is a perfect setting because it’s a place worth preserving.

Tell us more about Saving Cottonwood and how it came together.
The seed for Saving Cottonwood was planted in 2019, when I was moving out of a beloved historic home I’d lived in after my divorce. I left the new owners a whimsical letter about feeding the hummingbirds, caring for the trees, and honoring the spirit of the place—along with a vase of daffodils.

Later, I thought: what if a story began this way, with someone moving in and discovering such a letter? That idea wouldn’t let me go. After I retired in 2023, I began writing. The first draft poured out in about three months. Then came months of layering and revising. I gathered feedback from friends, took long breaks to be able to return to the manuscript with fresh eyes, and then did two or three more rounds of edits. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to decide when it was actually done. Eventually, I took a leap and sent the story out into the world.

What was the most difficult aspect of world building for this book?
The “world” was my own everyday landscape, so the challenge wasn’t building it, but trying to portray it as accurately as possible. And when the bosque whispered about faeries, crows with messages, and a talking cat, luckily, I was there to take notes.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
The surprises.  The moments when the story took the reins, when the characters knew more than I did, when the river wanted to speak, when the plot unfolded in ways I didn’t see coming. In those moments, I discovered the enchantment and magic inside the writing process.

Do you have a theme or a message in the book? If so, was it intentional going into the project or did you discover it as the story unfolded?
Intentionally, going into the project, I imagined a benevolent universe where help appears when we ask for it, and that it takes many forms, seen and unseen. It may come in the form of people, or synchronicities, or from the realm of the ancestors. And if we are very lucky, sometimes it comes from those with fur or feathers or faery wings.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer, and when did you actually consider yourself one?
Ahh! I wanted to be a writer from a young age, probably from around middle school. I turned 60 this year, and I think maybe I am a writer now? But the label author still feels new and strange, like a fancy outfit that doesn’t quite feel like me yet.

What advice do you have for beginning or discouraged writers?
Creative work is vulnerable. It stirs up the inner critic. For me, meditation, emotional self-regulation strategies, and kindness toward myself have been the strongest anchors. Finding friends on the writing path can be an invaluable support. I got a lot out of some of the UNM continuing education classes on writing fiction.

If you can make a habit of writing despite the mean and doubtful voices that arise, a muse will find you, and that relationship will carry you through and nourish both your own soul and the world. It’s so worth it!

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.



Author Update 2025: Irene I. Blea

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Dr. Irene I. Blea is the author of university text books and academic articles, as well as novels, poetry, and memoirs. Her 2025 release Talking with Rudy: Platicando con Rudolfo Anaya is a “magical realistic” memoir that reflects on four decades of conversations between herself and award-winning author Rudolfo “Rudy” Anaya, the godfather of Chicano literature. Look for Irene on Facebook and her Amazon author page. Read more about her work in her 2015, 2017, and 2024 interviews for SouthWest Writers.

At what point did you decide to write a memoir using conversations with your longtime friend Rudy Anaya? What prompted the push to begin?
Several months after Rudy died in 2020, I drove near where he lived. I heard a small bubble burst and looked to my right. Rudy sat in the passenger seat of my car. He said, “Take me to my house, Irene.” This was an astonishing experience, but I began a conversation with him. Later I reflected on the many conversations I had with him over a period of forty-plus years.

When you began writing the book, what did you hope to accomplish? By the end of the journey, do you feel you were successful in your goal?
When Rudy died during COVID many people did not get to say goodbye to him. By writing the book, I hoped to do two things: introduce readers to the Rudy I knew  — the man, my friend, my neighbor — and give readers an opportunity to say goodbye. I did not know at the time that we had unfinished business. Yes, I feel I accomplished my goal.

Talking with Rudy was published five years after his death. How do you think he would have reacted to the book if he’d been able to read it?
In my car, he asked me to write about him, and I think he would be very happy. He was a bit of a tease, and I visualize him smiling as I answer this question because I had no intention of writing about him. He was traveiso, a prankster.

What was your greatest challenge as this project unfolded?
I was surprised to learn much about me. My mother died in 2005, and I failed to recognize that I still mourned her passing. That gets resolved in the book. The greatest challenge to the writing of it was that my recollections of our conversations were not consecutive. I had to piece some of them together in order to offer the reader a more cohesive insight.

What would you like readers to know about Rudy Anaya? What fueled your friendship with him?
Until writing the book I failed to recognize that we shared a profound friendship and similarity. I guess I took it for granted. Readers knew Rudy’s work as an author. Some knew him as a university professor. We shared that, but Rudy was a very kind and generous person who watched his money carefully. He was a respectful, peaceful, spiritual person but he was more complex. He was not only highly intelligent, he was political, philosophical and a very private, self-contained person who enjoyed having fun. For example, it was only when you sat, shared a drink, and ate with Rudy or talked with him truthfully on a walk in the Bosque that he shared profound love for New Mexico and the spiritual component of that deep-rooted love. Rudy had sisters who he adored. He held a niece in very high esteem. He had a large family, and greatly loved Pat, his wife. Rudy was not highly demonstrative, and one would not know this, but he was romantic.

Did writing the book change you or your view of Rudy?
I knew Rudy for a very long time and had many conversations with him and many encounters. But I never thought of him as a friend; I thought of him as an acquaintance. And in writing the book and reflecting on the sometimes intimate or emotionally charged context in which our discussions took place I realized that we were intimate friends, very good friends based in mutual trust. As the years passed, neither of us trusted freely. I regretted not being totally cognizant of this. Things had happened to me, and I was closed off to such deep knowing and had to give myself permission to let go of my defenses. The book helped me do that.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
I like the ending. I didn’t know the ending. I had a few thoughts on it but the ending that I finally published was highly appropriate and I’m very happy that I concluded it this way.

Do you have a favorite quote from Talking with Rudy that you’d like to share?
Rudy frequently said, “It’s all fiction.” What he meant was we all have a story, and we see that story through our own life experiences. The story takes meaning from those experiences, and this does not mean that another person would see the incident the same way. We all have our own perspectives, it’s all fiction. We make up what it means to us.

What do many beginning writers misunderstand about telling a story?
Stories, of course, have a beginning, middle, and an end. In the beginning I introduce my characters, even if it’s just in a very brief reference to them. Later I expand on who they are and what they are and why they are that way. The middle is very difficult for some writers; it is not difficult for me. Except that in Talking with Rudy I did not know that grief sometimes lasts a long time; it is individual. We grieve the way that we need to grieve. I had not concluded the process. I repeat this because we learn from writing or telling a story.

What do you want to be known for as an author?
That as a scholar I told a good story. I love what bonded Rudy and I was that we both loved New Mexico in a spiritual way. He loved it as much as I love it. It is more than an intense or emotional attachment that we have to the land, the people, the cultures. We are New Mexico because we are of it; it made us what we are.  I want to be known as a scholar that learned to tell a story as a fundamental contribution to American Literature.

Is there something that always inspires you or triggers your creativity?
I am a very disciplined writer. I do not wait for inspiration; I get up every day, sit at my computer and although I may have very little inspiration to write, I will begin by going through my current writing projects; I generally have two or three at a time. Before I know it, I’ve spent three to five hours writing or editing something.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I wrote Daughters of the West Mesa, a very popular book. The book ends with one of the main characters sent to a drug rehabilitation facility. She was not the most lovable character and people love to hate her but frequently ask what happened to her. The next book will most likely be a sequel to Daughters of the West Mesa. I don’t have a title for it yet. Titles are difficult for me, and they are generally the last thing that is written.

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.



An Interview with Author Tom Andes

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Tom Andes is a musician, a freelance editor and writing coach, and an award-winning author whose short stories have appeared in dozens of publications including Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories 2025, The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025, The Best American Mystery Stories 2012, and Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. His debut novel, Wait There Till You Hear From Me: A Charles Prentiss Novel (Crescent City Books, October 2025), follows a would-be private eye through the streets of New Orleans as he searches for a missing person while also pursued by a stalker. Look for Tom on his website TomAndes.com and on Facebook. Wait There Till You Hear From Me is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.

What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Wait There Till You Hear From Me?
To some extent, this is a classic detective or mystery story, but it’s also a story about someone figuring out who he is. When the book starts, Charles has been lying to himself, and he doesn’t really understand his own nature. It’s also about New Orleans, which has been a muse to me in so many ways, though I would despair of ever writing the definitive book about the city. Fortunately, no one ever will: it’s impossible.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
The biggest challenge was deciding what the book was. An agent who didn’t ultimately represent the manuscript asked for a rewrite. Of the draft she read, she said I needed to decide whether I was going for Chandler or Fellini. Up to that point, I think I hadn’t entirely committed to writing a mystery novel, so it still had literary qualities and contained elements of parody or pastiche. Once she put it to me that way, though, it was very clear to me that the answer was Chandler, and I rewrote the book from the beginning with that in mind. I’m sure it still has traces of those other qualities; they’re part of its DNA. But that was clarifying and led to what was basically the definitive draft of the book.

Share a little about your main characters, why readers will connect to them, and what makes Charles Prentiss the best private detective to carry your mystery series.
Well, I think a big part of Charles’s character is his hesitancy, the fact he doesn’t entirely know himself. He’s a working class kid from San Francisco. He’d wanted to be a private detective, but he chickened out on that and went to grad school after nearly getting shot serving papers to a career criminal. Now, he’s living in New Orleans; he’s got this desk job, and he’s engaged to an upper-class woman, a lawyer. He desperately wants to impress her family but fears he doesn’t measure up. Yet for all that, he’s aware of his class position and identity, he’s not entirely cognizant of how much he wants to climb the social ladder. I think one thread in the book is the question of whether he’s meant to be doing detective work. Geoff Munsterman, the editor at Crescent City Books, the press that gave this book a home, wrote on one draft of the manuscript, “Is Charles a good detective?” I think that’s a question throughout the book. Is he good at this job? Sometimes he is. Sometimes he’s blind to the obvious. Hopefully those qualities make him relatable. For all that we love our detectives tough and hard-boiled, the opposite qualities often make them memorable. Though of course they need to be tough and hard-boiled, too. And Charles gets his chance to be those things.

As for carrying the series forward, I think there is simply more I want to discover about all these characters.

Why did you use New Orleans as the main setting for the book? Do you consider the setting a character in the story?
The short answer is that I had recently moved back to New Orleans when I started writing this book, so the overwhelming sensory experience of being there—during the summer, no less—was foremost in my mind. Though I often set stories in places I’ve lived in the past, I wanted to be able to use stuff that was readily to hand, stuff I could walk out my front door and see. And yes, the city very much is a character in the novel. I think New Orleans is a difficult place to write, or at least to write well. I tried to write into the spaces people don’t think of when they first think of the city, Old Metairie, for instance, or the suburbs on the West Bank. Of course, a couple scenes take place in the French Quarter. But I tried to limit the time we spend there.

Tell us how the book came together.
The germ of this book comes from a short story I wrote when I was living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. All I really had, though, was the troubled brother and the class difference between the protagonist, Charles, and his fiancée, Gwendolyn. A couple years later, I decided this might be material for a mystery novel, so I sat down and tried writing one. That was 2012, so it took me twelve years to write, but that obviously wasn’t continuous. I was writing stories and songs and other things during that time. I wrote a first draft, which I condensed into a second draft that wasn’t substantially changed. That got the attention of the agent I mentioned above. I worked with an editor on a major developmental edit that involved changing the point of view from first- to third-person and beginning the story at what had been the twenty-five percent mark of the first draft. At one time, cutting 25,000 words would’ve frightened me, but it was incredibly freeing. I felt like I finally knew what the story was.

After that, I spent a year writing the draft that is to my mind the definitive draft of the book. The opening of that version won the Gold Medal for Best Novel-in-Progress from the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society in New Orleans, which was a major shot in the arm, and which I’m so grateful for. I did three or four drafts after that, but none of them involved those kinds of major structural changes. There were still things I wanted to address, though. One, for instance, involved reinventing the character of Laura, who by the end of the book becomes Charles’s sidekick, or maybe he’s her sidekick.

All along, I was querying agents, and I had a few express interest. But I was also trying to sell it myself. When I thought I had a good draft, I sent it to Crescent City Books (CCB), which publishes terrific mysteries and noir set in New Orleans. I think the editorship at that press also shares some of the humor in this book, the way the real estate developer has his fingers in everything, for instance. Living in New Orleans, one develops a jaundiced eye as far as corruption is concerned. I knew CCB would give it a good home, so I was really happy when they took it. I signed the contract a month after leaving New Orleans, after we moved to Albuquerque.

What makes this novel unique in the mystery market?
The focus on Charles’s origin story and on his journey to finding himself makes this book unique in the mystery market. More than that, though, I think Gwendolyn makes the book unique. Early on, I had this idea about the fiancée being a femme fatale, and maybe to some extent she is. But I wanted to reinvigorate that trope, to make her motives legible and human. Even when she acts badly, I think we understand why. She knows Charles better than he knows himself. To whatever extent she does him wrong, she’s right about him and their relationship.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
I think my favorite part was doing that long, definitive draft where I rewrote this from scratch into third-person, when I finally committed to writing a detective novel. That draft wasn’t perfect, but every day I went to my desk feeling like I knew what I was doing. Would that every day could feel that way!

How did you choose Wait There Till You Hear From Me as the title of the book?
The working title of the first couple drafts was Desire. I chose that because the climax takes place in the Desire neighborhood, but it was also a way of shoehorning in this New Orleans specific reference that was never quite right for the book and was also kind of appropriative. The final title presented itself during that definitive draft, when I wrote it into third-person. I’d taken a couple workshops with the great short story writer Lee K. Abbott. Lee was amazing with titles. He was a big fan of titles that are complete sentences. I was writing the scene where Charles tells Gwen to wait for him, saying to her voicemail, “Wait there till you hear from me.” And it leapt out to me as a title. It’s a little romantic, a little desperate. It foregrounds their relationship. And all those things felt right.

How has the creativity and discipline you employ as a musician helped you in your writing journey?
As weird as this sounds, I think initially songwriting helped free me up to take fiction writing less seriously. I’ve always been terrible at letting go of things, and for years, I would just sort of endlessly revise instead of writing new things. Because I didn’t have the same ego attachment to writing songs, it was easier for me to let them go. Sometimes they were keepers; sometimes they weren’t. Either way, I just wanted to make the next one. I think it has really helped me to carry that attitude into my fiction writing, as best I can.

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.



An Interview with Author George Kent Kedl

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Former philosophy professor George Kent Kedl gave up his 20-year teaching career for life on a sailboat with his wife and children. His award-winning release We Ran Away to Sea: A Memoir and Letters (2023) was written with a combination of his late wife Pamela Thompson Kedl’s letters and his own memories of their adventures. Look for Kent on his website JacanaPress.com, on Facebook and on Tiktok. We Ran Away to Sea is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.

At its heart, what is your memoir about?
It is the story of my mid-life crisis, roughly spanning from 1984 to 2000, when I was obsessed with creating a life of cruising the world on a sailboat. First, with my wife Pam and our two young sons, and later with my wife alone. I attempted to escape the American way of life, which I had come to see as materialistic and shallow. I was influenced by Thoreau’s admonition to “Simplify, simplify, simplify” and Schumacher’s Small is Beautiful, a book that confirmed my thinking about how wasteful and unsustainable our lives in the United States were. Although neither one of us knew anything about sailing or the sea (we had both grown up in Wyoming and were living in South Dakota), a sailboat looked like a perfect solution. We could travel anywhere in the world for free with the wind to blow us about. We wouldn’t be wasting valuable resources. The boat would serve as both a home and a means of travel, and we could sustain ourselves from the sea. If we ran out of money, we would get work wherever we were. My previous experience of living and working in Colombia as a Peace Corps volunteer convinced me that working in foreign countries was the best way to learn to appreciate the ways of other people. Pam, the co-author of the book, did not share precisely the same ideas about what we were doing, so my attempt to create a new life ultimately failed. One reviewer calls the book a love story, and it is. We weathered our differences and stayed together because we loved each other.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
I wanted to preserve some of Pam’s writing, primarily her letters to friends and relatives, which reported on our locations and discoveries at various stops, as well as her often witty observations and reflections on our experiences. Finding a way to combine my stories and Pam’s in a way that avoided needless and boring repetition while maintaining the tension of our different perceptions was challenging. I wanted the book to be more than an outdated travelogue. Our excellent developmental editor, Jacquelin Cangro, played a crucial role in guiding us through this process. Reviewers say the book flows smoothly from one voice to the other, so I think we succeeded.

When did you know you wanted to write your memoir? What prompted the push to begin the project?
The simple, one-word answer is: Linnea, my second wife, whom I met after Pam’s death. During the COVID pandemic, I came across a batch of Pam’s letters and thought they were clever and amusing, and ought to be preserved for our sons. When I showed them to Linnea, she said, “Oh, no, they are too good for that. These should be made into a book!” Over the years, I had written for my amusement and to get things down while I could still remember them. I had many stories about our years on the boats. So, we had lots of material to draw from—indeed, way too much. We had to cut a lot to keep the book in bounds. The memoir was our COVID project. I wrote, and Linnea edited (both Pam’s letters and my stories), and made me keep my nose to the grindstone. (Note from Linnea: At first, I was hesitant to edit Pam’s letters. As a historian, I felt they should be preserved as written. But with advice from other readers and thinking about it more deeply, I realized that if I had written those letters, they would not have been intended for publication. Often writing on a rocking boat, I would have eventually edited them for publication, and would want someone else to do so if I couldn’t. So, I became bolder in my editing, always keeping in mind what Pam intended. I also cut passages that impeded the flow of the story.)

How is the book structured and why did you choose to put it together that way?
The book is divided into three parts. The first part tells the story of our first boat with the boys. It includes why we gave up our rather conventional life in the States, the search for a boat that took us to England, finding the boat, the almost immediate desertion of mate and crew, the stormy first sail to the Canary Islands, the reuniting of the family, the sail across the Atlantic, the cruise through the Caribbean and eventual sale of the boat in Florida.

The second short, transitional part is about the years getting the boys through school and settled enough for Pam and me to take off on a second boat. It was a time of growing desperation. We escaped to China for a semester and also searched for and found another boat.

The third and longest part is about our escape to the Caribbean on our second boat. We had more adventures as we traveled throughout the Caribbean, and South and Central America. The growing tension leads to our return to the States, where we reestablish ourselves, at least temporarily, and eventually sell the boat. That is the end of the dream and the book.

Tell us how the book came together.
The whole process took about two and a half years. Aside from Linnea’s editing as we went along, we hired a developmental editor who was most helpful and led to more rewriting. We hired a local graphic artist who came up with several cover designs that were rather generic-looking and did not effectively convey the nature of the book. Then, on the advice of a writer friend, we hired Sara de Haan, a book designer, to format the book, design the cover, and add the maps based on my drawings and copies from Google Maps. A rather subtle feature of the structure is how we, at Sara’s suggestion, distinguished between our two voices by changing the margins.

Sara outsourced the maps, which required several edits (delaying the publication for months). The maps also needed minor adjustments to conform to Amazon’s printing specifications. She patiently came up with a variety of designs for the cover. We liked the first design better than most of the later ones. In the end, we narrowed our choices down to the first cover and the last one and took a survey of preferences (in our Christmas letter) and among friends and colleagues. In the end, we chose the final, less popular one, partly because it was based upon a piece of Pam’s artwork that conveyed the essence of the book in one picture.  We could reissue the book with the other cover and see if it sells more copies, but it has done quite well with the chosen cover, and we haven’t grown tired of looking at it. We also had it printed on a mug, a tote bag, a poster for book signings and readings, and selected an image from the cover for bookmarks.

The rewriting and re-editing seemed endless, but the book turned out to be much better for it. One of the more difficult tasks was cutting out stories simply because they would make the book too long. We naively thought Sara was formatting the book to be published on Amazon as a printed book and an eBook. That turned out not to be the case. She thought we should go through IngramSpark and let Amazon handle the rest. The research we did indicated we would do better to upload the book directly to Amazon ourselves. Which we were able to do because we purchased our own ISBNs. However, formatting the book for Kindle or any other eBook format would require more work. It looked like it was going to be an expensive proposition. Still, another writer friend recommended a book designer in the Netherlands who did it promptly and well for a fraction of the other bids we’d received. She also spotted a few errors that we were able to fix.

Is there a chapter or scene in your memoir that you’d love to see play out in a movie?
One of my favorite chapters that captures what cruising in a small sailboat allows one to do (that would be impossible through other means) is a trip we made up the Macareo River in Venezuela—one of the rivers that forms the delta of the Orinoco. We visited a Warao Indian dwelling, experienced the hectic and chaotic begging in a small village we anchored near, and had a sleepless night, desperately protecting the anchored boat from flotsam coming down the river. Best of all, we squeezed the boat up a small side stream into the uninhabited jungle to a spot wide enough to turn and anchor the boat in the heart of the jungle. We were miles from any other human being, and as alone with the natural world as it is possible to be with our little home with us. We sat in the cockpit, binoculars in hand, quietly reading and whispering to each other for fear of breaking the spell. For several days, we observed the wild birds and animals (Macaws, Toucans, Scarlet Ibises, Hoatzins, howler monkeys, and Spider Monkeys). We experienced awe that we never forgot.

What was the most rewarding aspect of writing We Ran Away to Sea?
Reflecting on our boating years, twenty years or more ago, reviewing the old logbooks, and especially rereading Pam’s letters, gave me a perspective on our lives that made me much more aware of what was happening than I realized at the time. If Pam were alive today, I would want to apologize to her for my lack of awareness about many things and to thank her for her patience and strength in accompanying me all those years. Writing this book forced me to think harder about what we did and made me recapture the past in a way that I could not have done in any other way.

What makes the book unique in the memoir market?
I don’t know of any other small-boat-sailing memoir in which a family sets out across an ocean with such a lack of experience with either boats or the sea as we had. There are other memoirs of boaters setting out with little knowledge, such as The Sail of Two Idiots, but they didn’t try to cross an ocean for their first sail—and their marriage broke up in the process, while Pam and I remained devoted to each other until the day she died. The two voices create tension because each author has different ideas about what they are doing and what is worth telling about. Reviewers have said that they expected the book to be a ‘we-went-here-we-went-there’ sort of book (as most boating memoirs are), but found it contained an unexpected human-interest aspect as well.

What writing projects are you working on now?
We cut several stories from We Ran Away to Sea. They make enough material for another, somewhat shorter book. I am working on a second book that includes them.

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.



An Interview with Author Douglas W. Price

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During his nearly 50 years in education, author Douglas W. Price has taught a range of students from elementary to college level in both public and private schools. He was also an elementary school principal for 21 years. His debut release, Livengoods Living Well (Lighthouse Publishing, February 2025), “encourages readers to embark on their own discovery—both in the world and within themselves” while experiencing the challenges that shape the story’s characters. Livengoods Living Well is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

At its heart, what is Livengoods Living Well about? What do you hope readers will take away from it?
Livengoods Living Well presents a way of life filled with values and virtues that give durable substance and direction to each member and each family within faith, hope, and love.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
Finding time to write.

What sparked the idea for the book, and what prompted the push to begin?
The need for a shared experience of human formation according to traditional values and virtues. All too often we find in our culture widespread loneliness, alienation, loss of purpose and direction, and deep misunderstandings of the foundational values of our country. Livengoods is an engaging story of realistic idealism calling us forward in refreshed identity and in ways of belonging more true to our nature.

How is the book structured and why did you choose to organize it that way?
I want readers to experience the formation and development in deeply engaging characters of the most basic and wonderful human values and virtues from early childhood into adulthood within a sensible, enjoyable, easy-to-read and beautifully illustrated book of 150 pages.

Part I follows a boy and a girl from early childhood into young adulthood as they grow to resolve typical issues of personal identity and belonging. A chapter is given to every two years in their lives with an orientation to traditional values, but with very clear statements from the main characters supporting kindness, support, and generosity for those with different beliefs and ways of living. Vocabulary, sentence structure and length, and content vary by chapter according to the ages of the main characters. Chapters one through three may be read to or with children ages 3–9, chapters four through six ages 9–14, chapters seven through nine are for ages 15–21. Those without children may like to accompany Donald and Linda in their formative stages of growth.

Parts II and III are intended for young adults through readers in their elder years. Opportunities and challenges of personal growth and developing durable relationships test and develop the integrity of each character, always with the prevailing wisdom of Christian beliefs, moral values, and ethics.

Do you have a favorite chapter in the book, or one that characterizes the whole?
Not really. As unique characters achieve wholeness through their explorations and growth, chapters develop into one integrated story. Each character and each chapter contribute like threads and colors in a texture.

What did you learn in writing or publishing Livengoods Living Well that you can apply to future projects?
If the Lord does not build a house, in vain do the builders labor (Psalm 127:1). Inspiration and guidance are foundational in writing as in Living Well.

What was the most rewarding aspect of putting this project together?
Getting to know the characters; being surprised and delighted by their conversations and interactions; being impressed by their dedication to one another and the principles of their lives; being grateful for their resilience and fortitude.

What do you want to be known for as an author?
Dedication to portraying the eternal truths in human formation and growth.

Who are your favorite authors, and what do you admire most about their writing?
In fiction: Tolkien, for his genius in creating a fictional reality in his trilogy that illuminates the greatest depths of our reality; Tolstoy for his brilliance in creating fictional characters that challenge the depths of our understanding of what is most real in us. In non-fiction: Pope Benedict XVI for his humble, thorough, deeply insightful and revealing scholarship in his trilogy Jesus of Nazareth; Pope Francis for his broad and deep devotion and care for human beings.

What has writing taught you about yourself?
That writing, like growing up, as Pope Francis said in his autobiography, Hope (p. 271), “requires that you think what you feel and do, that you feel what you think and do, that you do what you feel and think.”

What is the best encouragement or advice you’ve received on your writing journey?
My father’s advice: To thine ownself be true.

What writing projects are you working on now?
Book 4, a sequel to the trilogy of which Livengoods Living Well is book 1.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

  • An illustration in full color in each chapter makes Livengoods Living Well a costly paperback, $25 on Amazon (free with Kindle), $30 on the Barnes & Noble website for the larger issue in higher quality paper.
  • Manuscripts for the next two books, LivingWell Family and LivingWell Community are written, illustrated, formatted and ready for print, pending a successful response to Livengoods Living Well.

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.



An Interview with Author Marcia Butler

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Before becoming an author, Marcia Butler had creative careers as a professional oboist, an interior designer, and a documentary filmmaker. Her acclaimed memoir, The Skin Above My Knee, was published by Little, Brown and Company in 2017, followed by two novels published by Central Avenue, Pickle’s Progress (2019) and Oslo, Maine (2021). Marcia’s 2025 release, Dear Virginia, Wait for Me (Central Avenue), is “a sensitive coming-of-age novel of a fragile yet brilliant young woman who, like Virginia Woolf, is determined to carve her unique path in life.” Look for Marcia on MarciaButler.com, and on Facebook and Instagram. Her books are available at major bookstores including Bookshop and Amazon.

What did you hope to accomplish when you began writing Dear Virginia, Wait for Me? By the end of the journey, do you feel you were successful in your goals?
Dear Virginia, Wait for Me is my fourth book, third novel. Since I always like to challenge myself with each work of fiction, I approach every novel from a different POV. So the task of telling this story is in the hands of a sole protagonist, Peppa Ryan, and in third person. The challenge of this perspective is that everything that happens has to go through the eyes and mind of one person. There is no omniscience to expand on, or clarify, details. At the beginning this was daunting as my two previous novels used multiple points of view. But I soon came to love the experience of immersing myself completely in the mind and heart of the very singular Peppa Ryan. She grows up sheltered and is immensely naïve about the world around her. Yet, I juxtaposed this with mild neurodiversity and possessing savant-like talents and capabilities. And all of this is reflected through her perceptions of place, time and people. I certainly hope I rendered Peppa as the thoroughly sympathetic character I imagined.

Did your main character, Peppa Ryan, surprise you as you wrote her story? What do you like most about her? And why, out of all the inner voices she could hear, did you choose Virginia Woolf?
Peppa Ryan surprised me all the time. She believes she is limited by the way she sees herself, though, when facing considerable challenges from her family of origin, she prevails, again and again. Peppa is the classic unwitting heroine, someone we can’t help but root for. That’s what I like most about her. Regarding the voice Peppa hears in her head, in first drafts I selected Virginia Woolf to simply be Peppa’s favorite author. The inner voice was nameless and quite foreboding. It wasn’t until late drafts that I put two and two together and realized that, of course, the inner voice simply had to be that of Virginia’s. And that’s when the novel really came together.

Why is New York City at the turn of the millennium the perfect place and time for your story to unfold?
My novel is set in 2000–2001 when it was still possible to use a landline and not get laughed at. Or, avoid the internet and not be considered a tech anarchist. I wanted Peppa’s naivety to coincide with this very specific “in between time.” Before streaming platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram absorbed hours and hours of our daily lives. And, before we lost ourselves to expecting total convenience. The year 2000, just twenty-five years ago, is reminiscent of innocence, and Peppa Ryan very much embodies this too.

What typically comes first for you — a character, a setting, a story idea? Was it different for Dear Virginia? How did you proceed after the first spark?
I never plot out beforehand. Rather, I start with an inciting incident that I’ll write toward or away from. It might occur in the beginning, middle or end. My characters tend to be eccentrics, good people who’ve done bad things, lovable kids and adorable animals. I place them in situations, make them talk and move around, and have interior experiences. I describe environments and flesh out time and space. This probably sounds quite disorganized, but I prefer not to know what will happen, or what my characters will do. Writing in that state of naivete is precisely when anything at all can happen. Somehow, along the way, plot emerges. And to me this feels like freedom. I wrote Dear Virginia in just this way.

What unique challenge did this work pose for you?
This novel deals with mental illness. Initially I adhered to descriptions in the DSM Manual of Mental Disorders. But I found that this didn’t fit the personalities of my characters. So, I gave myself permission to invent symptoms that were aligned with the characters that I was also inventing. It is fiction after all. And I truly believe that all authors breaking rules must rule the day. If one can think it, one should write it.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
My favorite part of writing any book is that I actually finish it! Because writing novels is unimaginably difficult. Doubt is present at every turn. And just because you have a book or two under your belt, that doubt persists because you must reinvent that literary wheel. What was new and wonderful about writing Dear Virginia was that for the first time I felt confident that I would, and could, figure it all out. And I suppose that’s progress.

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.



Author Update: Holly Harrison

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Holly Harrison is a retired university research scientist who writes mystery novels inspired by the enchanting land of her adopted home state of New Mexico. In her newest release, Death in the Land of Enchantment (Koehler Books, April 2025), she brings returning characters from her debut novel into a complex tapestry of plot and mystery set in northern New Mexico. You’ll find Holly on her website at HollyHarrisonWriter.com, on Instagram, and her Amazon author page. Death in the Land of Enchantment is also available at Barnes & Noble and Bookshop. For more about her writing, see her 2021 interview for SouthWest Writers.

What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Death in the Land of Enchantment?
Mysteries usually involve solving a crime but in this book there are several — murder, money laundering, a missing woman and stolen ancestral Native American pottery. The characters, including the protagonist Louise Sanchez, are in flux. Each one is trying to figure out what’s next in his or her life.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
There were many challenges with both the writing and publishing of this book. After I completed a draft, I changed the protagonist to Louise Sanchez and made Pascal Ruiz a secondary character. Then I had weave Ruiz back into the story. That move involved a major rewrite. Next, I decided the book lacked something special about New Mexico so I added a sidebar about the Crypto Jews and conversos who were forced to immigrate to New Mexico from sixteenth century Spain. Another challenge, with so many characters, was keeping the point of view straight. Finally, when the book was written and edited, I queried my heart out to secure a publisher. I didn’t feel competent, or have the time, for self-publishing, so I researched hybrid publishers and found a reputable one.

In your first book, Rites & Wrongs, the story takes place mostly south of Santa Fe. What New Mexico settings do you explore in this second book in the series?
I think of New Mexico as one of the characters in my books. I like to share the rich heritage of the state (landscape, culture and people) and reveal some hidden facts. Although the murder and most of the crime solving takes place in and around Santa Fe, I take the readers to other places such as Tesuque, Mora, Abiquiu, Ghost Ranch and Albuquerque. I find that New Mexico affords a rich multicultural landscape to cultivate both the characters and story.

Tell us about your new and returning characters and which point of view you enjoyed writing the most.
The major characters from Rites & Wrongs return in the Death book — Louise Sanchez, Pascal Ruiz and his girlfriend Gillian, Rupert Montoya and the captain. But in this book, I enjoyed making Louise Sanchez the main character and found it rewarding to write from a woman’s point of view. Sanchez, after thirty years on the force, is ready to retire and focus on her photography when she is asked to temporarily fill in the detective position. Louise is single, overweight, out of shape and drinks too much. Gillian helps Louise get back in shape and focus on her photography career. Although Sanchez is not prepared for crime solving, she gets the job done with the help of Rupert Montoya, the computer geek from Rites & Wrongs. Ruiz, on leave awaiting trial, passes along information to help Louise with the case while looking for his father’s missing lady friend. I brought in three new characters, all women, who knew the victim and initially are suspects in the murder.

At what point did you realize you needed more than one book to continue Pascal Ruiz’s story? Had you always planned a follow-up to Rites & Wrongs?
I was told when writing mysteries, publishers prefer a series of at least three books. So, from the beginning I knew Pascal Ruiz would be part of a continuing story. Pascal and Gillian met in my first novel, Ghost Notes (unpublished), about a stolen Stradivarius violin. When I wrote Rites & Wrongs, I knew I wanted to explore their relationship. Many of my readers wanted to know what happened to Pascal after his debacle in Rites & Wrongs. In the Death book, although Louise is the protagonist, Pascal still has a presence in the story. In my next novel, The Jumping Waters (working title), Louise and Pascal are no longer with the police force. They find themselves in Taos at the D. H. Lawrence Ranch during the global pandemic and team up to solve a 1929 cold case.

How did Death in the Land of Enchantment come together?
This book was a labor of love. It took five years from concept to published novel. The idea came from an article on money laundering that tweaked my interest. Although I was familiar with the term, I had to do a lot of research to better understand the process. I often write and research simultaneously. Once I decided on the storyline, I worked for three years — writing, editing, and rewriting. Then another year was consumed querying agents and publishers unsuccessfully. Finally, I submitted the manuscript to a hybrid publisher. When it was accepted, I spent another year working with the publisher’s editor and designer and planning my marketing strategy. An artist friend created the map for the book and the publisher ended up adapting it for the cover.

What was your favorite part of this project?
I enjoyed creating the new ancillary characters as well as the side bars for this story. Typically, research is my favorite part of writing. I go down that rabbit hole and wallow around in the warren. I’m not good at reining myself in but research is important. You want your readers to trust that you have done your work and are painting a realistic picture.

What are the challenges of writing a series?
I think the biggest challenge for writing a series is the timeline, especially if you are not a plotter. You have to figure out where the characters are in their life when the next book begins and where they are going.

Share what a typical writing session looks like for you. Do you have any writing rituals or something you absolutely need in order to write?
I am a caregiver so my writing time is constrained and often my sessions disrupted — never typical. I write when I can. Some days I squeeze out a page or two, other days more. I’m a pantser (fly by the seat of my pants), not a plotter. I don’t use an outline or chapter summaries. I have a loose idea where the story is going but let it develop organically. No writing rituals, no music, just sit on the couch with my lap top.

What writing projects are you working on now?
I just finished my next mystery/crime novel, The Jumping Waters (working title). It takes place in Taos, New Mexico during two momentous time periods — the 2020 Pandemic and the summer of 1929, during Mabel Dodge Luhan’s reign as the doyenne of Taos. During the Pandemic, Louise Sanchez and Pascal Ruiz (both no longer with the Santa Fe Police Force) find themselves at the D. H. Lawrence ranch in Taos. They get involved in a 1929 cold case of a missing journalist.

Anything else you’d like readers to know?
Death in the Land of Enchantment received a review in the Albuquerque Journal on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Check it out (but watch out for spoiler alerts). Thank you to David Steinberg for his insights.

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.



An Interview with Author Dita Dow

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Dita Dow, former police detective, private investigator, and consultant, is an award-winning, best-selling author of short fiction that showcases her passion for mysteries, thrillers, and the supernatural. She became a novelist in June 2025 with her debut release of Sins in Black (The Sinister Falls Series Book 1), a slow-burn thriller that ushers readers into the story of a brutal murder, a town that wants it forgotten, and a detective who won’t walk away. Look for Dita on DitaDow.com, on Instagram and Facebook, and her Amazon author page.

Dita, please tell us a little about your recent release, Sins in Black.
Sins in Black is a crime thriller set in a Pacific Northwest town that’s hiding more than anyone wants to admit. Harlie Whitlock, a former Dallas detective who returns home to Sinister Falls to care for her ailing mother, is hoping for some peace and distance from her past. But when a young woman turns up murdered, Harlie is pulled into an investigation the town’s elite are desperate to shut down. It’s a story about ill-gotten power and a detective who refuses to look the other way.

You had a career in law enforcement. Do you share traits with your protagonist, Detective Harlie Whitlock, or is she an amalgamation of people you’ve known?
My experience in law enforcement shapes how I write Harlie and her world. While she’s not a direct reflection of me, parts of her are: her sense of justice, determination, and the way she carries emotional scars without letting them define her.

Harlie is tougher, more reckless, and more willing to break rules than I ever was. She’s a blend of people I’ve known. Her flaws, resilience, and dark humor all come from real personalities and moments I’ve witnessed. I wanted her to feel real, not idealized.

My background also brings authenticity to the investigative side. I know what it’s like to walk into a scene, to feel pressure mounting when justice threatens power. That all bleeds into her story.

Why will readers connect with Harlie?
She’s authentic. She’s not a superhero or a perfect detective, but a woman who’s been through a lot and keeps showing up anyway. She’s tough, but her strength comes from surviving loss, pushing through trauma, and still choosing to do the right thing. She makes mistakes. She doubts herself. She struggles with anger, with grief, with trust. But that vulnerability makes her relatable. Harlie isn’t out to save the world — she just wants to speak the truth, protect the innocent, and hold people accountable, even when it puts her at odds with powerful forces.

No doubt your years of service have given you a vantage point regarding mysteries and crime. When pulling from your memories with law enforcement, how do you go about not crossing the line regarding revealing too much?
My years in law enforcement gave me a front-row seat to the reality behind crime and investigations. But I never use real names, locations, or specific case details. That is non-negotiable. It’s not about retelling real cases — it’s about translating the psychology, the tension, and the humanity into fiction that resonates.

What unique challenges did Sins in Black pose for you?
The biggest challenge was the shift from short fiction to a full-length novel. I had to learn how to stretch tension, build emotional depth, and let the story unfold at its own pace. Sins in Black is a slow-burn thriller, and it needed room to explore not just the murder, but the trauma, corruption, and inner conflicts woven through Harlie’s world.

Another challenge was letting go of control. Early on, I forced the plot — but it didn’t breathe until I let the characters lead. Trusting Harlie’s voice changed everything. That shift taught me patience, humility, and how to truly listen.

Tell us how long Sins in Black took to write and what your editing process looked like.
I first started writing it 15 years ago, but because of life, work, doubt, other projects — take your pick — it got shelved. The story back then was very different from what it eventually became. It had the seed of Sinister Falls, a version of Harlie, and a hint of the mystery, but it didn’t have the voice or depth it needed. It wasn’t ready. And neither was I.

The version that became the published novel took about a year to write, once I truly committed to finishing it. And thank goodness for my editor. She was instrumental in helping shape the final product. I had written it in third person, but she suggested it might be more powerful if told in first person — from Harlie’s point of view. Once I rewrote it that way, the story clicked. Harlie’s voice came alive. Her thoughts, pain, and defiance — all of it landed harder. It gave the story a pulse I didn’t realize it was missing.

You write mysteries and thrillers, but you’ve also written horror shorts, as well as magical realism. Do you have a preferred genre?
That’s a tough one because I love all of them for different reasons. Mysteries and thrillers are where I feel most at home. I enjoy the structure, the tension, the slow unraveling of truth — building a puzzle and letting the reader piece it together.

But horror holds a special place for me, too. I’ve written several horror shorts, and what I love about the genre is how it’s not just about monsters or gore — it’s about dread, trauma, isolation, the dark corners of the mind. Horror lets me explore emotions and ideas that don’t quite fit into a traditional mystery.

Magical realism is more rare for me, but when the right story calls for it, I love the freedom it offers. There’s beauty in blurring the lines between the real and the surreal. It allows emotion to bend the rules a bit — and sometimes, that’s exactly what a story needs.

For me, it’s less about fitting a category and more about finding the right frame for the characters and questions I want to explore.

What are you most happy with, and what do you struggle with most in your writing?
I’m most happy with writing characters who feel real. When readers connect with my characters, it means everything. I don’t just want to entertain; I want people to feel something that stays with them. I’m also proud I kept going. Writing is rarely a straight line. Doubt, silence, and setbacks nearly stopped Sins in Black, but persistence got it done — and that’s its own quiet kind of win.

What I struggle with most is letting go. Knowing when to stop tweaking and trust the work is ready. And navigating self-doubt. Impostor syndrome is real, especially when writing darker stories. But leaning into discomfort often leads to the most honest work. The business side of writing is hard, too — self-promotion doesn’t come naturally. Balancing creativity with visibility is still a work in progress.

Your website is multifaceted: A blog, a writer’s resource list, music you’ve written, samples of your artwork, and most recently, an inspirational email called Words to Inspire Your Days. What prompted you to start the latter?
It came from a place deep inside me — born not just from my love of writing, but from what I’ve witnessed in life, particularly during my years in law enforcement. Working in that field, I saw the darkest parts of the human experience. I saw people weighed down by trauma, stuck in cycles of abuse, addiction, and pain, but couldn’t seem to escape. I also saw something else: people who had survived equally horrific pasts, but somehow, they rose. They became advocates, mentors, creators — people who had every reason to fall apart but instead became whole in a way that inspired others.

That contrast haunted me. Why can some people rise from the ashes, while others remain trapped in the fire? What’s the difference? And while my fiction allows me to explore trauma, justice, and the complexities of human behavior through storytelling, it wasn’t fully feeding the side of me that wanted to offer hope — tangible, honest encouragement for people still in the thick of their battles. That’s how Words to Inspire Your Days was born.

I now send out two newsletters per month — one is my general author newsletter with updates, releases, and writing news. The other, which I send mid-month, is my motivational letter. It’s filled with insight, mindset tools, and encouragement for anyone struggling to keep going — whether they’re readers, writers, survivors, or simply people trying to find meaning in their day.

That’s how I came to my tagline: “Stories to Haunt Your Nights. Words to Inspire Your Days.” Because I believe we are all capable of holding light and shadow at once. My fiction explores darkness, but the newsletter is my way of reminding people the darkness doesn’t get the final say.

Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently if you started your writing and publishing career today?
I think the biggest thing I would do differently is give myself permission to begin publishing sooner. I let doubt, perfectionism, and fear of not “doing it right” hold me back. I had stories in me, but I kept them tucked away until I thought I was “ready.” The truth is, we’re never fully ready. You grow by doing.

I also would’ve learned the business side of writing earlier on. Publishing isn’t just about telling good stories — it’s about understanding how to position those stories, how to market them, and how to navigate things like editors, cover design, branding, and platforms. I’ve since learned to embrace that part of the process — it’s not a distraction from the writing, it’s a tool to get your words into the hands of the right readers.

I’d be kinder to myself. I would remind myself that growth doesn’t happen in straight lines, and success doesn’t look the same for every writer. I would’ve stopped comparing my path to someone else’s and just focused on telling the stories that mattered most to me.

What marketing techniques have been most helpful to you?
Building my email list before publishing was one of my best decisions. It gave me a direct connection to readers who truly cared about my voice and helped create a supportive community from the start. Word of mouth has been invaluable. When readers share my books — through reviews or conversations — it builds trust in a way traditional marketing can’t. I’ve also found social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, useful for authentic connection. I share behind-the-scenes moments and focus on real engagement, not sales. Ultimately, what works is staying genuine. Relationships — not just sales — are what sustain a writing career.

When’s the next installment for The Sinister Fall Series?
The next installment is titled Sins in White, and I anticipate its release in early 2026. This time, Detective Harlie Whitlock finds herself investigating a new wellness center in Sinister Falls that promises healing but may be hiding something beneath its pristine exterior.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
I want readers to know how much I value them. Every time you read, share, review, or reach out, it means more than you know. It reminds me why I write.

Though my fiction often explores dark places — crime, trauma, corruption — it’s always with purpose. I write about the shadows because I believe in the light. At the heart of every story is a fight for justice, healing, and truth. My characters are messy and flawed, but they’re survivors. My hope is that readers see a part of themselves in that struggle — and in that resilience.

Su Lierz is a horror writer in the Land of Enchantment. Her short work can be found in anthologies and several publications including Grey Sparrow Journal and The Horror Zine. She lives in Corrales, New Mexico with her husband Dennis.



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