Author: Mandy Webster

Amanda L. Webster is the author of If You Didn't See It Coming, One Bad Cat, Demons of the Night, DIY High, Valley of the Bees, and F-ing Freddy Fisher. She is also a writing teacher who lives part-time in a sorority house.
Author Interview

Author interview with YA fantasy writer Debbie Manber Kupfer

Mandy Webster

Young Adult fantasy author Debbie Manber Kupfer says that bullying, racism, addiction, and diversity run through her series as recurring themes. “I’m fond of morally grey characters and redemption stories. I don’t believe the world is ever black and white,” she says.

When Miri receives a silver cat charm from her omama, Celia, she discovers a hidden magic that pulls her into a world of shifters, werewolves, and dark secrets. At P.A.W.S., a magic school for shapeshifters, Miri must learn to survive both her new powers and a deadly werewolf bent on her destruction. The P.A.W.S. Saga by Debbie Manber Kupfer is a thrilling journey of magic, friendship, and finding courage when everything feels lost.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I was bullied as a child, and reading Alice’s story about escape into a magical world over and over again helped me and cemented my journey into fantasy.

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The vampire will set you free: Hungerstone by Kat Dunn is the feminist horror novel we’ve been starving for

Mandy Webster

What if the monster you feared most didn’t destroy you—but helped you come back to life? Kat Dunn’s Hungerstone is a lush, gripping gothic horror that reimagines the classic vampire tale as a meditation on the pain and power of being a woman in a world that demands your self-erasure. Set against the smog-choked backdrop of the industrial revolution, it’s a story of hunger—emotional, physical, and existential—and what it means to finally stop starving yourself.

Get your copy of Hungerstone by Kat Dunn from my online bookstore today!

At the center of the novel is Lenore, a woman ten years into a crumbling marriage to a powerful steel magnate. Her entire identity has been shaped around being a “good wife,” which, in her case, means tending to her husband’s ego while ignoring her own needs—even as the physical toll of that denial becomes too loud to ignore. She’s in pain but refuses to put herself first. She’s exhausted but doesn’t know how to stop performing. In many ways, Hungerstone is the story of what happens when a woman finally admits that her life is hurting her.

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Author Interview

From the Pacific Northwest to the Page: Meet Author Sara Elisabeth

Mandy Webster

Meet Sara Elisabeth, a romance author whose passion for storytelling began when she was just six years old. Inspired by literary legends like Ursula K. LeGuin and S. E. Hinton, her work carries the emotional depth and vivid imagination of the stories she grew up loving. With roots in both Washington State and British Columbia, Sara weaves romance, nostalgia, and personal truth into every page. In today’s interview, she shares what drives her creativity, how music and video games fuel her worldbuilding, and what readers can expect from her upcoming novel, Someone Like Me.

In Sara Elisabeth’s first novel, Someday Away, college freshman Quinn is caught between two very different guys—Lincoln Evans, the broody bad boy, and Trey Walker, the charming playboy. Despite their differences, Quinn can’t seem to escape the tangled web they weave together, and the chemistry between them intensifies in unexpected and sometimes heartbreaking ways. But when her cheating ex reappears, Quinn is forced to confront the past she’s been trying to outrun, threatening everything she’s built with Lincoln and Trey.

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Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: I was a huge reader as a kid, and I loved epic fantasy, so authors like Ursula K. LeGuin, Terry Brooks, and Raymond E. Feist were heavy influences when it came to my writing. I also loved reading The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton wrote that book when she was only fifteen, so I wanted to be just like her.

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Author Interview

Author interview with fantasy writer C. Rae D’Arc

Mandy Webster

Author C. Rae D’Arc is a lifelong book lover who has worked in nearly every corner of the literary world, from writing and editing to retail and reviewing. A university graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in English, she blends her love of storytelling with a deep appreciation for analysis and history. Though she lives in the desert, she finds inspiration in forests, fantastical creatures, and the beauty of nature.

When Princess Emerald of Somnus pricks her finger on a poisoned spindle, she falls into a deep sleep—and dreams of modern England. Caught between two worlds, Emer must navigate smartphones, new friendships, and a budding romance, all while racing against time to awaken before the poison claims her heart. The first installment of the Dreaming Princesses series, Dreaming Beauty is a whimsical and heartfelt retelling perfect for fans of Enchanted and reimagined fairy tales.

Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: I always wanted to be a writer. I remember reading Kevin Henkes’ books in kindergarten and learning he was the author and illustrator. Those became my dream jobs.

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Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen is dark, funny, and seriously messed up—in the best possible way

Mandy Webster

What do you get when you cross a lonely heart, a true crime podcast, and a vigilante sociopath with a fondness for elaborate meet-cutes? Julie Mae Cohen’s Bad Men is a delightfully deranged feminist thriller that manages to be equal parts clever, unsettling, and charming—yes, charming—in spite of (or maybe because of) its body count.

Get your copy of Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen from my online bookstore today!

Saffy isn’t your average heroine. She’s a serial killer heiress with a strict moral code, targeting men who harm women. She’s meticulous, disciplined, and has no time for romance. Until she meets Jonathan Desrosiers, a true crime podcaster known for solving the very kinds of violent crimes Saffy doles out her own brand of justice against. The irony isn’t lost on her—or on the reader. Saffy is used to watching men from the shadows before she makes her move, but when it comes to Jonathan, she orchestrates a complicated and hilarious meet-cute that’s as risky as it is romantic.

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Author Interview

Author interview with fantasy writer Monica Shantel

Mandy Webster

From escaping into fantasy as a young girl to building entire worlds that explore redemption, survival, and love, Monica Shantel has always turned to storytelling as her lifeline. With her debut Beauty of a Crimson Soul, she invites readers into shadowy realms where broken characters discover their strength—and maybe even a happy ending. In this interview, Monica shares the inspirations behind her work, her creative rituals, and the challenges she’s overcome to carve out her space in indie publishing. Whether you’re here for the romance, the monsters, or the magic, you’ll find plenty to love in her fierce and heartfelt journey.

In Beauty of a Crimson Soul, Angel is a newly appointed guardian angel tasked with saving Ayden Dyer, a reckless and self-destructive 23-year-old whose soul teeters on the edge of damnation. As Angel fights to guide him toward redemption, unexpected feelings complicate her mission—and when fallen angels drag them both to Hell, the stakes become eternal. With Ayden’s soul slipping away, Angel must defy fate to save him before it’s too late.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: The authors who i really loved to read when I was just starting to were Holly Black and Dan Greenburg. I was hugely into fantasy even at 7 years old. They shaped a ton of my love for fantasy in general, and it was later on that authors like Kelley Armstrong and Lauren Kate hooked me on the romance and darker side. But Neal Shusterman got me into the creepier and more horror side.

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Nothing Ever Happens Here is a cozy thriller with bite—and a retirement community you’ll wish you lived in

Mandy Webster

Seraphina Nova Glass nails the complicated charm of small-town life in this twisty, character-driven thriller that gives its older cast the spotlight they deserve. If you’ve ever lived in a small town—or just fantasized about it—Nothing Ever Happens Here might feel eerily familiar. The snow-covered streets, the gossip network that moves faster than the Wi-Fi, the deeply entangled personal histories where everyone’s ex is someone else’s cousin? Yeah, Glass gets it. And she doesn’t sugarcoat a thing.

Get your copy of Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass from my online bookstore today!

This story begins with trauma. Shelby Dawson survived an attack she was never meant to walk away from, and she’s spent the last fifteen months trying to rebuild her life. With the support of her best friend, Mackenzie, she’s finally feeling somewhat whole again—until a note appears on her windshield. A note with threats that match exactly what her attacker once said.

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Author Interview

Author interview with fantasy writer Tyler Edwards

Mandy Webster

Fantasy author Tyler Edwards struggled to connect with kids his age when he was growing up. Feeling rejected and alone, he became depressed and suicidal. Edwards says, “I remember reading The Hobbit, and the strangest thing happened. I was lost in this otherworldly adventure that took my mind off the struggles I couldn’t overcome. Stories became an escape. A safe place I could retreat to when life was too much. I loved writing them, reading them, and listening to them, I couldn’t get enough. Since I was eight years old, I’ve been writing stories in notebooks, dreaming of worlds and characters in hopes to one day create stories that someone else might find an escape in during their time of need.”

In the first book of Tyler Edwards’ Outlands Saga, Jett Lasting struggles to find his place in a world where drawing attention to yourself can get you killed. To survive, he must avoid guards, beggar gangs, and an ever-growing tension that could drag the whole city into chaos. Imagine Jett’s chagrin when he unwittingly becomes entwined in a plot to overthrow the government in which his choices could lead to the freedom or the death of everyone he’s ever known or cared about.

Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: I remember as a kid my mother would read stories with me every night. The Call of the Wild, The Hobbit, The Book of Three, James and the Giant Peach and getting lost in these adventures. As I got older, I wanted to create those stories, those worlds for people to get lost in.

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You’d Look Better as a Ghost is a darkly funny thriller that’ll leave you questioning your own morals

Mandy Webster

Joanna Wallace’s debut novel, You’d Look Better as a Ghost, is so sharp, unsettling, and hilariously deadpan that I found myself rooting for a serial killer—and questioning why.

The cover of You'd Look Better as a Ghost by Joanna Wallace
Get your copy of You’d Look Better as a Ghost by Joanna Wallace from my online bookstore today!

What happens when your favorite hobby is murder—and someone finds out? That’s the dilemma Claire faces in You’d Look Better as a Ghost, Joanna Wallace’s wickedly clever debut novel about a part-time serial killer trying to keep her extracurriculars under wraps. It’s a comic thriller with bite, grit, and just enough gore to make you flinch and laugh in the same breath.

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Author Interview

Author interview with multi-genre fiction writer Cathrine Swift

Mandy Webster

A multi-genre author and poet, Cathrine Swift says her earliest memory of falling in love with reading involved a book called Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. The book features a young princess who runs away from marriage and castle life to live with dragons. Swift says, “My DNA was forever changed by it, and the rest of the series, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I saw (badass, femme) women (and gentle, loving men) doing badass things for the greater good, and my writing blueprint was created. Of course, I didn’t know or fully understand it at the time, but looking back now, the evidence is right there.”

The year is 1456: Queen Amelia has barely survived her first year of marriage to the wicked King Alaric. When she accepted his marriage proposal arranged by their fathers, she believed it her sole opportunity to fulfill her birthright as ruler of Dathoviel and protect her brother from the throne he feared. But she can no longer sit back and watch helplessly as her husband destroys her land and starves her people. She must find the strength to fight back.

~Let It Reign by Cathrine Swift

This cover of the novel Let it Reign by Cathrine Swift features a crown and lots of bling.

Q: What has been the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
A: That your art isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. My books are written for a specific group of people. It’s a broad group, to be sure, but we as authors have a target audience, and it’s a marketing term for sure, but at the end of the day it’s just about finding our people. The ones who are going to be touched by the themes and circumstances of our books. And the rest, the people who don’t get it…well, that just means that particularly story wasn’t meant for them. But it is meant for someone. For a lot of someones. So don’t give up, your people will find you, and your art will impact their lives—for the better.

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