Category: Author Interview

Author Interview

Author interview: Jennifer van der Kleut on The Better Mother, Nancy Drew, and writing thrillers with real stakes

Mandy Webster

From childhood Nancy Drew notebooks to a debut thriller that asks hard questions about motherhood, loyalty, and what we owe one another, Jennifer van der Kleut’s path to publication has always been rooted in curiosity and emotional stakes. Her first novel, The Better Mother, released February 10, 2026, and introduces readers to a protagonist at her lowest point—then dares her to fight her way back. In this interview, van der Kleut talks about the books and writers who shaped her, why community matters on and off the page, the rituals that keep her grounded at the keyboard, and how remembering what’s truly at stake drives every story she tells.

Jennifer van der Kleut’s debut novel, The Better Mother, released February 10, 2026.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: As a child, my number-one favorite mystery series was Nancy Drew. I wanted to be Nancy Drew. So much so, that I got a blank notebook, and as I read each book, I took notes of the clues and suspects in the story as though I were the detective myself, and tried to come to my own conclusion before the culprit was revealed.

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Author Interview

In conversation with Marcia Argueta Mickelson: Creativity, immigration, and writing through overwhelm

Mandy Webster

Marcia Argueta Mickelson writes stories that sit right at the fault lines—between generations, between cultures, between who we’re told to be and who we’re becoming. After recently reviewing her latest young adult novel, I was eager to invite her into my writing room to talk less about plot and more about process: how she stays creative when life is loud, the habits that ground (and derail) her writing days, and why immigration continues to shape the stories she feels compelled to tell. In this interview, Argueta Mickelson reflects on creativity, persistence, and the quiet, deeply human moments that make writing—and reading—worth it.

Marcia Argueta Mickelson’s latest novel, The Writing Room, released November 4, 2025.

Q: How do you nurture your creativity when life get busy or overwhelming?
A: When life gets busy or overwhelming, I oftentimes don’t have the energy to write. However, I still want to nurture my creativity. Some things that I do are: go for a walk around my neighborhood or do housework that frees up my mind for introspection. I am also trying to teach myself to play piano. I took a few lessons years ago, but I am definitely a beginner. I have some beginning piano books that I use to teach myself a few songs. Practicing those same few songs over and over again helps nurture my creativity and helps me feel creative.

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Author Interview

Author interview: Emma Tourtelot on motherhood, grief, and becoming a novelist

Mandy Webster

Emma Tourtelot brings a rare mix of cultural fluency, emotional candor, and lived experience to her work. In this interview, Tourtelot reflects on motherhood as a creative throughline, her early-morning writing life, and the surprising rewards of seeing readers truly live inside her words, as she discusses her debut novel, No One You Know.

Emma Tourtelot’s debut novel, No One You Know, released January 20, 2026.

Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: I grew up one town over from Roald Dahl–in Buckinghamshire, England–so I got to meet him at our local library when I was a kid. He was just as weird and wonderful as his stories. And so tall! (I just looked it up: He was 6’6”.) I read his books over and over, and I loved hearing about his little writing shed in his back garden. That was the first time I really thought about who was behind the stories I loved. My favorite was always James and the Giant Peach.

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Author Interview

Nichelle Giraldes on feminist horror, writing what you want to read, and The Forest of Missing Girls

Mandy Webster

Stories don’t always begin with a lifelong dream of being a writer—sometimes they start with a reader who wants a book badly enough to create it themselves. In this interview, Nichelle Giraldes talks about finding her way to writing through that quiet, persistent pull of story; the power of small, precise details to carry enormous emotion; and why her work keeps circling back to the complicated ways women love, protect, and measure one another. We also discuss gothic horror, visual art as inspiration, cutting beloved scenes, and what it really means to keep showing up to the page long after the traditional markers of “success” have been reached.

Nichelle Giraldes’ latest novel, The Forest of Missing Girls, released November 11, 2025.

Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: I was a reader long before I ever thought about being a writer. I was a total library kid growing up! The kind of child who had to have their books taken away at bedtime so I’d actually go to sleep instead of reading under the covers. Even then, I never had any aspirations or even interest in writing those stories myself.

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Author Interview

Interviewing Louise Phillips about her new novel, Nina, and the stories that shape us

Mandy Webster

Stories leave fingerprints on every writer, and Louise Phillips carries an especially vivid map of influences, obsessions, and lived experience into her newest novel, Nina. In our conversation, Phillips reflects on the early books that cracked open her curiosity about human nature, the quiet discipline of early-morning writing sessions, and the pull toward ordinary people navigating extraordinary pressures. She also shares the surprising rituals behind her writing space, the challenges that have sharpened her craft, and what she most hopes readers hold close after turning the final page of Nina.

Louise Phillips’ latest novel, Nina, released November 18, 2025.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: Growing up, finances were always challenging at home, which meant my reading material comprised of secondhand books or borrowing books from the library. It also meant from an early age I was introduced to an eclectic mix of material, which looking back was a great way to be exposed to literature. I was certainly a fan of the Enid Blyton books, especially the Famous Five or the Secret Seven, however, a little later, other books stood out. Lord of the Flies by William Golding, for one. My young mind learnt a lot about human nature in between those pages.

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Author Interview

Interview with A.R. Kaufer: weaving fairytales, fantasy, and found family into unforgettable worlds

Mandy Webster

A.R. Kaufer has been writing stories since she was thirteen, and in just a few short years, she’s built an impressive catalog of fantasy and romantasy novels that enchant readers around the world. Best known for The Courtship Saga and The Stolen Royalty Series—a collection of fairytale retellings with a paranormal twist—Kaufer blends emotion, adventure, and inclusivity into every tale.

Get your copy of Tower of the Lost Princess from my independent online bookstore today!

In this interview, Kaufer shares her journey from her early influences like Stephen King and Poe to her love of found family tropes, her approach to representation, and her newest release, Tower of the Lost Princess, a “Rapunzel meets Robin Hood” story that’s sure to captivate fans of magical worlds and heartfelt storytelling.

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Author Interview

Author interview with Johanny Ortega

Mandy Webster

Author Johanny Ortega weaves her Dominican roots, love of classical music, and fascination with the supernatural into stories that explore identity, heritage, and the complexities of family. Her upcoming novel, The Ordinary Bruja—releasing November 4, 2025—invites readers into a world of dark magic and self-discovery, where one woman must face the haunting legacy of her ancestors. In this interview, Ortega shares how her grandmother’s influence shaped her storytelling, why representation remains central to her work, and how she balances creativity with the realities of indie publishing.

Get your copy of The Ordinary Bruja from my independent online bookstore today!

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 born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and my grandmother raised me. She was a big advocate of literature and education. She believed that it was a way out of poverty. While I resisted at first, once I got a hand on reading, it opened a whole new world for me, and I hadn’t left that world ever since. My grandmother was not an author, but she influences tremendously what I write about and how I write. I proudly represent my background in my book as an ode to her and my beginnings.

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Author Interview

Author interview with ROAMING

Mandy Webster

With a voice that drifts between myth and memory, ROAMING’s work feels like stepping into a dream where beauty and terror walk hand in hand. Their narrative poem J’ai Besoin De La Morte, featured in Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling, captures that delicate balance perfectly. In this interview, ROAMING discusses the influence of authors like Holly Black and Angela Slatter, the intertwining of art and myth in their creative process, and how they’ve learned to embrace the chaos of storytelling as both a mirror and a calling.

ROAMING’s work appears in the recently released Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: Holly Black. She’s the Queen of Faerie. I first read The Spiderwick Chronicles when I was eight or nine, then got into her Modern Faerie Tale series, and have absorbed everything she’s put out since. Her writing was what taught me that things can be beautiful and terrifying, which is something I’ve carried forth into my own writing.

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Author Interview

Author interview with Becky Healy

Mandy Webster

From newspaper deadlines to creative freedom, writer Becky Healy has spent a lifetime chasing stories. Her nonfiction piece, The Bad Moon and Me, appears in Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling, where she blends the sharp instincts of a journalist with the reflective tone of a storyteller exploring new terrain. In this interview, Becky shares how childhood mysteries sparked her love of writing, what keeps her inspired today, and how her definition of success has evolved from Oscar dreams to the quiet satisfaction of connecting with readers.

Becky Healy’s work appears in the recently released Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling.

Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: When I was in the fourth grade, I remember walking into my classroom one day and deciding I wanted to be a writer. I loved reading, especially the Nancy Drew mystery series, and the idea of creating these kinds of stories appealed to me. I didn’t know what kind of writing I wanted to do or how I would make it a career, but my decision to be a writer was born that day.

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Author Interview

Interview with poet Jack Love

Mandy Webster

Jack Love’s poem “Cured Are You Above All,” featured in Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling, reveals a writer deeply attuned to the beauty and complexity of everyday life. A lifelong reader inspired by the fantastical worlds of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Rick Riordan, Love’s influences now span from the poetic precision of Langston Hughes and W.B. Yeats to the immersive storytelling of modern science fiction. In this interview, he reflects on how parenthood, memory, and simplicity shape his work—and how he balances creativity, academia, and the ongoing pursuit of artistic growth.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: For a large part, it was the conventional children’s authors who had significant influence on my interest in writing. I remember loving C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, Roald Dahl, and Tolkien’s Hobbit. I also remember thoroughly enjoying Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, which was being published while I was a kid. I think these writers (among many others) shaped me while I was young because they imagine such fantastic worlds that you can lose yourself in. As a kid, I recall trying to mimic their world-building by creating my own strange worlds when I would play by myself.

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