#WriterWednesday Interview with Dave Pratt

I’d like to welcome Dave Pratt to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Surrendering the outcome of my writing efforts to God, knowing he’ll take them where He wants them to go, to the people I need to reach, whether by traditional publisher, independent publishing, magazine article, and so on.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing the first draft of a story, article or novel.

Words that describe you: Christian, husband, friend, writer. Quiet, unless I believe in a cause or concept that needs defending or teaching to others. Addicted to writing.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Not always as good, humble or nice as I’d like to be. I very often lack self-confidence, although that’s not always apparent to others.

Last best thing you ate: My wife’s made-from-scratch, everything-left-in-the-fridge breakfast scramble. It is always amazing.

Last thing you regret eating: Three double chocolate truffles over within 5 minutes. But they tasted so good!

Things you’d walk a mile for: A forest scene with rushing water, mountains, old-growth trees, deer, fox and birds.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: A group of people too interested in hearing themselves talk to listen to input from others – in business and in writing groups.

Things you always put in your books: Positive, satisfying endings, conflict, martial arts, and a little romance.

Things you never put in your books: Profanity and gratuitous sex scenes.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: At 16, on a State Department sponsored People-to-People Student Ambassador tour to Rumania, then behind the Iron Curtain, I played sick, skipped a supervised tour, snuck down the hotel’s fire escape and went to the sections of the city we were told we were not allowed to visit. I was followed but not caught and saw things that changed my perspective on life. That evening at our restaurant, a waiter attempted to attack me with a knife, presumably because of what I did. Our group’s male chaperone intervened and guarded my door that night and we left the country the next day.

Something you chickened out from doing: As a gymnast through junior high, high school and college, I elected not to do the high-bar event and became a pommel horse specialist. Doing giant swings terrified me back then.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: That my writing was similar to Cussler and Ludlum.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: That a simple event where my character fell off his horse on purpose, to escape his captors, had deep social meaning. That was an important lesson for me, however.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: At a time when I was not looking for a relationship with a woman, I met my wife, Rafaela. In the first book in my Home Team series, the main character, Sam Anthem, trips across Consuela during a mission. She changes his life in many ways; helps him realize his faith in God and find the self-confidence he needs to do what he needs to do as a military/covert operator.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: They believe the character of Sam Anthem, in the first book in my series, is me, with all his emotional and spiritual wounds from a past operation gone bad, the covert operations work, expertise in empty-hand martial arts, and not finding Jesus until later in life, which helped him reconcile his jog with his faith and saved him. I certainly didn’t intend that.

The first 8-track, record, cassette, or CD you ever bought: One, by Three Dog Night.

A type of music that’s not your cup of tea: Symphony and Opera. I fall asleep during performances.

My favorite book as a child: Any of The Hardy Boys books.

A book I’ve read more than once: A Wizard in Spite of Himself, by Christopher Stasheff. Also, all of Louis L'Amour western novels – some many more times than once.

Your favorite movie as a child: Lt. Robin Caruso, U.S.N. with Dick Van Dyke. Funny, positive, silly, foolish, and I was certain I wanted to find someone like the character Nancy Kwan played when I got older. A big crush!

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): The Haunting, starring Julie Herns and others. Kept me scared for years.

About David:

Dave Pratt is a native of most of the west coast of the United States – and now makes his home in Middle Tennessee with his wife, near his recently relocated grandkids.

A freelance writer since 1977, Dave has authored more than sixty published articles, poems, short stories and novels. He has also written for a local newspaper and edited newsletters for charitable service groups and businesses. His latest books include the first two novels in the 5-part Home Team Series, released in November 2022 and 2023, respectively, and published by Ambassador International. The third book in the series, Homesick, is scheduled for release in November 2025.

Dave holds master’s degrees in Hospital Administration (Baylor University) and Management (Webster University), and a B.S. in Psychology from Washington State University. He is a retired army officer and more recently retired as a project management consultant. Dave has taught at the corporate, graduate and undergraduate levels and has been a speaker at numerous professional conferences on writing and project management. Dave is a 4th Dan (degree) Master in Tae Kwan Do, proficient in Tai Chi, Hapkido, and staff, and was a member of the U.S. National Tae Kwan Do Poomse Team in 2015.

Dave thanks Jesus Christ for his inspiration and the countless blessings in his life.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: www.DavePrattBooks.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/daveprattbooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dprattbooks

LinkedIn: (22) Dave Pratt, PMP, PMI-ACP | LinkedIn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidPrattBooks

#WriterWednesday Interview with Patrick MacPhee

I’d like to welcome Patrick MacPhee to the blog for a fall #WriterWednesday.

A few of your favorite fall traditions: Definitely Canadian Thanksgiving – we enjoy the usual homemade pies (from scratch). For the longest time, we would take the kids to one of the local farms and do the whole farm thing (tracker rides, ball crawls, corn maze).

Something autumn-related that you’ll never do again: I had a hard time thinking about this one. A lot of the fun outdoor activities aren’t being done too much, given that the kids are much older now. However, who’s to say those activities won’t ever happen again if some grandkids come around…

Favorite fall treat: Homemade apple pie from scratch.

A fall treat that makes you gag: Pumpkin pie. I personally can’t stand the spongy texture. Reminds me of cheesecake.

Something you only do in the fall: As a teacher, fall always has that particular “school is starting” energy. Technically, the year may start in January, but for most of my life, the true start to the year has been September.

Something you’d never do in the fall season: Water park. Just don’t do it. Those tickets are on sale for a reason.

Favorite fall smell: The savory smell of a woodfire stove, especially those first few times on those crisp autumn nights where the sky is that rich azure.

Something that makes you hold your nose: We live in a rural area and sometimes the farmers apply some fertilizer to their fields. I tell myself that the smell means food and fertility, but it can be pungent sometimes. Only lasts a day or two depending on which way the wind is blowing.

Best fall memory: Walking with my wife and kids and the dogs through a valley filled with trees blazing in fall colors.

Something you’d rather forget: It seems like October is a time when someone is always getting sick. We’ve lost enough vitamin D by then that more often than not, someone is bedridden for a few days.

A tradition you share with others: We get into Halloween. Our neighborhood is like a Hollywood version of trick-or-treat. We’re talking hundreds of kids milling about in waves. They get dropped off, too. Just recently, we had over 250 kids (a slow year).

A tradition that can be retired: Ice Skating on frozen ponds and rivers is probably one I can do without. It always sounds better than it ends up being.

Best thing you ever cooked/baked in autumn: I can bake a pretty good hashbrown casserole. Lots of potatoes, cheese, and plenty of garlic and other spices. It’s always a hit at the dinner table.

Your worst kitchen disaster:

I’ve been baking pizza from scratch since the lockdowns. One day, I thought “let’s try calzones”. I also decided to brush some olive oil on it to give it a bit of a glazed/burnished effect. Yeah, not a good idea. Some of the oil dripped to the bottom of the oven and decided it was hot enough to start burning. The calzones weren’t too bad. A bit… smoky.

Funniest pumpkin-carving story: I don’t know about funniest, but I once managed to carve the Star Trek symbol with a “42” inside of it. Actually turned out pretty good and it wasn’t from a pattern.

Your worst pumpkin-carving story: One time, I had some pumpkins for my class, but we had a miscommunication about who was supposed to bring the carving utensils. It got a little messy that day.

Favorite pumpkin spice item: Coffee.

Something that should never be pumpkin-spiced flavored: Gum. It didn’t work for me.

Best Halloween costume ever: I went as Kakashi Hatake once to my school. I was running the anime club at the time, and had a lot of kids coming over for selfies with “Kakashi Sensei”. I bought a Hidden Leaf shinobi top, but the rest was homemade. I got a white wig and styled it with Level 10 “like cement” hair gel, but what sealed the deal was the sharingon contact lenses.

Worst Halloween costume disaster: I remember being very young and going as E.T. but I had trouble seeing out of the costume and kept falling over.

About Patrick:

Patrick teachers high school English and creative writing in Ontario, Canada. When he’s not writing, you’ll often find him playing video and board games with his wife and two children or going for walks with his two golden retrievers.

Let’s Be Social:

Twitter/X: @macphee225

Instagram: @macphee225

Website: http://Patrickmacphee.com

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Kim Lengling

I’d like to welcome Kim Lengling to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite fall treat: Pumpkin Bread with cream cheese frosting.

A fall treat that makes you gag: I can’t think of any that I dislike 😊

Favorite autumn beverage: Hot coffee
A drink that gives you a sour face: Pumpkin Spice in any drink

Favorite fall smell: Leaves crunching underfoot as you walk through the woods.
Something that makes you hold your nose: The smell of skunk.

Best fall memory: Growing up, we used to rake leaves into a huge pile under the tree, climb up to a lower branch, and jump into the pile we had created. So fun! Looking back, wow, was that dangerous! 😊

Something you’d rather forget: The death of a high school friend that happened in the fall. Not to forget the person, but the sorrow and heartache…

A tradition you share with others: Heading out for an afternoon to go look at the colors of the leaves.

A tradition that can be retired: It’s not my tradition, but the addition of pumpkin spice everything in the fall could disappear, and I wouldn’t mind a bit!😊

Best thing you ever cooked/baked in autumn: Apple Pie

Your worst kitchen disaster: Raspberry Pie, ended up like soup. I’ve never been able to perfect it, so I stick with apple pie or apple crisp. 😊

Favorite place you spent a fall day: Anywhere outdoors

The worst place to spend a fall day: Indoors

Your best Halloween costume: Stevie Nicks (of Fleetwood Mac) – I had so much fun creating a costume with all the flowy scarves, skirt, and high-heeled boots.

A Halloween costume that wasn’t quite what you imagined: I usually stuck with costumes I knew I could create on my own. I don’t have one that was a fail. Witches, gypsy, Stevie Knicks, She-Devil…they all turned out great and I had a lot of fun with them!

Favorite pumpkin spice item: None

Something that should never be pumpkin-spiced flavored: Anything. 😊

Best Halloween memory: taking my daughter on her first Trick-or-Treat night. We were both dressed as good witches. It was so cold and even snowed a little bit. We were dressed for winter with our costumes over our winter coats. We looked and felt silly and had the best time!

Worst Halloween experience: I was around 10 years old. I lived in a small town, and trick-or-treating was our night! I was in my costume and had my pillowcase filled! A few older kids decided to scare us as we were walking home. In fear, I tripped, and my pillowcase fell out of my hands as candy flew everywhere. I lost more than half of my haul that night ☹

About Kim:

If you spot someone walking through a field with a coffee mug in one hand and a dog leash in the other—that’s probably Kim Lengling.

A multi-published author, podcast host, and all-around champion of hope and real talk, Kim is the voice behind the Let Fear Bounce podcast, where she shares stories that remind you hope is real, kindness matters, and you’re never alone, even on rough days. As a veteran living with PTSD, Kim knows the power of small, hopeful moments.

She’s the lead author of six heart-hugging anthologies (the latest, Paw Prints on the Kitchen Floor), and her book, Nuggets of Hope: Cultivate Kindness, drop real-life stories that lift you up when the world feels heavy.

To continue her kindness mission, her newest release, 15 Ways Pets Teach Us Kindness, is available as an eBook with print copy coming soon.

When Kim’s not writing or recording, you’ll find her relaxing with a good book, filling her coffee cup (again), or walking with her dog, Dexter, living her best nature-loving life.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://kimlenglingauthor.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kimlengling

GoodReads: https://bit.ly/4lHUlMl

Let Fear Bounce: @Letfearbounce

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tLAznvUG8hVVsTXdvTMTk?si=a828003ace2b4a9f

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LetFearBounce

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-fear-bounce/id1541906455

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letfearbouncepodcast and https://www.facebook.com/kim.lengling

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlylengling/X

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lenglingauthor/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/KimLengling

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@klengling?lang=en

#WriterWednesday Interview with Robert F. Lowell

I’d like to welcome Robert F. Lowell to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: The soul-crushing emptiness of the blank page. Slightly worse than the soul-crushing emptiness of marketing.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Coming up with bad ideas. Bad ideas are essential to any creative endeavor. Researchers who study innovation and creativity all agree that the best way to have a few good ideas is to have lots of bad ones. Make sure you write them down.

Words that describe you: Grateful, reliable, respectful, affectionate, committed, disciplined, curious, tenacious, introspective.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Predictable, cautious, dad-bodded.

Last best thing you ate: Shakshuka at the Blue Barbikan, a Polish restaurant in York, England.

Last thing you regret eating: The Sunday roast beef at a pub in York that will not be named. I almost asked the waiter for an axe.

Favorite music or song: Classic rock and hot country. If Eric Clapton and Chris Stapleton ever tour together I'll ask if Ticketmaster accepts payment in blood.

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy metal. No, Led Zeppelin was not heavy metal. Neither was Steppenwolf.

The last thing you ordered online: An excessive amount of artisan roast coffee.

The last thing you regret buying: Loafers. I swear my feet must have variable geometry.

Things you always put in your books: Dialog between two or more people who don't trust each other.

Things you never put in your books: Open-door sex scenes. Sorry, ladies.

Things to say to an author: "Your last book changed my life." "Can I pre-order your next book?"

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: "I've always wanted to write but I've never had the time."

Favorite places you’ve been: Florence, Cornwall, Lake Tahoe. In my imagination Heaven looks just like Tahoe, but everybody's naked.

Places you never want to go to again: Zheleznogorsk, Siberia. The people were very friendly, even the Russian secret service guy who was tailing me, but dang it was cold.

Favorite things to do: Travel, eat fine food, drink wine, whisky, or beer, watch movies, snuggle with my wife. All the above at once.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Changing diapers, home repair, packing to move to a new house. If you've never eaten chapulines (Mexican-style grasshoppers), give them a try.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: D. J. Butler, pirate-hatted science fiction and fantasy author/publisher.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Clint Eastwood. Saw him in Carmel one night and thought he was the ghost of Arnold Palmer.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: "[Your story "Ghost Wolf" is] something that today’s survivors of Iraq and Afghanistan would understand completely."

The craziest thing a reader said to you: "Wait, your name is Robert?"

My favorite book as a child: Charlie Brown's All-Stars by the great Charles Schulz. I loved the Peanuts gang as a kid, and they'll always hold a place in the sandlot of my heart. Snoopy is my spirit animal. According to one strip, I'm the same age as Charlie Brown. He's aged better.

A book I’ve read more than once: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. If you ever get a chance to see Max McLean's stage adaptation, do it. Your soul will thank you.

About Robert:

Robert F. Lowell is a Writers of the Future winner and Baen Fantasy Adventure Award finalist. His complicated relationship with reality began when he was born between two movie studios in Burbank, California. In previous professional lives he researched and wrote about international relations, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism. He taught at universities in the US, Costa Rica, and Switzerland and was kissed by a dancing horse in Siberia. Now he expands the universe of online learning as an instructional systems designer and writes about swords, sorcery, robots, aliens, and magic rabbits as a member of the Wulf Pack Writers. He, his wife, and at least one dog live in a town with very expensive weather on California’s Central Coast and travel in search of enchantment. 

 Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.robertflowell.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertflowellauthor/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fwehling 

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Shamayne Olivia

I’d like to welcome Shamayne Olivia back to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: For free time anytime I like to create art using a coloring app. For longer periods of free time, we like to attend live music venues or the theatre.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Grocery shopping.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: Peace and quiet with natural light. I like to write in my bedroom because it’s in the back of the house. I have windows looking out to the garden in our backyard.

Things that distract you from writing: perfectionism

Hardest thing about being a writer: Self-doubt, In the beginning, I think I spent as much time convincing myself I could do this as much as I did actually writing.

Easiest thing about being a writer: I’m still thinking about that one.

Something you’re really good at: intuition, organization, and time management

Something you’re really bad at: backing into a parking spot or parallel parking on the street. I get nervous.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: an oceanographer

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: that I would write and publish a book then own my own business

Something you wish you could do: Sing with a strong voice.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: I wish I’d never learned to doubt my own abilities.

Last best thing you ate: Chicken Piccata on our anniversary at a swanky Italian restaurant. At one time the restaurant was called Romeo’s. The new owners named it Juliet’s.

Last thing you regret eating: Pork belly. One bite was enough to know.

Favorite places you’ve been: National Parks in Colorado and Utah

Places you never want to go to again: Over-crowded tourist towns

Best thing you’ve ever done: Coach my daughter through labor and delivery of both my grandsons.

Biggest mistake: not retiring sooner.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: the people I have met. Each stage of my writing journey introduced me to the people I needed in my life at that time. Some are well known and others are like me, but one step ahead and could offer guidance.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: It’s hard to say since I never imagined I would be a writer. My life as a writer unfolded as I worked to rebuild a life untethered from a painful past. The writing was part of the journey.

About Shamayne:

Shamayne Olivia is an author, speaker, and facilitator whose journey of reclaiming her authentic self has defined her life’s work. The eldest of four children, she carried adult responsibilities far too young, navigating the emotional needs of both siblings and parents. After her parents’ divorce at age eight, she was shaped by the lasting effects of alcoholism and rigid religious beliefs. Refusing to be defined by these patterns, she chose a path of healing and transformation—breaking the generational cycle and guiding others to do the same with courage, hope, and resilience. Her first book, Shoes That Fit Her Soul, explores these intricacies, removing the layers to uncover the fundamental steps needed to recover one’s identity and enjoy a more meaningful life.

Through decades of seeking her true identity, she uncovered profound insights and revelations that became the foundation of her business, Shoes That Fit Her Soul, LLC. Drawing from her own experiences, she created the Shoes That Fit Her Soul workbook, digital workbook, and workshop—resources designed to help others reclaim their voices, rewrite their stories, and step boldly into lives of purpose.

Shamayne lives in the Texas Hill Country, near Austin, with her generously supportive husband, Craig, and two affectionate cats, Wrigley and Ivy. She is the mother to three remarkable adult children, Sydney, Nathan, and Daniel, and “Maymie” to her beloved grandchildren, Emerson, Joaquin, and Jude.

When she’s not writing or leading workshops, Shamayne finds joy in family time, traveling, live music and theatre, major league baseball, and practicing yoga. Simple practices that remind her to stay grounded in gratitude and wonder for each new chapter.

Her hope is that every woman who encounters her work discovers the same truth she has embraced: it’s never too late to reclaim the light within you.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: About Author – Shoes That Fit Her Soul

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Diane Bator

I’d like to welcome Diane Bator to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

A few of your favorite fall traditions: shuffling through the leaves, taking photos of the colors, drives in the country to see the scenery

Something autumn-related that you’ll never do again: trick or treat.

Favorite fall treat: caramel apples!!

A fall treat that makes you gag: Molasses kisses we used to get as kids.

Favorite autumn beverage: Pumpkin Spice Lattes

A drink that gives you a sour face: Green Tea

Favorite fall smell: crisp mornings

Something that makes you hold your nose: skunky ponds

Best fall memory: walking with my dogs in the field behind our house as a kid

Something you’d rather forget: being in the truck when dad was hunting

A tradition you share with others: Hallothanksmas with my family since winters can be unpredictable and we live hours apart!

A tradition that can be retired: Over buying for Christmas. Yes, I’m guilty.

Best thing you ever cooked/baked in autumn: apple crisp with fresh picked apples

Your worst kitchen disaster: my first time cooking rice! The bottom of the pot was black.

Favorite place you spent a fall day: In the local park walking through the crunchy leaves.

The worst place to spend a fall day: In the mall

Your best Halloween costume: A spider!

A Halloween costume that wasn’t quite what you imagined: Tired Writer.

Favorite pumpkin spice item: Lattes

Something that should never be pumpkin-spiced flavored: Chocolate

Best Halloween memory: Taking the kids out when they were little

Worst Halloween experience: Getting caught in a snowstorm miles from home!

About Diane:

Diane Bator is an Award-Winning Canadian mystery writer based in Alberta, book coach, editor, and mom of three. She is the host of the Escape With a Writer blog, and started her own publishing company, Escape With a Writer, in January of 2024 to relaunch her previous 15 novels as well as newer works.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://dianebator.ca/

Blog: http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Newsletter: https://dianebator.substack.com/

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Bjorn Leesson

I’d like to welcome Bjorn Leesson to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: I guess that depends on the mood. I like to just research various interesting things, wander around in the woods for no real reason, or just engage in hypothetical discussions with my wife. I’m an exciting guy.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: I’m not a big fan of shopping. I really don’t like shopping; too many people around me, there apparently are rules when you shop, and it always ends with spending more money than it was worth.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Reminding yourself that no one will ever be as invested in your story as you are as the author. Sure, you will have fans, even some diehard fans, but no one will ever love it more than you.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Being reminded by others that no one will ever be as invested in your story as you are as the author.

Something you wish you could do: At this age, REMEMBER. . . anything. Anything at all. When I was young, I used to believe all my elders were exaggerating about forgetting stuff, but here I am, and it’s too late to listen now.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: It doesn’t matter. I can just say I don’t remember how, and odds are, I’m not lying about it.

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Under the right conditions, PIZZA. Despite my aversion to shopping, I would for pizza, even at midnight. And now that I live twenty minutes in any direction from a town, driving there is the necessity, midnight or any other time. The only real drawback to living the county – no more pizza delivery.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Tofu, cauliflower, sushi, dill anything, or sour cream. These things are all evil, meant to disfigure and enslave humanity, and I will have no part of it. Even my bad memory will not let me forget how bad these things are.

Favorite places you’ve been: Away from home: Wales, England, Scotland, and Cornwall. Wonderful places! The scenery, the history, it’s all just awesome!

Places you never want to go to again: There is a really old BP gas station on the way to Florida from South Carolina along I95 (for the safety of everyone, I will not be more specific than that). You will know when you enter the bathroom at this horrid, evil place. You will feel the heaviness in the air of the alternate universe that exists in there, somewhere impossible in the normal universe.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): Jeremy Clarkson and Robert Duvall. We’d have pizza. I’d drive to the store at midnight to go get it for us.

People you’d cancel dinner on: Probably just about any politician. I’d cancel my own attendance, but I would leave them with tofu, cauliflower, sushi, dill anything, and sour cream with directions to the above-mentioned bathroom at the BP on I95.

Favorite things to do: Read about new interesting things, observe nature or settings around me, or just discuss the mysteries of the universe with an interested friend. The simple things are most likely going to be my favorite.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: I would have to place “running through fire” and “eating bugs” pretty high on that list, but that answer seems a little like cheating. So, alternatively, I would have to say I, like virtually everyone, am not a big fan of filing income taxes. I could go on for days about what it does for my blood pressure, but just suffice it to say, thankfully, the lovely Mrs. Leesson files for us.

Best thing you’ve ever done: I haven’t done it yet. It’s coming, and I don’t know when, but it’s coming. It’s going to be awesome, and I will likely write it into one of my books.

Biggest mistake: Stopping at that BP bathroom on I95. I don’t think an exorcist can fix that place, and that’s why I am sending the politicians there.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I guess it is kind of a tie between mustering up the courage to try and publish my first book and driving stock cars at the local racetrack many many years ago. Both took some courage, and the risk was mental trauma from one, and physical trauma from the other. But both are ridiculously expensive.

Something you chickened out from doing: Skydiving with an adrenaline-junkie friend on mine. I am not particularly scared of heights like some people are, but jumping out of an airplane that is not in immediate danger of crashing with only basically a bed sheet popping out of a backpack to slow the fall is just kind of stupid if you ask me.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: Getting a new review. It doesn’t even have to be a five-star glowing praise of a review (although those are always very nice), just an honest review from a real person who actually read the book.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: Nothing. Everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t like it. It’s how we learn, and there will likely be a chance to do it again rather than over, and that is the time to do it differently than the first.

About Bjorn:

Bjorn Leesson has always been fascinated with many topics to include history, the supernatural, and writing. These interests combined led to the Outside the Thalsparr series, with the first book in the series, "Runes of the Dokkrsdottir." Bjorn was not formally trained as a writer and has worked in the industrial manufacturing field his entire life.

 Bjorn was born in the Lowcountry of South Carolina a long, long time ago.  He has worked in manufacturing all my working life to feed himself but has nourished his mind with the study of many topics; history of all eras, the paranormal, astronomy, writing of different types, photography, archeology, genealogy, vexillology, some other -ologies, even stock car racing for a couple of years, and on and on.  Bjorn finds just about everything fascinating in some way and has been accused of being too easily entertained.  A blend of a few of his interests led to the creation of the Thalsparr Universe.  The first six installments of the series are out now with more installments and spin-offs coming soon.  Bjorn currently lives in the Midlands of South Carolina with his wife of 25 years on their hobby farm.

Let’s Be Social:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/bjorn.leesson/

website:  https://thalsparr1891.wixsite.com/home

#WriterWednesday with Author Randee Dawn

I’d like to welcome Randee Dawn to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: Quiet, and a big block of empty time when no one's going to interrupt me. This includes time for frittering and staring out the window.

Things that hamper your writing: Interruptions, music playing, my own brain telling me I'm doing it wrong.

Last best thing you ate: Marble cake with buttercream frosting from my book launch party at WorldCon in Seattle.

Last thing you regret eating: Too much marble cake with buttercream frosting from my book launch party at WorldCon in Seattle. (But I'd do it again!)

Favorite music or song: I'm a jangle pop/Brit pop enthusiast of long standing, but could never narrow it down to one song. But if you want a band and an album, I'll point to The Trash Can Sinatras' first album, Obscurity Knocks.

Music that drives you crazy: Anything auto-tuned. It was a fun diversion for a moment, but now everything (that isn't already generated by AI) sounds like it's coming through the mind and microphone of a computer.

The last thing you ordered online: Sleeves to hold tea packets to help promote my books; I have different tea flavors for each that I hand out at conventions and other book-related events.

The last thing you regret buying: Artwork by my favorite artist. I love him – Luke Chueh is amazing – but I went a little overboard in my zeal for something original, and now I think I have three paintings coming to me that are basically the same thing.

Things you’d walk a mile for: Peanut butter cookies, ice cream, a new independent bookstore, a place to meet my friends for afternoon tea.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: My husband's kimchi snacking, ignorance dressed up as authority, people who say they don't read.

Things to say to an author: "How many copies can I order?" "This changed my life." "How can I help get the word out about your book?"

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: "I've always wanted to write a book." "I think I could earn a living as an author." "I don't read."

Favorite places you’ve been: Queenstown, New Zealand; Akureyri, Iceland; The Grand Canyon, USA

Places you never want to go to again: Las Vegas, USA; to an office job; the dentist (but I will, of course)

Favorite books (or genre): Anything by Jonathan Carroll; early Stephen King; Michael McDowell, Blackwater; Judy Blume's oeuvre; The House Next Door by Anne River Siddons; the short tales of O. Henry and Roald Dahl.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Most "literary" fiction. I'm a genre gal all the way.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: Got one of my music video concepts turned into an actual music video by a friend at college who needed to come up with a final project for film class. Thanks, Scott – I still love our collaboration on The Alan Parsons Project's "Silence and I."

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: A friend and I were going to make a different music video – a direct take on Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al," until I realized how much it was going to cost to do it even halfway. We abandoned the project.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: A version of how I met my close friend Julia when we were in 6th grade and bonded over books

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: That I struggled to become an actress by doing a lot of improv

The first 8-track, record, cassette, or CD you ever bought: Hustle '76 (album). I was really young and ordered it off the TV, and it arrived Cash on Delivery (something that doesn't exist anymore, I don't think), and mom had to fork over the $4. I also didn't realize until years later that the reason it cost $4 was it was a bunch of cheap covers of actual hit songs.

A type of music that’s not your cup of tea: I'm pretty open, but I just can't get into opera.

Your favorite movie as a child: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): The Blair Witch Project

About Randee Dawn:

Randee Dawn is the bestselling author of the "funny as hell" pop culture fantasy novel Tune in Tomorrow. She has two novels out in 2025: Dark Celtic musical fantasies The Only Song Worth Singing and Leave No Trace, while her next funny foray into the Tune-iverse, We Interrupt This Program will be out in March 2026. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, including most recently Dark Spores: Stories We Tell After Midnight, Vol. 4. She is the co-author of The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion. A veteran entertainment journalist for The LA Times, Variety and Today.com, Randee lives in Brooklyn and is known to usually emcee the monthly reading series Brooklyn Books & Booze.

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