Featured Interview With Author Victor Acosta

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, surrounded by stories of resilience, heritage, and deep cultural traditions. My upbringing was filled with history—both personal and national—which later became the foundation for my writing. As a Dominican-American, my experiences navigating two cultures have deeply influenced my storytelling, particularly in Shadows Beneath the Shore, where themes of legacy, identity, and historical truths play a central role.

Now, I live in Orlando, Florida, a city that has allowed me to stay connected to both my Caribbean roots and a diverse literary and artistic community. Living here has given me the space to explore my writing while being surrounded by cultures from all over the world.

As for pets—while I don’t have one at the moment, I’ve always been a dog person! There’s something about their loyalty and energy that reminds me of the importance of companionship, both in life and in storytelling.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think my fascination with books truly began in my 10th-grade Spanish class when we read Don Quijote de la Mancha. I was around 15 years old, and for the first time, I found myself completely immersed in a story that was both humorous and deeply meaningful. The way Cervantes blended reality and imagination, questioning what is real and what is perception, left a lasting impression on me. That book opened my eyes to how powerful storytelling can be—not just as entertainment, but as a way to explore human nature, dreams, and struggles.

Despite my early love for reading, I didn’t start writing seriously until my late 30s. Life took me in different directions, but the stories were always there, waiting to be told. Eventually, I realized that I had a unique perspective and a deep connection to history and family legacy that needed to be put into words. That’s what led me to write Shadows Beneath the Shore—a novel that blends mystery, history, and personal identity in a way that feels both intimate and universal. Writing, for me, is not just about creating stories—it’s about uncovering the truths that shape us.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’ve been influenced by a mix of historical fiction, magical realism, and character-driven novels that explore deep themes of legacy, identity, and the weight of history. Some of the books and authors that have shaped my storytelling include:

Gabriel García Márquez (Cien años de soledad) – His masterful use of magical realism, multi-generational storytelling, and historical depth has been a major influence on my writing. The way he blends history and fiction to create something timeless is something I deeply admire.

Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quijote de la Mancha) – This novel taught me about the power of perception, the blurred lines between reality and fiction, and the strength of a character’s journey. Don Quijote’s relentless pursuit of his dreams, despite the world telling him otherwise, is something every writer can relate to.

Julia Álvarez (In the Time of the Butterflies) – As a Dominican-American writer, I deeply admire her ability to bring Dominican history to life through powerful narratives. Her portrayal of the Mirabal sisters under Trujillo’s dictatorship has influenced my approach to writing about historical oppression and the resilience of those who lived through it.

Mario Vargas Llosa (The Feast of the Goat) – His depiction of political power, dictatorship, and the consequences of history has influenced my understanding of Trujillo’s impact on the Dominican Republic, which plays a role in Shadows Beneath the Shore.

Each of these authors has contributed to how I tell stories—blending history, mystery, and emotion to create narratives that feel immersive, meaningful, and unforgettable.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is Shadows Beneath the Shore, a historical mystery novel inspired by real-life events, family history, and the hidden struggles of generations before me.

The story came from a mix of my personal experiences, the political and economic history of the Dominican Republic, and a desire to explore the weight of family secrets. Growing up, I heard stories about the challenges my grandparents and parents faced, especially regarding land, identity, and power structures. I started researching the history of mining, exile, and the dictatorship of Trujillo, and soon I realized there was an untold story waiting to be written.

I wanted to bring these elements together into a gripping, emotional, and suspenseful novel that would make readers question the past, explore their own histories, and immerse themselves in a journey of discovery and truth.

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Victor Acosta’s Website

Victor Acosta Facebook Page

Victor Acosta Twitter Account

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Featured Interview With Author Katie O’Connor

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Katie can’t live without her computer and ereader, but she wants to use them in the woods while watching the deer frolic on her summer property, Sanctuary. Her passion, aside from romance and her grandbabies, is giving back to the writing community. She’s always eager to share what she’s learned about writing and romance. She’s a mentor to three newbie authors, and next year, she will be a Story Coach in the AWCS’s Author Development Program. She’s the proud author of over forty novels and novellas and an author career planning workbook.
She’s fueled by coffee and steak, and is fluent in sarcasm, cussing, dad jokes, and romantic jargon. If you need her, she’ll be cozied up by the coffee pot eyeing the cookies.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Katie got her obsession for books from her mother and there isn't a time when Katie didn't read. Books have been integral in her life for the first moment she could pick one up. She started writing as a child. In her early 30s she put pen to paper seriously for a decade. After repeated failures, and more rejection letters than she could count, she took a break from writing. The year she turned 50, she started again and sold her first manuscript. She now has over 40 published romances of various lengths.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Katie's favorite authors are T.M. Cromer, Kelly Moran, A.M. Westerling, Anne MeCaffrey, and Robert Heinlein. Her favorite genre is sweet contemporary romance.
Daily life, funny events, and overheard conversations fuel my imagination. Honestly, Katie can't imagine not writing. There are just too many stories percolating in her mind. Besides, writing as a socially acceptable way to tell all the lies the brain invents.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Loving Winter, releasing March 2025, is book four in the Heart's Haven Series. It is a sweet with heat contemporary, small town romance. Our hero Nick is a wisecracking bakery owner who falls for the new girls in town, Winter. Winter, a no nonsense injured veteran is only in town temporarily, and has no interest in Nick's jocular ways, but there's an attraction that won't be denied, and a love that won't quit.
Nick's story was a long time coming. Immediately after the release of the first book in the series, Running Home, fans began emailing me asking for Nick's story. But Nick was stubborn. He refused to let his story be told. Every time I started writing, he clammed right up. His jokes vanished and he turned into a plywood cutout of the man he was in the other books. Reluctantly, I set him aside for several years and one morning I woke up to him yammering in my head. His story flew out of me faster than I could type. You'll love Nick and Winter's story.

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Katie O’Connor’s Website

Katie O’Connor Facebook Page

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Featured Interview With Author Kent Priore

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I'm an author of dark literature from upstate New York. I was raised in a town called Cornwall, NY but now I live in Hudson, NY. I have a BA in the Written Arts from Bard College, and I'm a proud voice in the neurodivergent community, and many of my stories mirror that. Collectively with my partner, I have a black British Labrador named Poe (yes, after Edgar Allan Poe!), whom I share often on social media, but also tortoise shell cat, named Yakutia. They are both a bit crazy but fill our home with so much love and vibrant energy.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I've always been fascinated with storytelling in general, from such a young age that I can remember a specific age. But, growing up neurodivergent, as bipolar, came with a lot of difficulties back then. So, the yearning for escapism was strong. And it was through that coping mechanism that I discovered how amazing stories are; they help us learn and grow, they teach us empathy and compassion for ourselves and others. They enrich our minds and show us better ways to live. An invaluable resource, to be sure.

I started writing about ten years ago and since then I've written four books and a handful of short stories and poems.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oh, so I have so many favorites: Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, Joseph O'Neill, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Natsuo Kirino, Haruki Murakami.

And while my debut novel and many other stories I've written are genre fiction, they are literary genre. So to that point, while I have and do read the genres I write in, my favorite genre is literary fiction. Though I like to use genre as a way to convey metaphor and symbolism.

Most of my inspiration doesn't come from others, but from within. From my emotions to introspective philosophizing any given subject or concept that I become so interested in that I feel compelled to turn it into a story. But sometimes, yes, external events do inspire. For example, I was recently in a car accident, which has triggered the makings of a short story in my mind. So, silver lining!

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My debut novel, THE MONSTERS AMONG US, out this September 9th, is a fantasy horror novel that operates within those genres but actively defying genre at every turn. It has a complex magic system that all ties into the novel's deep world-building, which goes back to before the beginning of time.

I spent six years writing it, which included writing the book in its entirety twice, polishing it thoroughly through more than a dozen passes of edits. I even went to college specifically to ensure this story was written as well I as it possibly could be. So, all in all, a lot of love and time went into making this book a reality.

Here's a blurb:

Seth’s life until now has been a product of a diabolical, evil Truman Show, his entire upbringing a façade orchestrated for malevolent purposes. After his beloved dies, he undergoes a demonic metamorphosis, which causes the world’s fictitious walls to crumble.

As he tries to piece a semblance of his life back together and move on, he meets friends who inspire, but even more harsh truths are revealed, perhaps too difficult to cope with.

The very existence of life and reality is exposed as a machination of grotesque gods. And to defeat them, Seth will have to fill his emptiness, for which there’s only two options… Bring the world to ruin, or learn to transmute his pain into strength.

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Kent Priore’s Website

Kent Priore Facebook Page

Kent Priore Twitter Account

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Featured Interview With Author Ross Hightower

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in the south, and moved around a lot as a kid. My partner and I have lived in quite a few places as well, but have settled in Milwaukee, and I think that's where we are going to stay. For years we had dogs, but when the last one died, we didn't have the heart to get another one.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have read voraciously since I was a kid, and tried to write fiction, but grew frustrated and gave up. Then, lying in bed one night, six years ago, I started wondering how fantasy writers come up with unique and interesting magic systems. So, I set about trying to come up with one. I do that sort of thing often at night, rather than think about work. When I woke up the next morning, the only thing I remember was the idea that, when the magically adept were young, they cause pain in the people around them. For some reason I can’t explain, I found myself in a coffee shop that snowy morning writing a story to answer that question. I hadn’t written fiction since the ninth grade. All I had was two characters and that idea and I wrote for three hours. That story ended being a pivotal chapter in my first novel Spirit Sight.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’ve read widely most of my life, but in recent years, I’ve gravitated more and more to fantasy. My college roommate introduced me to the Lord of the Rings. (Later, I gravitated toward other fantasy authors who had a literary writing style. Patrick Rothfuss for example.) It’s the magic, the sense of wonder, stark boundaries between good and evil (although that’s not always the case), the hero’s journey and the struggle against impossible odds. Those are the things that keep drawing back.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
The latest book that my partner Deb Heim and I wrote together is Desulti, the second the four book Spirit Song prequel series. It tells the story of Tove, the first Alle'oss woman to join Desulti, the secretive organization of female entrepreneurs and assassins. According to Reedsy Discover, “Tove is an incredibly charismatic character who is a joy to follow through her trials and tribulations and the romance that builds between her and another Desulti is one of the sweetest and most nature relationship that I have read in recent years.”

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Ross Hightower’s Website

Ross Hightower Facebook Page

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