Category Archives: Interviews
Devotion and Duty
Sick is a haunting psychological horror that follows a marriage unraveling into madness as devotion, illness, and manipulation, and blurs into a claustrophobic battle for control and belonging. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story was born from a nightmare. I dreamt I was a woman whose life was decaying around her as she cared for her sickly husband. By the end of the dream, she discovered the man she loved and trusted was far more ill than she could imagine. Her disorientation and fear pulled at me, and I knew I had to write the story.
How did you balance the ambiguity of John’s illness so the reader constantly questions what’s real and what’s manipulation?
I wanted to put people inside Susan’s mind, in the perspective of your typical person who feels the duty to care for their loved ones, no matter what is required. She has let her husband’s illness take over her life, so much so that she no longer has one. Of course, caregivers think, this person is sick, they need me. But what is the cost to yourself? When does devotion and duty become co-dependency? You can only be manipulated if you allow people to do so. How much of it is your own fault?
The book relies heavily on atmosphere and sensory detail rather than overt scares. How do you approach building tension through subtlety rather than shock?
I think the dark, quiet desires, motivations, and needs of our inner selves are more terrifying than your typical monsters, serial killers, or jump scares. It’s the realization that the frame you put around your life story to keep you safe could be a lie, and that you have been preyed upon by those you love and trust. It’s being slowly bled dry and not knowing until it’s too late. Worst of all is realizing you had a hand in your own demise.
What do you hope readers take away about love, neediness, and the moral gray zones that exist inside unhealthy relationships?
I hope readers will think more deeply about what they’re giving and taking in relationships, to be aware when someone is manipulating and using them, and where they themselves might be abusing a person in their life in a mental or emotional way.
Most victims can’t conceive that someone who claims to love them is silently exploiting them for their own gain. Likewise, abusers often don’t know that what they are doing is toxic. These are survival mechanisms they learned as children.
That is why I showed both Susan’s and John’s sides of the story. Neither of them is innocent.
Unfortunately, once confronted, not all abusers will acknowledge to themselves, much less to others, that they were damaging the people around them. It takes a brave person, a genuinely good-hearted and self-aware person, to be willing to admit their flaws and work to change them. Most narcissists and psychopaths do not have any empathy for others, nor true self-awareness that extends beyond their own self-importance.
I hope this story will wake up victims to possible abuse and tip off abusers that maybe they are the villain, and not the hero, of their own story.
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Charming and enigmatic, but very sick.
Born into wealth and prestige, John lost his family’s fortune to the mysterious illness that has now left him bedridden, and Susan’s life revolves around his care.
Years of devotion have left her exhausted and frustrated, yet she’s determined to scrape together whatever resources she can to keep John comfortable and happy—including stealing Demerol from the doctor’s office where she works to feed his growing dependence on painkillers.
As John’s condition continues to baffle doctors, Susan uncovers a secret from his childhood and the chilling cause of his illness.
Now that she knows the truth, can she put an end to the madness?
Christa Wojciechowski delivers a twisted psychological suspense novel for readers who like their fiction sick, sharp, and unforgettable.
The Adventure of Writing
The Beast Keepers follows a young veterinarian who takes a job in rural Ohio and discovers that his new patients include mythological creatures hiding in plain sight. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Several years ago, while my flat-coated retriever, Mr. Bingley, and I waited at the holistic vet for a chiropractic adjustment, I studied the poster showing the acupuncture points for dogs. I wondered if animals such as turtles, frogs, snakes, porcupines, etc., had acupuncture points as well.
While the vet worked on Bingley, I asked him whether he learned acupuncture for animals besides dogs, cats, horses, etc. He replied that there were classes for “other” animals. Though I think he probably meant animals such as goats or sheep, there was something about the way he said “other” that caused me to think:
“You meant Gryphons? Centaurs? Fauns?” Showing a modicum of restraint, I did not ask that aloud. I did, however, spend the remainder of the day contemplating how you would treat medical issues in mythological animals. If a Gryphon had a lung infection, would you be treating bird lungs or mammalian lungs? Can centaurs get gout, and if so, how would it manifest? Can unicorns get laminitis?
Thus was born the idea of The Beast Keepers, an adult literary novel with a twist.
I enjoyed the depth of the main character, Jonathan, who is flawed and relatable, making him likable. What was your process to bring that character to life?
The first thing that helped me to get an idea of who Jonathan would be was getting his name right. I tried a lot of different names, especially for his first name, but Jonathan seemed to have the right sound, feel and be appropriate for his age. His last name is particularly dear to me. St. Roch is the patron saint of dogs (St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, hence Jonathan’s middle name), and a favorite of mine since visiting a church in France where his story was carved into the staircase for the lectern. Being a dog trainer for almost 20 years, it seemed a fitting way to honor the many wonderful dogs and clients I had over the years.
Next, I fleshed out his character. The book Story Genius, by Lisa Cron, was really helpful in that process. I created a backstory and wrote about critical events and people in his life up to where the book started. Knowing him as a full person (with doubts, strengths, fears, longings, etc) helped me to shape his reactions, dialogue, and ultimately how he would respond to the challenges of the people, and events that he encountered.
I had a lot more of his background story in the first draft of the book, but my developmental editor helped me to trim it back so that it was suggested and you could see how it had shaped him, but it didn’t overshadow or interfere with the story being told.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
One important theme is: What is the quality of mercy that we owe our enemies? And, how do we implement that mercy? Other themes include: How do we find balance in our lives? The importance of integrity in our actions and in our relationships, and how does one manage mistakes or difficult situations?
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
I have been asked to do a sequel (or a prequel explaining how the mythological animals got there), but I don’t have plans for either at the moment. Right now, I am working on a novel I’ve tentatively titled The Boy Who Danced For The Moon. I was about 2/3 of the way through it when I decided it needed to be revamped, so I am in the process of starting over. I have some parts I can save, but the adventure of writing a book is partly the process of finding your way to the story. Once I have the story, the writing tends to flow.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Unsolved Mystery
Hypocrisy drops readers right into a wild mix of government secrets, alien power plays, and strange visions that blur the line between what is real and what is imagined. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I have been intrigued by the UAP disclosure activity in Congress and the ongoing mystery and debunking of the entire UFO phenomenon. I felt that would be a terrific background to create conflict and have different points of view to set the story against, since it still remains an unsolved mystery.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
The characters came first, and I wanted them to be distinct and different, and from that came the outline of the story.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
I think it was Dean Koontz who said, “Put a character in a terrible situation and keep making it worse,” and that helped serve as a guideline for how things go wrong to maintain the tension and active plot.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
This will be the start of a series. I intentionally set it up so that the characters could have an ongoing life full of adventure, chaos, and immense conflict. With a little bit of humor and self-reflection thrown in on the side.
Author Links: GoodReads | Ghost Town | Instagram | Facebook | IMDB | X (Twitter) | Amazon
In the world’s most remote outpost—Antarctica—a covert excavation unearths something ancient, intelligent, and alive. CIA asset Charisma, her teenage protégée Leticia, and enigmatic xenoanthropologist Alen Innocent are drawn into a web of deception that spans governments, galaxies, and the very fabric of human consciousness. As shadow factions fight for control of the mysterious Veil of Hypocrisy, the boundaries between truth and illusion collapse.
From Milan’s glittering runways to military tunnels buried under polar ice, Hypocrisy blends science fiction, espionage, and moral satire in a gripping tale of identity, power, and survival. As alien technology exposes the lies that bind humanity, Charisma and Alen must decide whether saving the world means revealing its greatest hypocrisy—or becoming part of it.
Science-fiction fans will be drawn to this mind-bending, character-driven thriller where the ultimate battle is not between species, but between truth and self-deception.
A Mix of Emotions
Is There Not a Cause? is a raw and unapologetic collection of poetry, songs, stories, personal reflections, and scenes of life that explore faith, pain, and personal development in a way that leaves the reader feeling raw and alive. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
This collection was initially published in 2021. This re-release has over twenty-five new poems. My inspiration to write this collection came from time and experiences, loss, growth, pain, love, social climate around the world, faith, and more.
How do you approach writing about deeply personal or emotional topics?
I approach it the same way I do most of my pieces. I also do spoken word, so the majority of my poems are written from the perspective of me speaking to an audience or myself. For whatever reason, that makes it easy for me to share and or express deeply personal or emotional topics.
How did you go about organizing the poems in the book? Was there a specific flow or structure you were aiming for?
The beauty of the book is that there is no form or structure. The poems/stories/songs flow almost at its own pace, creating a mix of emotions, thoughts, concerns, and anthems.
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I learned how to truly lock in. This past year was a challenge in many ways. All in all, it made me a better writer, speaker, and performer. Writing this book was a great challenge in not depending so much on rhyming and rhythm. Allowing me to put greater effort into storytelling and free verse.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
Published in numerous magazines and online, esteemed poet and wordsmith Nathaniel Terrell re-releases his first collection of unapologetically raw and honest reflections. If you are someone who prefers to experience life and savor its moments – sacred, painful, and true – you will find favorites in this collection that you will return to. The works will touch your soul in the way poetry should.
IS THERE NOT A CAUSE? by Nathaniel Terrell is a collection best taken one page at a time and is a collection worth savoring and rereading. Each poem is replete with the wisdom and enlightenment gained from someone who experiences life and savor its moments. His words are sacred, painful, and true, and his works will touch your emotions and will find their way into your soul, just as good poetry should.
This re-release is a powerful debut collection containing songs, stories, personal reflections, and scenes of life, with some new poems highlighting growth and maturity. Written from the perspective of a passionate, creative black man working hard to share his voice with the world, each poem paints a vivid picture of the soul of an artist. It grapples with topics such as life and death, racism, faith, anger, social injustice, division in the nation, and getting up after failure. These poems are meant to encourage and to provoke and desire, and will take you on a journey that starts fast and hard and dives deeply into the human condition.
Contemporary culture seeks to define us and forge our identities. Things are never that black and white. The real human condition is a personal journey through pain and ignorance as we seek hope, inspiration, and enlightenment. Each poem conveys important messages about the capacity to pry open our hearts and be connected with our true nature. His warm, inspirational words will encourage and provoke you to take a journey that will start fast and dive deeper. It’s an invitation to mindful presence where the words and artistic expressions compel you to find peace with yourself and the world.
For more on Nathaniel Terrell’s works, visit him on social media at natej.story or at http://www.natejstory.com.
Justice and Loyalty
Part of the Solution: A Mystery follows a New York professor who experiences a chance meeting that pulls her back into the 70s and brings her closer to a death that shook the community she once called home. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Setting Part of the Solution in 1978 was an easy choice because the very first version of the book was written in 1978! I had just finished a dissertation in English literature, and I’d survived graduate school by sneaking off to read murder mysteries when I couldn’t bear one more page of “serious” literature. A few years ago, I reread my original manuscript and decided to rewrite it as a period piece. I thought it would be interesting to go back to that time and wrestle with who we “Boomers” were back in the day – idealistic, earnest, and hopeful but also very young and sometimes very silly. The book is completely different now. In some ways, it’s a comedy of manners as much as it is a mystery.
Yet comedy of manners though it is, I don’t want to overemphasize the humor in the book. In the process of rewriting, the mysterious death at the core of the original plot took on a deeper meaning. Now my main character, Jenifer, has had forty years in which she has had to live with what happened. The decisions she made at the time as the “amateur detective” have shaped her life in ways that she – and even I – could never have imagined at the time.
What is it that draws you to the mystery genre?
I have a complicated relationship with the mystery genre. I love the structure and discipline of the classic whodunit in which all the clues and red herrings line up in a way that plays fair with the reader. I love the puzzle at the heart of the genre and, to quote the title of my book, the `solution’ that is revealed at the end. But I am also troubled by how much fun such mysteries are because death, even in fiction, shouldn’t be fun. I worry that devouring mysteries the way a lot of us do ends up dulling our responses and thus numbing an important piece of what makes us human. I don’t want the characters, or even the reader, to get off scot-free.
In Part of the Solution, I tried to tell a story in which the characters don’t get off scot-free because they are changed forever by what has happened to them. I wanted them to have to wrestle on a deeply personal level with the issues that are raised. What does justice mean? What does loyalty mean? How do different people understand those terms, and what difference does that make? Jennifer and Ford – the amateur detective and the official detective – have very different relationships to questions of justice and loyalty, and those questions matter to them both. The very different answers they come up with have never stopped haunting them.
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
The mystery plot was there from the beginning. I had a wonderful time inventing a set of wonky characters in an imaginary little hippie town in the Berkshires, with the challenge of trying to figure out who among these various peace activists, artisans and poets, leftwing intellectuals, and spiritual seekers would murder someone, and why. Once I had the mystery structured, I could relax into writing the dialogue and the scenes. What were they listening to on the stereo? What were they arguing about? Laughing about? What were all of them wearing? How did they understand the world around them, and how were they trying to change it for the better?
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I want to bring Jennifer and Ford back together in the present day. They are both in their late ‘sixties now, and they meet up again at a conference during which someone dies mysteriously. I have the plot lined up as well as most of the characters. I haven’t gotten very far in the writing yet, but I’ve booked myself some time away this winter just to write, and I’m planning to have it done by the end of this coming year.
Concern for her community prompts Jennifer to investigate the murder with the sometimes-reluctant help of Ford McDermott, a young police officer. Little does she know that the solution lies in the hidden past.
Part of the Solution blends snappy dialogue, unconventional settings, and a classic oldies soundtrack, capturing the essence of a traditional whodunnit in the era of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.
The Pressure of Testing
Tokyo Juku follows an eighteen-year-old student in Japan who, while studying all night in her cram school, discovers one of her teachers has been murdered, leading to an investigation into the education system. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The main inspiration comes from talking with my students. Their struggles inspired me to write about them. I teach at a university, so hearing from my seminar students about what they’ve been through really made me rethink the Japanese educational system from their perspective. One of the largest problems is the pressure of testing. Students hate tests. I mean, really hate them! My job entails evaluation, but more as individual feedback than standardized testing as social gatekeeping. Over the years, when I tell people that I teach at a university, they often cast their eyes down and mumble the name of their school, a little embarrassed at their past failings. Or, just the opposite, very proudly. That’s a sad reaction to what should be a life-transforming experience. In the novel, I wanted to take my students’ stories, my observations, and others’ experiences and condense them into the struggles of the main character, Mana. Like most Japanese, she has to learn how to navigate treacherous educational waters. As an educator and a writer, I’m on the side of improvement, but that’s easier said than done.
How has character development for Detective Hiroshi Shimizu changed for you through the series?
Hiroshi has evolved through the series. In the first novel, he had just returned from America and found the detective job through a connection. He works the job reluctantly but gradually finds he is pretty good at it, despite being resistant to crime scenes and the grittier aspects of the job. He reconnects with his college girlfriend, moves in with her, and they start a family in the latest novel. That idea of fatherhood causes him great anxiety because of what he’s seen behind the curtain. Does he want to bring a child into the world he’s glimpsed while working in homicide? But he has a knack for finding the pattern in the chaos of cases, and he’s needed.
Was it important for you to deliver a moral to readers, or was it circumstantial to deliver an effective novel?
An effective novel comes first. The moral is something that occurs in readers’ minds. I think if you push a moral or make themes too explicit, it takes away from the beautiful ambiguity of reading. As a writer, I can nudge readers in specific directions, but they will draw their own conclusions. So, if you push a moral without a compelling story, it comes across as preachy. Nobody likes that. Readers have their own reactions to the characters’ conflicts, which might yield a moral they take away, but it might also be something more complex—a conclusion or understanding that doesn’t fit into the frame of a moral. The conflicts and confusions of characters are at the heart of an effective story. I focus on that. My job as a writer is to keep them turning pages, thinking, and enjoying the ride.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Detective Hiroshi Shimizu and the direction of the next book?
The next book will focus on the tourist industry, which has really taken off in Japan. I have culture shock—or maybe reverse culture shock—in parts of the city swamped with visitors from abroad. That’s changing the city. I’m not against that, but the influx of tourists and tourist money has not been clearly planned for. And much of Japan is highly planned. Japan is internationalizing, in good and bad ways, so that Hiroshi will be needed even more with his English and accounting skills. He’s got plenty more cases to work on.
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Eighteen-year-old Mana pulls an all-nighter at her juku, a private Japanese cram school that specializes in helping students pass the once-a-year exams. She failed the year before but feels sure she’ll get it the second time—if she can stay awake. The Japanese saying, “Four pass, five fail,” presses her to sleep just four hours a day, and study the rest.
When she wakes up in the middle of the night, head pillowed on her notes, she takes a break down the silent hallway. A light comes from an empty classroom, and still sleepy, she pushes open the door to discover something not covered in her textbooks. Her juku teacher, the one who got her going again, lies stabbed to death below the whiteboard, with the knife still in his chest and the AV table soaked in blood.
Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is called in, and though he’s usually the forensic accountant, not the lead detective, he’s put in charge of the case. With the help of colleagues old and new, he’s determined to find the killer before the media convicts the girl in the press, the new head of homicide pins it on her, or big money interests make her the scapegoat.
Hiroshi follows up on uncooperative witnesses, financial deceptions, and the sordid details of some teachers’ private lives. Even as he gets closer, the accumulating evidence feels meager amid the vastness of the education industry, and the pressures and profits of Japan’s incessant exams.
At the outset of the investigation, Hiroshi listens as an education ministry official lectures him on how education holds the nation together, but he soon discovers how it also pulls it apart, and how deadly a little learning can be.
Overlooked Corners of History
An Unsuitable Job follows the first woman detective in her Las Vegas agency, who is investigating the murder of a salesman at a hotel and encounters a dismissive attitude from those around her. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The idea came from my fascination with overlooked corners of history, especially those involving courageous women who quietly broke barriers. When I discovered the real-life Harvey Girls—young women trained to serve with precision and elegance across the American West—I saw the potential for a deeper story. Many of these women had grit and ambition but were often remembered only for their uniforms or smiles. I wondered: what if one of them refused to fade into the background? What if she stepped into a role no woman had held before—like that of a detective?
The hotel setting, inspired by the historic Castañeda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, was the perfect place to explore class, gender, and secrecy. A grand old hotel invites both luxury and scandal—and that’s where Josie MacFarland steps in.
I found Josie to be an intriguing character, and I admired her determination to prove herself in a career dominated by men. What was your inspiration for this character?
Thank you—I admire her too. Josie is very close to my heart. She’s smart, observant, and deeply principled, but also shaped by the pressures of 1929: the Great Depression, limited choices for women, and expectations from her family. I gave her my own stubborn streak and added a longing for justice and belonging that I think many of us share.
She’s inspired in part by the women in my own family—strong, capable, and often under-recognized—and by the many female pioneers who were told they were “unsuitable” for one reason or another. Josie doesn’t just want a job; she wants to matter. And she wants to do it her own way.
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
A bit of both. I began with a clear sense of the victim and the setting—who died, where, and why it would shake up the community. But the full mystery unraveled as I wrote. I’m a big believer in letting characters surprise me. Once I had Josie on the page, her instincts began to shape the investigation. Clues appeared I hadn’t planned for, and side characters revealed secrets I didn’t see coming.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
Yes—this is the beginning of The Harvey House Mysteries, a new historical series set in the American Southwest during the late 1920s and early ’30s. Each book will feature Josie as the recurring protagonist. She’s now a “Harvey House Detective,” solving problems the company wants handled quietly—before the press or police get involved.
The next installment will take Josie deeper into the dusty corridors of power, family secrets, and crimes that echo far beyond one hotel room. I’m currently working on book two, and let’s just say: someone ends up dead in a very public place—and it’s not who anyone expected.
That’s part of the fun and challenge of writing a mystery. It needs a solid structure, but also room to breathe. I knew the ending early on, but the journey there? That unfolded like a case file opening in real time.
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1929 Las Vegas, New Mexico. When a man is murdered at the Castaneda Hotel, Josie MacFarland is given an impossible role: the first Harvey House Detective. Armed with only her determination, Josie faces a dismissive sheriff, the cold shoulder of old friends, and the hardships of the Great Depression.
She can either return home in disgrace—or fight to prove she belongs in a world determined to shut her out.
For readers of Jacqueline Winspear, Rhys Bowen, and Sulari Gentill.
The Grip of Grief
Out of Mind follows a woman rebuilding her life after trauma as the shadow of her violent ex closes in, drawing them into a tense collision neither can escape. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Two years ago, I published Snap Decision, the novel that precedes Out of Mind. The story ended on a cliffhanger that left readers eager for more, and their visceral responses played a significant role in inspiring the setup for Out of Mind. I still remember receiving emails from readers mentioning how they were “up all night” thinking about the ending and begging me to tell what happens next. With that, heartfelt and serious conversations with readers at various events about Paige and her life served as powerful inspiration. One woman actually growled at me for how I ended Snap Decision! Moments like that made me realize how deeply people connected with these characters and their journeys. It was only natural to continue with Paige and how she rebuilt her life.
Paige’s grief feels so tactile and intimate. Were any personal experiences or research sources especially influential in shaping that emotional texture?
First, thank you for those words. Like everyone, I’ve lost people very close to me. It is impossible to forget the grip of grief- it’s a feeling that never truly leaves. When I write, I am inside the skin of my characters which allows me to create authentic emotional depth and texture. Deep emotions pull in readers and get them to care about-and connect with- the characters. Additionally, emotional connection pushes the reader to find out what is going to happen and want to read more. People begged me to write a fifth novel. I happily obliged.
Max’s chapters are unsettling in a very controlled way. How did you balance showing his perspective without over-humanizing or glamorizing him?
Again, thank you for your words. First, Max is an unsettled character who did not deserve to be over humanized or glamorized. Because I glamorized him in Snap Decision, I knew I had to balance his perspective by constructing realistic flaws/weaknesses-such as greed- to culminate in his deserved ultimate fall from grace. Again, I inhabit my characters and walk through every scenario, hear every word to create a perspective fitting of who they are at heart.
The pacing tightens dramatically in the middle of the book. Did you always envision that rhythm, or did it evolve during revisions?
Truth be told, that rhythm truly evolved during revisions. As I worked to tighten the pace, I discovered that alternating between Paige’s and Max’s perspectives created a tense rhythm that kept the story moving swiftly and intensified the suspense at crucial points. For instance, shifting from Paige’s vulnerable moments directly into Max’s unsettling mindset allowed the tension to build naturally, as each perspective threw the other into sharper focus.
Often, the book seemed to write itself—the tension would pour out unexpectedly, especially when the characters began to take on lives of their own. As the characters developed outside my initial intentions, the suspense/tension was naturally amplified helping to create an emotionally charged story.
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Last year, Paige Buckley survived an unimaginable terror at the hands of a former lover. In search of safety, she relocates far from home under a new identity, hoping peace will finally come.
Driven by a flash of her former life across her television, Paige travels to Florida in search of friends who stood by her in a time of darkness. Unexpected reunions bring comfort and the spark of a new love offers a glimpse of a life she never thought she would see again.
However, fate is not done with her yet. Her new life soon begins to unravel in unforeseen ways as she learns the man who wanted her dead is in Florida and has her in his sights. Paige knows she must end this situation—for good—to protect herself and those she cares about before they all become victims.
LITERARY TITAN 