Experience With Poverty
Bodega Botanica Tales: Carmen follows a girl growing up in poverty, guided by unreliable adults and navigating friendships whose life changes when she is pulled into a mystical world of miracles and curses. Where did the idea for this story come from?
The overall inspiration for the Bodega Botanica Tales series came from my family’s move from a city to an island when I was a child. That move, for me, felt like an alternate universe. After a year of living on an island, my parents decided to move back to the city. I wanted to write a series on how disruptive these environmental moves/transitions can affect a kid, especially during the teen years. And Carmen, while completely fictional, draws from my own experience with poverty. I wanted to explore how stigma tied to poverty can shape a girl’s understanding of themselves.
What was your approach to shaping Carmen’s backstory?
I knew from personal experience that poverty impacts girls differently. That understanding led me to highlight period poverty as a theme. Even though Carmen narrates from adulthood, I intentionally kept the language simple and concise. My goal was for the reader to encounter the world exactly as Carmen does, and to move through the story alongside her.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main theme is how poverty can affect how teens navigate their environment.
Can we look forward to a third installment in Bodega Botanica Tales soon? Where will it take readers?
Yes, third and fourth, which are Bodega Botanica Tales: Tito and Bodega Botanica Tales: Lucy, both installments will launch in 2026. Readers will get to know Tito and Lucy’s stories, each describing their own challenges and triumphs. Readers will get a chance to piece together what truly happened on that fateful day in Silk City and whether the Bodega Botanica is a real place. Stay tuned, Brujas!
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website | Amazon
…until the secret she’s kept for years helps her claim it.
Carmen is thirteen, period poor, and desperate for protection, in a city where dangers lurk at every corner. Everything changes when she takes a bracelet from the local bodega, leading her to an alternate world. Now, as an adult looking back, Carmen must reckon with her actions. Some magic can’t be undone. Some lessons must be learned. And some stories must be told, even if no one believes them.
This is the second part to the Bodega Botanica Tales six-part series, which are coming-of-age stories across two timelines. Each story stands alone as a unique experience of childhood trauma, resilience, and the challenges of growing up.
Perfect for mature teen and crossover adult readers.
Our Unconcious Mind
Operation Archer follows a grieving engineer searching for healing through hypnotherapy, who finds himself time-traveling back to 1940’s Nazi Germany, where he has to stop history from being rewritten. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story was inspired by an incident when I was taking part in a hypnotherapy course in Birmingham in December 1998. We were doing a module called Automatic Writing. The idea was that we would all go into trance while holding a pencil over a notepad and our unconscious mind would write down useful information about the issue we had in mind. However, what happened to me was amazing. I wrote an Airman’s Diary from 1944 which extended to several pages. It featured details of being on an RAF base in 1944 and a subsequent Lancaster bombing mission over Berlin. Soon after this another person doing the course (who was a clairvoyant) carried out past — life regression hypnosis on me and discovered that I had apparently lived before as an RAF bomber pilot in1944. I had died on a mission over Berlin when my Lancaster bomber exploded after being struck by cannon shells from a German night fighter. I never forgot this incident and when I was planning my first novel I thought it would be a suitable inspiration for the plot. I thought : ‘What would happen if someone was hypnotically regressed back to 1944 and really did travel back in time and then they couldn’t get back to the present day?’ Things developed from there and I added the plot point that the hero Simon is suffering trauma caused by his wife’s death. I also added another story thread in which Simon takes part in a Special Forces raid on a German underground factory. The factory is manufacturing German flying saucers which can travel at 5000 miles an hour and win the war for Germany. Later Simon discovers that these craft can also travel in time and pass into parallel universes.
What emotional parallels did you see between bomber crews and Simon’s internal state?
RAF and USAAF bomber crews in WW2 often suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), now called simply post-traumatic stress, because of the dangers involved in flying a poorly- defended bomber over enemy territory against massive opposition from enemy fighter planes and anti-aircraft fire. Simon is clearly suffering from PTSD as a result of his wife’s preventable death and he has treatment from a hypnotherapist in Glasgow. So there are indeed parallels between bomber crews and Simon’s mental state.
Operation Archer moves between historical fiction, sci-fi, and psychological drama. Did you ever worry about fitting into a single genre?
Operation Archer is a unique book because it straddles several genres. There is World War Two action adventure rather like the Alistair MacLean thriller ‘Where Eagles Dare.’ There is also a time travel element, plus a love story at the core of the book and also Simon’s journey to recover from his grief. I was aware that this is a multi-genre book but that is what makes it so interesting.
Do you see Simon’s journey as healing, redemption, acceptance, or something more ambiguous?
Simon is on a personal journey during the book. When we consider the plot it could be described as boy meets girl, boy loses girl because she dies , boy meets girl again by going back in time into a parallel universe. Boy then loses girl, but he subsequently returns to the near past and meets girl again. He then manages to save the love of his life from a preventable death but unfortunately this action has tragic consequences for Simon but in the last sentence of the book there is a surprise ending which I think ties up all the loose ends and will leave all readers with a smile on their face.
Author Links: Amazon | Website
It is 1940s Europe, and Nazi Germany is close to deploying the Haunebu, a secret flying-saucer weapon capable of 5000 mph, technology that would hand Hitler victory. Recruited into a daring commando raid behind enemy lines, Simon must help destroy the Haunebu in its underground base before it changes the course of history.
As he fights SS soldiers, deadly air attacks and a dangerous escape across enemy territory, supported by Susan, a courageous woman who becomes his ally and unexpected love, Simon must survive long enough to save Britain and find a way home.
A gripping blend of military action, WW2 intrigue and time-travel sci-fi, Operation Archer delivers high-stakes suspense for fans of Where Eagles Dare, The Guns of Navarone, and alternate-history war thrillers.
Preparation and Perfectionism
Unstuck digs into the everyday mess of self-sabotage and shows how it hides in fear, doubt, old stories, and protective habits that keep us spinning in place, rather than providing readers with practical tools to build new habits. What inspired you to write Unstuck?
Unstuck was inspired by watching capable, self-aware people repeatedly blame themselves for patterns they didn’t choose. I kept seeing the same frustration show up in different forms, like overthinking, hesitation, perfectionism, and a constant sense of starting over. Most of these people weren’t lacking insight or intelligence. They were responding to fear in ways that once made sense but no longer served them. I wrote Unstuck to explain that experience clearly and to offer practical tools that help people move forward without shame, force, or pressure.
You emphasize that self-sabotage is not a personal flaw. Why is that reframe so important?
Because when people see self-sabotage as a flaw, they respond with self-criticism, and self-criticism almost always strengthens the pattern. The behaviors we call self-sabotage are usually protective responses shaped by fear, conditioning, and past experience. Reframing them this way allows people to work with their nervous system instead of fighting it. Once someone understands that their reactions are learned rather than broken, change becomes something they can practice instead of something they feel judged for.
What patterns do you see most often in people who feel “stuck”?
The most common pattern is overthinking as a form of protection. People delay action while searching for certainty, replay decisions to avoid risk, or use preparation and perfectionism as a way to stay safe. I also see avoidance disguised as productivity and a harsh inner dialogue that erodes self-trust over time. These patterns are subtle, which is why awareness and repetition matter more than dramatic insight.
What does “being unstuck” look like long-term, not just in a breakthrough moment?
Long-term change looks quieter than people expect. Being unstuck means noticing fear without letting it decide, responding instead of reacting, and choosing smaller, steadier actions that build trust over time. That’s also why I created the UNSTUCK Workbook as a companion for readers who want help applying the ideas consistently. The goal isn’t a single breakthrough. It’s learning how to practice awareness, regulation, and follow-through in everyday situations so progress holds.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
You may understand your patterns. You may have read the books, tried the advice, and promised yourself you would “do better next time.” And yet the same cycle keeps repeating. Not because you lack discipline or ambition, but because your mind is defaulting to old protective responses that no longer fit the life you are trying to build.
If you have ever asked yourself why you keep getting in your own way, this book offers a clear, compassionate explanation. You are not broken. Your brain is doing what it learned to do under pressure, fear, and uncertainty.
Built around the A.I.R.™ Method, UNSTUCK helps you recognize self-sabotaging habits as conditioned responses rather than personal failures. Instead of forcing motivation or relying on willpower, the book teaches you how to notice patterns early, interrupt anxiety spirals, and respond with steadier, more intentional action.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
identify hidden forms of self-sabotage like overthinking, avoidance, perfectionism, and harsh self-talk so you can stop repeating them automatically
calm the inner critic and regulate emotional reactions so fear no longer drives your decisions
rebuild confidence through small, repeatable actions so progress feels sustainable instead of exhausting
create emotional safety around change so growth no longer triggers shutdown or self-doubt
move forward consistently even when motivation fades or pressure increases
Rather than chasing breakthroughs, UNSTUCK focuses on progress that holds. Through practical psychology, real-life examples, and guided reflection, the book shows how to shift from self-protection to self-trust without pretending, performing, or becoming someone else.
Readers and editorial reviewers have noted the book is grounded, emotionally intelligent approach, highlighting its focus on awareness, clarity, and steady change rather than pressure-driven transformation.
UNSTUCK is especially well suited for people who:
feel stuck in cycles of overthinking or fear
know what they want but struggle to follow through
are tired of starting over and blaming themselves
want calm, durable confidence instead of temporary motivation
This is not a book about fixing yourself.
It is about removing the internal resistance that has been blocking who you already are.
If you’re ready to stop restarting and start moving forward with clarity, stability, and self-trust, UNSTUCK offers a grounded path forward.
Read today and begin building progress that lasts.
The Cultural Threat
Dollartorium follows a struggling corndog shop owner who chases a too-good-to-be-true business scheme, only for the fallout to expose the hollow promises of hustle culture. Did this novel begin as satire, social commentary, or character study?
The Dollartorium began as a play, inspired by Aristophanes’ Clouds, but instead of satirizing philosophers (not much a target these days), I thought better to take on that new class of hustlers and the culture they have created. Like most satire, it became social commentary and, sadly, even more relevant now than when I began.
The Dollartorium scheme feels disturbingly familiar. How closely did you model it on real-world programs? Were you more interested in exposing the scam itself or the conditions that make people vulnerable to it?
Ha! It is disturbingly familiar to me as well. The Dollartorium is a critique of the many ways our culture, especially business culture, creates a numbness in ourselves and in our relationships with others. The Dollartorium is more about the cultural threat, the scam itself, but of course, the scam would hardly be a threat if we, like Ralph, weren’t vulnerable to it. Fortunately, Ralph and Phyllis recover with the help of a more reality-grounded Stella.
The novel is funny, but there’s an undercurrent of anger beneath the jokes. How do you balance humor with critique?
Without humor, I’d go mad. The heart of the book is in the lectures at the Dollartorium. I use each lecture to ridicule one thing. If the book revealed the totality of living under the culture of uncontrolled capitalism, it would be humorless and unbearable. These little things, from sex in advertising to dilution of food, are pieces we all experience, and up close they are both funny and disconcerting. To see their absurdities enables us to distance ourselves from them a bit. But to be so used, so often, makes me angry.
The book closes on a realistic, not idyllic, note. Why was that the right ending?
I would be gratified if the ending were realistic, that we simply open our eyes and live and work doing what we can as best we can, bearing in mind the needs of others. After a brutal journey for Ralph and his daughter, I hope the ending shows that things do not have to be the way they have become, and that the journey to a saner world is a personal, as well as social, responsibility. Even Phyllis finds pleasure in honest work. Still, the Money Master endures, intent on his own selfish worldview, doesn’t he?
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Fairness and Equality
Line ‘Em Up! follows a group of students whose world is changed by a new teacher who shows them how to find the greatness inside themselves. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was incredibly fortunate to have one of my early stories critiqued by the late James Alan McPherson. He once told me that the most powerful stories are often about ordinary people placed in extraordinary situations. That idea stayed with me, but as a special education teacher, I found myself drawn to the reverse: extraordinary individuals navigating what the world considers ordinary.
My students—many of whom have disabilities—work every day to master skills that others take for granted. Something as simple as forming a straight line can be an enormous triumph. That contrast fascinated me. I wanted to explore the dignity, determination, and quiet heroism embedded in those moments.
So I paired these extraordinary children with a teacher who is extraordinary in a very different way—a former professional football player who once seemed invincible, now facing the realities of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Placing these two worlds side by side allowed me to explore resilience, vulnerability, and the ways people lift one another up.
Ultimately, I hoped to create a story that resonates because we all know someone who appears larger than life, and we all know someone who faces daily challenges due to disability or illness. Line ’Em Up! brings those experiences together in a way that I hope feels both heartfelt and universal.
Is there anything from your own childhood included in the characters in Line ‘Em Up?
Growing up in Massachusetts in the 1970s, I saw how students in special education were often separated from the rest of the school. I didn’t understand it then, but as I grew older and became a special education teacher, I learned that those classrooms held a wide range of students. Some were there because of genuine cognitive disabilities, while others were placed there due to emotional trauma, unstable home lives, or circumstances far beyond their control.
That understanding shaped the way I think about fairness and equality—two ideas I consider very different. Equality means everyone gets the same thing; fairness means everyone gets what they need. That distinction has guided my teaching and deeply influenced Line ’Em Up!
While none of the characters are based on specific individuals, the emotional truth of the story comes from witnessing how children grow when they’re understood, supported, and included.
The artwork in your book is wonderful. Can you share with us a little about your collaboration with illustrator Sarah Jane Docker?
One of the main reasons I reached out to Sarah Jane Docker is simply because she’s an exceptionally talented illustrator. When I looked through her portfolio, I immediately felt she was the right fit for this story. Her characters didn’t look like the typical, polished industry illustrations you see everywhere—there was warmth, honesty, and a lived‑in quality to her work that felt real.
Representation was also incredibly important to me. According to a 2019 study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only about 3.4% of children’s books feature a main character with a disability. When I saw that Sarah naturally included Black, white, Asian, and disabled characters in her illustrations—not as statements, but as part of the world she creates—I knew she understood the heart of this book. That says a lot about an illustrator.
I also want to highlight the tremendous contribution of our layout artist, Anna Lubecka (and her husband Greg), founder of Banana Bear Books. The collaboration between Sarah and Anna elevated the entire visual experience. Without their combined talents—the illustrations and the thoughtful layout—the artwork wouldn’t resonate with readers in the memorable way it does now.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Several ideas were especially important for me to explore in Line ’Em Up! One is the distinction between fairness and equality—a theme that runs through both my teaching and my writing. Equality means everyone gets the same thing; fairness means everyone gets what they need. That difference matters deeply in classrooms and in life.
I also wanted to play with the contrast between the extraordinary and the ordinary—how children who are often overlooked can show remarkable strength in everyday moments, and how something as simple as forming a straight line can become a powerful act of growth and pride.
And finally, the idea of “Champions” versus “Champeons” is woven into the heart of the story. Readers will understand the meaning once they experience the book, but it speaks to the difference between looking like a champion and truly becoming one.
These themes guided me as I wrote, and I hope they resonate with readers of all ages.
Author Links: Instagram | Email
Physiologic Disruptions
In The Shift Worker’s Paradox, you present an unsettling picture of the grim reality of shift work and its biological impact on the human body. Why was this an important book for you to write?
A friend of mine used to say that self-help books are often written for the author. I suppose the ultimate motivator for this book is my own narrowing mortality. Watching a decade of night shift slowly peel away the resilience and strength I had built over the years has a way of sharpening perspective.
I also saw this as a personal responsibility. I devour podcasts and have listened to countless discussions on sleep, health, and wellness, always waiting for someone to meaningfully address shift workers. Many made a passing nod to the risks, but I wanted a deeper dive, one that helped address what I felt was a clear gap in the conversation.
The truth is, this topic has been on my mind for a long time. As a perpetual biohacker, I’ve spent more than twenty years trying to find ways to improve my own health and well-being. The subject also has broader relevance. We are now a 24/7 society, with a large swath of the workforce engaged in shift work. Add the physiologic disruptions outlined in this book to an already unhealthy American population, and you have a recipe for long-term, often informing sequelae.
I recognize that this is not a “sexy” book. Because it addresses a niche topic, I never expected it to be a bestseller. What I did hope was that someone, somewhere, would find value in it. I believe it is the most comprehensive book on shift work ever written, and I am proud of that.
Can you share with us a little about the research process that went into putting this book together?
I write several hundred thousand words a year as a freelance writer across a wide range of medical topics. During that time, I routinely encounter information that informs the pieces I am working on and often proves relevant to this book, so I make careful notes along the way. The eighteen months spent writing the book were largely devoted to organizing that framework and properly referencing the accumulated material.
I tend to approach writing from the perspective of a project manager: planning, executing, and monitoring progress. The actual writing, however, is less about production and more about building a narrative—telling a coherent story by fitting the right pieces of the puzzle together.
As an avid reader, I know that an over-referenced book can be difficult to read, and as a fiction writer prior to this project, references were not part of my usual process. Moving back and forth between fiction and nonfiction, I found that transition particularly challenging.
Your book takes a deeply emotional turn with personal stories. Why did you choose to blend science and moving narratives?
As I mentioned, prior to this book, my only published works were literary fiction. My academic and freelance writing does not require an emotional component. As I continue to grow as a nonfiction writer, I want my work to be narrative nonfiction—using dialogue and scene setting to drive the story. That is what I appreciate as a reader, and I hope others do as well. This is an important topic with significant consequences, and in the opening pages, I allude to why this information matters. In some cases, it can be a matter of life and death.
What is one thing you hope readers take from The Shift Worker’s Paradox?
That all is not lost. In truth, many people who are not shift workers can also benefit from this book and understand that burnout, fatigue, and health decline in shift work—and in general wellness—are not personal failures; they are predictable physiological outcomes of working against human biology. Even if you are not a shift worker, give yourself some grace as you approach your health challenges.
I hope readers understand that exhaustion is a systems problem, not a character flaw, and that they use the language and evidence provided to stop blaming themselves. If the book does one thing, I hope it replaces guilt with clarity and empowers readers to make informed, realistic decisions about their health, careers, and lives.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | BlueSky | Amazon
Medics, factory workers, and police officers-shift workers-are going against what their bodies are designed to do. The Shift Worker’s Paradox is a must-read for anyone living this reality, and a powerful refresher for those who have lived it before.
There comes a point where biology and exhaustion collide, where functioning and the body’s natural rhythms are at odds, and survival depends on understanding what constant disruption does to the human system and how shift workers can push back.
This book is the ultimate survival manual for those who don’t get the sleep they need. We were not born to live in a state of perpetual rush, yet millions do. Through science and real-life stories, The Shift Worker’s Paradox exposes how shift work disrupts internal clocks, metabolism, and aging, and pulls back the curtain on how small, rhythmic changes can begin to repair the damage.
From light therapy and tailored nutrition to adaptogens, precision supplementation, and pharmacological nudges, it offers research-backed, deeply human strategies for those desperate for sleep at 3 a.m. and racing to feel rested by noon.
Empathetic and unflinching,
The Shift Worker’s Paradox reminds us that biology is not up for debate, and that resilience is not a product of willpower, but of rhythm.
Taking Control of Your Health
When East Meets West offers readers a self-care toolkit derived from both Eastern and Western practices. Can you share with us a little about the research required to put this book together?
I have spent many years learning about complementary care, alternative medicine, and integrative healthcare. I completed a course on Complementary Therapies in my graduate program and a class on Hypnosis in my doctoral program. In preparing to write this current edition of the book, I spent months reviewing the literature on every topic in this book. Although many of the topics do not have strong research evidence, there are many anecdotal articles about the potential benefits and harms of the various self-care practices. This book serves as an introduction to the various practices and readers are strongly advised to consult with their healthcare providers and do their own research before incorporating these practices into their health and wellness plan.
What is one misconception you believe many people have regarding self-care?
One misconception regarding self-care is that it can replace modern medicine which can result in harm to self or others. I think it’s important to integrate self-care practices into your daily health and wellness regimen. For example, if you have hypertension (high blood pressure) it is vitally important to treat it with antihypertensives that are prescribed by your healthcare provider. However, it is also important to eat healthy, exercise, and reduce stress. The use of meditation, essential oils, and journaling can help to decrease stress levels. This is an example of how to integrate self-care practice.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from When East Meets West?
I hope readers will understand the importance of taking a holistic approach to their health and well-being and that reading this book will serve as a starting point in this journey. Taking control of one’s health and knowing you have the power to do so is so important. You may not be able to prevent certain illnesses but you can manage them betterwith a holistic/integrative approach.
Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website
Discover the empowering world of complementary and alternative medicine in this approachable, informative guide to enhancing your health and well-being. Drawing on personal experience as a critical care nurse and lifelong learner, the author blends scientific understanding with holistic wisdom to offer a balanced, practical path toward integrative care.
Inside, you’ll explore the benefits, uses, and precautions of:
Essential oils and custom blends for mood, relaxation, and vitality
Herbal teas and tinctures that nourish the body and soothe the mind
Superfoods that can help optimize wellness from the inside out
Mind-body practices like meditation, journaling, therapeutic touch, and self-hypnosis
Energy work techniques to help restore balance and harmony
Whether you’re looking to complement traditional (Western) medical treatments or explore Eastern-inspired wellness methods, this book provides both the knowledge and inspiration to create your own personalized self-care plan. You’ll also find real-life stories-ranging from easing anxiety with meditation to surprising experiences with therapeutic touch-that illustrate just how transformative these practices can be.
This book is not a replacement for medical care-it’s an empowering companion for those who want to take a more active role in their health. With a “best of both worlds” approach, you’ll learn how to blend the precision of modern medicine with the timeless wisdom of holistic practices-helping you not just manage illness, but truly thrive.
It Feels Personal
The Stanton Falls Mysteries: Promotion to Peril follows the newly appointed Police Chief and his team as they navigate the murky waters of corruption and injustice. Why did you choose to tell this book as three interconnected short stories rather than a single continuous mystery?
I chose three short stories because the trouble in Stanton Falls doesn’t show up all at once. It comes in pieces. Each story lets the new Police Chief face a different problem, and together they show how the corruption connects underneath it all. Breaking it up kept the pace tight and let me focus on one challenge at a time while still building the bigger mystery.
What drew you to exploring betrayal from inside the system?
Betrayal inside the police force hits harder than anything coming from outside. When the people who are supposed to protect and serve the town become part of the problem, it changes everything. It forces the Chief to question who he can trust and how deep the damage goes. That kind of betrayal affects the whole community, and that’s why I wanted to explore it.
What aspects of small-town life make it effective for exploring secrets and corruption?
Small towns are perfect for stories about secrets because everyone knows everyone, or thinks they do. People have long memories, old grudges, and close ties that make problems harder to spot and harder to fix. When something goes wrong in a place that close‑knit, it feels personal. Secrets spread quietly, loyalties get messy, and corruption can hide in plain sight.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Stanton Falls and the direction of the third book?
The third book, Undercurrents of Betrayal, came out last year. I held off on releasing Promotion to Peril for a while because the cover wasn’t finished, but once that was taken care of, the book was ready. This story takes Stanton Falls in a new direction with a fresh storyline. I didn’t want to repeat the same conflict fromPromotion to Peril. I wanted to show how the town moves forward and how new problems can rise up even after old ones are settled. There are new characters, new challenges, and a different kind of trouble working its way into the town. It opens the door to the next phase of Stanton Falls and shows that the town still has plenty of secrets left to uncover.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In the quiet town of Stanton Falls, danger lurks beneath the surface. Chief Dan Ross and his dedicated team are back, determined to bring justice to those who have wronged the innocent.
When Chief Ross’s home is ravaged by a mysterious fire, the stakes are raised. As the team delves deeper into the investigation, they uncover a web of deceit and corruption that threatens to engulf the entire town. With unwavering support from each other, they must navigate a perilous path to uncover the truth.
As secrets are revealed and alliances are tested, Chief Ross and his team face their most challenging case yet. Will they be able to bring the culprits to justice, or will the darkness of Stanton Falls consume them?
“Promotion to Peril” is a gripping tale of suspense, loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Join Chief Dan Ross and his team as they battle against time and treachery in this thrilling continuation of the Stanton Falls Mysteries.
