Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Luanne Castle, author of Scrap: Salvaging a Family, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

Luanne Castle

Luanne Castle’s hybrid flash memoir, Scrap: Salvaging a Family, with a starred Kirkus review, is available from ELJ Editions. Her story, “Garden Seasons,” was selected for Best Microfiction 2026. Her poetry and prose have appeared in Copper Nickel, River Teeth, Your Impossible Voice, JMWW, Grist, Fourteen Hills, Verse Daily, Disappointed Housewife, Lunch Ticket, Saranac Review, Pleiades, Cleaver, Moon City, Moon Park, Anti-Heroin Chic, Bending Genres, BULL, The Mackinaw, The Ekphrastic Review, Phoebe, MacQueen’s Quinterly, Gone Lawn, Burningword, Superstition Review, One Art, Roi Fainéant, Dribble Drabble, Flash Boulevard, O:JA&L, Sheila-Na-Gig, Thimble, Antigonish Review, Longridge, Paragraph Planet, Six Sentences, Gooseberry Pie, Switch, and Ginosko.
She has published four award-winning poetry collections. Her ekphrastic flash and poetry collection Hunting the Cosmos is forthcoming from Shanti Arts in fall 2026. Her mixed-media art has been showcased at Rogue Agent, Ink in Thirds, Watershed Review, Wildscape, Mad Swirl, Raw Lit, and Thimble.
Luanne has been a Fellow at the Center for Ideas and Society at the University of California, Riverside. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside (PhD); Western Michigan University (MFA); and Stanford University (Certificate). Luanne lives with her husband and three cats in Arizona along a wash that wildlife use as a thoroughfare.

You can find author Castle here:
Website

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Beyond the formal details in your Author Bio, could you share a more personal glimpse into who you are with our readers?

I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I earned an MFA, then moved to California with my husband and two young children to study for my PhD in English. After that I taught at a university half-time and worked in my husband’s dental marketing business. When I took early retirement for medical reasons, we moved to Arizona, and I began to write my memoir. That’s when I got a certificate in creative nonfiction/memoir from Stanford University’s online program.

My kids are both married and live near my husband and me. We have a two-year-old grandson. During Covid I started art journaling which led to mixed media collaging. My collages have been featured in a number of magazines. I’m a dedicated animal lover and currently have three cats.

Beyond the blurb, could you delve into some unique aspects or pivotal moments from your book?

A pivotal time was when I was getting ready for ballet and, as usual, had picked up a book to read. My father stopped by to see if I was ready yet, and without thinking I asked the question I’d never thought of before: where is your father? My father’s response shut down our communication on the subject for fifty years.

What drove you to explore this specific theme in your book? Is there a central message or insight you aim to convey to your readers?

When I started writing Scrap: Salvaging a Family I didn’t know of any message. I just wanted to share my experiences and, through writing about them, learn from them. But my story began to shape itself by the real-life events that occurred, and after my father passed away, I realized that I was writing about forgiveness—the human desire to forgive one another and ourselves.

Evey book has its roots. What served as the catalyst for this one—a personal experience, a persistent idea, a transformative event, or something else entirely?

Most likely the catalyst was the big gap in my life. Until my father was elderly I had no idea who his father was and this felt like a big hole in my own life.

How long was the journey from conceptualizing the idea to seeing the final version of this book?

Eighteen years of writing, writing, writing. This book took many different shapes before I landed on the final structure.

As a writer, what are your future aspirations? Where do you envision yourself in the literary world five years from now?

Scrap is my fifth book, and I have a collection of ekphrastic poetry and flash fiction inspired by the art of Spanish-Mexican artist Remedios Varo called Hunting the Cosmos forthcoming from Shanti Arts later this year. I don’t feel another book in me right now, but that could change. So, for now I will continue to write flash and poems. I have no desire to write a novel, although I have three unfinished plays and a couple of other partial projects. Maybe I’ll go back to one of those. I like to support other writers through writing reviews and sharing their work with others.

Are there other topics or projects you’re currently researching or writing about?

I’m between major projects right now, but that doesn’t mean I’m not writing. And reading.

While your focus is on non-fiction, have you ever been tempted to venture into the realm of fiction?

I write a great deal of flash fiction. My MFA in creative writing was actually split between poetry and fiction. I studied under Stuart Dybek for fiction. My first four books are poetry.

Can you recall the moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer? Was it a path filled with challenges or a passion you seamlessly transitioned into? Our readers cherish personal author journeys!

When I was a little girl I wanted to be the three As: author, actress, and archeologist. I think of writing as having achieved all of those goals. Author is obvious, archeologist is related to the research for writing, and acting is important to me because I absolutely love writing different voices. Although I worked on my MFA when my kids were very little, after I moved and started my PhD, I had too much going on to write. I was studying, teaching, working for my husband, and taking care of the kids while my husband traveled for business. Even so, I would write like fury every few months for a month or two, just to keep my hand in it. That’s why when I was forced to retire from teaching (but still working for the business) I started writing: memoir and poetry. The flash fiction came a bit later.

Describe your writing process. Do you have any routines or rituals that help you stay focused and inspired?

I do love taking workshops. My husband jokingly calls me a “professional student.” The constraints involved with writing to prompts assigned by someone else stimulate my imagination and keep me focused so that I don’t have too many decisions to make. The routine is to sit in front of the computer and start writing when I can find at least a half hour. Kitchen or office, it doesn’t matter, although the kitchen is easier because I can keep an eye on what else needs doing. I’ve never really had long periods of solitude to write. Maybe that’s why I tend to write poetry and flash.

Outside of writing, do you have another profession or area of expertise?

I’m ok with general office work. I don’t love it, but I’ve done it for so long I have more expertise than the average person. I am an excellent reader. And my favorite area of (pseudo) expertise has been being a mom and now a grandma.

Given the theme of your book, could you recommend one or two other reads that resonate with similar ideas or insights? Feel free to mention influential authors as well.)

Mary Karr’s The Liar’s Club and Bernard Cooper’s The Bill from My Father were important traditional memoirs for me because of the focus on the relationship of the writers with one or both parents. It was harder to find less traditional memoirs to read, but I was influenced by Sheila O’Connor’s Evidence of V and Helie Lee’s Still Life with Rice. Both of these books are recreations of their grandmother’s lives. Another book that does something similar is Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. However, the only one of these books that works in hybridity is the O’Connor book.

In the vast realm of non-fiction, are there specific authors or books that have profoundly influenced your approach or thinking?

The above authors were most influential for me.

The dreaded Writer’s Block—does it ever hinder your process, and if so, how do you navigate past it?

I’ve never had Writer’s Block. The closest I’ve come are periods where I am overwhelmed with too much work and stimulation. At those times I can’t calm my mind enough to write, so I have to wait it out. I do think the reason I don’t experience Writer’s Block is my reliance on prompts for writing. Focusing on a specific topic/structure/style gives me the ability to move forward with a particular story or poem.

Non-fiction often requires a balance of research and narrative. How do you strike that balance, ensuing your work is both informative and engaging?

I did research for Scrap, but the majority of it was genealogical research. I ended up not including too much of that in the book but it underpins the search for understanding my grandfather. I was an academic writer for some time, and so my experience with researching for writing probably comes in handy. When you write memoir, it’s important not to let the research overwhelm the emotions.

Writing non-fiction can sometimes mean delving into controversial or sensitive topics. How do you handle potential criticism or differing viewpoints from readers?

In memoir, the writer runs the risk of readers reading their own experience into the book, thus coloring their perspective. Additionally, some family members might not appreciate family secrets being divulged publicly. I have tried to be true to my own experience. That’s the best I can do.

For those looking to embark on their own non-fiction writing journey, what piece of advice would you deem invaluable?

My advice is to write in scenes without trying to publish them long enough to really get familiar with your own experience. Then write reflection pieces for each scene. In that way you discover what you have learned from the experience. All memoir is experience (memory) + reflection. You can’t have one without the other.

Thank you, author Castle, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

The Orichalcum Crown

Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luanne Castle is a fragmented, lyrical, and emotionally precise memoir that sifts through family memory, inherited shame, childhood fear, and the difficult work of understanding a parent without excusing the harm they caused. Written as a “memoir in flash,” the book is built out of short, vivid pieces, named as scraps of childhood, domestic scenes, remembered violence, questions, photographs, family stories, documents, and imagined reconstructions, all stitched together into something devastating and incredibly artful.
At the centre of the memoir is Castle’s father, Rudy, a man carrying the wound of being born “illegitimate,” by the absence of his own father, and by the shame that surrounded his origins. But Castle does not simplify him into villain or victim. He is frightening, volatile, sometimes cruel but he is also resourceful, hardworking, wounded, loving in broken and bewildering ways, and capable of gestures of strange tenderness. This complexity is what gives the memoir its emotional maturity. Author Castle is not writing to settle a score; she is trying to understand the system of hurt that made her father who he was, and how that hurt passed through him into her childhood.
The form of the book is one of its strongest elements. The flash structure mirrors the nature of memory itself as nonlinear, sensory, sharp-edged, and sometimes contradictory. Author Castle’s prose is beautifully controlled, often poetic without becoming ornamental. She has a remarkable ability to locate trauma in objects. The title Scrap is perfect because the memoir is not only about salvage in the literal sense, but about salvaging meaning from what was damaged, hidden, discarded, or misunderstood.
What I admired most is the book’s refusal to offer easy forgiveness. It moves toward compassion, yes, but not sentimental absolution. Scrap is a beautifully crafted and intelligent memoir about trauma, inheritance, girlhood, secrecy, and family wounds. It is painful, yes, but also tender in unexpected ways. It is a memoir that feels intimate, brave, and unforgettable.

You can find Scrap here:
Amazon | Goodreads

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome J.J.N. Whitley, author of The Orichalcum Crown, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

J.J.N. Whitley

J. J. N. Whitley is a licensed attorney and proud cat-dad. His time in Okinawa sparked a love for anime and JRPGs, and living in Australia did the same for sports.

You can find author Whitley here:
Instagram | Youtube | Patreon | X

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Could you provide our readers with a personal introduction beyond your official Author Bio?

Sure. I’m JJNW (Juh-jin-wuh). I introduced myself as that one year in drama class, and the name stuck. One year for Halloween I told a friend I was JJNW’s ghost, and that stuck too.

I’m naturally fidgety and always itching to work on the next project, whether it’s something I’m writing, playing or watching. So when I was diagnosed with ADHD last year I thought it explained a lot.

Beyond the blurb, can you share a unique aspect or background detail about your book’s setting or characters?

One major detail is the prevalence of gods. The oft aloof All-Mother is the literal mother of Athena and one of her sisters. The original emperor runs a brothel just down the mountain. Even when they’re not directly involved in the plot, their shadows loom large.

Every book begins with an idea. What was the initial inspiration that led you to write this particular story?

Funny enough, it came from a lack of inspiration. I realized that while I’d been working on existing projects for several years, I hadn’t come up with anything new in a long time. I started with the central idea of exploring the relationships of a royal family with an aging emperor on the decline and let it flow from there.  

Fantasy often tackles profound themes. What central message or theme do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The initial theme was about the weight of leadership. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all. But, despite the best intentions, that head is still human and prone to err. As the story evolved, it also tackled the theme of feeling like an outcast even in places where you’re supposed to be loved.

Of all the characters in your book, is there one you feel particularly close to? Why?

As much as I love Athena, I’d have to say Makoto. At her core, Makoto is someone who believes love must be earned and is almost always at risk of being lost. She wants nothing more than to be loved without needing to perform but is terrified of her authentic self being rejected.

There are elements of that I relate to. My favorite line in the book comes from her conversation with Ephraim in the garden and came right from my own heart.

How do you approach character development in a fantasy setting to ensure they are relatable to readers?

By grounding key character traits and relationships in reality. A handful of examples.

Athena being a protective older sister comes from her strained relationships with her parents. Dad is busy running the empire, and Mom is too busy being a god to care. So, she takes it on herself to make sure the little scamps are cared for.

Olive’s love of art stems from Athena’s encouragement. Now it helps her feel connected to a sister that’s no longer around.

Makoto and Ephraim are so close, because they met at a time when they each needed friendship. She needed a friend to make her feel safe in a new environment, and he needed a friend to deal with the grief of losing his parents.

When the character’s core feels grounded, their development comes naturally. Even in the face of fantastical elements.

What served as the primary inspiration for your characters? Were they from existing myths, personal experiences, dreams, or something else entirely?

Once I decided on the initial premise of a royal family, I had to start filling out the ranks. While some characters, like Ephraim and Klaus, are unique to this story, several others are from other ideas that never went anywhere. This includes major players; such as Athena, Makoto and Reina. It’s why I often refer to this story as my Island of Misfit Toys.

How long did the process of writing this book take from inception to completion?

About six years off and on. I had several drafts that started and ended in different places. I’d take breaks from writing or to work on other projects before coming back to tinker with it some more. The first idea started around February, 2020 when I was walking the track at the gym.

Are there other stories or fantasy worlds you’re currently developing?

Absolutely. One of them is a story of people trapped in a video game, so it’s a hybrid science fiction story as well. Another takes place in a world my friend made. And another is small town Indiana but with a little dash of magic. 

What attracts you to the fantasy genre specifically? Do you explore other genres as well?

I usually stick with fantasy but include other genres as part of the work. I love that fantasy has no limits and can encompass other genres. You can still write romance, horror, comedy and drama within a fantasy setting.

When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer? Was the journey straightforward, or did you face challenges along the way?

My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Kolp, had a mandatory journal writing period. I would write stories based on shows I was watching; like Dragon Ball or Pokémon. Had so much fun that I kept doing it. There’ve been a lot of challenges. Self-doubt, low sales and all that. But, here we are still doing it because I love it. 

Can you describe your typical writing routine?

It usually goes one of two ways. I’ll either have a flash of inspiration and starting writing a scene on my phone until the scene ends or I get stuck.

Alternatively, I’ll sit at my computer and re-read the last few paragraphs to get back into the scene. I’ll see it play out in my head and transcribe it as best I can. If I get stuck, I’ll go for a walk and think through it and hopefully get unstuck.

Editing is a crucial part of the writing process. How do you approach revisions and self-editing in the context of a fantasy narrative?

I try to note what’s missing or inconsistent in a draft when I’m reviewing it. If a character mentions something that’s from a previous draft then it needs to be cut or reworked. Likewise, if someone acts in a way they normally wouldn’t there needs to be a good reason for it or else it’s gone.

In addition, if there are elements of the plot or characterization that are lacking or not featured at all then I note where they should be inserted and rework those moments.

With the growing popularity of audiobooks and multimedia adaptations, have you considered these formats for your work?

I haven’t looked into audiobooks at this time, but I’d love one. I think it would be really cool.

I’d be ecstatic if someone wanted to adapt Orichalcum into a show, movie or game but I’m not holding my breath yet.

If you had to describe your writing style in three words, what would they be?

Talkative but violent.

What tools or methods do you prefer for writing—computer, typewriter, voice recording, or traditional pen and paper?

My go to is the notes app on my phone. That way I can write in just about any situation. But when I need to grind out some pages or editing, then I have to sit at my computer. Every now and then I do enjoy hand writing a few pages.

Could you share five books or authors that have influenced your writing, especially within the fantasy genre?

The Harry Potter series is a big one. I know I read a lot as a kid, but it’s the first time I remember being sucked into another world and not wanting to leave.

Lord of the Rings and Warriors as series with their own mythologies and large casts of characters.

I read Mistborn a few years ago, which helped a lot in developing the magic system of another story.

While not a book series, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the Trails series for its world building and character writing.

How do you tackle Writer’s Block when working within the expansive boundaries of fantasy?

A couple different ways. If a particular sentence is giving me trouble I’ll write a very basic to the point sentence, put it in brackets and move on with the paragraph.

If it’s the start of a scene or story, I’ll try hand writing and just seeing what happens. I did that with one story and a character I hadn’t previously imagined showed up and changed the whole ding dang thing.

If it’s a big picture element, I’ll play around with different versions of it and discuss it with people who know the story.

What piece of advice would you offer to budding writers, especially those looking to venture into fantasy?

Number one is to write. It’s the cliche answer, but your idea will always be just that until you write it down. 

Number two is be flexible and willing to adapt. Sometimes plot threads and characters don’t go where you initially imagined, and that’s okay. 

Last is to have a “why guy”. Someone who knows the story about as well as you do who you can bounce ideas off of. Regardless if they like the new idea or not, their job is to ask why a new direction is a good thing. The process of explaining it will generally show if it’s a passing fancy or something with deeper roots. Then you can have a good faith discussion about it.

Thank you, author Whitley, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

The Orichalcum Crown

Makoto lost her mother to a battle she can’t remember before being adopted into the Kauneus Empire’s royal family. Upon her eighteenth birthday, she receives her mother’s necklace from the emperor. Makoto’s memories slowly return, haunting her with visions of her lost sister and her mother’s murder.
She is torn between the family and answers awaiting her across the sea and the relationships with her family, best friend, and his handsome brother. Makoto fears returning home will cast doubt upon her loyalty to the emperor and sever her from the family. After all, Kauneus has no need for a disloyal princess.
Makoto’s eldest adoptive sister, Athena, remains banished from Zenith Palace for uncovering the emperor’s secret bastard. She is visited by her former dragon uncle, who shares a rumor that the emperor will be assassinated during the annual ball. Athena has no choice but to break her exile to save her father. Returning home risks death, but she’ll pay any price for her family’s safety.
As night falls upon the ball, lurking shadows and hidden agendas threaten the empire’s fragile peace. Makoto and Athena must navigate the delicate lines between loyalty and betrayal and learn what they are willing to sacrifice for freedom, truth, and family.

You can find The Orichalcum Crown here:
Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Books2Read

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Alison Bellringer, author of Whisper: Book One, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

Alison Bellringer

Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others through the art of publishing.
Alison loves spending time with her pet dog, a Labrador x Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand near many beautiful parks and beaches.
Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. She also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.One of her books, The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2^nd Place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets (a complete list of results can be found on the Story Monsters Book Awards website). More recently, The Wolf Cub received the Bronze Medal for the ‘EBook Pre-Teen Fiction’ category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards. Alison’s 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal. 

You can find author Bellringer here:
Author Website | Facebook

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Could you give our readers a personal introduction beyond what’s mentioned in your Author Bio?

Everyone in my immediate family have been avid readers for a long time and my three older siblings and I were all homeschooled using a very literacy-based program, which means there were always plenty of books lying around the house whenever we wanted to read something. The style of each author that we had literature from was quite varied, so the range of material available to us covered quite a number of different topics or genres, including early-readers to more in-depth novels for older children or young adults.

As a result of this widespread exposure to books from such an early age, it would be reasonable to assume that my initial interest in reading naturally contributed toward my notable passion for creative writing. This pursuit has only grown stronger ever since penning my first little story and I have now been writing children’s fiction for at least twenty years, with several later ones actually being professionally published, including Whisper (Book One) and the rest of the trilogy.

Children’s books often come with vibrant illustrations and settings. Can you share some background or details about the world or characters of your book that might not be immediately obvious?

At this point, none of my children’s books contain illustrations, other than what may be on the front cover. I absolutely love leaving the visual aspect up to each individual reader to interpret as they wish because they would all have a slightly different idea about exactly how each character looks, and what distinctive impression or feeling various settings invoke for them in particular. My writing style is usually quite descriptive and several independent reviewers have commented about things like how they’ve been drawn right into the book’s plot, could easily identify with the main character or topic being touched upon, or vividly able to picture different scenes in their mind’s eye and feel as if they were there in person.

Every children’s book carries a spark. What was the moment or idea that inspired this story for you?

Unfortunately, more and more children are facing similar problems in the real world to what my fictional character endures at the tender age of five. Initially, this little girl is a victim of domestic abuse, and I wanted other children to be able to relate to her story and have hope that even extremely difficult circumstances can be overcome if the right support is in place to help them get through it.

In actual fact, a friend of mine read this first manuscript and suggested that the story could easily be turned into a series, with the central focus switching between some of the other main characters and filling out more details about their own lives, making each one even more relatable and compelling overall. I readily agreed with this idea and after a bit of thought and time to consider, fitted together parts two and three, with certain scenes overlapping some of those already covered in Whisper, only pictured from a different character’s point of view.

Children’s literature often imparts valuable lessons. Is there a particular message or theme in your book that you hope resonates with young readers?

I hope readers are able to learn valuable life skills as a result of picking up one of my books and that my writing will encourage more in-depth discussions about different subjects, both within and out of the classroom. As a simple example, because a lot of my titles include some form of basic animal care as a key part of the story, I would love to hear directly from children who have gained new insight or a deeper understanding of how they could look after their own pets with a greater amount of awareness or sensitivity. Another example would be for readers to show more empathy toward others, especially when superficial differences occur, and being more mindful when they don’t know what personal struggles or battles someone else may be facing beneath the surface.

Among the characters in your book, is there one that holds a special place in your heart? Why?

My favorite character is Lucas; the titular character of the second book in the trilogy. Without giving too much away, he is one of the two kind-hearted people who took the vulnerable Britney in after she flees from an abusive home (which takes place in Whisper). I really enjoyed being able to delve more deeply into Lucas’ backstory as a young orphan and further developing this character’s journey as he makes the distinct transition from being a runaway himself and then later becoming the main guardian and protector of a similarly traumatized little girl.

Crafting characters that resonate with young readers can be a unique challenge. How do you approach character development to ensure they’re both engaging and relatable?

Apparently this aspect of writing develops very naturally for me, as I hardly ever have to intentionally think about this sort of thing beforehand, or even as the story progresses. It is often only once I’ve finished the primary draft that I am able to take a figurative step back in order to see the bigger picture and can then pinpoint the fundamental core values or foremost attributes of each character, making slight adjustments if anything needs improving or could be expanded upon.

One thing authors could do to assess whether or not a particular character is sufficiently engaging or relatable is to ask themselves a series of questions about how the character has been portrayed. For example, do they experience a believable combination of real human emotions? Does the character have an interesting backstory or achieve something of notable worth over the course of the narrative? What is something new that the character has learned about themselves or someone else by the end of the book? Have they changed their opinion or view of something that was previously misunderstood? What would you have done in the character’s situation? While readers may not have to like every character personally, it is still important that they are able to connect with them in some way and can at least have a general understanding of who they are or what it is about the character that makes them convincing enough to include as a meaningful part of the story.

Was there a specific event, memory from your own childhood, or something else that served as the cornerstone for this book?

Not that I’m aware of. My books are not generally based on real people or specific true-to-life scenarios, but on a foundational aspect, they are depicted quite strongly with a sense of realism rather than being overly steeped in fantasy or make-believe. For Whisper, I wanted the main topic, or topics, to be something a little more challenging or thought-provoking than any themes I had attempted before with my earlier works. While the precise language being used has been deliberately chosen to remain suitable for a middle-grade audience, it does still deal with different elements regarding domestic abuse, survival, overcoming childhood trauma, and navigating complex family relationships.

How long did it take you to bring this story from concept to the final published book?

As I’ve just mentioned in answer to an earlier question, there was a bit of a gap between finishing off Whisper as book one and until the time I really started on the rest of the trilogy, but once I’m ready to get going, the physical writing of each manuscript never takes very long to complete. I generally like to get each draft to a level I’m pretty satisfied with before setting it aside, however many read throughs that requires, but I would generally revisit the story and give it a final polish prior to submitting any new material to my publisher.

Are there other tales or characters you’re currently working on for young readers?

I am working on a new series with my publisher at the moment which will likely consist of several consecutive stories each featuring the same central characters. The Horses of Saddlers Ranch is my take on the classic ‘horse-loving, pony-mad teenager concept’ and the bonds that they form with these majestic, four-legged animals. Each subsequent book is titled after a different horse, and centers around the lives of Coral Johnson and her two best friends as they have various adventures on her family’s ranch and discover the unique personalities of each new animal. Cloud kick-starts the series and came out during mid-2025, and the second book, Golden Haze, was released in early October. Book Three currently has a release date set for January 2026 and I am extremely hopeful that there will be a few more instalments yet to come even after that.

This series is also aimed for a similar middle-grade audience, or 9-12 age group, as last years’ trilogy, with underlying themes of treasuring close friendships (regardless of any starkly contrasting attributes), behaving responsibly and accepting the often-unexpected consequences of different actions, problem-solving, and overcoming various other challenges in the characters’ daily lives. It is proving to be a fantastic new series, suitable for horse or animal lovers alike, with the chief focus of each book based on offering a more convincing portrayal of how difficult ranch work can be in the real world.

What draws you to writing for children specifically? Do you ever dabble in other genres or age groups?

My main focus as an author is to create engaging chapter books for children who are able to read simple plotlines on their own, continuing to help them grow in confidence and learn about real-life issues, even within fictional settings. Similarly, a long-term goal for my writing is to present younger readers with a wider range of material which illustrate high moral standards and assist those children to personally embrace these traits in their own day-to-day lives. It has never been about the number of sales made, but rather, how many people I can reach in a positive way who will then come away from their reading experience feeling encouraged or more inspired by the underlying messages of hope found in most of my books.

Children’s middle-grade fiction is still one of my favorite genres to read, even though I’m no longer in that age group, and my stories are likely a tangible reflection of that. I especially enjoy the ones about animals, so it seemed perfectly natural for me to adopt a similar sort of approach with my own writing. I do, however, have plenty of ideas for some adult novels that I would be keen to try my hand at in the not-too-distant future, but I am uncertain exactly when that will happen or how long it might be before I’d be ready to share them with anyone else…

Can you recall the moment you decided to write for children? Was it a straightforward path or were there twists along the way?

I don’t think this was ever really a conscious decision so much as a natural leaning toward writing in the genres that I have always enjoyed reading anyway. Crafting new stories for children has long been the direction that has inevitably drawn me in, and it seems the most fitting option considering my more long-term goals and some of the driving factors behind why I keep coming up with fresh material for this age group in particular.

Could you share a bit about your writing routine, especially as it pertains to crafting stories for children?

I have no regular time set aside specifically for writing, as it usually just depends on whenever the appropriate incentive strikes. I also like to mix it up with my other hobby of photography so that I’m not always doing the same thing every week.

What most often seems to happen is a potential new title will pop into my mind first and then I’ll gradually fill out more of the corresponding plotline or additional details as I write, sometimes with slightly unexpected results. I generally prefer to just go with the flow and see where it takes me rather than risk hindering my creativity too much by having any predetermined criteria, such as its exact length when finished or deciding how many chapters the story is going to have in advance instead of allowing it to fit together more naturally. I do have quite a long list of ideas though, which is where I will note down any sudden bursts of inspiration for safekeeping until I am ready to select the next most pressing title that is clamoring for attention and actually begin the process of writing out the entire original draft so that it’ll be ready for any future touch-ups to be incorporated as needed.

Editing stories for young readers has its own set of considerations. How do you approach the revision process to ensure the narrative is both engaging and age-appropriate?

There are a number of issues I keep an eye out for during the final editing stage. One key aspect of this process is to make sure that the vocabulary is challenging enough to test and grow readers’ skills, but not so difficult that it is no longer manageable or would detract from their overall enjoyment of the story as a whole. I generally go through each manuscript multiple times after the initial draft, and one reason for that is to help minimize the potential for readers to trip over unusual words or phrases if all it takes is a simple reordering of words, or some other quick fix, that would make it flow off the tongue just that much easier. Another purpose for doing this is to avoid having too much repetition throughout the book (i.e. using the same word multiple times to describe something when I could easily just swap it out for another, which would keep the story sounding fresh while retaining more avid interest from the reader).

It has always come quite naturally for me to craft memorable scenes or characters that would be appealing to lots of middle-graders. Most of my books are best suited to children aged 8-14 who are confident enough to handle reading them on their own, but adapting read-alouds to slightly younger kids would also suit my style of writing quite well, and the short chapters make it far more practical to just read small sections at a time if they cannot cope with any longer sessions given all at once.

Given the increasing multimedia engagement for children, have you considered other formats like audiobooks or interactive apps for your stories?

Not really at this stage. I realize these formats are becoming more and more popular in this day and age, but to put it simply, the more editions or formats an author decides to use for their books the more expensive it can get to first have the initial production done, and then maintain effective marketing plans or promotional leads for every additional aspect relating to each title. I have not put much research into pursuing any of these options as of yet, so I may very well be mistaken, however even having just paperback and ebook editions available are great options to start with and seemed perfectly adequate to me when I first accepted the publisher’s contract.

In just three words, how would you describe your style of storytelling for children?

Immersive. Uplifting. Wholesome.

Do you have a preferred method or tool for writing – whether it’s a computer, typewriter, voice recording, or good old-fashioned pen and paper?

I have always preferred writing my stories by hand – hence the general inclusion of the ‘putting pen to paper’ reference in my author bio – but I’ve now come to the point where doing this and then having to type it all up afterward is simply too time-consuming and becoming no longer practical, largely because of this needless doubling up of tasks (especially as my manuscripts have been gaining in length and complexity as the years go by). I love copy-typing really, and used to just freeze up if there was nothing already there for me to work off, but more experience and consistent practice in constructing various plotlines and developing a range of different characters has made this much less of a problem area for me.

Are there children’s authors or specific books that have been influential in shaping your writing journey?

Nothing specific comes to mind. I have read a great many middle-grade books in my lifetime, as well as an array of adult novels, so it would be reasonable to assume that a lot of my writing is simply a general reflection of some kind of ‘storehouse’ of information that has been unconsciously accumulated over a significant period of time, especially as new titles or authors are discovered whose work is then enjoyed over and over again.

Writer’s Block can strike anyone. How do you navigate it, especially when crafting stories for a younger audience?

I believe this can be an issue for some writers, although I’ve always found it to be more of a problem depending on the mindset of the author concerned rather than anything else. For me, I occasionally get the misguided notion stuck in my head that the next scene or some upcoming dialogue is going to be more difficult to keep the story moving forward, so I end up just putting it off despite knowing from previous experience that whenever I decide to just sit down and get on with it the words usually just flow into place automatically, often without conscious thought. I also have quite a long list of potential titles or topics to include in future stories, so coming up with new material to write about has never been much of a challenge for me either.

For those aspiring to write for children, what advice would you share based on your experiences?

Just keep trying! It can be a rough road, full of potholes and bumps along the way, but I think it’s extremely important for authors to be able to write about topics that inspire them, or things that they’re passionate about, and can really let that shine through by staying true to themselves. Write what you know, but keep challenging yourselves in new ways to get better at your craft, so always set achievable goals to aim for. My last piece of advice would be to not let anyone push you around – pursue the vision which you have for your own book and then tirelessly search for those who will help you get there, rather than limiting your creative freedom by sticking it in a box or restricting yourself only to certain areas by attaching labels that you can’t break out of if your skillsets change when you continue to mature as a writer.

Thank you, author Bellringer, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

Whisper: Book One

Britney is a young, extremely malnourished child, who comes from a poor family with an abusive father. Her mother does everything she can to protect her daughter from her husband, receiving the brunt of the aggressive beatings herself. The girl barely speaks, afraid of being overheard by the wrong person, and the only words she knows are the few repeated words her mother uses to calm her after a fight. A total of three words in all, namely – Whisper, Britney, and Ma. There is a very private, sheltered spot in the nearby forest which Britney uses as a place to hide away if ever her mother has to spend the day walking into the nearest town to purchase supplies or to trade goods. They have discreet, non-verbal signals which they use to keep the area hidden and make sure that Britney is secure (far away from Pa’s prying eyes). On one such day, Britney hears unusual sounds and is terrified that her father has found out about their system, but the surprise turns out to be just a lonesome little puppy. The girl quickly becomes friends with the stray, instantly joining forces in their solitude, only ever meeting in the secret place where they share such a deeply silent, unspoken bond. This continues until Ma helps her only child run away for good, tearfully leaving Britney to fend for herself in the best way she knows how. The adoring puppy (promptly being referred to as Whisper) unexpectedly follows the girl, and together they set off on a journey that will forever change their lives…

You can find Whisper here:
Austin Macauley

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome S.A. Sterling, author of AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

S.A. Sterling

S.A. Sterling writes about real life: the quiet struggles, late-night thoughts, and moments that push us to grow. She’s lived across oceans, taught languages for years, and met women from all walks of life who share one thing in common: the desire to keep showing up, even when life gets messy.

Her latest book, AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours, was born from sleepless nights and honest reflection. Before that, she wrote Ride On!—the story of Dame Sarah Storey’s extraordinary journey of resilience—and several books designed to help women navigate everyday life with more clarity and courage, including Executive Functioning Skills for Women with ADHD, The 369 Manifestation Journal, and The Women Rising Strong 2024 Workbook.

She lives in northern Italy with her husband, where she teaches, writes, and keeps a pot of lemon water on her desk for the early hours that refuse to sleep.

You can find author Sterling here:
Author Website | X | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Please give our readers a brief introduction about yourself before we begin. We’d love to know beyond what your Author Bio says about you.

I’m someone who’s learning to make peace with imperfection. I live in a small Italian town surrounded by mountains, where I teach languages, write, and try to balance too many notebooks and not enough hours of sleep. I’m a mother, a wife, a sister, and a woman still figuring out how to be all of those things without losing myself. Writing, for me, is how I stay honest.

Beyond the blurb, could you delve into some unique aspects or pivotal moments from your book?

Each page was written in real time, during sleepless nights between 2 and 5 a.m. Nothing was planned. I simply sat down and wrote what was true in that moment. Sometimes grief, sometimes humor, sometimes calm. The uniqueness lies in its immediacy. AWAKE isn’t about sleep, it’s about what surfaces when the noise quiets down: aging, motherhood, marriage, identity, and the small things that hold us together when everything else feels uncertain.

What drove you to explore this specific theme?

Insomnia became a doorway. I stopped fighting it and started listening to what those hours were trying to tell me. I realized that sleeplessness mirrors midlife, that stage where we can’t hide from ourselves anymore. The book’s message is simple: you’re not alone in your wakefulness, in your restlessness, in your questions.

What served as the catalyst for this one?

It started with frustration. I couldn’t sleep, and all the advice —magnesium, herbal teas, no screens — wasn’t working. One night I opened my notebook and typed a few lines just to release the noise in my head. That became the first “night.” Then came another, and another. Over time, it became a ritual, a way to process my changing body, relationships, and life.

How long was the journey from concept to final version?

About two years. I didn’t plan it as a book at first; it grew naturally from those nights. The editing process took several months after that, turning fragments into a cohesive journey.

What are your future aspirations as a writer?

I want to keep writing books that make readers feel seen, especially women in midlife. I don’t aim for perfection or grandeur, just truth. In five years, I hope to have published more works that explore the quiet transformations we rarely talk about.

Are there other topics or projects you’re currently working on?

Yes, several. I’m writing a memoir about body image, belonging, and learning to stop performing for acceptance. I’m also expanding my Women Rising Strong platform, where I share stories of resilience and empowerment. Alongside that, I’ve resumed my weekly newsletters, where I write about midlife, creativity, and personal growth. And I’m working on a new book about self-reinvention for women over 50: how we can redefine purpose and possibility in this next chapter of life.

Have you ever been tempted to venture into fiction?

Yes, many times. But even when I try, reality sneaks back in. My writing always starts from something true: a conversation, a feeling, a memory. Maybe one day I’ll write fiction, but it will probably still sound like real life.

Can you recall the moment you realized you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think it was one moment. Writing was always there: poems, letters, journals, scraps of thoughts. But it became serious when I understood that writing helps me make sense of things. It wasn’t an easy path; there was doubt, comparison, rejection. But each word felt like coming home.

Describe your writing process.

I write early in the morning or in the middle of the night, when the world is quiet. I keep lemon water or tea next to me and write in bursts: no outline, no plan. Later I come back to shape it. It’s less about discipline and more about showing up for myself.

Outside of writing, do you have another profession?

Yes, I’m a language coach. I teach English, Italian, and Russian to adults and teenagers. Having lived across oceans and learned seven languages, I’ve been able to meet women from many walks of life, each with her own story, accent, and way of seeing the world. Teaching keeps me close to real conversations, the kind that remind me how language isn’t just about words. It’s about who we are, and how we connect. That understanding shapes everything I write.

Given the theme of your book, could you recommend other reads with similar ideas?

Two come to mind: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, for its quiet honesty about grief and resilience, and I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell, for its raw reflection on the body, mortality, and what it means to stay awake to life. Both explore how awareness, even painful awareness, can lead us back to meaning.

In non-fiction, are there authors who influenced your approach?

Joan Didion, Anne Lamott, and Cheryl Strayed have shaped how I see the power of truth on the page. They write with honesty, vulnerability, and restraint. They turn ordinary life into something worth sitting with. I also connect with Maggie O’Farrell’s way of writing about the body and memory. All of them remind me that raw truth often says more than polished perfection ever could.

How do you handle writer’s block?

I don’t call it a block anymore. It’s usually exhaustion or fear. When words stop coming, I step away. I cook, walk, or play piano. Then I come back. Writing always returns when I stop forcing it.

How do you balance research and narrative?

Since AWAKE is rooted in lived experience, research wasn’t formal. It came from observing, reading about perimenopause, and listening to other women. I try to weave those truths naturally into the narrative, without turning it into a lecture.

How do you handle criticism or differing viewpoints?

I remind myself that readers bring their own experiences to every book. Not everyone will connect, and that’s okay. I don’t write to please. I write to tell the truth as I know it. If someone disagrees, at least it started a conversation.

What advice would you give aspiring nonfiction writers?

Write what keeps you up at night, literally or metaphorically. Don’t wait for it to sound perfect. Tell the truth, even when it feels uncomfortable. The right readers will find you not because your story is flawless, but because it’s real.

Thank you, author Sterling, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours

2:47 a.m. Again.
For two years, she woke in the quiet hours—when the house slept, when the world felt suspended between night and morning. In that stillness, she began to write.
AWAKE is a collection of sixty nights lived in real time: the hum of insomnia, the weight of perimenopause, the questions that surface at 3 a.m. when defenses are down.
These pages don’t offer solutions. They offer presence.
For anyone who’s ever felt alone in the dark hours, this book is company.

You can find AWAKE: Notes from the Quiet Hours here:
Ebook | Paperback

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome MJ Walker, author of Italian By Default, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

MJ Walker

Margaret Walker is a teacher. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her family. Her first two novels His Most Italian City and Through Forests and Mountains were published by Penmore Press in the USA.

You can find author Walker here:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Please give our readers a brief introduction about yourself before we begin. We’d love to know beyond what your Author Bio says about you.

Hi Heena,

I’m a teacher (almost retired). I have been reading and writing all my life and have had short stories published in Australia and the UK as well as two previous novels published by Penmore Press in the USA. They are His Most Italian City and Through Forests and Mountains.

Beyond the official blurb, could you offer us a unique insight or a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your book?

Italian By Default  is based on my own story about trying to find my identity as an adopted person living with a husband (and his identical twin brother) who were crazy about their own Italian heritage. At the same time, it is about my adoption reunion. In 1960, I and my twin sister were adopted together to my parents. My sister is not interested in adoption. I left her out of the book so as not to cause her distress.

Evey book has a starting point. What was the spark or pivotal moment that inspired you to write this one?

Probably the death of my mother-in-law in 2000. Our house, which had been Italian anyway, became much more so because many of her belongings came to us.

Is there a core message or theme in your book that you wish readers to discover?

You are important regardless of the circumstances of your conception. God knew you before you were conceived.

Of all the characters in your book, do you have a personal favourite? What makes them special to you?

Polly’s friend Felicity, who was based on a lovely friend of mine.

How do you approach character development, ensuring they resonate with readers and feel authentic?

I constantly have that person in front of me when I write. I forget about myself and become them.

What was the inspiration for this book? Was it an idea, an anecdote, a dream, or something else?

I met my birth mother in 1989 but I didn’t meet my birth siblings until 2002. I’d say that frustration with that situation was my inspiration.

How long did it take you to write this particular book?

25 years. I kept writing during the adoption reunion and finally finished with the death of my birth mother in 2020. For example, after a family dinner or meeting or whatever, I would come home and write it up immediately. After that, it was just revision.

Are you working on any other stories presently?

Yep! I have at least 3 manuscripts I am hoping to have published one day, plus a fun one I am writing at the moment just to keep my hand in.

Why have you chosen this genre? Or do you write in multiple genres?

I am most interested in history, and character development in fiction. I also have a history blog, mwalkeristra.blogspot.com.  

When did you decide to become a writer? Was it easy for you to follow your passion, or did you have to make some sacrifices along the way?

I can’t stop writing. It’s cathartic for me, if I’m stressed or anxious. I don’t think it matters what you write or how you write. If you practise, you’ll improve.

What is your writing ritual? How do you do it?

I generally write every morning after I’ve walked the dog and had coffee.

Editing can be a gruelling process. How do you approach revisions and self-editing?

If I get stuck, it really helps to put the manuscript away for a few weeks, write something else, then return to the first one. Something I have also found invaluable is to have a manuscript professionally assessed. It is worth every cent.

With the rise of audiobooks and multimedia experiences, have you considered exploring these avenues for your stories?

A lot of people I know read audiobooks while they’re driving. I haven’t got around to that yet. It’s expensive, but a friend of mine did it recently, and it really bought the book to life.

Lastly, if you were to describe your writing style in three words, what would they be?

Not too sure.

How do you prefer to write—computer/laptop, typewriter, dictation, or longhand with a pen?

Everything, plus I always carry a notepad and pen in my bag.

What are your 5 favourite books? (You can share 5 favourite authors too.)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Madam Will You Talk by Mary Stewart, Exodus by Leon Uris, anything by Dickens. Crime? Ian Rankin, MC Beaton. She looks simple but under the surface, she’s very cluey. I love Bill Bryson’s style. He cannot write a dull sentence.

How do you deal with Writer’s Block?

Zone out and write anyway. Just sit down and write non-stop for 15 minutes.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Join a writer’s group. My writers’ group is fabulous at all the things I’m bad at. I really need them.

Thank you, author Walker, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

Italian by Default

AN ADOPTION REUNION
– based on a true story –
Meet Polly, her Italian husband Joe and his identical twin brother Cicero. Polly is adopted and wants to find her heritage, but the twins’ passion for Italy dominates her life. She gets more style than Gucci, more opera than Verdi and more pasta than she can eat.
If this isn’t bad enough, Polly’s friends insist that she belongs where she is loved – safe and secure in her wealthy Sydney suburb.
What should Polly do?
She has met her birth mother, but not only will that lady refuse to discuss the past, she has barred Polly from ever meeting her siblings. Then one day Polly reads in the newspaper that her mother has been murdered.
Or has she?
Polly’s longed-for adoption reunion finally happens but not in the way she expects.

You can find Italian by Default here:
Amazon | Goodreads | UBL

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com