Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: Romance, vampires, and murder—what’s not to love? Lizzy Gayle is here to tell us about her paranormal romance, Bitten by Surprise. Lizzy, take it away!

Lizzy: II’ve written quite a few books, but my current series started with Bitten by Surprise, so I’d love to share a bit about that.

As a vampire-hating psychic, Char should’ve seen it coming, but she didn’t. Too focused on creating a cure for vampirism after watching her father turned into a bloodsucking menace, she looks at little else, until it’s too late. Not her lab being attacked and destroyed, her life’s work being stolen along with her lab assistant, nor the attractive and dangerous vampire, Julian, who swoops in to save the day, give her a job and the chance to set things right.

But when her lost serum turns up on the streets used as a murder weapon against vamps, she’s forced to hide the truth about her involvement in its development from her new boss in order to join the investigation. As they work together, she’s inexplicably drawn to the very type of creature she should be terrified of. Suddenly, the idea of being bitten becomes a turn on if it’s Julian’s fangs at her pulse.

Forced to admit everything she thought she knew about the bloodsuckers was wrong, Char is left with a decision: Should she create an antidote to save the vampires being murdered—and possibly the one she’s falling for? Or should she finish what she started and try to cure the rest?

The wrong choice could mean a sacrifice she’s not willing to make.

Sabitha: Okay, that’s delightful. What inspired you to write this book?

Lizzy: Char and Julian’s story was born of a desire to finally write the vampire I always wanted to. So I began with the idea of combining Sookie Stackhouse with the X-Files (if the X-Files was fantasy based).

Sabitha: If you could meet your characters, what would you say to them?

Lizzy: I’d start with, “I’m so sorry!” I mean as authors we have to torture our characters to make a good book. Sometimes literally. But I’d quickly follow up with, “I promise a happily ever after, so don’t hurt me.” Also I’d be lusting after my own vampire. But please don’t tell my husband.

Sabitha: Your secret is safe with me! Next secret to confess—have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

Lizzy: Mayyyyybe…ok fine, yes. But I only kill when necessary, and I know how weird this sounds, but it’s almost always a surprise to me too. I am a pantser, which means I write by the seat of my pants and love the discovery of a first draft. I’ve tried plotting and that kind of kills the magic for me, though I respect those that are able to do that. So I’m as devastated as the reader, if that helps.

Sabitha: Do you have any suggestions to help people in our community become better writers?

Lizzy: Absolutely! Don’t EVER give up! We’ve all had those low moments. We’re sensitive artists, but you know what? If you give up you may miss that golden moment right around the corner. Don’t ever stop working to make your writing better. Keep reading too.

Sabitha: What’s your next writing project?

Lizzy: Book four of the Bitten series comes out at the end of January 2024, and my plan is for five books in the series, though I also have a prequel novella out that shows how Julian became a vampire. I suggest reading that immediately before or after book three. I do a rapid-release schedule and make the books quick, fast-paced reads, so the series will probably finish around March or April. Time to catch up! 

After that? I’m toying with a high fantasy that’s been niggling at me. But we’ll see what my readers demand. 😀

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Lizzy: You can find all my links at my Linktree. Bitten by Surprise is on Amazon.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: You’re never too old for romance! Christine Layne’s love story shows that it’s never too late to find your passion, even if your first attempt at love and career success doesn’t pan out. Christine, can you tell us about Love Hops?

Christine: After moving back to Colorado from Los Angeles, Lena Bouras began picking up the pieces of her broken life. Her cheating ex-boyfriend ruined her trust. Being unjustly fired from her interior design job obliterated her confidence. The worst blow of all, though, came at the loss of the one person who supported Lena throughout all her endeavors—her mother.

Escaping to her now empty, memory-laden childhood home, Lena worked toward letting go of her old life. But, when her 40th birthday ended up being another failure, it reminded her of what she was missing. Disappointment weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Until Del flipped her world upside down—literally.

Handsome and charming, Del Stratton was the complete opposite of everything she looked for in a man, not to mention he owned a brewery and Lena didn’t drink beer. She promptly dismissed any idea of pursuing a relationship with him. Even though her stomach flipped every time he smiled.

Despite her best efforts, Lena found herself unable to avoid Del. Slowly, she learned to give up her old life, and embraced a new one with him. For the first time in years, Lena felt happy.

But, when an opportunity for all her old dreams to come true presented itself, it forced Lena to choose. Falling in love with Del was easy, but Lena had to decide whether easy dreams with him were better than the ones she worked so hard for in the past.

Sabitha: What inspired you to write this book?

Christine: I wrote this book because I have always imagined a romance happening in a brewery. It was inspired by one scene in particular: the beer tasting scene. It went much differently when I first imagined it (much spicier), but as I developed the story, I changed it to fit the flow. Now, it’s perfect.

Sabitha: What book do you tell all your friends to read?

Christine: My reading preferences range from romance to horror and lots of things in between, but the one book I can always suggest is The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It has something for everyone and is still one of the most entertaining books I’ve ever read.

Sabitha: Excellent choice! If an aspiring author came to you for advice, what would you tell them?

Christine: My advice for becoming a better writer would be to A) read, read, read in the genre you wish to write, B) be brave enough to let others read and critique your work, and C) be open to helping others.

Sabitha: I love that you included C. So, what’s your next writing project?

Christine: My next project is due out in the late spring of 2024. It’s my first enemies-to-lovers story, Mud, Love, and Chemistry. It follows two college students as they navigate their warring feelings while also competing for a coveted internship after graduation. It’s loads of fun!

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Christine: Love Hops and my debut novel, Because of Blake, can both be found on Amazon! Readers can follow me on my social medias for updates: Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Threads (@christinelayneauthor), and X (@Chrislaynelove).

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: Ready for a space opera adventure that will take you around the solar system? We’ve got you covered. A.L. MacDonald, can you tell us about your book Orbiting Fortunes?

A.L.: Orbiting Fortunes is a science fiction novel set in the not-too-distant future. Alan Mercier has left his life as a cop on Mars behind and now flys a space junker, fighting over valuable debris in Earth’s orbit. One find in particular pulls him into the dangerous and murky world of pirating. He discovers that it’s harder to walk away from the cop life than he thought.

Sabitha: Dramatic! What inspired you to write this?

A.L.:  I love space and spaceships. Lots of people say that, sure, but I love them ten times more. I am a huge fan of Star Wars, Andy Weir and Chris Hadfield (both as an astronaut and an author). I regularly watch hours of live stream footage of SpaceX assembling their new starship in Texas. I wanted my book to imagine what the future of those starships will be. We can’t fly them yet, so this is as close as we can get.

Sabitha: What book do you tell all your friends to read? And what about them do you love?

A.L.: The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Also, The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield. When people say those books get a little lost in the technical detail, those are my favourite parts!

Sabitha: Since technical details are fun for you, I bet you go for scientific accuracy when you write! How much research did you need to do for your book? 

A.L.: I am not sure why, but I spent several hours – possibly days – researching spacecraft reentry. Specifically the distance between the atmosphere interface and the splashdown/landing point. I probably should have just gotten rid of the scene, but then how would I have shown off all the stuff I’d learned!?

Sabitha: Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

A.L.: No, no. Well, I mean, don’t get me wrong, I slaughter characters, but they are usually quite evil or at the end of their usefulness to the story—I’m kidding! I don’t mean to ruin peoples’ days by reading my book! My aim is to put smiles on faces! Chuckles would be even better. I dream of guffaws.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

A.L.: My book is right here. You can’t turn around without finding me on social media: Twitter, Instagram, and my website.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: Even dragons have hard days! Sarah’s children’s book, Henry the Sneezing Dragon, shows the importance of loving and accepting everyone. Sarah, can you tell us more about your writing and your stories?

Sarah: Absolutely! I write children’s books. My first book, Henry the Sneezing Dragon, was published in June 2023.The blurb reads: Life as a dragon should be amazing. You have the ability to soar across the sky and breathe fire. However, when you are a young, clumsy dragon who sneezes fire at all the worst moments, it makes life a little challenging. Desperate to make a friend and to finally feel accepted, Henry takes off across the savanna, but trouble seems to follow him at every turn.

I have another book, To the Moon: A Jacob and Trevor Adventure, coming out this spring. My boys are especially excited for this book because they are in it. It’s based on a make-believe game we play in our backyard about going to the moon. Here is the summary: Jacob and Trevor are brothers and the best of friends. They have avid imaginations and love to play make-believe. Whether they are pretending to be pirates or running from imaginary dinosaurs, they know how to have fun. Their favorite thing to do is play on their saucer swing and pretend to fly to the moon. One day, after Jacob loses a tooth, the tooth fairy leaves something very special for the boys. Jacob and Trevor’s adventures are about to change in a way neither of them could ever have imagined.

Sabitha: What inspired you to write Henry the Sneezing Dragon?

Sarah: My son Jacob inspired me to come up with the story Henry the Sneezing Dragon. It was a story I created for him when he was only two years old. He was always asking me to tell him a story. Often, he would give me a topic (such as dragons or dinosaurs) and I had to craft a story from whatever details he gave me. When my second son, Trevor, was born I decided it was time to start putting my stories into print.

Sabitha: Someone who crafts stories like that must be a lover of books! What books do you read and recommend?

Sarah: I love SOOOO many books. If I’m talking to someone who enjoys romance—I love Perfect by Judith McNaught, Montana Sky by Nora Roberts, Loving Scoundrel by Johanna Lindsey, The Outsider by Penelope Williamson, and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh – to name a few.  I’m also in a huge Emily Henry phase right now. 

I also love books like The Host by Stephanie Meyer, Dear Child by Romy Hausmann, and The Whisper Man by Alex North. I really enjoyed the Dr. Charlotte Stone series by Karen Robards, and of course, The Hunger Games and the Divergent series are a must. I’ve also just finished Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and am dying to get my hands on the second book, Iron Flame.

Sabitha: Who did you imagine reading your book as you wrote it? And who ended up reading it?

Sarah: Honestly, my kids are my audience. I create stories that they enjoy. However, once I started to write my stories down on paper—I would imagine parents cuddling up and reading with their little ones. As a mom and a language arts teacher, I think it is so important to read to children when they are young and help engage them in stories. Plus, nothing beats quality time spent with your kids.

Sabitha: What’s your next writing project?

Sarah: I currently have a book, To the Moon: a Jacob and Trevor Adventure, in the works. It is currently in the hands of my publisher and I’m hoping it will be available in print this spring.

I also have a story titled The Water Bear Astronaut that has been written. I just need to decide if I am going to move forward with publishing.

A story I’m currently writing is The Stow Away Bear. My kids and I visit Mackinac Island every year – and this is a story about a bear that manages to make his way to the island in search of fudge. It is still a work in progress.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Sarah: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.
People can find Henry the Sneezing Dragon at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and they can learn more about it from Goodreads. They can find me on Facebook. 

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: Poetry and nature come together in Su Zi’s poetry collection, Chirp. Su, can you say a bit about your work?

Su: The book linked is Chirp, a book of poems from Hysterical Books that was released just as Covid hit. However, the book was written some years before by the following  process: every morning, regardless of weather, I go outside to care for my live-outside family (they are not humans, but they are my family). During the year I wrote the book, I would come back inside and write a poem that recorded the moments just before, with an especial emphasis on birds. I think the presence or absence of birds tells us everything about the health of an ecosystem; people who don’t notice bird populations tend to not notice the world beyond humans. Thus, the poems are naturalist notes of a year’s duration. 

I did reference the Cornell site for certain aids in species identification to correctly name who I had seen. Originally, I wrote each poem daily onto a social media platform that had limitations on characters for posts, so I used haiku. I liked that the platform had a bird logo and I was posting bird-naturalism poems. The title is thus a pun.

Sabitha: What’s your next writing project?

Su: There’s a part two manuscript to the work, which is not yet published, but which continued this anachronistic idea of observing the local world and the other life forms with which we exist. I continued to post these daily—where they continued to be as observed as clouds. However, the platform I was using allowed for more character usage, so I used tanka. I hope to see this book fly into physical existence.

The incidence of “naturalism” is in all the work i do—written, visual, or physical; it is a life-long commitment. In truth, I am a second-generation eco-feminist. It informs every aspect of my life.

Since I also review literary works of any genre, I have seen trends in the writing community which tend toward urban violence. Given our times now, this doesn’t strike me as a good direction for the writing community, although it is a bit popular or common. There’s also the perennial reminder of craft—something well-crafted in any art form takes flight in us.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Su: Chirp can be found on the publisher’s website, and it might be available still through Amazon or book fetch sites.  I can be found on instagram (xsuzi00) on Etsy (xsuzi00) and on Bluesky (suzi00).

 Copies of the artist-book, poetry chapbook series Red Mare are only available through Etsy—contact me for international shipping. Submission guidelines are pinned to the Facebook page Pink House.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: It’s always a good time for a space opera! We have James Milne here to tell us about his science fiction story—and as a bonus, it’s free on Royal Road! James, can you tell us a bit about The Tumultuous Tours of Ivy Green?

James: We start off with the action. An alien maid, finding herself falling through the skies above the Earth, without anything to catch her. She is… unlucky. She was an architect, but took a job on a cruiseliner to experience other cultures, because space travel is only for the rich and famous. The story has her bouncing off a few other figures. A gigantic red-skinned woman whose culture might just be the inspiration for demons. A soft-spoken, but easy-laughing woman whose past is a little secret. A professor who could somehow afford the flight as a guest. And a guest who… has bad taste.

Sabitha: That sounds like so much fun. What inspired you to write this story?

James: I started work on The Tumultuous Tours of Ivy Green as part of Camp NanoWriMo, back in March. It took me a few months longer to finish it, but that’s writing. Sometimes you just can’t hold the thread.

That’s the key to being a better writer, really. Everything in writing comes and goes. It is as much an art, as it is anything else, and that does mean that you can lose what you had. It also means that with the right amount of time and focus, you can continue to paint worlds. Sometimes it just needs a break.

Part of the break, was helping to solve the problem of a certain character’s death. It had to happen, it had to feel like something… whilst also feeling somewhat pointless. That it shouldn’t have happened. That was the key to making you feel for them, and the pain of it happening. Vague, I know. But death’s tend to be a turning point in literature. Don’t want to give away everything.

Sabitha: Who did you imagine reading your book as you wrote it?

James: I’m really not sure. It’s science fiction, but soft. It’s a little light-hearted, like Doctor Who, but it is more romance oriented than that. But it isn’t a romance novel. If it was anime, I’d stick it right in “Slice of Life”, but it doesn’t quite fit there either. The danger stakes are real. It is certainly an experience.

Sabitha: Do you have a plan for your next writing project?

James: Of course, there’s always more in the machinery. I’ve got about four novels at various stages, and two more short pieces that will hopefully appear before the end of the year. We’ll see how the words flow. But keep an eye out for Official Choices.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

James: They can find The Tumultuous Tours of Ivy Green for free on Royal Road. They can find my stories on Amazon, and find me through my website.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: Nothing better than a good fantasy, and we’ve got a great one today. M.C. Burnell, can you introduce us to your novel, Zimanges? 

M.C.: Jendaiar Phos is busy blowing up his life with the help of his estranged younger brother and fellow wizard Hecanthes. When they witness a mysterious magical event that draws the hostile eyes of the local authorities onto them, their fates are thrown together. The good news: the mother he hasn’t seen since he was ten just left Jen a house. The bad news: it’s in Zimanges, the city in the clouds. A crossroads kingdom founded by a bandit.

The house turns out to be huge: they can’t afford to keep it, heat it, and still eat. Not without roommates. Their new friends include a troubled elven seer, a shaman who changes their face as the mood takes them, and a pile of leaves that has a mission for them. A demon has found its way into their world, but not even the pile of leaves knows what a demon is other than Very Bad and Can’t Be Allowed to Hang About. It doesn’t help that the bandit king takes an interest in them while a wave of kidnappings sweeps the city.

This would be so much easier if they were living in a house with furniture.

Sabitha: What inspired you to write this book? It feels very millenial/zillenial.

M.C.: There’s a long and rather involved backstory with this book, but basically, I wanted to write a fantasy that didn’t gloss past the fact that heroes are still people who need to eat and sleep and support themselves. They have chores. They worry about bills. My cast of seven roommates is brought together in the first place by economic forces. If that sounds grim and introspective, it’s absolutely not; this story is pretty camp. My heroes aren’t, and that means lots of pitstops to get scared, crack jokes, have no idea what to do, and party in their living room.

Sabitha: What book do you tell all your friends to read?

M.C.: Yikes, just one? The City and the City by China Mieville. Beautiful, strange, and bends your brain. What’s not to love?

Sabitha: Excellent choice. Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

M.C.: In my epic fantasy We, I killed everyone’s favorite character. It’s a 5-book series and this person dies in the climax, so readers have a lot of time to get invested. Honestly, I was dreading the text from my mother. Happy ending: she didn’t disown me. 

In general, though, I’m not a big character-killer. I feel like we hit a point in fantasy where that got overdone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a valid choice! Whether more for shock value or just realism. But I personally can’t stay invested in a story unless I’m connected through the people, so I delete judiciously.

Sabitha: A 5-book series, and now Zimages. Sounds like you write a lot! What’s your next writing project?

M.C.: I always have a couple things percolating. One project that got a lot of attention this summer was an epic called The Tipping World, which I’ve been rewriting intermittently for the last 20 years. It was the first thing I ever wrote, and it would be neat to one day share it with the world.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

M.C.: Find me online. You can find Zimanges here.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha:  Pavithra Ramesh joins us again to talk about another fascinating novel.  Pavithra, can you tell us about this coming-of-age story?

Pavithra: Life of a young adult is filled with joy and mystery. No Time to Pause is the story of a typical college student who decides to move miles away from her family to get a high-value education. She faces a host of challenges, encounters varied adventures and meets people who leave a tremendous impact on her life. With the college term ending, she leaves the institution not only as an academic achiever, but also a strong woman ready to face the rough world out there. She realises that life keeps moving on and there is no time to look back or regret.

Sabitha: What inspired you to write this book?

Pavithra: My personal life as I moved to another country for education away from my family was the biggest inspiration for this book. I met some amazing people and with my love for writing, I knew I had a story to tell the world.

Sabitha: If you could meet your characters, what would you say to them?

Pavithra: Well, I would meet the protagonist Aditi and tell her how proud I am of how beautifully she moulded her life, healing from the past hurt and moving on to make lives beautiful.

Sabitha: What book do you tell all your friends to read?

Pavithra: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is the best book I have ever come across in the self-help genre.

Sabitha: Do you have any suggestions to help people in our community become better writers?

Pavithra: I would just say follow your passion no matter what. Nobody can motivate you better than yourself. Work hard towards what you want to achieve and the feeling is magical.

Sabitha: Who did you imagine reading your book as you wrote it?

Pavithra: My target was for young adults, and I received appreciation from them. They loved the book, especially the diversions in between the plots that would keep them longing to know what happened next!

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Pavithra: They can find No Time to Pause on Amazon, and they can find me on LinkedIn.

In the mood for something romantic? The always delightful Rachel Corsini is doing a giveaway of 5 print copies of her romantic comedy Sushi and Sea Lions. Want to curl up with an ex-ballerina finding a new direction—and love along the way? Enter here.

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Sabitha: We love fantasy, and Miya Chisolm has what we’re looking for. Miya, can you tell us about your short story in the anthology Reality’s Lens?

Miya: In Becoming Vengeance, a Goddess turned Mortal finds more than anyone conceived possible when she finds a home among the humans who should worship her. Is the price too high? Becoming Vengeance is a short story in Reality’s Lens, an anthology of short fantasy stories.

Sabitha: What inspired you to write this book?

Miya: This story was originally written for a contest with FIYAH and Levar Burton. When it wasn’t selected, I decided to hold on to it for a while. Reality’s Lens ended up being the perfect home for it.

Sabitha: What book do you tell all your friends to read?

Miya: The Nightmare-verse trilogy by L. L. McKinney!

Sabitha: Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

Miya: More times than I’d like to admit!

Sabitha: What’s your next writing project?

Miya: I’ve got a few different projects I’m juggling! The main focus is a full-length novel inspired by Stardew Valley, but I’m also working on a Bonanza-inspired western.

Sabitha: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Miya: See all the places to pick up Reality’s Lens here. Find me on Instagram and Twitter at @miyawritesbooks.