A Life Through Books

She’s a sheltered American. He’s a Middle Eastern diplomat. Can their love lead to lasting peace overseas?

KATHRYN BROWN RAMSPERGER is an award-winning author, editor, and creativity coach. A former National Geographic writer and researcher and humanitarian staff member for the International Red Cross, she has lived and worked in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, regions that deeply inform her storytelling. The Shores of Our Souls is a Foreword Indies finalist and a finalist in the Faulkner-Wisdom Literary Competition. She’s a recipient of the Hollins University Fiction Award.

Gratitude is important to Nana Claus. Even the smallest act of kindness spreads joy, like sending thank-you notes. Nana Claus helps some special friends learn to write thank-you notes to thank others for what they do for them. Nana and her friends learn about ways to say thank you using short notes.

Kelly Reddin is an award-winning writer and author of the Celebrating Family Series, which highlights healthy relationships between children and the Nana Claus Series, focusing on kindness and friendship. Her short stories and essays have won numerous awards from writing organizations including the Joplin Writers Guild and the Ozark Writers League.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

I’ve only written one book, but the most difficult part was the initial “unloading” of the story.  It was the “vomiting”, so to speak, of all the pieces that I have been containing inside for so many years and trying to make sense of. I lived the story but didn’t know how to process it or the emotions that resulted for me. When I began writing the book, it was simply an effort to understand the people in my life who raised me. Once I began to write their story, I started to understand who they were, human beings with strengths and flaws like all of us, and I experienced a new love and appreciation for them as people, not just parents. Although the process was rewarding, it was also torturous at times as I struggled with the truth of what happened. However, writing it was cleansing for me and allowed me to purge myself of the guilt I had grown up with. I am at peace now.

What are your most played songs?

I especially love the music of the 50’s and 60’s, particularly the songs of Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, the Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel. I wasn’t allowed to listen to them as they were considered “lustful” by the evangelical church I went to, so now I listen to them all the time to make up for lost time! I also love Celine Dion (especially her French album as it resonates with my life in France) and Georges Moustaki (a French singer of the 60’s).

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes, I have a writing “partner” who accompanied me on this journey, my friend Kathy. She is also writing a book and we met three times a week for 5 years to write, read out what we had written, and critique each others’ work. We were college roommates and have been friends for over 50 years. She knew my family and is able to tell me when I go “offroad” with my characters and bring me back to the truth. I also have beta readers both here in the US and in France and they have given me invaluable feedback all along my writing journey.

What book are you reading now?

I’m reading The Elements by Jonathan Boyne and really enjoying it. It appeals to my love of Europe as well as my interest in how people “work”. I have only read a little of it, but am already intrigued and engrossed.

 

How did you start your writing career?

I started writing as a child, journaling and writing short stories. I have always been fascinated by words and what you can do with them to create so many different scenarios and characters. I never considered writing seriously, though, until I reached the age of 70 when I had lost my parents and realized that I had never explored who they really were as individuals. I was missing them terribly and wanted to understand and “get to know them” and find out why I had been left with such conflicting feelings of who they were. As I wrote about their lives, I began to appreciate them and how much they had given me and to let go of the grudges I harbored as a result of some of their actions toward me (as we all do, I believe, when we accept our parents’ roles and realize they were acting out of love). I now have peace.

Tell us about your next release.

I have no other novels planned, but I am very interested in pursuing short stories (hopefully, a little more accomplished than the ones I wrote when I was eight years old) and flash fiction (a story in a restricted number of words that really challenges you).

About the Author

"The author lives half-time in San Diego, CA, and half-time in a small village in Southern France. This is her exploration of the unexplained secrets that shadowed her childhood and the consequences that haunt all our choices."

“I wrote this book to come to terms with my past. I wanted to understand the people who raised me, through the fictional characters of Karoline and Luke, who represent my parents and my mother’s twin sister, Anna, who represents my aunt. My childhood was full of love, but as I watched the individuals around me, I sensed a drama that excluded me. I knew my father had been in WWII and experienced Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and much more during the four years he spent in Europe. The way he talked about the world he had discovered there intrigued me and I knew there was more to tell, which he never spoke about. My mother adored my father, but there was a tension in the room when my aunt was present. A connection between my father and my aunt was obvious despite their effort to hide it. Through the years, there were inadvertent comments that hinted of a previous relationship between them, but it wasn’t until the end of my father’s life that conversations took place that enlightened me. I didn’t ask, but they each wanted to tell their story, their truth about what happened. This book is my truth, my experience in living with them and loving them. It is my attempt to honor them by exploring their humanness and accepting that we are each a complex entity.”

 

Contact Links

Instagram: @julie.lee.williams

Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/TheManintheMiddle

Amazon

The secretive Duke of Aberystwyth has invited Madge Majesty to a murder mystery party, but he's the first victim!

Madge is a harpy, mystery writer, and amateur sleuth with a nose for murder. At her side is her faithful chauffeur, Hayden, who is a telekinetic ex-thief -- and a confirmed bachelor.

Now it's up to Madge to solve the whodunit. Her suspects are a motley assortment of inverts and very nervous heterosexuals, all of whom have more than just their sexual foibles to hide. Is it the cross-dressing vampire, the packless werewolf, the voyeuristic doctor, the gargoyle majordomo, or the promiscuous man who seems bent on getting everyone into his bed, including Hayden?

Excerpt

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2026 Lena Austin

"Madame?"

Madge Majesty looked up from her study of the papers spread on her lap and across the seat of her beloved 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Limousine. "Yes, Hayden?"

"Madame, Dunraven Castle is but perhaps half an hour away. You requested a warning." Hayden had lasted years longer than any of her other drivers, so he knew he was liked, but wasn't fool enough to take advantage of that knowledge. Harpies were not creatures to take lightly.

"Hmm. So I did." She gathered up her papers and stuffed them into her leather case. Wearily, she pulled on the gloves she'd laid to the side and put on the ridiculously large hat with an immense array of feathers decorating it. "There. I'm properly adorned." She huffed out an unladylike breath, as much as her corset would allow. "I'd give a great deal to be back in Greece where the fashions were sensible."

Hayden quirked a smile at her. "But not warm, Madame. Wales in winter is considerably chillier." As if to emphasize his point, the wind rattled the Rolls with no respect for the craftsmanship that went into it.

"I'm very sorry I agreed to be the Duke's hostess for this mystery party. Why didn't I refuse and stay in our lovely townhouse in London, where I could enjoy a party or write as I pleased?" Madge rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Ah, well, what's done is done. We'll make the best of the weekend and be toasting our toes in front of the home fires soon enough."

"I've never been to a mystery party, Madame. How does one throw a party for a mystery?"

"Very simple. It's all in this box." Madge patted the locked strongbox beside her. "There are clue cards and the basic plot for me to follow. This one is perfect for a winter game, called The Santa Clause. Who wouldn't love to murder a solicitor or two now and again?" She shrugged. "I certainly would, upon occasion."

Hayden retreated into silence and returned his attention to maneuvering her precious new car through the few treacherous roads that Wales bothered to have at all. The ex-thief was not fond of anyone who had anything to do with the law. He was officially rehabilitated, but a mere ten years of service as her driver didn't negate a lifetime of running from authority. An extremely careful and quiet man by nature, he was -- in Madge's opinion -- the perfect companion, much better than a twittering peahen of a lady's maid.

The car lurched and slid to one side on a patch of icy mud, throwing Madge against the door. She bore it in stoic silence. Hayden wouldn't understand how much they needed the money provided by this weekend of enforced merriment. Everyone was writing books in this day and age, and she wouldn't say the money she earned was paltry, but it certainly didn't allow for a lavish lifestyle. In fact, if the truth were known, Hayden was the only employee she could afford. Thus, while on their jaunts -- often paid by those who wished for a bit of fame and glamour to rub off on them -- Hayden served as chef, chauffeur, lady's maid, and man of all work.

Since it suited her to be knowledgeable about subjects many men hadn't even the stomach for, Madge pulled out of her case one of the few books where the great Sigmund Freud appeared to change his mind on the subject of anxiety and inhibitions. Madge grinned to herself. She did love humor, especially when humans meant to be serious. "Of course we all have inhibitions, moronic little man."

Her mumble caught Hayden's attention. "Why do you bother with that mumbo-jumbo, Madame? He thinks everything has to do with sexual congress!"

"Hmm, yes, well, he does have certain prejudices, doesn't he? I'm not aberrant because I enjoy sex, and I seriously doubt the way your mother changed your nappies has anything to do with your homosexuality. Do be forgiving, dear. He's hopelessly addicted to cocaine, and trapped in a repressed society."

Sadly, everything she said was true. "You'd know more about repressed societies than I, Madame. I'm only a poor human, after all." Hayden gave her one of his infamous Mona Lisa smiles -- a smile that showed no teeth but implied much more than mischief while keeping well into propriety. Bless him, he never stepped a toe out of line publicly, unless called upon to do so.

Madge, on the other hand, had no compunctions about showing her fangs, even when she covered her retractable dagger-like talons with silk gloves. The pointed ears peeking out of dark curls and her Grecian looks marked her as a foreigner in a land notable for its snobbery, but Madge saw no need to bother hiding herself. Well, all right, she hid the wings. Blasted things got in the way if she didn't, but that was for her convenience and not propriety. She was what she was -- an expatriate harpy who told a good story and occasionally found cause to use her bloodthirsty nature to solve a mystery.

The irony was, no one ever thought to accuse her of the murders because harpies weren't known for subtlety when it came to killing. Madge acknowledged the legend with twisted lips, and didn't bother to remind anyone that she was free and no longer the slave of the Furies.

Framed by snow clouds the color of a pigeon's breast, Dunraven Castle hove up from the surrounding hills like a fairytale. Beautifully situated and scrupulously maintained by a trust none of the Duke's wastrel ancestors could touch, it was a welcoming sight in the gathering gloom of dusk. Thanks to the road conditions, if you dared call the deeply rutted mud tracks by the same noble word the Romans used for their craftsmanship, they were hours late. They'd missed tea in their haste to make up time, and now her stomach rumbled audibly. "Have we time for a biscuit, Hayden?"

"Was that your stomach, Madame? Surely I thought we were about to have a storm." Hayden pretended to study the sky very seriously. At the same time, his hand reached back imploringly. "I'd love a bikky, thank you. No doubt I've missed the servant's dinner, and I've no mind to make do with a bit of cold chicken and some bread until morning."

Chuckling wickedly because he knew she always insisted he sit with her at table, forestalling any foolish matchmaking attempts, Madge handed him a large shortbread biscuit from her hamper, and they munched companionably. Finally, the car traversed the bridge atop the dry moat and passed through the portcullis into the courtyard of Dunraven.

"Just do me one small favor, Madame?" Hayden did not move from the seat to open her door.

"So serious! Very well, what is it?" She thought she knew, but made him ask.

"Let's try not to let this weekend become a real murder mystery?" His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and she imagined under the proper driving gloves of his profession, his knuckles were white. Poor thing, he really had suffered at the last mysterious weekend, and had ended up incarcerated for three days until Madge had proven to everyone's satisfaction that another had committed the deed. For poor Hayden, it had been a truly miserable occasion.

Madge patted his shoulder. "Buck up, Hayden. I'm planning nothing more than a game all weekend. After all, what could happen in the Duke's presence?"

 

About the Author

Someone cursed Lena Austin with "may you have a life so full you'll have many tales to tell your grandchildren." Lena's a "fallen" society wench with a checkered past. She's been a licensed minister, hairdresser, Realtor, radio DJ, exotic dancer, telephone service tech, live-steel medievalist swordswoman, BDSM Mistress, and investment property manager. Not necessarily in that order. She never finished that degree in marine archaeology, but did learn to scuba -- she's got a lifetime of "Research material!"

Hey, why waste these stories on kids who won't listen anyway? Writing them down is a nice way to spend her retirement. What? You expected an ex-BDSM Mistress to take up crocheting or something?

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

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It’s Dosa Day!

Whether you’re introducing Indian cuisine like dosa for the first time or building a more inclusive children’s library, Dosa Day is a meaningful addition to any child’s bookshelf.

In this imaginative and heartwarming picture book, Tilly and the Wisdom Trials introduces young readers to a world hidden beneath the prairie - a place where learning is a magical adventure and knowledge is the key to unlocking ancient secrets.

Author Introduction

Tell us about yourself and what you do—a concise bio focusing on relevant experience, background, and achievements.

David Tra is a computer scientist, educational game developer, and children’s author who creates story-driven learning experiences that blend games, books, and curiosity. He is the creator of Critter Quest Academy, an interactive educational platform and book series that turns problem-solving into adventure.

David previously developed the educational math games El Mathador and Treasure Math, helping students build confidence through play. He is also the author of The Star of Shanraz, a novel for teen readers. His latest work focuses on the Prairie City Adventures and Critter Quest Academy books, beginning with Tilly and the Wisdom Trials, the featured launch title that introduces young readers to a whimsical underground world where questions, puzzles, and curiosity guide the journey.

 

Your Author Journey

Share your path to becoming an author, including your writing process.

My path to becoming an author grew naturally out of a lifelong love of adventure stories and a curiosity for how worlds are built. Growing up, I devoured classics like The Odyssey, The Iliad, and The Lord of the Rings—any tale filled with quests, courage, and discovery. Those stories made me want to create worlds of my own, so I started writing in high school and never really stopped.

In the early 2010s, I picked up 3D animation to bring one of my stories to life. That process taught me something important: before anything can move or breathe on screen, it has to exist clearly on the page. Writing became the foundation. That first animated story eventually grew into my first published novel, The Star of Shanraz.

Later, a career shift into software development brought everything together—storytelling, animation, and problem-solving—through game development. I began building an educational game for my own children, wanting something clean, ad-free, and genuinely engaging. That hobby project grew into Critter Quest Academy, and from there, the books followed naturally.

My writing process is a little unusual: most of my stories begin inside the game. I design the puzzles, characters, and learning challenges first, then shape the narrative around them. Once the world exists interactively, the books feel like uncovering stories that were already waiting in the tunnels. Inspiration is always close at hand.

 

 

The “Why”

Your personal reason for writing the book—this helps make pitches more authentic and compelling.

Honestly, the “why” surprised me. I started by building educational games, but as El Mathador and later Critter Quest Academy grew, the characters and stories began taking on lives of their own. The world kept getting bigger than the game itself.

Books first felt like a natural companion—maybe even a marketing idea—but the more I wrote, the more it felt inevitable. The stories and the game simply belong together. Sometimes the book inspires the level, sometimes the level inspires the book. I’m just grateful for being able to follow where the adventure wants to go.

 

 

Do you hear the voices? Listen if you dare . . . You’ll get both the heebies and the jeebies in this unsettling new title.

Gail Galotta was raised in Chicago with childhood summers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.