The Wandering Scribe October Edition

Hello, my spooks and creeps, ghoul writers and blood drainers, and little monsters of the night and happy month of Halloween. Like many of you, this is one of my favorite times of the year; the weather is perfect, everything is spooky, gothic fashion becomes socially acceptable for a month, and nobody questions an author's sanity when we post creepy or scary stories online. Some may not know this, but many authors love writing gothic stories. I know many of us come across as happy and bubbly often, but there is darkness in every author, and we write tales that keep us at night. Stories with beasts with lots of pointy teeth and blood. The good stuff.

Furthermore, it is also the month to showcase new guests making their debut this holiday season. Some will be familiar faces, while most will be entirely new. These are but a few making their appearance and reappearance on the show.

Octobers Historian: Alicia Gutierrez-Romine

Making a return to the show, Professor Alicia Gutierrez-Romine will be making her official debut in the Historian's Lounge. For those who remember from last year, she is an associate professor of history at California State University, San Bernardino. She specializes in California, western US, and Borderlands history, emphasizing the history of medicine, gender, race, and ethnicity. She's the author of From Back Alley to the Border: Criminal Abortion in California, 1920-1969, and is a contributing author of Beyond the Borders of the Law: Critical Legal Histories of the North American West. She has been featured on CSPAN, the Science Channel, and interviewed by The New Yorker and Los Angeles Times. Her return will be on the 22nd.

October Line Up

Leading the charge is author C.L Brierley. She is a Manchester-based writer dabbling in fantasy, horror, thriller, romance, and more. With a love of mythology, history, gaming, and fantasy from a young age, she quickly developed an excellent imagination that serves her well to this day for creating stories. She has been writing since she was 14 and has been on a few different platforms, but now is on Inkitt, where she has won awards and had many stellar reviews, as well as Kindle, Lulu, and Apple Books. When she isn't writing, she enjoys running her free writing promotion page on Instagram, The Writer's Community Promotion Page, which also has reading and writing groups, along with watching TV and films in the same genres she writes in, as well as playing a lot of zombie/horror survival games. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, makes a cracking brew, and hopes readers enjoy her stories, as she has no plans to stop. Her debut will be tomorrow.

My next guest is Jim Crosby. Jim is an attorney and an author in Philadelphia. Jim's first book, DEVIL'S MUSIC, HOLY ROLLERS, AND HILLBILLIES: HOW AMERICA GAVE BIRTH TO ROCK AND ROLL (McFarland, 2016) (Kirkus: "Illuminating and intriguing"; Minnesota Public Radio Rock Book Club Selection), is on sale everywhere, as well as featured at legendary Sun Studio and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jim's follow-up book, ROCK MUSIC, AUTHORITY, AND WESTERN CULTURE, 1964-1980, is available NOW through McFarland Books: "Cosby's vivid, perceptive prose captures the visceral impact of rock music...The result is a compelling look at why, how, and where rock and roll moved us."?-Kirkus Reviews ("Editor's Pick"); "seminal and ground-breaking" -Midwest Book Review, "[Cosby] expertly weaves together an intriguing and coherent story of rock and roll’s evolution....fantastic resource." -Library Journal. Jim has also published legal scholarship on children's rights and the Constitution and has written on music-related topics as a regular contributor to PopMatters since 2013 and elsewhere. His debut will be the 7th.

My next author is Alex Zenk. A pastor in Iowa and a fantasy fanatic at heart, Alex grew up reading various fantasy books, including Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's ability to build a world with depth beyond a series of books was astonishing and ignited my passion for traditional quest-style fantasy books. His love for Tolkien has drawn him to write his series based on characters from when he played World of Warcraft. He crafted his world with a rich history to support his story and the ability to write other side series later. His passion is to share what he loves with the world and return to the style of fantasy books he grew up reading. His initial goal is to write three books in his current series, and he plans to set another three books in another period in the world. His debut will be on the 9th.

My next guest is a returning author from my first year on YouTube, Baptiste Pinson . Because life’s nothing without a good challenge, Baptiste decided to ditch regular-paying jobs to become an author, write on tremendously popular topics like Ancient China or Samurai fighting Zombies, and publish all those nerdy historical fiction novels from Japan. To preserve what’s left of his sanity, Baptiste spends great chunks of time visiting historical sites, bothering his Chinese wife with questions related to her culture she has no answer to, and wrestling with two untirable creatures called children, who, he believes, have been sent on earth to test the limits of his previously mentioned sanity.

When all these fail, coffee, whiskey, a fuming bowl of ramen, or an episode of his favorite historical drama (currently Shōgun) do the trick.

His novels contain action, grumpy characters, brotherly love, and many blades. They are set in ancient, brutal times where martial skills, stubbornness, and an appetite for trouble guarantee bloody adventures that might shift the future of a realm or two.?He will return on the 10th.

Also on the 10th is Willow Grace. Willow Grace is a passionate storyteller who weaves intricate tales in Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Her debut novel, Aninus, is a fantastical sci-fi epic that transports readers to vividly imagined worlds filled with complex characters and compelling narratives. Drawing on her experiences, Willow explores realistic and challenging themes, crafting characters that resonate deeply with her audience.

She loves serious world-building and delights in creating detailed descriptions of the unique civilizations and landscapes that populate her stories. This meticulous attention to detail invites readers to immerse themselves fully in the narrative and prompts them to reflect on the intricacies of the human experience. When she’s not penning her next adventure, Willow can indulge in her fascination with veterinary medicine, spending quality time with her biggest supporter—her husband—and cuddling with her beloved fur babies. She aims to connect with readers and spark their imaginations through her writing, inviting them to join her on her literary journeys.

Also on the 17th is another author making their debut, Anna Brenneisen. She is an author, actress, screenwriter, and award-winning filmmaker. She’s passionate about fantasy/sci-fi books, films, and superhero comic books. Having fallen in love with writing in her childhood, she started as a young author, publishing poems and short stories. Her upcoming release is the YA Fantasy novel Black Bug.

My next author is Stephanie Kelmer. Stephanie Kemler is a creator of magical menace, purveyor of alchemical prose, and the author of Bloodborn, Bloodmad, and The Year of Sin and Smoke. She writes stories that feed on the veins of tormented souls and pierce into the dark recesses of known and unknown worlds. Stephanie completed her history and creative writing degree at Case Western Reserve University and has spent most of her professional career teaching language, theology, and history. When she’s not exploring graveyards and reading in fairytale forests, she resides with her family near a haunted Gilded Age mansion in Philadelphia. She will debut on the 15th.

My next guest is Amy McElroy. Amy is a writer focusing on the Tudor era. Amy’s first book, Educating the Tudors, was published in January 2023. The second, Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era, will be published in February 2024. Amy is working on her third book, Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Her fourth book is based on Desiderius Erasmus. Amy spends much of her time reading and researching. She publishes reviews on her blog and has been a guest on other blogs and podcasts, including Talking Tudors. Her debut will be the 21st.

My next guest is John Maldonado, whom I have wanted to have on the show for a long time. John Maldonado born and raised in San Francisco, Ca. Works as a salesman for a primary food and candy distributor. Science fiction lover. Dog lover and military sci-fi book reader. Nephilim War Shadows within the Empire is his first book. Over 130 reviews with a 4.4 rating. Audible audiobook coming in June. Tales from the Machine, a Nephilim War Short Story, is his novella, which provides background on critical characters in Nephilim War Book 1. He is working on Book 2 of Nephilim War Star Fall and another Tales from the Machine War short story. All are coming by the end of the year 2024. His debut will be the 24th.

Finally, my last guest is Amy Turner, an IT professional by day and a historian and bibliophile by night. She turned her passion for books and history into a brand called The Bookish Historian. She launched a blog, online store, and newsletter dedicated to celebrating all that makes us bookishly curious and historically intrigued. She aims to explore the powerful intersection of these two passions and bring the fascinating stories in the pages of our favorite books and historical eras to light. Her debut will be the 30th

Halloween sale: 50% off on Amyntas and The Gathering

Throughout this month, E-book copies of Amyntas and The Gathering will be half off at Barnes and Noble with the code BNPMYTHS80. Make sure to use it to save 50% off on your purchase. Also, leave a review once you have finished reading the book. Reviews go a long way. Leaving a review is the best way to help your favorite author. Like you, readers want to find great new books to read and rely on you to help spread the word. Writing a review is easier than you think.

Answer these questions:

What did you like about the book? Would you recommend this book to others? Are you looking forward to reading the next book in the series? BONUS: Do you see this as a movie or a TV show?

Post the reviews on Barnes and Noble, BookBub, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Reviews help indie authors grow their brand.

Amyntas

The Gathering

Thank you for your continued love and support, my fellow authors and historians. And remember, we are writers, dreamers, and storytellers if you ever feel low. Don't let your doubts get in the way of your dreams. Keep writing! Create! Your story matters!