On The Shelf with Honora Quinn
By On The Shelf
Cover art by Luciana Kraus
Intro and Outro Theme by Elise Boldizar
On The Shelf with Honora QuinnJul 16, 2023
Fight Clubs and Found Family - Girls Night with I.S. Belle
Welcome back to the show I.S. Belle! I have previously talked with her twice each about her shared universe containing Zombabe and the Babylove Novellas (and now even more!) but today we're talking about something a little different... her trad pub ya debut, Girls Night! But that's not all, while the fight club novel is the star of the show we also cover how Belle might be fighting fellow ya fight club author Sierra Isley!
Interview Series Part 1 - Zombabe
Interview Series Part 2 - Babylove Novellas
BONUS:
Get GIRLS NIGHT
How A Research Trip Became the Basis for A 'Killer' Story - Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner
Today on OTS I got to speak with the one and only Lisa Gardner about her newest novel STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE. While being the 3rd book in the FRANKIE ELKIN series you can dive right into this book (and this interview) with little information. In this installment Frankie is at her most conflicted, she is sent out looking for a missing girl but the one sending her on this job is a serial killer with three weeks left to live.
Get STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE
It All Started With A Dream... No Literally - The Last Refuge with Christina Bacilieri
Today on what has become the unofficial Birthday Special (thank you all for the support the last few years btw!) I talk with Christina Bacilieri about her debut novel (and book 1 in her debut STEALING SANCTUARY trilogy) THE LAST REFUGE.
I had a lot of fun learning about Christina and her novel especially its rather unique origins!
Map Of Indie Bookstores (with BookPeople)
Get THE LAST REFUGE
Writing A Story for The People That Need It Most - Strong Like You by T.L. Simpson
Today I had the absolute pleasure of talking with T.L. Simpson about his debut YA novel STRONG LIKE YOU. We discuss how his previous work in journalism, especially on the crime beat, impacted and helped form the story and how he set out to to write this story for those who need it most.
get STONG LIKE YOU!
A Doomed Film Festival on the French Riviera... What Could Go Wrong? The Girl From The Grand Hotel with Camille Aubray
Almost two years ago I got the honor of talking with Camille about her novel THE GODMOTHERS, a book a devoured, and since that day I have been waiting for her next novel. Enter THE GIRL FROM THE GRAND HOTEL, set at the first, and doomed, Cannes Film Festival...
Previous Interview with Camille from 2022!
Get THE GIRL FROM THE GRAND HOTEL (out April 30th 2024!)
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished So Should We Stop Trying? - The Darkness Rises by Stacy Stokes
Incoming to a bookstore near you... a YA thriller with layers of the supernatural. THE DARKNESS RISES follows Whitney who can tell when someone is about to die...
Get THE DARKNESS RISES from one of these fine retailers
vv Stacy's Shop Small Corner!! vv
OTS favorites
From A Real Life Inconvenience to A Stressful Literary Event - We Are Never Getting Home with Tracy Badua
Tracy and I spoke just over a year ago about THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL STATEMENT, a surprisingly stressful novel about faking your way into college, and she is back again with another stressful tale. Enter WE'RE NEVER GETTING HOME, a story about getting stranded at a music festival on the brink of friendship collapse...
I love talking with Tracy once again and hope you check out her work!
Check out my interview with Tracy Badua about THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL STATEMENT
Get WE'RE NEVER GETTING HOME from any of these fine retailers
vv Tracy's Shop Small Corner! vv
OTS Favorites
A Cautionary Tale That Practically Wrote Itself - The Future Lies by John Be Lane
Today on OTS I talk with John Be Lane about his novel The Future Lies. A Dystopian sci-fi novel that at is core is about love.
Balancing Fact and Fiction Amidst Academic Trial and Tribulations - Freshman Year with Sarah Mai
This week I got to talk with author and artists Sarah Mai about her graphic novel Freshman Year! We discuss what goes into creating a book from both the art and writing sides as well as delving deep into one's own history.
Get Freshman Year!
One Wild Weekend of Poetry in The Past and Prose in The Present - No Going Back by Patrick Scott-Flores
Today I got to talk with YA author of both prose and poetry (in the same book no less!) Patrick Flores-Scott about his newest novel NO GOING BACK. A book that jumps through time and takes readers through one wild weekend that can and will change everything for our protagonist.
Get No Going Back!
From Writing Corporate Briefs To Writing a Historical Love Story - Steel Valley with Jerry Madden
Today I got to talk with attorney turned author Jerry Madden about his debut novel STEEL VALLEY: A LOVE STORY. We got into the emotion truths behind the fictional narrative and the love story at the core of it all.
An incredibly sweet story and a lovely interview
Get STEEL VALLEY
A Love Letter To Her Adopted Home Town Full of Tech Jargon and Of Course, Iconic Fashion - Valley Verified with Kyla Zhao
Last Year I had the absolute honor of talking to Kyla Zhao about her debut novel THE FRAUD SQUAD and had an absolute blast so when I found out she had another book coming out in 2024 I just knew I wanted her back on the show!
Today on OTS Kyla and I catch up on what's been going on, how she took on book 2 (and the many different titles it could have had) and how she brought together the tech and fashion spaces in her sparkly new novel.
Get VALLEY VERIFIED
A Strikingly Personal Debut from the Rodeo Queen Herself - Breaking Pattern with Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera
Today, after a mess of scheduling issues I FINALLY sat down with Tisha Marie Reichle-Aguilera about her debut novel BREAKING PATTERN. In which she goes right back to her roots in the rodeo and horse world but through a YA lens.
Map of Indie Bookstores (now with Libromobile)
Get BREAKING PATTERN
From A Spin-Off to A Masterful Standalone All Of It's Own - Drawing Deena with Hena Khan
Today I got to talk with an absolute powerhouse of a young readers writer. Hena Khan has done it all, middle grade, picture books, anthologies, graphic novels... there is no telling what she'll come up with next! Today I got to discuss her newest middle grade novel DRAWING DEENA. It was originally pitched to be a spin-off of one of her other novels (listen to the ep to find out which one...) and has turned into a delightful book of it's own after severing those ties.
Hena is amazing and I highly recommend you check her and her works out!
Map of Indie Bookstores (now with Curious Iguana!)
Get DRAWING DEENA
Curious Iguana Books (MD)
Writing to Answer A Question The Only Way a Poet and Academic Can - How The Boogeyman Became a Poet with Tony Keith Jr.
Today I had the HONOR of talking with poet, academic, and now published author Dr. Tony Keith Jr. about his debut YA memoir in verse which he described as a YA version of his (award winning!!) dissertation!
This is unlike any book I have ever read before and it is a FEAT, mixing verse narrative with an immersive historical framework and truly a story from the heart!
Map of Indie Bookstores (now with MahoganyBooks!)
Get HOW THE BOOGEYMAN BECAME A POET
MahoganyBooks (DC)
Sarcastic Suburban Mysteries and the Complicated People that Solve Them - The Andi Stern Series with Fabian Nicieza
Today I got to talk to a member of comic royalty and an emerging voice in the mystery world. From Fabian Nicieza co-creator of Deadpool (and so much more) comes a two part mystery series that is more about the investigator's journeys than the actual murders. Fabian is incredible and I had SO much fun while recording this interview with him. Hope you enjoy!
Get The Andi Stern Series!
More Magic, More Mayhem, But Now With a Mystery of the Theoretical - Disciples of Chaos with M.K. Lobb
It has been almost a year since I first sat down with M.K. to discuss her first novel in this series and debut SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS. Now it's time to discuss the upcoming sequel DISCIPLES OF CHAOS which takes the main characters Roz and Damian on a whole new adventure but instead of a murder mystery this is much more a mystery of the theoretical as they discover the political gears of their society.
Preorder DISCIPLES OF CHAOS
Bakka Phoenix Books (Ontario)
River Bend Book Shop (CT)
A Debut Fantasy to Make You Hungry and Your Next New Dragon Obsession - So Let Them Burn with Kamilah Cole
Dragons are back and in a big big way! Enter SO LET THEM BURN a YA Jamaican Inspired fantasy (with hints of Joan of Arc herself) about two sisters. One with the power of the gods and the other destined to be a footnote in her sister's story. And dragons. We can't forget the dragons. Kamilah Cole's debut novel is out now and I got the absolute pleasure to discuss with her!
Listen to learn about why dragons (and what Kamilah's favorite fantasy creature is (it's not dragons but they are a close second)) how spite is the great motivator and EVEN MORE.
Check out my map of Indie Bookstores now with Books of Wonder!
GET SO LET THEM BURN!!
Come for the Fight Club, Stay For The Great Story - In The Ring With Sierra Isley
Today on OTS I finally got to sit down with Sierra Isley to discuss her debut novel IN THE RING. I've been so excited about this since I learned about the book from another interview I did recently with I.S. Belle since also has a YA fight club book coming out!
And yes YA Fight Club. It is an amazing premise and incredible book and I hope you enjoy the interview.
Get In The Ring
Greek Myth Retellings feat. Hades and Persephone... but not how you think - Alcestis with Kathrine Beutner
Hi and welcome or welcome back to On The Shelf! Today I had the honor of talking once again with Kathrine Beutner, this time about her debut novel Alcestis a Greek Mythology retelling that came out way before the current rise of myths in publishing. We discuss a lot, publishing trends, research processes, and the importance of stories like these. And of course even more!
Listen to Part 1 of our interview Series about Killingly
Get Alcestis
Secret Codes and a Brilliant Noir Mystery - Dear Sylvia, Love Jane with Erin Hall
Today on OTS is got to talk with indie author Erin Hall about her debut novel DEAR SYLVIA, LOVE JANE. The queer, historical, noir mystery in an ongoing series starring Detective Molly Malone.
Synopsis:
"Between pretending to be the secretary of her own detective agency and late-night visits to her favorite gay club Whiskers (where a secret knock grants entry), Molly’s life is lived in the shadows.
But when distraught housewife Sylvia seeks help from a detective, Molly’s professional and personal life begin to merge.
When an up-and-coming politician reveals his plan to shutter gay clubs like Whiskers, Molly is concerned.
Then when bodies start appearing, Molly needs to act fast to save her friends and loved ones–old and new–from being the next victims.
Because Molly isn’t the only one with a secret."
Get Dear Sylvia, Love Jane
Creating New Genres and A Dark Academia Set at My College - Killingly with Kathrine Beutner
Hi and welcome or welcome back to On The Shelf! Today I had the honor of talking with Kathrine Beutner, her new novel Killingly, a dark academia book based on true events from the 1800s set at Mount Holyoke College! We discuss a lot, publishing trends, research processes, and the importance of stories like these. And of course even more!
Get Killingly
At The End of The Day... We All Deserve Love (Even Insufferable Main Characters) - Emmett with L.C. Rosen
From the author of Camp and Jack of Hearts (and other parts) Comes Emmett a queer, modern day retelling of Emma by Jane Austen. In this interview we talk about his big year of publications (3 books in 2023 alone!) what it takes to adapt a classic book, and how terrifying the joint matchmaking power of Emma and Emmett would be.
Map of Indie Booksellers (now with The Ripped Bodice!!)
Get Emmett now!
A New Wave of YA Horror is Upon Us and You Should Start Here! - The Grimmer with Naben Ruthnum
Today on OTS I got to talk with Naben Ruthnum about his debut YA novel THE GRIMMER. But that's not all, we talked about his varied career in both fiction and nonfiction, adult and now YA, as well as his work in both prose and for the screen!
I had a great time discussing and learning about his career and how these different types of writing are not as different as they may seem.
Book Links
A Tale of Two Books, An Appetite for Miracles and Omega Morales by Laekan Zea Kemp
Hi everybody and welcome (or welcome back) to On The Shelf. Today I had the absolute pleasure of talking with author Laekan Zea Kemp about one of her YA books (An Appetite for Miracles) and one of her Middle Grade books (Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuy).
Enjoy!
Book Links
The Return of Lilian Li: Sports, Perfectionism, Difficult Choices and of course Duet Me Not
Follow Lilian
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Map of Indie Bookstores
Listen to Part 1 alllll about House of Koi
Purchase Duet Me Not
Bookalicious
Riwayat
Amazon
Purchase House of Koi!
NY YU and Me
Odyssey Books
Quail Ridge
A Story Years in the Making and the Importance of Solar Flares - The Forgotten Colony and J.B. Ryder
Today I got to talk with the one and only J.B. Ryder! An up and coming young writer about his sci-fi dystopian debut novel THE FORGOTTEN COLONY
Map of Indie Bookstores (now with Books Inc. Palo Alto!)
Buy THE FORGOTTEN COLONY!
A Web of Contradictions and A Book That is the First of It's Kind - The Spice Must Flow with Ryan Britt
This week on OTS we welcome back Ryan Britt! Last time we discussed his book 'Phasers On Stun' which is alllll about the making and creation of the Star Trek Universe and this week we are covering all things Dune in his new book 'The Spice Must Flow'. We talk about the research that goes into making a book like this, how it's the first of it's kind, the endless web of contradictions that Dune and the creatives behind it contain and even more!
Check out our other interview about 'Phasers On Stun' (Interviewing an Interviewer... Phasers on Stun! with Ryan Britt) Map of Indie Bookstores
Buy The Spice Must Flow
Taking Signs from the Universe and Writing What She Wanted to Read - House of Koi with Lilian Li
Follow Lilian
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Map of Indie Bookstores
Purchase House of Koi
Bookalicious
NY YU and Me
Odyssey Books
Quail Ridge
Is The Grass Every Really Greener? - Fake Famous with Dana L. Davis
Welcome back to OTS! Today I have a VERY special interview to share today... a release day special for Fake Famous, Dana L. Davis' fifth novel! This book is all about Red, a farm girl from Iowa that after a joke video is pulled into the world of her celebrity look alike Zay Zay Waters and asks herself 'is the grass really greener on the other side?'
Fake Famous is available now!
Consider purchasing through one of these fine retailers.
What Happens When Kid Detectives Stop Detecting? (You'll Have To Read To Find Out...) - Charlotte Illes Is Not A Detective with Katie Siegel
Ever wonder what happens when to you favorite kid detectives after they hang up their magnifying glass and grow up? Enter Charlotte Illes... a former kid detective pulled in for one last mystery. Today I, Honora, reported in live from outside, with a studio audience (my friend Anjali that wanted the chance to meet Katie) and had the absolute honor of talking to Katie Siegel about her debut novel, it's interesting origins as a Webseries and maybe, just maybe what's instore next for our Charlotte.
Buy Charlotte Illes!
Katie's Indies WORD Bookstores in Jersey City
Fountain Bookstore in Richmond VA
The Curious Iguana in Frederick MD
BookMark Shoppe in Brooklyn NY
OTS Indies
A Rich Family Saga from The Heart of Hollywood - The Blackwoods with Brandy Colbert
Today on OTS I got to talk with the one and only Brandy Colbert about her brand new novel The Blackwoods! This book follows a Black Hollywood dynasty through 3 POVs. Matriarch Blossom's journey through the 40s and beyond and two of her grandchildren's relationships with this fame.
Map of Indie Bookstores (now with Reparations Books!)
Buy The Blackwoods
Even More Resurrections and a Prequel now in Three Parts - I.S. Belle and the Babylove Novellas
Follow I.S. Belle
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Check out our map of Indie bookstores
Purchase Babylove
Quail Ridge
Odyssey Books
Unity Books Wellington (NZ)
Purchase Sugarsnap
Quail Ridge
Odyssey Books
Preorder Sweethearts (out January 2024!)
Amazon
Preorder Girl's Night (Out April 2024!)
Odyssey Books
Found Family and the Hardships of Grief all Wrapped Up In a Scavenger Hunt - The Rosewood Hunt with Mackenzie Reed
Today I FINALLY got to talk with the one and only Mackenzie Reed about her debut novel The Rosewood Hunt (out 10/31/23!!) We discussed what goes into making a mystery as well as our mutual awe of the Inheritance Games Series and what is next for Mackenzie after The Rosewood Hunt releases! The Rosewood Hunt is described as Knives Out meet Outer Banks with a scavenger hunt/mystery for a missing fortune!
Follow OTS Map of Indie Bookstores (now with The Dog Eared Book!!)
Preorder/Purchase Links
Queer. Historical. Fantasy. The Glass Scientists with S.H. Cotugno
Today my good friend Kaitlyn and I got to talk to the one and only S.H. Cotugno about there webcomic turned graphic novel The Glass Scientists. The series, while incorporating elements from several classic monster stories, focuses on the story of Jekyll and Hyde. Set amongst beautiful artwork this magical version of Victorian London comes to life!
The Glass Scientists is out NOW!
Buy TGS
Broom Races, Magic, and No 3rd Act Breakup - BROOMS with Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall
Today on OTS I present you with part 1 of 2 of a double feature of spooky graphic novels to sink your teeth into this October. Today's episode is allllll about Brooms a graphic novel written by Jasmine Walls with art by Teo DuVall. I had the honor of talking with both author and artist along with leading the interview with a friend of mine Anjali.
Come back tomorrow for part two of our graphic novel double feature alllll about The Glass Scientists by S.H. Cotugno!
Get BROOMS
Teo's Indies
Jasmine's Indies
Resurrections and Six People Talking Over Each Other - I.S. Belle and Zombabe
welcome back to on the shelf, as per usual I have a very special episode I can't wait to share today, an author interview but not only that... this is part 1 of a two part series I'm doing with I.S. Belle about her shared universe stories. Part 1 is all about Zombabe, the 'flagship' of her shared universe.
Check out our map of Indie bookstores
Purchase Zombabe
Unity Books Wellington (NZ)
Preorder Girl's Night (Out April 2024!)
From a Reading Book about Radiation to Writing a Book about Magic - The Peace of Freysdal by Michael Richards
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Check out our map of small bookstores (now featuring McKay's!)
Purchase The Peace of Freysdal
McKay's (TN)
Amazon
Quail Ridge (NC)
Odyssey Books (MA)
Success in Writing Has No One Clear Path - And This Shall Be My Dancing Day with Jennifer Kavanagh
Purchase the book:
Quaker Bookshop
Quail Ridge
Odyssey Books
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Check out our map of indie booksellers!
Historic, Chilling, and Dangerous... The Perfect Spooky YA Book Is Coming This October - The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson
Today my friend Kaitlyn and I had the incredible opportunity to interview Kosoko Jackson about his upcoming YA novel 'The Forest Demands Its Due'.
Douglas finds himself in the midst of curse breaking, monsters, and the ability to remember those who have died despite no one else doing the same. This incredibly engaging novel is available from Quill Tree on October 3rd and is the perfect novel for spooky season!
Map of Indie Bookstores (now featuring One More Page and Loudmouth Books!)
Preorder The Forest Demands Its Due
One More Page (VA) (signed copies!)
Who Doesn't Love a Dynamic Duo? - Discussing Stuck in Her Head with authors Kylie Wang and Liana Tang
Today for the first time in OTS history we interview a writing duo! Teen writers, Kylie and Liana have been friends for years and when they reconnected during the pandemic they decided to co-write a contemporary book and try to accurately capture the teen experience in a way they felt YA had not done.
Stuck in Her Head is now available for preorder!
The Need for A New Adult genre and the Ways Authors Work Around That - This Pact Is Not Ours by Zachary Sergi
Today my lovely friend Caroline and I got to talk with Zachary Sergi, author of Major Detours and the upcoming This Pact is Not Ours out from Tiny Ghost Press October 3rd.
We both read Major Detours for a book club so we were thrilled about the chance to sit down with Zach!
For the perfect blend of a eerie but surprisingly summery halloween book I highly recommend This Pact Is Not Ours!
Follow Tiny Ghost Press for more amazing books
Check out our map of Indie Booksellers
Preorder This Pact Is Not Ours
A Novel Idea PA
The Absolute Power of Readers and a loose retelling of 'The Secret Garden' - 'Belladonna' and 'Foxglove' by Adalyn Grace
Today, ahead of it's 8/22 release date, I got to sit down with Adalyn Grace about books 1 and 2 in her Belladonna trilogy. We discussed an array of topics from her interesting path to prose, to which character she'd most like to bring to a tea party to which important character almost didn't make it into the book!
This interview has a bit of it all!
Check out our map of indie bookstores!
Listen to last week's interview with Ava Reid!
Preorder/Purchase Foxglove (out august 22nd!)
Purchase Belladonna
Political Intrigue, Literary Discourse and a Gothic Manor on a Cliff - A Study In Drowning with Ava Reid
Today my friend Kaitlyn and I had the absolute honor of reading and discussing A Study in Drowning with Ava Reid. It's a dark academia with romance and mystery and is so so good. A Study in Drowning follows Effy, an architecture student but wannabe literature student, as she gets chosen to design a house for the family of her literary idol and gets caught up in the mysteries of the house on the cliff.
Preorder A Study In Drowning
The Beautiful Balance of Historical Fiction and Fact with Zoe Sivak
Stay up to date!
Shop Small Map (now featuring Harriett's)
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Purchase Mademoiselle Revolution! Available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audio!
Harriett's (PA)
Quail Ridge (NC)
Books.org (General Resouce)
Fighting, Gore, and in the midst of it all... Reunions with Bella Higgin
Dive right into todays episode of On The Shelf where we dive into her unique spin on the vampire lore and how it got from Wattpad to the physical page!
Bella was on OTS last week to talk allll about book 1 Belle Morte or the eponymous series.
Haven't listened to part one? Never fear here is the link!
Revelations is available in Hardcover, Paperback, and Digital!
Buy Revelations
Fangs, Blood, and Romance with Bella Higgin
Want to Learn More??
Dive right into todays episode of On The Shelf where we dive into her unique spin on the vampire lore and how it got from Wattpad to the physical page!
Bella will be back next week to talk all thing Revelations (Belle Morte book 2) so stay tuned!
Belle Morte is available in Hardcover, Paperback, and Digital!
Buy Belle Morte
OTS: The Final Installment...?
We look back on our 3 years as a group and look into the future with this retrospective discussion. While that is acting as our 'finale' for what OTS was we are far from done and have more in store for the summer!
The Importance of Friendship... and Dragons with Olivia Rose Darling
We talk everything from the characters and dynamics, childhood nostalgia, to what is next in this series. The novel is a New Adult romantasy that is oh-so fun that you won't want to miss out on!
Shop Small Map!
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Get Fear the Flames
Northshire Bookstore (Olivia's Indie)
Quail Ridge Books (Our Indie)
Amazon for both Print and Kindle
19 Questions with Tasha Madison (Release Day Special!)
This concludes the 3 Part interview series with Tasha Madison and her Pen Thief book series!
listen to part 2
Listen to last week's interview with K.X. Song
Buy division of destiny!