The Wandering Quill-May Edition

Greetings, my fellow subscribers. I hope you all are having a wonderful day today. If you thought April was busy, then get ready for May. I am so excited to share this month's lineup of guests with you. This month is full of new authors, historians, and this month's guests for the Historians Lounge. In addition, I will be officially showing the cover of my next book this year. I am proud to share that this is one of the most impressive lineup individuals on the channel next to April. I hope you all feel the same way.

Historians Lounge Guest

Historian Interview

Author Interviews

Upcoming Book-Michael: Last Angel of Earth

Historian Interview Katy Clark

This month's Historians Lounge Guest is Katy Clark . For those who remember her from my podcast two years ago, Katy Clark specializes in Women's History and American colonial through the Civil War. She has also published a thesis in the National Archives and written several magazine articles for the UK-based Magazine The Historian. Her most recent are "Before They Called Her Madame President: Mary Todd Lincoln" and "To Cherish a Mockingbird: Celebrating Harper Lee." She is a very passionate woman who loves her field and the people she has met. For our episode on May 10th, we will discuss her upcoming Book with Pen and Swords called "African Women of the Ancient World: Queens, Consorts, and Warriors."

Historian Interview

My first Historian is among many returning Season One of the Historians Lounge guests. First up is my friend Chrissie “Zero” Reilly . Her specialty in history is culinary history and how what we eat overlaps with culture. She also works for the Dept of Defense and has been a military historian for 15+ years. She has worked for the Army, Defense Logistics Agency, and Air Force. Lately, her main project has been documenting the unclassified aspects of a recent deployment to Germany in support of the Russo-Ukraine war. Within that, she's conducting oral history and reporting technology, digital humanities, military as tourists, etc.

Furthermore, she is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). She is also funny, an incredible historian, and a fantastic friend. Her return to the show will be May 9th.

Professor Richard B Spence is making their debut on the show for the first time. As of June 2020, Dr. Richard B. Spence is an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Idaho, where he has been teaching since 1986. His specialties include Russian, military, espionage, and occult history. One of his most popular courses at UI dealt with the role of conspiracies and secret societies in history. His major published works include Boris Savinkov: Renegade on the Left (East European Monographs/Columbia Univ. Press, 1991), Trust No One: The Secret World of Sidney Reilly (Feral House, 2002), and Secret Agent 666: Aleister Crowley, British Intelligence and the Occult (Feral House, 2008), Empire of the Wheel: Espionage, the Occult and Murder in Southern California (Co-authored with Walter Bosley, Corvos, 2011), and Wall Street and the Russian Revolution, 1905-1925 (Trine Day, June 2017). He is also the author of numerous articles in Revolutionary Russia, Intelligence and National Security, International Journal of Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence, Journal for the Study of Anti-Semitism, American Communist History, The Historian, New Dawn, and other publications. He has been interviewed on Coast to Coast, Midnight in the Desert, The Other Side of Midnight, and The Farm. Weird Tales, Truth Be Told, Jay's Analysis, Leak Project, and other programs have been commentators/consultants for the History Channel, the International Spy Museum, Radio Liberty, and the Russian Cultural Foundation's documentary film unit. His projects include The Trotsky Conspiracy, American Spies in Revolutionary Russia, and Flying Saucers and Secret Agents: The Hidden History of UFOs. His research provides fresh insights into the secretive careers of Leon Trotsky, Sidney Reilly, Basil Zaharoff, Boris Brasol, I.T. Trebitsch Lincoln, Aleister Crowley, and others. His mark on the show will be the 14th.

Also returning to the show on the 13th is Neil P. Chatelain , another historian from Season 1. Neil P. Chatelain is an assistant professor of history at Lone Star College - North Harris, in the greater Houston area, and is the vice president on the board of directors for the historical nonprofit organization Emerging Civil War. A nine-year veteran of the US Navy who earned a Surface Warfare Officer designation, Neil researches naval activity of the United States Civil War. He authored the award-winning Defending the Arteries of Rebellion: Confederate Naval Operations in the Mississippi River Valley, 1861-1865, and Fought Like Devils: The Confederate Gunboat McRae. His latest book is Treasure and Empire in the Civil War: The Panama Route, the West and the Campaigns to Control America's Mineral Wealth.

Another first-timer making their debut is Abigail Williams. Abigail Rebecca Williams is a young historian and writer passionate about exploring the intersections of language, culture, and history. Having graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Russian language and History, Abigail Rebecca has developed a deep understanding of the Rus, the early Christian Church, the Orthodox Church, Nordic, Slavic, and Greek Paganism alongside delving into the caveats of Hagiographical texts. Currently, Abigail Rebecca is engaged with St. Olga of Kyiv, the first Regent Queen of the Rus, writing a book that aims to shed new light on her life and legacy, offering a re-examination of Olga that aims to recenter her in the history of the Rus and draw attention to the Rus as a part of medieval history more generally. Outside of her dedicated research surrounding St Olga of Kyiv, Abigail Rebecca closely associates with Jackson Van Uden of History with Jackson, writing articles and book reviews, directing Social Media and Event Coordination during History with Jackson’s coverage of History Festivals throughout England. You can find Abigail Rebecca at the Chalke History Festival this upcoming June. Her debut will be on the 20th.

My next Historian is another alumnus from my podcast and historians lounge, Michael G. Stroud . Michael needs no introduction, but as a refresher, he is a passionate and dedicated military historian available for lectures, presentations, historical consultation, teaching, and writing projects. He believes in utilizing strong systematic approaches to research while leveraging acute analytical skills in conjunction with exemplary writing to relay insightful and astute findings in telling our historical story, be they for a general audience or those of a more academic nature. Michael takes pride in relaying the informative and exciting stories of our collective military history in an approachable, engaging, and accessible manner. Michael will return on May 22nd.

Following right after Michael is another one of my dear friends, Lynne Marx . For over twenty years, Lynne has enjoyed teaching and tutoring children through young adults; however, she is ready to follow her passion and have a career as a military historian. In graduate school, She researched, analyzed data, synthesized, and penned papers on the American Revolution, the American Civil War, the Great War, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. With her peers and professors, Lynne has discussed historiography, military theories, causes, and combat, and throughout her course of study, her classes provided opportunities to study the United States military history from its conception to current events. Her thesis was on the Marine Corps’s amphibious transformation during the interwar years through the lens of the Battle of Tarawa and the amphibious landing at Inchon. Lynne is researching and writing about the Marine Corps’s war dogs in the Pacific Theater. Finally, she has had two historical book reviews published in historical journals. Her return will be on May 23rd.

Finally, my last historian for May is Joyce M Pace, MEd MMH , my first guest of Season 1 of the Historians Lunge. For those who remember, she has been a military historian and teacher with over two decades of experience. She is an incredible person and one of my dearest friends on Linkedin. She will return on May 29th

Author Interviews

My first author for the Month of May is Will Solomon. Will Solomon is an author who initially hails from Memphis, TN. After serving nearly seven years in the United States Air Force as a Military Policeman and Canine Handler, he left the service and pursued his passion for writing. When he’s not busy writing books or working on his degree, you can find him at the shooting range, hitting weights at the gym, or home, reading and relaxing. He will debut on May 6.

Kristina Dowling will also debut on May 6th. Kristina knew from a very early age that she wanted to be an author and had been writing her whole life. She wrote a book at 11 that was published as short stories in a pony book club in her native Sweden. She moved to Ireland in 2006 to try out the little green isle for six months, and little did she know that 18 years later, she would still be calling it her home. She lives with her husband, two kids, and a cockapoo in a little village on the east coast of Ireland, where she works full-time as a writer, audiobook narrator, and social media coach. She writes the YA urban fantasy series about Eira Martell. The books are a great mix of folklore, mysticism, witches, stone circles, history, grimoires, young love, and old haunted houses. The first book in the series, The Girl of Darkness, came out in 2022 and was nominated for Best Young Adult Novel at Storytel Awards 2023. She signed with an agent in 2024, and her first book is currently out on submission. When she doesn’t write, you will likely find her hiking in the wilderness with the family and the dog, watching horror movies, reading, or exploring derelict houses, stone circles, or old castles in rural Ireland.

My next author is Antonett Douglas Clarke. Originally from Jamaica, but now living in North Dakota, United States, she works full time as a nurse but does spend most of her spare time writing fictional stories. Her favorite genres are Romance, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, Thriller, and paranormal. Those are also the genres in which she has written unpublished stories (except historical fiction). She has been writing for as long as nine years of age, and she loves doing it as a hobby. When she is not writing, she is playing video games, sightseeing, and being a proud mother to her19-month-old daughter. She just published her first book and wants to gain more avid readers to share her stories with the world. She will debut May 7th

My next author is Aaron Ryan . Aaron Ryan lives in Washington with his wife and two sons, along with Macy, the dog, Winston, the cat, and Merry & Pippin, the finches. He is the author of the "Dissonance" series, several business books on multimedia production penned under a pseudonym, and a previous fictional novel, "The Omega Room." In second grade, he was tasked with writing a creative assignment: a fictional book.  Thus, “The Electric Boy” was born: a simple novella full of intrigue, fantasy, and 7-year-old wits that electrified Aaron’s desire to write.  From then on, Aaron became a creative soul who desired to create. He enjoys the arts, media, music, performing, poetry, and being a daddy.  In his lifetime, he has been an author, voiceover artist, wedding videographer, stage performer, musician, producer, rock/pop artist, executive assistant, service manager, paperboy, CSR, poet, tech support, worship leader, and more.  His diverse life experiences give him a unique approach to business, life, ministry, faith, and entertainment. Aaron’s favorite authors are J.R.R. Tolkien, but he also enjoys Suzanne Collins, James S.A. Corey, Marie Lu, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, and Stephen King. Aaron has always had a passion for storytelling and will share with us his passion on May 8th.

Another author returning to the show needs no introduction: my good friend Kim Appelgryn . Like Michael, Kim is one of my close friends. We have known each other since 2018 because of our love for fantasy, history, and video games. She is the author of The Silent Witness and The Resonance of War. On May 10th, she will return for the fourth time, and we will discuss her upcoming novel.

Another author making her appearance on the show is Jasmine Young. She was thirteen when she first dreamed of becoming published after devouring Eragon in a few days on Grandma's couch. As a nerdy introvert, her exposure to fantasy started with hiding out in the library with a great book. Thirteen years later, her tomboy dreams came true. Some legends say she still indulges her hermit tendencies in her dream state of Florida. (You'll only know the truth if you join her at the beach for a dragon campaign.) When she's not reminiscing about her gaming days or getting lost in old epics like LOTR, she writes epic fantasy to entertain and empower, especially the underdogs. Life can be challenging, but it encourages everyone to stay strong and be the legend of their stories. She will debut on May 11.

Author Courtney Wims will also be making her debut on the channel. Courtney Wims began writing in elementary school, where she would write about dragons and wolves. Until college, she played a virtual game called Neopets, where she created her character designs, backstories, personalities, likes & dislikes, and stories from those characters. Courtney was inspired by reading some of the most popular romance series currently in the genre and decided to write her own story, Of Flames and Fallacies. She is located in the Los Angeles, California, area. Her appearance will be on May 14th.

Also, on the 14th, author Tim Focciola will be debuting. Tim is often found in his garage gym or the mountains where he lives when he isn't writing epic fantasy. A virtual fitness professional by trade, he integrates his creative passions into movement, training with maces, clubs, staves, and swords to unlock his inner gladiator. Tim loves stories more than writing, reading, gaming, playing music, hiking, and paddle-boarding. If he’s not working on his story, he’s helping others develop theirs as an author coach. Living in Arizona with his wife, Colleen, Tim continues writing epic fantasy novels while exploring different storytelling mediums so he can inspire others to hope, live, and believe.

Finally, on the 14th, Book Blogger and reviewer Megan Shunshine Fuller will debut. She is a proud mom with a full-time career. Beyond her professional life, she is an avid reader passionate about fantasy and romantic novels. In her spare time, she indulges in the world of literature, sharing her thoughts and insights through book reviews. Her journey is a balancing act between the responsibilities of motherhood, the demands of her job, and the joy found within the pages of a good book. 

For a first on the show, I will be interviewing two comic writers on the show, Erica Harrell and Desirée Proctor. After bonding over the fact that they were both raised in Florida by a Cuban mother and a red-state father, the writing team of Desirée Proctor & Erica Harrell went on to co-write various projects for film, television, and video games. Desirée & Erica were also selected to participate in the inaugural DC Comics Writers Program taught by Batman comics writer Scott Snyder. Their first comic, Deadshot: Mercy, was published in 2017. Desirée and Erica also contributed to Marvel's Voices: Comunidades, which spotlights Latinx heroes and creators in the Marvel Comics Universe. Nuclear Power is their first original comic series. They will make their debut on May 15th.

My next author for this month is an exceptional guest, Marvin Haynes . He is an Award-Winning Author, Army Veteran, and astute student of history. In my personal life, Marvin is a published author of historical fiction, with three novels currently in publication and a fourth slated to hit the shelves in May 2024. He also writes articles about East Asian history for magazines such as Military History, Military History Quarterly, Medieval World, and, most recently, Vietnam. Marvin will debut on May 17th.

Another new author making their debut is A. Trae McMaken. From a dwarven prospector's inner turmoil to a diminutive squirrel-rider's adventures, A. Trae McMaken's decades-long passion for writing fantasy literature has led him into many worlds and introduced many characters. He lives and works near the shores of Lake Huron, watching as his flock of sheep munch grass. He has had a varied career as a traveling storyteller, folklorist, fiddler, and singer, but he prefers to stay put and write these days. He will appear on the show on May 18th.

Another guest I am very excited to have on the show is Mr. Ralph Miley. Ralph Miley and Kevin Yong head up New Creation Comics, a comic book studio dedicated to creating faith-based, culturally diverse stories across various story genres and art styles. Their first publications were Proverbs and Parables and New Crew. The graphic novels were Ragged Capes, New Visions, and Street Fury. New Creation Comics' mission is to use the comic book medium to communicate the gospel's message and present a Biblical worldview in their artistic endeavors. Their mission Bible verse is “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” Psalm 127:1. Ralph Miley is a retired Los Angeles Unified School District teacher and is the senior pastor of La Mirada Foursquare Church. He has been involved in self-publishing since 1988. Kevin Yong is a digital troubleshooter, a new father, and works as a writer, artist, letterer, and editor for New Creation Comics. Ralphs's debut will be on the 21st.

The next duo I will be interviewing are Matt Conant and Lauren Cipollo. Matt Conant is a bestselling author, writer, director, and show creator living in Los Angeles, specializing in comedy, genre, and gaming fare for various media. Matt writes on MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (MST3K, Netflix) and THE MST3K LIVE TOUR. He has created, written & directed many digital comedy series, including NERD VS. GEEK, MOOT, OVERANALYZERS, and SOCIETY: WHY IT’S WRONG, and served as a writer and frequent collaborator on THE ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD, SUPER PLUMBER BROS. and LIVING IN 8 BITS. His debut novel ORIGIN, Book 1 of the cyberpunk/space opera PARALLAX series, co-authored with Lauren Cipollo and from publisher Aethon Books, recently became a #1 Amazon Bestseller. Matt is adapting a neo-noir video game property for TV, writing a tabletop RPG with Emmy-award-winning producer Jenni Powell, and co-writing a digital series with esteemed animation writer Jonathan Callan. Matt has been a guest speaker on comedy, writing, and filmmaking at schools, festivals, and conventions nationwide. Lauren Cipollo is a bestselling writer and illustrator specializing in science fiction, fantasy and other genre fare. Her debut trilogy, the sci-fi series PARALLAX co-written with Matt Conant, debuted in April from Aethon Books, became a #1 Amazon Bestseller, and has a 4.6 star rating on Amazon and Goodreads. Her dystopian short story WE USED TO FLY won a Silver Honorable Mention for Writers of the Future. In the gaming realm, Lauren is a co-star on the actual-play podcast HELLA XP and is developing two tabletop role-playing games, one based on the PARALLAX universe and one based on Steven Peros’s comic book series STOKER & WELLS. Lauren graduated from the University of the Arts Cum Laude with a BFA in animation. Her 16-year zookeeping career culminated in being a polar bear keeper at the San Diego Zoo, and her life of animals and biology now influences all her projects, such as her workplace comedy KEEPERS. They will debut on May 24.

My next author, making her debut in May, is Victoria Sorenson. Victoria Sorenson is a first-time author who is set to release her debut book, The Sacred Vine, as the first of a trilogy series this coming December. She is an avid collector of vintage books and a passionate poet with a deep love for classic literature. Victoria enjoys spending quality time in the countryside with her husband and three daughters. She will make her debut on May 27th.

More authors are still on the horizon, so be on the lookout.

“What happens when Heaven’s greatest warrior causes the end of the world?”

IT IS OFFICIALLY HERE! The cover of my third book, Michael: Last Angel of Earth, begins a new trilogy that follows the journey of Archangel Michael, who must go on a perilous quest. Thank you to Get Covers for creating this excellent cover and Lowri Ball of Ivory Quill Commisions for creating the map and banner for the story. More news regarding official preorders and ARC applications will be coming soon. Make sure to follow my newsletter to stay up to date. Thank you all for your support.

As always, if you've had the chance to read The Gathering or Amyntas, it would mean the world to me if you'd leave a review! If not, here is your chance. 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?

Before I go, I want all my fellow historians, authors, and creators to listen. Remember that 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!

Link to Gathering

Link to Amyntas