Bookshop Interview with First Coast Romance Writers -- Part 1 of 2, Episode #257
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Release Date: 12/10/2025
Bookshop Interview with Author Sonia Daccarett, Episode #268
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Sonia Daccarett discusses her debut memoir, The Roots of the Guava Tree: Growing up Jewish and Arab in Colombia. Sonia never intended to write a book. But as she reached middle age, she found herself looking back on a childhood that felt strangely distant from the life she was living now. Her memoir became a way to bridge those two worlds. Sonia grew up in Colombia speaking a different language, surrounded by the vibrant culture of her country as well as the traditions of her Jewish and Arab heritage. Her grandparents emigrated to Colombia and built a life there, and Sonia was always...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Melanie Anagnos, Episode #267
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Melanie Anagnos discusses her debut novel, Nightswimming. The story drops us straight into the gritty streets of Paterson, New Jersey, circa 1979. Jamie Palmieri, a young patrol officer barely three years out of the academy, suddenly finds himself pulled into a brutal double-murder investigation. What begins as a request for an extra pair of hands quickly becomes something far more dangerous, as Jamie realizes the killer may be turning his sights on him. But Nightswimming isn’t just a tense police procedural—it’s a sharp look at the era’s entrenched injustices, including the...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Helen Hynson Vettori, Episode #266
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Helen Hynson Vettori discusses her new Black Swan thriller series. The first two books—Black Swan Impact and Black Swan Shock—are out now, with a third on the way. Before becoming a novelist, Helen spent her career as a government planner for catastrophic events like pandemics. When she retired in 2018, she imagined a quiet life of travel and crafting. Then 2020 arrived. As the world shut down, Helen was stunned to see the government ignore the very plans she helped create. To cope with the anxiety of that moment, she began journaling, which quickly transformed into storytelling....
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Bookshop Interview with Author D.A. Murray, Episode #265
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author D.A. Murray discusses Dominion: Ascension, the first book in her new Dominion trilogy. The story takes place about thirty years in the future, in the aftermath of a devastating war that has reshaped society into a post-apocalyptic nation now known as Dominion. The consequences of that conflict run deep—cognitive decline, widespread infertility, and a dramatic shift in the balance of power. In this world, women now hold control. At the center of the story is Dani Matthews, an investigative reporter and the daughter of a high-ranking Dominion official. As Dani digs the truth behind the...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Bill Hulseman, Episode #264
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Bill Hulseman discusses his new book, six to carry the casket and one to say the mass. This powerful collection of personal essays grew out of Bill’s experience with grief and burnout after losing several family members in a short span of time. Through his writing, he reflects on how he arrived at that moment in his life, exploring themes that range from family to Catholicism to queer-belonging and pop culture. Bill shares stories from his early formative years, the pivotal choices that shaped his path, and the moments that helped him understand and embrace his queer identity. In...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Hanna Verrall, Episode #263
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Hanna Verrall discusses one of the most delightfully unusual writing projects I’ve come across: The Fax Club Experiment. One hundred writers. One fax machine each. One question received by fax every Friday for a full year. Only 32 made it to the end—and together they turned their favorite responses into a book. Hanna shares how the experiment worked, why every author stayed anonymous, and what surprised her most about the answers that came in week after week. It’s a conversation about creativity, commitment, and the magic that happens when writers lean into the unexpected. Tune...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Andy Honda, Episode #262
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
This week on The Bookshop at the End of the Internet, I’m chatting with author Andy Honda, the creative mind behind the charming children’s series Koa’s Ruff Life. Inspired by her real-life rescue pup, Koa—a lovable Rhodesian Ridgeback—Andy’s stories follow his adventures across New York City. From the Central Park Zoo to Bryant Park to Christmas in the city, each book celebrates the small, magical moments she and Koa share, sprinkled with fun NYC facts to spark curiosity in young readers. In our conversation, Andy opens up about her unexpected path from science to storytelling,...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Jen Braaksma, Episode #261
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Jen Braaksma talks about a truly extraordinary project: Befriending Betsy. This book began with another writer—Betsy Pauly, a woman remembered for her kindness, humor, and deep love for animals. After Betsy passed away, she left behind pieces of a manuscript and a husband determined to see her story reach the world. That’s where Jen stepped in. Jen was brought on to help shape Betsy’s unfinished work, but this wasn’t your typical co-authoring experience. She had to learn Betsy’s voice, understand her heart, and honor a story that began long before she arrived. In our...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Nancy Bernhard, Episode #260
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Nancy Bernhard discusses her powerful debut novel, The Double Standard Sporting House. Set in New York City, 1868, during the shadowy reign of Tammany Hall, Nancy’s story follows Doc—a sharp, fearless woman who runs an elite brothel as a covert way to fund her free clinic for women. Her world is one of grit, autonomy, and unexpected power, built at a time when society demanded “respectability” above all else. Nancy shares the surprising historical research behind the novel, including eye‑opening statistics about sex work in 19th‑century NYC and the complex reasons so many...
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Bookshop Interview with Author Joe Battaglia, Episode #259
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet
Author Joe Battaglia discusses his debut novel, Beneath the Rings. Joe is a seasoned sports journalist who spent years covering the Olympic Games. His experiences inspired Beneath the Rings, which centers around a terrorist event at the 2040 Summer Olympic Games in Doha. In this story, an independent journalist finds herself in the center of an international hostage situation and has to race against time to uncover the terrorist plot steeped in corruption, trafficking, and revenge to save the Olympic Games from international disaster. Joe has drawn upon his nearly thirty-year career in...
info_outlineIn this first installment of a special two‑part series, The Bookshop at the End of the Internet features five brief, lively interviews recorded onsite at a working retreat of the First Coast Romance Writers. Host Stacey Horan chats with Maggie FitzRoy, LaTisha Redding, Lynn Westhoff, Marie Morton, and Ann Wright—authors at various stages of their writing journeys who bring humor, passion, and unique perspectives to the romance genre. From YA themes to paranormal trilogies to Caribbean‑inspired sports romance, this episode offers a warm, engaging look at the many ways stories take shape. Tune in for books, inspiration, and a behind‑the‑scenes glimpse into a vibrant writing community.