Blog

"Containment Breach"

Mira Chen had twenty minutes to decide whether to go public or watch a thousand people die.

The cooler door hissed shut behind her, sealing her into the quarantine lab. Even with triple filters running, the stench of rot was starting to win. The sample bag on the steel table pulsed faintly, the meat inside greening at the edges like it was trying to grow something new.

“Was this inspected?” she barked into her headset.

A pause. Then her assistant’s voice crackled: “Shipment...

There are moments in history when the masks slip. When authoritarian leanings stop whispering and start shouting. We just had one of those moments.

This past week, the Trump administration crossed a line many of us have warned about—but few truly believed they’d see: open discussion of deporting American citizens to foreign prisons without trial or due process. Not to Guantanamo. Not to a classified black site. But to CECOT, El Salvador’s mega-prison infamous for its brutal conditions and...

Chapter Seven: Love Thyself

by Taylor Anne Vigil

When you grow up convinced you’re hard to love, kindness can feel like a lie. It takes time — real time — to believe someone might see your broken pieces and not flinch.

This chapter is where things get quieter, but heavier. Where the body aches and the heart speaks. Where care shows up in microwaved soup, midnight medicine hunts, and the simple, aching bravery of staying beside someone who’s hurting.

Taylor peels back another layer here — not just...

It started with a name.

Not a bomb threat. Not a breach of national security. Not even a meme that went viral for the wrong reasons.

Just a name.

When Ms. Rivera stood at the front of her classroom and called roll, she paused—like she always did—at “Allison.” The girl sitting in the third row raised her hand and said, “It’s Aiden now.”

Ms. Rivera smiled and said, “Got it. Aiden.” Then moved on to “Jacob.” It took three seconds. No classroom disruption. No dramatic gasp. Just a teacher doing what...

When fiction becomes warning—and warning becomes prophecy

Dear Readers,

If you’re a fan of classic science fiction, you’ve probably heard of the Crazy Years.

Robert A. Heinlein coined the term in his Future History timeline to describe a period of rising irrationality and chaos in American society—a cultural breakdown where logic was optional and extremism became normalized. The Crazy Years paved the way for a religious dictator named Nehemiah Scudder to take power—ending American democracy in...

The risks authors face, and why we must speak louder

Dear Readers,

If you’ve noticed fewer author events lately—fewer book tours, fewer panels, fewer names on convention guest lists—you’re not imagining it.

And no, it’s not burnout. It’s not laziness. It’s not just the cost of plane tickets.

It’s fear.

And for some of us, it's a question of survival.

But for those of us who aren’t targeted—for authors like me, a cishet white man—the fear is not a reason to stop.

It's a reason to lean in harder.

Why...

“The Citizen”

They came for Maya at 6:42 AM.

It was a Tuesday. The sun hadn't even finished rising over the New Mexico horizon when she heard the sharp knock—three raps, fast and official. She shuffled to the door in sweatpants, phone still plugged in, coffee machine half-started. When she opened it, the ICE officers were already stepping in, hands on tasers, voices clipped and cold.

“Maya Sullivan?”

“Yes?”

“You’re being detained for violations of immigration law.”

She blinked. “I was born in Santa...

Introduction to Chapter Six

Hey there—Kendra Cassidy here. You know, there’s something about the inside of a car that turns it into a confessional booth. Maybe it’s the road slipping past the windows. Maybe it’s the way the silence gets heavy between gears. Or maybe it’s just the fact that you’re side by side with someone, facing the same direction, with nowhere to run.

This chapter? It’s not just about a drive.

It’s about trust—the kind that wavers, the kind that breaks, and the kind that ...

From the Desk of Kendra Cassidy

Alright, folks, gather 'round, because I've got a gem to share. Felicity Hewitt, indie author extraordinaire and fellow escapist into fantastical realms, has unleashed her debut novel, Violets & Vipers, upon the world. This isn't just another fantasy romance—it's a whirlwind of magic, monsters, and morally ambiguous characters that'll have you questioning your own alignment.

Hewitt, a stay-at-home mother to three kids and two cats, channels her love for epic...

Hey there -

Warning, vague spoilers ahead!

This is a quick look at the Hero's Journey/Heroine's Journey tropes that I've either used or subverted in The Eternity Protocol.

Like I said...

Vague Spoilers Ahead - which is to say, I allude to events in the book without giving you the specifics.

If you want to get the book without knowing anything? Stop here!

Tropes in Eternity Protocol

Eternity Protocol weaves together a mix of classic and subverted storytelling tropes, drawing from both traditional...

Introduction to Chapter Five

Hey there, readers—Kendra Cassidy here again, bringing you the next chapter of The Promise Keeper by Taylor Anne Vigil. By now, you’ve probably noticed something about this story—it isn’t just about survival. It’s about the people who show up when you least expect them to. The ones who don’t fix everything, who don’t make the pain disappear, but who stay. Who listen. Who remind you, in the moments when you need it most, that you’re not as alone as you think.

This...

Hey everyone, Kendra here! Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to a rising star in the fantasy genre, someone who’s been weaving tales since she was just five years old: K.J. Cloutier. Hailing from a cozy lakeside nook in British Columbia, Canada, K.J. crafts stories that are as enchanting as the landscapes that surround her.

Her debut novel, Beyond the Horizon, launched on January 10, 2023, introducing readers to a world brimming with magic, morally gray characters, and the kind of...

Welcome back, folks! You know I have a soft spot for writers who build intricate, lived-in worlds, and today’s guest? He’s practically an architect of ancient Rome—with magic, mystery, and a whole lot of murder thrown in.

Assaph Mehr is the mind behind the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, where private investigator Felix the Fox navigates a version of Rome where the gods are still meddling, magic is as practical as engineering, and crime—well, crime is still crime. His latest book, In Victrix...

Hey there, readers—Kendra Cassidy back again, bringing you the next chapter of The Promise Keeper by Taylor Anne Vigil. If you’ve been following along, you know this story isn’t just about words spoken—it’s about the silences in between. The quiet battles, the small victories, the weight of what we hold onto and the freedom of what we choose to let go.

In Chapter Four, that battle shifts upward—toward the open sky. This chapter isn’t just about fear; it’s about what happens when we face it. It...

You know, I’ve met a lot of people in my time—starship captains, politicians, smugglers, and even the occasional pirate—but I don’t think I’ve ever come across someone quite like Kathryn LeBlanc. Or should I say Kathryn Mykel? Don’t worry, no secret identities here—just a writer who wears multiple hats (or should I say quilting bonnets?) and masters more than one literary universe.

Kathryn is an award-winning author who’s conquered not just one but two very different genres—cozy mysteries and...

Hey there, folks! Kendra Cassidy here—retired Admiral, occasional smuggler of books, and your go-to for deep dives into the minds of fantastic authors. Today, I’m beyond excited to introduce you to someone who’s bringing a fresh, magical perspective to the world of fantasy—Morgana Sinclayr!

If you have a soft spot for fairytales, anime, and the thrill of discovering hidden royal lineages (and really, who doesn’t?), Morgana’s debut novel, Chrysanthemum Palace, is about to be your next...

Alright, folks, listen up—Kendra Cassidy here, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s what makes a real thriller. Not the kind where the hero miraculously has time to monologue in the middle of a fight (seriously, who does that?), but the ones where every second counts, every decision matters, and not everyone makes it out alive. I’ve lived through the kind of high-stakes action that most thriller authors only dream about, and trust me—this bundle delivers.

We’re talking heists, spies, deep-sea...

Introduction to Chapter Three

Hey there, readers—Kendra Cassidy here, bringing you the next chapter of The Promise Keeper by Taylor Anne Vigil. We’re three chapters in now, and if you’ve been paying attention (which I know you have), you can feel it—that slow, quiet shift, the moment when walls start to lower, when something real begins to take shape.

This chapter isn’t loud. It doesn’t shout its revelations. Instead, it lingers in the silences, in the spaces between words, in the weight of a...

Hey there, folks! Kendra Cassidy here, back in the interviewer’s chair, and I’m thrilled to welcome back a returning guest—Jessica Thompson! That’s right, she’s back, and you know what that means… more books, more mystery, and undoubtedly, more delicious recipes woven into crime-solving brilliance.

Jessica made a name for herself with her Caterer’s Guide to Crime series, where food and murder go together like, well, a perfectly seasoned dish with a killer twist. Since we last spoke, she’s been...

Hey there, readers! Kendra Cassidy here—retired Admiral, troublemaker, and your guide to the fascinating minds behind the books you love. Today, I’m sitting down with Mandy O’Dell, a storyteller whose passion for romance, history, and just the right amount of ghostly chills has made her a name to watch in the indie book world.

Mandy’s love for stories started early—she was the kind of kid who stayed up way past bedtime, lost in the pages of a good book. She even carried around a binder filled...