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Welcome to Author Spotlights, a cozy space where I shine a light on the storytellers you might not know yet, but definitely should. This section is all about emerging, independent, and quietly brilliant storytellers; authors whose work deserves to be shared, discovered, and talked about. Through thoughtful Q&As and behind-the-scenes chats, we’ll explore their writing journeys, the stories they’re passionate about, and the moments that shaped their work. Keep an eye out, your next favorite author may be here!
Julie Ricks, Author of Before My Last Breath
Julie Ricks, Author of Before My Last Breath
Julie Ricks is a romance author whose journey into storytelling began during one of the hardest chapters of her life. After being diagnosed with cancer, she started writing as both an outlet and a distraction from her reality. Years later, the birth of her daughter gave her the final push to publish. “I want her to know that she should always follow her dreams,” Julie told me. “Even if they seem far away.”
Julie Ricks is a romance author whose journey into storytelling began during one of the hardest chapters of her life. After being diagnosed with cancer, she started writing as both an outlet and a distraction from her reality. Years later, the birth of her daughter gave her the final push to publish. “I want her to know that she should always follow her dreams,” Julie told me. “Even if they seem far away.”
Her book, Before My Last Breath, is a love story, but it’s also deeply personal. Blair, the main character, carries many of Julie’s own thoughts and fears; from the quiet strength required to face illness, to the guilt of being the one who’s sick. And then there’s Ryan, who Julie describes as the hope she sometimes needed to imagine. “His unwavering love, his stubbornness in showing up even when things are hard. He became the kind of person I think we all deserve.”
When Julie isn't busy writing, studying, volunteering, or caring for her toddler, you'll likely find her reading Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh, or the Boys of Tommen series (by Walsh as well); books full of emotion that she finds herself returning to again and again.
Julie says to all aspiring authors, "Keep going, even when it’s hard. Someone out there needs the story only you can tell." You can follow her writing journey on TikTok and Instagram at @julierickss.
Sofie Novskaya, Author of And The Fire Too
Sofie Novskaya, Author of And The Fire Too
Meet Sofie Novskaya, a writer with a deep love for stories that explore the strange, the supernatural, and the softly unsettling. Sofie’s journey with words began early. She learned to read at just three years old and wrote her first book at age ten. Inspired by YA fantasy author Laura Gallego, Sofie knew deep down that writing would always be part of her life.
Her debut, And The Fire Too, is a tribute to everything she loves: horror, supernatural elements, and girls who don’t wait around to be saved. Set in the eerie stillness of summer, the collection draws on classic horror imagery: haunted camps, bike-riding kids chasing legends, and road trips gone wrong.
The book's namesake short story 'And The Fire Too', is about a thirteen year old girl named Patty. "I have to confess a lot of me is in her", says Sofie. "She dreads everything except religion, in which she finds comfort. She doesn't understand the world around her, she's lonely, confused, and nothing makes sense."
When Sofie isn't writing or studying, you’ll likely find her rereading Moby Dick (her all-time favorite), or diving into horror and “new weird” literature. She especially recommends Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid.
You can connect with Sofie on TikTok @untilwefallinlove and Substack, where she shares thoughts on writing and offers a free short story from And The Fire Too. Her debut is available now on Amazon and Goodreads.
R.A. Sandpiper, Author of the Amefyre Trilogy
R.A. Sandpiper, Author of the Amefyre Trilogy
I’m thrilled to introduce Rachel Sandpiper, a UK-based author whose stories are filled with darkly woven fantasy, deliberate pacing, and gloriously slow-burn romantic subplots. With five novels under her belt, Rachel is steadily carving out a space in the indie fantasy world, one emotionally complex character and lore-filled page at a time.
Her writing journey started not with a childhood dream, but with a bucket list item. She finished her first book at 21, shelved it with no regrets, and returned to writing at 25 to really put her heart into writing. This led to the publication of her Amefyre trilogy, and her upcoming novel To Touch A Silent Fury, releasing in September 2025.
Amefyre is a high fantasy series in which a thief breaks into a ball to pay off a debt and leaves as a murderer. The thief is exiled to the cursed desert ruled by the best friend of the man she killed. A dark enemies-to-lovers trope slow burns in the background. Rachel imagines Amefyre would shine in animation; something with the stylized edge of Arcane.
"When I'm drafting, I try to write 1,500 - 2,000 words a day, usually giving myself two days off a week", says Rachel. "I follow an outline (often 1 sentence per chapter) and keep going in order until the end". With lean first drafts and layering later, her final drafts typically have up to 15,000 more words than the first.
Her next novel, To Touch A Silent Fury, is on its way, and if you like political intrigue, tournament stakes, magical marriage rules, and emotionally layered world building, you’ll want to follow along. You can find R.A. Sandpiper on Instagram for professional updates, and on TikTok for a behind-the-scenes look at the writing life.
Chloe Glass, Author of Born to Overlove
Chloe Glass, Author of Born to Overlove
Chloe Glass is the kind of writer who invites you in not just to her stories, but to her healing, her heartbreak, and her hope. She describes herself as a fiercely creative soul, a die-hard romantic, a lover of Jesus, a french fry connoisseur, and a crybaby in the best possible way. Chloe's journey into writing began when she was young, but when life grew harder, her relationship with words changed.
Following a chronic illness diagnosis in middle school, Chloe turned to poetry as a form of release and expression. She even broke up with her first boyfriend with a breakup poem (iconic). Years later, after a toxic relationship and a major health collapse, she found herself scrolling through old poems and thoughts jotted down on her phone. Those words made it into the world as Born to Overlove, a poetry collection that Chloe says helped her heal. “I wanted readers to find comfort in the chaos of my pages", she says. "I wanted my work to be raw and vulnerable and relatable. The value you assign to yourself is the value others will assign to you.”
Chloe’s next poetry collection, Broken Body, is expected to release in late 2025 and centers around chronic illness; a topic she knows intimately and writes about with incredible honesty. Her debut fiction novel Penny for Your Thoughts (the first in a series) was written during the hardest year of her life, through hospital stays and healing alike. It follows two best friends navigating the bittersweet transition of leaving childhood and stepping into adulthood. It’s lighthearted, down-to-earth, and deeply personal, inspired by Chloe’s younger self. She hopes to release Penny for Your Thoughts in 2026.
Chloe says her creative process is absolute chaos, voiced into her phone during terrible migraines, jotted down in hospital beds, or scribbled into the night when inspiration refuses to sleep. Chronic illness may slow her physically, but her passion and imagination are constant. She dreams of writing full time one day, without the interference of migraines, but until then, she’s building worlds in the margins.You can keep up with Chloe and her writing journey on her blog, where she shares poems, thoughts, and reflections. She’s also on Instagram, where she posts writing updates and glimpses into life with chronic illness. Don't forget to keep an eye out for her new releases!
R.L. Perez, Author of Crown of Slumber and others
R.L. Perez, Author of Crown of Slumber and others
Rachel Perez is a romance fantasy (commonly known in the reader community as "romantasy) author who has built a world of epic plots, magical twists, and slow-burn romance, all while balancing the busy life of a mom and creative entrepreneur.
Rachel shared that she's been telling stories for as long as she can remember, stapling together little handmade books as a child, complete with what she now calls “horrible drawings.” With the encouragement of her older sister, who was also a writer, Rachel attended workshops and conferences throughout high school and college. Growing up watching Disney films is what inspired several of her novels in the form of fascinating Disney Princess spin offs and twists.
Since the birth of her second child in 2018, she has gone on to publish seventeen books and counting, but when I asked which book she’s most proud of, Rachel began telling me about Crown of Slumber. It was her first stand-alone novel and a huge challenge; fitting political intrigue, plot twists, and a slow-burn romance all into a single, satisfying story. “It felt like I was a first-time writer all over again,” she admitted, but it also changed her as an author, giving her the confidence to dive into her fairy tale stand-alone series.
The inspiration for Crown of Slumber came partly from her love of Maleficent. In an interesting spin on Sleeping Beauty, Rachel flipped the story to where instead of the heroine being trapped in an endless sleep, the entire kingdom falls under the curse, and Aurelia must find a way to break it. Despite this twist, Rachel still wove in beloved elements from the original tale, such as the dreamy forest dance with a stranger.
When it comes to advice for aspiring authors, Rachel says to keep writing. Very few authors publish the very first book they ever draft, and the act of writing consistently is what sharpens skill. "Try to develop a thick skin," she says. "You're going to have to learn to tear your precious novel apart in order to make it the best it can be." Rachel is currently working on more stand-alone fairy tale retellings in her Crowns of the Fae series. Her next project is Crown of Poison, a Snow White retelling where the heroine falls in love with the Huntsman.
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