Zilla Novikov's Blog, page 3

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Maybe your next great read is actually an audiobook! Adria Bailton’s Arcing brings us a speculative story in audio form. Adria, can you tell us a bit about it?

Adria: Arcing: A Novelette is a speculative women’s fiction, coming-of-age story that may resonate most with Gen Z but, of course, with anybody who struggled with major life decisions at a young age.

 When a tragic event splits Rosa’s family apart, she finds herself on her own embracing freedoms she’s never had. She meets Dan on one such night of freedom.

Dan has dreamed of otherworldy Rosas since he was young, but never thought he’d meet her in his life. When he finally does, he can’t get her out of his mind.

Just as everything is looking up for Rosa – she’s found a man she loves and her life is stablizing – she’s forced to confront her own complicitness in her family’s destruction. Will Rosa choose love or family?

Zilla : What inspired you to write this book?

Adria:When I was working on finishing a novel to send to an author open call from a publisher in 2021, I was also thinking about the main character of this novel, Rosa. Why did she behave the way she does in the novel I was working on at the time? Additionally, I wondered about the character in a song that had been stuck in my head. As someone who is neurodivergent, I find comfort in listening to a single song over and over and this song was on my rotation. Finally, I had a dream, which may be embedded in the text somewhere. Of course, I had to work on this story of Rosa’s because I was on a deadline for the novel.

Zilla : So would you say Arcing is a character-driven novel?

Adria: Arcing is definitely character driven. As I said, I was thinking about characters primarily, ruminating on why Rosa seems so detached from her sisters. Why would she be like that in this moment of such turmoil for her whole family? I also was trying to get to the motivations of the character in a song, which produced Dan.

Zilla : From your characters to someone else’s—who are your favourite characters that you didn’t write?

Adria: That’s a tough one, but I’m partial to a couple of bodyguards, Joscelin Verrueil and Gideon the Ninth. Of course, I read Joscelin in Kushiel’s Dart over 20 years ago when I was still in formative years for reading. I enjoyed Cassiel’s Servant, which is a recent release of the same story told through his eyes recently. Sometimes a story is just such a good read. I tend to think the current Romantasy trend could use a trek through those books. Jacqueline Carey, in my opinion, is the assignment.

Gideon didn’t really grab me until the sunglasses in Gideon the Ninth and then I was all in. Apparently I love a sword-wielding bodyguard, whether they follow orders and a strict observance of their religious order or not.

Zilla : What’s your next writing project?

Adria: I’m always working on short stories, drafting or revising. Recently, I drafted a novel about a lesbian couple trying to find a home in the dinosaur apocalypse. It’s with some readers for feedback right now and I hope to get back to it for revision in mid-April. I also have the story of Nina, Rosa’s younger sister during this time, in a novel called Worlds Divide coming out from Balance of Seven in 2026 With those two novels and their revisions on the horizon, that’s enough in the long form for now. The short stories revolve around a personification of death and another is a list story about killing oppressors.

Zilla : Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Adria:  You can find me primarily at my website. My socials are BlueSky, TikTok, Mastodon,  YouTube, and Instagram. Arcing: A Novelette can be found on Goodreads and many places where audiobooks are sold. A sample and links to audiobook retailers are available at my website. Readers should also be able to find the book through their library app.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Cyberpunk and ecofiction might be genres made for each other. Jason Pchajek wrote a Canadian (!!!) book that combines both, so we had to have him here to tell us about it. Jason, take it away!

Jason: Bounty is my debut novel, a climate fiction and cyberpunk thriller set in 2120s Winnipeg where a bounty hunter works to save his city from ecological collapse. The best way to explain it is through the blurb: 

Nikos Wulf is at the top of his game. Within the sublevels of 2120 Winnipeg, he is the undisputed king of bounty hunters, working for the elite Bounty Commission Eco-Terror Taskforce. The job: maintain the delicate ecological balance in a city holding back climate collapse. But when a series of bounties go wrong, Nikos finds himself on the trail of a troubling new player among the city’s anti-establishment. Bound to a sense of duty to the city that made him, Nikos finds himself in a deadly game of catch-up with an insidious enemy bent on bringing down everything he’s fought so hard to protect.

Zilla : What inspired you to write this book?

Jason: The main inspiration for writing this book was to represent my city and country in the cyberpunk genre. Quite often stories in this genre, and science fiction in general, even when written by Canadians, never seems to take place in Canada. So, I approached it with the goal of representing what I think my hometown of Winnipeg would look like 100 years in the future.

To accomplish this, I tried to imagine everything. How the city, country, and world would evolve technologically, economically, politically, and socially. A reviewer lauded my “innate understanding of how to build believable and credible worlds geographically, materially, and sociologically” and she called it an “immersive experience”, so I think I did a good job haha.

Zilla : How much research did you need to do for your book?

Jason: Since the science of climate change and other major technological advancements play a central role to the story, I had to do a lot of research. I had to understand how different areas of the globe would be impacted by climate disaster over time, how resource shortages and land loss would lead to conflict and displacement, how societies will respond differently to climate disaster, and so much more.

It was a lot of work to try and get it all as accurate as possible to create a feasible world.

One of the biggest questions was in climate recapture technology and how it could be used to create new building material. In Bounty the central megacorp, Argo, creates a new super-strong material called “argite” through captured carbon from the air and oceans. I reached out to a few geologists to ask if inserting carbon into the porous rock prevalent under Winnipeg could create denser and more durable material, and I was told that yes, it’s theoretically possible!

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
Jason: The Night Beats community can find me on most social media sites under the @jasonpchajek handle (Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok), but I am most active on Bluesky (@jasonpchajek.bsky.social). If you want to check out Bounty, it is available through most major booksellers, but you can find easy links on my website.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Fantasy is for young and old, so today we’ve got a coming-of-age series from Aaron Waseskuk. Aaron, can you tell us a bit about your books?

Aaron: SoulBound is a series following the adventures of Jaelyn as she unlocks the hidden magic powers dormant within her soul. Through the teachings of Master Oum & his protege, Ethan, they impart wisdom and skills, granting her strength to fight her own inner demon—as well as pirates, Monsters, and a cult of arsonists. But will her newfound abilities help her reunite with her family?

Zilla : What inspired you to write this book?

Aaron: Originally it started as Naruto fanfiction ages ago, but I liked the original protagonist enough to want to make something out of it. Ironically enough, he’s not even my current protagonist.

Zilla : Which of your characters do you most wish you could meet?

Aaron: I’d want to meet Oum, the mentor figure in Volume 1 and Volume 2. I love talking to old wise mentors. Sharing a cup of tea with him sounds delightful.

Zilla : Which of your characters would want to talk to you? What would they say?

Aaron: I think Sebastian (the protagonist of Volume 3) would demand to know where his mother is and why I’m so mean to him. I don’t think he’d appreciate either answer. What’s twisted is that he is my favorite character… eventually. He needs time to mature first.

Zilla : What makes Sebastian your favourite?

Aaron: His ability to see the future (among other things) has so much potential for weird and trippy story telling. Plus I have a lot of big ideas planned for him down the road. Jaelyn is #2, because she is our first protagonist and succeeding in making her a good character felt like a huge win to me.

Zilla : How much research did you need to do for your book?

Aaron: For a work of fiction, a surprisingly large amount. From technology of the time period to physics to color and dream theory. Even the names are researched and carefully chosen for each relevant character.

Zilla : Is your work more plot-driven or character-driven?

Aaron: I like to think the characters make their own decisions and I just relay what they do. I have an idea of where I want things to go. But, quite recently, we revamped an entire plot in which our hero escapes a dungeon. Instead of finding help like originally planned, he runs into another character who ruins the entire escape. But a new plot emerges from the choices of these two and I’m excited to see what they do next.

Zilla : Who did you imagine reading your book as you wrote it?

Aaron: I imagined myself as a teenager when I first got into anime and fantasy. People who grew up loving stories like Naruto, Avatar, and the like. We modeled a lot of SoulBound off Japanese anime and manga from its release to the world. If you like those types of world and stories, you’ll enjoy this.

Zilla : What’s your next writing project?

Aaron: We are looking into sci-fi for our next genre. It’s actually something we’ve been outlining for a while. Ghost Hunting, but in space. I’m excited to get to work on it once time allows.

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
Aaron: This link has all the stores where you can buy our physical book and ebook, as well as our social media platforms. Audio and as early releases of chapters are available only on our Patreon. We are most active on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Write what you know, they said, and what Nicholas Sansbury Smith knows is disaster management—so he wrote a post-apocalyptic adventure novel Rhino . Nick, can you tell us the blurb?

Nick: Centuries after the Third World War reduced civilization to ashes in a global nuclear inferno, humanity clings to life in giant airships sustained by Hell Divers—brave souls who risk their lives plunging to the surface to salvage essential supplies to maintain mankind. But this is not their story. This is the saga of the survivors before them, the survivors on the ground.

 Embark on this riveting post-apocalyptic adventure centered on Nick Baker, a frail orphan born in the perpetual darkness of an ITC bunker. As raiders from the great Cazador empire descend—massacring and enslaving Nick’s people—witness his epic rise from boy slave to fearsome warrior bent on freeing his people from bondage. And discover the legend of a man whose enemies will come to fear as Rhino…

Zilla : I love a good fight scene, and it sounds like Rhino: The Rise of a Warrior delivers with plenty of them. As a writer, how do you keep action sequences engaging while also realistic? Within ‘realistic’ for science of course—I’ll accept a mech suit but I won’t accept someone twisting out of a well-executed arm lock.

Nick: My action sequences are often based on the characters and their personal limitations and skills. Rhino might be the best story I’ve written to explain just how this works. For example, in the beginning of the story, when Nick Baker is just a boy, he is frail and has no fighting experience. He has the fire inside of him, but fire doesn’t translate into knowing Kung-Fu. This isn’t the Matrix. Instead, Nick gains weight, trains, and eventually is taught the art of warfare. It takes years before he can actually fight. He learns different weapons and how to use them. Accurately describing weapons is another important part of realistic fight scenes, as is depicting how the action works.

One thing a lot of writers don’t understand, and a lot of people in general, is that fighting requires extreme endurance. Just look at how tired boxers get over the duration of a long fight that goes to the bell. With action sequences it’s most authentic to show your characters getting winded and fatigued from combat, and for injuries to not just slow them down but disable them if severe enough.

In Rhino, I used all of the above to illustrate one boy’s transformation into man, and ultimately—warrior.

Zilla : On the news, we see the horror stories of national emergencies, but we also see community resilience as people come together. What did your time in Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management teach you about people’s ability to look after each other, and how did that play out in the book?

Nick: My time at HSEMD taught me humans are inherently good and help each other in the face of natural disasters. I also saw political views being pushed aside and people coming together. Neighbors help each other and communities organize. Of course, there will be some anomalies where this isn’t true (thieves, opportunists—often from outside of the disaster area), but for the most part when disasters strike, human instinct is to help. That is, when there are resources. That often changes when food, water, and supplies run out. Then you’re talking more of an apocalyptic novel, and I’ve written about that a lot on how people react. There are still communities coming together, and neighbors helping each other, but when shit really hits the fan, you start seeing more desperation, which drives people to panic, and sometimes—violence.

Zilla : I am a massive Mad Max fan, plus I love all the various sequels and spin-offs. Are there specific motifs from that series that inspired you as you wrote?

Nick: Definitely the world building and the plot around controlling the petrol. If an apocalyptic world like that were to exist, just like in Rhino with the Cazador Empire he becomes part of, survival would be driven around resources, specifically fuel. This is a theme in this story and the entire series for that matter. Other inspirations would be from the modified vehicles. I’ve done that to the boats/ships in the Hell Divers series. You’ll see some of that in Rhino as well. I absolutely love writing in this type of destroyed environment. It’s haunting and brutal, in a beautiful way.

Zilla : What’s your next writing project?

Nick: I am working on multiple projects: a military sci-fi saga with a co-author, and then a LitRPG apocalypse trilogy, plus more Hell Divers books. I enjoy writing multiple storylines at once, as it keeps them from going stale for me. Readers are smart, they know when writers are bored with their work. I don’t get bored usually because I take time off from writing stories that might otherwise feel more like a chore if I had to write the same thing every day. I got asked the other day if I ever run out of ideas—nope, I wish I had more time to turn more of those ideas into stories!

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
Nick: I’m on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook. You order Rhino on Amazon, Apple Books,  B&N, or| Bookshop.org.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: M.A. Álvarez brings us a time travelling blend of science fiction and fantasy, Medianical Age . M.A., can you tell us a bit about your novel?

M.A.: Medianical Age: Drifting through the tides of time is my first work to be translated into English. The book was launched on February 28, 2025, the same day as the great planetary alignment of seven planets!

The book includes illustrations by me, such as the one featured on the cover, depicting the characters in the novel. Medianical Age is a play on words composed of medieval, age and mechanical. This is because the story takes place in medieval times and in a distant mechanized future as follows:

One promising day, sometime in the Middle Ages, a deceitful and charlatan surgeon goes to a castle and assures the lord that he can cure his son’s madness by removing a stone from his head. Since childhood, he has claimed to see strange beings, which only he can perceive, and this has led to his confinement by his ashamed family.

In the distant future, a renowned visionary known as K-79 receives an important award for his work in the world of science: the construction of cyborgs from people who were about to die in the past, for different purposes.

Everything seems to be going according to his plans; however, K-79 detects an anomaly in the Middle Ages and discovers that its existence is in danger …

Zilla : What inspired you to write this book?

M.A.: I enjoy writing historical fiction, and for this novel, I was inspired by the contrast between a bygone era, like the Middle Ages, and a distant, technological future. I wanted to explore the conflict between superstition and science. It also gave me the opportunity to combine different literary genres.

Zilla : Getting historical fiction right isn’t easy! How much research did you need to do for your book?

M.A.:This book required a lot of research, especially for the Medieval period. Fortunately, I am passionate about history, and I love researching information for my books. Additionally, I often attend historical tours, and I have visited many medieval castles!

Zilla : How is the plot structured?

M.A.: The structure of the plot is like a puzzle, where the pieces fall into place in the end, affecting all the characters. This is due to the time travel elements—particularly one that is quite unexpected…

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
M.A.: The book is available on Amazon and you can find more information about it, as well as my social media links, on my website.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Rachel: With us today is Benjamin Gorman, editor and contributor to the Antifa Lit Journal, which, if I do say so myself, is a rad book. Tell us a little about the anthology, Ben! What is it, and how did it come together?

Ben: We had decided as a family that we would need to leave the US if Trump won the election, so between Election Day and Inauguration Day, we liquidated our possessions and Chrys (who wrote the introduction to Volume 1), our kid Franke, our three dogs, and our two cats relocated to Spain. In the midst of all the insanity of the move, I processed it by writing an explanation that started as a draft of a Facebook post, then a longer blog post, and became a whole book, Dear America: A Breakup Letter. It was published by Not a Pipe Publishing just as we were safely across the border, and it did surprisingly well. A lot of people were in the same headspace, though I understand not everyone can leave the country. Watching all that interest in the book while we were absorbing the daily nightmare of American news, Chrys suggested publishing an anthology of anti-fascist poetry and short fiction. Not a Pipe has published themed anthologies before, like Written with Pride, the all-LGBTQIA+ anthology, and Strongly Worded Women, by exclusively women authors. The response from authors and poets was overwhelming. So many talented writers were desperate to have a venue to speak out against fascism, to process their fear, and to provide readers with an alternate vision of the future. As we poured over all the submissions, we realized we could easily populate a regular journal with high quality short fiction and poetry. So the anthology became Volume 1. And our intention is to keep it going as long as there’s an appetite for it. I don’t foresee this regime going away nearly as quickly as some people expect, and I think we’ll see increases in fascism, especially in terms of would-be-autocrats leveraging anti-immigrant sentiment, all over the wealthy world as the people from countries we’ve made uninhabitable through our climate colonialism decide to move to the places where they can still live above water and below 130° F/ 55° C. There will be very real consequences in terms of housing, supply chains, etc., and I fear that instead of trying to be welcoming, a lot of countries will turn to demagogues. We’ll need people of conscience to speak out, and writers often fill that role. 

Rachel: That’s very true. Speaking of antifascist art, literature, and music, what are some of your favourites pieces?

Ben: When I think of antifascist art, the first things that come to mind are dystopian sci-fi novels I love. These are cautionary tales like Octavia Butler’s Earthseed books (Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents) and Margaret Atwood’s MadAdam trilogy. Of course The Handmaid’s Tale has to be on the list, but between you and me, I think her prequel/sequel novel The Testaments is better. And George Orwell’s 1984 will always be one of my favorite novels. But antifascism doesn’t just take the form of dystopian lit. A lot of the punk music I grew up on was implicitly or explicitly antifascist. I used to make fun of my younger brother, Joe, for having eclectic music taste that included everything from Top 40 stuff to musical theater to funk, while I listened to punk music and my parents’ vinyl folk albums and understood the connection via the lyrics. But I’ve grown to understand that all different genres contain anti-authoritarian streaks. I’ve even (reluctantly) come to learn that old-school country music, which isn’t my taste musically, was deeply anti-capitalist, pro-worker, and anti-war once upon a time. Lately that eclecticism I’ve learned from my brother, diminished a bit by my dependence on lyrics, has me listening to a playlist that includes, in heavy rotation, “Fuel” by Ani DiFranco, “The Day the Nazi Died” by Chumbawamba, “The Revolution Starts Now” by Steve Earle, and “Arrest the President” by Ice Cube. When I feel less optimistic, I listen to a lot of Spanish Love Songs (a band that is not Spanish which produces songs that are not love songs) and the Scottish band Frightened Rabbit. So if folx find themselves despairing and want music that fits the feeling, check those bands out. 

Rachel: I have been trying to teach people how to sing “The Day the Nazi Died” for years at demos, but the situation in Canada is a little different, politically speaking. Meanwhile, the US government seems to have been teetering on declaring antifa a terrorist organization, even though it’s neither terrorist nor an organization. Were you ever concerned about state repression while you were putting this together?

Ben: My concerns about state repression peaked while I was living in the US. Stochastic terrorism, the idea that leaders can call for violence without participating themselves and produce real-world violence which can act as de facto legal repression, is something I learned all too well. By the time we left, I was getting very scary death threats for my activism. I knew I had to get out in order to have the ability to keep saying the things I need to say. I’m not sure that will ever rise to the level of explicit legal repression because, in a very real way, it doesn’t have to. A government doesn’t have to say, “Thou shalt not publish work which challenges our authority” if they can simultaneously arrange to have you fired from your job, audited by the IRS, and physically attacked by their most devoted fans. I worry a lot for the safety of all people of conscience who are putting themselves out there, protesting, publishing, etc. White, middle-class, cishet Americans do not understand the way a system can turn on them because it has been working in our favor for the last 406 years. To a large segment of the US population, repression is something that happens in other countries because they cannot fathom the way it has happened to their neighbors in the US for centuries. I am very worried they are going to find out soon. 

As for this anthology, we debated whether or not to call it “Antifascist” or “Antifa.” Trying to be the more palatable version of antifascism serves no one. A fascist regime will not honor the distinction, and we cannot allow the term to come to be defined by its opponents in the same way misogynists have tried to redefine feminism to mean misandry. In the same way the Democratic Party is ultimately going to have to learn to stop being the “We’ll hurt immigrants a little less” Party if they want to be relevant, people who oppose this regime are going to have to acknowledge we are all Antifa or we’re nothing. So we leaned into it. It might mean the journal is more likely to be blocked. It was already flagged by one of Amazon’s algorithms as something that might violate their content standards, though they ultimately decided to let it through. But that was the calculation we made: Better to say what we needed to say in a full-throated way than to try and whisper words of no consequence.

Rachel: It will be a surprise to no one who’s familiar with my other work that I agree! What role does artistic expression play in the struggle for social justice? What inspiration can we take from these stories?

Ben: The relationship is beautiful and reciprocal. Artistic expression, even when it is tame and seemingly apolitical, reminds us we have the power to imagine a better world, and that, in turn, gives us the ability to reject some authoritarian who stands up at a podium and tells us we are experiencing “American carnage” and need someone like him to lock up everyone with different skin color or sexual identity or birthplace in order to keep us safe and give our lives meaning. In this anthology, Joanna Michal Hoyt’s short story “Those Who Mourn” encourages us to give grace to others, even those who have the most diametrically opposed worldview, and then Julia Figliotti’s poem “Hand-me-down” is about letting someone who is hateful disappear from your life, and we put those right next to one another intentionally. They are both beautifully written, and they both touch on a tension we all feel. How do we build a better society with people who have adopted a truly terrifying, genocidal ideology? We don’t have a blueprint and a five-point plan. We have artists who feel that tension and force us to sit with our discomfort. Fascism provides easy, lazy, false answers. Antifascism is complicated and messy and honest. Not everyone wants that, but I really believe it’s the only way to build a better world.

Rachel: You mentioned that there were too many submissions for just one anthology! What’s next for the Antifa Lit Journal?

Ben: Yes! We’re going to launch a Kickstarter [it may be up by the time this is, so we can edit that to, We have a Kickstarter going right now] for Volume 2, and I hope people will back that and let us know if this is something valuable to them. Our plan is to release a new volume twice a year, but I would love it if we had enough demand to provide the support for it to be quarterly. The Trump regime has adopted the tech bro’s mantra “Move fast and break things,” and if anyone thinks they will stop at the federal bureaucracy, they are deluding themselves. These people have been explicitly clear that they have their sights set on remaking every facet of American life, and because of the United States’ outsized impact on the rest of the world, those changes will have consequences for literally every human on Earth. If the journal is released too infrequently, it runs the risk of being merely a historical document. I want this to be a means for artists to express themselves and have those words reach readers while they can still have an impact. Also, while we received a lot of poetry and short fiction, we didn’t receive much in the way of visual art, so we didn’t include any because it would have felt a little odd to only have one or two pieces. I hope that will change for future issues. I would love to have pieces of powerful visual art spread throughout future volumes!

6. Where can people find you/follow your work?

Because I have to be where the readers are, I’m on far too many social media platforms, so follow me wherever you like to digitally lurk. 

Bluesky: @benjamingorman.bsky.social
Threads: @teachergorman
Twitter: @teachergorman
Instagram: @teachergorman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wrightword/
TikTok: @teachergorman
Mastodon: @BenjaminGorman@mastodon.online

And please follow Not a Pipe Publishing’s account there, too, so you can learn about books by these amazing authors I’m honored to get to work with:

Bluesky: @notapipe.bsky.social
Threads: @notapipepub
Twitter: @NotAPipePub
Instagram: @notapipepub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notapipepublishing
TikTok: @notapipepublishing
Mastodon: @notapipe@mastodon.social

And, assuming the Kickstarter funds (and you can back that here:          ) then the Antifa Lit Journal will be active on its own accounts:

Bluesky: @antifalit.bsky.social
Twitter: @AntifaLit 

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Poetry is a delight for all ages—Yewande Akinse has written some for children. Today, Yewande is here to talk about it!

Yewande: I am excited to introduce my latest poetry collection, The Rise and Fall of Rhymes and Rhythms. This book is a heartfelt exploration of life’s essential lessons, crafted specifically for children. Comprising 100 poems, it aims to engage young readers through playful language and vivid imagery, while imparting valuable insights on themes such as kindness, resilience, curiosity, and self-discovery. Written in the structured form of dizains, each poem is designed to be both rhythmic and memorable, making it accessible and enjoyable for children. The collection reflects my deep love for my daughter, serving as a guide to help her navigate the complexities of growing up. The Rise and Fall of Rhymes and Rhythms is not just a collection of poems; it is an invitation for children to explore their emotions and the world around them. I hope that through these verses, readers will find inspiration, joy, and a sense of connection to the lessons that shape their lives.

Zilla : You write about birth and death. Do you see this as a linear passage or as a cycle?

Yewande: I  see the themes of birth and death not as a linear passage but as a profound cycle. This cyclical perspective reflects the interconnectedness of life, where each ending gives way to new beginnings. Birth represents not only the physical arrival of life but also the emergence of ideas, experiences, and transformations. Similarly, death is not merely an end; it signifies a transition, a release that allows for renewal and growth. In my poetry, I explore this cycle by highlighting the beauty and complexity of both birth and death, emphasizing how they coexist and inform one another. This perspective encourages readers to embrace the full spectrum of existence, recognizing that every moment of joy and sorrow contributes to the richness of the human experience. Ultimately, viewing life as a cycle fosters a deeper understanding of resilience, continuity, and the enduring nature of love and memory.

Zilla : What do you want to teach people through your poetry?

Yewande: Through my poetry, I aim to teach people about the beauty of resilience, the importance of empathy, and the power of self-discovery. I want to encourage readers to embrace their emotions, whether they are joyful or painful, and to recognize that each experience contributes to their growth and understanding of the world. I also seek to illuminate the richness of cultural heritage and identity, fostering a sense of pride and connection among individuals from diverse backgrounds. By exploring themes of belonging and community, I hope to inspire readers to appreciate the shared human experience and the stories that unite us. Ultimately, I want my poetry to serve as a catalyst for reflection and dialogue, prompting readers to consider their own journeys and the impact they can have on others. Through my work, I aspire to create a space where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered to express their own truths.

Zilla : Your poems are about community. What communities nutured you during your life?

Yewande: Throughout my life, I have been nurtured by several communities that have profoundly shaped my identity and creative voice. First and foremost, my family has been a foundational community, providing unwavering support and encouragement for my artistic pursuits. Their love and values instilled in me a deep appreciation for storytelling and cultural heritage. Additionally, the literary community has played a significant role in my development as a poet. Engaging with fellow writers, attending workshops, and participating in readings have allowed me to share my work, receive feedback, and learn from diverse perspectives. This sense of camaraderie and collaboration has enriched my understanding of poetry and its potential to connect people. These nurturing communities have collectively shaped my journey as a poet, providing the support, inspiration, and context necessary for my growth and creative expression.

Zilla : Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Yewande: My books are in bookstores and online on Amazon and Google books. My books can primarily be found on my website. I am on social media @adwande on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: Jaime Castle is here with a horror full of demons and angels. Jamie—can you introduce your book to us?

Jamie: On the run and out of time…

Everything changed back in Crescent City when Crowley made his choice to stand up to his angelic handler Shargrafein. It was either her or Rosa, and the choice was clear. Now, there’s no going back.

Something about Rosa has everyone scrambling—a hidden power. It’s up to Crowley to bring her back to land of the living, and discover exactly what she is. Only then might they have a chance against the forces of Heaven and Hell, both of whom want her for their own devices.

So what if that makes him a traitor to the White Throne? They kept the truth about her from him. Made him a pawn in their endless war.

But those above and below aren’t the only ones after Crowley and Rosa. An old rival has resurfaced and he’s out for vengeance, no matter what takes.

If they hope to evade capture, Crowley will need to trust old friends and allies. And trust doesn’t come easy to a man shot to death by his own boss.

Zilla : What inspired you to write this book?

Jamie: I’ve always been a fan of westerns, and I believe that’s true for most people, even if they don’t know it. In the science fiction and fantasy community, shows like Firefly, Mandalorian, West World, and The Witcher are huge—and they are all forms of westerns. Sure, they don’t all have cowboys with pistols, but the concept remains the same: a sole individual rides into town, beats the hell out of injustice, and rides off into the sunset. For me, what could be better than smashing together a true western with the fantastical elements you might find in a Harry Dresden novel?

Zilla : How much research did you need to do for your book?

Jamie: Black Badge, the series, required a ton of research and a historian on hand. We wanted these books to feel authentic to the era in all possible ways. We researched guns, ammo, city maps from the time period, technology, and did all we could to incorporate those things into the story in a believable way.

Zilla : Is your work more plot-driven or character-driven?

Jamie: My books, including those I write with Rhett Bruno, are heavily character-driven. I believe a plot can only take someone so far if the character feels like cardboard. Meanwhile, I’ll read a book about nothing if the character is someone I can get behind.

Zilla : What’s your next writing project?

Jamie: I’m currently working on book two of a literary role playing game novel. Book one, An Unexpected Hero, is out and if you enjoy comedic fantasy with heart, it’s for you.

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
Jamie: You can find my books at www.jaimecastle.com. Additionally, we own aethonbooks.com. You can find me anywhere on socials at Jaime Castle.

Book Report Corner

by Zilla Novikov

Transmentation—Transience: Or, an Accession to the People’s Council for Nine Thousand Worlds is Darkly Lem’s richly woven tapestry of a science fiction novel asks us who we are, deeper than the flesh and memories that imprison us, and if we can ever escape the societies that we belong to. Characters jump from universe to universe, from shell to shell, seeking to hold on to core identity that they’re not always confident exists. In lieu of the certainty of self, they lean on that of belonging to something greater than themselves–even when their society betrays them, they cling tightly to this sense of meaning in their lives. As someone who suffers from mental illness, I found the themes of identity fascinating.

And as a fan of expansive, thrilling science fiction, I was equally drawn in. There were universes of political scheming to match the White Tower, and others of fighting bug-eyed monsters with stolen swords. There was love, or friendship, or some ambiguous tangle that’s both and neither, lost beneath ambition. Each fantastical world is as richly detailed as the characters that inhabit it, and they’re combined to tell a captivating, satisfying tale.

Behind the Screens: Tuesday Author Interview

Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.

Zilla: I fell in love with Justine Manzano’s books when I first read her YA fantasy romance Never Say Never. When I got the chance to interview her about her works, I jumped at it! Justine, can you tell us a bit about your books?

Justine: I’m the author of four YA Fantasy novels. I have an action/adventure series, Keys & Guardians, about a teenager entering a corrupt monster-hunting organization and fighting to overthrow it from the inside. I also have a standalone romantic comedy, Never Say Never, which is about a girl who, after the divorce of her parents, declares she’ll never fall in love. But Aphrodite, disguised as her human teenager friend, sees that as a challenge.

Zilla : What inspired you to write these books?

Justine: Never Say Never was inspired by being a child of divorce, but not just any divorce. I was a kid who grew up knowing my parents didn’t belong together and would be better off without each other. But I’d never read a book about a family like mine. So I wrote one.

For Keys & Guardians, the series was about the abuse of absolute power in its many dynamics. I grew up in an abusive household, and there’s the exploration of neglect, and child abuse, abuse of power in society, in politics…I wanted to explore all of the ways I felt helpless in my life…and then I wanted to craft a character who would stand up against that. In many ways, the main character, Jacklyn, was my hero too.

Zilla : I can see how characters play an important role in your stories—is there a character in fiction that’s been important to you during your life? 

Justine: Batman is my special interest. I love the idea of a hero who chose to protect people. He doesn’t have any special abilities to protect him. Everything about him he chose to hone and to dedicate toward the people of Gotham. He’s a hero built from the strength of his brain more than anything else and I love that.

Zilla : You’ve got so many stories inside you—what’s your next writing project?

Justine: I currently have two writing projects in progress. The first is a short story collection that takes place in the Keys & Guardians series. I’m unsure about the title currently. I’m still sorting that out, but it’s in edits. I believe it will be called Tales of the Dawn.

The other project I’m working on is a new book called Reality Check. It’s a YA Contemporary novel. Leah Marinello deals with an abusive life by throwing herself into imaginary worlds—but when her school theater club offers her an actual escape, she discovers her imaginary friend might not be so imaginary—and he doesn’t really want to let go.

Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?

Justine: My books are available anywhere books are sold. My website is justinemanzano.com, and you can find me on social media as @justine_manzano on Instagram and Threads, @justine_manzano1229 on TikTok, and as @justinemanzano.bsky.social on Blue Sky.