Kyle Shoop – Romance, Fantasy & the Story Behind Protecting Home

Miles Beyond the Page | Richard Sparks – Fantasy, Gaming Worlds & From Sketch Comedy to Novels

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with Richard Sparks, author of the New Rock fantasy series, to discuss his creative journey from British television sketch writing to novel writing. An England-to-Los Angeles transplant, Richard shares stories from his early career—including writing a sketch that helped launch Rowan Atkinson’s stage career—and his current work developing new material for a potential project. The conversation also dives into his New Rock series, where three online gaming champions are transported into a fantasy world as their avatars, blending humor, adventure, and high-stakes danger. Michelle and Richard explore the influence of multiplayer gaming on storytelling, the importance of structure and surprise, and his balance between plotting and improvisation. He also shares insights into his editing process, his decision to complete multiple books before pursuing publication, and his ongoing marketing efforts—including connecting with readers across both the UK and US. 🎧 Join Michelle and Richard for a lively, behind-the-scenes conversation about storytelling, humor, and building immersive fantasy worlds inspired by gaming. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT RICHARD SPARKS: Richard Sparks' writing credentials span the gamut of the entertainment world, from film and TV and books through lyrics for operas. He has been commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera and has completed translations/adaptations of classic operas. He has worked with such luminaries as Placido Domingo, Rowan Atkinson and the inimitable John Cleese of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame. Richard got his big break as a writer on "Not the Nine O'clock News”, (BBC TV), an irreverent take on the days affairs that featured anchors broadcasting from bed and the unique talents of Rowan Atkinson. One of Richard's biggest claims to fame is as the author of Atkinson's famous "Schoolmaster" routine, in which the future Mr. Beane puts a hilarious spin on attendance taking and discipline. As satisfying as his career was, Richard always had an itch to scratch as a fantasy fiction writer. Buoyed by his nighttime hobby of online gaming, his latest novel "New Rock New Role" hits this month, just in time for the holidays. In 1992, he was hired by Columbia Picture Television to work with Blake Hunter and Marty Cohan, the creators of Who’s the Boss? That’s when he moved his family to Los Angeles and has lived there ever since. He’s written a number of libretti for operas, almost all for the LA Opera – some original pieces, some translations from German or Italian. Richard’s been a hard-core RPG gamer for years, so buoyed by his nighttime hobby of online gaming the idea for his books just fell out of the sky one morning, and he started writing. He says now he’s hardly had a moment to log on to any game — as he’s too busy exploring the New Rock stories as they unfold. The first book, New Rock, New Role has been a huge success. Now three sequels – New Rock New Realm, New Rock New Rules, and New Rock New Roads, have been completed and will be published in due course. He’s currently working on the fifth book. Other books he has written include the biography of the music producer Milt Okun, Along the Cherry Lane. (Oku discovered and launched John Denver and mentored him throughout his career. He created arrangements for Peter, Paul and Mary that the trio performed for half a century. He brought Placido Domingo a crossover career that made him an international star beyond the world of opera.) Richard was born in England. WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website [https://richardsparks.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/richardsparks_author/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550662994731] WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Amazon [https://www.amazon.in/New-Rock-Rules-Richard-Sparks/dp/1647101875]

T.D. Severin – Medical Thrillers, Deadly Vision & Writing with Precision

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles interviews T.D. Severin, a practicing glaucoma surgeon turned medical thriller author, whose debut novel Deadly Vision blends cutting-edge science with high-stakes suspense. With over 30 years in medicine, Severin draws from real-world hospital politics, ethical dilemmas, and emerging “flashpoint” healthcare technologies to craft gripping fiction. At the heart of Deadly Vision is a chilling concept—virtual-reality heart surgery powered by micro-robotics—brought to life through meticulous research and fast-paced storytelling reminiscent of Michael Crichton. Michelle and T.D. dive into his unique writing process, including his use of graphic plotting and 3x5 scene cards, his disciplined early-morning writing routine, and how his characters evolved through revision. He also shares his remarkable 30-year journey to publication—from an early draft in 1994 to releasing the novel with Penmore Press in 2024—along with his work in music through Ripple Music and the creation of a companion Deadly Vision soundtrack. 🎧 Join Michelle and T.D. for a fascinating conversation about science, storytelling, and the long road to bringing a powerful idea to life. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT T.D. SEVERIN: T.D. SEVERIN. MD., is a physician/surgeon and the author of the award-winning medical thriller, DEADLY VISON. T.D. Severin, is an internationally renowned professor of medicine, who has been publishing both fiction and non-fiction since 1994. His writing has appeared in national and regional magazines/journals around the world, while his first novel, Deadly Vision, was the winner of the 2025 American Fiction Award, and The 2025 International Impact Book Award, and is a Finalist for the Clive Cussler Adventure Writers Award, the 2025 Global Book Award for Fiction, and was an award winner at the SEAK National Medical Fiction Writing Competition. T.D. Severin has been named one of the Nation’s Best Ophthalmologists by Newsweek Magazine, and has been honored to receive the prestigious Telly Award, the Oscars of public access television, for his work on medical television programming. T.D. has trekked across Tibet, scaled Mt. Everest, scuba dove the Great Barrier reef, white water rafted through the Australian Rain Forest, and delved into the mysterious ancient history of Malta, Istanbul, and the lost kingdom of Siam, all of which makes it's way into his writing. T.D. lives with his wife and two pups in the San Francisco Bay Area and Florida, where he is currently at work on his next medical thriller. A former radio disc jockey, he also runs the heavy rock record label Ripple Music: www.ripple-music.com. WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website [https://tdseverin.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tdseverin] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563477501745] Ripple Music [https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/] WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Vision-T-D-Severin/dp/1957851945]

Michelle Pillow – Audiobook Deals, Dark Romance & Morally Gray Heroes

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles interviews bestselling author Michelle Pillow, who has written over 100 books across genres, with a focus on sci-fi and paranormal romance. Michelle Pillow shares exciting news about her seven-book deal with Tor Bramble (Pan Macmillan), which brings new audiobook editions of her beloved backlist series—Tribes of the Vampire and Realm Immortal—along with new hardback and print releases. She also discusses her hands-on role in selecting narrators and bringing these stories to life in a new format. The conversation dives deep into her approach to writing morally gray anti-heroes, dual POV storytelling, and the emotional core of dark romance. They explore themes of redemption, identity, duty versus desire, and the thread of hope that runs through even the darkest stories. Michelle also shares her research process, how her voice has evolved over time, and the unexpected rise of fan-favorite characters like Uncle Rebert. 🎧 Join Michelle and Michelle for an engaging, behind-the-scenes look at writing, publishing, and the enduring appeal of dark, character-driven romance. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT MICHELLE PILLOW: Michelle has had a strange fascination with anything supernatural and sci-fi for as long as she can remember. After discovering historical romance novels, it was only natural that the supernatural and love/romance elements should someday meet in her wonderland of a brain. She’s glad they did for their children have been pouring onto the computer screen ever since. Michelle loves to travel and try new things, whether it’s a paranormal investigation of an old Vaudeville Theatre or climbing Mayan temples in Belize. She’s addicted to movies and used to drive her mother crazy while quoting random scenes with her brother. She is the very proud mom to the most talented artist. Though it has yet to happen, her dream is to be a zombie in a horror movie. (She came close as a refugee extra on SyFy’s Z Nation, Fall 2016!) Michelle is involved with various film and historical documentary projects with her filmmaker husband. Come say hello! She loves talking with readers on social media! WHERE TO FIND HER: Social Media [https://michellepillow.com/online-social/] | Press Kit [https://michellepillow.com/press-kit/] WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS: Website [https://michellepillow.com/]

How I Build Worlds That Can Support 10+ Books | From the Author’s Desk

A lot of people think worldbuilding is about maps, made-up languages, or giant lore documents. But when I’m building a long series, worldbuilding isn’t decoration. It’s infrastructure. In this From the Author’s Desk episode of Miles Beyond the Page, I’m sharing how I build fictional worlds that can support 10+ books, spinoffs, evolving lore, and major plot twists—without collapsing under the weight of their own complexity. For me, strong worldbuilding isn’t about creating more details just to have them. It’s about building load-bearing systems that generate conflict, create story pressure, and leave room for future books. In this episode, I talk about: * Why I think worldbuilding is really about systems, pressure, and consequences * The 4-bucket framework I use to future-proof a series * How I design magic systems with cost, constraint, and escalation * Why recurring conflicts matter more than endlessly inventing new villains * The Truth Layers method I use to avoid retconning myself later * A quick exercise you can use to create a world with real story potential If you’re writing fantasy, romantasy, science fiction, or any kind of multi-book series, this episode is for you. Because the real question isn’t just, can I build a cool world? It’s: Can I build a world strong enough to hold the stories I want to tell for years to come? That’s what I’m digging into in this episode. 💬 I’d love to know: What’s the hardest part of worldbuilding for you? 📚 About Me I’m Michelle Miles, author of fantasy, romantasy, and fairy-tale retellings filled with quests, curses, kisses, and chaos. On Miles Beyond the Page, I share conversations with authors and behind-the-scenes thoughts on the craft and business of storytelling. 🌐 https://www.MichelleMilesBooks.com [https://www.MichelleMilesBooks.com] 🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on writing, publishing, and storytelling craft.

Ryan Consell – The Science of Fiction, Nerd Culture & Storytelling

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with Ryan Consell, a writer, educator, and internationally acclaimed theorist on the science of fiction. Born near Toronto and having lived and worked in Tokyo and Vancouver, Ryan brings a global perspective to his creative work. As a teacher of science and mathematics, stage actor, armorer, and passionate advocate for nerd culture, he blends analytical thinking with storytelling in fascinating ways. Michelle and Ryan dive into his work exploring the science behind fiction—including his contributions to projects like The Science of Game of Thrones—as well as his appearances at major events like DragonCon and Convergence. They discuss how real-world science can enhance storytelling, how to make complex ideas accessible, and why overthinking fictional physics might just make stories even better. 🎧 Join Michelle and Ryan for a fun, insightful conversation about science, storytelling, and the intersection of imagination and reality. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT RYAN CONSELL: Ryan was born and raised near Toronto. He has lived and worked in Tokyo and Vancouver, but currently calls Ontario home. Aside from writing, he is a teacher of science and mathematics, stage actor, armorer, and nerd culture activist. His work has been featured on io9, Kotaku, Boingboing, MTV Geek, madartlab.com and in Game Developer Magazine. Ryan is an internationally acclaimed theorist on the science of fiction. He has consulted on such titles as "The Science of Game of Thrones," spoken at events including DragonCon and Convergence, and partnered with the American Chemical Society. He employs his background in materials science and engineering to overthink fictional physics and to make science more accessible to the public. WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website [https://www.instagram.com/studentofwhim/] | Instagram [https://stealingfromwizards.com/] WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.-A.-Consell/author/B00BA1DFRI?ccs_id=6e1d0e58-24a3-4c81-b507-d9d26ac11ab3]