CREATOR SPOTLIGHT
February 2025
Mystery Author
Anthony D. Hubble
From the US Navy to working as a bodyguard in Puerto Rico, Anthony D. Hubble has a variety of exciting life stories to share. And he is also a novel writer. If you like murder mysteries and intrigue, his books could be a good choice for your reading list. In this interview, we sit down to hear tales and advice from the Puerto Rican author.
Q1: What inspired you to start writing fiction?
“I was an avid, voracious reader when I was a kid. I wrote my first story when I was eight years old. Then I tried my hand at everything, short stories, poetry, song lyrics. I’ve always written. For the Navy I wrote tech manuals.”
Q2: When did you write your first full novel?
“In 2005. That’s when I got it published. It took me a year to write. My first paid piece of writing was for blackbelt magazine.”
Q3: Can you tell me a story from your life that inspired your fiction writing?
“I worked as a bodyguard. I used those experiences heavily. I was doing a bodyguard gig for a popular pop singer in Latin America and her husband. Sometimes people hire bodyguards as a status symbol. They were crossing the street by a Marriott hotel to a restaurant. I sat down at a table away from them. And I was observing them. I got a great story in my head. And then I went back to my house and wrote the first 2 chapters that night.”
Q4: What was the book that resulted after that?
“Protecting Nahir. Armando Miranda is hired to provide personal protection for a pop diva on the island called Nahir Delvalle. Basically, it’s a story of betrayal and drug-fueled violence in the entertainment industry in Puerto Rico.”
Q5: What is your advice for murder mystery writers?
“I limit the amount of murder victims in my books to no more than three. And the death has to move the story forward or be part of the intricacies of solving the first murder that occurs. If there is a witness that has to die, then that person has to die too. The question is, do they have anything to do with the first victim?”
Q6: When you write, do you outline your books?
“No, I don’t. I let the story tell itself to me as I’m writing. I do write certain things down like character traits, like Armando’s dislikes and likes. What does he like to eat? And stuff like that. It helps me to build their character and personality. And then I will have at least six different ways for the book to end. I might have seven different endings. And then I pick one. It’s the classic murder mystery with things like red herrings left for the reader to throw them off the track. But I play fair with the reader. I leave little hints for who they might be. It’s better if the reader says, ‘Oh, I get it!’ ”
Q7: Who are some of your favorite authors?
“Elmore Leonard. Robert Parker and his Spencer and Jessie Stone series. Elmore Leonard because his good guys are more anti-hero types. His main character, a deputy sheriff, in the book that is the typical anti-hero who does some shady stuff, but he’s a hero in the end. Doug Adams, I like the way his narrative is funny. I can’t write like that. Same thing with Terry Pratchett, I like the way his narrative is funny. It’s tough to write humor.”
Q8: Did you ever attempt to write humor?
“I published a book called I’m Not Wise I’m Just Fifty. It’s a compilation of blogs that I wrote in my fifties. Just random thoughts that popped out of my head. I wrote them down and put them into a book. Some are humorous, some are ridiculous. Some are serious.”
Q9: What is your advice to a writer who is just starting?
“Just write. Get better by exercising your craft. Write words together until you’ve decided that the story is ended.”
Q10: Lastly, are you working on a project right now? If so, what is it about?
“I’m writing a third book in a series for the Armando Miranda murder mystery series. The working title is, Protecting El Capitan. It will be done by this year.”
That concludes the interview. If you would like to check out Anthony's first book, click here.
PREVIOUS SPOTLIGHTS
January 2025
A Conversation with
Vikki Kestell
“It is as important in life to know what you are not called to as it is to know what you are called to,” says fiction author Vikki Kestell. Having written more than 28 books, Vikki’s self-discipline and organization practices are truly inspiring for any writer. She has given me advice in the past that helped my journey as an independent author. Today I get to share some of that advice with you.
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Q1: To start, can you tell us a little bit about the kind of books that you write?
“All of my books are Christian. But I tend to write in a lot of different genres. I felt it was important to present my message to as many people as possible. I’m an eclectic reader myself. I’ve written two historical fiction series, one techno-thriller series, a spy series, and I’m working on a detective series / cozy series. A Prairie Heritage has nine books, Girls From The Mountain has three books. The Spy Series, Laynie Portland, has five books. The techno series, Nanostealth, has seven books. The last series is the Tahoe Mysteries, which is planned to have four books in it.”
Q2: When did creative writing become more than just a hobby for you?
“I wrote my first two books in 1988. I did not publish either of them until 2012, when I published the first book in my Prairie Heritage series. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was learning and making mistakes. After I wrote the sequel to that book and the third book, I realized that I was really being called to the life of a writer, of an author.”
Q3: What year was it when you felt called to be an author?
“Probably 2014. In 2014 I had three books, but now I have 28 completed books, and another one coming this year. There will be three published this year.”
Q4: Why did you choose the self-publishing route?
“There really aren’t a lot of other options these days. Traditional publishing is very, very narrow now. All of the tools are available to become an independent publisher.”
Q5: What kind of decisions did you start making that changed the course of your writing career?
“In 2013, I worked at the Defense Nuclear Weapons School, here in Albuquerque. Eight months into the contract sequestration happened, and the contract was cut. So I lost my job there. I realized when I went to an interview that, in fact I did not want that job, did not want to keep doing that kind of work, program management for the government. I told this to my husband and he said to me, ‘Then you need to write.’ From the day that I made that decision, I was eking out enough to live on, and then it began to grow.”
Q6: Sometimes I struggle with the business side of novel writing. What is your number one recommendation for keeping your files organized?
“I have a spreadsheet for every year. And I track all of my expenses, all of my income from the various online venders and in-person and commission sales. I track expenses and income the second they come in. At the end of the year when it comes to taxes, all I have to do is add things up. I also have a spread sheet with all of the various links, ASIN and ISBN numbers and everything for that book, including audiobooks. All of that information is there, immediately at my fingertips. I also track the use of all my ISBN numbers in a separate sheet where I note what each number has been used for and such.”
Q7: What are your top three pieces of advice for those who want to turn their novels into a career?
“First, ‘What gets measured gets done.’ When I am actively writing a book draft, I give myself twelve weeks. I have a goal for how many words I write in a day, which is usually 2,000, although I have written as much as 10,000 words in a day. I do that in a spreadsheet also. I have a spreadsheet for every book I write, with the names of the characters, so I can refer back to that to make sure I’m spelling the characters’ name the same way. Also, when you get into series writing where a significant period of time elapses, you have to track the chronology of these characters. I have to track the ages of all of these characters and I will have to record their date of birth and date of death, so I can calculate their ages at any time.
“Secondly, ‘Method is your friend,’ it really is. It will save you in the long run. You can only write as much as you have cognitive room for. So you just have to be mindful that inspiration will come when you have a fresh mind. I write best first thing in the morning and tackle ‘administrivia’ later in the day. Develop a sense of methodologies that work for you.
“Third, ‘Be honest with yourself.’ How many books do I have inside me? Everybody has one, and a lot of people have two. But an author who is making a career out of it has to be honest. How many books do I have? Also, when you have an idea, like for a series or a plot line, if you don’t write it down it didn’t happen. You’ll forget all about it. I didn’t know when I started writing that my first book that it would be a series. It was 25 years from when I wrote that book to when I wrote the sequel. But here’s another spiritual truth: Nothing is wasted in God’s economy. He knows the end from the beginning.”
Q8: Back to your books, what is the one that you have read and re-read the most?
“This past spring, I went on a thirteen hundred mile bike tour. When I was riding, I listened to the first four audiobooks of my Nanostealth series.”
Q9: Can you tell us a little bit about that bike tour?
“In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, my husband and I bought eBikes. In that first year, while New Mexico was shut down, we both rode three thousand miles on our bikes. Then I started dreaming about doing a cross-country ride of some kind. This past April, I put myself, my bike, and my gear on an Amtrak train to La Junta, Colorado. Got off the train, rode to my hotel, and spent the night. The next day I started north. Two days later, I met up with the Trans-America bike route and headed east. I rode through the rest of Colorado, all of Kansas, and most of Missouri. Then I rode down the Mississippi River bike route toward the Dorena-Hickman ferry. Took the ferry across to Hickman, Kentucky, and from there rode down to Memphis, then across the Mississippi into Arkansas, and then west across Arkansas to Hope, Arkansas, where my son and his family live. It was a total of thirteen hundred miles. I planned really well and stayed in hotels every night. I had a marvelous time and would do it again in a heartbeat. I celebrated my 72nd birthday in Memphis while there. I hope to do something similar again.”
Q10: And as we wrap up, can you tell us a little bit about your current writing project. What can we expect from you soon?
“I am working on my new series, The Tahoe Mysteries. Last October I published the first book, Number 1 with a Bullet, and I just finished the prequel, called Murder by Accident. It’s being published in an anthology first, and then after the anthology disbands, I will publish it separately. It’s a novella. The rest of the books in the series is a full novel. Book 2, Be Quick or Be Dead, comes out this October. The last one will come out in 2026. I also have another book that will come out in May of this year, called I Can’t Hear You. It’s one of the first books I ever wrote, but I never published it. It’s a psychological thriller.”
That concludes the interview. If you would like to learn more about Vikki Kestell and her books, click here to check out her website.
November 2024
How an Alaskan Librarian
Wrote a Novel
“Everyone can start a book, but not everyone can finish a book,” says author H.D. Foxe. Surrounded by literature and the frozen north, H.D. Foxe was gripped by an idea. This idea grew and grew until it became a novel called Winter Heart. In this month’s spotlight, we sit down with H.D. Foxe to discuss the writing process, her novel, and the different stages of making a book. If you’re looking to be inspired to finish a writing project, this interview might give you a little shot of motivation like a warm cup of tea on a cold winter’s night.
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Q1: For those who don’t know you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, like how long you’ve lived in Alaska and how long you’ve been working as a librarian?
“I moved to Alaska in 2012 with my family. It’s been about twelve years now. And I’ve always wanted to be a librarian. I’ve worked at my current library for about four years. Other than that, I like going to Disney parks and painting and drawing, watching movies, and reading books that other people have written. I’m a Christian and I have the best community around me.”
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Q2: When did you first get the idea for your novel Winter Heart?
“So it started out as a fan fiction for a different story and it looked very different than what it turned into. But for a while the story and the characters were reserved only for my sketchbook. It was my own private story that I worked on for fun. And then when Covid hit I got tired of this story that no one knew about. It lived ten years inside my head before I wrote it down.”
Q3: What was some of the inspiration for the book?
“It’s kind of inspired by everything that I enjoy. There’s a little bit of Lord of the Rings, a little bit of Narnia, a bit of Celtic culture and Irish culture. It’s kind of a combination of all of the fantasy stories I’ve enjoyed my whole life.”
Q4: Writing a book can be very daunting. How did you start?
She laughs. “I didn’t think about how daunting it actually was. I sat down one day at a coffee shop and wrote the first chapter. Then I wrote the second chapter. And I kept writing what I wanted to write and when I felt like writing, until I patchworked together the whole book.”
Q5: Did you write any of the book during national writing month?
“I did. I wrote the last chunk of it. I wrote the last third during nano writing month 2022.”
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Q6: After beginning the book, what would you say is step two?
“Step two is keeping the momentum to finish it. Everyone can start a book, but not everyone can finish a book.”
Q7: How long did it take you to get from the first word written to the last word written?
“Oh my gosh. The first word written was April, no May, of 2020. The last word written was December of 2023.”
Q8: Many authors use beta readers to obtain feedback during the revision process. What did your revision process look like?
“I have a writing critique group, composed of three other people. I presented it to them and they really helped me a lot with the technical stuff. Throughout the process, before I finished the first draft, I was showing it to my trusted circle of people who would give me feedback and encouragement. There was a lot of crying involved. The revision process took much longer than I thought it would. There kind of came a point when I would get into the weeds with whether it should be an ‘and’ or an ‘or’ or whatever. I just kind of had to move on and know that my next work would be better. I had to accept that it was not going to be perfect.”
Q9: Your book cover looks so professional. What’s the story behind the cover?
“Well, that’s thanks to my best friend. She is an artist. And I did a lot of research on the market standard for the kind of book that I wrote. I did a lot of research about what a good fantasy cover would look like. I thought about the kind of covers that would catch my attention. I commissioned my best friend because she understood my vision better than anyone else could. We sat at breakfast when I started thinking about how I needed to find a cover artist. We talked about what my cover would look like before I even asked her to do it. So she already knew exactly what I wanted.”
Q10: Final question: do you have any advice for aspiring authors out there?
“I think the best piece of advice that I’ve gotten that really helped me was write the book that you want to read. Because then it keeps the process fun for you and it adds a level of sincerity. When you’re trying to be original you end up writing something that is just like everyone else. But if you write something you want to read, you’ll be original without realizing it. And that is the kind of powerful books that people are drawn to.”
That concludes the interview. If you would like to learn more about H.D. Foxe and her book, click here to check out her website.
October 2024
A Conversation with YouTuber, Entrepreneur and Author, Dave Chesson
“If you really want an author career you need to understand the business side of it,” said Dave Chesson in this month’s spotlight interview. Entrepreneur, author, and YouTuber, Dave Chesson has a vast knowledge of book publishing, particularly on Amazon. In fact, with his publishing software called Publisher Rocket, Dave is considered one of the experts in the publishing world. I learned several things in this eye-opening conversation, such as tips for book marketing, insights for business ownership, and advice for making YouTube videos.
Q1: What is the story behind your business Kindlepreneur? How did it start?
“Back when I was in Korea, I was stationed with the military. My wife and I decided for me to get out of the military. I looked into self-publishing. I started seeing Amazon from an algorithm and SEO standpoint. I wasn’t the best author. I started by asking myself what people on Amazon wanted to read but they weren’t finding on Amazon. I started finding these really cool book opportunities. I started adjusting the keywords and categories and was able to make more money on selling books than I was as a lieutenant in the military. No one was talking about how to research and sell on Amazon. Publishers have been doing this. Hunting for the right books. There really wasn’t something that helped someone to publish on Amazon. If you really want an author career you need to understand the business side of it. And that is how the website started.”
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Q2: What kind of books were you selling?
“A range of subject matters. Using software. I learned that people were searching for how to do things and learn things for people like them. For example, there were 44 books on Amazon for how to use Evernote. It was a free software. People needed training. I would have to compete with the cover and the marketing. But I did the research and I found that there were a lot of people who were asking how to use Evernote for students, or for lawyers or for project managers. This idea always stuck with me. You could try to be the expert in the area. You looked for key things people wanted to understand, combining it with the demographic.”
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Q3: When did things first begin to take off for your business?
“The books started taking off from the get-go. In regards to Kindlepreneur it took years for that to take off. You can write a good article, but if you can’t find a way for people to find it, then it won’t be read. I started by writing articles that fit the questions people were asking. If someone came across another article of mine, then they would be familiar. Be intentional with what you do and make it a habit. Over time that builds up and people remember.”
Q4: For other entrepreneurs out there, what would you say were the top three things that you did that helped to get your business from a start up to a success?
“Three pillars. First, create a platform and stick with it. Next you get really good at a traffic source, like Facebook or tick tock. Create a traffic generating source. Third is a product, and then get really good at the product. And that’s when things go sky high. Blogging was my platform.”
Q5: I saw on your website that you also have a podcast. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
“To follow up from the last question, I didn’t start adding more platforms or traffic sources until I started hiring more people. I have an entire team. They allow me to do those things. I just announced that someone else will be taking over my YouTube channel. I have a video editor and Zach making the videos. I have a content manager. I did do the podcast, but I stopped it after a year. A lot of that was because I didn’t think it was moving the needle. I was speaking and talking through things. It was a lot of editing. Warning: Don’t try to have too many platforms.”
Q6: I am a fiction author. I mostly just write mystery and fantasy. What advice do you have for fiction authors like me who are trying to find the next step in book marketing?
“Intentionality. Be intentional about what you want to focus on. We’ve talked about platform, traffic and product. Your book is your product. The platform is Amazon. Like many authors, your platform is Amazon. Traffic is the intentionality thing. If you do Amazon ads then be good at it and don’t back off. A lot of people dabble in a lot of things but they don’t get to the top one percent. Don’t dabble, get really good at it. The strength of fiction is series and hooking readers into a series.”
Q7: I have made a few YouTube videos myself. What is your advice for beginner YouTubers?
“Generally speaking, one way to help is convincing people to take actions during your video. Stopping and asking people, ‘What’s your favorite mystery book? Put it in the comments below.’ YouTube’s algorithm likes interaction and comments. Sometimes we create videos we want to create. Other times we should create a video that is something people are searching for. I discovered that there were a lot of people trying to find out how to send an epub file to a kindle, so I made a video on that subject. Then when people watch the video, they subscribe and see my other videos. Make two types of content, hook people in with videos about topics that are getting searched and then make the videos you want to make.”
Q8: I know a major portion of your work is focused on software like Publisher Rocket and Atticus. What are the top three things that you have learned from your experience in developing these software platforms?
“An advanced programmer is worth a thousand average programmers. It could take the advanced programmer so much less time. Having more beginners will not help you get there faster. Have someone who is really good. There is seriously a difference.”
“Second thing is to understand the business of the programming. Understand the terminology. Otherwise you will have communication issues.”
“Third, have a lot of trust for the company. Don’t just hire some random person. They might just take the money and not do great and send you a subpar product.”
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Q9: How did you find good people?
“I bought a software company. I bought a software development company and used their HR people and their programmers.”
That concludes the interview. If you would like to learn more about Dave Chesson, click here to check out his website.
September 2024
An Interview with Bestselling Author Robin Patchen
Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 25 novels. Favoring the genre of Christian romantic suspense set in idyllic New England towns, Patchen has three different book series with a vast array of characters. In this month’s spotlight interview, we hear about Patchen’s career, her writing habits, and her advice for other independent authors.
Q1: Can you tell me a little bit about how you got started in fiction writing?
“I always wanted to be a writer. It never crossed my mind that I wanted to write fiction. I had this story in my head for a few years. My husband bought me a laptop for my 40th birthday. I thought to myself, ‘I’m just going to write it down and get it out of my head.’ I just started to write it down. It wasn’t really good. But I realized this is what I love. This is what I wanted to do all of these years. And then it was just keep at it and keep at it until it wat no longer bad.”
Q2: Fast forward to today, what has changed in your life since you wrote your first novel?
“Oh gosh. Everything has changed. I had homeschooled my kids. I started writing when I was still homeschooling. I put the kids in school. That changed. Suddenly I had time on my hands. I almost was afraid to dream that I could ever really be a novelist. When you get to be forty and you lived all those years, and you have a lot of experience with things not working the way you wanted. I was almost afraid to think I could be good at this. It was just this hobby that I just kept doing. But then I got positive feedback that it was good and I should seek an agent. But now I’m a grandmother. Many things have changed. But the biggest thing is I came to the point where I believed that I do have some talent for this, and I wanted to fill in the blanks with hard work. Most people know something about the process. But there is a lot that has to be filled in and you have to work really hard. We are trusting the Lord to guide us. It’s just my attitude has changed. There was a time when it felt like this unattainable dream. But then I realized that I can learn. It went from a dream to something that I could do. It was never unattainable. I didn’t tell people about my first book because I was embarrassed. I have changed because I have a different perception of myself and the Lord and what he created me to do because I have walked with him on this path all along.”
Q3: Who were the most influential authors that you read in your childhood or teen years?
“I wasn’t really a reader. I did not read for pleasure when I was a kid. I read Nancy Drew and Judy Blume. I didn’t read a lot. I didn’t have a lot of that growing up. Maybe if I had been homeschooled I would have read more.”
Q4: It appears that you have written quite a few novels. What were the main habits that helped you to achieve this?
“I think the cliché answer is true, butt in chair. Do the work. I don’t write every day. But I write consistently. Every Monday I have a group of writers. We all post about the goal for the week. It’s a time related goal, ten hours not ten thousand words. Time goal not a word count goal. For me, writing has to be scheduled the way we schedule the rest of our lives. I was an editor for years and years. I would get up in the morning and I would write for two hours, and then I had to put it away and get to the editing. I put the writing first. That’s how I am. My life is get up, spend time with the Lord, go for a walk, sit down and write. Deciding that I’m going to do it, scheduling the time to do it in advance, and sticking with it. That’s a big part. Also, hanging out with writers. I’m not sure if I could have done this without people who were a little ahead of me on the journey. We reach down and help each other. That’s a really big part in it for me. I have to have other people around me. It’s encouraging. Also, put the book on pre-order and then you set yourself a deadline. I work well under pressure.”
Q5: I saw on your bio that your upbringing in New Hampshire was the main inspiration for your Coventry Saga books. Can you tell me a little bit about that series?
“I love that series. The series I did before that took place near the coast. I wanted to do one in the mountains. When I was a kid we skied a lot. Often we went on vacation away. But if we stayed in New England we would go up into the mountains, the cutest most charming little towns. Frankly, I miss the pretty little towns. I miss mountains, I miss trees, I miss cold weather and snow. I started writing that because I missed that part of the world.”
Q6: If you had three pieces of advice for indie authors, what advice would you give?
“The biggest mistake that indie authors make is they publish too soon. Their books are not ready. I’m re-releasing a few. I’m doing second editions, re-reading them. They definitely need a lot of work. The first big thing is to make sure you get someone reputable who will be honest with you, who will say yay or nay. We can’t judge our own work. You know what you meant to say, but somebody else might not understand. That’s one big thing. But if you’re trad published there are layers to make sure you are good. But not in indie publishing. You don’t want to be embarrassed. You’re better off waiting until you know it’s really good.
“It’s also easy to become isolated as an indie author. Indie authors have to build their own team. I needed people around me to spur me on and encourage me. To set me on the right track. Being part of a community of authors is important for indie authors. I like writers conferences. But you know, over the years, everything I do, I do because someone smarter than me told me to do it. And so, I think that’s a really big thing. Local writers groups, writers conferences. Really building a community of friends, people who will pray with you and understand. Asking for prayer for your plot. Having a community of like-minded people is a massive part of my ability to do this thing.
“The third thing is along the same lines. If you have great editors, if you have this team, when they tell you something you should at least consider that they might be right. Some authors have a little following, but it never grows because they aren’t improving. It’s usually because they are ignoring good advice. Having the humility to discover that they could do something different. For instance, a friend told me that maybe my book shouldn’t be 350 pages long. She very kindly said that no one would publish it. And I believed her, because she was right. Having the humility to take other people’s advice is vital.”
Click here to learn more about her books
August 2024
What Joe Korelov Learned
From Starting a Faith-Based
Clothing Brand
“One of the biggest obstacles I overcame was the false hope that this was going to be easy,” Joe Korelov said about his entrepreneurial journey. Despite many challenges, he persevered to launch a faith-based clothing brand called Exalted. In this interview, we learn about his inspiration, the importance of milestones, and three pieces of advice he has for those with a similar vision.
Q1: When did you first get the idea to start “Exalted”?
“Originally it was an idea to start a clothing brand with my friend, in May of 2022. We looked at some shops nearby to see how we could make clothing. But then my friend got a job and didn’t want to do it anymore. But I decided it was something I wanted to do. Then I was in Alaska at a youth camp and we were worshiping. There was a specific song that came on that said “be exalted in the heavens.’ The word exalted got stuck in my brain. The word means to be lifted high, deserving of worship.”
Q2: So Exalted is describing God?
“Yes. It’s based off the verse Philippians 2:9-11. The word speaks luxury, royalty, and exclusivity. It’s a mix of a higher end brand and exaltation of Jesus.”
Q2: I noticed when I met you back in Alaska that you have an outgoing personality. How important do you think that is with spreading the word about your clothing brand?
“It’s a great question. Most of the marketing is done online. Just being more comfortable with filming videos and posting them on social media, building up my brand and talking about my brand. At the end of the day anyone can do what I do. I’m more outgoing around people I’m comfortable with. People think I’m weird for being so vocal about it. For me I really believe in what I’m doing. I talked about it so much in the beginning, now the brand speaks for itself.”​
Q3: Doing this kind of work takes perseverance to see it through. What were some of the challenges you encountered?
“One of my friends dropped out, figuring out the legal structure, figuring out the A-Z. Many people will follow the brand and support you verbally, but when you create your first product the truth is revealed. Very few of those verbal supporters will purchase the product. People sell much less than they think at the start. I reached more than 1,000 followers on the brand exalted Instagram page, which is the first really difficult milestone for companies. So in a sense one of the biggest obstacles I overcame was the false hope that this was going to be easy.”
Q4: If you could share three pieces of advice to others who are interested in starting a clothing brand, what advice would you give?
“Number 1, know your why. Why are you doing it? If it’s for money, it’s easy to get burnt out and lose interest.
Number 2, everybody will tell you how you should do it, will give their advice and give their input. But remember their not the ones who are giving their time and money. Their not the ones with the vision or the dream. Don’t try to please everyone. Keep dialed in. Don’t tell many people what you’re doing. Just let the actions speak for themselves.
3 is little steps. People start off and they see the vision of where they want to be. They think they will be a millionaire, like Nike or Addidas. But they don’t realize the day by day, what it takes to grow a clothing brand, a business. These are the small things that you go through. Eventually it will exponentially grow. But there are so many small steps. A small step every day and a bigger step every week. So break it down to a small step every day. One day I’ll apply for a business license, next day figure out how to get merchandise, the next day figure out how to market it. Baby steps. Stay diligent. Persevere.”
Q5: Outside of work, what kind of passions and hobbies do you have?
“Number one thing that brings me joy and passion in my life is playing soccer. I love that more than anything. I like to work out at the gym. And then I like spending time with friends and with family. And also personal development like reading and research. Work away from work, reading personal development books, watching personal development videos, listening to podcasts.”
Click here to learn more about Joe.
July 2024
Paige Coffer's
Journey to Artistic Excellence
​Paige Coffer loved to draw from an early age. Encouraged by her parents, Paige continued to refine her skills. She favored the use of bright colors to depict emotionally impactful scenes. Soon, she became a self-employed illustrator for authors of all sorts. For this month’s creator spotlight, we sit down for a conversation with Paige, where we hear about her story, the inspiration for her career, and a bit about her artistic process.
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Q1: When did you first learn to draw?
“I’ve drawn my whole life. But I got serious about it when I was twelve or thirteen. I used to watch something called Inuyasha and play kingdom hearts. I met a friend in middle-school who drew. I got really serious around thirteen. And then I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Q2: You’ve said you’re working from England. What brought you there?
“My husband is in the Air Force. He got stationed out here almost four years ago. This is our last year here. We live near Cambridge.”
Q3: What are your top three favorite animated films?
“Definitely Tangled, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Hercules.”
Q4: In your opinion, what themes should visual art explore?
“Well, it depends on what you’re going for. I really like emotional work, personally, whether it’s a good emotion or a negative emotion. I really like using color and shapes to represent that. Having more dark or moody colors amplify a more negative emotion. But if you want a more upbeat, happy scene, more vibrant colors.”
Q5: In a few words, can you please describe the process of creating a painting from idea to sketch to finished painting?
“You should definitely thumbnail. We can decide on a composition first. I think that doing a thumbnail is really important. And then I go to experimenting with colors, with the flats, and then trying to decide what emotion and what theme we want for the piece. And then we decide what we want before I go into fully rendering it. In the flats there’s no lighting; it’s your basic colors. Rendering adds more depth and detail.”
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The interview continues below.
The Sketch
The Flat
The Final
Q6: I really appreciated how you didn’t just tolerate feedback, you sought it out. Why do you use this method when working on commissions?
“I’ve noticed sometimes that you get two groups. You get people who nit-pick everything. Or you run into people who are scared to say if they don’t like something. It works for both groups. But if I ask upfront, it helps to solve things for the nit-pickers. It’s harder to change things later on. So if we address problems early on, especially in the sketch phase, it helps things on both sides. It just makes people more comfortable that they can be honest with me. I don’t mind if you’re picky, because you’re paying me. Just tell me what you want. I want people to feel comfortable. I want it to look the way you want. It’s helped both groups, the ones who are too shy and the ones who are too picky.”
Q7: When in your life did you decide to make this a career?
“When I was in senior year of high school. I didn’t want to do anything else. My parents were very supportive. I wanted to be smart about my career choice, like business or something. My parents were actually the ones that pushed me to do art. They thought I was good at it. Senior year, I just knew.”
Q8: If you had a piece of advice for aspiring illustrators out there, what would be your advice to them?
“Ironically, do not go to art school. You can learn everything online, so affordable or free. People only care about your portfolio. Save money and don’t go to college. Art schools are very expensive. Don’t be afraid to befriend other artists, I don’t care how big or small. You’ll be surprised how many artists want to be friends with you. I have a lot of Christian artist friends. It’s a very supportive community. People are willing to help. Don’t be scared to put yourself out there.”
Q9: I was really impressed with your work, especially on The Flying Chariot illustration. How did you do that?
“I knew I wanted blue and a yellow-orange-gold color. I really wanted the characters to stand out with the gold. I wanted to add that magical touch, since Lady Glimmer is very magical.”
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If you would like to see more of Paige's work, click here to browse through her Instagram portfolio.
June 2024
The Inspiration for Kelly Cobrett's
Watercolor Business
Kelly Cobrett found her way into the artistic world after graduating from college. Through self-taught methods, she began learning the skills of sketching and watercolor painting. Featuring subjects that range from owls with top hats to coffee pots with life mantras, Kelly developed a brand of her own. And that brand is called Samila Designs. Now Kelly has her own business and over three thousand social media followers. In this month’s spotlight, we learn about the inspiration for her delightful hand-painted stickers.
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Q1: When did you first learn to draw?
“I was just asked this at the market. I get asked this a lot. I enjoy doodling and doing random stuff on paper. I’ve never taken any formal art classes, except what was required for school. I had regular art classes that everyone had to take. In addition to that, I took some oil painting lessons. I was never taught any drawing fundamentals. A lot of that came from me watching YouTube videos. I practiced like crazy. I have loads of sketch books of really bad art.”
Q2: What YouTube channels did you watch?
“I would focus on a specific skill and watch a ton of artists who made videos on that topic. But some of the channels that I watch now are Leigh Ellexson and JelArts. Also I watch the DrawFee channel. I love watching those channels for inspiration or just entertainment.”
Q3: What are your top three favorite animated films?
“Wow. There’s one that just came out called ‘Scavenger’s Reign’. The storytelling is incredible, the animation is absolutely gorgeous, the art style is my absolute favorite, and the themes are so interesting. One of the reasons why I loved the series so much is because it reminded me of Miyazaki’s ‘Nausicaa of the Valley of The Wind’. My other two favorites are ‘The Secret World of Arrietty’ and ‘From Up on Poppy Hill’ by Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki is a genius in his storytelling and animation.”
Q4: What themes do you most enjoy exploring in visual art?
“Definitely anything in nature. Little creatures, bugs, and animals. Anything of a whimsical or weird nature. I like painting things for other people, but if I was left to my own devices whimsical and weird is what I would stick with.”
Q5: I know that being an artist in today’s world can be very difficult. How did you start building a following?
“I started using Instagram and Facebook. I would post content of my sketch books and finished pieces. I would make use of hashtags. It mostly started with friends and family who were already following me. Then I switched Instagram over to being more of a business profile. And I would engage with other artists, by promoting their content as well. It created this environment of mutual support. Even in a capitalistic society, I can support other artists without actually taking anything away from my business because we create different things.”
Q6: What advice do you have for other visual artists who want to turn their hobby into a full-time business?
“I would say the important thing is to not let your favorite creative outlet become just a job. If you want to earn a living doing what you love, the danger is letting that become work and only work. Giving yourself time to recharge that creative spark is really important. Another thing is finding a good supportive community. And have fun with it. If you’re turning your hobby into a business, make sure it’s something you actually enjoy doing, otherwise you’ll get burnt out really fast. And don’t worry about the numbers, especially at first. Don’t worry about your likes on Instagram or the amount of engagement you get on every post. It will happen over time if you love it and you share it. I would discourage people from chasing the algorithm. Social media platforms are constantly changing the way they are promoting posts to people. Trying to chase that will burn you out so quickly. Instead do what you love!”
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Kelly just launched a new sticker club on her Patreon. If you love stickers, you can sign up and get a monthly sticker sent to your door. Kelly designs new stickers every single month for her patrons. Click here to check out her website.
The Sketch
The Final
May 2024
An Interview with
Temple Russell Christiansen
Author of The Making of Sir Vant
Q1: What was the inspiration for the story?
“My inspirations were all my sons. As a homeschool mom looking for wholesome quality literature to teach. History, especially medieval history, was what they were interested in. I had a hard time finding books that fit that criteria. There were a couple of children’s books out there that were set in medieval times. But they were kind of few and far between. One of my sons came up with the core of the story when he was about eight years old. A couple of years later I asked him if he would be interested in writing a book. He wasn’t interested in writing the book, so I asked if I could, and he said yes. I proceeded to put a book together. It took me fourteen years to put this book together. Also, the illustrator was one of the inspirations, Kristen Spohn.”
Q2: What made you decide that this story might be worth completing?
“If I was looking for this kind of resource, maybe there were others who were looking for this kind of resource as well, especially families with young children. I wanted to share this resource with others. I wanted to support families who were raising children to establish core godly values in the minds and hearts of those children.”
Q3: Do you also feel like the entertainment industry has been going through a moral shift in recent years?
“Oh, absolutely. It’s been happening since the beginning of time. But we can see a pretty giant shift in our country and our society within the last 100 to 150 years. A giant shift. We established our country and our society on those godly values that we were talking about before. In our national education system, there has just been influence away from looking to God for our core values and more of a focus on humans and human constructs for value.”
Q4: How important do you think it is to encourage virtue in children’s literature?
“I think it’s extremely important. The reason I say that is because it is through children’s literature that we awaken the child’s mind to moral awareness. So, it’s very important to awaken a child’s mind to the standpoint of what is good and what is right, to establish the foundation, from a godly perspective.”
Q5: What is your advice to other writers of children’s literature about striking the balance between discussing vice and virtue?
“So, the balance should be in that we don’t shy away from addressing the issue of sin and evil, both from within humanity and from without, you know the outside influences of Satan. In my book, I deal with both the struggle within and the struggle without. Have characters that struggle against those things and show that they can be victorious, by the power of God.”