Miles Beyond the Page

Michelle Miles
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Where we dive deep into the world of writing and publishing. Each week, I sit down with authors from every stage of their journey—whether they’re just starting out, building their readership, or seasoned pros with stories to tell. We’ll explore their creative process, uncover tips and insights, and celebrate the highs and lows of the writing life. So, grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and join me as we go Miles Beyond the Page!

  1. 2d ago

    Mary Karlik – Lasso My Heart, Cowboy Romance & Writing on the Road

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes romance author Mary Karlik back to the show to celebrate her latest Tule Publishing release, Lasso My Heart. Set in the fictional Texas town of Spring Creek, the novel blends heartfelt romance with familiar connections to her updated indie YA series through subtle Easter eggs that longtime readers will enjoy discovering. Mary shares the real-life breakup that inspired the novel’s opening, her first experience writing a dual-timeline story with flashbacks, and the significance of the "frog box" thread that weaves throughout the series. She also discusses her four-book contract with Tule Publishing and previews future stories set in the rodeo world, featuring a rodeo doctor, an injured bull rider, and a smokejumper. Michelle and Mary dive into the realities of writing while traveling, developing emotionally authentic characters, embracing discovery writing, and balancing the business side of publishing. They also discuss promotion, advertising, deadlines, rejection, and overcoming the creative doubts every author faces. 🎧 Join Michelle and Mary for a warm conversation about cowboy romance, publishing, and finding inspiration wherever the road leads. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! Mary Karlik (also writing as Mary J. Wilson) combines her Texas roots with her Scottish heritage to write happily-ever-afters from Texas to Scotland. Her five contemporary young adult romances are set-in small-town Texas. She is also published in epic fantasy with her Fairy Trafficking series set in Scotland. She also writes adult contemporary romances set in Scotland and Texas. When she is not writing or reading, Mary enjoys hanging out with family and friends, traveling around the world, or hill walking in Scotland while struggling to speak Gaelic with her Scottish husband. She lives in both and Scotland and Texas. WHERE TO FIND HER: Website | Instagram | Facebook WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS: Amazon

  2. Aug 11

    A.M. Geever – Darkest Light, Shared-World Fiction & Indie Publishing

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes author A.M. Geever to discuss her post-apocalyptic fiction, her latest novel Darkest Light, and the unique experience of writing in a shared-world series. A.M. shares the inspiration behind Darkest Light, her contribution to the 13-author Fire in the Sky/Ravaged Skies shared universe, where a Carrington Event–style solar flare devastates the world's power grid. She explains how the authors collaborated within a common framework while creating their own distinct stories, complete with crossover Easter eggs for attentive readers. Michelle and A.M. also explore her approach to writing character-driven disaster fiction, setting stories in the remote landscapes of Montana and Idaho, and her detailed plotting process using resources from Writers Helping Writers. They discuss the creative freedom of indie publishing, the realities of marketing in today's publishing landscape, building newsletters and reader communities, and the craft lessons she's learned along the way—including why avoiding POV head-hopping makes for stronger storytelling. 🎧 Join Michelle and A.M. for an engaging conversation about post-apocalyptic fiction, collaborative storytelling, and building a successful indie author career. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT A.M. GEEVER: A.M. Geever is the award-winning author of The Undead Age and Steel City Apocalypse zombie apocalypse adventures. She also writes gritty post-collapse fiction in her Fire in the Sky series, where a solar flare brings modern civilization to its knees. A sci-fi enthusiast who dreamed of Starfleet command, she loves to write about impossible choices, no-win scenarios, and bad behavior. She shares her home with her husband, two cats with impeccable manners, and a pair of Blue Heeler/Catahoula hellhounds who have two speeds: fast and snuggle. WHERE TO FIND HER: Website | Instagram | Facebook WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS: Amazon

  3. Aug 4

    Liza Jacob – Audiobook Narration, Auditions & Indie Author Insights

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with audiobook narrator Liza Jacob to explore the art, craft, and business of bringing stories to life through audio. Liza shares her journey from graphic design and illustration into audiobook narration, landing her first six-book series before she even had a home studio, and the acting and narration training that helped shape her career. Michelle and Liza discuss how audiobook performance has evolved, the importance of microphone technique and audio quality, and how Liza develops authentic accents by studying native speakers and working with dialect coaches. The conversation also offers valuable advice for indie authors looking to produce audiobooks. They cover the audition process, what authors should include in casting notes, common misconceptions about working with narrators, and what to listen for when reviewing auditions. Liza also explains audiobook pricing models, including royalty share and per-finished-hour contracts, shares her thoughts on AI narration, and discusses when authors might consider narrating their own work. 🎧 Whether you're an audiobook listener, a narrator, or an author considering audio for the first time, this episode is packed with practical insights into one of publishing's fastest-growing formats. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page! ABOUT LIZA JACOB: Liza Jacob is a seasoned, sharp, and spectacularly listenable audiobook narrator. Liza brings a behind-the-scenes look at what actually makes an audiobook work—from performance choices to production standards. Listeners walk away with a sharper ear, smarter expectations, and fewer expensive mistakes. Equal parts craft and candor. With 30+ titles under her belt and over 10 accents mastered, she brings cozy mysteries, romance, and fantasy to life with a voice that’s as dependable as it is delightful. (Get ready — your listeners won’t just hear the story… they’ll feel it.) WHERE TO FIND HER: Website | TikTok

  4. Jul 28

    Laura Van Wormer – Publishing, Reinvention & The Power of Story

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with author and former Doubleday editor Laura Van Wormer to discuss her remarkable journey through publishing, fiction writing, and creative reinvention. Laura shares how an unexpected opportunity led her to write a biography-style book about the fictional Carrington family from Dynasty, which opened the door to official tie-in novels for Dallas and Knots Landing. Those experiences helped shape her unique storytelling approach and influenced her bestselling novel Riverside Drive, a sweeping story of interconnected lives brought together by an unlikely catalyst. Michelle and Laura explore the realities of working in traditional publishing, protecting creative energy, and balancing the demands of writing with the business side of a creative career. Laura also offers insights into her chapter-driven, serialized style and the lessons she learned from both sides of the publishing industry. The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Laura shares how a devastating head-on collision left her with a brain injury that ended her ability to write novels. Rather than stepping away from storytelling, she found a new creative path through her podcast, The Class of ’74, where she continues to connect with audiences through research, history, and compelling stories. 🎧 Join Michelle and Laura for an inspiring conversation about resilience, creativity, publishing, and finding new ways to tell stories when life changes the script. ABOUT LAURA VAN WORMER: Laura Van Wormer is the creative force behind "The Class of ’74," a serialized fictional podcast that blends nostalgia, drama, and meticulous historical detail. Set in 1971–1974 in a well-heeled Connecticut suburb of New York City, the show has been praised for its authenticity and period-accurate setting, detail and events, and draws on Laura’s decades of experience as a novelist, editor and researcher, with a specialty in the ways the past informs the present. Her storytelling style is rooted in a good sense of humor, character psychology, the rhythms of small-town life, and creates a world listeners fall in love with. She herself was a member of the Class of '74 in Darien, Connecticut and was infamous for stopping high school parties to read stories she had written. Laura started her career at Doubleday as a secretary (in the era Jackie Onassis worked there) and worked her way up to editor. She left to pursue her own writing and while learning how to write a novel, supported herself by creating books with the creators of the hit night-time TV serials, "Dynasty," "Dallas" and "Knots Landing." Laura's first novel, RIVERSIDE DRIVE, was a bestseller when it was published in 1988. She published 13 more novels with major houses but in 2015 she was on her way to the airport to visit Betty White in Los Angeles when a drunk driver going the wrong way on the Merritt Parkway in CT hit her head-on. She woke up a month later in Yale New Haven hospital with a crushed collar bone, 16 broken ribs, torn diaphragm, broken knee, and a severed foot that required four surgeries to save. Ten years later she attended her 50th high school reunion and was sad because no one could hear her. When she went home her other half suggested why didn’t she write a story as a podcast so her classmates could hear her – and THE CLASS OF ’74 was born, a weekly narrative soap opera about teenagers starting high school in 1971. While the story is fiction, it faithfully recreates the fascinating time before cell phones existed and is guaranteed to take the listeners' minds off their problems – at least for half an hour each week. WHERE TO FIND HER: Class of '74 Podcast Website | Apple | Facebook | YouTube | BlueSky WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS: Amazon

  5. Jul 23 ·  Bonus

    Writing Morally Gray Anti-Heroes Readers Can Trust

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles breaks down how to write morally gray anti-heroes who feel dangerous, compelling, and emotionally safe for readers. Using what she calls a “relationship engine,” Michelle explores why morally gray characters aren’t defined by attitude or aesthetics—but by their personal code, the lines they refuse to cross, and the repeated choices that build reader trust over time. She discusses how to create anti-heroes whose devotion feels earned, whose love costs them something, and whose emotional arc centers on partnership instead of control. Michelle also dives into defining a character’s survival strategy, building conflict around self-protection versus vulnerability, and establishing non-negotiables in romance storytelling such as consent, accountability, emotional repair, and honesty. The episode includes practical guidance and a writing prompt authors can use to start building their own unforgettable anti-hero. 🎧 Whether you write fantasy romance, dark romance, paranormal romance, or emotionally intense love stories, this episode offers a deeper look at creating anti-heroes readers can obsess over without breaking emotional trust.

  6. Jul 21

    Christopher Choate – Apollo Wept, Dystopian Satire & Military Sci Fi

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles interviews retired Air Force officer and author Christopher Choate about his satirical military sci-fi space opera, Apollo Wept. Christopher shares how his writing began with entertaining Christmas newsletters and how events in 2020 inspired him to imagine a dystopian America in 2104, where the Constitution has been ruled unconstitutional, the country is broke, history has been erased, and identity politics dominate public life. Michelle and Christopher discuss the book’s central mission: launching the USS Despair to intercept Voyager and replace its original plaque with one reflecting the altered values of his fictional future. They also explore the novel’s pop-culture references, including Star Trek and Groundhog Day, as well as an AI character tied closely to the protagonist’s family. The conversation also covers Christopher’s writing process, hybrid publishing with Defiance Press, the challenges of marketing and reviews, his long-distance running, and his upcoming illustrated Christmas ghost story, Christmas Above the Clouds. 🎧 Join Michelle and Christopher for a wide-ranging conversation about satire, science fiction, military experience, and writing stories that ask bold questions about where society might be headed. ABOUT CHRISTOPHER CHOATE: Coyote is a decorated retired U.S. Air Force Colonel with an extraordinary career spanning four decades of military and civilian federal service with a distinguished background in military aviation and strategic planning. A seasoned Weapon Systems Officer, he flew both the legendary F-4 Phantom and the advanced F-15E Strike Eagle, embodying the precision and expertise that define the tactical air forces of the United States. As an author, Coyote brings his wealth of military and strategic experience to his current literary pursuits. His writing is characterized by a direct, incisive style punctuated with dry humor and satirical wit. With a passionate commitment to critiquing contemporary social dynamics, he writes with the goal of challenging what he perceives as ideological trends threatening Western cultural foundations. His work is marked by a provocative examination of societal shifts, delivering commentary with the same strategic precision he once applied to military operations. WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website | Newsletter Signup | Facebook | X | Instagram WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Amazon

  7. Jul 14

    Brad Elder – Recoil of Justice, Legal-Light Thrillers & Indie Publishing Lessons

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with author and real estate attorney Brad Elder to discuss his debut thriller, Recoil of Justice. The novel follows Houston lawyer Ryan Wolf as a seemingly straightforward case involving stolen software code spirals into a dangerous world of corporate espionage, cartels, human trafficking, and corruption. Blending legal thriller elements with high-stakes action, the story asks a compelling question: can Ryan pursue justice without losing himself in the process? Michelle and Brad discuss the authors who inspired his writing journey, including John Grisham, Harlan Coben, and Jack Carr, as well as his pantser-style approach to storytelling. They also dive into the realities of indie publishing, covering editing, cover design, blurbs, newsletters, reader engagement, and the lessons Brad learned while bringing his first novel to market. The conversation also explores marketing challenges, the role of AI as a writing and business tool, and Brad’s upcoming sequel, Core of Truth, which continues Ryan Wolf’s story. 🎧 Join Michelle and Brad for an engaging conversation about thrillers, publishing, and the journey from reader to author. ABOUT BRAD ELDER: Brad Elder is an award-winning, best-selling thriller author and a licensed attorney in the state of Texas. He is an avid golfer (read: mediocre) and enjoys playing racquetball, hunting, fishing, and a beer or two (not all at the same time). Though a sub .500 Little League baseball coach, he is expecting a call from an MLB team any day now. Prior to publishing his best-selling debut thriller, Recoil of Justice, his writing credits included millions of emails and text messages, a couple of dozen witty social media posts, and one “for a good time call” message in the bathroom stall at a roadside truck stop. When not poking fun at himself, Brad spends his days in Lubbock, TX, with his wife, Ashton, and two children, Lauren, 22, and Jake, 12. Their golden doodles, Chili and Frito, are usually hanging around, too. WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website | Facebook | Instagram WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Amazon

  8. Jul 9

    Christian Hurst – Space Opera, Self-Publishing & Marketing That Works

    In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with Pennsylvania author and creative director Christian Hurst to discuss his YA sci-fi/fantasy series, Lily Starling. Beginning with Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander, the series follows a memory-loss protagonist who discovers her place in the universe alongside a found family of starship crew members in a coming-of-age space opera filled with adventure, mystery, and heart. Christian shares the inspiration behind the series, his long-term vision for the five-book story arc, and the progress of the books released so far. Michelle and Christian also explore his journey from a career in advertising, film, and games to becoming a published novelist. They discuss his writing process—from blocking major story beats and drafting linearly to revising aloud—and what he learned from producing an audiobook version of his work. The conversation goes beyond writing craft into the business side of publishing, covering self-publishing, partnering with Outpost Books, audience targeting, comp titles, funnels, newsletters, social media, and practical marketing strategies that help authors reach the right readers without burning themselves out. 🎧 Join Michelle and Christian for an insightful conversation about storytelling, publishing, and building a sustainable creative career. ABOUT CHRISTIAN HURST: Christian Hurst is an American author and creative director whose work blends epic science fiction adventure with emotional depth. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and raised in the LDS church (1), he often speaks about growing up feeling like an outsider—an experience that shaped the empathy and curiosity at the heart of his writing. After leaving the church as a young adult, he now identifies as an atheist (2). He began his creative career as a teenage graphic design intern for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and later studied Graphic Design at Harrisburg Area Community College. After more than fifteen years in advertising and brand strategy, including major rebranding initiatives for Marriott International, he is now an Executive Creative Director at AARP (3). A lifelong fan of science fiction, Hurst is known for The Lily Starling Series, which explores identity, connection, and belonging (4). He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, their son, and three dogs (5). WHERE TO FIND HIM: Website | X | Instagram | TikTok WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS: Website

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About

Where we dive deep into the world of writing and publishing. Each week, I sit down with authors from every stage of their journey—whether they’re just starting out, building their readership, or seasoned pros with stories to tell. We’ll explore their creative process, uncover tips and insights, and celebrate the highs and lows of the writing life. So, grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and join me as we go Miles Beyond the Page!

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Miles
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Michelle Miles
  • Show Website
    Miles Beyond the Page