In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes Jen Graybeal, an award-winning certified Creativity Coach, editor, and international speaker dedicated to helping authors build both stories and careers that truly fit them.

With over eleven years of coaching, workshops, and editing projects, Jen has supported more than a thousand authors through encouraging feedback, collaborative problem-solving, and gently applied tough love. Her work focuses on aligning creativity, mindset, and business so writers can define success on their own terms.

Michelle and Jen talk about creativity coaching, overcoming blocks, developing sustainable writing practices, and the mindset shifts that help authors move forward with clarity and confidence. They also touch on Jen’s Books, Business & Mindset podcast and her passion for helping writers feel empowered in both craft and career.

🎧 Join Michelle and Jen for an insightful, affirming conversation about creativity, confidence, and building an author life that actually works for you.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page!

ABOUT JEN GRAYBEAL:

Jen Graybeal (she/her) is dedicated to empowering authors through encouraging feedback, collaborative problem solving and gently-applied tough love. In eleven years of coaching, workshops, and editing projects, she has helped over a thousand authors create stories they are proud of and businesses that align with their individual vision of success. Jen is an award-winning certified Creativity Coach and international speaker with a degree in English, an ever-expanding TBR pile, and a furball assistant that is usually on her lap. Visit her website for client testimonials at www.jentheeditor.com or follow her on social media: @JenTheEditor. Listen to season one of Jen’s Books, Business & Mindset podcast, now available on all your favorite podcast apps.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

https://www.jentheeditor.com/

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In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles chats with Lori Thorn, a contemporary romance author known for creating immersive stories filled with characters readers want to befriend—and maybe gossip about just a little.

The conversation centers on Lori’s book Enchanted Elixirs, exploring the heart of her storytelling, the relationships that drive her novels, and how she builds worlds that feel both cozy and emotionally real. Lori shares insights into her creative process, character dynamics, and what draws her to contemporary romance.

Living in Western North Carolina, Lori balances her writing life with time spent with her family, working out, practicing her instruments, and experimenting with vegetarian cooking—all of which find their way into the warmth and authenticity of her stories.

🎧 Join Michelle and Lori for a fun, thoughtful conversation about romance, connection, and crafting stories that feel like coming home.

ABOUT LORI THORN:

Lori Thorn writes contemporary romance that will immerse you in the world. You'll want to be best friends with some characters and tempted to gossip about others. She lives in Western North Carolina. When she’s not engaging in bookish activities, she can be found hanging with her amazing family, working out, practicing my instruments, or making vegetarian meals.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Newsletter

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

Amazon & KU | Website | B&N | Audible

Everyone assumes there’s a master plan.

A spreadsheet. A calendar. A perfectly mapped-out publishing roadmap where every book releases on schedule.

And yes—I do plan.

But some of my best books were written because something in me said,

“No. This one. Now.”

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, I’m sharing how I actually decide what book to write next—and when I choose to ignore the plan and trust the story instead.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How I balance long-term strategy with creative intuition
• Why having a plan matters (and why it shouldn’t be a prison)
• Recognizing the stories that won’t wait
• How reader demand quietly shapes creative decisions
• When breaking your own rules is the right move
• Choosing the right book at the right time—not just the next one on the list

If you’re a writer, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the invisible decisions that shape a career.

If you’re a reader, it’s a glimpse into how the stories you love are chosen—and why some arrive sooner than expected.

Behind every “next book” is a hundred unseen choices. Strategy matters. Planning matters. But so does listening—to the story, to yourself, and to the people walking these worlds with you.

Sometimes the bravest creative decision isn’t sticking to the plan. It’s trusting yourself enough to know when it’s time to change it.

If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who loves stories as much as we do.

Until next time—keep telling the stories that won’t let you go.

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, Michelle sits down with Dawn Chartier, a contemporary and paranormal romance author celebrated for her emotionally rich stories, compelling characters, and immersive worlds.

With a background in construction, Dawn brings a unique attention to detail to her writing—crafting vivid settings that readers can instantly step into. Her romance novels blend heartfelt emotion with suspense and supernatural intrigue, earning her a dedicated readership and praise across the genre.

Living in South Louisiana, Dawn draws inspiration from the region’s lush landscapes and vibrant culture. When she’s not writing, she loves exploring local cuisine, relaxing on the beach, binging Gilmore Girls, and getting lost in a great book.

Join Michelle and Dawn for a warm, engaging conversation about writing romance, blending genres, building worlds, and finding inspiration in everyday life.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page!

Subscribe to the official newsletter here

Join the official podcast Discord channel here

#DawnChartier #MilesBeyondThePage #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #RomanceAuthor #ParanormalRomance #ContemporaryRomance #Worldbuilding #Books #WritingPodcast #Creativity #WritingLife #MichelleMiles

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle welcomes Taylor A. Jenkins, an author whose love of storytelling began with a single spark of encouragement from a teacher and grew into a lifelong passion.

With over twelve years of writing experience, Taylor has turned her early school assignments into entire worlds of imagination. After earning her degree in English and Creative Writing from Weber State University, she dedicated herself to creating the kinds of stories she once escaped into as a reader. Now living in Utah with her family and a lively crew of animals, she continues to explore the beauty, heart, and adventure found in fiction.

Join Michelle and Taylor for an inspiring conversation about creative beginnings, the joy of worldbuilding, and how one teacher’s belief can change a life forever.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more heartfelt author interviews and creative journeys on Miles Beyondthe Page!

Subscribe to the official newsletter here

Join the official podcast Discord channel here

#TaylorAJenkins #MilesBeyondThePage #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #CreativeWriting #Storytelling #Books #WritingPodcast #Inspiration #Worldbuilding #IndieAuthor #WritingLife #Creativity #MichelleMiles

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles sits down with Keshia C. Willi, an author who seamlessly blends fantasy and fright to craft genre-bending tales that twist reality with every page.

Raised in the mountains of Virginia, Keshia’s lifelong love of storytelling has led her to create novels that blur the lines between the magical and the macabre. Her latest works, Johnny Be Good and In the Cold, Cold Winter, both earned spots on Amazon’s Top 100 Hot New Releases list—testament to her unique voice and atmospheric storytelling.

🎧 Join Michelle and Keshia as they dive into the art of writing across genres, the inspiration behind dark fantasy, and the thrill of crafting stories that linger long after the last page.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more captivating author interviews and creative conversations on Miles Beyond the Page!

ABOUT KESHIA C. WILLI:

Keshia C. Willi melds fantasy and fright to create genre-bending stories that twist reality with every page. Raised in the mountains of Virginia, her writing has been a lifelong journey. Her latest novels, JOHNNY BE GOOD and IN THE COLD, COLD WINTER, were featured in Amazon’s Top 100 Hot New Releases list.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

BUY LINK FOR IN THE COLD, COLD WINTER

#KeshiaCWilli #MilesBeyondThePage #AuthorInterview #WritingCommunity #FantasyAuthor #HorrorAuthor #DarkFantasy #JohnnyBeGood #InTheColdColdWinter #WritingPodcast #Books #Storytelling #Creativity #IndieAuthor #WritingLife

I’m often asked how I do all the things—the books, the audiobooks, the podcast, the constant creation—without burning out.

And beneath that question is usually something deeper: Am I doing enough? Am I falling behind? Am I missing some secret?

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, I’m pulling back the curtain.

Not with hustle culture advice.

Not with productivity hacks.

But with the honest truth about what’s really happening behind the scenes—and why it looks like a lot when it’s actually very intentional.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why creative work often looks nonstop from the outside
• The seasons of creation no one sees
• How I layer projects instead of doing everything at once
• Why I stopped treating books as separate jobs
• How thinking like a business gave me more creative freedom
• What I don’t do—and why focus matters more than hustle
• Letting one good story become many doorways

If you’re an author, creator, or creative entrepreneur who feels pressure to do more, this conversation is for you.

This is the first From the Author’s Desk episode—where we go behind the book and talk honestly about creativity, publishing, and building a sustainable creative life.

You can find links to my books, audiobooks, and podcast resources in the show notes.

If this episode resonates, let me know in the comments—and tell me what you’d like to hear more about.

ABOUT ME:

MICHELLE MILES writes fantasy and paranormal stories full of magic, adventure, and swoony romance. From cursed princes to time-traveling rogues, her books feature fierce heroines, epic quests, and the kind of heroes worth falling for. She’s also a narrator and the host of Miles Beyond the Page, a podcast about the writing life. A Texas girl who loves books, movies, and wine, she believes every great story starts with a little bit of magic.

FIND ME ONLINE:

Direct Store | Website and Blog | Newsletter Sign Up

Amazon | Facebook | Instagram

Podcast Website

In this episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes Mark Mustian—award-winning author of The Gendarme, The Return, and the newly acclaimed Boy With Wings. Mark’s work has been recognized internationally, with The Gendarme a finalist for the Dayton International Literary Peace Prize and published in ten languages. His latest novel, Boy With Wings, earned the Grand Prize for Fiction from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and continues his tradition of exploring humanity, memory, and redemption through powerful storytelling.

Beyond writing, Mark is the founder and president of the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida—a celebration of the intersection between art forms—and also serves as president of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A., one of Florida’s largest local government law firms.

🎧 Join Michelle and Mark for a rich conversation about the craft of writing, the influence of history and culture, and the pursuit of peace through story.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more inspiring author interviews and creative insights on Miles Beyond the Page!

ABOUT MARK:

Mark Mustian is the author of the novels The Return and The Gendarme, the latter a finalist for the Dayton International Literary Peace Prize and shortlisted for the Saroyan International Award for Writing. It won the Florida Gold Book Award for Fiction and has been published in ten languages. The founder and president of the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida (https://wordofsouthfestival.com/), his new novel, Boy With Wings, has been named the winner of the Grand Prize for Fiction from Next Generation Indie Book Awards, among other honors. Mark is also the president of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A., one of the largest local government law firms in Florida.

WHERE TO FIND HIM:

Website | Facebook | BlueSky

WHERE TO FIND HIS BOOKS:

Website

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