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with Drake The Duck Muse
Multi-Genre Author ~ Editor ~ Book Designer ~ Writing Coach

The Blog Thingy
Where Emotion and Information are Dispensed Inconsistently... Sometimes
You'll find some interesting stuff here...
a few Op Eds, some Writing Craft Information, Book Reviews, and More. Poke around the categories and see what ruffles your feathers... in a good way!



Indie Reads Aloud with Nora Gold and "Doubles"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 314 Doubles Written by Nora Gold Doubles takes place in 1968 in an institution for troubled youth, and is told from the perspective of a brilliant, spunky, 12-year-old girl who is obsessed with math. Engagingly written and often funny, this novella explores how a sensitive young teenager changes over a six-month period from a polite, quiet “good girl” into a delinquent. Although set in the past, Doubles has direct relevance to today, with o
2 min read


A Duck Quacks Preview: Conspiracy Theorists' Convention
Click The Cover To Order! It was the usual crowd you’d see at these sorts of events; rack selections from Old Navy, Macey’s, L.L. Bean, and a few custom jobs from Rodeo Drive. Stereotypes were frequently assumed; few lived outside of what their costumes described. Occasionally, you’d find one or two who managed a bit of authentic sheen, but it was rare. As they milled about, over-imbibing and over-exaggerating, popular lyrics could be recognized by anyone who’d attended i
6 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Stacy Schilling and "The ABCs of Wavy and Curly Hair"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 313 The ABCs of Wavy and Curly Hair Staring The Frizz Girls Written by Stacy Schilling The Frizz Girls want to teach you the ABC’s of wavy and curly hair complete with a glossary defining each word. This is a great resource to learn all the hair words to describe wavy and curly hair. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stacy Schilling was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she developed a passion for the visual arts at a young age. After
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Tom Huggler and "The Woman She Left Behind"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 312 The Woman She Left Behind Written by Tom Huggler In the spring of 1862, widowed Rachel Barnum leaves three children in Michigan with her farm’s hired man to embark on either a fool’s errand or a hero’s journey. She will stop at nothing to find her son Dwight, a Union soldier dying days away on a Missouri battlefield. Mounting obstacles include an imposing Rebel force entrenched on a Mississippi River island. Rachel fears her chances of
2 min read


Her Heartstone Preview: Chapter Two
Artwork by Michael Kucharski Click The Cover To Order! In a modest forest at the edge of a riverbank, some distance from the blackened kingdom, lived a man who understood life in ways few others could comprehend. He escaped from the tyrant decades ago when he saw the oncoming storm of his wrath. The man lived in concert with the world, moving from one sunset to the next in harmony with nature and the spirit of growth. He shared his life with two beautiful dogs who chose hi
7 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Lisa Jacovsky and "Dragon Island: Football Season"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 311 5/15/26 Dragon Island: Football Season Written by Lisa Jacovsky Dragon Island: Football Season is an exciting, action-filled story about dragons who are passionate about football. With six teams, each made up of six players, the dragons have a unique ability to change their colors to match their team uniforms. One of the standout players is Ember, a deaf dragon with exceptional vision and a talent for creating winning strategies. Her s
1 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Adam Dompierre and "Theis Fell Sergeant"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 310 This Fell Sergeant Book Two in the Eddie London Mysteries Written by Adam Dompierre What Happened in Room 310? Eddie London is a quick-witted and slightly-incompetent private eye—he’s also Lacey Matthews’ last hope. The young woman implores him to investigate her boyfriend’s fatal fall from a hotel balcony. While the authorities have ruled out foul play, Lacey refuses to believe them. As he pursues disparate leads, Eddie finds himself pul
1 min read


Is There Too Much Flannel In Your Romance Novel?
May 2026 The goal of good fiction is to mirror real life or at least suspend disbelief to the point that the story is relatable. The books we write need to entertain readers in such a way that they can find themselves on the pages while simultaneously escaping from the mundane or frustrating pieces of their daily lives. This emotional and intellectual connection is why readers gravitate to their favorite genres; they see themselves somewhere in the story. Either they find
4 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Preethi Balasubramanian and Part Three of "The Mystic India for Kids Series"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode #309 Shakti in You: Discovering Courage and Strength Within Book Five of The Mystic India for Kids Series Written by Preethi Balasubramanian Shakti in You brings the nine forms of the goddess—celebrated during Navaratri—into the hearts of children everywhere. Through enchanting storytelling, modern-day reflections, and creative activities, this book shows how timeless qualities like bravery, patience, kindness, and wisdom live inside every chil
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with JL Maynor and "Warp Star"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 308 Warp Star Book One in The First Contact Series Written by JL Maynor LISTENER ADVISORY: Violence, Strong Language Earth didn’t survive World War III intact—it survived divided. Two factions rose from the ash: the United Federation of Nations and the Russian Republic of Nations . When resources became weapons and the front lines went global, humanity fled upward, dragging its grudges into orbit and beyond. A century later, the conflict h
1 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Preethi Balasubramanian and Part Two of "The Mystic India for Kids Series"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode #307 The Elephant Prince: Stories of Ganesha's Wisdom Book Four of The Mystic India for Kids Series Written by Preethi Balasubramanian Click The Cover To Order! Discover the Magic of Ganesha Through Playful Stories & Colouring Fun! Step into the joyful world of Ganesha with this delightful collection of stories for children. Perfect for little listeners and early readers, these tales bring the elephant-headed god to life through laughter, wisdo
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Allison Wells and "Chosen"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 306 Chosen: A Retelling of the Story of Esther Written by Allison Wells Esme lives a quiet life in the shadow of the palace in Atelina, the capital of Geoline. Raised by her devoted adoptive father, Maurice, she is content with her days of prayer, study, and simple living. But when Queen Veva’s very public defiance leads to her removal from the throne, the kingdom is thrown into uncertainty. To restore order, King Levan calls for a gatherin
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Preethi Balasubramanian and Part One of "The Mystic India for Kids Series"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode #305 Stories of Krishna: Tales of Michief and Magic Book One of The Mystic India for Kids Series Written by Preethi Balasubramanian Click The Cover To Order! Discover the Magic of Krishna Through Heartwarming Stories & Fun Colouring Pages! Step into the enchanting world of Krishna with this delightful collection of stories for young hearts. Perfectly crafted for young children, these simple yet profound tales bring the beloved Hindu deity to li
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Stacy Schilling and "Stacy Learns to Love Her Wavy Hair, and You Can Too!"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 304 Stacy Learns to Love Her Wavy Hair, and You Can Too! Written by Stacy Schilling When Stacy was nine-years-old, her mom convinced her to cut her long, wavy brown hair because she was tired of fixing Stacy's hair. Her mom didn't teach Stacy how to fix it herself.
Stacy cried after her hair cut and didn't know how to stand up for herself. Throughout her life, Stacy had to learn and navigate the pitfalls of how to take care of her wavy ha
2 min read


Indie Reads Aloud with Pranav Sandip and "Echoes Beneath The Surface"
Indie Reads Aloud Radio Episode # 303 Echoes Beneath The Surface Written by Pranav Sandip A murder mystery where every sound tells a story, and every emotion glows with colour. He can taste the lies—but can he survive the truth? “The metallic taste spiked violently, coating my tongue like blood. Something felt wrong about this. It couldn’t be true. I heard myself exhale sharply. My pulse was roaring in my ears, the fluorescent lights too bright, the stale air suffocating— T
2 min read
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