The Bookbinder's Apprentice: and other Impossible Love Stories by P. J. Braley

9/27/2025

Multi-genre, multi-volume author PJ Braley introduces us to her quartet of unusual love stories, “The Bookbinder's Apprentice: and other Impossible Love Stories”:

What makes love “impossible”?

Is it the place, time, or the people involved? Or not believing that—in every life—there exists a moment when unquenchable desires can be ignited by the casual smile of a stranger, a moment’s misjudgment, or the serendipity of being in the right place at the right time?

Is it fate or fantasy?

A woman seeking knowledge in a foreign land returns home with more memories than she ever thought possible.
A selfish and ambitious man, allowing himself to fall in love for a single day, alters the rest of his existence.
Attempting to satisfy her curiosity, a woman stumbles into a place where love is rare, and happily-ever-afters are forbidden, yet cannot find it in her heart to leave the man she finds there.
An enduring affair has become so dangerous that a woman must destroy her desire to protect herself and everyone she loves.

P.J. Braley weaves the answers to these questions and scenarios into a collection of four unforgettable love stories that might be impossible, but, perhaps, after touching the hearts and minds of hopeful romantics, they may seem “possible” after all.

This quartet of unusual, romantic stories is superbly written! The author's skillful handling of the English language places her in rare company. Each story defies the normal bounds of the genre and delights me to no end.
The title story is my favorite because I served as a printer's apprentice and learned a little about the ins and outs of movable type. I was startled by the conclusion of that story.
I wholeheartedly give a solid, five-star rating to The Bookbinder's Apprentice. I only find such a perfectly written book once a year.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Bookbinders-Apprentice-other-Impossible-Stories-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/the-bookbinder-s-apprentice-braley
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-bookbinders-apprentice-and-other-impossible-love-stories-braley

You can connect with the author:
https://x.com/PJBraley
https://pjbraley.com/
www.instagram.com/pjbraley
www.facebook.com/PJBraleyAuthor
https://.pjbraley.bsky.social

Copyright © 2025 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

45 Comments

P.J. Braley link

9/27/2025 09:56:57 pm

Thank you for your kind words. PJ

Mark

9/29/2025 11:10:41 am

You are welcome, PJ. I loved your book. The stories were quite curious in a good way and I didn't stumble on a single spelling error. I think I learned a new word or two.

First question.

Please tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

P.J. Braley link

9/29/2025 12:44:40 pm

Thank you, Mark.

I began writing when I was quite young, but at that time, I had many enthusiasms and chased them down until all but one gave up. That was writing. There was always so much I wanted to say, but I knew I wanted to say it well, so I began by reading the dictionary. Jumping from word to word to learn more. I took a few language classes, English classes, courses in journalism, and poetry (that was a false start!). After all those classes and assignments, I learned that writing was a large part of me, something I could not indulge in casually or in a willy-nilly fashion. So, I delayed writing until I was faced with a moment of “if not now, when?” and felt compelled to change my life to make time for my stories. Expressing myself through words has always been part of the air I breathe, but it did not become an active part of my life until it became irresistible.

I had stories to tell, and I was choking on them.

As all new endeavors require new tools, I bought a laptop in 2010, and I’ve been writing ever since.

Mark

9/29/2025 02:19:20 pm

Many writers have said something similar. They have to write or they write to quiet the voices in their head. The end result is the same.

Growing up on a small, non-working farm in southwest Washington, I spent a lot of time in our dictionary also. It was 4" thick. I recall that it was Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. It was easy for me to spend an hour in that beast. It had lots of line drawings and a few full-page color plates. I wish I still had that, for sentimental reasons.

Sometimes we travel a winding path to find our destiny.

I hope you have upgraded your laptop since then. ;-)

New questions.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

What kind of work do you do if you are a part-time writer? Feel free to skip that question if you would rather not answer.

P. J. Braley link

9/29/2025 03:16:03 pm

A couple of times! LOL

Whether I am a full-time or part-time writer is an interesting question. I would have to say that my writing pursuits occupy most of my day. I do not have another job, but such pursuits involve not only writing, but also my membership in the Citrus Writers of Florida, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is education and literacy.
As past president (2023-2025), I remain part of the Executive Board, continue to participate in group and individual writing events, and serve as chair of the Anthology Review Committee. Each of these activities is both time-consuming and rewarding. I especially enjoy giving presentations within the community on creative writing and how to get started writing fiction. Many of the members (myself included) of Citrus Writers have presented seminars at Citrus County Libraries, as well as other venues that reach out to our organization as part of their event planning. I think it’s all very exciting.
So, when I am not helping other writers on their writing journey, participating in local author events, or hanging out at Cattle Dogs with writing friends discussing writing, editing, and marketing, I research and write my own stories, essays, and abysmal poetry (examples of which can be found on my website).
I also spend time reading. Reading other writers’ work gives me a glimpse into the way another author’s mind works. I find that insight endlessly fascinating and wonder what people discern about my mind as they read my stories.
At the end of the day, writing can have its ups and downs—like any other pursuit. That said, I think it is a wonderful life, you know, creating worlds, giving a voice to the characters in my mind, and seeing everything eventually come together in the magical way that it does.

Mark

9/29/2025 03:54:33 pm

If someone asks me if Paula is a full-time writer or not, I can easily answer in the affirmative.

You are very busy in the writing world without a doubt. You have your hand in guiding other authors also. I love that.

New questions.

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?

Mary Lu

9/30/2025 12:05:39 pm

Yes. She's a full-time writer!

Mark

9/30/2025 05:13:15 pm

Thanks for your testimony. Mary Lu.

P.J. Braley link

9/29/2025 10:50:33 pm

It is interesting how my “favorite” genres have changed over my lifetime. Once I aged past the point of my parents choosing my books, I did a deep dive into Gothic novels, then Agatha Christie, and read all of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books before graduating from high school. Then, for several years, I read every book I could get my hands on about specific subjects, such as Southern history, ballet, horses, and Hollywood, leading to a very eclectic library. For a long time, I read authors – not genres. I would read everything an author wrote, such as the popular works of Stephen King, Taylor Caldwell, John D. MacDonald, and many others.

Regarding my three favorite genres, in the last ten years or so, I’ve found myself gravitating to writers’ biographies. Even as I have become an author, I have developed an almost insatiable desire to read about how other writers write, what their process is (or was), how their lives influenced their writing, and how their writing, in turn, affected their lives. I also enjoy reading historical novels (such as David Grann), and, as a native Floridian, books about Florida—both popular fiction and nonfiction.

I don’t think anything could change my pleasure of reading. However, having written several novels, I can usually track the narrative arc of any story, and while I may not know exactly “what” will happen next, I am fairly sure I can track “when” it will happen. So, the anticipation may be a little less, but the enjoyment of a well-written book is still there. The only downside, and I am sure you can relate to this, Mark, is that I am sensitive to redundancies, inconsistencies, and typing errors. And, while that is true, I usually just read past them and hope, in my heart, that by doing so, a reader will have the grace and patience to read past mine.

Mark

9/30/2025 09:13:38 am

I can't recall any authors reading everything another author has written.

I read widely in my early years, but science fiction kept drawing me back, and it has remained my favorite genre for quite a while and still is. Early in my high school years, I was given a paperback set of The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein. I fell in love with fantasy and massive world building while reading those 3 books. I read The Hobbit after finishing the set and read the set 2 more times before graduating from high school. Fantasy has been my second favorite genre ever since.

My reading pleasure is frequently interrupted by spelling errors. I don't seek them out. They jump off the page at me. Once a year I find a book free of spelling errors when I am reading for pleasure. That average has lasted for 11 years. Your book was the one this year.

New questions.

Why do you write?

Do you also journal?

P.J. Braley link

9/30/2025 02:37:11 pm

Thank you for your kind words, but I would have to thank my editors and critique partners. I remember someone reading my first book and saying, “I found seven typos.” Now, seven typos out of over one hundred thousand words does not sound like much, but I was so embarrassed! I have tried diligently to get as many eyes on all my work as I can, so it will not happen again.

Why do I write?

Writing is how I express my thoughts, feelings, and imagination creatively. My website—and my life—is built around the phrase “It’s all about the words, carefully chosen, beautifully written.” It’s more of an ambition than a lifestyle, but it is my “carefully chosen” path. Many of my stories just tumble out of me without planning or a specific catalyst. Some stories, like The Fire Slayers series, I thought about for years, and then one day I just sat down at my computer and the story unwound in my mind like a reel of film, and I could barely type fast enough to get it all written down.

For a long time, I put off writing and cultivated other creative outlets—music, fabric and paper art, painting—because I knew that once I started writing, it would consume my life.

I was not wrong.

Do I journal?

I do not journal on a regular basis. I have a notebook outside on my back porch, and I write in it occasionally, especially when the breeze stirs a memory, a thought, or a rhyme that I do not wish to lose. In such cases, I rely on serendipity rather than discipline to lead my pen.

In fact, I am a rather undisciplined writer all around! I am a pantser to the core (meaning I write by the “seat of my pants” without an outline). I may have a general idea of where to start and a hazy sort of ending in mind, but how to get from one to the other is always an adventure. I don’t have a specific “wordcount” goal every day or specific hours when I “must” write. I don’t schedule or plan my writing any more than I schedule or plan when I breathe. It’s simply something I do.

Mark

9/30/2025 03:28:47 pm

You are welcome.

I love that phrase, "It's all about the words, carefully chosen, beautifully written." I think I will remember it for a long time.

Many authors pursue other creative outlets besides writing. It's a good thing in either case. Some authors write similarly as you do, merrily pantsing away. They write to find out how the story ends. I suspect that many have unfinished manuscripts hidden in an old folder on their hard drive because they wrote themselves into a plot corner and can't find a way out without a complete rewrite.

Other authors are plotters. They lay out a path for their story, from start to end. Though more than one has admitted to me that they felt a character take over on more than one occasion, for the better of the story. Something that pantsers say frequently.

I think most authors are a little bit of both extremes. I heard of one pantser who plotted his stories after each chapter was written. He said it was much easier to find spots in the story. I thought that was brilliant!

One of my clients, Rick Hall, wrote a great blog about not writing in a straight line: http://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/non-linear-writing copy and paste the link or use the search box below.

New questions.

How has writing changed your life?

Does your work, past or present, have any influence on your writing?

P.J. Braley link

9/30/2025 08:11:46 pm

I agree with your comments about the pros and cons of both approaches to writing. In fact, I presented a seminar at the Rainbow Springs Art Center last week on "Plotting and Pantsing the Narrative Arc," and began the discussion with a detailed overview of the pitfalls and advantages of both methods. Speaking from experience, I began writing my first book with an outline, but then on page 25, I met a character who was supposed to be a temporary means to an end and who, in a matter of five pages, became the driving force of the series. Did I know he existed when I began writing? No, I did not. Yet, there he was, irresistible and adamant. My nice, neat outline went into the trash, and it was his story from there to finish. Rather exhilarating and scary at the same time, I’d say!

But I digress.

How has writing changed my life?

It has taken over my thoughts, my time, and my plans. Not only do I write for myself, but I also beta-read and critique other writers’ work. I do some suggestive editing, both developmental and line, for some of the members of our writing group. I research marketing techniques and recently learned how to create book trailers. I write stories, novels, and abysmal poetry, and I see no end in sight. Through my education (I have an M.A. in English) and my personal writing experience, I am able to help other writers not only through the activities mentioned earlier, but I have also presented numerous seminars and workshops on writing methods, world-building, and genre distinction.

I would say that writing hasn’t changed my life; writing has become my life. And before anyone feels that it must be limiting and two-dimensional, I would like to note that it is like wandering the streets and alleys of the heavens and the earth, and everything beyond, in my mind—limitless. Never have I felt more gloriously alive.

Does your work, past or present, have any influence on your writing?

During the twenty-five years before Covid, I worked at a university that allowed staff and faculty to take courses without having to pay tuition. Deciding I was going to stay awhile, I began taking courses—usually only one or two per semester—finishing my B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2015 and my M.A. in 2020. Taking the undergraduate classes slowly, over a twelve-year span, allowed me to choose courses that emphasized writing: Communication, English, Film Studies, History, and Religious Studies. The best part of all these classes, and why they influenced my writing, is that every paper was returned with feedback, allowing me nearly fifteen years (including graduate work) to hone my grammar, syntax, and composition. But, more than that, it also helped me find my voice.

Using these new skills, I expanded my staff position by writing newsletters, designing brochures, creating webpages, and proofreading professors’ manuscripts and doctoral dissertations. Each of these classes, each new technique or medium conquered, and every year I worked at the university strengthened my resolve to write and gave me the confidence to move forward into a life different from any I had ever known.

Mark

9/30/2025 08:40:19 pm

Quite a few authors have expressed similar experiences of a minor character taking control of the story in one way or another. I am not surprised any longer when I hear about that.

Taking advantage of tuition-free courses is brilliant! You made fine use of that opportunity. The feedback for your writing is like icing on the cake.

You have a large number of tools in your writer's toolbox. I love it. You can never have too many tools.

New questions.

Who was the first person to inspire you to write something to publish?

What inspired you to write this book?

P.J. Braley link

9/30/2025 09:51:03 pm

The first person who inspired me to write something to publish was one of my English professors. I’d had some difficulty with an assignment and didn’t do as well as I hoped, and he said to me, “Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll see you published in the next year or two.” To hear a dream said out loud, not as encouragement, but as a fait accompli, was astounding to me. Despite my dismal showing on this particular assignment, he saw me as a writer. I’ve carried that with me ever since.

Interesting that you should put these two questions together, Mark, because the inspiration for The Bookbinder’s Apprentice and other Impossible Love Stories was to reflect my love of literature and gratitude to the professors, colleagues, and other writers who have shared their encouragement, support, and expertise with me on my writing journey.

That said, the title story came to me as a series of conversations in my mind about two people having an ongoing dialogue regarding life and death, together with my love for books—not just for their contents, but for the physicality, shape, feel, and wonder of books. I wanted to show that love through the work of the bookbinder, juxtaposed with the growing appreciation and awareness of the preciousness of books through the eyes of his apprentice. That they fell in love was inevitable; what happened next was not.

Mark

10/1/2025 09:45:35 am

Words spoken by another person are so powerful when we accept them. That was amazing!

I loved Bookbinder on multiple levels. The appreciation for the perfection of a physical/spiritual book resonated within me. For many years, I have said that perfection is close enough. An unrealistic goal for certain. A famous coach clarified my thought when he said something like, "When you strive for perfection, you have a good chance of catching excellence." I had a hunch they would fall in love because it is a love story. I was quite surprised by the ending!

The fun continues with a new question.

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

P.J. Braley link

10/1/2025 11:23:54 am

No, I really haven't. Living in Florida, I have seen some beautiful night skies, morning skies, and evening skies, but I have never seen a UFO. But the possibility of such existence excites my imagination; who are they, what is their purpose for being here, and what are their plans. Those questions - and their possible answers - prompted me to write my first novel, The Fire Slayers, a story about an alien assassin who struggles between his love for his human father and his responsibilities to his alien brotherhood.

Are my aliens little green men? No, they are not. As a defense mechanism, they have spent millennia evolving to look human, which inspires even more plotlines and character development.

Everything, I think, whether cryptids or magical realism, is scope for the imagination - and that is where I, as a writer, live.

Can't wait for the next question, Mark! I love the conversation we are having and sharing so much of the writing life with your readers!

Mark

10/1/2025 12:27:55 pm

The skies in Florida are beautiful. I see much more sun here than I ever did in my home state of Oregon.

I have never seen a UFO either. Though my sisters claim we saw one when we were children. I have no memory of that event and I think I would have remembered. Maybe my memory was wiped. Could I be an abductee?

Fire Slayers sounds interesting.

I am glad you are enjoying this process. Here is another fun question.

Have you ever seen a cryptid, an animal unknown to modern zoologists, or found evidence of one?

P.J. Braley link

10/1/2025 05:31:48 pm

No, I haven't. I've heard there is a Bigfoot in Withlacoochee Park, but I've never gone in there looking for him or her. To tell the truth, Mark, I'm kind of an indoor girl and doubt I would ever see any unusual creatures, ETs, or BFs or quite truly, any paranormal phenomena unless they knocked on the door.

That said, as I mentioned earlier, I live in Florida and I have seen insects that are just as scary as anything than can possibly come from outer space. LOL

Mary Lu

10/3/2025 10:39:41 am

If you were abducted, I'm glad they brought you back!

Mark

10/3/2025 10:53:57 am

Thank you, Mary Lu. You made my day.

Mark

10/1/2025 07:46:12 pm

There have been sightings of creatures like Bigfoot in many places around the world and most cultures have a disctinctive name for their version. Casts of footprints, hairs caught in bushes that are not related to any known animal, lots of sightings and a few smells. Apparently the odor of the creature is potent. No hard evidence or bodies. There have been many fakes of course.

Like you, I have not encountered one anywhere, though I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Most of my classmates had an uncle or knew someone who had an uncle who had seen one. Always third-hand reports and never traceable. I also stay indoors as much as I can, I am not solar powered. Some of those insects are qwuite scary enough for me.

New questions.

How did you decide the order of the stories?

Why did you choose the title of the third story for the volume?

P.J. Braley link

10/1/2025 10:49:37 pm

Well, you know, Mark, every story has a story.

To answer your first question, three years ago, a movie titled “Three Thousand Years of Longing” was released, based on a story by A. S. Byatt, entitled “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye.” I loved the film, and so, of course, I had to read the book, believing that the book was the entire basis for the film. However, I found it was only the title story of a collection of five short stories, and it was the last—and by far the longest—story of the collection. Perhaps Ms. Byatt, like me, wrote a story that she loved that was slightly too short to be published on its own, and she added four additional (much shorter) stories and called it The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye—Five Fairy Stories.

Like every other writer, I have a scattering of short stories that I have written for one reason or another that have not yet been published. When I began writing The Bookbinder’s Apprentice, I had no idea how long it would be (pantser, remember?), and when it was finished, I realized it could either make a very short novel or a very long short story. It was then that I remembered Ms. Byatt’s collection and added similar stories to give it the length and possibly the gravitas that I felt it needed. Originally, the title was “Four Impossible Love Stories,” but as “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice” grew, not only in length but also in depth, I wanted it to have a certain prominence, so I changed the title of the book to showcase it.

And this leads to your question as to why “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice” is the third of the four stories. The first reason is that I thought of it as a jewel that needed a setting, and although the other stories absolutely stand on their own, delicately placed around the title story gives it more focus. The second reason is that it comprises the majority of the pages, and I didn’t want it to overwhelm the other, shorter stories by making it first. The third reason is that this order places the stories chronologically. The first story takes place in the late 1930s, the second around 2012, the third in 2022, and the fourth is almost happening as it is being read. The fourth reason is that these are all non-traditional love stories. Think more romantic than romance with a touch of the paranormal and historical fiction genres. As you know, the title story does a deep dive into all these genres, and I wanted to let the reader get their feet wet, so to speak, before venturing into deeper waters. And lastly, I did not want the title story to be the end of the book, so I chose a much shorter, contemporary love story that is less complex and almost whimsical, giving the reader a confident and happy ending.

Mark

10/2/2025 09:02:34 am

I am glad I asked that question. I had no idea about any of that. It certainly makes a lot of sense. Every story has a story truly!

New questions.

How many drafts did your book of stories go through before publishing?

Is there anything unconventional about your writing technique?

P.J. Braley link

10/2/2025 10:28:27 am

Oh, my gosh, Mark, I’ve lost count. The shorter ones, maybe six or eight times, with a final pass through my wonderful critique group. “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice,” easily ten, maybe twelve. I had a couple of beta-readers (thank you, Mary Lu) and hired a professional editor. As you know, each outside reading requires at least one more draft, then polishing, the constant search for missing words, typographical errors, awkward phrasing, and consistently looking for the “better” word. And then, one more time after publishing to read it afresh. I try to focus on the beginning and ending the most; the first gets the reader into the story, and the last makes the reader eager for the next story.

Although I know several authors, we’ve never truly shared “technique” or writing processes, so I am not sure what is unconventional, and my process is not always consistent. Sometimes I can write a story straight through without changes, except for editing and polishing. Others, like “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice,” I write as snatches of thought and dialogue come to me, and then I fit them together, like a puzzle, until the picture is clear. Once that is done, I can treat the story as a single entity, rather than focusing on individual pieces of text. The best part of that is I get to see where to add transitions and focus on developmental editing (does the narrative and characters each progress in an arc?) rather than just proofreading.

Other than that, I just write.

Thank you - good questions!

Mark

10/2/2025 12:08:06 pm

Many authors work through multiple drafts in a similar fashion. I think it's a good idea.

Here is a copy-and-paste blog post I wrote on my website, it might be useful in the future for you or someone else: https://www.wordrefiner.com/blog-words-for-thought/wye-is-it-sew-hard-too-proofreed-youre-own-work. You can also use the search box below.

There are many steps from the rough idea to publishing, and you highlighted them well. No two authors write exactly the same and differently for different projects. I suspected the first and never thought about the second. Thank you.

New questions.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a copy-and-paste link if appropriate.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

P.J. Braley link

10/2/2025 09:45:39 pm

Mark, thanks for the link. I noticed that I combine two of your suggestions into one: I read my manuscript aloud while reading it backwards. You have some wonderful ideas, and I will pass them on to my readers’ group. I’ve heard several members say they use a “text-to-speech” program to listen to their writing for errors in awkward syntax and dialogue. Some of these programs even allow you to change the voice to male or female, which I find really interesting.

Regarding your question about the cover... well, that is a story all its own.

As I mentioned earlier, the original title of the book was “Four Impossible Love Stories,” and as this was my first foray into self-publishing (my sci-fi series publisher doesn’t publish short story collections), I knew I would have to design it myself. I wasn’t too worried; I’d taken classes in publication design and, as part of my position at the university, I designed event brochures, programs, and websites. Using PowerPoint as my design program, I designed twenty-six covers for the first title and narrowed it down to ten. Then, I changed the title and designed twenty-eight more before deciding on the one I used. Now, I know that sounds like a lot of drafts, but some of the changes were minor, such as auditioning different fonts or testing various background graphics.

For the final book cover design, I searched online for a graphic featuring a book with magical and fire elements. I found several I liked on Freepik and tested a couple of their graphics. Finding one I really liked, I subscribed to Freepik and downloaded the book design, giving credit for the graphic on both the cover and the copyright page.

Although it was never my intention to have a black cover, it really made the graphic pop, and that is how the overall design evolved. After experimenting with typefaces and fonts, I finally settled on Centaur, and the book’s cover art was complete.

I’ve received several compliments on the cover design, but I don’t think I will ever use a black cover again. It’s dramatic, but even choosing the lightest shade from the design’s color palette, the lack of contrast and font size still made the text on the back cover difficult to read.

Mark

10/3/2025 09:26:16 am

You are welcome. I am always looking for new ideas for self-proofreading. Combining two or more of the suggestions is smart way to go.

Black as the foundation for a cover seems like it would present a problem sometimes. Finding the balance does require a lot of testing. Thanks for sharing the details of your process to audition covers. I do love the cover.

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop?

How did you choose them?

P.J. Braley link

10/3/2025 11:19:36 am

Oh, Mark, these are not short-answer questions, LOL! I am one of those writers who research everything!

I’ve always been fascinated by names. It started when I was young and noticed all the names people had on the back of their boats. My father explained that all boats had names – mostly girl names – and I was entranced. When he bought his own boat, he named it after my sister and me, combining our names, which was kind of cool. After that, I named everything: my guitar, plants, every car I’ve ever owned has had a name; Orange Crush, Beauregard, Miss Scarlett, etc., so it would follow that naming characters would become a major part of my world-building.

Every name has a meaning (whether anyone else knows it or not), can be time and location specific, and has a place in the character hierarchy. For instance, all my primary characters have simple, easy-to-remember names that are distinct from the others. The further down the line the characters are (secondary, tertiary, etc.), the more complicated their names can be because I won’t be using them as often. I also try to keep my readers in mind. The more difficult the names are to pronounce or remember, the more often the reader may stop, stumble, or become frustrated because the names are hard to recall due to their complexity or similarity.

I learned the lesson about simplifying names with my first book, “The Fire Slayers.” Having studied name meanings in different languages for days, I had chosen what I believed to be a wonderful name for my alien assassin. When I gave the manuscript out to my three beta-readers, every one of them came to me and asked me how to pronounce the main character’s name. It was then that I realized the name I had chosen would be a “stone in the road,” thereby interrupting my readers’ experience. So, after doing more research, I found an easier name (in Latin instead of Hungarian) with the same meaning.

I used many methods to select the names for my book. In the first story. So, in the first story, George and Rose, as well as the secondary characters we never meet, are all fairly simple and generationally (late 1930s) appropriate. In “A Small Fire,” we have Kate, a simple yet quintessentially American name for a young woman in the early 2000s. Clarissa and Marcus are popular European names, and “Clarissa” can also refer to a nun of the order of St. Clare, which fits well with the “story within the story.” I had a bit of fun with Aidan and Helena in “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice,” as Aidan is simple, but also means “fire,” and I found out that one of the meanings of Helena is “torch,” which I have to admit I did not know until I looked it up after choosing it. However, I knew that Adrianna meant water, and I loved the juxtaposition of characters based on fire and water having delightfully decadent dialogues about heaven and hell. Aidan’s other names, mentioned later in the narrative, have different religious significance, usually associated with the fallen angel, Lucifer.

The main character of the last story has no name. There are names for her husband and children, but she, herself, is not named. The story is told in the first person, and that omission was intentional because the struggle depicted in her “impossible love story” is both real and universal. I didn’t want to limit it to one name. In that way, I made the story more identifiable if the reader is experiencing a similar situation.

Mark

10/3/2025 01:48:57 pm

I welcome long answers. No worries for me.

I love your research and how specific you have been with names. Names are very important. I also appreciate your awareness of pronouncing unusual names. Your beta readers have served you well.

I love first-person stories. They have an intimacy lacking in third-person writing.

New questions.

Had you written and published any short stories before writing your book?

Which did you publish first, short stories or novels?

P.J. Braley link

10/3/2025 02:58:52 pm

My only short story published before “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice” was in an anthology published two years ago, “Secrets of the Nature Coast.” Unless it was a class assignment, I’ve usually felt my short stories—like my poetry—were personal, and I didn’t often seek publication. My first novel, “The Fire Slayers,” was published in November 2020, and it wasn’t until last August, when I began writing “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice”—the quintessential “impossible” love story—that I thought of pulling together a collection of short stories that shared that theme.

Mark

10/3/2025 05:13:36 pm

Short story contests can be a good way to hone your craft if you are a new writer. Not that you need that. For our visitors. They can also be a good way to gain some notoriety or win a prize or two.

I have recommended to writers that short story writing contests, especially those that provide feedback from the judges, can help a writer improve their writing skills. I do have a warning, there are a lot of shady contests out there. Some want to extract as much as they can from your wallet, and others want to steal your intellectual property. Here is a copy-and-paste link about those things: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests. You can also use the search box below to find the link. There are other blogs I have links to on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New question.

What marketing strategy, if any, has had an immediate impact on your daily sales?

P.J. Braley link

10/3/2025 10:45:34 pm

When it comes to contests, Mark, before we share them with our membership, we always try to vet them. However, we don’t always have time, so we remind everyone to do their due diligence on any contest before entering.

Regarding marketing, I’m afraid that is where many authors get stuck—including, to an extent, me. I have run trailers on YouTube, which were moderately successful in terms of sales, but did not generate a single review. I ran some ads on Facebook, and that was also moderately successful, but did not cover the cost of the ads (and also, so far, has not generated one review).

I know this focus on reviews rather than on sales seems misplaced, but I know the more reviews a book has, the more Amazon promotes it. The author hopes this will lead to more sales and additional reviews.

All that said, I have never done well with paid Amazon Ads, but several authors in our group have steady sales using them, so I am going to borrow their expertise and start using them to market all my books within the next week or so as an experiment to see if that marketing venue makes any impact.

We have several local author events coming up this fall, and I am usually successful in selling The Fire Slayers Trilogy. I have found, to my amazement, how much easier it is to sell the trilogy than it was to sell only two books. It is rare for someone to buy only one or two books now, especially when the trilogy is offered at a group rate. I have only recently received my book order for The Bookbinder’s Apprentice and other Impossible Love Stories, and hope it will sell as well. After all, the holidays are coming up, and everyone loves a book about love.

It's challenging to make a name for oneself on the national stage with so much competition, but I believe I am equal to the task and try to publish at least one marketing piece every day on social media. I hope to have three more books published in the next year: a children’s book, the fourth book in The Fire Slayers series, and an urban fantasy set in 1948. So, any marketing I do now that is successful benefits my forthcoming books.

Mark

10/4/2025 09:17:54 am

Focusing on the reviews is necessary because that is how the system is set up. You can sell dozens of books over a period of time. Unless the readers leave reviews, the rate of sales will remain low and the book will languish in relative obscurity. Most authors sell only a few hundred books in their lifetime. Many authors get discouraged about writing because the sales of the first book were so poor. With little improvement in sales after publishing the second book, a lot of authors quit writing and/or publishing. The trend seems to be the more books you write, the more you will sell. Steady production is what wins in the end.

Amazon publishes approximately 2 million books a year, 1.4 million through KDP alone. It takes steady promotional efforts to get noticed. Be aware that Amazon is always adjusting the algorithms to benefit themselves of course. It's not a set-it-and-forget-it deal.

One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. A copy-and-paste link or search the title in the search box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/

I would add a few tips, seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some questions ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

Senior centers are another good possibility and they usually welcome any sort of activity like that. Contact the events director.

If there are tourist destinations, try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities.

You are doing so many of the right things. Keep doing what works.

New questions.

Have you done any ghostwriting?

If not, would you try it if someone wanted to hire you?

P.J. Braley link

10/4/2025 01:36:50 pm

Interesting questions, Mark!

In what is possibly the shortest answer so far, “No, I have not done any ghostwriting.” I have heavily edited texts for other writers (by following up with additional research, correcting factual errors, adding transitions), but never would I say that I “ghostwrited” (is that a word?) any of them.

I don’t think ghostwriting is something I would be good at. I have a strong voice and a vision of my own and having to mold or even bury them in someone’s else’s vision and voice—and hope the client approves of it—is bending far more than I think I am capable. I know a few writers that professionally ghostwrite and are fabulous at it. However, one of them took on a client who wanted the book to sound like he was telling the story, syntax errors and all, to the point that he forbade her from “fixing” his grammar, continuity, or anything else. Consequently, the book was nearly impossible to read for anyone who did not know him, and when he decided he wanted to publish it for all the world to see, she quietly removed the “as told to” reference on the cover.

So, transcription? Absolutely. Editing? Every day. But ghostwriting? I’m sure that sooner or later my Irish stubbornness will raise its hackles and the delete key will sound like a kettle drum.

Mark

10/4/2025 02:07:49 pm

That makes sense. Thanks for sharing your perspective there. A ghostwriter would have to know their voice and the client's voice well to make it work. I had a situation early this year. A guy wanted me to promote his book. As I read it I was struck by the lack of material in the story. It was not much more than a fat outline with a few conversations thrown in. He asked me if I knew a ghost writer and I passed him and his book to an author. I knew it was beyond my scope. I love the kettle drum delete key!

New question.

What other books and genres have you written?

P.J. Braley link

10/4/2025 05:43:58 pm

I write in several genres, but I have only published (so far!) in science fiction romance (The Fire Slayers series) and paranormal romance (The Bookbinder’s Apprentice). But there is more. “The Fire Slayers” is a blend of genres, including coming-of-age, romance, science fiction, paranormal, and sexually explicit scenes (though not erotica), with touches of horror. The other two novels in the series, “Finding Persephone” and “Persephone’s Children,” are a bit tamer because they are more contemporary, and the basic world-building has been established in “The Fire Slayers.” In them, we lose the coming-of-age, paranormal, and horror genres and focus on the romance and love story between an alien assassin and the woman he loves, and how that affects his relationship with the brotherhood he protects. There is a smattering of violence in “Persephone’s Children” when he discovers his brothers’ plans to destroy her and the children he has sworn to protect. So, each of the books in the series interweaves multiple genres, each with its own tropes, stereotypes, and expected outcomes.

Although it sounds as though “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice and other Impossible Love Stories” is primarily focused on romantic tropes, it also reaches beyond the boundaries of romance to twist the paranormal, history, and fantasy genres into a sensual tangle of love, devotion, and redemption.

My forthcoming books continue to encompass the romance, history, and science fiction genres, while also exploring the apocalyptic, urban fantasy, and paranormal genres. I have begun writing a children’s book, which has its own genre criteria and reader expectations.

What are your favorite genres to read, Mark?

Mark

10/4/2025 06:09:53 pm

My favorite genres in this order are science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and cozy mysteries. I am not a fan of a lot of blood and gore.

New question.

You are writing in a lot of genres and cross genres. What is the next genre or genre mashup you’re thinking of exploring?

P.J. Braley link

10/4/2025 06:36:26 pm

I have two books percolating in the back of my mind. One is a pirate (yes, arrrrg!) book dated in the early 1800s. I am currently collecting research necessary to provide the reader with an authentic pirate experience (within the adventure and historical genres), but I am also reaching back into my early reading history for a touch of Gothic romance. After all, men and women are quite unpredictable when it comes to what they are willing to risk in matters of the heart. As you know, I’m a pantser, so it is hard to tell exactly which direction the story will, um, sail.

The second book is a historical novel based on an imaginary American city as it transitions from rural to urban during the turn of the twentieth century, and how the effects of that transition ripple out into all layers of society. Although the narrative will be historical “fiction,” I have a library shelf of books on this subject to make it as real as possible. However, it will include the myriad fiction genres that make up a life: romance, coming-of-age, history, and horror. I want the reader to feel each progression—whether for good or bad—like the heartbeat of a city that won’t stop . . . for love or money.

And maybe another children’s story . . . you never know what can happen, Mark. After all, until last August, I had no idea I was going to write “The Bookbinder’s Apprentice.” Sometimes stories just sneak up on you and demand to be written.

Mark

10/4/2025 06:48:05 pm

I remember becoming fascinated by pirates as a pre-teen. I read all of the books I could find in our small town library. There are still rumors of unfound treasure up and down the eastern seaboard and the Caribbean islands. Pirates were a fairtly desperate lot not knowing if they would survive the next encounter over the horizon. A few of the pirates were women, also. Very brutal.

That other story idea could easily be a series. That would be quite satisfying for fans of hist-fic.

New questions.

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI, Artificial Intelligence and books?

Did you use AI in any of your writing or planning for your books? I am not including research in this question because most of the major search engines have embedded AI in the browser.

P.J. Braley link

10/5/2025 10:45:56 pm

That would be nice, but I’ll have to write it first! LOL

As someone with several author friends who have had their books copied and fed into the AI machine without permission or compensation, I loathe the way it has evolved. I understand that the recompense issue may be solved in the future, but that does not overlook the fact that their copyrights were ignored and circumvented.

Additionally, coming from an academic background, I also see the danger of it creeping insidiously into students’ papers – or the research upon which those papers are based – making their papers misleading to the point of containing erroneous information, thereby harming the student by affecting their reputation, grade, or both.

To quote Dr. Malcolm in “Jurassic Park” (from IMDb.com):

• Dr. Ian Malcolm: If I may... Um, I'll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you're using here, it didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don't take any responsibility for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could, and before you even knew what you had, you patented it, and packaged it, and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now
[bangs on the table]
• Dr. Ian Malcolm: you're selling it, you wanna sell it. Well...
• John Hammond: I don't think you're giving us our due credit. Our scientists have done things which nobody's ever done before...
• Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.

Much like Dr. Malcolm, I think someone should have waited and studied the ramifications of AI before “slapping it on a plastic lunchbox,” metaphorically speaking, “taking it to school.”

To answer your second question, no, I don’t use generative AI in my work. I do use Grammarly for editing purposes, but only rely on the “red” correction/syntax option. This is my own set of ethics; I don’t impose them on anyone. That said, our group’s annual anthology will not accept submissions with AI-generated text.

To look at this issue further, there are two distinctions when using AI to generate text:
• AI users who are doing it for themselves. If such assemblers are using AI to generate text just to have something (anything!) written (essay, blog, dissertation, sermon, book, etc.), then that is not writing (sorry, not sorry). For further information, see quotation above: “You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves . . . .”
• Writers who use AI as a tool to make their text easier to read (editing to correct errors and/or enhance clarity), in order to improve the experience of the reader, which is merely an extension of critique groups, beta-readers, and professional editors.

Maxwell Perkins, one of the most famous book editors (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, Kinnan-Rawlings, etc.), once said, “The book belongs to the author.” If the work is a hodge-podge of AI ramblings meshed together, then to whom does the text really belong? To the person who slaps their name on the cover, or to the countless authors whose work was literally stolen and then regurgitated without mind, heart, or thought at the whim of an AI user for instant gratification?

Mark

10/6/2025 09:23:44 am

Don't sugarcoat that, tell us how you really feel! Haha. ;-)

Seriously, AI is a big problem and not only what you mentioned. AI trivializes the work of every author. I dislike the term generative AI. I think it is misleading and over-hyped beyond the reality of what it actually is. Given a specific prompt, it takes the data fed into it and spits up an amalgamation in reply. It uses the prompt as a filter and measures which word and group of words will best satisfy the prompt. It is not creating anything new. It is calculating the best possible answer, word by word.

People programmed the machine. Different people have biases and dislikes. Try as they might, I do not believe it is possible to program AI to function without bias or prejudice. Moral neutrality is a pipe dream.

Last questions.

Have you encountered a troll reviewing one of your books?

How did you handle it?

P.J. Braley link

10/6/2025 10:37:13 am

I’m gratified to see that we are on the same page regarding AI. It reminds me of an old joke my Mom used to tell whenever we (as children) bragged about doing something we “really” couldn’t take credit for. She’d say, “Ummm, ‘we’ shot a bear. ‘Pa’ did.” This was her way of acknowledging that she knew we were taking the credit for the accomplishment of someone else. Plus, she used the “Mom” face to make sure we understood that it was not acceptable.

Ah, the “troll” story. Yes. My first book had just been published, and I wanted the world to love it. I was so eager for reviews that it never occurred to me that anyone would say anything bad. But I was wrong. It wasn’t a review at all—it was a scathing critique. Although she gave the book three stars (I realize it could have been worse), and she didn’t lie about anything, it was as though she deliberately wrote every text reference in its most unfavorable light - like the book she was reviewing and the book I wrote were two different books.

My reaction? First, I cried. How could anyone be so mean? (Remember, it was my first book, so I had very thin skin.) Then, I got mad and wrote eloquent, disdainful pages to her in response, which I immediately deleted, of course. It took weeks to get over it. Seriously, weeks. Then, I read an article that suggested it was good to have a few “not 5-star” reviews to make the good reviews look more authentic. So, I took a deep breath and moved on (although not very far, obviously). I have received a couple of two-star ratings (for the same book) without reviews, and I always wonder why.

Many writers say they don’t pay attention to or even read their reviews, but I am not one of them – yet. I still love good reviews, and I am grateful that all my books are well, if not yet widely, reviewed.

I also try to be a good reviewer in return. As soon as I finish reading a book that I really liked, I tell Goodreads and Amazon immediately. Posting reviews (either the same review or two different ones) takes only a few minutes and makes a world of difference in a writer’s day.

Mark

10/6/2025 12:55:50 pm

AI is good at certain things, though, as experience has taught us, it is not always trustworthy because it is subject to hallucinations or tells lies. No shock there because, as I mentioned, it merely averages all that it finds through a supplied prompt or filter. Much of what it collects is flawed. Garbage in, garbage out. End of story.

Nearly every author has been hit with a troll review. Most of the time, the review is nonsense, it's obvious to one and all that the troll didn't even read the book. Sometimes, the poor review is an act of sabotage. Amazon has tried to conteract that by requiring a minimum purchase to leave a review. Most saboteurs won't go through the trouble of setting up a new account and buying stuff to leave a bad review.

I have told authors for years that a bad review is actually good for the reason you mentioned.

Thank you, Paula, for hiring me to help promote your book. I loved it! I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversation this last week.

Until next time, keep on writing.

P.J. Braley link

10/6/2025 11:16:11 pm

Mark, it has been a pleasure talking with you for the past week and exploring my thoughts, motivations, and opinions through your insightful questions. I hope that between the two of us, we have created a short series of writing experiences that will be helpful to other writers.

Thank you for your time and kind words of encouragement. I look forward to chatting with you again when my next book, The Painted Fan, is released in 2026.

Until then, I'll just write,

P.J.

The Bookbinder's Apprentice: and other Impossible Love Stories by P. J. Braley

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