I was fortunate to have been interviewed by Vinny at Awesome Book Promotion, and by Elaine Stock, who is a fellow author from my publishing house, Black Rose Writing. Their interviews are below:

Summertime… when the reading is abundant! And guest author Joseph Lewis

Elaine Stock

Jul 31, 2025

Happy Summer, friends and fellow readers,

It’s been roasting here in the Northeast, and from what I can see, most likely where you live, too. That’s why I couldn’t resist playing around with George Gershwin’s song title, “Summertime,” and hoping you’ve been catching up with your reading. That said, I also hope you’ve been managing to stay cool.

I’ve recently found this meme, which I’m sharing with you because I strongly believe in the power and beauty of books, reading, and strengthening the mind. What do you think?

If you’re looking for a few book suggestions to check out, below are **two** fabulous offers to obtain my newest release, The Last Secret Kept, and if you love suspense, please enjoy the interview with author Joseph Lewis.

Are you on Goodreads? Here’s a chance to win a free Kindle edition of The Last Secret Kept, Giveaway ends 8/11:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/416181-the-last-secret-kept

I’m excited to share that The Last Secret Kept will be a Book of the Day Sale feature on August 4th, with a publisher extended sale on August 5th—an excellent way to take advantage of the $.99 price!! https://amzn.to/3WM38CP

Please welcome my guest author, Joseph Lewis, a fellow Black Rose Writing author and someone I very much respect for his insights and wisdom.

When and why did you become serious about your writing so that you wanted to publish it?

My interest began in sixth grade. My teacher would have a notecard on her desk with the beginning of a story- maybe four or five paragraphs. The idea was, when done with our work, test, etc, we could go up and take one card and complete the story. No credit was given, but she gave us wonderful feedback. After watching the movie Stand By Me, I came home and drafted a short story. After it was refined and edited, I sent it off and it was published in a magazine. Then, in the summer of 2014, my first book, Taking Lives, Prequel to the Lives Trilogy, was published. I’ve been averaging about a book a year since.

Please design a bio for your ideal reader.

If you enjoy thriller-crime-mysteries with a coming-of-age thread with a supernatural bent, you’re in for a treat! Woven into each book, you will find a tense, tight thriller that will keep you guessing as my trio of detectives try to find the culprit. Each book involves my fictional family of seven adopted brothers. The seven brothers have overcome tragedy in their lives both before and after adoption, and these experiences sometimes cause their lives to be in danger.

What might your readers be treated to if one of your novels were to become a full-fledged dinner menu?

An all you can eat family buffet of Italian dishes and multiple desserts, prepared by the entire family, including the seven brothers. Served with both white and red wine, of course.

What has your writing taught you about yourself?

I had to think about this for a minute. I don’t know if my writing taught me about myself, but it cemented my belief that good overcomes evil every time, that family love is the most important thing in my life, and that life needs to be cared for, protected, and nurtured. These are the themes that have emerged in my writing, or so the reviewers and readers tell me.

What would you like to share about your newest/latest release with readers?

Yéʼii are spiritual deities of the Dine’, or Navajo people. There is one they seldom, if ever, speak of: Black Yéʼii. Black Yéʼii translates to The Evil One in the Navajo language. The Dine’ believe that by just speaking the name, they are inviting it into their lives. The Navajo believe Black Yéʼii interferes with living in the light of inner life and harmony, or Hozho, and Black Yéʼii violates Hozho by creating darkness and evil among people.

My book is more than just good versus evil, but as award-winning author Cam Torrens writes in his review, “On one side, unconditional familial love supported by the camaraderie of law enforcement. On the other? Guns, drugs, and hatred. Black Yéʼii stages an epic battle between good and evil.”

Author Bio:

After 49 years in education, Joseph Lewis has retired as a teacher, coach, counselor and administrator. He’s an award-winning author and uses his psychology and counseling background to craft thriller/crime/detective mysteries with a strong coming-of-age theme embedded within.

Born and raised in Wisconsin in a musical family of ten, he has been on stage singing and acting since fourth grade. In his profession as a principal, he opted each year to sing a song to his graduating seniors in place of a commencement address. Years later, kids and parents would recall how much “their song” meant to them.

Lewis now resides in Virginia with his wife, Kim. Together, they have three wonderful children: Wil (deceased 2014), Hannah, and Emily, and one grandson, Mason.

Joseph can be found at:

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh

Featured Author Joseph Lewis

Featured Interview With Author Joseph Lewis

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up poor in a family of ten with one income. But it was a happy home and one I’d never trade. My interest in writing began in sixth grade and grew from there. I took screenwriting courses, creative writing courses, and at age 60, my first of ten books was published. I’ve been married for 33 years and have raised three wonderful children. Unfortunately, my son is deceased, but my two daughters are married, and my wife and I have one grandson and another on the way. We grew up in Wisconsin, but now reside in Virginia. I am finally retired after 49 wonderful years in education as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. And my wife and I share our home with two rescue dogs, a Golden Retriever named Daisy and a Beagle mix named Stella.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
During elementary school, I would wait for my father to pick me up on his way home from work. My school was across from the public library, and I would wander the stacks until a book cover and blurb attracted me to a book that looked and sounded interesting. I would sit on the floor between the rows of books and read. Many times, my father would have to hunt for me, but he never complained. I wrote my first short story after watching the movie Stand By Me, and it was published in 1987. My first book, Taking Lives, Prequel to the Lives Trilogy, was published when I was 60 in the summer of 2014. I had actually wanted to be a singer/songwriter, but that dream fizzled out shortly after high school and during my first year in college. I still sing, though. Instead of giving a principal address at my high schools commencement ceremony, I would pick a song that fit the class or a song that had meaning to me, and I would sing it to them. Years after a class would graduate, I still have parents and students who see me and remark that they remember “their song.” That makes me incredibly happy.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Oh man, there are so many! Stephen King because he is undeterred and unafraid of laying it all out there. His descriptions and settings are by far the best in the business. Joan Livingston and her Isabel Long Mystery series are a fun read. Gary Gerlacher, Cam Torrens, and Brian Kaufman, authors out of the same publishing house as me, write fun, interesting stories. David Baldacci and John Sandford have interesting characters, and their books always have a dark twist or two. I read in my writing genre, which is thriller-crime-mystery, but stray out of it especially when another author asks me to read and review their work, something I enjoy doing. In my writing, I explore the themes of love, family belonging, and death, all mixed into a tight thriller mystery. I think that’s why I have a strong and loyal fanbase. They like the realism in my characters, their actions and their dialogue.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) comes from the Navajo Nation. A Yéʼii is a spiritual deity, and in the Navajo culture, there are many. However, there is one they never speak of, and even refrain from saying the name. By doing so, they feel that “the evil one” will come into their lives and cause harm. In my book, Black Yéʼii does, and it causes harm to many- both knowing and unknowing. I think several of the reviews captured my book nicely: Cam Torrens wrote, “On one side, unconditional familial love supported by the camaraderie of law enforcement. On the other? Guns, drugs, and hatred. Black Yé’ii stages an epic battle between good and evil.” Sublime Book Reviews wrote, “Black Yé’ii explores both the darker side of human nature and the positive theme of family and friendship.” And, Brian Kaufman wrote, “Gang revenge in a small Wisconsin town – a prescription for tense action sequences – elevated by the nuances of a psychological thriller. The novel features two kinds of family – the supportive kind that rests on unconditional love, and the toxic kind that binds gangs, which is a stark contrast and befits a battle between good and evil.”

Here is the direct link for Black Yé’ii, though you can always find it and my other nine books on my website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

The direct link is: Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685135374

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DH8P5TNV

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My publisher and I recently had a promotion for Black Yé’ii and I don’t want to spoil it yet, but there will be another promo beginning later this month. Look for a post with all the details in about two weeks.

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. Thank you for following along on my writing journey. I appreciate it. So until next time …