My next guest is author Liisa Kovala. Liisa is a Finnish Canadian author, book coach, and podcaster. Like Water for Weary Souls (2025) is her second historical novel. Liisa is the author of Sisu's Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) and Surviving Stutthof: My Father's Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017) which was shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award and published in Finland by Docendo (2020). Liisa lives with her husband in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. She is inspired by her Finnish heritage and the northern landscape she calls home.

My next guest is author Jim Nesbitt. Jim is the author of five hard-boiled Texas crime thrillers that feature battered but dogged Dallas PI Ed Earl Burch — THE LAST SECOND CHANCE, a Silver Falchion finalist; THE RIGHT WRONG NUMBER, an Underground Book Reviews “Top Pick”; THE BEST LOUSY CHOICE, a Silver Falchion winner; THE DEAD CERTAIN DOUBT, a 2024 Independent Press Awards best crime fiction winner; and, THE FATAL SAVING GRACE, a December 2025 release. Nesbitt was a journalist for more than 30 years, serving as an editor and roving correspondent for newspapers and wire services in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C. He chased hurricanes, earthquakes, plane wrecks, presidential candidates, wildfires, rodeo cowboys, migrant field hands, neo-Nazis and nuns with an eye for the telling detail and an ear for the voice of the people who give life to a story. He is a lapsed horseman, pilot, hunter and saloon sport with a keen appreciation for old guns, vintage cars and trucks, good cigars, aged whiskey and a well-told story. He now lives in Athens, Alabama.

My next guest is author Kristine Jensen. Kristine is a lifelong writer whose work has spanned scripts, screenplays, and storytelling for brands and organizations. She has spent her career shaping narratives, crafting voices, and distilling complex ideas into language that connects. Born and raised in South Dakota, Kristine drew inspiration for her first novel from the minutes of her grandmother’s real-life women’s club, which met for more than sixty years. She now lives in Oregon, where she writes fiction that celebrates women’s inner lives, unlikely friendships, and the quiet power of small towns.