In this spooky-season episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes fellow RWA member and dark romantic suspense author M.R. Rutter for a fascinating conversation about forensic anthropology, the secrets hidden in bones, and turning real-world knowledge into chilling fiction.

Megan. shares her unusual journey into forensic anthropology, beginning with a teenage car accident that unexpectedly led to the discovery of a real skeleton. Her career eventually brought her into difficult modern cases, including work involving murdered children, before the emotional weight of the cases and the realities of how few are ultimately resolved led her to step away.

Michelle and Megan dive into what bones can actually reveal about a person—from age and biological characteristics to occupation, injuries, postmortem changes, and even clues about where someone grew up. M.R. also separates forensic reality from television fiction, sharing some of the misconceptions that make crime shows especially entertaining—and occasionally infuriating—for someone who knows what really happens in the lab.

They also explore how Megan’s forensic background influences her fiction without turning her books into gore. She discusses building fear through psychology, suspicion, isolation, and the secrets people keep, particularly in rural communities where darkness can remain hidden beneath an ordinary surface. Her novel Dangerous Ground, inspired by Minnesota sinkholes, puts that idea to especially chilling use.

🎧 Join Michelle and Megan for a Spooky Season conversation about bones, forensic science, small-town secrets, romantic suspense, and the unsettling stories the dead can still tell.

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

ABOUT M.R. RUTTER:

M.R. Rutter was born in the mountains of Colorado to an ex-hippy and former Marine. She spent much of her childhood on her grandparents ranch near Leadville CO.

She studied forensic anthropology and ancient history in college and started her professional life as an assistant to her advisors while working on her coursework and thesis. After years of teaching other professors' classes and putting murdered children back together rather than working on her focus, ancient remains, M.R. left the field to pursue a career as a writer.

After living on a sustainable agriculture research farm in Minnesota with her husband, daughter and a menagerie of animals; M.R. has returned to Colorado where she is a full time farmer, research assistant, mother and writer.

Happily for M. R. she can still fill her novels with mummies, skeletons and corpses.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | BlueSky

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

Amazon

In this spooky-season episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes author, visual artist, and educator Jill K. Sayre to discuss On Wings of Stone and Light, a YA reality-based fantasy filled with gargoyles, angels, unlikely allies, and questions about what truly makes someone a monster.

Jill shares the creative path that eventually led her from visual art and education into fiction, including her desire to write a “bridge” middle-grade novel with The Fairies of Turtle Creek. She also reveals the wonderfully unexpected inspirations behind On Wings of Stone and Light: a 1970s gargoyle movie and Cyrano de Bergerac, which helped shape Ryan, a formerly stone gargoyle who is part human, part dragon, and part condor.

Michelle and Jill dive into the deeper themes beneath the fantasy, including feelings of unworthiness, free will, self-reflection, found family, and the power to choose your own path. They explore the assumptions we make about characters who look like monsters, Madeline’s role as an angel medium, and the intriguing contrast created by bringing angels and gargoyles into the same story.

Jill also discusses restructuring the novel around a 30-day timeline to create a full-moon ticking clock, writing unlikely alliances, and using her background as a visual artist to design fantastical creatures through collages. While On Wings of Stone and Light currently stands alone, Jill shares her interest in returning to the world and continuing the story.

🎧 Join Michelle and Jill for a Spooky Season conversation about gargoyles, angels, unlikely heroes, found family, and why sometimes the characters who look like monsters have the most humanity to reveal.

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

ABOUT JILL SAYRE:

Jill K. Sayre is an award-winning author of Middle Grade, with a new Young Adult fantasy and a Women's Fiction novel released in October 2025.

With a passion for weaving the wonder of the unseen world into grounded, emotionally rich stories, she creates tales that inspire both curiosity and courage. Her debut MG novel, The Fairies of Turtle Creek, received the Reader’s Favorite Silver Medal for Children’s Fiction and explores the delicate balance between science and belief as a young girl navigates the absence of her brother during the Iraq War.

Her latest YA book, On Wings of Stone and Light, is a mythic, loose retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, centered on a part-human, part-condor, part-dragon gargoyle who must battle darkness to save his home—and his heart.

Also newly released, In the Wake of Broken Hearts is a Women's Fiction novel based on a true story. Co-written with author Helen Martin Ippolito, it explores three generations of fatal heartbreak, and only the bond between two female friends can help them both find their way.

In addition to writing, Jill is a dedicated Pre-K, elementary and middle school teacher, and visual artist. Whether in the classroom or on the page, she is passionate about nurturing imagination and resilience in people of all ages.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | Instagram | Facebook

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

Amazon

It’s the 100th episode of Miles Beyond the Page! Host Michelle Miles celebrates this incredible milestone with returning guest and longtime friend S.E. Howard, a horror author and former editor whose writing journey has taken her from paranormal romance into the darker world of supernatural horror.

S.E. joins Michelle to discuss her latest novel, What Lies Unseen, a supernatural mystery and thriller following Sam, a young psychic working security at a haunted historical mansion. She shares how the title reflects both Sam’s ability to see the spirits others cannot and the hidden layers of truth he uncovers as the story unfolds. S.E. also talks about undertaking a major rewrite to strengthen Sam’s character arc and why sometimes the best thing an author can do for a book is be willing to tear it apart and rebuild it.

Michelle and S.E. dive into the craft of writing effective horror, from slow-building dread and unsettling liminal spaces to controlling reveals and delivering twists that actually land. They explore why what a writer chooses not to show can be just as powerful as what appears on the page—and how atmosphere can make readers uneasy long before they understand why.

Then the tables turn! To celebrate Episode 100, S.E. puts Michelle in the guest seat to talk about the author career she’s built along the way. They discuss rapid releases, forming an LLC, developing a cohesive author brand, launching Miles Beyond the Page, narrating her own audiobooks, and building an interconnected fairytale-retelling world with story bibles, maps, and plenty of plans for what comes next.

🎧 Join Michelle and S.E. for a very special 100th episode filled with haunted houses, psychic abilities, horror-writing craft, friendship, author life, and a look back at the creative journey that brought Miles Beyond the Page to triple digits.

👉 Thank you for 100 episodes! Don’t forget to subscribe for more author interviews, writing conversations, and adventures beyond the page as we head toward the next 100!

ABOUT S.E. HOWARD:

S.E. Howard lives in Kentucky where she works as a registered nurse, certified in toxicology (a fitting field given her side-hustle writing horror stories). Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, including PUSH! An Anthology of Childbirth Horror presented by Ruth Anna Evans, Carnival of Horror from Undertaker Books, and the Amber, Sinister, and Green Diamond Editions of The Horror Collection by KJK Publishing. Her short story “You’ve Been Saved” was also adapted for the screen in the 2022 GenreBlast film anthology Worst Laid Plans. Her horror novella, "Prairie Madness" is available from Baynam Books Press, and a novel, The Vessel from Wicked House Publishing. For more information, visit online at www.sehoward.com.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | Facebook

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

Amazon

In this spooky-season episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes romantasy author Stephanie Pass to discuss The First Sin, the first book in her dark romantasy trilogy featuring Lucifer, forbidden love, forgotten memories, and a story that grows increasingly cosmic as the truth begins to unravel.

Stephanie shares how years of asking “what if?” and exploring themes surrounding religious trauma inspired the relationship between Lucifer and Evie. What began as a love story evolved into something much bigger, blending dark romantasy, cosmic horror, humor, banter, fated-mate tension, and a reincarnation mystery in which the characters may have loved—and lost—each other before.

Michelle and Stephanie dive into the novel’s Las Vegas setting, from its decadent hotel and club world to the darker forces operating beneath the surface. Stephanie also discusses Evie’s history as a runaway from an FLDS-style religious commune, how that past influences her character, and the challenge of balancing emotionally heavy material with romance, humor, suspense, and chemistry.

Stephanie also previews where the trilogy is heading, including book two’s journey into heaven and book three’s conflict surrounding secrets and withheld truths. They talk about Stephanie’s boundaries when writing romance that gets dark, why consent remains a line she won’t cross, and what readers can expect as Lucifer and Evie’s story continues.

🎧 Join Michelle and Stephanie for a wickedly fun Spooky Season conversation about Lucifer, dark romantasy, religious trauma, fated love, cosmic horror, and what happens when the truth about your past refuses to stay buried.

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

ABOUT STEPHANIE PASS:

Stephanie Pass is an award-winning fantasy romance author. Her favorite genre is dark romantasy, though not too dark. She lives in a tiny Texas town with her family and a Boxer dog who likes to argue. When she's not writing, she's usually roller-skating or dancing at a concert or the goth clubs.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOKS:

Amazon | B&N

In this spooky-season episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes award-winning romance author E. Elizabeth Watson to discuss Outlaw Ever After, the third and final book in her holiday-centered enemies-to-lovers historical romance series.

Set during Samhain in 16th-century Scotland, Outlaw Ever After blends open-door romance with real historical conflicts, Scottish clan feuds, Celtic superstition, and a subtle touch of the supernatural. E. Elizabeth shares how a centuries-old oral tradition involving Clan Grant, Clan Comyn, and a stolen skull helped inspire the novel’s central conflict—and how digging into Scottish history can lead an author down some fascinating research rabbit holes.

Michelle and E. Elizabeth also explore the romantic side of the story, including enemies-to-lovers tension, fated mates, and the question of destiny versus choice. They discuss creating emotional angst, building a rich and atmospheric historical setting, weaving superstition and fae-tinged elements into romance, and balancing historical research with the needs of the story.

E. Elizabeth also shares what she hopes readers carry with them after finishing Outlaw Ever After, along with where readers can find her books and order signed copies.

🎧 Join Michelle and E. Elizabeth for a deliciously atmospheric conversation about Samhain, Scottish legends, clan feuds, fated love, and the history that can inspire unforgettable romance.

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

ABOUT E. ELIZABETH WATSON:

Award winning and best selling author E. Elizabeth Watson is convinced life is better with good coffee, chocolate, and a pair of hiking boots. A former archaeologist and biomed research coordinator, Elizabeth spends her days working for a historical non-profit and penning heroes ranging from kilted Scottish warriors to Texas cowboys crowned with Stetsons. Whether in kilts or pearl snaps, her heroes wear plaid! Get swept away to the Highlands of Scotland or the badlands of West Texas in her adventurous tales where love conquers adversity. She currently lives on a mountainside in West Virginia with her husband, sons, and various pets. Always honored to hear from readers, make sure to follow her on Facebook, Bookbub, TikTok, Goodreads, and Instagram.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads | TikTok | Threads

WHERE TO BUY HER BOOKS:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

Cast your free vote every 24 hours between now and October 15! Vote here: https://tophost.org/2026/michelle-miles

I did something a little terrifying: I entered iHeartRadio’s Top Host competition.

In this special bonus episode, I’m sharing why I entered, what hosting Miles Beyond the Page has come to mean to me, why this opportunity could be life-changing—and why asking for votes makes me want to crawl under a table.

Public voting is open now, and you can cast a FREE vote every 24 hours through October 15.

Thank you to everyone who has already voted, shared, and cheered me on. I have no idea how far this will go—but I really want to find out.

Let’s take the big swing.

In this spooky-season episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host Michelle Miles welcomes back paranormal romance author LE Sterling to discuss her new release, The Magus Club, a dark and atmospheric story where tarot, secret societies, romance, and danger collide.

Erin shares how decades of tarot reading and research into real historical magical societies helped inspire the novel. Set in Toronto, The Magus Club follows Esme Wallace, an intuitive tarot reader who has spent years pushing magic away—until she is drawn into a secret circle of magicians and finds herself caught between temptation, mystery, and an increasingly unsettling sense that something is very wrong.

Michelle and Erin dive into writing characters who are magnetic but potentially dangerous, including the enigmatic Julian, and discuss how suspense can grow through tarot warnings, atmosphere, and carefully withheld information. They also explore the challenge of balancing romance with horror and creating dread without explaining away the very mystery that makes a story compelling.

Erin also teases what’s next in The Arcana Collection, including Arcana 88, set in 1987–88 at the University of Toronto and centered on Michael’s parents, as well as the upcoming High Priestess.

🎧 Join Michelle and Erin for a perfectly spooky conversation about tarot, secret societies, dark paranormal romance, and the delicious tension between attraction and danger.

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

ABOUT LE STERLING:

Inspired by a childhood roaming across Canada in a van, L. E. Sterling is the author of multiple novels spanning romance, fantasy, science fiction, dystopian fiction and YA. Holding a B.A. and M.A. in creative writing, Sterling also draws heavily on her Doctorate degree in literary magic to weave stories of fathomless depths, lyrical complexity, and arcane wonder. She lives in the French-speaking suburbs of Montreal, Quebec, where she enjoys the romantic, lost-in-translation life of an anglo ex-pat.

WHERE TO FIND HER:

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Threads | Substack

WHERE TO FIND THE MAGUS CLUB:

All Retailers | Apple | Kobo | Amazon CA | Amazon US

Get an exclusive bonus chapter from Michael’s perspective (sign up) - Click here!

In this special solo episode of Miles Beyond the Page, host and author Michelle Miles introduces From the Author’s Desk, a new occasional audio-only format that offers a more personal look at stories, writing, reading, and the creative life.

Launching October 1, Michelle looks at the way the changing seasons can influence the stories readers reach for and previews three themed months ahead on Miles Beyond the Page. October embraces spooky season with suspense, supernatural stories, mysteries, and shadowy fantasy—plus a special Halloween episode featuring some delightfully questionable scenarios involving Michelle’s own characters.

November shifts toward stories of home, connection, and gratitude, culminating in a Thanksgiving episode, The Stories I’m Thankful For, exploring the gifts writing gives us that can’t be measured by sales, rankings, or numbers. Then December brings holiday romance, winter fantasy, comforting tropes, magic, and a Christmas Day episode celebrating Christmas storytelling—and determining which characters absolutely should not be invited to Christmas dinner.

Michelle also looks ahead to the New Year with The Writer’s Reset: Looking Back, Dreaming Forward, an episode focused not on resolutions, but on reflection, possibility, and deciding what comes next.

🎧 Pull up a chair at the Author’s Desk and join Michelle for a celebration of changing seasons, the stories that belong to them, and all the creative possibilities waiting just beyond the page.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for author interviews, writing conversations, and more special From the Author’s Desk episodes on Miles Beyond the Page!