Inside the Mind - VJ Garske

I started writing because the open road finally gave me the space to listen to myself. When I left my job to travel, plenty of people gave me that sideways “are you sure” look — but somewhere between the badlands, the forests, and the Superstition Mountains, a story started whispering to me. What began as a simple tale for my grandson grew into a world of wizards, ravens, and mischievous goats. I realized I wasn’t just traveling; I was gathering the courage to write the stories I’d always wanted to tell.

My newest book, Cowboys, Wizards, & Liars, follows Noah Farmer — a wizard turned private investigator. It’s his first commissioned case, and he’s hot on the trail of a missing woman when he’s suddenly hurled through a time vortex. He winds up in the Weird Wild West with his magic as useless as a wet candle. It’s the 1880s, gold fever is running rampant, and everyone in this frontier town has a secret agenda. The truth is slipperier than a greased javelina. Set against the backdrop of the Superstition Mountains, it’s a ghost story full of mystery, humor, and heart.

Strangely enough, my characters just show up. I’ll be writing a scene, and suddenly someone walks in — fully formed, attitude and all. I see them in my mind as clearly as if they were standing in front of me, and once they arrive, they tend to take over. My job is mostly to keep up and write down what they’re doing.

During the summer, my husband and I travel, splitting our time between established campgrounds and wild boondocks. I do most of my writing in our camper. After I finish a book, I usually take a few months off from writing. I feel completely drained, like the well has run dry. But slowly, the spring of ideas starts bubbling again, and eventually the pressure builds until I have no choice but to sit down and start writing the next story.

What means the most to me is when readers reach out to say they laughed, or that Noah feels real to them, or that they just had a great time with the story.

One of the biggest challenges has been simply getting my books into the hands of readers. I’m retired and on a fixed income, and I don’t have the resources to pay for advertising. Word of mouth is everything. I count on readers to leave reviews and tell their friends if they enjoyed the book. That support makes all the difference.

I’m a minimalist when it comes to tools. I write in Word and use a grammar checker, and that’s really all I need. The story does the heavy lifting.

My best advice is to write what you enjoy and what feels true to you. Write for yourself, not for trends. And don’t edit yourself into someone else’s voice — your authenticity is your strongest asset. It has to be fun, or it just turns into work.

My promotions have been largely organic. I post on social media and run a few ads on Amazon when I can, but most of my reach comes from steady, genuine engagement rather than big campaigns. I focus on connecting with readers, sharing updates, and letting word of mouth do its work.

I’ve got plenty of ideas, but I haven’t started the next book yet. Summer is coming, and we’re getting our trailer out of storage, so it won’t be long before the writing rhythm kicks in again. I’ve got an inkling for something new and plan to leave Noah on the shelf for a while — though that’s what I said last time, and he still found his way into Cowboys, Wizards & Liars all the same.

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