Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose stories bring an element of magic, whimsy, spice, and escapism—Steph Ziders! If you love paranormal romances with a touch of magic and mystery, you’re in for a treat.
Steph Ziders is known for her immersive world-building and unique, intoxicating voice that draws you into her stories as if you’re one of the characters. Their latest release, Secrets of a Witch, is a suspenseful love story about a psychic witch with the ability to find others’ soulmates in a small town where witches hide in plain sight. Will she ever find her soulmate, and if she does, will she heed fate?
In this spotlight, Steph Ziders shares her writing journey, detailing how she transitioned from an elementary school teacher to a published romance author, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Secrets of a Witch.
Whether you write love stories, devour them, or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Steph Ziders!
Alright, let’s get into it. My writing journey started during the pandemic. Like most people, we were quarantined at home, and with that sudden shift, my mental health took a huge hit. I became super stressed and depressed. As a way to cope, I immersed myself in a deep chasm of romance novels, ranging from sweet HEAs to high fantasy to really dark bully romances. After reading a book, I complained to my husband that I hated the ending. So, he suggested I write my own. Such a simple solution! That was where my love for writing began.
I am, what most people in the writing industry call, a PLANSTER. Meaning, I love to plan out my whole story. However, when I start writing, the characters will take the lead (sometimes messing up the OG plan). I’ve tried writing stories without planning, and I have found that I get more stuck in the trajectory of the plot. When I outline and plan every beat, I can feel the flow of inspiration more organically, even if the plot points change while drafting.
To me, that is true creativity.
I was drawn into writing romance because it was what I enjoyed the most and had the most experience in. From watching TV shows or rom-coms and reading everything in between, I felt so inspired to bring that same escapism to other people. (And please, let’s be real, my novels are not literary classics by any means. They are dirty, gritty, and pure entertainment.
My favorite parts of writing romance are the meet-cute and the happily ever after. The beginning and the end of the characters’ journeys. It has to end with a smile (even if you have to endure a cliffhanger first), and the meet-cute needs to be memorable. They bonk heads bending down to pick something up. They get caught in a rainstorm, needing to buy Band-Aids. Even if it’s a meet-cute that has been done a million times over, when the two main characters meet and there are sparks, I swoon.
Writing enemies-to-lovers with a black cat female main character (FMC) are two of my favorite tropes to write and read. I think that is the case, because I hate confrontation in my real life. Growing up, there were so many instances where I wish I would have just spoken my mind. So, most of my FMCs do exactly that. And, I HATE the accidental pregnancy and miscommunication tropes. (sorry) You will never find those in my books
In my book, Secrets of a Witch, the meet-cute is with a hot guy, Cade, who drives up on a motorcycle to ask for directions from the female main character, Shay. There’s stuttering, checking out, sparks of attraction: the works. The perfect meet-cute, in my eyes, but I’m biased.
The rest of the story follows a much different path. There are hidden family curses, witches and covens that hide in plain sight, demons, ghosts, open door spice, tarot and spells, and naturally, a sex-crazed, talking cat. There are moments of dread, suspense, curiosity, and heat. If you are a fan of Practical Magic, Gilmore Girls, or The Craft, then Secrets of a Witch is a book you should definitely check out.
Since writing and publishing my first novel, my life has definitely changed. I feel that satisfaction of “huh, maybe I am good at this writing thing”. That is absolutely validating. I’ve also made a ton of friends and colleagues in the industry, as well as bumped up my presence and following on social media.
When I started marketing myself, I had about 100 followers on Instagram. I set a goal to have 1,000 by the end of the year (2025). Now, in Oct. 2025, I can say that I smashed my goal and currently have 1,010 followers on Instagram. Goal completed. Also, the writing bug has bitten me BAD. I want to keep coming up with novel ideas (pun intended), outlining full stories, and inventing new characters. I want to challenge myself with writing in multiple POVs or series and push myself out of my comfort zone. Whether I become a best-selling author or not, I have the passion to keep writing, and that’s super exciting.
In my free time, I enjoy a lot of different activities. One that people never suspect. I LOVE to game. I’ll play on my PC, on the Nintendo Switch, the PS5, or in old-timey arcades (there’s this bar in NYC called Barcade where you drink and play arcade games).
When I was growing up, I was lucky enough to have a mom and dad who embraced technology. Being a millennial, we also had a gaming system or a computer. Some of my best memories are playing Super Mario Brothers with my brother, watching my sister get penalties in NHL, my mom playing the drums on Guitar Hero until 2 AM, or laughing at my dad as he kept jumping into the same hole, dying. Every. Single. Time. So, when I’m not writing or reading, you can bet a million dollars that I’m playing a game. Either The Sims, Resident Evil, Stardew Valley, or Baldur’s Gate III.
Another weird tidbit about me is that I LOVE heavy metal, rock music. It’s actually what I listen to while writing. I don’t know why, but the beat drops, drum solos, melodic screaming, the pain, and love just speak to me.
Is it bad for my hearing? Yes.
Can I play it for my kids because there are too many swear words? No.
But, every time I write, I will play Sleep Token, Bad Omens, Ice Nine Kills, or Falling in Reverse (and then Broadway hits on Fridays).
What’s next for me? Well, I’m currently querying my new Romantasy novel, Sins of Solnexus, to agents to see if any of them want to rep the book for traditional publishing. Sins of Solnexus is about a snarky, emotionally empty, gives-zero-sh**-Human who must decide to cooperate with a mysteriously sexy Fae soldier to save a segregated, corrupted, supernatural nation or watch it burn. Think Divergent meets Powerless, True Blood, and Crescent City.
Also, I have been drafting a Romantasy series with angels, demons, and humans that co-exist on Earth and all attend the same college: Sacred Divinity University. The demons want to get back into heaven. The angels are tasked to stop them. But, what happens when three humans get caught in the middle of a millenia-year-old war? It’s a dark academia fantasy with higher spice levels, higher grit, and higher stakes.
Well, that’s all, folks, for my edition in Sheila Kell’s blog. I hope you enjoyed learning more about my writing process, more about me, and more about my books. As always, please feel free to check out my website and my Insta to keep up-to-date with the things happening in my life!
Hi Everyone! A little bit about me before I get into the nitty-gritty of my writing journey and my debut, published romance novel, Secrets of a Witch.
I’m Steph Ziders. I have been dreaming up stories for a long time. In 2009, I graduated from West Virginia University with a Master's
in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. That year, I also married my best friend from high school in July. Our journey from kids to adults started.
After teaching 1st and Kindergarten for 12 years, I found a new way to share my stories by writing them and to be happy again (because
let’s face it, teaching was HARD). Currently, I live in New York with my husband and three children. When I'm not writing, you can find me playing video games, binge-watching, and reading until too late at night.
Some quick fun facts about me:
I’m an Aries. ♈
My favorite video game is The Sims.
My favorite time of the year is Christmas!
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Steph Ziders and hearing about her journey, inspirations, and latest release, Secrets of a Witch. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 💖
You can connect with Steph Ziders here:
📚 Website: https://stephzidersbooks.com
📱 Socials: IG: https://www.instagram.com/steph.ziders.books/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575600705954
🛒 Grab her books: The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Walmart, B&N
https://wildrosepress.com/product/secrets-of-a-witch/
Thank you for joining me in spotlighting a fellow romance lover who’s giving us all the feels. Stay tuned for more author features, book talk, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.
Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! ✨📚