Description

What happens when an 18-year-old secret resurfaces under the unforgiving glare of the public eye?

In this episode, host Terry Shepherd sits down with New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Steena Holmes to dive into her gripping psychological suspense novel, When You Tell. With over 3 million books sold and more than 55 thrillers to her name, Steena takes us into the volatile intersection of fractured friendship, influencer culture, buried trauma, and the brutal reality of cancel culture. 

Steena pulls back the curtain on the contrasting dynamics between her protagonists: Brie, a traumatized ghostwriter determined to stay completely invisible, and Miranda (known to millions online as Randy F. Alexander), a larger-than-life lifestyle influencer who needs Brie's help writing her next book. Together, Terry and Steena explore what lives behind our curated online personas, how quickly a reputation can unravel, and why dark secrets make the best thrillers. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Inspiration Behind When You Tell: Contrasting an invisible ghostwriter with a vivacious, Instagram-famous personality.
• The Illusion of Influencer Culture: How Steena’s background in ministry shaped her fascination with curated public images versus private truth.
• Setting the Scene: Why the winding canals and historic brown cafés of Amsterdam provided the perfect backdrop for secrets.
• The Craft of Suspense: How Steena evolved from an instinct-driven "pantser" into a dedicated "plotter" over the course of 60+ novels.
• The Reality of Imposter Syndrome: Why even bestselling authors with millions of readers still worry that people will hate their work.
• Writing as Therapy: Channeling personal fears, motherly instincts, and difficult realities into emotionally charged fiction.

Connect with Steena Holmes:

• Website: steenaholmes.com
• Book: When You Tell (Available wherever books are sold)

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