Author Harpie Alexander #interview

Please give a warm welcome to Harpie Alexander

Tell us a bit about yourself

I love to read and write, and watch the t.v. Anything paranormal, science fiction and fantasy. I love thrillers too, but I’m also a scaredy cat and have to cover my eyes and ears during certain scenes. My husband pokes fun at me. I have several pets that I adore, they are my children. That’s about it. I live a rather boring life, but then again, they do say that if you are a book reader you live a thousands lives! I started writing last year in 2019, completely out of the blue without any training or instruction. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to write a story and share it with the world.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I have not always wanted to be an author. I read so many novels that I was running out of things to read. I’m picky, and sometimes it takes me awhile to finally say “alright lets get this a try.” I was freaking out. No lie. When you go from reading one to two novels a day to spending one to two hours selecting a book to read it becomes insane. THAT was what inspired me to write. I knew I couldn’t be the only one that struggled with this and I wanted to be a part of the solution.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My very first book, Ay’Kea’Terran Mates, was originally supposed to be a tragic short sci-fi romance where both loves die. If you have read Aykeetan’s story (that’s book one), it might come as a complete shocker to know that the original version is so much different, than what it is now. I still want to write that, and get it out, because I think it’s so beautiful.

I was in a really dark time when I started writing, depression and anxiety hit me hard. And I wanted something that was just soul crushingly painful and heartbreaking, but also passionate at the same time, but after the advice of others I switched the story. No regrets (but I’m still going to write that other version… some day).

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on a million things but I appear to be a sucker and make awful choices. Instead of finishing a series my brain says, “lets start this one, and this one, and this one,” and does not shut off. I have 3 published works that are the first in their own series, but they are standalone series. By this I mean the story progresses in the background but each book can be read without the other. On top of that, I have a brand new series that is coming out later this year, that needs to be read in succession. I’m being very hush hush about it now, but if check around the first week of feb. 2020 you might see that I have written a short story in an anthology that is part of this series. I can’t say anything else about it now. Just keep your eyes open for it, I promise it’s soooo good.

Do you have any quirks while writing?

Quirks? What quirks? Just kidding. Just that I like to start new projects as often as I eat food. Stories swirl in my mind and my brain says, “This is a great idea…ooooh no one has done this yes…. oh? what would happen if we did…” And never quiets down.

What are your hopes for the future?

I started writing not knowing what to expect. I’m still finding my pace, and my place. It takes awhile, but my hopes are that I find my niche, and followers who simply can’t put my work down. That would be the ultimate blessing.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Advice for new people. Writing is NOT just writing. It’s marketing/advertising, social medial on several platforms. Newletters, promotions, freebies/giveaways, finding teams of beta readers and arc reviewers, research, editing and designing. All of that. You can’t just do one. You can’t just write and say ok, let’s publish. That’s what I thought. I was wrong, and that’s ok because now I know.

Do you have anything to say to your readers?

One thing I’d like to say to readers is that it is so important that you leave reviews. So important. Even if its just one word, unless you didn’t like it, then please, please, please tell us why. Simply “not my thing, ” is perfectly acceptable. Leave a review, if it was amazing, ok, or just plain horrible. Authors rely on reviews to improve our work, and our sanity. Nothing is worse than publishing something and time flying by with not a single word on what people think. Thanks.