May 20 2022

Author Tina Hagmann #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Tina Hagmann

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hello from Austria! Thank you so much for inviting me, this is very exciting and I’m very happy!

My name is Tina Hagmann and I am the author of a historical nove which might be published later this year. It is about a French soldier, Raoul Matisse Loberon, who suffers more loss than he can handle in the battle of Sedan 1940. So he flees to the end of his world and has no intentions of returning to Paris to fight the Nazi’s again. But as always, fate decreeds otherwise. Confronted with unthinkable plans of the German Wehrmacht, Raoul joins the Parisian Resistance and offers his contribution as a marksman to an armed squad working against the Nazi occupation. Things seem to change for the better, but when he is forced to face his worst nightmare, once again everything he cherishes is at stake.…

I am living south of Vienna at the foothills of the Alps. After studying psychology, philosophy and ethics, I started to teach and have been a teacher for students, ranging from ten to eighteen at a high school for more than twenty-five years. This is an incredibly exciting, but also very challenging job, as children behave never the same and every day holds new surprises. As a result, I have learned how to keep my thoughts focused, my lessons compelling, and how to simplify the often confusing content of my subjects. If I didn’t do that, my students would probably fall asleep due to boredom! Thus, my profession might offer a good foundation for my writing.

Besides this job, I have a bustling family life with my husband and two wildlings, a dog and a horse. I think most authors who can’t earn enough money from their books for a decent life know this balancing act between everyday life and this deep, inner urge for actually just wanting to write. On the other hand, these interruptions, called life, are exactly the ones that give me a distance between me and my stories. Many things only dawn when I’m no longer sitting at the laptop. Besides, I’m just happy that I can write at all! My husband keeps my back free, without his support it wouldn’t have been possible to finish my debut novel.

Apart from that, I like to work in our little garden. Especially in times like these, it’s important to provide a habitat for bees, insects and hedgehogs and to keep the garden as close as possible to nature. I love the buzzing and humming and the manifold scents surrounding me. Half an hour of cutting the lavender plants triggers true relaxing miracles!

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I wished I could answer this question with “yes” and tell you that I have been writing since I was a kid. But that’s not the case. I started writing very late, in my mid-forties. However, what I can definitely tell you is that stories have been within my mind since I was a child. I’ve been thinking and dreaming stories non-stop. And the more I read, the more sentences started to shape in my mind. I imagined that I would once write all of them down. From time to time I tried to scribble down a short story , but very quickly I realized that there is a huge difference between what’s in my own ‘mental’ cinema and to write a story in such a manner that the reader ’experiences’ the same as me. Thus, I quickly realized writing is actually hard work!

And one day, out of the sudden, I gave it another try. I wrote an hour or two every day in the evening, and when Covid lock-down came along, there was so much more time! And one hour turned into many hours and the more I wrote, the more fun it was. Here I set the foundation for my writer’s life and proved that writing is more than just a hobby for me. It became a real passion!

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

Fun fact: It was a TV show called “Man in the High Castle”. Therein it plays with the terrifying thought that the Nazis won WW2 and actually conquered the world. And suddenly there was this scene in my head- a man, a Resistance fighter, completely at the mercy of a Gestapo Commissioner. And this man was willing to lay down his life for what is important to him. That was the first scene I wrote, and the whole novel grew around it like petals are growing around a stem. Who is this man? What has he experienced and done to end up at this particular point? So there was an incredible amount for me to develop and that was more than exciting in every single way. Writing towards a certain point, especially when you know nothing about the person and his history, was a real challenge for me. With this in my thoughts, my novel was written kind of backwards, from its end to the beginning.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m adopting a two fold strategy. First, editing of the historical novel has started and I just received the final report of my editor‘s. And as I expected, there are tons of stuff to fix, rewrite and restructure. It’s all going to take time.

In the meantime, I’ve started a fantasy trilogy and somehow the “curse” of writing backwards is haunting me! For a long time I hesitated to write fantasy, because I’m simply lacking unique ideas. Especially here I was under the impression that everything has already been said at some point and somehow. I love fantasy, but I just didn’t have any sparkling ideas. And like in my historical novel there were suddenly those three final scenes. At that point I knew it had to be a trilogy and again I started to create the story “backwards” from those scenes. What has to happen for my MC to end up exactly where I want him to be? Unlike with my first novel which was created as a panster over long periods, I carefully planned and worked on world-building, i.e. how magic works or which social system I need. Funnily enough, right now I don’t care about geography, monetary systems or anything else, that remains to be seen as I write. I wrote the 1st word of the 1st chapter after two months of planning and the first book of the trilogy is almost halfway through.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I must say there are always many other children in the house and this is often more than turbulent. And I don’t even have my own desk! I sit with my laptop at the dining table and try to write in the midst of the hustle and bustle. The only possibility of excluding the noise around me, putting on my headphones with my ‘writing music’. I need it to mentally find a way into my stories. When I wrote the historical novel, ‘Two Steps From Hell’ had to be a must and each act of the book had certain songs and albums associated with it. It’s a bit magical, I put on my headphones, fire up the playlist and instantly find my writing rhythm. For the fantasy story, I mainly listen to Pandora’s Journey, so Epic Fantasy Music. It always works!

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope I can provide for many readers a great time with my story! All the years before, so many wonderful books have accompanied me. They have taken me out of my everyday life and allowed me to escape into incredible worlds. I hope I can give something in return! I want to write books which entertain readers. Give them pleasure. At best, to lay a foundation for their daydreams. If my stories succeed in this point, then I have achieved a lot.

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

I’m still on the road to publishing my book myself, but right now all I can say is: find yourself a writer who has more experience than you and who can guide you. I was incredibly lucky to meet Krista Pimpinella, the author of Nexus Point, the 1st book of the Time Ranger Series. She has taught me so much along the way and prepared me for what is to come, especially the tedious and sometimes painful editing process. The other thing I’ve learned is that as a self-publisher it is less about promoting your own novel but rather about introducing yourself to the world. Be interested in other people and their passions, and over time it will come naturally to talk about your own work as well. Just marketing my novel is not my primary goal.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

You are an incredibly great community and it’s so much fun getting to know you, spending time with you and your thoughts, and I’m learning and benefiting from your experiences! I really enjoy all your passions and skills. There is so much to discover if you are open to meet new people, no matter what they are- poets, horse lovers, photographers, artists, or Musketeer fans. We are connected by our openness and interest in each other- and that’s just awesome!

Twitter

Mar 30 2022

Author Ada Rossi #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Ada Rossi

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi, I’m Ada and I’m an author – how fabulous to be able to say that! I’m thrilled to be releasing two novels with Butterdragons Publishing this year. I spend as much time as I can reading and writing, but I also love yoga and gardening.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Yes and no… I’ve come to this in my forties, having not written any stories, nor having dreamed of doing so. But I’m an avid reader and I have a cat, so writing stories seemed a natural progression. But I was recently reminded that, when I was a child, I said I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, so I can safely say it’s always been a part of me, just hiding away, waiting for the right moment to bloom.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

When lockdown came in 2020, I was luckier than most and able to spend as much time as I wanted in my little bit of the English countryside. I became fascinated by tiny changes, every day something altered colour, grew or flew, and I wanted to capture those in a novel which was rooted in one place. I started taking notes, and I realised how these observations sparked memories, from childhood, or a trip out, which made me think about how we share our histories with others, out of order and not all in one go… from there, the structure and style of The Condemned Oak Tree was firm in my mind, all I needed was a story, which emerged as I wrote.

What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up the edits on my second novel Statuesque. It’s a loose retelling of Austen’s Emma, with a contemporary twist to explore a new narrative within this classic story. Apparently, it has some amusing moments. I’ve also started thinking through some new ideas. I’ve so many ideas, I’ve not decided yet which one is next.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Not at all, I’m all about a quiet place and a routine, which sounds really dull and it is, but it works for me. When I’m writing, I aim to write at the same time each day, and every day. While I don’t berate myself if it doesn’t come, I do have a plan and I try to stick to it. I’ve been known to create spreadsheets, which now I think about it, everyone thinks it’s downright weird! So maybe I should have said yes to this question.

What are your hopes for the future?

I have this overwhelming desire to chat with book clubs about my stories. I’ve been fortunate to be supported while I’ve been writing, by my partner and my publisher, but I’d love to talk to readers who don’t know me, and explore my characters, see another side of them and learn how they appear to other readers. Plus, I’ve never been part of a book club, and I really want to be.

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

Gosh, I don’t think I’ve enough experience to be handing out advice, so I’ll stick to dishing out some encouragement – keep going! Just like training for a marathon, you don’t have to want to go for every early morning run, but you do have to like running. Have fun, work hard, be bold, persevere, enjoy!

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Do you have a book club, and if so, can I come say hi?

Mar 26 2022

Author M.F. Moody #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author M.F. Moody

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Well, I’m a wife and Mum, ex-high school teacher, with a boy-child as well as 3 fur-babies. I’m Australian, but moved over to the UK back in 2015 due to my hubby’s work (he’s British, although we met and married in Australia).
I’ve lived up and down the east coast of Australia, and love to travel. I’ve been to every state (except for Western Australia) back home, have visited both islands of New Zealand, and have travelled to South Korea, France, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Eire (Republic of Ireland).
I’m the youngest of 3 girls, am a natural red-head, a typical Sagittarius and a typical Goat/Ram/Sheep (Chinese Zodiac), and I have absolutely *no* filter. I love reading, coffee, wine, reading, baking, sleeping, reading, writing, watching movies, and did I mention reading?

Have you always wanted to become an author?

In some shape or form, yes. I would love to write stories as a child, and my sisters and I would often make up our own little skits and stories and perform them. I wrote poetry and short stories as a teen, and have had several published in various places. I also wrote a blog when I first moved to the UK.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

A dream. Quite a few of the stories I’ve written or have in my ‘to be written’ pile are from dreams I’ve had. It came to me about 2 years ago, when there were a lot of the RH Academy/Bully books being written. I love shifters, always have, and I wanted to put my own twist on things – the characters are all adults (even if only by a year or so), there is a fated-mate rejection, and it’s a reverse-harem. Unfortunately for me, the book I was working on at that point in time (‘Disconnect’) wouldn’t let me write anything that wasn’t related to it. I wasn’t able to start writing my ‘Altered Shifters Universe’ books until August of last year.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on 2 projects at the moment. I’m going through the final edits for ‘Altered: Part Two’, in the hopes I can release it in May – it’s currently scheduled for a May 1st release, but I might need to push it back depending on how much work it needs. I’m also writing the first draft for ‘Mythic’, which was *supposed* to be the second book in that interlinked universe, but then ‘Altered’ was split into a duet rather than a standalone.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Music and coffee. I have several rather large mugs that I will guzzle from as I write, and I also have a pair of Razer Kraken (Kitty Edition) headphones that I wear while writing. They light up. I create a playlist for each major book/series I write, and at the moment, my Spotify playlist for my ‘Altered Shifters Universe’ has around 180 songs on it. Probably closer to 200, if I’m honest. I will zone out completely, and get *very* irritated if I’m interrupted, although I will stop fairly frequently for coffee and toilet breaks.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to be able to continue writing. I also hope that more people will find and enjoy my stories. I’d *love* to attend one of the big book events as an author, rather than as an attendeee, but at the same time, I don’t know if I’d ever be considered good enough to be invited. It’s a dream, a nice dream, but (at least in my mind) unlikely to be anything more than that.
I’d also love for one of my books/series to be picked up and gushed over by Ruby Dixon, Tiffany Roberts, Lillian Lark, Tate James, or a number of other authors I admire. Their opinion matters to readers, and if they comment on a book’s readability/enjoyment on their platforms, then that book is likely to see a spike in interest. Oh, and if I can get one of those mythical orange banners on Amazon, or even hit the NYT best-seller list, that would be a miracle, lol…

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

Find your people. Find other authors who are like you, and support and uplift each other. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT compare your journey to theirs, and vice versa. Encourage, uplift, share resources, leave reviews, promote yourself and each other. I was lucky enough to stumble on a wonderful group of authors who have encouraged, uplifted, advised, critiqued, sympathised, and just loved me for being me. There are enough haters out there who will try to tear you down (and unfortunately, some of them may even be other authors), but if you find your people, lick them. Slobber all over them and make them yours.
Also, not every negative comment is meant in a destructive way. Constructive criticism, while pointing out your mistakes/flaws, is meant to help you grow as a writer. Don’t just focus on the negative comments, look for that silver lining that a lot (but not all) will be trying to push. If you open yourself up to *constructive* criticism, and actually *listen* to the feedback and positive information someone is trying to impart, you’ll find yourself growing as an author. My books would be a lot crappier if I had ignored the constructive criticism I received when I first wrote them.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you. From the dark and depraved depths of my black and shrivelled little soul, thank you. Without you, without my readers, without all of your support, I’d still be sitting there wondering if I’d ever get around to publishing that book. So thank you.

The Temperamental Bookwyrm

Mar 23 2022

Author Melissa Adams #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Melissa Adams

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m a former flight attendant from the UK, now turned full time author. I’m UK based but I lived in the US for a number of years with my American husband. We decided to come back to Europe 7 years ago because we enjoy the more laid back lifestyle here. I speak 4 languages and I love dogs, especially Yorkshire terriers.

What has happened work wise since our last interview? I became a USA Today bestselling author.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My husband! My next release is The Sergeant, book 2 of my RH military stepbrother series and all I know about the US military and living in a US military installation comes from direct experience.

What are you working on now?

I’m about to finish writing The Heartbreakers, book 1 of a brand new RH extreme sports series. It’s really, really, really steamy. But there’s a plot that centers on unrequited love, legacy and revenge.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I need complete silence. And I type all my books on my iPad Pro without a keyboard. I prefer tapping on the screen, it’s easier on my wrists.

What are your hopes for the future?

To be able to continue to write full time and to see not hundreds but thousands of reviews on my books. A huge dream would be to have a movie or TV show based on one of my series (a girl can dream lol)

What have you learned about publishing since our first interview?

I’ve embraced the steamier side of romance. I’m no longer embarrassed to write a sex scene, they’re actually my favorite, but they are important for my stories, they aren’t just smut inserted in the story for the sake of it.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you for reading my books, follow me on social media, and if you love my books, please consider leaving a review, it really helps.

Reverse Harem with Melissa Adams

Interview One

Mar 21 2022

Author J.A. Roles #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author J.A. Roles

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m USA Today Best Selling Author, J.A. Roles, from Manchester, UK.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I’ve loved writing ever since I can remember. I’d always sit and write in journals and notepads every chance I got. So, yes I’ve always wanted to be an author.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I was driving across the moors (hills full of myth and legend) just outside of Manchester when I was hit by a flood of inspiration, and so my Pennine Prophecies series was born.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on the sequel to my debut vampire novel “The Awakening”. It also has three spin-offs for the rehabilitation centres for each supernatural creature, known as Institutes. The Shadow Institute for rogue vampires is titled, Beyond The Shadows. Lunar Institute is for werewolves to learn restraint. And the Institute of Leather Jackets for misbehaving witches and warlocks.

Do you have any quirks while working?

One thing I never do is plan. I let my characters guide me… so even I don’t know what shenanigans they’ll get up to next.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to expand the series and keep creating a world readers will love.

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

To keep writing and never give up.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I’m grateful to all of my readers for giving my books a chance and leaving amazing reviews. It means more than they know.

J.A. Roles Secret Reading Room

Mar 16 2022

River Star Author Spotlight

Please give a warm welcome to author River Star

My true name is Rayner Ye, and I’ve been writing portal space fantasy and space opera for six years and publishing for four. I have been spending more on advertising than what I’ve been making, and even then, my space opera sales are dire. I think self-published space opera has to be written to market to succeed. That means spaceships, military procedures, characters from planet Earth going into space, etc.

My universe doesn’t even include planet Earth. It comprises seven solar systems. Its like magic realism, though what’s real for the citizens of the Plan8 Alliance is not real for Earthlings–because it’s futuristic with different races and religions, etc. But there are amethyst pyramids. They are time portals. Only a select few know. The rivers which well under the portals allow people to shapeshift, teleport, and body-snatch at the speed of thought. Again, only those who know the technique know this. That’s where the portal fantasy and shapeshifting come from.

Space Opera is obviously the wrong niche for this. If I had a good traditional publisher, I might get away with it. As an indie author, I don’t think so. I wrote YuFu’s Run and Cyborg Assassin to market. It’s kind of hard to sell, especially being a woman. Let’s face it. There’s a lot of sexism in science and sci-fi. I changed my face via a gender-changing app to pretend I was a man on my author profile, but it felt wrong.

Then I heard about reverse harem and how Science Fantasy authors can get away with writing a mishmash of sci-fi and fantasy sub-genres, as long as the FMC gets her harem of faithful lovers by the end of the series and there’s a happy-ever-after-ending. I thought it was worth a go, and I was curious about writing sex and romance. I decided to bring my universe over to my pen name, River Star, and then I wrote Princess Celesti.

It’s a Space Fantasy and Time Travel Reverse Harem Romance. There’s galactic empire, shifting (not in the usual paranormal sense,) futuristic sci-fi, and lots more sub-genres. Book 1 and 2 flopped when I published them, last year. I was working on advertising my space opera, at the same time, and following a silly low bid strategy, which was wasting two valuable hours a day. I have two kids so wasn’t getting much writing and dictating done compared to before.

I unpublished the two books, added more povs from villains, and decided to quick release the series in March and April 2022. That’s what I’m doing now. The entire series is on pre-order. Fingers crossed. We’ll see.

I don’t know where the whole idea of a lonely princess came from, but I liked the thought of having kinds and queens in my space fantasy for a change.

When I was four, my grandmother asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said an orphan. She asked me what an orphan did, and I said, “An orphan writes books.” That was the family joke. After my first degree, I travelled to New Zealand alone and wrote a book in a notepad. It was a fairy story for kids. I never got it published. However, the tree-people appear in a couple of my sci-fi series written under Rayner Ye. They’re genetically modified by an alien scientist to de-radiate a planet which was destroyed by a nuclear war.

For the last couple of months, my strategy has been to edit Princess Celesti 1-4 at the computer while the kids are at school, and then dictate Cyborg Assassin 2 by Rayner Ye while I walk to pick them up and walk back from their school drop off. It’s surprising how many words I can get in after even a ten-minute walk, let alone a half-hour walk. Once I’ve uploaded all of Princess Celesti 1, 2, 3, and 4 manuscripts and formatted the paperbacks, I’m going to edit Cyborg Assassin 2 while dictating Cyborg Assassin 3, written under my non-romance name, Rayner Ye. I still have a YuFu’s Run 5 manuscript to edit and release.

You know what, though? If I make any money of this reverse harem series, I’m going to write another and another and another. I might even stop writing under my real name. We’ll see. These are just dreams for now. My hope for the future is contribute financially towards my family through my writing and self publishing. My biggest dream would be to retire my husband. I’m so grateful to him for supporting me financially and emotionally through this arduous journey, like I did to him when we lived in China and South Korea. My advice for new writers is to write! There’s lots of other advice, but everyone is different, and every path is different.

Mar 10 2022

Author Kat Quinn #interview #newrelease

Please give a warm welcome to author Kat Quinn

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Oh hayyyyy, I’m Kat. I like cats, bats, and tacos. The last one didn’t rhyme, but I definitely feel as though it deserves recognition.

First Interview

What has happened work wise since our last interview?

Well, since the first time we did one of these fancy chata-a-majigs, I finished up Dizzy’s series! Which is super duper cool. As many may guess from the magnificent Disaster Zone Jones herself, I am in possession of my own fancy ADHD brain, which comes with a lot of squirrel-centricities. The great thing about that is that it helps me be really sporadic and creative, often finding links between totally unrelated things because my thoughts can zip around and ping off of a heckload of stuff all at once. One of the limitations a lot of ADHD folks, like myself, need to be aware of… is that once something is ‘boring’ to us, we are super likely to abandon it, even if that’s before the project we were once obsessed with is fully finished. The fact that I not only fully completed one book, but an entire series?! And a short story that’s in an upcoming anthology? And still have a TON of enthusiasm left in the tank for this?! It’s an ADHD miracle. Which I attribute to being fully aware of what I want to do (keep writing), and how to get there (never push against my interests, always follow them to where they lead me and never make this feel ‘boring.’). Ooops, ramble! But hey, let’s just say that’s true to form.

TL;DR: Completed the Disaster Zone Jones trilogy, and also have a short story coming up in the limited run “My Perfect Pleasure” anthology coming in May.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

Honestly, Dizzy came to life all on her own, and despite the fact that I am techhhhhnically already working on something else right now, I still sort of consider her my ‘current’ project. I’ve never had any control over what she does, or how she does it. Every time I made a suggestion about what the DZJ crew should do, they pretty much IMMEDIATELY overruled it and went off on their own adventures, the lovable, ragtag, group of freakin HOOLIGANS. So, my inspiration was… well, following the whims of what happens in my brain and just letting them proceed on their own, rather than trying to reign them in. Like I said, I’ve embraced not pushing against my interests because it seems to be what keeps everything so interesting. I do hope to eventually get back to writing that griffin shifters book that Dizzy trampled over during her stampede out of my fingers and onto the page, but I’ll wait until they get insistent enough about making me listen. I’ve learned my lesson about trying to force a story, and the answer is… don’t. It’s not nearly as fun.

What are you working on now?

The book I’m writing now—a story that was just meant to be a Halloween short I had in my drafts from like two years ago—was meant to be a fun little ‘break’ from writing the main storyline in Dizzy’s universe (There’s a TON of other characters and events, all with their own books planned, written in the same universe.), has suddenly decided it would like to be a full novel. Hahahah, because of course it did. This was NOT in the plan, even though it’s been listed in the pinned post in my reader group as being ‘in progress’ for a long time. Genuinely thought it would be a short little 10k word piece; barely a blip of a thing. Anyone familiar with just how thiccc my books are, shouldn’t be surprised that the story had other ideas—*I* shouldn’t be surprised that the story had other ideas—but like I said… I’ve learned to not try and force a story. I’ll go where it takes me, or where it tells me to take it. At this point, I’m pretty sure these books have lives all their own.

After that? The hope is I’ll be working on another story from the main universe I’m working in. There are some pretty strong characters vying for the position to be next up to bat, and I’m having a very hard time choosing between [redacted], [redacted], and [redacted], especially, because they’re all making their points very aggressively. I’d pretend like I know which one is next up for sure, and make some sort of official announcement but… well… I don’t trust the other two to take things lying down [insert joke about sexual positions here, bow chicka bow-wow!], and suspect they’ll put up a heck of a fight. Wouldn’t want to tempt them to kick down the door and overrule that decision, too, so I guess I’ll just see who starts talking when I start writing.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Probably? Hahaha. I discovered, while writing Dizzy’s third book, that I actually have some positive triggers that can help me enter that sweet-sweet hyper focus state that us ADHDers can magically achieve, which is how we’re able to get an intense amount of work done unexpectedly. If I listen to a specific lo-fi playlist I cultivated (with headphones on to block out the rest of the world), while sipping on a cup of Lin’s Future Brew (a tea from the books that I actually had custom-blended and are available here: https://linktr.ee/authorkatquinn ), I can submerge myself into the story and it just flows the right way. Thankfully, my cat is a very good manager and reminds me to do things like… give him cuddles, which is a great reminder to take a break and drink some water.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to be able to do things like fall in love with more of these robust characters the way I have Dizzy and her crew. Genuinely, realizing it was time to set them free and move on to another story had me crying just a little bit, which I’m pretty sure comes through in the afterword of their final book. Accidentally, I started saying goodbye to them and it just hit me all at once. What horrible but fulfilling heartbreak to endure, living life with these people who are completely real to you, and having to part ways, even if you don’t feel ready for it. Loving something and someone with that intensity is a gift, even if it’s sometimes a painful one. So, I hope that my heartache is eased by [redacted] and their group, by finding just as a big a love in them as I did Dizzy.

Also, I’d really like to get some tacos and shaved ice this week. That’s a pretty reasonable hope, right?

What have you learned about publishing since our first interview?

Honestly? I don’t actually know. Sure, it’s been a couple years and I’ve now pumped out that third book, so I’m sure I’ve learned plenty along the way… but I’ve taken it at a leisurely, manageable pace so all those lessons have been gradual. I suppose the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I can do this; that anyone can do this. If you take ten years to write one book, if you go forward with an idea you’re not sure people will connect with, if you haven’t ever written anything before and aren’t sure if it’ll be any good… as long as you’re brave enough to do it anyway, there’s a place for you. There are NO rules, regardless of what anyone tells you. Just guidelines available for consideration, but not a requirement for your own path if you don’t click with them. And I’ve known this one for a while, but no matter how hard you try… you’re going to fuck up along the way. Why stress about being perfect? That’s not actually realistic. Do the best you can, fuck up, and learn from it how to do better. I’m darn proud of my first series, but I also know that I could have gotten into the trap of never actually showing it to anyone because I could have nit picked at it forever and ever and ever. In the future? Sure, I’ll probably look back and find some bits and pieces that could be done differently… but those are lessons I could never learn without having been brave enough to try. I’m not afraid of whatever mistakes I’ve made, because they show I’m still working on how to get better and better. I hope there’s never a point where I have nothing new left to learn.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Stay hungry, but never let yourself starve.
Everything is possible.
Oh, and pop tarts are just ravioli.

I’d also love it if you check out my reader group Quinners Not Quitters to do things like keep an eye out for signed bookplates, or argue with me about whether or not pancakes could be used as currency in modern society during out Taco ‘Bout it Tuesday debates.

Linktree

Book One

Book Two

Mar 8 2022

Author AJ Mullican #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author AJ Mullican

Tell us a bit about yourself…

“A little bit about me …. That always is a tough one, because it’s hard to pin myself down to one essence. I’m an author, a finance clerk, a wife, a catmom, a SCAdian, a sewist, a costumer, an embroiderer, a hobbyist rapier fighter, a painter, a graphic designer, a friend, a nerd, a geek, a gamer, an introvert, and so much more. I’m shy, funny, sarcastic, smart, loving, scared, confident, ditzy, scatterbrained, forgetful–sometimes ALL AT ONCE. It’s a real trip living inside my head, but I don’t think I’d want to be anyone else. I’m constantly changing and evolving, and that is such a cool thing about the human experience.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Not always. I’ve always loved stories, though, and have always had a rich fantasy world existing within me. I started writing with poetry and short stories in high school, and in the “olden days” of MySpace I would use that poetry as a way to work out some tough emotions I was going through. Now, though, I mostly write steamy paranormal reverse harem romance, with some M/F romance and poly sci-fi romance thrown in. I don’t know what Freud would say about that! Haha

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I am really digging the monster romance vibe that’s prevalent these days. I LOVE the concept of “monstrous” beings that end up getting the girl. It’s a modern-day “ugly duckling” story, but instead of changing into a swan, the monsters get accepted just as they are. It’s beautiful.

What are you working on now? Do you have any quirks while working?

As I mentioned above, I’m currently working on a monster romance. I have this fictional town I’ve created called Nowhere, North Carolina. (Funny story: There’s another author who has a series set in a fake town of the same name, same state—but we wrote them independently of each other, and I wouldn’t even have known if not for the fact that she won one of my ebooks in a Facebook giveaway, and I just happened to look up one of her books and see the similarity.) In Nowhere, there are hundreds of ley lines running through the town, which attract some strange beings and cause some major weirdness. This most recent story follows a girl who bumps into three “monsters” at a bank, where they get mistaken for robbers. Calamity ensues, and she gets kidnapped by them. She learns that there’s more than meets the eye to these guys, however, and comes to love each of them despite their monstrous appearances.

What are your hopes for the future?

Ideally, I’d love to be able to quit the day job someday in favor of writing full-time. It’s a tough biz, though, and not every indie author is able to make that leap. I’m super happy for those who have broken through and found their calling, and some day I hope that I can join their ranks.

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

It’s going to be tough. If you’re not a marketing genius, you’re going to have a tough time of it … but don’t give up! If I’d given up when my first book didn’t hit the big time (or the second, or the third…), I never would have made the progress that I’ve made or met the friends I’ve come to love talking with. Not every book has to be a best-seller straight off the press, and not every book will. Very few books will, but that’s not the point. The point is to do what you love, write what you love, and find your tribe.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Y’all have no idea just how much I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Every like or share, every preorder, every page read, every single bit of support is met with undying gratitude. I couldn’t continue doing what I love without all of you.

Feb 25 2022

Author Nadia Hasan / N.J. Ember #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Nadia Hasan / N.J. Embers

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi, I’m Nadia Hasan. I write urban fantasy and paranormal fiction under the name N.J. Ember. I also write poetry under my own name. I live in Michigan with my grandpa (who is one of my biggest fans,) and when I’m not reading or writing I’m usually watching shows like Criminal Minds and Supernatural.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Pretty much. When I was very young I briefly thought about being some kind of singer, but it never felt right. It was my third grade teacher who actually made the suggestion that I become a writer. I was writing stories before then, (mostly short fairytale-type stories that I dictated to my grandmother,) but before my teacher suggested it I didn’t know it was something people could decide to do. After that, it was all I focused on. Which is just as well since I can’t sing to save my life.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

The initial ideas for the Heavy Metal Magic Series was all thanks to my amazing writing partner, author Amir Lane. They posted on Facebook about an idea they had to combine heavy metal, an all-female band and witches together, but they didn’t want to write it alone. They were looking for someone to co-write with, and I’d just recently added “publish a co-written book” to my list of things I wantet giving ourselves, the bonds of found family and what it means to be human. Plus, lots of monsters.

I admired the hell out of Amir as an author. I was already a fan of their “Barrier Witch” books, and I’m always trying to learn as much as I can from others in the community. When I find new opportunities to challenge myself with, I jump at them as often as possible. The truth is, the whole thing was serendipitous and surreal. Now I have best friend and a fantastic writing partner for life.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on the second arc of the Heavy Metal Magic Series with Amir, which will pick up with book four. Technically, we have four books out because of the way we chose to number the series (1, 2, 2.5, 3,) which we did in part to differentiate Nadira’s journey from Lottie’s.

Personally, I’m working on a number of projects as N.J. Ember. I write much slower on my own, but a few short stories have been planned as well as a secret project I can’t talk about yet. Under my own name, I’m mostly working on voicing the character of Celia for a podcast show called “Space Mantis” and writing poetry for my next collection.

Do you have any quirks while working?

While I do write with an outline, I write in parts instead of chronologically. Scenes never come to me in order. I also either need music when I write or complete silence. There’s no in between. Usually, I create story playlists and listen to them before I begin to write. For the Heavy Metal Magic Series we have individual character playlists.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’m currently working on my BA in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University, so my first hope is that I finally finish my degree. Professionally, I want to continue to improve my skills as an author. I want to continue my goals to write characters and stories that are true to life: complex, diverse, flawed, resilient, and achingly human, even when they’re dealing with the supernatural. I’m also hoping to continue collaborating on projects with authors I admire.

Personally, I’m still learning what happiness and fulfillment look like. I’m hoping that includes some healthier days, surrounded by people who love me unconditionally. I think many of us are hoping for that right now. I want to learn new skills and find ways to connect with the world around me. I’d really love to find a way to bridge my love of books and writing with ways to give back. Honestly, I’m always hoping to find ways to leave this world better than when I came into it.

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

Research everything and don’t be afraid to ask questions. There’s so much information on the internet, social media, and books. Your favorite authors are human too, so sometimes they’ll be able to help you with some of your questions, but much of the time they won’t. Be polite in either case. And like my grandpa says, “the worst they can say is no.”

The most important thing is to be resilient. Write your story and believe in it. Even the stories that have been told before haven’t been told by you. Remember why you started and don’t let anyone convince you not to try. It’s okay to fail, but you haven’t really failed until you’ve given up. Publishing is always changing, so keep learning and don’t get discouraged if your path starts to look different than you’ve pictured it. When something doesn’t work out it’s usually so there’s space in your life for something even better.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you so much! Thank you for all of your support and patience. Without my readers I couldn’t do what I do.

Heavy Metal Magic website

Heavy Metal Magic Patreon

Preview a Falsetto of Fury (Heavy Metal Magic Series #1) for free

Feb 20 2022

Author Lillian Lark #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Lillian Lark

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi! I’m Lillian Lark. I’m a romance author from the saltiest city in Utah. I write paranormal and monster romance with a heavy dose of cozy heart feelings. I started publishing in 2020 and have released six books to date with my most recent being Deceived by the Gargoyles.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Being an author was a distant idea, but I’ve always been a big reader. I went through the hard part of learning how to write and revise when I was living across the country from everyone I knew and started drafting the stories in my head.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My inspiration for Deceived by the Gargoyles would definitely be the 90s cartoon. Goliath may have been my first crush.

What are you working on now?

I have a short story that I’m working on for the Into the Woods A Monster Anthology.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Every book has a different writing process, but I generally sit cross-legged with a cat in my lap that must not be disturbed and must then stumble around from numb legs when the cat finally releases me.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’d love to reach as many readers as I can! This year I’m hoping to delve further into the land of audiobooks.

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

The thing you haven’t done yet is always the hardest. Indie publishing requires a lot of different hats and everything always seems overwhelming until you do it. Just remember that a lot of people have done these things before and most are willing to answer questions about them. You can succeed alone, but having a community will make it easier.