Darcia Helle | Helle Gade

Please give a warm welcome to author Darcia Helle

Tell us a bit about yourself

Of all the questions I’ve been asked over the years, this is always the one that gives me pause. Why do I feel an uncomfortable, awkward twinge when I try to formulate a response? Help!

Part of me wants to give a silly dating site sort of answer: I love long walks on the beach, candlelight, and men who wash dishes. (All true!)

But, in all seriousness, I’m a total introvert, which is, in part, why I find this question difficult. I’m a thinker and a great listener, but I don’t talk about myself all that much.

Some things that make up the person I am: I’m fascinated by human nature, psychology, and madness. I have three dogs, one cat, all rescues, and all spoiled beyond reason. Each day is a battle against giving in to chronic health problems, most stemming from late-stage Lyme disease. Writing, reading, my furkids, my supportive husband, my family, and each and every reader who connects with me in some way keep me moving forward, one small step at a time.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Oddly, becoming an author was never a career consideration. In my younger years, I didn’t even realize that what I did was different from what other people did in their spare time. I’ve always written. As soon as I was able to put sentences together, I wrote stories. As a child, I’d sit with a pencil and stapler for hours. I’d transcribe the stories in my head onto the pages, make a title page, and then staple it all together. In my teen years, I wrote a ton of dark poetry. Then I moved on to essays and short stories. Later, I wrote a lot of health-related articles for early websites. And, finally, I found myself writing a novel because it was the only way to stop the noise in my head.

I was always an author, though I didn’t realize it.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

This past February, I published OUT OF THE DARKNESS, which is the second Joe Cavelli, Paranormal PI novel. This is a series that wasn’t supposed to be a series. The first book, INTO THE LIGHT, was published several years ago and was meant to be a stand-alone. But my mind is odd, untamed, and undisciplined. Ideas randomly pop into my head, demanding attention, and that’s what happened in this instance.

One day, I was doing something completely unrelated to Joe Cavelli’s character and the subject of ghosts, when for no reason I can discern, I thought: Out of the Darkness! It was like a public broadcasting announcement in my head, loud and determined. Gus’s character immediately followed, as if he was shouting, “Here I am! I have stuff to say! Pay attention!”

I paid attention. Really, I have no choice in these matters. And so Joe Cavelli had to go back to work, like it or not.

What are you working on now?

As I explained, I don’t have control of these things. I wanted to write the next Joe Cavelli novel. I even wrote the opening page—before I was rudely interrupted. A different set of characters knocked Joe aside because, apparently, their story is more important. And so I’m writing a stand-alone psychological suspense novel. I have to admit I’m intrigued by this one.

Do you have any quirks while writing?

I’m a hodgepodge of quirks held together under a façade of normalcy. With regards to writing specifically, I have two quirks. Before I sit down to write, I have to brush my teeth. It’s weird, I know, which is why it’s called a quirk. I can drink tea while writing, but I can’t have any sort of aftertaste in my mouth from something I ate or drank earlier. A sensory thing? I don’t have a clue.

My other quirk isn’t as weird. In fact, I think it’s true of many writers. I do some of my best creating in the shower. That’s often where I figure out plot trajectory, get to know more about my characters, come up with plot twists, and have random ideas for new stories. I’ve considered buying markers to use on my glass shower doors, but for now I just keep pen and paper nearby.

What are your hopes for the future?

World peace. Barring that, inner peace. And a movie deal. But mostly peace.

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

New writers today have an array of options and far more control than in the past. I think what many authors don’t realize is that, regardless of whether you sign with a major publisher, a small publisher, or you self-publish, it’s a whole lot of work. The writing is, for most of us, the easy part. The challenge comes with navigating the business of writing, whether it be working with an editor, graphic design, promotion, or marketing. I recently took a course to learn how to properly use Instagram as an author. That’s not something you find in a college curriculum, and yet it’s just one important aspect of navigating the world as an author.

Given all this, my advice would be to study the things that don’t come naturally. You can write a fantastic novel, but it won’t matter if you don’t know how to sell it.

Do you have anything to say to your readers?

Thank you! I write the stories, but readers give them life. I am continually honored and humbled by the fact that, of all the books out there, someone chooses to spend time reading one of mine.