Queen of the Fireflies

Please give a warm welcome to author Rinna Ford

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! I live just outside of St. Louis, MO with my husband and two daughters. I currently stay at home with my youngest, and I write in my spare time. I’m a breast cancer survivor, and I love kickboxing!

Have you always wanted to become an author?

No, I didn’t always want to be an author. I was an elementary school teacher before I had kids, and although I miss it, writing is my passion now. For a time, I thought I wanted to write children’s picture books, but when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, I used books as an escape from my reality. I decided that I wanted to do that, so I gave it a try, and I’m glad I did.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

To be completely honest, I can’t remember where I got the idea for this story that I’m working on now. I do remember that I originally planned for it to be M/F, buy my PA, Nikki talked me into making it a RH series. Once I get an idea, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest, looking for visual inspiration for my characters, setting, etc, and they help shape my story lines.

What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up the first book of a new series called Curse Marked, as well as starting the last book in my Aurelia Chronicles series. Curse Marked from The Marked series is a medium-burn RH PNR series, and the Aurelia Chronicles is more of a fantasy M/F series.

Do you have any quirks while writing?

LOL I have quite a few quirks while writing! I make and listen to playlists on Spotify while I write, and they help me write the emotion l look for during different scenes. I can only write sex scenes when my kids aren’t home or if they’re asleep. I don’t really like to write them when my husband is home either, actually. I “reward” myself with candy for reaching daily word goals. Not the healthiest motivation, but it works for me!

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to become a full-time writer. I want to make a living at this by the time both of my kids are in school. I know that’s the goal of most indie writers, and it’s definitely mine. I love writing and I can’t see myself doing anything else.

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

My first piece of advice is to study the craft. Make sure you know what you want to write and have a plan for writing it. I would also tell new authors to make connections within the writing community- other authors, beta readers, and arc readers. They are key to helping you break into this industry, and will help you more than you know. I’d finally say to make sure that you find a good editor and a good cover artist. This is probably the most important thing for any author, because a great book and a beautiful cover sells itself.

Do you have anything to say to your fans?

I absolutely love my fans. They’re the ones that keep me going, keep me motivated to write. Thank you for your support!