Welcome, dear readers, to a special journey behind the scenes of the words that grace the pages of your favorite books. Today, we're flipping the script and shifting the spotlight from the characters and stories to the storyteller herself – me, the author. It's time to dive into the depths of creativity, inspiration, and the quirks that make up the person behind the words.
In this blog post, I'm peeling back the layers and opening the door to my world as an author. You've read my tales, embarked on adventures with my characters, and journeyed through the realms of imagination that I've crafted. Now, it's your chance to get to know the person who weaves those tales, the one who dreams up the magic, and the mind behind the stories.
So, sit back, grab your favorite cup of tea or coffee, and join me on this introspective voyage as I answer a series of questions that will give you a glimpse into the world of "me," the author. Let's embark on this literary adventure together and explore the person, passions, and inspirations that fuel the stories you love to read.
About me and my background as a writer:
I hail from a small town in western Kentucky, where my childhood was filled with activities like marching band and 4-H, but interestingly, no formal introduction to creative writing. My journey as a writer began at the tender age of nine, thanks to captivating books like "Inkheart" and "Eragon," which whisked me away into the enchanting realm of fantasy. With a head full of stories itching to escape onto paper, I made numerous attempts over the years to bring my imaginative worlds to life, though progress often eluded me. However, when I reached the milestone of turning thirty, a pivotal moment dawned upon me. A simple yet profound question reverberated in my mind: "If not now, then when?" This momentous shift in perspective sparked a surge of creativity within me. In just 25 days, I penned my first book, setting a remarkable pace for what was to come. Subsequently, my second book materialized in a mere 19 days, and my third in 27 days. While my writing background may be modest, what I lack in formal training, I more than make up for with an unwavering determination and an uncanny ability to hyperfocus.
Are there any authors or books that have had a significant influence on my writing style or storytelling?
Like I said above when I was a child it was "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke and "Eragon" by Christopher Palolini. Those two books and their subsequent squeals blaze bright in my mind when I think of the books from my childhood. Those and "Harry Potter," of course. I was part of the "Harry Potter"generation growing up, which was very exciting. Midnight book release parties were a common thing back then and that's something I wish we could live through again.
Since then though I've fallen in love with various authors like Robert Jordan, whose books I found at the tender age of 12 and then quickly devoured. If you know you know. Cassandra Clare, V. E. Schwab, Deborah Harkness, Sarah J. Maas, and Leigh Bardugo are just of the amazing female authors I've fallen in love with over the years. I look up to these ladies, they are seriously my heroes.
But a special place in my heart will remain reserved for Brandon Sanderson. His works are absolutely captivating. The world-building, the character development, the storytelling; this man does not miss. If I had a genie one of my three wishes would be to write like the amazing Brando Sando. Until then, I'll practice and hone and aspire.
About my writing process:
People constantly ask me how I do it, how I manage over 100k words in less than a month. Well, the answer is, "I'm not really sure." Other than the fact that I'm neurodivergent and writing these books is my obsession and hyperfocus, of course. How I can sit down and write 15k words in a day is beyond me, but it works somehow. Don't get me wrong 15k is my top score and there are days when I can barely manage 1000, and even doing that is like pulling teeth. But most days, the voices in my head won't shut up until I can get out onto a page whatever they happen to be screaming about.
My schedule and ritual though is pretty much nonstop writing. I wake up at 4 a.m. and start writing before my kids get up for school. Thanks to them being off at school I have an uninterrupted writing window until 2 p.m. when I have to go pick them up. So most of my writing gets done within that chunk of time. There is nothing I'd rather be doing all day than writing so it doesn't feel like work, its just fun.
How do I come up with the ideas for my stories? Is there a particular source of inspiration that fuels my creativity?
What I read mainly fuels my creativity. I love being inspired by other writers and I regularly am. But coming up with ideas is just as easy as breathing for me. With my wild imagination I'm always coming up with new stories. The idea for The First Witch series had been bouncing around in my head for 5 years and was more than ready to come out when I wrote it.
What advice do I have for aspiring writers who are just starting their own writing journeys?
Write every day, and also don't follow anyone's rule but your own. Seriously, every time I was hit with a "Don't do this" I was immediately turned off from whatever else they were saying. Writing has structure, yes. But at its base level writing is an art form and should be treated as such. And in art rules were made to be broken. Real writing is about the emotion you are invoking in the reader. Throw out the rule book and write from your heart.
As I look ahead, what are my future writing goals or projects?
I have the rest of The First Witch series to complete, that's two more books at this point. Let's pray it doesn't turn into a six book series in the meantime. After that, I have a spin-off series planned that will be based around the witch, Harlow, from book 3. We get to take a deeper dive into her character and another character that will be introduced in book 4.
I'm also planning to release a novella or two at some point based in the same universe as The First Witch series.
Something about me that may surprise my readers:
I regularly put easter eggs from my favorite TV shows in my books. The first book has a "Charmed" easter egg in it among others.
So there you have it, there is a bit about me. Now that we're friends you'll go drop a book review for me, right??
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