Read Ursus Borealis for free on Kindle Unlimited to begin your Starlight Chronicles paranormal romance adventure.
Bears are supposed to live in the woods. Just not one who sends you to the moon.
Selena Aires
I promised my friend on his deathbed that I would find the place I was destined for. Neither of us had a clue what that meant, but searching for it after he’s gone helps me cope with my grief, and I pack up my art supplies and hit the highway. When I stop for gas in Quincy, Thomas is waiting for me—in spirit. So, I stay—and find my dream cottage with a studio and hiking trails out the back door, and a quaint old tavern called the Starlight with a cozy booth in the corner. I set out my sketchbook and pencils and get busy drawing faces—my way of getting to know people while I enjoy a beer.
It works. I’m making friends and filling my journal with the kind of diverse characters typical of a crossroads pub. But diversity doesn’t explain why the people coming to life on my pages are the stuff of fairytales. The most fascinating is Andras Johns, and I’m wondering more often whether the towering man who sets me on fire with one look is the prince in the story or the beast lurking in the woods.
Andras Johns
I’ve been the alpha of the North Star Pack for a long time. My policy? Never mix it up with a human. I can’t stand the idea of exposing a vulnerable species to the hazards of my job, and the hazards recently ramped up. But there’s a new face in town. A beautiful, human face. The first time Selena Aires gives me her smile, I smile back. It’s a mistake—and I know I’m done for, which is a problem because an alpha can’t break his own rules.
Meet a giant, smoking-hot cinnamon roll hero and a diminutive lovable kickass heroine in this paranormal romance with heart, spice, and a nice bit of danger. *This is not a standalone.* The hazards and thrills ramp up in Book Two, Drago Incendium.
Bears really do live in the woods near my home… and in the neighborhoods… sometimes even our backyards.
It was supposed to be stars, but bears were an awesome second when it came to sighting things in nature this weekend. The family gathered at one of my favorite scenic places, Lake Tahoe, for my mother’s milestone birthday. The world class destination also just happens to be an hour away from me.
While stargazing was one of the weekend goals from our woodsy Air B&B, and the telescope and binoculars were present and ready, the skies didn’t cooperate. Still, the rousing card games and never dull nature watching made up for it. Enjoy these images, and I hope you get out in nature this summer for your own adventures.
Our lucky winner hales from Scotland and even has a selkie tattoo! What a fun event and way to take part in my writing community. Besides my short story, I sent Holly a happy mail swag package, which is something I love doing for all sorts of reasons.
I thought I would share because happy mail is… well… happy.
Stop by my Instagram Wednesday through Friday for a fun event where you will have a chance to acquire a pod of selkie stories and swag!
What is MerMay you ask?
A Disney creator back in 2016 posted an illustration of two mermaids chatting on their “shell phones” and the craze was born. Every May, artists follow daily prompts to draw something mermaid-inspired throughout the month. Check out MerMay.com and this NPR piece for the scoop.
I’m guessing your next question is…
What is a Selkie?
I wrote a story from a prompt about a selkie pining for a human and their long-awaited meeting beneath her prismed light. A lighthouse keeper finds himself more alone than he bargained for when a mysterious disease wipes out the human population. He dreams of bringing the creature who watches him from the waves every full moon to shore and making her his bride. When it works and she sheds her seal skin to reveal her human side, his regret is instantaneous. He doesn’t want her to fall victim to the human disease and decides to send her back before consummating their relationship. Then, she offers him an astonishing alternative.
I was surprised at how few people knew about selkies when I shared my story. I admit I had only scratched the surface before writing Beneath the Prismed Light. But digging deeper through research is a huge part of the fun of writing, and now I can’t get enough about the lore of the North Sea.
The selkie is a mythological being found amongst the folklore of Scotland. Selkies are shapeshifters, transforming between seal and human form by shedding and replacing their skin. In their human form, selkie folk are always referred to as being incredibly attractive. They are graceful, kind natured and amorous, resulting in any humans coming across them falling desperately in love.
Tales of Selkies are predominantly found in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, though they are not restricted to Scotland. Selkies also appear in the folklore of Ireland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and seal tales are also present in the folklore of the Inuit as well as the Chinook people of the West coast of America, where the Columbia river meets the sea
These Faroese stamps tell the story of Kópakonan, or the Seal Woman. You can enjoy a short blog about the story behind the stamps here.
My guest this month is a sci-fi author and poet. He’s also a regular blogger, and you can follow his works and musings at Lines by Leon right here on WordPress. Leon is a member of my Fantasy Sci-Fi Writers Alliance and his thought-provoking stories and cartoon illustrations captured my imagination, so I invited him for a chat. Read on and be inspired.
Let’s Meet the Author
Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, and artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry in 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales. His newest publications are the sci-fi trilogy, The View from Here, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.
Let’s Get Started
I’ve been looking forward to our chat, Leon! You’re my first space exploration type of sci-fi writer guest and I’m eager to delve into that genre with you and learn what inspires you most about writing sci-fi as well as poetry and music. I’ve been enjoying your collection of short stories in The Knot at the End of the Rope available on Amazon. Of course, The View From Here got me reading the novella trilogy. What an awesome premise!
You published your first book of poetry around the same time I started writing fiction. I’m wondering if you’re like me and quite a few of my Spotlight guests who used the time at home during the Pandemic to follow your dreams. Or, what’s the story behind your 2020 journey?
LS. I started writing song lyrics and poetry to get me through a difficult time before the world went through its own, and I decided to publish some of the poems so that others might benefit or at least be entertained. I enjoyed the writing process so I continued it by crafting some short science fiction stories.
DLL. Well, your reviews tell me you achieved your goal. Here’s what one reviewer had to say about Wonder of Words:
This is an inspiring, straightforward and original poetry borne from everyday experiences of the author. It contains poems created in lockdown, poems on the environment, a 30-day poetry challenge, and ends with a short biographic story.
I like how the author introduces each poem with his thoughts and how the author manages to speak to the reader in an everyday way, often with humour. There’s material here for the reader to want to create their own poetry, so can be a useful resource for newer poets.
5 stars is reserved for classic poetry, so this 100-page book gets a 4-star rating due to its ease of picking up the book from anywhere and easy understanding of the poetry content, and also the good value for money. I also like the author’s quick sketches. ~ Karuna
I think of you as an author firmly planted in sci-fi. When you say in your bio that you’re a multi-genre author, does that mean your stories fall within multiple sci-fi sub-genres, or do you also write outside of that umbrella?
LS. Well, I do write poetry, science fiction, humor, and romance, so that’s pretty multi, right? Wait, did I say romance? I may have written a short story about that…
DLL. Awesome! Multi is where it’s at. And every writer needs to write at least one romance. I thought of another question. Were you inspired by other humorist writers, and if so who is your favorite?
DLL. Ah yes! Dave Barry. Another that comes to mind is Patrick McManus. My Dad loved his pieces in Field and Stream and my husband has all his books.
As I read your eclectic short story and poetry collection, Knot at the End of the Rope (great title by the way), the thing that stands out is your use of a variety of short-story and poetic styles and how masterfully you craft each one at whichever length, whether three lines or three pages. Writing short pieces is quite different from writing novels. How long had you been writing short stories before publishing your first collection? Did you use or recommend using contests or community writing challenges to hone your skills? Or how else did you build your body of work?
I think I started with short stories because of my short attention span. Say what you want and get out, I suppose. Also many of my stories seemed to come to a natural conclusion on their own, sooner rather than later.
I don’t think I used any prompts for my short stories, but for my second poetry collection I did include all 31 poems I wrote during the National Poetry Month 30 poems in 30 days. The 31st poem was for my mom. I had mentioned my dad in two of them and knew she’d be mad if I left her out.
My first novella started as a short story and I decided to do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Yeah, it ended as a novella, 20 000 words short.
DLL. That’s marvelous. You’re now my go to for short story and poetry inspiration. I recently tried my hand at poetry, and I’m hooked! I love writing short stories in between working on the big drafts and taking time out on occasion to participate in contests like Writing Battle. The creators Max and Teona are from Nova Scotia by the way and have been my guests the last two years if you want to get behind the scenes of a super creative writing contest platform.
Thanks for sharing the blog about your dad. We both had fathers who instilled the reading bug it seems. Can you add a little more here about how he got you into sci-fi?
LS You’ll have to read the blog post. How’s that for driving traffic to my website?
DLL. Nicely done! 😊
So, that leads to another aspect of writing short stories, which is the number of completed works you can produce compared to a lengthy novel, by which I also mean the volume of ideas. You’ve built up quite a collection in addition to putting out regular cartoon illustrations, blogging, and other endeavors. What is your idea process like? Are you one of those who dream stories while you sleep? What are your tips and practices for generating and keeping track of so many ideas?
LS. Most of my blog posts are written on the day I post, so they are often topical. With my cartoons, more often than not, a weird idea will just occur to me.
Sometimes I’ll come up with ideas when I’m out cycling or running. Or, after I turn out the lights and settle into bed. I don’t recommend that, though. I’m positive I’ve left many great ideas in slumberland.
DLL. I suspected it might be a grab them as they pop up sort of process, which makes your cartoons so fun–that momentary thought becoming an image on paper before it disappears. And I bet many of them slip into existence from your dreamworld. Dreaming ideas is a topic for a whole other conversation, eh?
LS. I used to write down my dreams as soon as I woke up, but not for quite a while. It is a good way to remember them before they fade.
DLL. It truly is. Now, if I could be so disciplined. My husband even bought me a small recorder, but do I use it? Not once. I’d rather wake up in a dither trying to keep all the threads of my imagination alive. Brain exercise.
At the outset, I mentioned the great premise in The View From Here–taking two ordinary outdoor explorers who stumble separately into a mysterious… I’ll just say ‘place’ to guard against spoilers… and then decide to explore the mysteries together using their nature skills and rudimentary knowledge about science. Can you talk more about your three-part story and the inspiration behind it?
LS. The View from Here is the short story that became a novella, which eventually ended up as a trilogy. The original idea was about a hidden entrance (or was it an exit) in an underground society, but I think I changed it because of my enjoyment of the outdoors.
Like many short stories, it had an open ending, so when I decided to attempt NaNoWriMo, I cheated and got a 4000 word head start, which didn’t help me any. The novella was written to be a stand-alone, but again the ending had loose ends, so I kept going.
Being my first attempt at a longer work, I limited the characters to two. I also wanted it to feel like the video game Myst, where there are situations that present a puzzle to be solved before moving forward.
DLL. Great stuff. Thanks! And hey, cheating at NaNoWriMo often leads to amazing success. So, glad we get to enjoy The View From Here as a result.
You have a new novel on presale, Euphrates Vanished. The premise looks amazing. Is this a full-sized novel? Can you give us a peek inside?
LS. I tried to make it a novel, I really did, but it tapped out at 39K. So close. Here is the blurb:
“This is not a drill!”
He wakes up to the sound of his alarm and the announcement blaring. Looking around the room, he realizes he is a member of a starship crew. There’s only one problem: he doesn’t remember who he is or how he got there. With no time to think, he finds his way to the bridge, while being careful not to call attention to his predicament.
The first problem is piecing together the puzzle of his missing memories to reveal his knowledge, rank, and friendships. Another problem is being stranded on an alien planet during his first away mission.
[You can download the first chapter when you sign up for Leon’s newsletter.]
Who or what is your biggest inspiration when it comes to writing fiction? What are your top three favorite reads? Or in the alternative, your top three favorite authors?
LS. My favorite authors would be Kurt Vonnegut and Isaac Asimov and my favorite books would be…Nope, can’t do it.
I grew up on the classics. Wells, Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein, Niven, I always joke that it was much easier to write science fiction in the early days because you could make up more stuff that the public didn’t question. Now, if you describe how a warp drive works incorrectly…Yikes!
DLL. LOL. That is so true! I love it!
I tried my hand at incorporating science fiction in the third part of The Starlight Chronicles. My antagonists were ancient aliens, so I eventually addressed their evolution and biology, how their moons gave them immortality (even delving into gamma rays), and other cool stuff.
For me, it’s another opportunity to fall down the rabbit hole of research in a totally fictional way. Fortunately, my readers aren’t likely to question my science because it’s more about the romance. But you never know, so I do my best.
So many amazing poems, Leon! Tell us about your love of writing poetry, how you got started, and your advice to someone who would like to write in prose.
LS. I mentioned earlier the impetus for writing poetry, but essentially, it’s a way to create a little snippet of life, always from the poet’s perspective but often relatable by the readers who are unable to put certain feelings into words. I try not to complicate my poems too much by creating confusing or obscure analogies. I want my readers not to have to think too hard about what I am trying to say.
My advice? Avoid rhymes.
No, that’s not true. There is a place for rhyming poems, but I try not to follow any specific form or rhyme scheme. Usually it happens when it happens.
DLL. Great insight! Thanks!
I enjoy your cartoons immensely though I admit I don’t always get the joke. Sometimes I do, and I laugh out loud or say to myself, “Huh… good point.” Other times, they make me stare at them while I scratch my head and think about what I’m seeing and why you decided to capture the idea with your brief “squiggles.” They truly are mini-stories, and your joy in conveying them comes through. I appreciated your Instagram post about “how a little squiggle can convey an idea.” Can you talk more about that?
LS. Yeah, some of the cartoons get the reaction, “Whaaa?!” I started The Miniscules because I had some funny—well I thought they were—ideas, but since I was terrible at drawing characters, I just did a squiggle and said, “That’s, good enough.” Later, I had to force myself to attempt more detail when I created The Untitled. Great name, huh? Guess how I came up with that…
DLL. Hmmm. I’m guessing because they’re untitled. It’s funny but I often gravitate towards poems titled Untitled. I supposed because right off, it asks a question.
By the way, Leon has a great Merch Shop on his website if you’d like to help out an indie author while enjoying his art on a mug or two.
You’re also a musician. Tell us about that area of your creative life and how it intertwines with your writing.
LS. Writing music is like writing words. Notes, put in the right order will tell a story, set a mood, or evoke an emotion. I don’t play or write as much as I used to, but I did write a short piece as homage to the story and the characters of my trilogy.
When a reader finishes The Final View, there is a link to a video I created for it as well.
I still have a couple of compositions I want to record, but I’ve always found it a long and difficult process to do, but all my recordings are here:
DLL.Here is a YouTube video with a classical guitar piece by Leon that I particularly enjoyed.
Oh. I forgot I had a YouTube channel…
DLL. Haha! Well, I found it.
Can you share how you benefit and what you enjoy most about engaging with your audience through your newsletter, blog, and social posts? What tips do you have for independent authors on finding their outreach niche?
LS. Authors love to hear from their readers! So many authors (both indie and mainstream) have embraced various platforms allowing them to interact with their fans. It’s pretty cool when someone like Neil Gaiman responds to a comment you have posted.
Newsletters, blogs, and social media posts have to be an extension of a writer’s craft. I feel it has to add value to the readership by entertaining them beyond the books.
DLL. Awesome. Thank you! And now I know someone who knows Neil Gaiman. 😄
LS. Yeah. “Knows.” I don’t think he follows me, though.
What are the best tools and resources you’ve found as an independent author for covers, editing, publishing, etc?
LS. There’s so many it can be overwhelming, but the top 5 are:
Canva (covers)
Reedsy (editor)
Ama— I can’t believe I have to say it…Amazon. It’s easy, and it has a large reach with good promotions.
ChatGPT
Wait! What?
Oh, I joke of course. Want to get into a discussion about AI “authored” books? I didn’t think so.
DLL. Lots of good stuff here! And yes, I could talk a lot about AI. So many sides to that controversial technology, good and bad. Just yesterday, someone I follow on Writer’s Digest posted a quick take on what she is hearing from the average person (non-writer) who uses AI to do their job. To them, “It’s just another tool.”
I love Canva for design. I’ve used other resources, but always end up there the most. Reedsy is also one of my favorite resources for instructional content, live and otherwise. It’s good to get a recommendation regarding their editing option. And yes, Amazon is super easy. However, I go back and forth with being enrolled in the 90-day KDP Select. I like having my books in more stores, but the truth is Amazon is where the sales are.
What are your favorite tips and techniques for staying productive while balancing life with your creative endeavors?
LS. I try to write every day, even if it is just a single line of dialogue.
DLL. So, do you keep a notebook close at all times?
LS. Nope, just sit at the computer and check my email, oops, I mean my social channels, wait, I mean write.
🙂Ah yes. Talk about rabbit holes. By the way, I recently decided rabbit hole is synonymous with retirement. I now have the freedom to spend the day going down them… until I remember I still need to be productive.
I’ll wrap this up with a question to a sci-fi writer I’ve always wanted to ask: Where do you most want to encounter life from beyond our planet… on Earth, or from a starship, and why?
LS. Want to encounter? Who says I haven’t?
DLL. Haha! Good answer. I’ll be looking for clues in your stories. Thank you so much for stopping by Leon. All the best to you!
Oh, and thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog too in this beautiful month of June. I super enjoyed this exchange!
While I primarily write fantasy romance, I can’t help but explore other genres. I’m endlessly curious about what elements readers expect to get lost in when they pick up a thriller, for example. Is it all about the cleverest plot twist? What makes a satisfying horror story? Experiencing nightmares from the comfort of your armchair?
What do readers want in historical fiction… to compare life to better times, worse times? What keeps them swiping pages in a steamy, emotional romance novel, besides the steam? Okay. My last one. What is it about traveling to a future world here or out there that draws readers to sci-fi? For me it’s the idea of having a future of any kind.
Then, there are all the sub-genres.
Within the sub-genres—even within a single novel—are the myriad of tropes that change constantly depending on what’s popular.
Where do you go to get inspiration before you even get to the genre you want your story to live in?
Do you prefer writing in one genre? What’s your go-to style?
If you have a favorite style and genre, how do you come up with fresh story ideas inside that genre?
Do you feel your way through the mechanics of a story, and let it tell itself? Or do you establish your structure and all the rules first?
This excerpt is from an article I found after Googling the subject question.
…This [looking for compelling interests] might take the form of research, conversations, looking through ephemera, or journaling. If you follow the trail of that preoccupation, you’re bound to come across the engine of a story.
The idea of being “bound to come across the engine of a story” totally resonated with me. When I started writing, I had no idea about the mechanics of the craft, or that fiction writing was… well… mechanical. Don’t get me wrong. I was an admin assistant and paralegal for decades. Proper grammar, editing, and the efficient conveying of words in sentences and paragraphs were my bread and butter. In other words, mechanics. But when I started my writing journey, I was focused on the artistic side of things—the creative outlet just like all my previous downtime activities in arts and crafts. The “feel good” aspect.
Creativity for me is all about the organic flow of imagination and ideas, letting one thing build onto another, applying different mediums until it feels right under your hands. That’s how I write. I feel my story through the keyboard as I type. But three years into the journey, I’m learning there is much more to it. Feeling the words might get those ideas flowing, but to craft a good story takes the study of and dedication to the mechanics.
So, after plowing through writing my first novel using my decades of voracious reading and acquired business writing sense, and all the grammar fluidity I honed along my career path in combination with my imagination, I’m now digging deeper into the mechanics of fiction, especially as I try my hand at a different genre.
I love reading and watching good horror. Now, I want to write one.
Short story anthologies are a great way for writers to try out the mechanics of a whole new device. I’m currently challenging myself to write a horror story under 20,000 words. Thanks to articles like the one above (and I recommend reading the short piece with quotes from great writers about finding their story ideas) and folks like Dave Chesson, the Kindlepreneur, who generously share resources like Horror Writing Prompts: 50+ Ideas to Get You Started, I’m on my way.
My problem is that I have a real tough time writing scary, bad people, doing scary bad things. That’s where examining the technical aspects of the craft might help. So, I’m off on a whole new tangent. But hey! That’s my joy.
Here’s a link to one of my side trips, aka articles, that you might find helpful. Writing Evil Characters. Packed with great memorable nuggets like this.
…evil characters are heroes in their own stories and in the stories of their minions and countless supporters. And as heroes, it’s important to see how the plot of your story or novel is affecting them and forcing them to grow. ~ Naomi D. Nakashima
However, what I’m learning about the horror genre is that the antagonist doesn’t have to be a person. It could be an entity, an urban legend, the protagonist’s own mind… So off I go, tripping further down the tangent highway of horror.
I would love to get your ideas on how you find ideas. Leave your comments below.
I’ll leave you with this cover and link to one of my short stories where I did venture down the path of horror to a degree, dabbling in a totally fun sub-genre—one I’d never heard of until entering a writing contest with Writing Battle. Cannibal Comedy.
Ride through a swamp in a gondola full of serial killers on their way to a banquet in The Passengers. Their grim pilot? He wears a dark cloak and carries a scythe. The story is also part of my collection of short stories for 99 pennies on Amazon.
Art inspiring writing, inspiring design, inspiring feedback, inspiring reading, inspiring art… and the cycle goes on…
I couldn’t just share this amazing review all by itself. The much appreciated words needed graphics and drama to inspire others besides me. So, I hope you see this as potential for designing your own graphics through Canva as well as adding an epic read to your summer book list.
The Starlight Chronicles
I promised Thomas on his deathbed that I would set out to find the place I was meant to be. Neither of us had a clue where, but Thomas was adamant it wasn’t Reno. So, I shouldered my grief, left my nine-to-five job, packed up my art supplies, and hit the highway. Quincy, California, picked me. I knew this because I found the perfect cottage, miles of hiking trails, and a quaint old tavern with a booth in the corner where I could drink my beer, observe the patrons, and sketch their faces.
Soon, the subtle things that emerge from my charcoal images plunge me into a world right out of a Grimm fairytale. Seemingly ordinary citizens have strange lights in their eyes, visible auras, and uncanny strength. The most intriguing is Andras Johns, and I wonder if the towering man who sets me on fire with one look is the prince in the story or the beast lurking in the woods.
When I find out, I never look back, and suddenly my life is filled with prophetic destiny, hot alpha shifters, mysterious vampires, Fae princesses, an alien antagonist intent on taking me for himself…
You never know when you might strike up a conversation on Instagram during those designated periods each day spent checking out all the creative content in the bookish community. Every so often, a post or a comment will lead me to an awesome resource, exchange of ideas, or a new favorite book or author, which is how I ended up enjoying a fantastic adult urban fantasy series by A. B. Herron, and that prompted an invite to the author to visit my Sunday Spotlight.
Let’s Meet the Author
A. B. Herron is a dyslexic Indy author who resides in the Pacific Northwest where her Elemental Wolf novels take place. Mingling her studies in anatomy and Zoology, she entwines science and magic to creative effect while plundering the forests for inspiration.
She says her love of reading is her dad’s fault, introducing her to White Fang, Treasure Island, and Call of the Wild before she could hold a book. When she conquered reading for herself, Herron could be found curled up in her closet, tucked away from reality riding on horseback, preforming magic, and later running with werewolves.
Herron works full time, writing in the cracks between responsibilities… and playing with her dogs because she just can’t help herself.
Let’s Get Started
Thank you so much for stopping by, Amanda! I’ve really looked forward to our chat. In the time since we first talked about doing this interview, you’ve planned some exciting events, and I’ve had a chance to read both Watching Water and Hearing Wind.
Your stories tick a lot of boxes for me. The setting covers my favorite neighboring regions. The characters are rich, diverse, and captivating and each time a new one is introduced, they’re more surprising than the last, magical and otherwise.
Besides the individual characters, I adore all the supernatural races who come to life in such fantastical detail, leaping off the pages and fluttering into my world like fairy lights. The delectably spicy interactions are imaginative, fresh, and above all, sensual, which is perfect for the elemental theme and Nora who, as a kindred, is a child of nature.
Let’s start with updates on your book signing events and then we’ll dive into your works and writer’s life. I imagine Portland and the Pacific Northwest in general is a great place to engage in the wild with your readers (no pun intended 😄). I would love to hear about your experiences. How are the venues? What is it like preparing? How do you plan for how many books to bring? Does one event lead to doing another, or how do you find events? (And note to our readers. As I’m writing this, A. B. Herron is gearing up for a big event at Barnes and Noble in Eugene, Oregon tomorrow, and I can’t wait to hear about it!)
ABH. Hi Darci, let me start by saying thank you so much for spotlighting me and inviting me onto your blog. I’ve really been looking forward to chatting with you about all things books. 2024 has been a very exciting year for me so far. I dedicated this year to outreach with readers, which means finding different in-person opportunities, blog spots, and podcasts. Bumping into you was a happy accident (and I enjoyed exploring your romance world as well!).
As you mentioned above, Barnes and Noble was my first book signing last Saturday, and for a first-time event, it went really well. I had some amazing local support from friends who came by to add to their book collections, as well as a handful of curious new readers. My favorite moment was watching someone literally cradle my book after they read the back blurb, then announce “This has to come home with me!” My author’s heart soared, followed closely by the fear of “Oh my gosh, I hope she enjoys it!’ 😆
Because I’m so new to this part of the book world, I’m learning as I go. My biggest recommendation for anyone getting started is to ask questions of experienced authors. The book community is an invaluable resource and I’m so grateful to everyone who has fielded my questions. I should have asked how many books to order. Whoops! In my enthusiasm, I estimated fifty of each copy, and have been told since that I have perhaps overreached. However, I did have twenty books find new homes last weekend, so that was hopeful. The prep work has been multifaceted, everything from designing an aesthetic for the tables to learning how to use a card reader.
These experiences are forcing me to finally set up that mailing list for readers, as well as be more vocal about what I write. I’ve been shy about talking about my book on Instagram, which is funny because that is the reason I got onto Instagram! I’ve been so impressed by your page, by the way, your book content is wonderful to wander through. So to answer your last question I’m not sure if doing one event will lead to others.
The “Hot and Steamy Portland” romance book fair that is happening at the end of the month (May 30th-June 1st) was an opportunity my friend shared with me and I applied and got accepted. Art and Vineyard, which is taking place in Eugene in July (4th-7th), I got accepted into because I made contact with a local author who spearheads a lot of local author opportunities. My best advice, scour the internet, go to local events and talk to people about how they got in, and ask the writing community at large. When people know you are looking, they tend to help you out.
DLL. This is all so fantastic! Thank you for sharing your experiences and awesome tips. And what a special treat to have someone cherish your book even before reading it. You must still be walking on clouds.
One of the things I love most about your stories is how you bring so many layers of the natural world onto the pages. It’s clear that you love the outdoors and you’ve said you enjoy plundering the forests for inspiration, but to be able to tell a story and convey that love through the sensory details is a real talent. I’m imagining that you soak up so much nature that you either journal about it or somehow catalog the things you experience. Can you talk about that aspect of your writing? What’s your process?
ABH. Thank you, Darci. That’s high praise coming from someone who has spent so much time in the Pacific Northwest, I’m happy to hear I did it justice. Honestly, I don’t journal as much as I’d like. My husband is an avid photographer and when he finds a really good spot I will sometimes pull out a notebook to ramble in while he shoots. But that’s rare.
When I am outdoors I pause and really take in my surroundings, from the smells, to how the light filters through trees, and I even stop to watch bugs. Being present, really present, and curious, I think cements these experiences for me so that when I sit down to write, there is a forest already in my head, in graphic detail.
I would imagine that my dyslexia is an asset here because I experience my inner world as a movie with more pictures than words, and it enhances my memory recall to vivid effect. It also means I’m a notorious daydreamer, but I try to stay in the moment as much as possible. 😂
DLL. Well, I have to say your process benefits your readers! And it’s inspiring for writers… and us daydreamers!
One of my favorite sections that demonstrates how you paint your scenes and put me right inside Nora’s head is her first encounter with the griffons. There’s a rich sensuality threaded through all the elements, not just in the spicy interaction between the smart, sassy, and fun characters, but through Nora’s experiences with her wolf, nature, and magic. I’ve been better in recent weeks at highlighting my favorite snippets while I read, and I want to share a few here from Hearing Wind to illustrate.
Benji’s voice was low and calm from the other room, tumbling like cotton balls into my ears over the din of the city seeping through the open windows.
I could feel the weight of the sky pushing down on me, as if it were trying to keep the scenery in two dimensions and my presence was disrupting the symmetry.
[H]is body was precise and controlled, yet fluid, as if he danced in the space he occupied.
A huge moon floated low in the star-cluttered sky. She pulled at me, begging me to slip my skin and come play in her light.
I could smell his fear for me hiding against his skin.
The air had started to take on the flavor of darkness–cool, pulling loam and moisture forward, sun drenched pine needles fading into the background.
…the emotion glided across her face like a shadow of a fish underwater, then dispersed.
And there are so many more prosy spots I captured.
My next question is how long did it take you to write Books One and Two? Did you live with these stories and characters a long time before starting them?
ABH. Oh, what a great question. Nora, my main character, and Zayden showed up in a short story that I wrote for a friend. Yet I couldn’t set them aside and their bigger story just unfolded around me as I began to play with it. Book One is the first book I’ve ever written, and the characters didn’t live with me long before I put them on the page. It took about a year to write Watching Water, and if it wasn’t for a good friend, I’m not sure it would have happened that fast. Getting the book edited and published was another two-year endeavor. Hearing Wind took a little longer to write. I had my writing group by then, which helped me constantly turn out chapters, but my work life got busier, and then the pandemic hit. My characters don’t live in my head for extended periods, they tend to pop up when they are needed, and I have to spend time getting to know who they are after they walk across my pages.
DLL. We share so many parallel experiences. 🙂 For my three-book series, Book One was published rather (too) fast within the first six months, and it was my very first novel. Book Two was published by the end of that first year. But it took me two more years to finish Book Three. And I’m glad because it was important to wrap everything up in the best way possible. So, to our audience today… don’t put that pressure on yourself. Enjoy the writing and listen to your characters. That’s what comes through most to our readers.
Can you share what we can expect to see next? What’s in the works?
ABH. Happy too. With a bit of luck, I will have the next book in the Elemental Wolf series coming out this year. The date keeps getting pushed back, because, well, life. This book is a slight deviation in the storyline because it is taking place right after Book One and during the events in Book Two. The reader will be following Tobin, a morally grey character from Watching Water, who has a lot of redemption ahead of him if he is going to survive. I apologize to everyone waiting for Nora’s next adventure, but Tobin needed a full book (much to my surprise), and it is putting events into motion for Nora. This book challenges a lot of traditional tropes and I’m excited to see how it will be received.
DLL. I totally get how the characters dictate whose story gets told next. As an author, you’ve got to go with your gut. I can’t write unless I’m feeling the character and they’re demanding their story be told.
For my two cents, I’m looking forward to more from Tobin, and you’ve left delicious breadcrumbs to inspire interest in his story. Challenging traditional tropes? Yes! I also can’t wait for more of Nora’s journey, and more from Zayden.
I admit, I’ve got quite a few novels in the works, and different characters call out to me at different times, which is fun because I get to switch between stories and all the novels are progressing bit by bit. Variety is the spice of life, eh?
Who are your top three favorite authors? Or in the alternative, your top three favorite books? What or who has been your biggest inspiration?
ABH. Oh, I never know how to respond to this question because the answer is fluid. Mercedes Lackey shaped me in my teens/twenties. In my thirties, Robin Hobb stole my breath and added to my wonder. And currently, Rebecca Yarros has completely rocked me with Fourth Wing. But I need to add Maria Vale, author of the Legend of All Wolves series. She wrote the romance books I wish I had written.
DLL. Oooh. Thank you for this great list to add to my TBR. Believe it or not, I haven’t read The Fourth Wing. I’m letting all the hype die down. 🙂 I’m definitely getting right on Legend of All Wolves! Those covers rock!
Your website is beautiful. Do you do your own web design? Would you say you’re an indie writer, publisher, and marketer? If so, is that by choice? Do you have plans to publish traditionally?
ABH. 😆 Don’t all Indy Authors have to “do it all”? I did create my website (on Wix), as in those are all my pictures from Oregon and Washington in the background. I am constantly learning how to market and I suspect I could pick your brain for some valuable gems. Going traditional? I mean if I could hand over all the marketing to a traditional publisher that would be amazing. But my understanding is that’s no longer how it works, and traditional authors still have to put themselves out there. So no, I have no plans to go traditional, I don’t have the time to find an agent, and I don’t write stories that fit tightly enough in any one genre to make a traditional publisher happy. So really, I’m Indy by necessity, but we could call it a choice. >laughs again<
DLL. Wow. Nice job! And you hit on exactly the reasons I’m staying Indie. I like the control over all the creativity, and that is such a good point… that we still have to work hard at marketing if we go traditional, so what’s the point? Other than an actual income book deal, but Yikes! The pressure.
What has been your experience getting your books out into the world? Can you share what you’ve found works best and what doesn’t work for you? What are your favorite tools and techniques for creating a manuscript ready to hand off to an editor? Or do you edit your own work?
ABH. Oh wow, how many paragraphs am I limited to? My best advice would be if you want to write, and publish a book series, write the first two books before you publish anything. Send that first book through an editor and take what you learn there and apply it to the second book before it goes to editing so you can change things to make them work better. Once that first book goes to print, affecting storylines becomes a whole lot harder. Pay for a good editor. Get into a writing community somewhere, local, social media, doesn’t matter, you just need people around you who know more than you do. I know there are amazing writers that can edit their own work, but I am not one of them, my dyslexia prevents that, so editors are my superheroes. I also use an independent press for publishing because I didn’t have the time to put toward learning formatting, ISBN numbers, and the rest and it was a good fit for me.
DLL. That is super good advice! I love the bit about writing the first two books before publishing them and wish I had that advice before I published Book One 😁 but then I wish I’d done a lot of things differently. What independent press do you use?
ABH. My publishing service is provided by Luminare Press
DLL. Awesome. Thanks for sharing that. I’ve also had to learn the ropes the hard way when it came to Kindle Direct Publishing (“KDP”) and Draft2Digital (“D2D”) for free publishing and FREE ISBNs (I emphasize free because I’m reconsidering buying a bundle of ISBNs going forward that are mine to use as needed for more control) I’ve been learning how to balance switching between being exclusive on KDP or going wide in other stores through D2D depending on collaborative promos I want to participate in.
So, I will add here for those who are deciding about being an independent publisher as well as an author… Use the excellent tutorials and Google articles! Reedsy and BookBaby offer services and fantastic free articles for independent authors.
You say in your bio that you were diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. I love hearing from writers how they learn to adjust to that challenge. Can you talk a little about how you worked or are working through it for those who might have the same challenge?
ABH. Dyslexia is an interesting neurodivergent condition. It affects everyone a little differently and usually shows up with other neuro disorders. My fun addition is a bit of OCD, but it’s seen a lot with ADHD. At this point, I have a deep relationship with dyslexia and I know how to work with it, where my strengths lie, and where I need the most help. I can’t spell, and that’s the biggest challenge. Spellcheck is amazing, but not a solution.
Now that spellcheck gives definitions with word suggestions, that has been a game changer for me. When the computer would present five different words that all start with the same couple letters, and out of context, I’d be a goner. As a result, people will find “bowel” instead of “bowl”, both words are spelled right, but vastly different and I can’t see that when I’m editing. However, the more I do, the better I get. The thesaurus has been the most help. For instance, I can’t spell “influential” but I can put in “important” and find what I’m looking for. It’s a great workaround.
DLL. Thank you for sharing this. I didn’t know about dyslexia’s relationship to neurodivergent conditions. I have to say, I’m super grateful for all the tools available to us now. I too am constantly using the thesaurus and translation features of Word, and Read Aloud has been invaluable. Hearing my writing has been my game changer for punctuation, word use, and even pacing and story beats.
Now for your writer’s life. You have a full-time job and say that you write in the cracks between responsibilities. I love that. What does that look like for you? Do you grab any writing time you can get? Or do you have a schedule?
ABH. I have tried a bunch of different approaches. Writing at work when I have a free thirty minutes, or fifteen, but those small windows are better for rewriting or editing, not full-on creating. I’ve found the most successful strategy for me is writing on a schedule. Or putting down designated hours during the week to only write. Not market, not answer emails, and no social media. I have my door closed, dog contained in my little home office, with the phone off, writing. Unfortunately, that has been hard to come by recently.
DLL. Ooh yes! I can totally relate. If I want to get fresh writing done for any amount of words–no distractions!
Do you have any tips or techniques to share about balancing your daily life while staying productive as a writer?
ABH. 😂 Yep, don’t have hobbies, friends, or a job. 😆 Seriously though, evaluate how important writing is to you. Do you like the idea of doing it? Or do you need to do it, want to do it, can’t think of anything else? And if it is the latter, then look at your schedule and figure out what you are willing to give up to pursue this, because as much as we want to believe we can “do it all”, we can’t. Something has to be sacrificed, whether it is sleep, movies, social activities, etc. Weekly I’m reevaluating what I’m able to trade for my writing time. For instance, I look for what will make me the most successful in the next hour and put my energy there.
We all simply need to define what success looks like to us. Is it a clean house? A job well done? Time with kids/family? Another chapter written? Another paragraph written? Food shopping? Dinner prepared? The list goes on. To make it even simpler, what do I need to do in the next hour that will make me the happiest later? Because “later me” will only be happy if “current me” puts in the effort. Sometimes it is addressing work challenges, sometimes it is writing a short story. And sometimes it is just sitting and reading a book. My humble advice would be don’t worry about balance, tend to your needs, your heart, and your future self. And somehow it all gets done.
DLL. Ooh! “…later me” will only be happy if “current me” puts in the effort.” This is going in my notes for inspiration. Great advice! Thank you!
Thanks again for chatting with me, Amanda! I look forward to what’s coming next. Any last words of advice for those who want to pursue writing fiction?
ABH. Thanks for having me. I really enjoyed your questions, they made me think more about my own process. To end, I would simply say, if you have a story inside you that you want to tell, start working on it, read a ton, get involved in the writing community, and be curious in your pursuits. Thanks again everyone, let your reading, and your writing, be wild.
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By D. L. Lewellyn 