Books One and Two will be free during my presale launch as part of a giant Romance Author Email Blast promotion. Sign up for my newsletter for the details. Thank you!
I am super excited to finish out the year in an interview exchange with the amazing urban fantasy writer, G Clatworthy. Check out Gemma’s blog for more of our conversation.
I love a good dragon story! And a half-dwarf heroine? Awesome! And that’s just one of Gemma’s series. She has multiple books out in the Rise of the Dragons, and the Omensford series. I invite you to get started on them as soon as you meet the author.
And by the way, the latest in the Omensford series, Exes and Enchantments, was released in October!
Here’s what one reviewer said about Awakening, Rise of the Dragons, Book 1.
I LOVED this book, it’s got some wonderful characters, thrilling world building and not a single page is wasted. This was the first book I’ve read in years that kept me eager to keep turning the page from start to finish. Without giving away any spoilers I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story developed and how the characters were weaved into it.
Can’t wait to start on the second book.
PS I live in the city this is based in, I’ll never look at the castle the same way again!
Gino B.
G Clatworthy started writing during the 2020 lockdown (her first book was called The Girl Who Lost Her Listening Ears, which tells you all you need to know about lockdown!). She soon switched to urban fantasy and she loves mixing the magical with the mundane, especially if it involves dragons!
She lives in Wiltshire, UK with her family and two cats. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing board games, drinking tea and eating chocolate. G Clatworthy also writes children’s books as Gemma Clatworthy.
Thank you for joining me on my Spotlight, Gemma! It has been amazing to find so many new authors visiting my blog who got their start during the pandemic lockdown days. In your bio, you mention that “soon you switched to urban fantasy” after writing a children’s book. What inspired you to focus on that genre?
GC. – I love mixing magic into real life and I enjoy reading in that genre, so I decided to write some books that I’d enjoy reading. Both the Rise of the Dragons and Omensford series are set in the same universe, which is our modern world but with magic; think dwarves and elves wandering around with mobile phones!
It’s a fun genre to write in and, of course, it helps with worldbuilding because everyone is experiencing the modern world right now, so I don’t have to spend lots of time explaining things and can get straight into the story.
DLL. I can relate to that. 😀 I tend to set my fantasy stories in places around the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Cascades in small towns in California, Nevada, and Oregon. It’s fun and effortless to imagine supernatural races living among humans in places that are familiar, which leads into my next question.
I love mixing fantasy elements, races, and cultures with real-world backgrounds and talking to other writers about what they like about that. Can you expand on your favorite aspects of “mixing the magical with the mundane” as you say? And along with that question, do you have any plans to explore other fantasy genres?
GC. I live close to the Cotswolds, which is where my Omensford series is set and I went to university in Cardiff where my first series is set, so I enjoy bringing that level of local knowledge to the books. I think it adds an element of realism which anchors all the magical things that go on.
In terms of other fantasy genres, I’m working on a shared world collaboration called Cozy Vales (check out the authors at www.cozyvales.com) which will be a cosy fantasy world with high fantasy and low stakes. I can’t wait to share that with everyone, it’s the perfect genre for snuggling up under a blanket and reading on a cold winter’s evening.
DLL. What a gorgeous, iconic place to call home. I traveled through the Cotswolds in 1990, and lingered at sites like Warwick Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon. Seeing the River Avon winding below Caesar’s Tower is still sharp in my mind decades later. Before I consumed supernatural romance series, I devoured cozy reads. I will definitely check out Cozy Vales.
Can you give us a peek into your works in progress?
GC. I’m finishing up the next two books in the Omensford series now – those will be out next year and will be the last two in this current arc with Fi and Mort, although I might return to it in the future. One of the things my readers love with this series is the exchange of puns between Fi and her sister, Agatha, so I’m having a lot of fun getting those just right.
As I said, I’m also working on a cosy fantasy collaboration which is a lot of fun to write and read.
Where do you get your inspiration for your characters? Which are your favorite secondary characters from your works and why?
GC. Really, the characters come to me first and this group of witches came fully formed in Book 5 of my Rise of the Dragons series as a sort of Women’s Institute but for witches, and they needed their own series! The main character is Fi, who’s a tech witch with a penchant for blowing things up. In book 1 – Bedsocks and Broomsticks – she loses her job, gets roped into ‘helping’ her mother with the Halloween Fete and becomes suspect number 1 when one of the judges is killed…it’s been described as Jessica Fletcher if she worked in IT, lived in an English village and had magic!
In my first series – Rise of the Dragons – the half-dwarf protagonist is based on a Dungeons & Dragons character a friend of mine had in a campaign we played in many years ago. She played a barbarian who had the attitude of ‘just do it’ and that’s very much my main character’s vibe – her catch phrase is ‘Don’t even worry about it’, when sometimes she very much should worry about whatever it is!
DLL. I love these! I’m currently enjoying Awakening.
What or who is your biggest inspiration that set you on the path to becoming a writer?
GC. I’ve always loved creating stories and worlds so I think in some ways it was inevitable. I took back my commuting time during lockdown after a very hard few months and used that for writing, which helped me protect my mental health and feel a little more normal again. But what pushed me to publish my writing was a deadline for taking part in my first anthology because one of the criteria was that you had to have published a book!
Can you share your top three books? Or in the alternative, top three authors?
GC. Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series – that is my absolute favorite series. Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows is a perfect heist book. And then I struggle to pick a third because I read so widely, so let me share some indie authors with your readers: Heather G Harris, C N Rowan, Kim McDougall, Lynn Morrison are all authors I’ve read this year and are well worth checking out.
DLL. What a fantastic selection to add to my list. I’ve read one of these authors, at least. I really enjoyed Kim McDougall’s Valkyrie Bestiary series.
What can you share with us about your journey from writing to publishing your books? Do you have a team who helps you with editing, marketing, and artwork? What are your favorite tools or software you find most beneficial?
GC. I’m an indie author and I try to keep my costs down, so my favourite software is Pro Writing Aid which is an editing tool that catches typos and passive voice before I send a manuscript anywhere. I also have a great team of beta readers – thanks beta dragons! – and I outsource my covers to design companies because I don’t have the experience in design to do those myself.
DLL. One of these days, I will turn my focus on meeting and working with beta readers. I’ve been shy about reaching out, but I know it is an invaluable part of the journey and process.
Where do you see yourself as a writer in five years?
GC. I would love to either be writing full time or at least have a better balance between the day job and the writing as, at the moment, I’m squeezing it in around my family and my work.
DLL. All the best to you on that!
What is your favorite way to engage with your readers? Along with that, what’s your advice on joining writing communities?
GC. Getting emails from readers is one of my favorite things to see in my inbox, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to your favourite author, especially if you’re saying nice things to them. Other than that, people can find me on Facebook where I also have a readers’ group for my Book Wyrms – check out our meme Mondays! – or Instagram or I am on TikTok, but I find that less of a place to engage with readers.
In terms of writing communities, I think they are fantastic for getting to know other authors, sharing ideas, helping each other out. One of the things I love about authors is that I haven’t experienced any gatekeeping, only everyone sharing their experiences and helping people succeed. Because the world is a better place with more stories in it.
DLL. Ooh, I like that last part, especially. And yes! Bring on the emails and questions. Thanks, Gemma!
You also interview writers. What is the best part of having those conversations and offering a place to share the voices?
GC. I love interviewing writers. Their stories are so inspiring and it’s so fun to learn a little about people whose books I enjoy and their creative processes. You can find all of my interviews with authors on my website: www.gemmaclatworthy.com
Now for a glimpse into your writer’s life. Do you have a favorite place to write? What are your favorite techniques or methods you use to stay creative and productive?
GC. I tend to write either at my kitchen island where I can look out over the garden or on my standing desk. I have set writing times so I don’t get disturbed and my top tip is to write a few notes for the next scene when you stop a writing session because I find that helps me get straight back into it for the next session.
DLL. I keep hearing about this method for stopping a writing session. I try to do that as well, and it really works!
What advice can you share on how to balance your creativity with other aspects of life?
GC. Being organised is my superpower and my life is hectic, so I have writing time each weekday from 6am-7am that I protect to make sure I have that creative outlet. And I have lists of things I want to get done that day or week so I can use my time effectively and work on things that are important.
DLL. I can easily see how sticking to a plan works for you with all that you get done!
I noticed you have a place carved out on your website for crafting. Can you tell us about your other creative outlets and how they benefit your writing or vice versa?
GC. I love crafting, and I know you do too! My favourite is embroidery at the moment and I’ve been making bayeux tapestry style movie scenes for my brother. I can get into the details of my favourite stitches if you want (it’s French knot if you’re interested!), but this is an author blog, so let’s say that I’ve also dabbled in stained glass making, I can knit, spin and sew. I’m making a book nook at the moment which is fun but requires a degree of precision that is tricky. I share all my makes on Instagram, if anyone’s interested.
DLL. Fantastic! You must be super busy this time of year, especially. My imagination is running wild, and I can’t wait to see your posts on these projects, especially the tapestry movie scenes! Stained glass is really challenging. I dabbled in high school. French knots are also difficult but so worth the effort. I bet you do ribbon embroidery, too. 😀
I could discuss needlework all day, but I’ll at least share a couple things here that you brought up in case our readers are interested. I had to look up the Bayeux Tapestry, and I was riveted! The image below links to the Wikipedia article. The second image is an example of French knots from the Craftsy website. I used to take classes there all the time. It made me realize how much I miss it.
Thanks again for visiting, Gemma! Do you have any parting advice for those who want to pursue writing fiction?
GC. Write the words. Remember that the first draft isn’t meant to be perfect and enjoy it.
You can find Gemma on her website, Patreon, Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.
I had a rare week to myself in my small home set on a rural two acres. It’s a quiet spot normally, very little traffic, quiet neighbors, and the music of nature surrounding us. Inside, the place is occupied by one person besides me and two canine kids. Not a big family as families go. But my three are active and keep my home lively. I didn’t realize how much until the human went on an ebike excursion with a friend.
So, after cleaning the house to my satisfaction (also a rare treat), I rolled up my sleeves and got busy writing. I was certain that it would be the most productive week of my writer’s life… Until I kept pausing to listen to the silence. It called to me–needed me to break it up–to liven up my surroundings… like I was used to.
Recently, I interviewed an author who talked about her writing space being in the corner of her game room, the hub of her family. Her advice to other writers was to learn how to tune things out. Coincidentally, as I prepared for the interview I came across a Medium blog that provided famous writers’ advice on daily writing routines. Completely different writers from different eras and backgrounds all had similar advice when it came to sticking to a daily routine. Tune out distractions.
My favorite was from E. B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web, my most adored book as a child.
This was the edition in my extensive childhood library, too. Isn’t that the best title you’ve ever seen on a cover?
I never listen to music when I’m working. I haven’t that kind of attentiveness, and I wouldn’t like it at all. On the other hand, I’m able to work fairly well among ordinary distractions. My house has a living room that is at the core of everything that goes on: it is a passageway to the cellar, to the kitchen, to the closet where the phone lives. There’s a lot of traffic. But it’s a bright, cheerful room, and I often use it as a room to write in, despite the carnival that is going on all around me.
In consequence, the members of my household never pay the slightest attention to my being a writing man — they make all the noise and fuss they want to. If I get sick of it, I have places I can go. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.
E. B. White
Can silence be a distraction? I learned this week that it can. Did I learn how to tune it out? Eventually. I got lots of writing done. But I’ll be glad when my hubby gets home. Next to him in the living room is where I’ll be writing for a good long while.
How is your writing going in November? I hope you have all sorts of great things to be grateful for this month, and if a new novel is one of them, awesome!
All the experts say the best way to improve your writing is to write every day. In my naivete, I initially thought that meant working on my novel every day. Yet somehow, without any intentions one way or the other, my writing took an organic journey down all sorts of wordsmithing avenues. I do so much writing that Grammarly tells me every week I’m more productive than 99% of its users. Sure, that’s a ploy to get me to upgrade, but still! 99%??
So, I thought about that. Obviously, it’s tracking my keystrokes and correcting my grammar, which includes everything I’m doing on my two keyboards. This month that meant: 1) writing a 2000-word short story for a contest; 2) completing a 20,000-word short story for an anthology submission; 3) starting a new novel and reaching 25,000 words (a solid 10 chapters) that I am quite thrilled with because its the best start to a novel I’ve ever had; 4) writing four Q&A interviews, two that posted in November and two for December since I wanted to get a head start before another busy month; 5) assembling and publishing my newsletter; and 6) assembling, breaking down, and reassembling my third novel in my series… otherwise known as the neverending story. Number 7 is email correspondence, and chatting on various platforms with my writing buddies. Hmmm. I don’t know Grammarly, that sounds like the same schedule all my writing buddies engage in. Who are you tracking, anyway? Oh, and number 8 is writing this blog, which Grammarly isn’t tracking because it won’t work in WordPress for some reason.
It’s not exactly Ray Bradbury’s formula for honing writing skills. But maybe it’s touching the outer limits (okay, so he wrote other sci-fi short stories for TV, but I had to use this pun). Here’s Mr. Bradbury’s advice.
The problem with novels is that you can spend a whole year writing one and it might not turn out well because you haven’t learned to write yet. But the best hygiene for beginning writers or intermediate writers is to write a hell of a lot of short stories. If you can write one short story a week — it doesn’t matter what the quality is to start — but at least you’re practicing and at the end of the year you have 52 short stories and I defy you to write 52 bad ones. It can’t be done.
I’ll give you a programme to follow every night. Very simple programme. For the next thousand nights, before you go to bed every night, read one short story. That will take you ten minutes, fifteen minutes…for the next 1,000 nights.
Ray Bradbury
All I know is that I took every one of the five days allotted to me to write my 2000-word story for the contest this month, but I like the idea of getting 52 out in a year so that you have a few good nuggets to proffer to the world, if we can take Mr. Bradbury at his word.
What do you think about about this goal?
On the other side of that coin is reading. The closest I’ve come to reading lots of short stories is participating in short story contests. With Writing Battle contests, you not only write a story but act as a peer judge for ten other stories. While you wait for the final judging you can share your story and read others in an open forum for more feedback exchanges. That can add up to a lot of short stories!
These contests I admit have been a fantastic learning processes. I like the principle of committing to writing a story every week and reading a story every night. But in practice… Hmmm.
Let me know your favorite techniques for staying productive with daily writing.
For more on famous authors and their daily writing routines, here is a great article from Medium.com, which is where the quote from Mr. Bradbury was borrowed.
Happy writing!
This month I’ve got two romance writers from two continents stopping by to give us a dual chat on a day in the life of writing sizzling hot romance, marketing sizzling hot romance, and publishing sizzling hot romance. Abigail Hunter from the U.K. and Meg Stratton from the U.S. are writing buddies and have been collaborating on some exciting projects.
We will dive into their works and projects and find out how amazing they are at supporting and welcoming up-and-coming indie authors into the fold. I met these two through dark romance writer and previous guest, Gigi Meier, thanks to Gigi’s mission to shine the light on indie authors in her Let’s Go Live interviews.
I’m benefitting from this now as I get to know them while working on a new romance novel, which will be part of an anthology of novels with Abigail, Meg, and other great writers in our romance writers group.
Read on and enjoy the sizzle!
Born and raised in Scotland, Abigail has always been surrounded by green hills, forests, and fairy stories. First a gardener, then a carpenter, now an author, she writes steamy stories about passionate and heartfelt characters who fight for what they believe in, especially love.
Here’s what a reviewer says about Tearing You Apart.
I absolutely loved reading Tearing You Apart. This book was so beautifully written I seriously couldn’t stop reading til the very last page. I’m still reeling over this book.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Meg is a new author looking to share her dream that spiraled out of control and has turned into a book or two. She enjoys time with her husband and four children and working on maximizing her way too large urban garden on her tiny plot of land in the Pacific Northwest, spending far too long in her commute thinking of new storylines for her heroines.
Here’s what a reviewer has to say about Oracle: Mia.
Really enjoyed this book so much that I finished this in the same day. If you enjoy: Why choose, spice, aliens, sci-fi/romance, you should read.
Hello Abigail and Meg! Thank you so much for joining me today. I’ve been looking forward to our chat for weeks. You might guess my first question. How did you two get together?
MS: I’m not sure if I found Abigail or if she found me. But at one point about 6 months ago Abigail joined my babyromanceauthor group on IG. There she joined my first anthology book, contributing our spiciest story to the lineup of Fairy Tale stories retold. We have also joined forces to bring a world-building, fate-marked series with many other authors from the IG group and other author friends, coming out in 2024. Abigail has a wealth of book knowledge and is an excellent writer and editor. I’m so happy to have met her this year!!
AH: I feel like Meg has answered this one pretty succinctly!
DLL. I can’t wait to see what comes out of the new fate marked collaboration!
Now we’ll back up a little. How did you each get started on your writing journeys and what moved you onto the spicy path in the romance genre?
MS: I have always been a romance reader, coming and going throughout the years as I had more or less time to read, but I really got into why choose stories during Covid. I was reading so much that I had a very vivid dream that stuck with me when I woke up the next day. I started to write out my dream on my phone, in a week I was parked on the couch with my PC while my partner played games next to me. Within a year, I had written a very rough 300,000 word story. My partner turned to me one day and said why don’t you try and self publish whatever you have been writing over there. ;) He hasn’t read a word of my writing but was willing to back my ambition. The best author support partner.
AH: I was in a pretty bad space in my life last October, and, quite like Meg, I started seeing snippets of scenes and ideas swirling around my head until I decided to write them down. And, when I started writing, I couldn’t stop. Then, in February, I woke up in the morning and said “Right, I’m going to do it.” and by May, Tearing You Apart was published. I don’t feel like I actively chose spicy dark romance. I let my characters guide me, and that’s the direction they take me in. I love writing about intense, emotionally-charged love, and sex and angst are the pinnacles of that in my character’s relationships.
DLL. I love these stories! Thanks so much for sharing. So many inspiring journeys got started during the pandemic. And I can relate. I started writing after reading voraciously all things paranormal romance during the summer of 2020. I had that epiphany and started writing by the end of that year.
How would you each categorize your level of spice and the tone you like to strike with your romance?
MS: I didn’t know what my level would be when I started. I would classify myself as a solid 3 pepper spice level today. As a why choose author, it could be higher as there are multiple players in the relationship though I haven’t explored MM or FF relationships in my books yet. I like how in why choose stories, the characters need to overcome a lot of stigma and standard beliefs around how relationships should be. I love the discovery that the parties go through as they find their partners.
I write post-destruction/apocalyptic stories where the characters are trying to survive and find their way.
AH: Er…that’s kind of a hard one. When I finished Tearing You Apart, I thought it was at least a 4 out of 5 in the spice rating, but some reviewers were rating it 2. I’d say my anthology piece, Blood Princess, is at least a 4. Now that I’ve had time to think and develop my WIP list, I’ve got some very extreme books coming that I’d definitely say were 5s, so much so that I can’t publish them on Amazon! But, at the moment, I’m writing fluffy smutfics and longer books that are heavy on drama and angst.
DLL. This is the kind of insight on spice levels I was looking for. I see so many different ratings and rating systems that it’s easy to get a little lost on how to compare what I write. Thank you!
For each of you, tell me who your favorite character is to date in your respective works.
MS: J (Jaco) from Oracle: Mia, book 1 of my Oracle’s Journey series. Tough, tattooed but obsessed with the FMC and fated to meet her. His looks remind me of Wentworth Miller when he was in Prison Break.
AH: That’s so difficult! I absolutely adore all my female characters. Whether they are strong, meek, powerful, broken, I love exploring their lives and journeys. Out of my published male characters, there is a wolf shifter from my anthology piece called Lucien who I really enjoy reading and writing about. He is incredibly angry and despises his love interest, Ruby, which results in some very intense sex scenes, but, when he opens up and really falls in love with her he basically explodes with softness and will do anything for her.
DLL. Writing book boyfriends in addition to hording them from my favorite books was one of the best surprises in becoming a romance author.
Which character is your favorite in upcoming works?
MS: Wolf in Red is for Roxy. This is my anthology piece that is coming out Nov 15th. He is fun loving, but wants to be called daddy and call the shots with the FMC.
AH: I have a huge list of books I’m planning on publishing over the next few years, but one who really stands out is Sasha. She is a mafia princess, and she falls in love with three men who have been sent to take down her family. Her body is absolutely littered with scars from abuse, she is missing two fingers, and has a huge scar that slices up her face. Her personality is just fantastic. She is so tough, no matter how bad it gets she will fight, she loves her men and her friends so deeply that she will (and does) do anything for them. And her relationships with the three men are so different but so beautiful at the same time. I absolutely love writing her, and I can’t wait to publish her story next year so other people can meet her too.
DLL. Ah… to hear the passion from writers about their stories and characters. One of my favorite questions to ask. These sound fabulous. Thank you!
Can you share more about your respective works in progress?
MS: I will be finishing the second half of Red is for Roxy so that it can be fully published when the anthology is done. Then I will be either working on the fate marked world building story or move onto my gods/goddesses anthology work. So many stories in my head but I actually consider myself a slow writer, I need to maintain a consistent goal plan so that I can manage it all.
AH: Yeeeah, it’s a lot… I have a solid publishing plan until at least 2028. My anthology piece grew to become a fully formed series featuring each of the main fairy tale princesses and that is at least 14 books. I’m writing an omegaverse series which is at least 17 books. I plan on publishing one book of these two series alternating once a month starting next year. The Lovers and Liars series will be five books, (Tearing You Apart is already out, Book 2 is coming in May) but I’ve planned a few spin off series which could be another 8. Then my MM novellas, the first being published December 13th, which is looking to be at least 10 books. And my fated marks book too. So, yeah, you could say it’s a lot…
DLL. Wow! You are both on fire! I will enjoy following your progress. Abigail’s Book 2 in the Lovers to Liars series, Calling You Out, is available for preorder!
Where do you each see your writing careers in five years?
MS: This is so hard to say. I have had a lot of fun with all the projects and writing. The very best part is meeting and helping other new authors find their way. I really enjoy bringing people together to support and rally around each other. Being a baby author is so intimidating. I want to complete my Oracle series in the next 3 years but don’t have a set timeline on that. I think the hardest part is the fact that everyday I think of a new writing idea.
AH: My goal at the moment is for people to love my books. I’m very nervous about publishing so much but I want to put myself out there and tell my stories. Ideally, in 5 years time, I’ll have built up a solid following as well as having a large back list. I want to be earning a steady income, enough that I can call it a job. If I have roughly 40 books out, that feels very achievable!
I see some authors having instant success and I get jealous at times, but, at the moment, I’m approaching it like a slow burn. If I keep working hard and writing good quality books, I’ll see the returns. I mean, obviously, getting instant success would be amazing too. But I’m thinking long term (hence the publishing plan to 2028)
DLL. I love this! Slow burn is a smart approach and building that solid following. I see you both doing well with this right now and I know you’ll meet your goals and then some.
Having gotten involved with you in the Marked Mate Romance project, I’ve seen how much work is involved with shepherding something of this magnitude, but you both have been so awesome to work with and endlessly patient. You’ve got one of these projects well underway. And I must say, I am in love with the idea and the name of your Fairytale Reloaded anthology series… and its cover art. Fabulous!
Tell us about that project and how you put it together, including artwork, marketing, and publishing efforts.
MS: In January of 2023 we (babyromanceauthors) all began talking about doing an anthology together. We decided on the topic of spicy fairy tale retellings. I had already made a publishing company for myself and my books, so I took on the position of organizer and publisher. We all agreed to work together to beta read each other’s stories, design the cover art work, format our works in 3 volumes and promote it throughout. The authors all supported with the ARC reader groups and building up a following.
I started with a calendar of major steps to hit our release date of November 15th. This helped us all know when we needed to support and complete our beta read, final read, formatting, and publishing steps. I supported each other by reading all of the submitted stories and giving tips and guiding the steady increase of spice that I was going for in the volumes. Artwork was provided by Charlotte Mallory who was part of the anthology but had to step out for personal reasons. She took some time to listen to our feedback and build out the 3 covers that get steadily darker as you go.
For the marketing, I wanted to showcase the fairy tale theme throughout the promotion period. I began with fairy tale dresses, shoes, then jewelry. I also wanted each one to give a piece of the story it was supposed to represent but from the author’s new story, a quote, the tropes, etc. I have blended all three of these themed graphics with an image of the author and called out their other works and how they supported during our anthology work. I made many of these graphics available to the ARC group members and my fellow authors to use for reels and their own posts.
Finally, the publishing efforts were times 3. Due to the 3 volumes and the 14 authors, I feel that I have spent a lot of time managing this process. I have learned a lot about Amazon and how this part could go more smoothly in the future. I will say that the covers have been the most difficult to fit the book sizes.
AH: Meg is 100% the show runner for this series. She has done an incredible amount of work to get the project off the ground and keep the momentum running. It’s truly awe-inspiring!
How would you compare the Fairytale Reloaded short story anthology project to the new novel project? Is it more complex? Do you have bigger or different goals? What would you say are the benefits of this kind of collaboration? And what’s next on the author collaboration horizon?
MS: The Fairy Tale Reloaded project was more of a true anthology design whereas the Fate Marked will be a series. The Fate Marked Series will be published under each author with the author setting up the Amazon pieces and completing their own editing. The covers will be designed to be similar and interconnected. Each author will support the others’ launches by promoting on their sites and building ARC readers groups.
I think this new project will be a bit less complex. I also think the goals change as we will be slowly promoting the series over a few months. This may help relieve the pressure of a mass promotion or draw out the promotion piece for longer. Not sure which way will be better to be honest.
The benefits from collaborations on projects like this are the knowledge and support of many minds, writer support in times of frustration and lack of focus, a network of more followers to gather interest in your stories, learning many marketing tricks from each other, and many other perks.
I will be starting another anthology for a goddess/god collaboration in January 2024, to be published tentatively in June 2024. This will be a spin on an existing god story that will be a spicy read. More needs to be discussed in this project as it hasn’t really been worked on yet. I have had a lot of focus on publishing Reloaded.
AH: I agree with all of Meg’s points. The idea for the Fate Marked series is that it is also a long-term project that ideally works around the participating authors own WIPs. The books themselves will most likely be longer than a standard anthology piece (15-50K) (I’m aiming for at least 100K) and there is also a huge amount of freedom to write. The deadline stretches all the way until the end of 2026, with each book being published a month apart, meaning that we’ll organise publishing schedules based around the needs and readiness of each author, as opposed to handling 12 or so full length novels at once. And participating authors can easily work around their own WIPs at the same time.
DLL. Again. Wow! Ambitious and oh so many benefits in collaborating. Truly remarkable and impressive.
Can you each share what you have learned about growing your indie author communities? What has worked best for you? I believe you both do well with Facebook groups. How are those working out?
Meg, maybe here you can share your goals for your publishing company.
MS: For me I started with Facebook and IG. On IG I grew with select follow trains and engaging the bookstagram community. I think I work best and more consistently with IG as it is easier for me to use and connect with.
For Facebook, I and another baby author, Lark Hersey began a group that I have since taken over. I use this group for parties and sharing other authors’ work and book launches. It is mostly designed to be a Spicy readers group so most posts are romance author posts. I also run 1 sometimes 2 Facebook Parties in the group a month. I will be running my next one on Dec 10th for Rhea Ryan’s book launch.
For Stratton House Publishing, I always intended it to be the place where my books can be showcased and as I learn more about self-publishing, I have added a promotions page and a page for the anthology work. I will continue to work on anthologies and possibly open a shop to sell designed stickers and other bookish content.
AH: I stay mainly on Instagram. I gave a lot of group chats I’m part of and friends there, and I also focus on growing my ARC reader list by contacting people directly. I’d say the beat community I’ve found is through the baby romance author group Meg runs, as well as the Fairy Tale anthology group.
DLL. So many exciting ideas and ways to connect. And more follows in the next Q&A! Wow! Thanks you two. I’m sure our readers will get a lot from this section. I know I have.
I would like to dig into your respective writers’ lives. I’ve been eager to chat with two writing buddies from such different locations and backgrounds to enjoy your side-by-side accounts of your daily schedules, favorite places to write, how you stay productive, and how you balance writing with other aspects of life. This is a tall order, but take all the space you want and give us your best tips and practices.
MS: Finding time to write is the hardest part for me. I have a real job that requires me to commute up to 4 hours a day. So if I’m not at work, I’m in my car. When I wrote my first two books, I was working from home and had no commute. Times for writing are hard to find now.
Recently I have been trying dictation as I drive to see if it will help me at least get ideas out. I am a pantser so this may not work as I need to let the characters speak but I’m loving the ability to be creative in a down time. I really get my best work done when my partner plays video games and I sit and write next to them. I work best with a plan, specifically a calendar of due dates. I also have learned to not push myself too hard as it does cause me to burn out.
Tips and Tricks:
Beta readers- I found some amazing ones on the Facebook groups Beta Readers/Proofing/Editing, Beta Readers find Authors, and Indie, Alpha, and ARC readers for ALL Genres. When you find one that works for you, lots of communication and praise for their efforts is important. Hang onto a good beta reader. They are your super fan and will bring others to your stories.
Find an author who writes works similar to yours. They will help you when times are dark, when you don’t feel motivated, or want to bounce ideas off someone. That is how I started the babyromanceauthors group.
Read other writers’ blogs on their writing journey, Facebook groups for authors and see what questions are asked and the answers given, write a short story or novella as a free magnet reader story to gather subscribers to your newsletter and use Bookfunnel promotions to get that free read into people’s hands. Just like anthology, people will read a bit of your writing, like the story and go buy your other books. And while it feels counter productive to give away a book or story, it really does draw people in. Quick personal Bookfunnel fact, I gave away 800 copies of a prequel to my Oracle’s Journey Series (a total of 11k words) in a year. That is 800 people who checked out my story and could have turned around and bought one or both of my books. It’s hard to capture that much of an audience without a magnet story.
AH: I live a really free life. I persist, so I travel around the UK staying in other peoples houses, and it gives me the space to write for however long I want. Sometimes I’m working 12 hours just because I can. I know I’m very blessed to be in this situation so I hope it will continue. I am pretty much a hermit. Unless it’s walking, I don’t really do much with myself apart from write and manage my social media accounts. I live vicariously through my characters. My schedule tends to vary depending on what I need to do. If I’m writing I will take a lot more breaks. If I’m editing I may work for hours without stopping. I prefer lounging on the sofa with my laptop whatever work I’m doing. Unless I really need to smash something out, then I’ll sit at a table!
Meg mentioned dictation, and that’s one of the fastest ways I work. I will spend hours talking out play-by-plays of scenes to my phone and then past them into a google doc and write out the story. Sometimes I spend an entire day planning out a full book just by dictating. It’s an incredibly useful tool and I highly recommend it.
Tips:
Number 1 – always, /always/ get a sample from any editor you’re thinking if hiring. I essentially lost over £1,000 publishing my first novel because I didn’t properly vet my editors. And make sure you keep checking in with them too. (one actually canceled on me 5 hours before I was due to send her my manuscript)
Number 2 – if you feel like you are blocked or stuck, stop writing. Go for a walk, go do some laundry, watch TV, cook, do something to put your brain into cruise mode and wait for the idea to come to you instead of forcing it. The ideas will feel better and more naturally. You’ll soon be able to tell when you’re in the flow.
Number 3 – your first draft is going to be absolute trash, so own it. Even if you use the same word 5 times in one paragraph, you’ve already written a whole paragraph, and that’s great! Dont edit, dont delete anything more than a paragraph. If you need to change a scene, make a new file and call it “Scrap” or “Scenes for later” so you can reference it. Even if your first draft is the worst thing you have ever read, it lays the foundation for you, because you’ve already made a huge achievement
Number 4 – self edit like mad. Before you send it to betas, get your story tight. After betas, tighten it up even more before a dev edit (though I see debs as optional). Do character edits! If you have more than one POV, copy all of their individual POV chapters into one document and run through the whole thing to develop their internal voice. For a copy/line edit, go through every single line of text yourself and look at character movements and see if there are lots of repeats (eye movements is a huge one for any author). And, use Prowriting Aid!! The subscription fee is 100% worth it and you will save money when you send it off for edits. Also, by the time I get to the publishing stage, I absolutely hate my book because I have read it so many times that I don’t want to see another word of it.
Number 5 – always ask for help if you need it. YouTube is great for learning, and there are tons of authors around who are happy to share their knowledge.
DLL. I am definitely going to have to try dictation. Easier on the eyes too, and my eyes need all the help they can get. And again, thank you for sharing so many wonderful ideas here. This is an excellent example of how you both are so responsive to your community. Thank you!
Thank you both again for visiting! And all the best to you on the great things coming your way. Do you have any last words of advice for those getting started on their writing journeys?
MS: Write for you. You will get criticized, people will be mean and will give poor reviews. Know what you can handle. Have a friend or your beta read the reviews and share the most important takeaways. Don’t take random strangers’ thoughts as a personal attack. One comment sent me on a 2 day spiral of why do I do this, I’m the worst author. It took another author to remind me that I write for myself, I write for my super fan, I write for my future super fans. Hold on to what drove you to write and publish your work.
AH: Agree with Meg. And don’t try and change your story to fit other people’s likes and dislikes. It’s your story, you know what’s right and wrong. Feedback can be amazing, but don’t go overboard. Find a people you can trust to give you honest feedback and criticism to make your story better, not just turn it into what they want. And, make sure you are proud of your work. When it comes to the publishing deadline, make sure you’re sitting back and thinking that you have done your best and you are happy with the end result. Every review is someone’s personal opinion, and, even if it’s a negative review, if you are proud of the story you’ve written, then everyone else can fuck off.
DLL: Fantastic advice! Both of you. Are you sure you’re baby authors?? Thank you so much.
Abigail Hunter: Instagram, Facebook group, TikTok, Goodreads, and sign up for her newsletter. Www.authorabigailhunter.com
Meg Stratton: Instagram, Facebook group, Facebook , TikTok, Goodreads, Amazon, and Threads. And Meg says stalk me at: lnk.bio/megstrattonauthor
I’m talking about Grammarly here. It’s stalking me even as I write this and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Still, the invisible English professor peeping over my shoulder has saved me from embarrassment too many times already, and I’ve only just invited him into my writer’s den.
But is his constant presence worth the distraction? That little red underline flashing at me and the errors stacking up on the right are so annoyingly in my face that I often have the urge to holler, especially when it makes a stupid suggestion. Wait… What? How can you “meets” someone? [Confession, my structure needed changing… again. Now meets makes sense.]
I came across a glaringly simple tip for pounding out that first draft. Turn off Spellchecker! But it’s scary now that I’ve come to count on Professor Tom standing behind me with a comforting hand on my shoulder. [Grammarly told me to use “his” hand and not “a” hand. I like “a” better, dang it!] I’m so conflicted! I don’t want to miss a single, horrible, cringe-worthy typo, and I like that the professor is always ready to help me restructure my sentence [As alluded to previously, I can bang out a sentence backasswards with the best of them]. I admit using this tool and others like it has trained my brain to type it right more often now. (I just typed “write” instead of “right.” Eeek!)
The other issue… My comforting professor is a double agent and spies for Big Brother… [I’m just adding this for drama… but it makes you think.]
A blurb from Grammarly:
Grammarly helps people communicate with confidence across devices and platforms. Our AI-powered suggestions appear wherever you write, coaching over 30 million people and 50,000 teams every day to improve the correctness, clarity, engagement, and delivery of their writing.
Yes, statistics… lots and lots of statistics. My fiction writing is data now. Okay, it’s for my benefit to help me be a better writer, but Grammarly crunches all that data to learn how we humans can better engage our readers… Hey, I’m the one who invited the professor in.
Here are the statistics Grammarly highlighted for me to fix more areas… if I pay for the premium version:
Overall, no critical issues.
Wordy sentences = 3
Incorrect phrasing = 2
Unclear sentences = 2
Misplaced words or phrases = 1
Word choice = 1 (backasswards)
Intricate text = 1 (what does this mean?)
More… = 2
You might be interested to know two of the problem spots were in the blurb from Grammarly. 😁
Happy writing! Let me know what you think about Grammarly or generative AI tools like it.
Memories of light, my sinister delight,
Lucky Noma
Haunted vision, this is my life.
In shadows I wander, lost in despair,
A soul consumed by sorrow, beyond repair.
Each day unfolds with a somber hue,
A symphony of darkness, my heart subdued.
Echoes of laughter whisper in the night,
But their warmth fades, swallowed by endless fright.
Gone are the days of innocent bliss,
Replaced by a void, where darkness persists.
A twisted dance of pain within my soul,
A haunting melody that takes its toll.
The weight of sorrow, a burden I bear,
A broken spirit, trapped in this despair.
Silent tears fall like rain in the night,
Drowning my hopes, extinguishing the light.
In the depths of my being, a mournful song,
A requiem for a life that’s gone wrong.
Loneliness clings to my every breath,
A constant companion, the harbinger of death.
Oh, how I long for solace and release,
To find a glimmer of hope, a moment of peace.
But the darkness lingers, it won’t let me go,
A perpetual torment, an eternal woe.
Memories of light, a distant memory,
Lost in the shadows, where pain finds me.
My heart, an abyss, forever confined,
To this dark and sad existence, my mind.
Find Lucky Noma’s books and short stories on Amazon and Substack.
Enjoy this video Lucky created for his poem. More of Lucky’s dark fantasy video stories are on his YouTube channel.
I love sharing works by so many wonderful creators. For more, sign up for my newsletter. As a thank you, you’ll get access to a free download of my story Beneath the Prismed Light.
Comments welcome.
What an exciting debut novel from this urban fantasy author, giving readers a quest, romance, and magic, and bringing together great characters to fight a sinister darkness.
Solum is the first in this series for G. M. Chmilar’s The Faith of The Three and it is just that. Gabrielle tells us it is a place where magic lives and exists, hiding in plain sight.
Inspiration for Gabrielle’s writing comes from various television shows, movies, video games, Dungeons and Dragons, and music. All of this is amalgamated into characters and places that are relatable and close to home.
When Gabrielle isn’t writing, she works as a Training Facilitator in Edmonton, Alberta. She plays video games and bakes and believes that you should always strive to be the person you needed when you were younger. Gabrielle says she wanted everyone to find something to love in her books.
Thank you so much for visiting with me on my blog today, Gabrielle! Lately, I feel like I’m in an exciting club with many of my guests who have launched their first book as part of a series. Can you give us a description of The Faith of the Three world and tell us about what’s coming next?
GMC. Well okay. The Faith of the Three world is our present world. What would it look like with magic? Of course, the government would be hiding it, having secret operations to keep it under wraps with their own soldiers as well as the soldiers who wield magic. Mystical creatures live among us, working their 9-5s, night shifts, and whatever works for their natural strengths. Vampires work in the morgue or the hospital. They can smell death before it happens. I have an orc who runs a butcher’s shop with his half-human half-orc son. There’s magic in places you don’t think and they hide in plain sight. I want to expand the world and show you what magic looks like in the 20s.
I would love it if you could talk a bit about the magic system so integral to this story. I enjoyed this Instagram post where you make a point about not needing to resort to magic to fix everything. Can you talk about that?
Magic cannot solve everything. If it did, we wouldn’t need Sentinels. Science sometimes prevails since magic is dependent on the strength and constitution of the wielder. It is sometimes better to go the long route than it is to fix a problem quickly. ~ Solum
GMC. Okay, so magic sometimes is unreliable. It takes a lot of control, concentration, precision, and talent. I have a few reels that show elemental incantations, how magic needs to be wielded, and the dangers of losing control. Fire is a good one. Fireballs are cool but no one talks about how hot it is–like if you lose control of it you can burn yourself. I really want the magic system to be consequential. It’s like handling heavy machinery. You need practice, training and a manual would be nice. So sometimes magic can be helpful, but it’s not a one spell fixes all.
DLL. Fantastic. I’m getting a sense of what it’s like to be in this world.
Can we expect more novels to come from The Faith of the Three? What other series or books are in the works?
GMC. Yes. I just finished the draft of the sequel in this series. It expands the world and focuses on the larger problems that the main characters have and answers questions that weren’t answered in the first book. There is intrigue and romance. You watch the characters grow and change, learning what love is, what family is, and what sacrifices were made to keep secrets safe.
DLL. All fabulous elements! Congratulations on a finish!
I find it fascinating that so many fantasy writers I know are inspired by dungeons and dragons. I can definitely see where it comes from, though I have never participated in role-playing games. Can you tell us more about how gaming shapes the worlds you enjoy creating? Were there characters or settings you developed over time in this medium that you brought to the pages of your writing?
GMC. Gaming shaped mostly my magic items, character weapons, and character strengths and weaknesses. I wanted each person to be special in their own way and it benefits the group. There’s a healer, a fighter, a thief, things like that. The characters all have DND character sheets that you keep track of to help make them more fantastical. The scenarios come from games, movies, and anime. I love action movies and adventure movies. When I am in a funk I’ll re-watch The Mummy or Zorro. They have my heart with pure romance, an unlikely hero, and a story that’s swoon-worthy.
In addition to games and shows, I’d love to hear how music has influenced your writing.
GMC. Yes. Each character has their own preferred genre. One of the characters I want her to sound like a Taylor Swift album. If I have to write her chapter Taylor Swift is on repeat. On top of that, I listen to certain types of songs depending on the scene. If it’s a club scene I’m playing club and rave music. If it’s a fight scene it’s heavy cinematic Marvel-type songs so I can see the battle in my head.
DLL. I love this! There are so many ways I’ve heard of where music inspires writing or gets the writer in the mood, but having a genre you listen to for each character or scene sounds so fun, and obviously it’s effective.
Who are the top three authors you’ve been inspired by the most? Or in the alternative, what top three books inspired you?
GMC. I love Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo, The Diviners by Libba Bray, and a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I grew up on Buffy and I based my dialogue on it. Lots of witty banter, teasing, and relationships that feel authentic.
DLL. Thank you for the recommendations! I was a bit old for Buffy… I thought. Then I discovered Angel when it went streaming. That lovely bit of broody vampire fun is a regular binge session these days.
Have you always wanted to write a novel? What set you off on your writing journey?
GMC. Yes. Always. It has been a dream since I was a child and I’ve been writing since then. I wrote a ton of fanfiction. Telling stories has always been my favorite and making up scenarios of love and adventure drives me.
DLL. I love hearing how writers have followed a passion from such a young age and are making it a reality. Way to go!
You have had several opportunities to take your book to signing events. What’s it like? How do you prepare and know how many books to bring? What are your favorite things about getting out there and meeting your readers? What are the challenges?
GMC. It’s long and tiring and fun. I love getting out there. I don’t usually do much to prepare. I bring 10-30 books depending on the location and a Sharpie. Since I don’t have any merch I don’t bring anything else. I really like saying hi. Even if I don’t know if people are going to buy my book that day or at all, it’s just nice to say hi. It’s not about selling, it’s about getting your name out there and making connections. Just like Instagram or socials. Make connections. I think meeting my readers is the coolest thing in the world. I met a young person who told me they loved my Instagram and I nearly died. It was so humbling and wonderful I wish everyone could meet their readers.
DLL. I love it! That is a great endorsement for doing book signings! Thank you.
What resources have you assembled for your team or processes to finalize and publish your books? Do you have an editor, cover designer, ARC readers? Are you traditionally, hybrid or independent published? And what are your thoughts about the pros and cons of the different routes to publishing?
GMC. I wish I knew more about publishing before I did it because I probably would have had a team of betas and editors, but it is what it is. I’m a hybrid, I knew I wanted to be in a big box store and I don’t have time to keep track of my own sales since I still work a full-time job. I know some people do both but it just wasn’t for me. I think being traditionally published is really cool and difficult. It’s hard to get out there. Being an indie author has its hardships but it comes with freedom. A freedom of creativity and control. I think it’s best to find the route that suits you.
DLL. I’m finding every author’s experience is unique yet the pros and cons come out fairly evenly. Thank you for sharing your journey through publishing.
Let’s talk about your writer’s life. Do you set goals and plan your novels, or is it purely a spontaneous enjoyment?
GMC. I have goals and timelines. Because of my full-time job, it takes me a year to finish a draft and another year to edit and publish. It gives me time to sit with the novel and ensure it is exactly what I want.
DLL. I like that schedule. There is time to do it right and make it shine, but it’s also a reasonable length of time for the readers to get the next book. I’m happy for you that you’ve found a schedule that works!
Do you have a favorite place to write? A preferred time of day, techniques, or methods to help with productivity?
GMC. I sit at my desk. I love it. I have a great chair, lights, and dual screens. Usually, nighttime after work is best, but if I can, I’ll spend a whole day writing. I think about my books all day during work hours and at night. I dream of it. I don’t have many techniques but I can just have fun. If you have fun and you love it, it comes off the page. It doesn’t matter if it’s not for everyone, what matters is that you love it.
DLL. Very nice! I’m going to save that and pin it to my project board! Thank you!
What are your favorite tips for balancing work, home, and your creative life?
GMC. Go with the flow. Listen to your body. If you’re tired the creative juices don’t flow well and you can’t force it. Find inspiration in places you love and explore different places in your life and city. Sometimes the best things come from the most unexpected places and people.
DLL. Another great piece of advice.
Thank you so much for chatting with me, Gabrielle! Do you have any parting words of advice for those who want to pursue a writer’s life?
GMC. Don’t be so hard on yourself. There are days that are hard, and there are days that are worse, but all that matters is that you keep going. Write that memoir, that poem, that story, write what you feel and what you need. It’s for you to share first before your readers to read.
You can find books by G. M. Chmilar and stay up to date on Gabrielle’s website and Instagram. Feel free to leave us questions and comments.
I was just chatting with my writing buddy in Scotland about pushing on despite the relentless Imposter Syndrome and this popped up in my inbox. I love synchronicity. Enjoy a little boost to quell that inner editor. And remember writing is all about the joy.
syn·chro·nic·i·ty
/ˌsiNGkrəˈnisədē/
noun
the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.
im·pos·tor
/imˈpästər/
noun
noun: imposter
- a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.”
I can always find an image to illustrate my theme at ArtStation.com. I hope you also enjoy a nice bit of art from Arijit Majumder.
By D. L. Lewellyn 