Another year has passed and we are celebrating the achievements of women worldwide. At a time like this I look back on what I, as a female independently published author in the competitive world of publishing fantasy books, have achieved.
When I stop and take stock, it’s amazing just how far I’ve progressed. Just a measly 30 month ago (two and a half years), I self-published my first epic fantasy novel. Two years after publishing my first book I achieved the USA Today Bestseller moniker.
To date, I have published six books and two novellas, been awarded multiple book awards and my first book has been listed in the Amazon Top 100 bestselling Epic Fantasy books for 2022. That is for all traditionally and self-published books on Amazon. That is quite mind blowing!
And the wonderful thing about it all, is that I love it. I love the whole process from ideation to writing to editing to publishing.
My brain does not stop coming up with ideas for new books, new worlds and new characters. I just don’t have enough hours in the day to think about them and write the story. I have a book ideas folder, where I capture ideas, thoughts and characters, where they simmer until I have time to take them out, air them a bit and really think about them.
I write scenes, sketch the skeleton, flesh out the characters and then store them safely away until I’ve finished editing the next Sentinal book. And there they stay until one of the characters become particularly insistent and invades my dreams, whole scenes unscrolling and demanding to be written in the middle of the night.
I started writing quite late in life. I never planned to be an author. It wasn’t a dream of mine, nor something I was determined to achieve since childhood. I enjoyed words, (a lot more than numbers!) I was always a voracious reader, fantasy being my go to books; Belgarion and his friends kept me company many an evening until I found Lois Bujold McMasters and Miller & Lee’s Liaden Universe.
It wasn’t until 2016, when my life changed quite significantly, and I found myself home alone with my cats and time on my hands. I began writing the Sentinals series and I haven’t stopped since. A creative dam has been breached, and a flood of stories have flowed ever since. Just shows you never know what’s around the corner.
If you are dreaming of becoming a writer, (or even if the thought never crossed your mind!) when the time is right for you, put that pen to paper and let the words flow. It is said there is a story in everyone. I hope you have the opportunity to tell yours. It truly is magical!
I hope you get to celebrate your personal achievements, no matter how big or small. It is those magical moments that inspire us to go on and achieve even more, and each one should be celebrated.
Happy International Women’s Day.
And don’t forget…
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
Helen Garraway 