Today, I am joined by dark romance author Suzannah C. Grose to talk about her debut novel Turned Into Gold.
Helen: Welcome Suzannah. Congratulations on publishing your first book. Tell us about your book, Turned Into Gold.
Suzannah:Turned Into Gold, A handsome but insane scientist with a tortured soul is in love with a beautiful young woman who is brutally raped and murdered. He wants to bring her back to life and avenge her murder. Can he bring her back to life? And if so, will she love him as much as he loves her? Will he discover who committed the murder and how will he get his revenge? This story illustrates the transformative power of love and the inner strength needed to rise above horrific circumstances.
Helen: That is quite a tough subject to write about, and gives me Frankenstein vibes with the man’s efforts to bring her back to life. Why did you write this particular book?
Suzannah: It was for a contest that I wanted to enter, but my husband told me to publish it myself.
Helen: Your cover is quite simple, but I love the splash of gold. Tell us how you decided on the design.
Suzannah: I kept going back and forth between different book covers. Nothing seemed to fit the story. I had an idea what I wanted to look like, and one of my best friends made it for me. I love it!
Helen: Who is your favourite character from your book?
Suzannah: Theodore Black, he’s a morally grey character that you can’t help but to love him. He’s a dark and mysterious character, but he absolutely would do anything for Elizabeth. I would love anyone that would love me the way that Theodore loves Elizabeth.
Helen: When did you realise you had a passion for writing?
Suzannah: When I was in third grade, I won a writing contest. I used to write fan fiction and stories on Wattpad. So, I have always loved writing since a young age.
Helen: It’s so great that your love of writing has stayed with you. Which genre do you prefer to write?
Suzannah: I write dark romance, romance, thriller… Mostly dark romance and romance novels. I love writing novels in the dark romance genre because I like more of a realistic story. In real life, love is not just rainbows and butterflies. Sometimes it’s hard, dark, but you come out of it with a beautiful love story.
Helen: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
Suzannah: I published my book in 2022.
Helen: Publishing a book is pretty special, and such an accomplishment. If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?
Suzannah: I think Theodore Black would say, “People would love to read mine and Elizabeth’s story because it shows the power of love.”
Helen: What is the most useful piece of writing advice you’ve received, and by whom?
Suzannah : I would have to say, “Show not tell.” I have to remind myself that when I’m editing and making sure, I’m showing what is going on in the story and not just telling the reader what is happening.
Helen: Every writer experiences self-doubt. How do you overcome the fear and the little voice in your head to keep writing?
Suzannah: When I read a review on my book or even a rating, it pushes the negative thoughts away.
Helen: Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?
Suzannah: Free form mix with planner, I have bullet points that I used to help write. It helps me remember what I have to write in a chapter or keep track of something.
Helen: Thank you for joining me today. It’s been great chatting to you. Just to finish, what are some of the books you read recently that you would recommend to others?
Suzannah: Four Treasures of the Sky. I love the book, I will definitely recommend it to anyone. I did not see the ending coming, I was very shocked.
About the Author
Suzanne C. Grose
Suzannah Grose is a writer and poet. She loves to write and she loves to read. Her first book came out in 2022, it’s called Turned Into Gold. You can find it on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to indie science fantasy author Amy Marie Ayres about her debut novel Star Sick.
Helen: Welcome Amy. Tell us about your book Star Sick.
Amy: So, STAR SICK was released back in April, partly as a joke to myself that I could get it ready for release on that day (4/20) but also because I felt it was the only one of my ongoing projects that was finally ready to be out in the world.
It was a bit of a nerve-wracking decision, but the overall response has been great. Not everyone gets it, but I expected that as I was writing it. It’s kind of a niche genre wherein it embraces its tropes, but its parodic so it makes fun of itself. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, if that makes sense- from a writer who very much does from time to time.
Helen: I thoroughly enjoyed reading Star Sick, and loved the nod to the Wizard of Oz. (You can find my review here.) Your cover contains many elements. Could you tell us a little about it?
Amy: I love this cover by Miblart, they were recommended to me by other indie authors, and I still use them. They really understood what I was going for. Luccee really is the center of the story, but reluctantly so, and this image is the part of the story where she really starts to embrace her true nature-I could go on.
Without too many spoilers, the color on her face is the result of her encounter with an alien species in the distant celestial city where she ends up. Her hair was short at the beginning, but has since grown out, showing the passage of time. And she is hiding in the brush watching something- it’s a scene right out of the book.
The images around her represent her world and her relationship to it.
Helen: Miblart did a great job! The cover is very distinctive. Why did you give your book the title Star Sick? Is there a special meaning, or back story about the title?
Amy: I love this question because I have such a fun answer. All the books in this eventual series will have the word Star in the title. So, the other titles I was throwing around for this one will eventually be used. One day someone on twitter said: “replace one of the words in the current title of your WIP with the word sick.” I did that, and they commented and said it would make amazing title and that she would read it. Thus, STAR SICK was born.
Helen: Your books sounds very intriguing, understanding your thoughts behind the cover and title is so interesting. What made you write this particular book?
Amy: When people ask me this question, I try to nail down the exact reason, as to not ramble on and waste their time, but there are just so many reasons.
First, the initial idea for Luccee honestly came out of some unfortunate pre-pandemic depression I wasn’t even fully aware of. I had concluded a few years before that some of my familial relationships were unhealthy and I was carrying some unhealthy baggage as a result. I started channelling some of that into the writing of this character who I felt was deeply misunderstood. I wasn’t sure how far I would take that, I think I took it to levels beyond even what I was experiencing, for some comedic effect.
With some therapy, and some improvement to my daily life, I was starting to feel better, but this was ironically just before Covid hit and the lockdowns happened. The lockdowns terrified me to be honest, as did Covid at the time. But I had this odd feeling of like, I didn’t really miss socializing (at first). I just wanted to keep me, my family, and others safe.
But I started taking a closer look at society during that time, why we do what we do, how we are influenced by each other and the media-it’s all in there. A large part of the premise of the book is that sometimes what people tell us about the world and ourselves isn’t always true, but it’s what they need us to think now so that the status quo can be maintained and there isn’t mass panic-especially in a dystopian world, where people are always grasping for normalcy.
There always seems to be a convenient scapegoat for society’s problems, and Luccee fit the bill. I began to think of how invasive it would be for it to be illegal to want to stay inside and avoid socializing because of your introversion, trauma, neurodiversity, or whatever reason.
I thought about how some aspects of society are very much predicated on our abilities to socialize and network and expand our circles beyond our comfort zone. I started asking myself questions: When it is good to do that? When is it not good? I wanted to explore and pick it all apart. But I’ve rambled long enough!
Helen: I think every author can ramble on about their books. I know I can! It is part of the joy of being an author and being so proud of our creations. Tell us about your protagonist in Star Sick and why you wrote them.
Amy: Luccee is the FMC in STAR SICK, like I said she sort of represents who I would be if I ever really went off my rocker and if I was put in a similar position of having to choose between assimilation and freedom. Luccee has a lot to learn about herself, and I hope I accurately depicted that kind of emotional transitional arc of still having to grow as a person even when you fight it tooth and nail.
Helen: If Luccee could answer the question: Why should we read your book? What would she say?
Amy: A true answer would give away the ending, but I’ll just say that Luccee would want people to know all the things she learned about the universe and herself. She would want this book to exist purely because it is an historical account of everything she and her friends went/go through. And people in our time as well as the future beyond her future could stand to learn from their journey.
Helen: What are you working on next?
Amy: So true to form I always have more than one going, they are usually just at different stages. I am currently writing a prequel to STAR SICK, that I hope will be just a fun little novella teaser for the series. My big fancy project still in the editing stages, is Five Doors. It has some similarities to STAR SICK, but it’s a contemporary/paranormal fantasy novel about a different woman named Marilyn with different problems in a much different world. She’s friends with the devil, but that’s all I’ll say!
Helen: Intriguing! Let’s move onto your writing process. How do you fit writing into your normal day?
Amy: For me, the only way this was possible was by moving my writing beyond a hobby and doing my best to exist within the writing sphere daily. So, I work in the publishing industry, I have groups of writing friends and critique partners, I consistently market myself and network in the industry, etc. But of course, like anything else since the birth of my daughter I tend to give her all the time and attention I used to give my writing. Schedules and calendars keep me honest! NaNoWriMo ensures that I make myself write a good chunk at least two months out of the year.
Helen: It can be tough to juggle so many responsibilities and fit in writing as well. When you do get a chance to write, do you prefer silence when you are writing or do you have a favorite playlist?
Amy: I find music incredibly inspiring. I tend to like to listen to anything that feels cinematically immersive, where my mind can paint pictures of what is happening in the song either musically or lyrically. It can happen with my favourites or even a random Spotify song I’ve never heard before.
Singer/Songwriters (especially rock and folk) are fantastic storytellers. When I started writing Five Doors, I almost exclusively listened to the album Once I was an Eagle by Laura Marling. If you’ve never heard of her, I highly recommend going back through her discography, there’s something for everybody.
You know who is incredibly inspiring is Twenty One Pilots, lyrically they are just all over the place, but I love it and the music itself does lend itself to sci-fi. They tell stories too.
Funny enough, Steve Miller (of Steve Miller Band) is an incredible storyteller, so was Elliott Smith. You can listen to those guys, they have incredibly different vibes of course, but you can sort of build a universe within the music. Those are just two random examples.
I recommend listening to a song called Beg, Steal, or Borrow by Ray LaMontagne it’s a great example of what I’m talking about. Songs that move you emotionally-happy or sad, I really think they get those neurons firing.
Helen: Writer’s can take inspiration from almost anywhere!Have you had any trouble with writer’s block and any tips to overcome it?
Amy: I hope I don’t come across as a jerk saying this, but I’m one of those people who doesn’t believe in writer’s block. I believe in the things that cause it: grief, self-doubt, or even happy times when we are just too busy with our wonderful lives to write (it happens!)
The way that we overcome it by whittling down to our reasoning to what is holding us back. Because each time we experience “writer’s block”- it could be for a different reason, so we get frustrated because our previous methods to overcome it stop working.
I think I would recommend to anyone who frequently experiences writers block to have a separate journal just for pouring out some angst that isn’t tied to our writing. I suggest writing a few pages before you attempt your current project again, and getting down to the bones of why you feel stuck, that often helps get us unstuck. I also have some great suggestions here.
Helen: Thank you for sharing such great advice. Do you have to do much research when you are writing a book?
Amy: The research for STAR SICK sort of did itself, as the news and internet were in our faces every day. I find I do tend to do a lot of research for this universe from daily hot button topics to broken societal ills, to even specific things about our planets and universe and space travel. For this type of book even memes are great research. People channel a lot of hostility toward society into memes these days.
Helen: Thank you so much for spending time with me today, it’s been great chatting with you. Just to finish, do you have any advice for new or aspiring writers?
Amy: You have an amazing, fun skill/craft, so don’t waste it or throw it away when people doubt you. Find some writing friends, they will help carry you through to the next stage beyond “new writer”. But also know you won’t be “good at this” for a long time. The process takes decades to perfect, and years to even get close to slightly better, so you need to embrace that now.
Know that the first few things you write are not going to land at all, and they will be terribly written. But keep at it and you’ll get better. Also, the people with the most confidence are usually faking, so don’t be intimidated by them. And yes, doll, you do need an editor. It’ll be the best money you ever spent.
About the Author
Amy Marie Ayres
Amy is an author who writes a variety of genres including comic dark romance, women’s fiction, speculative dystopian science fiction, and magical realism based on Irish folklore. She has a background in poetry and was previously an academic. Amy has experience with voice acting, theater, podcasts, and comedy writing. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, stepson, daughter, and cat. Amy’s debut novel Star Sick, a humorous science fiction novel with talking robot dogs, is now available on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Author ofUnnatural, Book One of the Dream Walker series.
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to indie fantasy romance author H.M Duval.
Helen: Welcome and congratulations on your forthcoming release of your second book in the Dream Walker series called Untouchable which is currently on preorder. Tell us about your Dream Walker series.
H.M Duval: I am currently working on my second novel, Untouchable. It is the second book in the Dream Walker series, the first of which (Unnatural) I published May 2023.
The Dream Walker world takes place hundreds of years after worldwide nuclear devastation. What’s left of humanity survives the harsh conditions by staying inside walled cities. The main character, Penelope Kendall, is a citizen in one of these cities who works as a guard for the Executors, a fascist military group running the human government. Their mission is to protect what’s left of humanity from the mutated flora and fauna of the wilds outside the walls, while also preparing for a second war that will eradicate mankind’s greatest threat, the savage Unnaturals, from the face of the planet.
Having spent her entire life inside the walls of her home city, Penelope doesn’t dream of anything other than survival and protecting her family. But the mounting pressure she feels within the walls is driving her toward a breakdown. Tensions come to a head when she’s threatened with criminal charges for defending herself. She decides to defect: leave the safety of her city and travel far enough away that her defection and crimes can’t follow her.
Survival is anything but guaranteed, and would be completely impossible without the unexpected help of one of the very Unnaturals she had been defending her city from. Together, she and her enemy must become a team in order to survive – if they can manage to see eye to eye.
What starts as an uneasy alliance grows into a powerful partnership. One that has the potential to change the course of the entire world, if they are brave enough to face it.
The Dream Walker series is a planned trilogy intended for mature audiences, and it is recommended to read them in order.
Helen: Your cover is very distinctive and has many elements. How did you come up with the design?
H.M Duval: I LOVE my cover! It’s one of my favorite parts of the book. The woman on the cover is how I imagine Pen: vulnerable but shining with inner strength. There’s a certain fragility about her, covered in facets and cracks, but she’s determined. The cracks also bleed into branches, speaking to one of the larger themes throughout the series. It took a lot of trial and error to get it right (and great feedback from my beta babes), but I’m thrilled with how it turned out. I made it myself via Canva using Pixabay stock photos as a base.
Helen: I think that is one of my favourite questions, because there is always so much more to the cover than you first realise. You did a great job! Not only an author, but a cover designer as well. Why did you give it the title Unnatural? Is there a special meaning, or back story about the title?
H.M Duval: The title, on the surface, refers to the beings that live outside the walls. But it also speaks to the way that Pen doesn’t quite fit into her society, how she is deemed ‘unnatural’ because she thinks and behaves differently. And, in accepting those differences, she discovers that she has the ability to Dream Walk, a skill that transports her out of the natural world and into a spiritual one.
Helen: Your books sounds very intriguing, understanding your thoughts behind the cover and title is so interesting. What made you write this particular book?
H.M Duval: This book series is particularly precious to me. The story itself was inspired by a dream when I was a teenager, but I didn’t have the skills or experience yet to deliver it the way I wanted. So it sat on a shelf in my mind for many years, through college and early parenthood. And then I decided it was time to give it another chance, and I’m so glad that I have.
Helen: Congratulations on publishing your book. That is such an achievement, and I am so glad you are planning a series. When did you realise you had a passion for writing?
H.M Duval: I’ve always loved storytelling and writing. I remember writing my first “book” in third grade, when we had a class project to tell a story and the teacher had them bound into hardcover books. Which, in hindsight, was a ridiculously cool project to inspire elementary school students to think of themselves as authors! I ended up asking for more pages because I wanted to tell a longer story. Over time, I had more and more stories incubating and hatching in the corners of my mind. All those stories kept clamoring for attention so, really, I had no choice but to give in and become an author!
Helen: You had great teachers! That really is a cool project. That feeling of holding your finished book in your hand is unbeatable! Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
H M Duval: Remembering all the little details I’ve seeded throughout large story arcs that span multiple books, and making sure they all get to germinate and grow. I’ve started using a new drafting/outlining process as I prepare to start the third book in the Dream Walker series, though, and that has helped a lot.
Outside of that, giving myself grace to ride the ebb and flow of creative inspiration is one of the best ways I’ve found to combat writer’s block. And it really helps to be an indie author–I can set my own timeline!
Helen: Who inspired you to write? Who are your favourite authors?
H M Duval: I’ve always enjoyed writing for myself, but it wasn’t until I got brave and told one of my friends about the Dream Walker idea I’d been harboring for twenty years. She asked me if I was going to publish and I said, “Oh, probably not.” Without missing a beat, she asked, “Why not?” and I realized I didn’t have a good answer. So I started paying attention to authors that I looked up to, like Elise Kova and Ruby Dixon, and asking myself, “If they can do it, why can’t I?” So I did!
Helen: I’m so glad your friend made you think twice. Writing is such fun! Which genre do you enjoy writing?
H M Duval: Fantasy Romance. I’m a big believer in finding the magic in the mundane, and there is something profound about fantasy stories that invite us to reach beyond ourselves, to reach for something bigger than we thought possible. And then we have the opportunity to bring that inspired version of ourselves into our daily world. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good love story. It’s so human, so very integral to the way we each live and navigate our world, whether or not that love is romantic.
Helen: You mentioned you are writing book two, tell us a litttle about your progress.
H M Duval: Untouchable is the sequel to Unnatural, and the second book in the Dream Walker series. It digs deeper into themes of choice and family, of conquering past demons to embrace the future. Of needing to be completely dismantled to build something new. And that’s all I can really say without giving anything away!
Helen: If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?
H M Duval: Her story is worth sharing, because she’s a woman we can all relate to. We resonate with her experiences and, in putting a voice to her journey, resonate on a deeper level with ourselves.
Helen: Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
H M Duval: I’ve really come to understand myself in a different way. The creative side of myself, the muse, I’d not really given a lot of time and space to. It didn’t feel productive or “real” enough to warrant spending intentional time on. But since giving myself permission and really digging into my creative process, I’ve learned more about myself and my thoughts and emotions. And I’ve been able to connect with readers where my books have become the bridge that binds us together. It’s incredible!
Helen: Thank you so much for spending time with me today, it’s been great chatting with you. Just to finish, all writers experience elements of self doubt. Could you share how have you overcome these types of feelings?
H M Duval: I have a lot of practice with behavior modification (I’m a certified clinical exercise physiologist in my “day-job”), so I have experience at being “louder” than that little voice. But it takes work, and it takes being intentional about sitting down and reminding myself WHY I chose to write in the first place. I write for myself. I write for that one reader who will pick up my book and be inspired to think and change and dream because of it. I write for my children, who see me taking a dream and making it reality. I won’t give up on any of them, so the only option is to keep writing!
About the Author
H M Duval
H M DuVal is a mother, Kinesiologist, and author of the Dream Walker series. She has always had a passion for good stories: telling them, sharing them, and getting lost in them. Fiction and fantasy genres, with a healthy dose of romance, are her favorite. She loves the incredible power they have to spirit us away from the mundane and into the sensational, and believes that shift in perspective helps us find the magic inside our own lives.
She hopes that while reading her work, you are similarly transported. H M DuVal lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley with her husband, two children, dog, cat, and horse.
Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @author.h.m.duval for release news and updates.
Where are the books available?
H M DuVal’s books can be bought anywhere books are sold. The printed editions are available via the IngramSpark catalog, and the ebook format is available via Amazon and the Kindle Unlimited store.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to multi genre author, M.D.LaBelle.
Helen: Welcome. Tell us a little about your latest book in the Paranormal Romance Defiant collection, May I Please?
M.D LaBelle: The current book that I am working on is May I Please? It is the second in the Defiant Collection. The first being May I Alpha?
It is a paranormal romance that has its own unique twists and turns. In the first book I introduced a new concept, past lives and that each werewolf remembers all of them as if in a dream. They can use this to enhance the lives they are living and hopefully stop bad things from happening again.
However, Anastasia is a human in this lifetime, which causes all kinds of troubles for the two of them. In the second book, their troubles compound and Alexander must realize that she may never be fully tamed no matter how hard he tries. After all, wild things are not meant to be restrained.
Helen: What were your thoughts behind your cover? The couple are the same so the same characters must flow through the collection.
M.D LaBelle: Paranormal romance is always magical, and this is a romance, so I placed the man and the woman in the clouds holding each other, with a moon behind them. The sayings always come directly from the books. I picked purple this time for the second book so you can distinguish between the first and the second. The first book has a blue cover.
Helen: How did you come up with your title?
M.D LaBelle: May I Alpha? And May I Please? I named it that, because there is a BDSM element to it with the Domineering man trying his hardest to dominate over the beautiful woman and how she is willing to do this because she loves him.
Helen: What made you write this particular book?
M.D LaBelle: With every book, I write them because I have vivid dreams. I am writing this one now because the first book went over so well, and the story is not fully completed. The first book did have an ending, but the story was so loved that the readers begged for me to continue Anastasia and Alexander’s story on.
Helen: It is so wonderful when your readers engage with the characters and want more! When did you realise you had a passion for writing?
M.D Labelle: I have always loved to read horror novels, but when I was 12, I wrote a horror story and won the Young Author’s Award. It is published in a collaboration called The Who’s Who of America and it was from the 1980’s. For years I forgot about writing until I graduated from Central Michigan University with an art degree. Then I became pregnant and wrote a children’s book. It was never published because while I was still pregnant with my oldest daughter, a drunk driver hit me, and I lost all those memories and so much more.
For years after learning how to walk again, I was in so much pain that I didn’t do much of anything, except for watch over my children. However, one night when they were old enough to go to school, I had a vivid dream that turned into something else. I decided it was time to write again but I had never thought to publish it because I didn’t think it was good enough for anyone else, let alone to sell.
After a time, my family pushed me to publish and then I found an inexpensive way through KDP. It took a year or two before I ever did, but in April 2021, I published on my own. The first time someone bought my book, and it wasn’t a family member, I was ecstatic. So, then I began to think that just maybe I had a calling. From then on, I wrote a book and then published it.
Now, I have over 44 novels, and novellas published on all the major online bookstores, and even on my own eBook store within 2 years. I also have them in several physical stores, plus I do a lot of book signings, and other events where I sell my signed author copies, and my merchandise. I am proud to say that at least one of my books has sold well over a million copies between paid web novel platforms, bookstores, online bookstores, in person book signings and my own website at https://www.mdlabelle.com
Helen: That is fantastic, congratulations on your success. You are such a prolific writer, I can’t belive you’ve published 40+ books in two years! Quite amazing. Which genre do you typically write and why.
M.D LaBelle: I am a multi genre author. I have novels in horror, fantasy, erotica, thriller, romance in various genres and tropes such as dark romance, CEO romance, paranormal romance, also young adult fiction, and children’s fiction.
Helen: Who inspired you to write? Who are your favourite authors?
M.D LaBelle: Of course, authors like Anne Rice, Danielle Steele, Koontz, and King filled my head as a young child, so it is only fitting that I would love to write about horror.
Helen: I know this can be a tricky question, but who is your favourite character from your book?
M.D LaBelle: I would have to say Anastasia because she is both sassy and independent. She knows what she wants and has a mind of her own, but she also has so much to learn.
Helen: If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?
M.D LaBelle: Anastasia would say that “You should read this sizzling hot paranormal romance because it is sinfully delicious, has a one-of-a-kind story line and always delivers in a world where most stories are no longer original.
Helen: Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
M.D LaBelle: I must mention the fact that there are not nearly enough hours in a day for all my ideas. I constantly have ideas popping into my head. As a matter of fact, I have well over a hundred planned in the next several years and I will have at least 50 done by the end of this year.
Helen: It is quite amazing how many books you’ve written. How do you come up with all the ideas for your books?
M.D LaBelle: Like I said in an earlier question, I often have vivid dreams that I take them from. They often are like movies, but I also will see a picture and a story instantly forms in my head or if I hear a song that stirs up an emotion. That is when my thoughts go rogue and develop stories. One, I have written up the blurb, made a cover and the storyline summed up because my niece used to be a kickboxer. It spurred a story in my mind that I have yet to publish.
Helen: Let’s talk a little about your writing process. What resources do you find most useful when writing?
M.D LaBelle: I would have to say that the most useful keys are Microsoft Word and the second Canva. I use both every day, but without Word, I would not be able to write quite so effortlessly.
Helen: What is the most useful piece of writing advice you’ve received, and by whom?
M.D LaBelle: To not pay attention to reviews and not take them at heart, because they are for the readers not for the authors. They are not to make us better as writers, but to direct the reader to buy or not what is good in a book or could use some work.
Helen: That is great advice, thank you for sharing. Do you listen to music when you write, if so, what do you listen to and why?
M.D LaBelle: I used to listen to music when I first started to write but quickly realized that my mind worked quite a bit faster when I could hear the words of the story in my head, not the music. It only served to slow me down.
Helen: Research can be a bit of a time consumer. Do you find you have to do much for your books?
M.D LaBelle: If it is something I don’t know about, I read about it first. For instance, I didn’t know anything about werewolf romance novels, so I read a few when I first started writing so I understood the myths and how they treated each group, but I still added my own elements and made a completely different storyline.
Helen: Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?
M.D LaBelle: I never plan anything. My fingers lead and I follow. As I write, I often will go in a completely different direction than I had intended to, and it is always more interesting and fantastical that way.
Helen: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
M.D LaBelle: I have won two international competitions, awards, and have been #1 on the Amazon Bestsellers list so many times that I have lost count with numerous novels in varying genres. I also have been in the top 5 of Kobo and other bookstores for at least 2 books. However, when I sold over a million copies of The Luna’s Mate: The Alpha King, I realized that dreams really could come true if you try hard enough. Even if it seems that the odds are against you and insurmountable.
Helen: I am so excited to hear of your success. It gives other writers’ hope that they can succeed as well. What advice would you give new writers?
M.D LaBelle: Never give up. If you feel like quitting, just remember that you wanted to do this and that everything worth doing is hard.
Helen: How do you fit your writing into your everyday life?
M.D LaBelle: I have teens, so when they go to school, I write. For a year and a half, I was writing 24/7 but it took a toll on my body and mind, so I have slowed down and fit it in around the rest of my life. Plus, I write really fast and then edit each chapter after I write it.
Helen: What is your favorite book and why do you like it so much?
M.D LaBelle: I love them all. Each one is so different that I could never pick, but if I had to pick, I would say The Lake because it is everything in a book that I love to read. It has suspense, mystery, horror, thriller, and it develops the characters and the storyline completely. It leaves you guessing until the very end how it will turn out. Plus, I love creature features.
Helen: It has been a pleasure chatting with you. Was there anything anecdotal you wanted to share before we finish?
M.D. LaBelle: Ironically, when someone says you need to find your reader base, you need to listen because it is entirely true. At first, when I had written the dark romance Just Love Me, I could not get anyone to read it. But once I found my target audience, it spread like wildfire and everywhere I look in those specific groups, readers are recommending it.
Helen: Thank you so much for spending time with me today and congratulations on your writing success. It is is wonderful to meet someone rocking the Indie Publishing world! Just to close us out, one final question. Do you have any advice to overcome self-doubt?
M.D LaBelle: I had never really had too much of a problem with it because I was always writing. That is until this summer. I wrote in a new sub-genre, dark romance. I have what I know to be a wonderfully written dark romance series of novellas. They were meant to be a fragment of a split personality female serial killer’s life. However, some could not wrap their head around it because they did not understand that she suffered from split personality disorder. It was a big twist, so I didn’t want to just come out and say it in advertisements. I guess I had thought that the reader could figure it out by what I said in the book, but I was wrong in a few cases. It hurt because my ratings suffered.
Also, it was fast paced because I wanted to make it different from everything else out there right now. Now mind you I do have many absolutely wonderful 5- and 4-star reviews from those of my readers who did understand, but then I also received a few 1 and 2’s from those who didn’t. When I started to get 1- and 2-star ratings, it really made me start to question myself and my ability to write. I had thought in the beginning that it would be possible to make it another #1 Bestselling series, but the damage had already been done because now readers see those 1 and 2’s and how it brought down my average.
I am lucky to have a wonderful husband who is always backing me and pushing me towards the next book, otherwise I would have quit and never wrote the rest of my stories.
About the Author
M.D LaBelle
M.D. LaBelle is an international, award-winning, bestselling author from Mount Pleasant, Michigan, with numerous novels that hit #1 on the best-selling charts on Amazon. She has won two awards in the last year. Also, she is an author of several different sub genres of romance, dark romance, erotica, horror, thriller, fantasy, youth horror and children’s books. She currently has over 48 of her novels on all the online bookstores and her own. Her presence is all over the internet in social media under her pen name. The Lake: The Complete Special Edition can be purchased in store at Barnes & Noble physical locations, but the rest of her works can be found anywhere books are sold.
Contact M.D. LaBelle via her Website or on social:
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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This is a podcast for all writers and artists who are involved in the book business. Each week, author and artist DJ Bowman-Smith will have a brief chat about her own working week and then introduce a guest to talk about writing and the art authors use to promote their words. It’s about inspiration and business. Aesthetics and exploring the creative mind.
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to the writing duo Michelle Gaunt and Angelle Gremillion, who write behind the pen name Michelle Angelle.
Helen: Welcome Michelle and Angelle. Tell us a little about the latest book in your romantic comedy series.
Michelle Angelle: Dear Roomie is another standalone novel in the Dear Pink series, teaming with forced proximity and forbidden love. We had a great time writing it and revisiting old friends.
Ghita Russo’s dating history is dire. Men kick her cat, demand full frontal photos, and can’t let her win at a simple game of mini golf. Determined to protect her heart, Ghita lives by a strict set of dating rules. Rule Number One: Never date your best friend’s brother, no matter how insanely hot he is. But some rules are meant to be broken.
When Ghita needs to save money and her bestie suggests renting a room to her brother, she finds herself dancing dangerously close to the edge of disaster.
Logan Scott, recently free from a toxic relationship, moves to Dallas for his dream job. After meeting his insanely brilliant roomie, he can’t deny his attraction, especially as the chemistry ratchets up between them.
Helen: Now, that does sound like a fun premise. Plenty of opportuinty for mayhem and mishaps! What were your thoughts behind your cover?
Michelle Angelle: Ghita is an intense and ambitious business woman, so she uses puzzles to unwind and calm her brain. When Logan moves in, he finds puzzling equally relaxing. Soon, the sexual chemistry igniting between them makes it impossible for Ghita to concentrate on anything other than Logan. Logan is against her rules, but he might just be her perfect match.
Helen: What a great connection to the story. The cover makes even more sense now! How did you decide on the title?
Michell Angelle:Dear Roomie is part of our Dear Pink series, so some of the titles will have a play on “Dear…” In Dear Pink, we introduce the loud, fun, supportive Russo family. Gabe Russo gets the girl in Dear Pink, but the rest of his six sisters have their own love story to tell. Dear Roomie is Ghita Russo’s story. We also wrote a holiday romance featuring Gloria Russo, Until Next Year. We purposefully didn’t choose “Dear” in the title to set it apart from the others as a special holiday edition that features a new year in every chapter..
Helen: Nice, and that title works beautifully. What made you write this particular book?
MIchelle Angelle: Readers often ask us how we dream up our stories. We are inspired by everyday life and have a running list of ideas. For Dear Roomie, the idea occurred to both of us at the exact same time…like kismet.
A friend of ours told us about this utopian coffee place, La La Land Kind Cafe, where they mentor foster youth aging out of the system. There, kindness is the priority. We visited and were not disappointed by the sunshiny joy that filled the space.
As we were sipping their signature lavender bloom matcha latte, two college-aged girls sat at the table next to us. Pink sweater said, “I’m dying. I’m in love with Jeremy.” Plaid shirt said, “So? What’s the problem?” Pink sweater answered with the three words that would launch the plot of this book: “He’s my roommate.”
Yes, we are “people watchers” and “coffee shop eavesdroppers.” Don’t judge, we can’t help ourselves!
We won’t recount the rest of their conversation because that’s private. But we knew immediately how to complicate this already complicated love story. It’s all thanks to La La Land Kind Cafe and those great drinks for the inspiration.
Helen: That is such a great way to find new book ideas. I hope you dropped off a copy at the cafe once you finished it! Now Dear Roomie is out what are you working on next?
Michelle Angelle: Our next project is a trilogy featuring a strong female protagonist who knows what she wants but discovers more than she bargained for after meeting three very different men.
Helen: When did you realise you had a passion for writing?
Michelle Angelle: Twenty years ago, we started a book club and fell in love with the contemporary romance novels our group read. Inspired to write, and wanting to work together, we immediately started dreaming up characters. Unlike traditional rom-coms on the market, we wanted side characters that had agency and strong voices. Together, we imagined scenarios involving two lost loves forced together in impossible situations. We all have a “WHAT IF” person from our past, and it’s fun to fantasize about various scenarios. We started a running document of story ideas to dip into for our future books. Luckily, we both have a lot of ideas and quickly the pen name Michelle Angelle was born.
Helen: How do you plan when to write? Co-ordinating yourselves must be quite difficult.
Michelle Angelle: Between juggling kids, husbands, and part-time jobs, the writing time happens amidst the chaos. Our biggest challenge is trying to do it all. Luckily, we have each other on speed dial and can dive into work the moment we answer the phone. Since we write together, we share docs and emails constantly. Because we don’t have a consistent writing schedule, our superb mind-reading powers come in handy.
Helen: What advice would you give to new writers?
Michelle Angelle: We often get asked questions from new writers. Our advice is to read a lot and write constantly. You can’t sell a book if you haven’t written one, and the best place to find writing inspiration is in a book.
Helen: Great advice! What have you found has been the most challening part about the writing and publishing process?
Michelle Angelle: Being a writer is inviting strangers to judge you. Every book has a piece of you in it, and when a reader doesn’t like your book, it can feel personal. Writers need to be vulnerable and take risks, but they also need to prepare for some hurt feelings and rejections. It’s a great exercise in letting go of the ego.
Helen: It’s been a pleasure chatting to you both. Thak you so much for spending time with me today. Just to finish, every writer experiences self-doubt. How do you overcome the fear and the little voice in your head to keep writing?
Michelle Angelle: Writing together is our favorite part of the writing process! Many authors describe their writing process as solitary, but we are lucky to have each other. When we write, we inhabit a separate plane of reality where only our story and characters exist. It’s our happy place. We love our work.
About the Authors
Michelle Angelle
Michelle Angelle is the pen name of two good friends. Our love of clever romances, great breakfast diners, and late-night wine tastings led to many sassy stories. One day, we started writing them down.
Contact Michelle Angelle via their Website or on social:
Also available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to Italian YA Fantasy author, Marco Marek.
Helen: Welcome Marco. Tell us a little about your YA Fantasy books.
Marco: My current book is Magic Streets Arizona bound book three, end of the saga of Magic Streets, first one was based in Prague, second in London and Highlands in Scotland.
This is the blurb for the first book.
Photography has never been so dangerous for Jack. Excited to visit Prague, Jack packs his camera and sets out to complete an assignment for a well-known magazine. However, shooting award-winning photographs isn’t the only challenge that Jack will face.
Blissfully unaware of the magic contained within the city of Prague, Jack rents an apartment at a mysterious former hotel. Determined to complete his assignment, he stumbles upon a magic street, he didn’t know he will be involved with a monster hunt with a tarot reader, a young witch and a bridnet boy.
The adventure that awaits is filled with magic, turmoil, danger, and a newfound love. Will Jack be able to face his fears or will the city be lost forever?
Helen: What a great idea for a portal to another world. What were your thoughts behind your cover?
Marco: The last cover of book three is a witch with a grand canyon background with bright blue sky with Pleiades on the top left. I found a photo of this vampire woman in shutterstock and love it, right away communicate with my cover artist and she create it.
Helen: That is such a great feeling when you find the perfect image for your cover. How did you come up with your title and the idea behind magical streets?
Marco: Well one time I was driving in my city when I had a vision, seemed I was in the opposite area I wanted to go, so I thought that could be magic street that transfer you in the area you want.
Helen: What made you write this particular book?
Marco: Magic Streets saga is because I like Teleports and fantasy, but this one isn’t visible, it is just one small area where whoever has special powers could detect and use this teleport, just using their mind.
Helen: When did you realise you had a passion for writing?
Marco: I always liked fantasy movies and books. After I read The Lord of the Rings I thought: why I can write my own story? So I wrote Hyperearth, my first book.
Helen: Which genre do you typically write and why. Who inspired you?
Marco: I write mostly Fantasy, because for me it’s more easy, creating new worlds, creatures, is so simple for me since I have a huge imagination. I wrote one suspense thriller: Amstel Girl, seems went well. My insprirations were Stephen King, JK Rowling, Paulo Coelho.
Helen: Who is your protagonist and why did you write her/him? Do you have a favourite character?
Marco: Of Magic Streets is Jack Harson, one American man living in England, his profession is photographer, well my first two books the protagonists were two female teenagers and the second book Wesley Wooter, a man who met a quirky woman.
I like Wesley of Amstel Girl who is into a intrigue but he is strong to face this issues, and also met a quirky and terrible girl that make him mad. Jack of Magic Streets, is quiet man but his life will be changed forever by the two witches and thanks to them he will be more stronger.
Helen: If your Main Character could answer, why would they say we should read your book?
Marco: If you like adventure, action Wesley and Jack are the perfect guys, they like to joke and be serious when needs, they aren’t perfect but you will like them.
Helen: Tell us about your current WIP.
Marco: My current Wip is Magic Streets Arizona bound the end of trilogy. But I have lot of books on stand by: one of them is I get inspiration by movie Mulholland drive by David Lynch.
Helen: Let’s talk a little about your writing process. When do you do you most of your writing?
Marco: I always write most at night, it is more quiet and relaxing, during the day there is much noise, my cat is around and not good for writing.
Helen: I have a cat as well, and he can be very distracting! Do you listen to music while you write?
Marco: No, I don’t listen music when I write, I need to concentrate on writing and the music not the best thing.
Helen: How much research do you do for each book?
Marco: Well lot of research for my last book, since I never been in Arizona, I had to do extra search, about legends of Native American, Pleiades, Aztec Maya etc. I recently found that Native American ancestors came from Pleiades!
Helen: Research can be so much fun, but also can drag you down a rabbit hole. We authors, are full of useless information! Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?
Marco: I write free form without chapters and without read, but with framework I think it is better.
Helen: Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
Marco: Writing could be easy, though sometimes you are stuck and you can’t move because you haven’t inspiration, but the most challenging for me is editing and writing a blurb. Scanning every phrase finding mistakes of misspelling words and punctuation it’s annoying. As well as the blurb, concentrate all the book in a few words, it’s a really hard task.
Helen: What is your favourite book and why do you like it so much?
Marco: The Lord of the Rings actually, it was an awesome read, I can’t put it down, maybe because I like fantasy but I like the travel journey they do and reading I’m imagining it in mind like I’m watching a movie.
Helen: That is an amazing series by Tolkien. I am sure it has inspired many writers. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
Marco: Well, I was very happy when I won bronze medal in a contest of Readers Favorite in Miami 2018.
Helen: Congratulations on your Bronze Readers’ Favorite Award for Hyperearth. Such a great acheivement. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just one one more question! What advice would you give new writers? Do you have a trick to overcome self-doubt?
Marco: Read a lot first then write, of various writers of the genre you like it, so you can learn their writing styles, then research when you want to write. Don’t listen to others they smile when you say you are start writing. Keep going. Also indie authors are writers and you must be proud and remember it every time. Celebrate yourself.
For self-doubt? Well finding a contract most of the times it’s a mirage but who knows… one day could happen, better write than leave your manuscript in your drawer. One writer said once, write for yourself first, when you see your books listed,(on amazon for now) you will proud and this is the feeling to keep writing.
About the Author
Marco Marek
Marco Marek is an award winning author from Italy. He always had a fervid imagination and a passion for fantasy stories, medieval magicians, ancient history, and unexplained mysteries. While he was visiting a castle in Eastern Europe, he had the idea of writing Hyperearth. Apart from writing, Marco is also a painter and photographer, he likes digital artwork on Photoshop. He loves travelling when he has some free time
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Author of Beneath the Copper Sky, Book 1 of the Nightshine Saga
Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to science fiction/fantasy author, Eme Savage, whose latest science fiction book Beneath the Copper Sky releases on October 15th.
Helen: Welcome Eme, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Congratulations on your forthcoming release. Please tell us a little about your book, Beneath the Copper Sky.
Eme: Beneath the Copper Sky is a SciFi Fantasy Action Adventure. Amine returns to Titan to attend her father’s funeral after he dies in a mining accident. Clues left behind by her father tell a different story. With the help of her friend, Amione goes to the surface to find answers and sets into motion events that will change Titan forever.
Helen: What were your thoughts behind your cover?
Eme: I wanted a cover that felt retro and fresh at the same time. Something that will stand out on a shelf and get the reader to pick it up and read the blurb or click to find out more. I decided a simple representation of Titan’s landscape with Saturn on the horizon would immediately tell the reader they were looking at a SciFi novel.
Helen: Who is your protagonist in Beneath the Copper Sky and why did you choose to write them?
Eme: Amione Dhau is a brilliant young woman who was deeply misunderstood by the small community she grew up in. I based her off of some of my experiences growing up as an ADD/autistic individual who knew I was different, but didn’t know why at the time. Amione represents all of us who were made to feel less than, developed our sense of agency, and went on to do amazing things.
Helen: It’s great to see a strong heroine overcoming her difficulties. How do you fit your writing into your daily life?
Eme: I make a point to spend at least ten minutes a day engaged in a writing related activity. It can be actual drafting, but oftentimes it is research, editing, marketing, journaling, and reading. All of these activities push my project forward, hone my skills, and provide inspiration. Ten minutes is not a lot of time, but it does add up if when I do it consistently.
Helen: That is such a great routine to get into. Do you find you spend a lot of time planning your books, or are you more of a pantser?
Eme: 100% a pantser or Discovery Writer. Freewriting works much better for my process. I have tried various outlining techniques and I find them too restrictive. Mostly because I come up with a better idea as I’m drafting. The best feeling in the world is when I’m writing a scene and my characters take me in a direction I had not anticipated. It’s very motivating. I can always smooth out any consistency issues or rough spots in editing.
Helen: Thank you so much for chatting with me today, Eme. Just to close us out, what advice do you have for those writers struggling with imposter syndrome or self doubt?
Eme: Imposter Syndrome is part of the creative process. If I start feeling the fear, much as I’m feeling now, I remind myself that I must be on the right path. It is only a matter of time before I come out on the other side. Depending on where I am in the process, I will seek out feedback. This usually confirms a problem and gives me insight into how to fix the issue. It can also reaffirm what I’m doing well. As terrifying as it is to ask for feedback, it really is the best weapon against Imposter Syndrome.
About the Author
Eme Savage
Eme’ Savage lives in Dearborn, Michigan with her author husband, A.M. Holmes, and three feline overlords, Rosie, Tilly, and Mylo. She went to college and received a 4-year degree in Management. She worked in financial services for 8 years and then became an executive director of a disability advocacy organization. After being diagnosed with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and other ancillary illnesses, she left full-time employment. She became a freelance content creator covering issues ranging from school funding to the Occupy Wall Street Movement, and the socio-economic effects of public policy. Throughout her life, she has been working on The Genesis Chronicles, an adult epic fantasy series and adult SciFi Series. She published Echoes of the Gidat in 2009 and relaunched it in 2019 on its 10 year anniversary. Tetarul Parallel was published May 1st, 2020, and Mirror of Ettek will be released on December 27th, 2021. She also has three published short stories in the same universe and is working on her debut SciFi novel slated for a January 2023 release.
Beneath the Copper Sky releases on October 15th, 2023 and is available for purchase from a vendor of your choice.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Joining me today is steampunk author, Dex Greenbright.
Helen: Welcome Dex, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about your book, Dreams of Eysan.
Dex: Tales of the Automazombs wrapped up last year (2022) with Dreams of Eysan, the fourth in the series. It’s a short story series with steampunk cyborg zombies (Yep! You heard that right!). The new book collects stories from the newsletter and website that never made it into the main storyline, as well as the piece from the bookmark postcard I give out at conventions. I also added a couple of mini comics, religious myths, and worldbuilding tidbits. Dreams of Eysan exists because I love the world my co-authors and I made and I wanted to play in it a little longer.
Helen: I must admit Steampunk cyborg zombies does sound interesting! What were your thoughts behind the cover?
Dex: So, to preface this, I’m also the cover artist! I like to tell folks I do my own stunts. Every book in the series has the look of a leather hardcover book, each with a unique color. A Desperate Plan is green, for the plague. A Darker Road is red, for blood. Downfall is black, for ash. And now Dreams of Eysan is blue, for connectedness (regardless of what happens to the characters, they share the same sky). With the newest book, it’s told through the lens of one of the characters, Liridon, who collects the world’s stories for the Grand Library. I wanted to give a little peek into his world. I imagine he’s doing research here in the stacks of ancient books, his green jacket laid on a ladder for safekeeping, while a beam of light streams in from above. I made a rainbow overlay for the scene to give it an extra dreamlike quality. It’s funny, when I finished, I asked my co-authors if it was “too gay?” To which they responded “impossible!”
Helen: I love the insights behind the cover. When did you first realise you had a passion for writing?
Dex: Oh man. I did NaNoWriMo on a whim (with my Tales of the Automazombs co-authors, actually!) in 2009 or so. A couple weeks into writing my first novel, I had this moment of wishing I could keep going like this forever. So one novel turned into two and three and on and on. I guess I’ve always been a storyteller, though. As a kid I made picture books constantly. Even when I’m making art or comics, it’s all to entertain and inform and share stories with those around me.
Helen: That is so inspiring to many writers and demonstrates how Nanowrimo can help you focus on your writing. So glad you found the bug to continue writing. Out of your series, who is your favourite character?
Dex: My favorite character in Tales of the Automazombs has to be Liridon. I didn’t realize at first when I was writing his stories, but he’s got a lot of me in him. Neurodivergent as all heck, queer (asexual in his case), and generally just an odd little nerd trying his best.
Helen: Which genre do you prefer to write in?
Dex: I write science fiction and fantasy. Those are the stories that spoke to me as a kid and continue to capture my heart as an adult. Plus, writing about dragons and aliens and magic and wayward undead cyborgs is just plain fun!
Helen: I agree, writing fantasy is such fun, you can let your imagine loose! Now this series is complete, what are you currently working on?
Dex: I have a few that I’m really excited about. Honestly, I could talk WIPs all day, don’t tempt me! There’s the genderbent rescue quest with pansexual monsters and plots of regicide. Another has three friends who have to save Earth from interdimensional warlocks, who in turn are trying to save the multiverse from evil aliens. That one’s wild, but nowhere near the insanity of the one I’m most excited about, where a trans man foolishly says that he will worship any god that helps with his bottom surgery. Forgotten deities start showing up to answer his prayer, usually to apocalyptic effect. I’m trans myself, so writing this one has been one of the ways I work through my dysphoria.
Helen: Oh my, that sounds hilarious! I can imagine you chuckling away to yourself while writing. I look forward to the opportunity to see what outlandish situations you came up with! Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
Dex: There are things I struggle to write (I’ll occasionally forget to delve into the characters’ emotions) but I think the most challenging part of the process is turning off new ideas long enough to get one thing done. Every shiny new idea demands to be heard and refuses to leave me alone until I’ve at least gotten the outline down.
Helen: I know the feeling, sometime ideas just keep bubbling and you’re afraid to lose them. Do you plan your novels or are you more of a pantser?
Dex: Both! I tend to make a rough outline and some basic worldbuilding before I begin a story. Then when I sit down to actually write, pantsing takes over. I also enjoy another term for it, discovery writing, because sometimes it isn’t until halfway through a chapter that I’ll discover an idea that would be amazing to include but has massive implications for the outline. Every few chapters, I’ll go back and revise the outline, because knowing the overall plan is still helpful.
Helen: Many writers experience self doubt or Imposter Syndrome, how do you deal with it?
Dex: Imposter syndrome is the worst, that little voice that tells me I’m never going to “make it” as a writer and to just give up. When I’m feeling like that, I can go back and read maybe the last chapter I wrote, or something older that I loved writing. It’s never as bad as our brains would have us believe. If that doesn’t work, I call on my writer friends. Everyone’s ready to tell a rude brain to go sit in the corner and think about what it’s done.
Helen: What are some of the books you read recently that you would recommend to others?
Dex: Some recent books I’ve loved are The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, the Singing Hills Cycle series by Nghi Vo, and the Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
Helen: Thank you so much for chatting with me today, just to close us out, what advice to have your dealing with writer’s block?
Dex: Sometimes a story needs time to settle in my brain. I can’t move forward with it, so I switch over to one of my other projects. That way I’m still writing, still creating. Other times, I get stuck in place and feel this nebulous wrongness. I used to think this was part of imposter syndrome, that I was the thing that was wrong. It took me a long time to realize this is just my brain’s way of letting me know something in the plot or character needs to be fixed. I listen to that internal voice more carefully these days. It’s a wise little thing.
About the Author
Dex Greenbright
Dex Greenbright is a writer of monsters both kind and cruel, a Capricon Best In Show winning artist, and the editor, illustrator, and a contributing author for Tales of the Automazombs, a book series with steampunk cyborg zombies. He is a creative whirlwind, a magical master of dungeons, and always, always available for hire.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to contemporary fiction author, Saz Vora.
Helen: Welcome Saz, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about your book, Where We Have Come.
Saz:Where Have We Come, is a retelling of our experience at the birth of our profoundly disabled son and how grief and child loss is a stigma in the South Asian community. It looks at the cultural clashes faced by a young Gujarati couple as they embrace their Britishness and their heritage. The book is the second book in the university series Reena & Nikesh.
Helen: A difficult topic, though I am sure it must have been cathartic to write. What were your thoughts behind your cover?
Saz: The inspiration for the covers is a rose, and I love the scent of old-fashioned roses. In this cover, the rose is nearly at the end of its life cycle, representing the transient nature of life. The flower holds significance as we had white and yellow roses at our son’s funeral. The white background represents innocence, the red of the typeface shows sorrow. I asked my designer to look at the book cover designs for women’s fiction at the time of publishing.
Helen: There is always so much more meaning behind cover designs. Understanding the authors intent, makes it much richer. Why did you choose this title?
Saz: The title Where Have We Come, is a loosely translated lyrics for a Hindi film song. The title has several connotations. It was the song that came on the radio as my husband twiddle the dial when we brought our son from the hospital. They released the film that the song features in the year we started dating. And the title explains that no matter how many curveballs life throws at you, you can choose a different path.
Helen: Such a special song for you, ideal to use for your book title. Your book is obviously very special to you, but why did you choose to write it.
Saz: Where Have We Come is my first ever full book. I wrote it in 2006, on a writing course, and put it away, as I was told by some early readers that it was too niche a subject and wouldn’t appeal to publishing houses. After suffering from a full-blown panic attack and the anxiety that followed. I realised that sharing my story would help my mental health and might even help many other mothers who had lost their baby or had a sick child. I want to tell women they are not alone. If one woman feels that my story helps her cope with baby loss then I have done what I set out to do. To raise awareness.
Helen: That is such a great sentiment. Well done for sharing your story. If I asked your main character why we should read your book what would they say?
Saz: I recommend Where Have We Come: It helps you heal, feel seen and learn of life in multicultural Britain. It has helped me learn to live and love again after losing our son and coping with the grief of losing my mother at an early age.
Helen: When did you first realise that you wanted to write?
Saz: I’ve always had a passion for storytelling, usually versions of fairy tales to my much younger cousins and later to my children. I used to adapt stories from Hindu scriptures.
In 2017, after a panic attack and therapy, I went back to my book to process my feelings. Writing was my place of succour, a place to escape into the world of my characters and through them a way to raise my voice. Had I known earlier when I’d abandoned writing, that those stories would bring me respite from the grief. I wouldn’t have listened to the advice.
In hindsight, I feel that there is a time for everything, and now is the time for me to grow and find my happy space and my passion to write stories about people like me.
Helen: There is so much advice available, it can be difficult to know when to listen and when to ignore. I think keeping your reason for writing front and centre helps you decide whether it is applicable or not. Which genre do you write, and is there any genre you would like to try and write in next?
Saz: I write women’s fiction with romance at its heart. I also believe my books are suitable as book club reads as I tackle many subjects that are taboo. If I didn’t write Women’s fiction/romance I’d like to write a cosy mystery with a trio of South Asian women in their 60s set in England. An idea that has been brewing for some time.
Helen: How do you get the ideas for a new book?
Saz: I often get a song in my head and then a character forms. I usually read the lyrics and make a note of these and then write a monologue from the character and see where that leads me.
Helen: What are you currently working on?
Saz: I’m currently writing the story of Sonali and Deepak for the second duet of my university series.
As with the other books in this series, the first of the duet is a university romance set in ‘80s England. Neither Sonali nor Deepak can resist the magnetic pull to be with each other. Only Deepak mistrusts people with money and Sonali is secretly engaged to Anil.
In the sequel, we meet Sonali and Deepak, who are successful in their professional life but are struggling with their marriage. After many failed attempts at IVF, a miscarriage and growing pressure from family and the community to conceive, Sonali becomes secretive and Deepak feels isolated. Can they stay together, or will the stigma of a childless marriage pull them apart?
Helen: Plenty of emotions to play with! When it comes to the craft of writing, which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
Saz: I find editing the hardest part of my writing process. I write above the normal word count that recent book lengths have become and find it difficult to delete my chapters. I’m learning to save these chapters for another story. I would love to send my rambling chapters to someone to read who’d slash and delete for me. But I know I need to learn this myself as it will make me a better writer.
Helen: Do you listen to music when you write, if so, what do you listen to and why?
Saz: I often have a song come into my head and listen to music when I’m mulling over ideas. When I write I prefer silence as the lyrics in songs make lead me astray and I usually end up writing them in my work. I feature songs in my books too and have a playlist or two for each book I’ve written.
Helen: Do you find you have to do much research for your books?
Saz: I fact check a lot once I write my first draft and create a Pinterest board for fashion, food and places for my story ideas. As I set my books in places, I know I don’t need to research the area. The most important thing I research are the songs and film dates to keep it authentic to the time period.
Helen: Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?
Saz: I’m a planster, (planner and a pantster) and if any of my characters are persistent, I write scenes in my notebook. I mind map afterwards and then I plan where the scenes might fit. I use Save the Cat by Blake Synder as my planning process only because I used to teach film studies. I recommend using Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody’s book is superb for all genres. She shares many examples and provides useful beat sheets.
Helen: What are some of the books you read recently that you would recommend to others?
Saz: My reading list is mostly women’s fiction and romance. Me Before You, Jojo Moyes; PS I Love You, Cecelia Ahern; It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover; Grown Ups, Marian Keyes. I read all genres, except horror. Recently I’ve been reading South Asian writers like me, not recent migrant stories, but those who struggle with belonging and identity.
Helen: When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to overcome it?
Saz: I don’t beat myself up with unattainable word counts. There will be days when words flow out of me and others when there’s a dam that blocks them. I try doing something else even if its reading books, watching films or TV programmes.
Helen: Thank you so much, Saz, for sharing your work with us. Just to close us out, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Saz: Find a cheerleader, or many cheerleaders through writing prompts on social media and the writing community. Read everything, especially books in your genre but wider too to understand what people like and dislike.
About the Author
Saz Vora
Saz Vora is a wife, mother and writer. She was born in East Africa and migrated with her family in the ‘60s to Coventry, Midlands, where she grew up straddling British and Gujarati Indian culture. Her debut novels, My Heart Sings Your Song and Where Have We Come, is a story in two parts of love, life, family, conflict, and two young people striving to remain together throughout.
Where Have We Come, Finalist – The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2020, is based on true events that have shaped her outlook on life’s trials and tribulations. Her short story, Broad Street Library, was long listed in Spread the Word, Life Writing Prize 2020.
Before she started writing South Asian melodrama, she had a successful career in Television Production and Teaching… But her need to write stories has led to what she is doing now—writing stories about people like her in multi-cultural Britain.
She gets inspiration from listening to music, cooking and watching Bollywood, Hollywood and Independent films, hence the references to songs, food and films in all her books.
Please visit her website, where you can read her blog and sign up to newsletter where she will share, missing scenes, recipes, playlists and all things book related. Please also follow her on social media, where she will post her comments.
As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.
If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.
Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator). You can withdraw your consent at any time. The data will be processed until the consent is withdrawn.
Helen Garraway 