Interview With Author Beth Freely
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Born and raised in upstate New York, with a brief and very influential stint living in Great Britain, I now calls Texas her home.
With more than 14 years of writing experience as a copywriter, I hold a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Media Communication with a minor in Marketing and a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing.
In 2003, I published some of my fanfiction online and won awards for my stories. Two years later, I was the first-place winner of the 2005 Arche Books Publishing Novel Writing Contest, Women’s Fiction with her novel “Behind the Eyes of Dorian Gray.”
“The Legend of Captain St. Pierre,” my second novel, was written with my best friend, Mariam, and is the first book in a planned trilogy.
“The Loch” is my third novel.
“Beyond The Steps of Stone” is my fourth novel and won the 2022 SPRING BOOKFEST AWARDS – 1st Place Romance/Science-Fiction and 2nd Place Science-Fiction/Aliens & Alien Invasion.
I love horseback riding, swimming, reading, and helping other authors hone their craft.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Beyond The Steps Of Stone.” It was actually inspired by a friend of mine who came to me with this idea for a book and what I thought of it. The idea went off the premise that Earth was seeded by aliens. It sparked something in me and I went home that night and wrote out the prologue and most of the first chapter.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I still like to handwrite my stories. I can have the book halfway finished in a Word document but if an idea for a chapter hits me the right way and I’m not near my computer, I’ll whip out a notebook and start writing. I write a lot of my creative blogs that way as well. There is something about handwriting a story that helps me reconnect with my craft.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oscar Wilde, J.R.R. Tolkein, and Frank Herbert are three of my favorite writers and I have consumed just about everything they wrote. I get my love of descriptive phrasing from them. Because I’m primarily a romance author, I would have to say, Christine Feehan, Johanna Lindsey, and J.R. Ward have influenced my romance writing.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on two short stories for two different anthologies. I’m trying to branch out a bit and get some short stories out to the world. I have actually been enjoying the process of the short story. I have to be more plotter than pantster when writing them to keep from rambling.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use a combination of social media posting, answering interviews such as this one, sending out a newsletter with my blogs and other announcements and in-person events. My favorite is the in-person events and while I would love to attend all of them, they can be a bit cost-prohibitive. I chose one “big event” for the year where travel is involved and then stick close to home (within a 6-hour drive) for the rest.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get your story on paper. Focus on that before you even worry about its publishable, if people will like it, who it is aimed at, etc. Nothing else matters unless the story is there to be read.
Editing and formatting all come later—the story you need to tell matters most.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Stick to your guns when an editor or publisher asks you to change your story. It’s YOUR story. If they cannot give you a good reason for the change, or if they are looking for some cookie-cutter format, dig your heels in.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading the dungeon master’s guide to the new Dune RPG game. My husband and I still tabletop game and I want to run a game on Arrakis!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a contemporary love story I’m working on that goes with one of the short stories I mentioned. I am also getting set to start work on the second book of the Prophecies of Fate trilogy (“Beyond The Steps Of Stone” is book 1). And I’m trying to finalize the edits on the second St. Pierre novel.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Hobbit
Dune
The complete works of Shakespeare
Author Websites and Profiles
Beth Freely’s Social Media Links