Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m just a girl from Dallas, Texas who is clearly an artistic individual. I love everything arts related and have delved into various artistic avenues. I love to draw, sing, and create/design digital graphics in addition to writing stories/novels. As a kid, I would read constantly and enjoyed the aspect of using your imagination to get sucked into a fictional world. When I got older, I thought it would be cool to create a novel or series of novels which people would read and be inspired. Of course, I thought there was no way I could create a story that I felt was intriguing or engaging. That is, until the story line of Advent was conjured up from my mind. As for how many books I’ve written, Advent is my first novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my first novel is entitled Advent. Mainly, it was inspired by my first trip to New York City when I was fourteen years old. I was absolutely mesmerized by the tall buildings, city lights and bustling crowd; it felt like a paradise that was previously unknown to me. The historical buildings and events which occurred in the city further intrigued my imagination. I believe New York City possesses an enchanting charm; it’s almost as if the city has a life of its own. It’s not surprising so many authors use New York City as the main location in their novel(s). Since that trip, I could not get New York City out of my head. That was when I started to envision a female character with fiery red hair, which eventually became one of the more prominent characters of my novel. However, I felt she wasn’t suited to be the title character. Thus, taking inspiration from the life of an online friend I used to communicate with from time to time, Andrew Slater was born. The combination of my New York trip and the creation of these two characters are what sparked the conception of the novel.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I do! For some strange reason, it’s quite hard for me to write a story’s first draft on a laptop or desktop computer. To combat this quirk, I begin writing all my stories in a notebook with a pen or pencil. Then, once I’m finished writing a certain chapter, I’ll type up all the contents onto my computer for refining/editing. It’s a bit silly and slightly inconvenient, but it’s the process I used to write Advent. I still have notebooks filled with the unedited chapters and sloppy handwriting.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many authors which have influenced me it would take entire pages to list them all. I’ve always been a fan of classics such as Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, George Orwell, and Lewis Carroll. I recently finished reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and I now consider it to be one my favorite classic novels. As for sci-fi and fantasy, I’ve enjoyed works from Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, N.K. Jemisin, Philip K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, Octavia Butler, and many more. Series such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, The Hunger Games, and The Millennium Trilogy have greatly influenced my writing as well. There are certain authors whose life and work have inspired me, such as Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Hellen Keller and Sylvia Plath. Reading about their lifestyle and personality traits, they appeared to be such interesting individuals during their lifetime. One of my favorite books which has stuck with me is Looking for Alaska by John Green. I love how the novel brings up the topic of adolescent suffering and I could relate to the Labyrinth of Suffering referenced in the novel. Also, I found many of the novel’s passage to be quite profound, particularly the last couple sentences in the novel (my favorite quote). These influences are not particularly ‘literary’, but anime/manga, video games and comics have been a staple of my life since childhood. Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist has been a huge influence on me; the anime/manga’s writing style is superb. Kazushige Nojima’s writing on the video game series’ Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy is incredible as well. Certain comic books/characters such as Batman and his enemies, Spider-Man, X-Men, numerous Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse characters/stories, and Alan Moore’s Watchmen and V for Vendetta have influenced me as well.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a sequel to Advent. The title and plot are still in the works, but it should create a nice, well-rounded ending for the characters of the Andrew Slater Series. Since I finished Advent, I felt the novel’s ending did not portray a sense of complete closure. My brain refuses to let me end the story at just one book. I believe a second, and final, novel must be completed to truly end Andrew Slater’s story.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a great question; I’m currently figuring this out myself! Being a newly self-published writer is quite challenging. The only real support you have (if you don’t have any connections with/through a publisher) is your friends and family, unless you happen to have a previous social media following. After reading articles about self-publishing, I’ve concluded developing a fanbase takes hard work, perseverance, and luck. You must consistently market yourself and put your books out there, in addition to writing new novels/short stories and publishing your finished product(s). A professional-quality cover and editing job will help drive people’s intrigue in your novel. Also, contacting book bloggers and magazines who review your genre and politely sending them information/asking them to review your novel is a great way to get honest/genuine reviews published on retailer sites (which help drive book sales). Another (and essential) avenue towards book promotion is creating an author website and/or blog and establishing a social media presence. This will give your readers places to find information about your work and connect with you as an author. Finally, of course, submit your book to sites like Awesome Gang for free promotion.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is quite like my answer above. First, research and read articles on self-publishing. It will give you so much insight on how publishing works, the requirements, driving books sales, etc. When you are published, follow the marketing strategies I listed above and more you’ve discovered along the way. Tell your friends and family and ask them to spread the word; they are your first genuine supporters of your work. Most importantly, keep writing the stories which are formed in your brain and fill your imagination.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This may sound cliché, but the best advice I ever received was to never give up and not expect your life to attain a certain outcome. Even if things might be rough now, you never know what might happen just around the corner. My life was particularly difficult at a certain period, and I believed things would not change. I was wrong; it did change in unexpected ways, mostly for the better. Once these events occurred, I decided to let go of my previous expectations of my vision of a perfect life. It was as if a huge weight lifted off me and I felt so much freer to express myself and live in the moment. It’s a hard road, but once you let go of your expectations, things seem to work out on their own.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. It’s a fascinating read, particularly because it was written and takes place in the 1800’s (Victorian England), yet is unmistakably of the science fiction genre. I’ve never read a science fiction novel set at such an older time period, it’s quite intriguing to me. When I start reading it, I often get confused about the time-period the novel takes place. I must constantly remind myself this book was written in the 1800’s and not the 1970’s. H.G. Wells was quite ahead of his time. I highly recommend it; it’s an enjoyable read.
What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me? I’m not certain to be honest; I can’t really predict the future (though I wish I could). I know I will be writing more novels (currently working on one) and short stories. As I said above, I’m currently working on the second story of Andrew Slater (Advent) and I have another idea for a novel that’s based on a short story I wrote called Emmeline (Available on Wattpad, Inkitt, and my Official Blog). We’ll see how where these ideas lead me.
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?
I would have to pick Looking for Alaska as my first choice. As for the other three books, I’d pick Grimm’s Fairytales, House of Leaves (I’ve been wanting to read this novel for a while), and probably an anthology of Philip K. Dick or Edgar Allan Poe. Bringing some of Emily Dickinson’s poetry would be cool as well.
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