Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Wisconsin with my family, three cats, and one very friendly dog. The Flight of The Starling is the first novel I wrote as an adult, but I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember. I wrote a lot of poetry in high school and college, and now I concentrate mostly on short stories, novels, and personal essays. I have written another book, also with fairies but in a modern setting, for young adults which I hope to publish next year.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Flight of The Starling is a fairy tale for everyone. Middle grade-school kids can read it themselves, younger kids will like having it read to them, and older fans of fantasy, especially with a sense of humor, will enjoy it, too. My goal was to write a new fairy tale that felt like it would fit in with old traditional tales. I wanted to play with readers’ expectations but also satisfy that sense of nostalgia for castles and courts and noble quests. I tried to make it sweet, funny, and a little romantic.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if it’s unusual but I keep a pin board with character bios, setting notes, open questions, and pictures or quotes that might inspire something in my current story. It’s good to look at it every day to keep the story fresh in my mind and continue to add details, even if I don’t have the time to sit down and write a whole chapter. Maybe just add a new character name or idea that came to me and flesh out the story world a bit, or insert something into the timeline. That visual layout where you can move pieces around is really helpful.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
This book was heavily influenced by The Princess Bride by William Goldman, The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye, and A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. I love books that fully inhabit their worlds while poking fun at them. In other words, camp. A narrator telling the story ties is all together, in this style.
What are you working on now?
My next project is a steampunk novel set in the Old West. The premise is a steampunk cyborg – men enhanced with super strength and endurance through technology. Of course evil forces exploit this so a band of rebels works to sabotage and bring down the corporations forcing people into conversion.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning, but Kindlepreneur is a good resource of ideas. It’s how I found Awesome Gang and many other sites whose purpose is to promote indie books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice for anyone who wants to be a writer is write every day and don’t give up. You may have natural talent or be a born storyteller, but to be a good writer takes practice. Lots and lots of practice. It also takes listening when people give you advice and criticism. Just because you love what you wrote, that doesn’t mean it works for the reader. Criticism and rejection are as much a part of writing as the fun parts of making up stories and sharing them with an audience. So practice, learn, and keep going.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Learn the rules before you break them. Applies to grammar, storytelling, adventuring, and life.
What are you reading now?
Winter of The Gods by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Urban fantasy about Greek gods in Manhattan.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Building the platform of Ella Arrow, Curator of Wonder (on ella-arrow.com) is my next big project as I try to expand my audience. I am trying to find wonder and magic in my everyday life, even when the news is crummy or it snows on Halloween or I have a ton of chores to do. I want to inspire readers to find ways to appreciate what’s all around them, feel connected to other people, and seek out those special moments of harmony, but also to recognize the struggle in such a quest.
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?
• Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
• The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
• Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Author Websites and Profiles
Ella Arrow Website
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