Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Foxglove Lee and I write LGBTQ fiction for teens and adults. I started writing professionally around 2010, and until this year I’d written about a dozen novels, novellas and short story collections. I’ve devoted this year to writing ghost stories–a new one every month! I’m up to 10 so far and I don’t think I could stop if I tried. My Queer Ghost Stories series is pretty much always on my mind.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest release is the 10th book in my Queer Ghost Stories series. Each story in this series involves different characters and situations, so the stories can be read in any order. The most recent one is called “Off with the Fairies” and it was inspired by the Scottish folklore around fairies and death on foreign soil. The legend goes that if a person born in Scotland dies elsewhere, the fairies will come to them via secret underground passageways and bring them home to rest.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say that I have any unusual habits, but I will say that I do sometimes experience synchronicities, or strange confluences of events, as I’m working on a story. For instance, I’d decided I wanted Scottish fairies to play a big part in my story “Off with the Fairies,” but I had only rudimentary knowledge of Scottish folklore. One day I was out walking around the neighbourhood, and what should I find but a book called “Scottish Ghosts.” The first chapter had a section about Scottish fairies! I should probably mention that I don’t live in Scotland. I live in Canada. I’m not usually tripping over books about Scottish myths and legends, but this one certainly came to me when I needed it.
What are you working on now?
I just finished “Off with the Fairies,” so I’ll have to decide which ghost story to write next. People always ask writers where we get our ideas, but I think most authors (prolific ones, especially) will tell you finding ideas is never the issue. Fending off all the ideas that distract you from whatever you’re working on at the moment tends to be the problem.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Remember why you’re doing this. Your vision of success won’t be the same as anyone else’s, so don’t let others impose their ideals upon you. If you write for personal satisfaction, don’t be swayed by popularity contests and vanity metrics. If you write for money, don’t worry about critics going “but is it art?” I started writing queer fiction for young people because when I was in middle school I couldn’t find these books. I don’t think they existed yet–and if they did, my school library didn’t stock them. Sometimes you have to create what you needed. So my idea of success is creating fiction that resonates with people who might not see themselves represented in genre fiction, in particular.
What are you reading now?
I’m still reading that Scottish Ghosts book. It’s great! Lots of short stories about hauntings in Scotland.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I committed to myself and to readers that I would write one addition to my Queer Ghost Stories series every month this year, so I will keep on truckin’ with those. I’m still trying to decide whether I’ll continue next year with one story per month. I strongly suspect that I will. I have way too many ideas.
Author Websites and Profiles
Foxglove Lee Website
Foxglove Lee Author Profile on Smashwords
Foxglove Lee’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account