Interview With Author Hailey Sawyer
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Hailey Sawyer. I'm the author of Kenji and Yuki: A Japanese Tale and a proud native Rhode Islander. I'm a huge bookworm and coding enthusiast and ever since I was nine years old, I've had a great interest in learning about Japanese culture.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Kenji and Yuki: A Japanese Tale is the title of my latest published book. So in 2017, the idea for this book just sort of popped into my head one day. No epic or emotional backstory as to why. Just an idea that randomly came to me. At first, I wasn’t really sure if it was something I wanted to turn into a novel. But I eventually went ahead with it after giving it some thought.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I'm not sure if this would be considered an "unusual writing habit", but I tend to listen to music or sound effects to either get engulfed in a certain mood or help me understand how something sounds in order to describe it accurately.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh boy do I have quite the list!
But, to answer this question within a resonable length of time, the authors that have influenced me the most are Rick Riordan, Kiyhiko Azuma, J.D Salinger, and Yoshitoki Oima.
For the books that have had the greatest influence on me, titles such as Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, The Evil Wizard Smallbone, Demon Slayer Volume 1, A Silent Voice Volume 1, and the Azumanga Daioh omnibus are high on that list.
What are you working on now?
Like I've mentioned before, I currently have a new novel in development. It's called I'm Pursuing a Monster and, to make a long story short, it's basically Animorphs meets Dexter. As of now, I've completed the first four chapters of it.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
During my time as an author, the most effective method at promoting my novels and other work is Goodreads. Seriously, I can't stress enough just how valuable of an asset Goodreads has been for not only promotion, but also for just how many resources are available on that site and just how friendly and helpful everyone is on there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Six words. Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling List. Read it! It's some of the best writing advice I've ever seen.
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?
Behold! My top four books I would bring with me to a desert island:
1. The Azumanga Daioh Omnibus by Kiyhiko Azuma
2. Chase of The Rising Sun by Colin Rink
3. The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman
4. Shadow of Wolves by J.R White
Author Websites and Profiles
Hailey Sawyer’s Social Media Links
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