Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi guys! I’m 17 and a senior in high school. At the start of 2022, I’ll be starting community college and working toward the degrees I need to become a high school civics teacher.
Among my many passions are writing and storytelling, and after years of writing to get published, it’s so great to be able to call myself a published author. It has been my lifelong dream to publish a book, and having accomplished that (in high school, no less) is still unbelievable to me. That said, I have written one book with a couple more in the works.
I also love coffee. I have been a Starbucks barista for the past year and I love my job. I was hired at Starbucks because I wanted to work for the company, but I have learned to love coffee and am very passionate now about it. Ask me anything about coffee or Starbucks and I would be happy to answer!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My first and latest book is a short story collection called Yet Another Frog Croaks. The theme of the collection is death and how people generally perceive and deal with it.
The tagline for the book is, “When frogs croak, they seek to create new life. When humans croak, that once-new life ceases. In both cases, no matter what happens, the world continues to turn.” I chose that for the tagline because it sums up the collection’s theme and explains the title. People often use “croak” in place of “die” as a lighter, perhaps more humorous way of approaching the subject; the title, therefore, is simple wordplay.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wrote sporadically and mostly late at night. I often find that I will become really interested in writing very randomly and then go on a “writing spree” that will last about a month or two. For example, I went to Barnes and Noble in mid-August, and that trip inspired a renewed interest in writing from which four short stories were born.
I also cannot let ideas go. If I think of something, I have to drop everything and write it out immediately or else I will forget the idea completely. This is kind of embarrassing, but one time I came up with an idea for a story while sitting on the toilet and ran to my laptop immediately after I finished; the first draft was finished a few hours later.
Oh, and I cannot for the life of me write in public. Starbucks, local library, bookstore cafe, school. I don’t care. I cannot write unless I’m sitting in my bedroom with the door closed.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mitch Albom, John Steinbeck, and Kurt Vonnegut are probably my favorite authors.
If we’re talking about books, there’s a whole list. Ayn Rand’s Anthem, Albert Camus’ The Stranger, Emma Donoghue’s Room, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Joe Biden’s Promise Me Dad, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 are my favorites.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a novel about a suicide cult and a second short story collection that juxtaposes natural conditions and human emotion.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m relatively new to book promotions, but I’ve found that searching book promotion sites and promoting your book through them seem to work just fine. That said, if marketing just isn’t your thing or if you’re not seeing the results you’d like to see, I would suggest finding some freelance marketers on Fiverr or Reedsy.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you want. Whether the elements of your story are completely unrealistic nonsense or meticulously based on real-world events, just write what you want. If you’re into worldbuilding, do that. If you’d prefer to sit on a bench and watch people, do that. But write what you want, and when you do, write it from the heart.
Also, perseverance is key. Writing is tough and publishing is even tougher. You will face your fair share of rejection and that’s okay. You will be told your writing just isn’t good enough and that’s okay. You will be ghosted and that’s okay. You just have to keep going, take all the advice you can get (while staying true to yourself and your stories), and at some point, you will be successful. There are 8 billion people on the planet, so don’t doubt that at least one of them would want to read your work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My dad told me to only present what I loved in my heart. That advice made me take a good look at my collection and take out the stories that I didn’t think were fit for it. It slimmed down the collection a lot, but I’m incredibly proud of the final product.
What are you reading now?
I’m working through Bob Woodward’s Peril, a journalistic account about the 2020 election.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m just going to keep writing. Maybe I’ll get my work published again, maybe not. But all I can do is keep writing.
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?
Probably 3 or 4 books from the list I mentioned in another question. If we’re making a specific list, though, then probably Albert Camus’ The Stranger, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
Author Websites and Profiles
Hayden Sidun Website
Hayden Sidun Amazon Profile
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