Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a stay at home mom and independent author living in Ontario, Canada. I enjoy outdoor activities such as gardening, hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and skating. When the weather is bad I indulge in such indoor pursuits as reading, watching movies, listening to music, and playing piano.
I am currently writing a young-adult fantasy series called The Nebril Riverland Chronicles that I’ve planned to be twenty books in total. It will be split into five sub-series of four books each, each series set in a different time period and told from a different point of view, but all in the same universe and all female protagonists.
So far I’ve completed two books in the series (Guardians of the Light and Clan of the Ancient Minds). I’m currently hard at work on my third novel. It’s still a long way to the end, but I hope that you’ll join me on the journey.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
What inspired my latest book is the same thing that inspired the entire series, which is headaches. Strange, I know. I’m a long-time sufferer of chronic migraines, the pain occurring generally in the left side of my head. Occasionally, while in the throes of agony, I would desperately try to grasp at wild and crazy reasons that this pain might be happening to me and why always on the same side. Through these imaginings, the character of Emerin was born, who also has headaches on the left side of her head for a very specific reason, which she finds out about in the first book. From there, I basically built a whole world around this premise and came up with a reason for Emerin to go on a grand adventure because of it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m an extreme plotter. I don’t know if this is unusual or not, but I know a lot of writers who just kind of write and see where the story takes them. This is incomprehensible to me. I cannot write a word without having everything in my novel planned out first–character arcs and traits, detailed chapter breakdowns, the systems of how everything works in the world. I have pages upon pages and documents upon documents pertaining to the world I’ve created.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would say I was most influenced by The Belgariad and Mallorean series by David Eddings, as well as George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, and of course, The Lord of the Rings.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’m writing the first draft of my third novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Generally, I like to use Twitter. I find it provides the most engagement. I also like Instagram, but I really have a hard time remembering to take pictures to upload.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be prepared to work really hard. It’s not just about writing for fun anymore once you decide to make it a career. And writing’s only part of your job; even if you’re traditionally published, you’ll still have to do a lot of your own marketing. You have to be all over the internet, using every possible avenue to promote your book, and it’s extremely hard to get noticed. There’s a lot of competition out there. You’ll spend more time marketing than you will writing. Those who are successful treat it like a nine-to-five job, and then some.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You have to write more than one book before you find success, otherwise, I would have definitely given up after my first.
What are you reading now?
I’m just about to start The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. I’ve heard good things about it. But unfortunately, between family, writing, and book marketing, I don’t have much time for reading these days.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continuing to work on my fantasy series. I’m going to see it through to the bitter end (it won’t be bitter, don’t worry!)
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?
Honestly, I couldn’t choose. I’d have to close my eyes and pick. There’s no way I could ever narrow it down!
Author Websites and Profiles
Leslie Aldridge Website
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