Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m equal parts musician and a novelist. I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember – but I started self-publishing in the summer of 2020. So far, I have written and published two books: BACK TO TROY (suspense-romance), and DAISY FIELDS (contemporary romance).
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is DAISY FIELDS, perma-free and available from most mainstream e-book publishers. It’s a contemporary romance novella that slides like ice cream down your throat! I started it because I wanted to try writing from the perspective of an HSP like me. David Nighthart is a soft-spoken, SLR-yielding hero whose perceptiveness toward those around him is a key ingredient in the romance that unfolds.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tie my bangs up over my forehead when I write. The other day, I was taking a break sprawled on the floor, and my daughter (4) told me that I look like a dead quail!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Influenced” feels like a big word to use in this context, not the least because I read almost exclusively literary fiction and publish exclusively genre fiction…
But I grew up reading a lot, and every book I’ve loved has helped shape me in some way, maybe even as a writer. Some of the authors that come to mind are Astrid Lindgren, A. A. Milne, Jane Austen, Junot Diaz, Tim O’Brien, Leif Enger, and Vladimir Nabokov. I feel like Nabokov would roll over in his grave if I claimed that his writing somehow influenced mine!
What are you working on now?
Glad you asked. I’m currently working on a sequel to my debut novel, BACK TO TROY. It’s got a lot of the same ingredients: fast-paced suspense and slow-burn romance (that’s my tagline), humor, psychological drama, etc. It develops on some of the themes from BACK TO TROY, like found family and reconciliation. It’s shaping up to be a good ride.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning the ropes. I’m working on building a mailing list with MailerLite, publishing wide with Draft2Digital, and distributing reader magnets with BookFunnel. It’s a process. I’m not the most patient person in the world, but I’m not afraid of working hard, and I’ve got a lot of stamina and an awesome, supportive spouse – so I think things will eventually start to come together.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a new author myself!
I’d say having an ideal reader in mind while writing is incredibly helpful. If you can find an actual person who can be your “ideal reader,” there’s nothing better than that. It helps you write genuinely.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
This sounds trite, I’m sure, but “Just be genuine, be yourself, and give it time” is what my husband always says when I’m feeling discouraged. It’s amazing to me how hearing those word never fails to lift my spirits.
What are you reading now?
Santa Claus gave me this book of Rilke’s letters and poems, so I’m working through that. It’s slow, because the darn thing is in German.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Boy…I’m just going to keep writing and looking for my tribe of indie readers!
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?
Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats, Winnie the Pooh, and my two books. My two books, not so much because I would read them repeatedly, but because they’ll always remind me who I am, when there’s no one else around to tell me.
Author Websites and Profiles
Maki Matsui Website
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