Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a design student and an author. I have only write one book this far, but in all honesty, I have a list of twelve more books I would like to write.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Soul Seed and the premise that inspired me is, “What if the industrial revolution never happened?” I ended up creating a whole world based on the idea.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, though I have written enough to give myself carpel tunnel -in both wrists!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I owe J.K. Rowling a lot. I honestly would not even be able to read (well) if it weren’t for her. Books could not hold my interest till I read her series, after that I read everything I could get my hands on. I am a huge fan of Tamora Pierce, I have read all of her books save for her latest (which is sitting in my kindle library waiting for me to read it.) The list goes on, but those two are my favorites.
What are you working on now?
The second book in the Soul Seed series and two other books that fall in science fiction which is quite different from the Soul Seed universe as Soul Seed is fantasy.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do a lot on good reads and I try to blog regularly, but honestly I find that word of mouth has the greatest effect.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write (Duh!) and don’t over think it, I’ve talked to so many would-be authors that never finish because they always second guess everything! You honestly don’t have to worry about that till the edit.
Editing and writing are two separate processes as they are two different mindsets, keep it that way and you will make mush faster progress.
I find that when I have “writer’s block” I’m really just afraid of something, most of the time its, “I don’t know where I am going.” I only write with a very loose outline, If I think of a kick-ass moment it sticks with me so I do not write it down till I’m to the point of writing it.
Watch your pace, the reader wants moments to SLOOOWWWW DOOOWWWNNN! Give the moments you want to slow down by giving them more detail, if it’s all one pace you may lose your reader.
Your characters and your narrator (unless they are one and the same) should sound different. I have a “that” problem where all my characters like to say that. I realize that’s one of my own speech problems. When I was going through my edits (I edited my manuscript 15 different times completely) I dedicated one of them just to removing unnecessary thats. I managed to delete over 1,00o times where I had written “that”!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just keep writing!
What are you reading now?
“Allegiant” by Veronica Roth
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing “Soul Fall” the second book in the Soul Seed series. (You are the first to know the name of the second book!)
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?
Oooh, this is tough. I would have to take at least one Harry Potter book, then I would take a book from the Bekka Cooper series (Tamora Pierce). Pride and Prejudice is on the list, even though I’ve read it nine times. After that, I really don’t know, I guess it should be a survival book.
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Rachael Horsma Website
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