Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a writer who keeps the bills paid by editing. I was born and raise in South Africa and this is where most of my stories tend to be based. My first publication was a South African zombie apocalypse short story, because who doesn’t love zombie apocalypses!? I finished and published my first novel in December 2016. It’s called When the Stars Dance and you can find it on Amazon.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
When the Stars Dance is my first and latest book published on Amazon. The inspiration for this story came from a simple question: could a bond between two people be strong enough to reverse death? That got my mind racing, and there I built a world around this concept and a story emerged and you can now enjoy it too.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual? Perhaps not, but I do have a routine: first, plan. This means scraps of paper doodled and scribbled on and stuck above my desk. Next, I write by hand (does that count as unusual these days?), and then, as an editing exercise, I type it up onto the computer.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are the usual suspects for people of my age: J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin. I always include to lists like these Juliet Marillier’s The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Raymond E. Feist’s The Riftwar Saga, and anything and everything by Roald Dahl.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting, as any author will tell you, is difficult. Facebook works well for me as an electronic word-of-mouth system but trying as many platforms as possible is the key. Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and as I have recently found out Pinterest are also very good platforms for promotion.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep at it. Some days you’ll feel like what you’ve written is garbage and want to pack the whole lot up. Don’t. Take a break, go for a walk, cook some food, read a book (that’s always helpful), and come back to it later. Every story is worth being told.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Sylvia Plath: “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
What are you reading now?
My Goodreads bookshelf explains better than I could: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/63658232-robyn-veary
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am aiming to have the second book to my first published novel completed by the end of the year so it’s crunch-time! Keep at it and keep keeping on, that’s what I always say.
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?
Roald Dahl’s Boy
Juliet Marillier’s Daugther of the Forest
Kathy Reich’s Fatal Voyage
and Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction by Howard I. Chapelle
Author Websites and Profiles
Robyn Anakin Veary Website
Robyn Anakin Veary Amazon Profile
Robyn Anakin Veary’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account