Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Polish girl living in the UK. I feel like I’ve always been writing. In primary school it was fairytales I created for my brothers and schoolmates. In secondary it was fantasy. My love for all things fantastical and magical stayed with me and in my twenties I’ve written an alternate universe book. at the same time I became addicted to romance and wrote a historical romance novel. Both of these were written in polish and never published. Then after moving to UK I became interested in mm erotic romance genre. Having encountered a few truly rubbish books in the genre I decided to write my own. Having written it there was no reason not to send it to a publisher, so I did. That was in 2014. Since then I have published 12 books in four series in the genre.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
While I still find mm pairing inspiring to write about (there is so much adversity there that the characters often have to overcome and I also love creating worlds without this kind of prejudice) at a certain point I found the erotic part of the romance genre quite restrictive. Some of the stories in my head have simply very slow developing romance part and I felt like they should focus more on the adventure part of the story. That is what prompted me to try self-publishing one of those stories. This is how “The Mage” came about.
“The Mage” is a story set in a world that will (further into the series) prove itself to be steampunk-y. It’s first in the “Into the Wilds” series which will introduce us into the word filled with dangerous magic, monsters and brave adventurers. It has a character who is slightly damaged and side-characters who add to the flavour of the story and will become even more important as the series progresses.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to jump between many works in progress. I’ll start a story and then leave it for months or even years waiting its turn to be finished.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m not sure if that influence shows in my writing but the authors and books that impacted me greatly in my life were: J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. LeGuin, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Terry Pratchett, Terry Goodkind.
Polish authors: Andrzej Ziemiański, Andrzej Pilipiuk
And there were to many romance authors to mention them all.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on several things at the same time. The second book in the “Into the Wilds” Series and a collection of yound adult short stories about the only human boy in a town full of paranormals are the two most advanced ones of them.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I must admit I have no idea. I’ve been really bad at promoting my books, I haven’t done any o that for the longest time and now I’m simply lost when it comes to advertising, promoting etcetera. I hope to have it figured out sometime in the near future though.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Believe in yourselves! Your writing will never be accepted by everybody but as long as you’ve got the passion and willingness to work on your style etc you’re able to get better and there will be someone to whom your books will matter.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Everybody knows that something can’t be done. Then there comes one who doesn’t know it. He is the one that actually manages to do it.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading “A Wizard’s Guide To Defensive Baking” by T. Kingfisher. And in small increments also “Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow” by Yual Noah Harari
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m wanting to drift a bit further away from romance and into fantasy territory, also maybe finish a children’s book I had sitting on the sidelines for a long time. I don’t think I’ll ever give up on mm romance though. I find it to be a very rewarding genre.
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?
Ugh, It’s a tough one. I’m gonna cheat a little. The Lord of the Rings trilogy in one book. The Earthsea Cycle. and a few of Terry Pratchett Discworld Series.
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