Interview With Author Stephen Landis
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an Albuquerque-based Christian author and poet who is currently working on promoting local bookstores and other businesses. As of right now, I have four book published and hope to keep going.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I actually have two I consider my latest: Grace, which is part of my main poetry line, and Verses for the Pocket which is something on the side. Grace was inspired by a family friend with a big faith who would always write letters and devotionals. Unfortunately she passed away a few years ago, so I try mentioning her in my books. Verses for the Pocket is, admittedly, partly a strategy to get my poetry into people’s hands in an accessible way as an introduction to my broader work.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’d say an unusual writing habit I have would be trying to balance anything negative with something positive. Sometimes I try writing on heavier subjects in my poetry, but sometimes I feel that I don’t want to get TOO heavy. In some ways it’d be better to not be ‘too positive’ for consistency sake, but I’m not sure it necessarily takes away from any consistency either.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
A lot of what has influenced me was books I read growing up, including Shel Silverstein and Roald Dahl. Alongside this the Bible had led to a lot of inspiration; as many know, many of the Psalms were written by King David amongst others. I’ve even had people compare my work to Silverstein, which I find particularly funny because it seems like everybody young or old grew up with his work.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a sequel to my book Grace, and it’s going to be called Faith. I feel like the concepts of grace and faith go really well hand-in-hand throughout the Bible. Alongside this I hope to release a children’s chapterbook and a more extensive collection of my work including photographs I’ve taken.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am working on directing people back to my website, dustbunnypoems.online, and my Instagram account. However, the most effective marketing method has been word-of-mouth and personal connection. I’ve found that my core audience tends to be from an older generation, particularly women, many of whom value in-person interactions over the internet—just as I do.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
One piece of advice for other authors is that it’s going to be harder than it looks to be semi-successful, especially for self-published books. I’ve personally seen that it’s easy to get the idea that once your book is published then it’s “out there” and it’s a breeze. Just as with any business, it’s going to take some elbow grease to get things done, but it’s worth it for something you believe in.
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