Interview With Author Viera Landis
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a single mother of four and have written and published nine books in the same bookverse, all in the last thirteen months!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Ace Out of Time (Ace’s Book to Get Out of Trouble). It was inspired by one of the characters introduced in the last book of the Lodestar Diaries series. One day, my daughter and I were driving along, talking about how much fun it would be if he was able to go back in time and see some of the other characters and have an adventure with them, so we decided to make it happen. And here I’d promised myself to never try writing a time travel book!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t think of any. I stay up writing in the middle of the night, but I don’t think that’s all that unusual for authors, especially when they have kids.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marissa Meyer first inspired me to begin writing. My daughters and I attended a book signing where she told us she’d written Cinder as part of NaNoWriMo. We had just finished and loved the Lunar Chronicles and I thought, “If she can do that, so can I!” In fact, while they are totally different, the Lodestar Diaries series does follow the format of the Lunar Chronicles, in that they are both a 5-book series with multiple POVs, and each book focuses on a different set of characters, adding more as they go.
What are you working on now?
I have a few ideas on the back burner, but the main one I am working on right now is a Young Adult book about a zombie turned half-vampire who experiences an awakening, finds himself in a fantasy world with other magical creatures, and has to decide if he will stand on the side of good or evil. I think he is shaping up to become one of my favorite characters!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am trying to leverage social media and have accounts on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, but I am trying to focus on my website, vieralandisbooks.com. I am adding a lot of short stories and other bonus content to expand the bookverse and make it fun for readers, and am just starting out with blogging. Hopefully I will be able to figure out the whole newsletter thing at some point in the near future, but I’m taking baby steps.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice is to write what you love, because if you don’t love writing it, no one will love reading it. Also, try not to be discouraged. It’s great to have a following before you publish, if possible, but if not, that’s okay, too. There are many paths to success, and many people out there to tell you theirs is the only right one. Just make your own path, and don’t give up!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find joy in the journey.
What are you reading now?
I’m in the middle of the Priory of the Orange Tree, but had to put it on hold a little so I could finish publishing my completed works. I should be getting back to it soon.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will most likely be publishing my WIP in the next few months, so be on the lookout! I will also be running some promotions on existing books.
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?
1. Mrs. Mike, by Benedict and Nancy Freeman.
2. The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T.J. Klune.
3. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens.
4. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.
Author Websites and Profiles
Viera Landis’s Social Media Links