Interview With Author Wren Akery
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi! I’m Wren. I’ve been writing books since I was a kid, and I can’t begin to guess how many at this point! But I’ve published 2 full novels, 1 novella, and co-authored another novella. I live in New England and I work in education (gotta take my pen name to the grave with me). I live with my partner, my son, my five pets, and an unsettling number of spiders in my basement. I’m a hot mess by nature, but parenthood prohibits me from being anything beyond lukewarm clutter, which has actually helped me get my act together enough to clean up (and finish) some of my rough drafts and self-publish them.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Stranded in the Stars is my most recent book (co-author Kris Brooks). It actually started as a short story for an anthology of smuttiness, but it got a little out of hand and turned into a novella. I love historical romance, but I’m also a huge nerd, so sci-fi romance is so incredibly my thing. (I’m also a big fan of post-apocalyptic romance, and I’m working on cleaning up and actually finishing some drafts to publish hopefully next year).
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I work on multiple books at a time because I get bored easily. I can only write after 9pm, and not because I’m prevented by anything before that, but because my writing brain doesn’t fully wake up until 9pm. Before parenthood, I would regularly stay up until the early AMs either reading or writing. There was a semester in college when I literally saw the sunrise every morning right before going to bed, and no lie, I was THRIVING.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
More than I could possibly say, but here’s a few of the very many: Claire Kent single-handedly got me obsessed with post-apocalyptic romance. Sherry Thomas got me started on romance as a genre. Lisa Kleypas is basically who I want to be because her books are perfection, in my opinion. …And then there’s Ruby. I was already a nerd, but Ruby Dixon was the chrysalis that transformed me from a little nerd caterpillar to a giant butterfly of nerdiness. That woman is a national treasure.
What are you working on now?
I can’t just work on one thing. So a list: 1. Revising the already published novella to make it longer and better. 2. Finishing/polishing the Doctor, the Disguise, & the Duke’s Heir which is supposed to come out sometime soonish. 3. Early planning for a series with Kris Brooks to continue our most recently published novella. 4. Writing a brand new book for my son because he saw me writing my smutty book and was like “what’s that” and then I panicked and spun an elaborate lie that I now need to make true.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Sure wish I knew! I’m trying out some newsletter/website promotions right now, but not sure if that will work. Honestly, I may be a thriving lukewarm clutter creature, but I’m so out of my depth with marketing. I don’t do social media in my personal life, so I had to create an Instagram for my pen name and I’m truly baffled by how that thing works. You should really follow me just to see how bad I am at it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am figuring out a lot as I crawl pitifully through the quagmire that is self-publishing. But I’m not sure if I’m right about anything yet, ya know? So… stay tuned. Hopefully I’ll have more to say next year.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Perfect is the enemy of good. (Especially when it comes to finishing books).
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading My Emergency Contact is a Wolf Shifter by Roxie Ray, but I only just started it, so all I can say is that the first chapter is good. I have high hopes for the rest!
What’s next for you as a writer?
Figuring out how to post pictures to Instagram. The struggle is real.
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?
Hold by Claire Kent
Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
How to Survive on a Deserted Island by Tim O’Shei
The Collected Works of Jane Austen (I’m counting that as one book and you can’t stop me)
Author Websites and Profiles
Wren Akery’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.