Naomi Valkyrie, author of the Life is Hell series and The Cursed series, is known for her unique writing style, perfectly flawed characters, and chosen family themes.
Naomi is fond of saying she is merely the humble vessel characters choose to tell their stories through. Thankfully, her family forgives her midnight writing binges and plies her with caffeine when the characters won’t stop talking.
Let’s Get Started
Welcome to my Spotlight, Naomi. Tell us a little about yourself and how you began your writing journey.
I don’t remember when, exactly, I started writing my first book. It was in 2018, but the details elude me. I’ve slept since then. The whole thing began when I was driving to work one day. I thought, I wonder if I could write a book? So, I did. And then, as often happens, I developed a taste for it.
What or who was your biggest inspiration, your favorite author. Perhaps you can share your favorite books.
I think everything I’ve ever read is part of the inspiration behind my creativity. Reading was my escape in childhood, I spent more time in books than the real world whenever I could. Reading saved my life in a lot of ways.
By nature, I am a person who loves to learn – on my own terms. If I am interested in a topic, I will absorb as much as I can. It’s given me a deep well to dive into when coming up with story ideas. And because I spent so much time using my imagination as a kid, nearly anything can spark an idea now.
There’s no one favorite author for me. There are so many good books, and just not enough time to read them all!
You write in multiple genres under various pen names. I imagine that allows you to wear many creative hats and let your imagination soar. But what are the practical reasons to designate pen names, and what is your advice to authors in that regard?
Originally, I didn’t intend to write under multiple pen names; and you can see this when you look at my Naomi Valkyrie catalog. I’ve got Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy Romance, Contemporary Romance, and an Alien romance in there.
Then, as happens so often as you grow in your authorship journey, I learned about branding and continuity. The Valkyrie pen name is now focused on Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Romance.
But, I still wanted to write in those other romance sub-genres. The answer was creating new pen names. When I did that, it got overwhelming real fast. Social media platforms for each one. Newsletters for each one. No, thank you! I am one person. I can only manage so much. This overwhelm led me to create the Kaleidoscope Romance umbrella where I run all the pen names in one place.
If there is advice in this area I would give, it would be to start the umbrella from the beginning so you can spend more time on writing than management. Since I streamlined it, I’ve been much more productive.
Do you write full-time? What is your writing schedule like, and how do you balance writing–your creative time–with day-to-day life? Do you have favorite techniques you use to get your creative juices flowing?
I write full time. That is, I write when my brain lets me. Being neurodivergent, sometimes it can get tricky corralling my brain to stay on task. So, unlike a lot of authors, I don’t have a firm schedule. I write when the hyperfocus comes on, and knock out big chunks at a time.
Not only am I neurodivergent, my family is as well. Our daily life looks different than it would in a neurotypical household. Every day can look different from the day before. It just depends on where everyone is with what they can tolerate at any given time. Most of the time, we flow pretty well. And when we hit a hiccup, we pivot until we get back on track.
As for creative techniques, I don’t have any specific ones. An idea pops into my head and I sit down and write. Ideas are never my problem. Wrangling my brain to stay focused is my biggest hurdle.
What are your top writing resources to help with productivity (applications, services, websites, etc.) and favorite methods you’ve gathered along the way? Are you a pantser or plotter?
I go about my writing process a little differently. All of my first drafts are handwritten. It’s the way my brain works best. So, the most important tools for me are pencils and paper. And I have a hoard of them! Oh, and erasers. Because the ones on pencils never last as long as the lead.
My next most important tool, from a writing standpoint, is Atticus. It does everything I need all in one. The first step in my editing process is transcribing my draft into Atticus to create the manuscript. Then, once all my editing steps are finished, I can format it in there for eBook or paperback!
Since I have nearly abandoned social media – seriously, it is virtually impossible to get visibility on any of the platforms without paying now – my primary tools for marketing are FloDesk for my newsletter (the most important piece of marketing), BookFunnel for group promos and swaps, and StoryKeepr, a robust author management platform where I have my to-do list, release calendar, tracking links, landing pages, more swaps, etc.
At this time, the only two social media platforms I still use on a regular basis are BlueSky and Mastodon. After tracking the numbers, I observed these two platforms are the ones that give me the most traffic. I’m not wasting valuable writing time posting anywhere else. So, you’ll probably find my pages on Facebook, but I am rarely ever on there. And most of those pages have a pinned post to direct people to find me elsewhere. It’s unfortunate, but social media sites have become cesspools and a time suck that’s robbing us of both productivity and attention spans.
Community building is where it’s at now, and most social media isn’t doing that anymore. For community building, I lean on my newsletter, and on my Discord server. There’s no feed to keep me side-tracked with scrolling. I am there having productive conversations with other authors and with readers.
Oh, yes. I must mention my website. Having a website is a key tool. If something happens to your account on a publishing platform, you want people to still be able to find you! (This is also why building a newsletter list is important). Yes, maintaining a website can be tedious, but it keeps you available to readers!
Pantser or Plotter? I hinted at this earlier. I am, and always will be, a pantser. I have to let my brain go where it’s going to go. If I try to organize any of it, it freezes me up. I’ve learned to just sit with the pencil and paper and let my brain download whatever is in there. You can fix anything in edits!
Any advice on publishing?
This is a BIG subject, and a lot of it depends on the person.
I think the most important thing is, before you even publish your first book, decide on your path and stick with it for several years. Things take time to ramp up. Publishing is a slow build. It’s not a get-rich-quick scenario. I know a lot of people don’t want to hear that, but them’s the facts.
If you decide you want to publish wide, then stick with it for several years. Give it time to take root. If you decide you want to publish in KU, stick with it. Don’t bail after six months. That’s not enough time to get any real data. Again – slow build.
Another important thing, you have to get used to change in the overall industry. When I first began, Amazon was the king of indie publishing. Nowadays, more and more authors are going wide, and even setting up direct sales to sell their own books (look into Fourthwall for this).
There’s a lot of advice out there. It can be like trying to drink through a firehose. STOP. BREATHE.
Now, what do YOU want to get out of this? What are you ABLE to do? What is in alignment with your goals and values?
Looking back on my author journey, I can see how I burned out hard several times. I was trying to do too many things that were not in alignment with my values. And, I was trying to do things from a neurotypical framing. But, I’m not neurotypical. Those ways don’t work for me.
People are going to give you a lot of advice. It’s your job to figure out what is actually viable for you, and what you can throw out.
At the end of last year, I did a re-evaluation of my authoring. I realized, with their overwhelming lean into AI, Amazon was no longer in alignment with my values. I’ve taken all my eBooks down from that platform. I wish I could opt out of that platform for my paperbacks, but alas! D2D doesn’t have granular opt out options for that.
Sometimes you’re going to have to make hard decisions to stay true to yourself. But in the long run, you’ll feel better about where you’re headed. Did I take a hit in my sales? Yep. But, it’s temporary. I’m just getting into a new groove. I had to pivot for the greater good of my business. Because if my mental state about my writing isn’t good, I can’t put out quality work.
What have you found to be your best marketing path?
This is another one of those areas where the way you market is dependent on who you are and what you can tolerate.
As mentioned above, after looking at the data, social media turned out to be a complete waste of time and an attention span saboteur. A lot of marketing tips out there are social media tips. Not applicable to me. You’re going to have to weed through all the noise to see what is in alignment with your values, and what allows you to maximize writing time. You need to study the hard data to see where you’re leaking time.
What I’ve leaned into is building my newsletter list. Your newsletter list is the only thing you own. A social media platform can tank your account without notice. A sales platform might close your account without warning. But if you have a newsletter list, you have a way to let your readers know what’s going on.
I build my list through group promos and newsletter swaps. Yes, this requires giving away something free (a reader magnet). I know some of you are probably cringing at that. But, a free book (or chapter sample if you just can’t stomach the idea of a whole free book) is a time-tested part of marketing strategy. Now, you don’t want to give away just any free book. You want something that represents your catalog. For instance, if you write sweet romance, this is not the time to try a dark romance freebie. That sets readers up for disappointment.
I put my free books/chapter previews in group promos that match the sub-genre or theme of my book. Niching down this way adds to the chances I’m going to get readers that are actually interested in what I’m writing. I also swap in matching sub-genres or tropes.
My newsletter is weekly. But that works for me. If you can only send something out monthly, do it. Your strategy has to work for you. Otherwise, you won’t keep up with it.
When I do post on social media, I post and run. I’m talking roadrunner speed with dust flying. As long as I’ve got the right hashtags on my posts, BlueSky and Mastodon do most of the work for me. And those posts are mainly visibility posts. I get almost no sales from them.
In addition to promos and swaps through BookFunnel and StoryKeepr, I participate in active Round Robins. This means, I make sure everyone participating is actually going to share on time. It does no good if people aren’t following through.
Most of my networking is done on author-related Discord servers. And I have my own server where we share ideas and support each other. Part of my networking is offering a monthly Featured Reads spot for authors on my website. I am also building a networking database for authors to search to find networking partners.
As they say, team work makes the dream work!
Can you talk about what you’ve got in the works, your latest releases, and where we can find your books?
After several releases, I learned about leveraging readthrough. I love all my previous book babies. They helped me grow! But now, I am focused on building an entire world. My current series is The Cursed. It’s the foundation series that eight other series will branch off from – one additional series under the Valkyrie pen name, and the remaining seven under the Styx pen name.
As of this spotlight, I’m working on The Cursed: Merric, which is book six. I also have projects scheduled for my other four pen names. And by scheduled, I mean, they’re on the calendar, but who knows if the timeline will stick. I’ve already started the drafts for some of theCurrently, under Naomi Valkyrie and Sinister Styx, you can find my books on:
Thanks again for visiting, Naomi. Any parting advice to aspiring writers?
Build a solid community – both reader and author. You might have to try a few before you find one that fits. If you can’t find one, Kaleidoscope Romance has a server for the misfits, neurodivergent peeps, LGBTQ+ peeps, outliers. If it’s divergent, we’re probably okay with it (with some logical exceptions – like what’s in those Files we keep hearing about right now). Our basic rule is – don’t be shitty to each other. If we’re all sticking to that, it keeps the drama down. One other thing is yes to networking, no to spamming. We’re here to have a good time, not weed through ads.
Don’t put up with anyone’s bullshit. If you leave an interaction feeling like crap about yourself, that’s not a thing you need to repeat. Use the block button early and often.
Beware of scams. They are plentiful, especially now with all the AI stuff going around. Writer Beware is a good resource: https://writerbeware.blog/
Filter advice like you would if you had to purify drinking water in the wild. Just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’ll be a fit for you. And if you discover something isn’t working for you, you’re not chained to it. Give it the axe. You want to enjoy your process, not dread it.
One of the most important things I’ve learned on this journey is, no one is walking my path. They may be walking beside me, but they’re not on my path. Ultimately, my decisions have to work with my life. While you will run across people called experts, YOU are the expert on your life. There’s no one right way to do this out there – there’s only the right way for you.
So, there you have it. The thoughts and journey of a Gen X survivor who is too old to give a shit about fitting in and playing by the rules.
Wow, Naomi, what a wealth of resources you’ve gathered. I can’t express enough thanks for sharing your amazing insights and valuable advice gleaned from your writing journey. So many of us get bogged down with the business of writing while all we want is to focus on the joy of writing. This is so helpful in putting it all in perspective and giving us tools to streamline the process. I wish you all the best in your endeavors.
This is the epic annual chat where I get to reflect on the year with my great writing friend, Nicolas Lemieux. Yay! Welcome back to our dual platform, Nicolas. How about we start with introductions and a brief summary of our year in writing, then dive deeper into the highlights?
Read in French – Nicolas has kindly translated our discussion. Thanks so much Nicolas!
First! Let’s Meet the Authors
Nicolas Lemieux
Nicolas lives in Montréal with his wife, Marie-Claude, in a third-floor apartment overlooking a charming green alley. Although French is his first language, he prefers to write in English.
His chosen genre is Science Fiction, where he gets his kicks dreaming up astonishing worlds filled with a sharp palette of badass, quirky characters who get tangled up in all kinds of meaningful trouble. Often funny, sometimes disquieting, always exciting.
Nicolas believes that each time you dive into a good book, you come out better off at the other end because you’ve gained a new, bright spark that will stick with you until the end of time, helping you fend off the pits and falls that might have consumed you otherwise.
As Nicolas works on his novel, Seven Drifts, which features a drifting city spaceship, a wannabe sleuth, murders, a brewing rebellion, and an antique wooden treasure chest, he enjoys blogging about books and his writing life while sharing glimpses into the world of Seven Drifts, including through his free story, DRIFT & CRADLE.
D. L. Lewellyn
D.L.’s unexpected passion for writing ignited in 2020 after a summer of avid, lockdown-induced reading in her favorite genre, paranormal romance.
In addition to self-publishing her series, The Starlight Chronicles, her stories have appeared in anthologies. More novels are on the way. No surprise there. Anyone who knows her will tell you she’s a dedicated multi-crafter. Take a peek inside her colorful, cluttered studio, and you’ll see it for yourself.
She also enjoys blogging about writing and interviewing fellow authors. Her downtime includes lots of reading and sharing popcorn while watching movies or Formula 1 racing with her husband. When they aren’t being couch potatoes, they’re walking the northern Nevada high desert with their rescued fur babies.
Let’s Get Started
Okay, Nicolas, how about you go first? What was your 2025 like?
NL: All year round, I’ve been deep inside the world of my novel, Seven Drifts, and what a wild ride it’s turning out to be! The story is set on a former starship that was damaged, stranded, and, for better or for worse, turned into a long stack of gigantic O’Neill cylinders. It is a politically complex place of varying gravity conditions, led by a benevolent-looking villain, Mayor Larocque, who compels his people into a way of life he calls Driftism. I’m having a ton of fun with the characters, from the failed botanist but passionate amateur sleuth Anita to the trumpeter Blake, who is slated to write the true story of their rebel crew, to Leona, the great-granddaughter of an infamous architect.
Honestly, the writing process itself is one great source of happiness (and growth), and I know you feel the same way about yours. I love how it forces me to dwell in my solution-seeking mode, as we discussed in our emails. It’s a compelling challenge; always worth it!
To make things interesting, let me throw out a few topics a reader of our conversation might want to playfully toss somewhere at the back of their mind as they read on…
What are the three distinct gravity conditions mentioned in Seven Drifts, and what are they associated with?
Could there be characters in the story who aren’t really called “folk” at all?
An antique treasure chest is bequeathed to someone in the story. In your opinion, who could it have belonged to?
Who is Baba?
Do people in Seven use such things as GPUs and VR?
What kind of propulsion drive might Seven have used before it was damaged?
What was the name of Leona’s late great-grandfather?
What specific goal does the narrator, Blake, pursue in the novel Seven Drifts?
It’s an exciting time for me, as the manuscript is finally mostly in place. I’ve gained confidence in my structural choices, realizing that an introductory set of chapters can work just fine if they are beautiful and fascinating enough to hook the reader. I can’t wait to share these characters, this world I’ve created, and that crazy, quirky, action-packed story. Now, let’s dive into the specifics!
DLL: I have totally felt your joy in what you’ve accomplished this year in Seven Drifts. It’s a huge project, and making those structural tweaks and feeling those “aha” moments must have been awesome. I can’t wait to dive into it as a reader.
It always amazes me how each year ends with events that surpass the previous one, even though I often think a year can’t possibly have more going on or more to learn–and yes, I’m still learning tons in my 6th decade. This year, while I wouldn’t necessarily lump all the happenings into highlights, learning definitely played a role. My biggest takeaway is never to take anything for granted.
After retiring early in 2023 to focus on writing full-time, I was given nearly two years of that privilege. But early this year, cancer struck twice in my family: first me, then my sister. We started chemotherapy a day apart and lost our hair together. I realized how much I had taken my health and family for granted.
Her situation is much more serious; her treatments focus on giving her as much time as possible, and we’re hoping for at least a year. My treatments are meant to keep the cancer at bay, and while I’m grateful for that, I would give anything if the same could be said for my sister.
While this was all going on, I had to face that I’d also taken democracy for granted–a truth more bitter to swallow each day. Watching the hatred promoted by our bumbling leaders in a reality TV-style government only makes personal challenges even harder.
So, what does someone do when life presents what feels like impossible obstacles that are mostly beyond their control? My answer is to write every day and make time to talk to my sister.
The second thing I learned is that having a passion to lose yourself in—one of those joys that makes you want to wake up in the morning—even to face a chemo treatment or another loss to democracy—restores the good things in life. I came to this realization by making this year about having fun with my characters and scenes in three new novels—yes, three—that darn multitasking gene—and that’s in addition to the six I already have going. While I haven’t finished a single one, I’ve written probably as many words this year as my 320,000-word series.
That simply means I found the joy of writing again while also spending a great deal of time promoting my already published novels. That effort has paid off, and I’ll discuss why later. I also returned to voracious reading, which is what launched me into this writing journey five years ago. I’ve decided that reading is equally part of the joy and the best way to become a better writer. I’ll share my favorite authors from this year’s reading list. I’ve reached 74 books in a 50-book goal, and the year’s not finished!
Other highlights include launching my new BookBub website, attending a super fun writing retreat, adding my books to Audible via Amazon’s Virtual Voice Studio, and splurging on Grammarly Pro for editing support. More on this later.
Let’s get into the Writing Process
Nicolas and I really enjoy looking back on our emails after a year of correspondence and finding that we had tons of insightful things to say about our writing process that we forgot about as the year progressed.
Here’s us airing out a little about writing ourselves into a corner while we face life’s challenges.
DLL: Writing is my solace. And as I escape each day into my current novel, I’m encouraged with my progress… except that I’m still working on the mechanics of my plot. Dang those plots. That’s the most challenging part for me–thousands of words of great scenes, and everything is moving forward, but once again, I’m writing myself into a corner, LOL. At least coming up with solutions occupies my dreams so I can sleep.
NL: First off, let me tell you how much I admire your courage and resiliency in your approach to your current predicament (and I apologize for the clichés). The truth is, I have no idea how I’d fare myself, faced with the same reality. But from where I stand, I can only say “I’m here, offering my good vibes.” I’m so happy that you’re doing better now and that you’re on the recovery track.
Congratulations on making such good progress! This many words is a body of work to contend with. Isn’t it the best? You write yourself into a corner, and then your creative brain takes over – in its own time – to find solutions you wouldn’t have dreamt of in your waking time. Often, these solutions turn out to be precisely what makes your story unique, personal, human, and truly you; exactly what makes it irresistible and relatable. I find solace in writing as well. I’ve been all over the place in my novel Seven Drifts, moving scenes around and generally making parts of it a lot better. I enjoy how it forces me to dwell in my solution-seeking mode, even though I am often overwhelmed by how long this challenging process takes. Sometimes it helps me sleep, other times not.
During a creative dry spell this summer, I reread my first story (Tides of Cath), and it was nice to go back to the first spark that ignited the rest of the project. It’s the story I wrote first but haven’t finished yet. It takes place centuries after the one I’m finishing now, though, so it seemed only logical to work on the prequel story first. But going back to ToC really got my creative juices bubbling up again. I found it super encouraging, actually. I had no notion of scene structure and whatnot back then, but geez, I think the story works just as well. Maybe even better, I don’t know; as if I was relying on my instincts more when I wrote these pages, and I don’t know why, but I really like how they flow. So it gives me even more incentive to work hard and finish Seven Drifts so I can go on and work on Tides of Cath again.
DLL: Wow! This is so inspiring, Nicolas. I can also relate to relooking at earlier work and often wonder if I’ve given up some of my spontaneity in my writing. For my part, I seem to be constantly in editing mode and worry about overdoing it. That could have something to do with Grammarly Pro. I couldn’t resist a half-off offer on Black Friday last year, and it truly is like having a professional editor on my payroll. However, that editor is also constantly riding my shoulder, slowing my writing every time I stop to see if I can write what’s being flagged better. I mention this AI writing tool briefly as both a pro and a con. But the pro outweighs the con for me, as it has helped me become a better writer.
Back to spontaneity, I didn’t go at my first novels with any kind of coherence, just pure gut instinct, which left holes while somehow also managing to get a story out. Always shocks me when I look back at how much fun I had writing that way. I think this is why I’m having a hard time finishing another novel. I’m not using pure instinct to tell a story. Instead, I’m swamped with too many techniques learned since then that are stifling me. I’ve sort of lost my voice. I miss the old days. I laugh at myself because this is always how I learn to do new things, just throw something out in the world based on pure creative juices, with holes, imperfections, and all. Then, I reverse engineer. Part of that process lately has been reading authors I love and figuring out why I love their storytelling. Still, it’s all part of the passion, right?
NL: Pure instinct: I like these words. That’s how I operated at first, when I wrote a large chunk of the first draft of Tides of Cath, and I can feel it when I read it again. I hope some of it is still there in 7D – I’ll have to trust in the process for that. Funny thing, I experienced the same with singing. At first, it felt natural and easy, even gratifying, until I took voice lessons with various teachers and coaches. Then, for a while (I mean, years), singing became complicated and hard, nerve-racking, almost an impossible dream. But eventually, it became more natural again, in a different way, and more satisfying – but still kind of nerve-racking, but for larger reasons (I mean audiences) and sometimes, downright terrorizing. But it’s the middle part I want to go for, the “more natural and more satisfying”. It’s like once we start learning the ropes, it becomes harder to reconnect all the techniques and knowledge with our first, primordial impulse to create. To reconnect our busy head with our soaring heart takes time and patience, but we get there eventually. Some days, I feel like I need to act like a “bad student” to find that connection again. I need to ignore what I know and deliberately seek the flow without thinking, and to Hell with the technique and everything I’ve been told. Sometimes I find it helps uncover that nugget of truth, or touch that magical feeling of “something appearing out of nothingness” I enjoy so much. Reconnecting with other art forms, such as music, or with other authors, is also a great way to find that connection again. (More on this later.)
Writing Quests
DLL: So, Nicolas, while I was busy writing and undergoing cancer treatments this year, I added a few quests along the way (why not, right?), which I got to share with you in real time. One was switching virtual audio book platforms from Google to Audible. Producing even virtual audiobooks is a cumbersome task, but it felt like an accomplishment to finish all five books! Both have awesome features, both are free to authors (my only reason for doing them instead of hiring actors), but only one reaches the audience (as usual): Amazon. Still, I haven’t sold any audiobooks since my initial launch, and I’ve received no feedback from the few who purchased them. I suspect AI audiobooks are not readers’ preferred format. We talked about the pros and cons of AI voices vs. real actors. I think most are obvious. There’s nothing like real emotion and inflection to tell a story. Obviously, actors are on my bucket list for the future of my series. Your thoughts?
NL: Thanks for the audiobook of Priss’s story! I listened to the first one and enjoyed it very much! That virtual voice is just out of this world, I almost forget it’s not a real human reading to me – so much so that it’s a bit uncanny when I think about it. Now, if I had a choice between a human-read book and an AI-read one, I’d go with the real human voice for sure, as I’d know I’m supporting the work of a real artist, and it would be easier to identify and connect emotionally when listening to a human being. But for ease and affordability, I can understand people settling for the next best thing once in a while.
DLL: I really appreciate you listening to Priss Starwillow and sharing your thoughts, Nicolas. It’s so helpful. And yes, connecting emotionally is definitely the piece that is missing, even with the uncanny voices. Sigh… One day, if I can win a contest with a cash prize, I’ll splurge. I would love readers to enjoy my series on audio.
Another quest this year was attending my first writing retreat with local authors in the wonderful historic town of Virginia City, at a fabulous, haunted Victorian hospital-turned-art center. A local Reno writer, Kim Harnes, hosts these each year, doing all the labor for the cost of the retreat. We had some great classes with fellow attendees, including an agent we practiced pitching our stories to. Check out the fun highlights in my blog. I highly recommend attending workshops and retreats.
NL: I haven’t attended a writing retreat myself so far, but I have no trouble seeing how that learning and pitching process, though intimidating, would be an exciting time for me as it was for you, and I’m sure it would benefit me in all kinds of ways! Back at the end of 2024, I enrolled in QWF (Quebec Writers Federation), but along with my day job and my writing project, I guess it turned out to be one too many things to do, so I ended up attending only one of their multiple online events. I have no doubt I would enjoy and benefit from attempting something similar again in the future, or, better yet, something more punctual, in-person, and intensive, like the retreat you attended.
DLL: QWF sounds like a valuable organization, and it’s great to connect with local groups to explore unique outreach opportunities within our communities, i.e., book fairs and conventions, which I really want to do. But becoming a writer during Covid sort of set me off on the recluse path, promoting from afar (i.e., social media). After meeting many local writers at the retreat, I decided to dedicate this summer to interviewing them. As a result, I had some fascinating guests on my Spotlight, and through them, discovered local organizations and resources.
Like you, I sign up for events, including online classes, but I never seem to have enough time to participate fully. However, the little I manage to fit in always adds at least one helpful nugget to my repertoire, making it worth navigating the overwhelming amount of networking and training available to indie authors—often offered for free–so long as I don’t let it eat up my writing time. That is a challenge, I must say.
I follow Reedsy, AutoCrit, BookBaby, BookBub, and BookFunnel, to name a few, which regularly offer classes or helpful blogs. A few other useful newsletters come from Gotham Writers (which has great classes and blogs) and Writers Write. This last one is ad-heavy, but it contains lots of great content. Check out my latest favorite blog as an example: “What Can Jane Austen Teach Us Today?” They always provide a brief yet interesting post, followed by helpful bullet points and a list of related articles.
This might also be the place to mention my cross-promotion group on Facebook: #RomanceBookBlast. I participated in every quarterly Book Blast promotion over the last two years, as well as the Black Friday sale, which has significantly impacted my book sales and visibility. So, I can highly recommend it as a valid marketing tool for an indie author on a tight budget.
Our group host and admin, Jessica Anderson, has done a fantastic job helping us grow. Participation is free as long as you agree to promote the quarterly events through your newsletter and social media. I average around 3,000 downloads per free offer. In my genre, it’s advantageous to sell exclusively on Amazon by enrolling in Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to reach Kindle Unlimited (KU) users. My KU pages read have increased significantly this year as a result of the promotions (76,000 pages read!). I also discount my other books in the series, and each event leads to sales of all my books. The group and its followers have steadily expanded, and our events are promoted not only by each other but also on BookBub, Apple Books, and by influencers on TikTok. Thank you, Jessica! She’s been wonderful in driving this promotion to new levels.
If you receive author newsletters offering free books, they’re likely part of a cross-promotion group. I prefer this as my main marketing platform, but it’s also helpful to coordinate with other promotions, such as Written Word Media, BookFunnel, BookBub, and others, to maximize impact. I tried Written Word Media for the first time this fall. I’m fairly certain that my #RomanceBookBlast results improved with the paid promotions, but not enough to use them regularly, except maybe for special events and when I can catch sales. They claim that their emails go out to 50,000+ readers (at least for romance audiences). Sales have continued to trickle in, and I’m thinking the paid promotion helped reach more romance readers.
Also, while it’s not a significant number, my book ratings on Amazon go up a little each promotion, and every bit of that helps as well.
I also took advantage of an offer from BookBub this year to create a website with their new Author Websites by BookBub. I was intrigued because, as a BookBub author with my books featured on my profile, they automatically appear on a catchy page on the site. The free templates are simple, clean, and easy to use. I designed an attractive, author-focused website very quickly. I feel great about using BookBub because they truly understand the readers and market.
NL: That’s amazing, Darci! I’m thrilled and impressed with what you were able to achieve with cross-promotions and groups! It makes me even more eager to finish my book so I can have as much fun finding out what can be done to share my sci-fi story. Written Word Media, BookFunnel, BookBub; I’ve seen some of them, but I haven’t learned to know them – so far. I didn’t know you could create a website with BookBub! I enjoy that kind of stuff, so I can’t wait to dive into it!
DLL: Glad I could share some useful tips, Nicolas! One last highlight to share is about writing contests. You and I have both participated in Writing Battle, which hosts many contests throughout the year. I’ve interviewed the amazing couple from beautiful Nova Scotia who created the platform, which has since exploded in popularity. I entered the Autumn 2025 Short Story contest this year after a long break from contests. It was a bit daunting since it was also my last week of chemo, and I wrote in a chemo fog! But I loved my story, and it did well, reaching the final showdown after passing through the peer judging duels. Writing Battle provides four really unique genres (often more like tropes) for each contest, along with prompts. I got “Vampirical Romance,” with “ice rink” and an “influencer.”
While it is super hard making it to a win for the fabulous cash prizes, at least you end up with a story that, while challenging to write in the abbreviated timeframe with the required prompts, ends up surprising you and being a blast to write. But then you need to find a home for it. I’ve published these stories in my “Priss Starwillow” collection, and you can find them here for free, except for this last Writing Battle story, which became part of an anthology called “Dreams.”
I belong to a wonderful group of indie authors on Instagram who support author Chantal Agapiti’s The Dreamer’s Bookshop, which she created to support indie authors! The physical shop resides in Belgium. The paperback is available in her shop and on Amazon, and you can get the ebook here. Follow the shop for future anthologies and to support indie authors. I’m proud to be part of this ongoing project.
NL: Thanks for the links, and congrats on making it to the final showdown! That’s an amazing feat. I very much enjoyed my two participations in Writing Battle, though I didn’t enroll this year, figuring that I would rather put my limited time on my novel in progress. But I look forward to participating again in the future, for sure!
Works in Progress
DLL: I’ve been overwhelming you this year, Nicolas, with my work-in-progress in our email chats, and I feel terribly guilty, but you’ve been great about offering encouragement and sharing your own experiences. I was also glad to get a sneak peek at Seven Drifts. Then, I managed to talk you into letting me beta-read a scene.
So good! I can’t wait to read the finished novel or possibly get more scenes to dive into… hint, hint.
And wow, Nicolas! You read my series! Thank you so much.
I feel like sharing some of our discussion and our WIPs here. How about you?
NL: Absolutely, share away! And please… No guilt! It was fascinating to read several versions of this part of your work and to witness their progression. I feel privileged to have been part of it, and I hope for that opportunity again.
About The Starlight Chronicles, I really enjoy how you manage so many different characters and their lives and backgrounds, and how you get us to know them better and better, to the point where I feel like I’m part of the family myself. It’s a breeze to get into, despite so many people to track. So well done!
I also love a mix of genres. This is an intense romance with a lot of action. Shifters, vampires, a slew of other supernaturals, even alien princes! I deeply enjoyed each and every reference to history, and how the story makes a fascinating use of the Sumerian language and culture. Gilgamesh rules! Apart from that… Well, TSC had so many compelling characters, each with a fabulous destiny. Also, so many fascinating, eye-widening settings (even the library of my dreams!), and such a complex, riveting plot… Not to forget, what an epic, spectacular ending! So well done.
Another thing I wanted to mention is that I like the way you weave in many short chapters, moving the story forward in a smooth, gradual progression, giving so much information without it ever feeling too charged or complex. My scenes tend to grow each time I look at them, and I always seem to find new details that are missing, so I add them.
DLL: I’m so glad you enjoyed my books (in a few iterations ☺️), and thanks for saying so, not to mention your lovely comments. I can’t wait to return the favor, especially after getting to sample your scene.
Many readers who don’t read fantasy romance (romantasy) are a bit overwhelmed by the large cast, and I for sure got carried away on my first go around. 😁 In a sense, after absorbing stories from so many fantasy romance writers over that crazy summer of 2020, I let my paints spill all over the canvas, even aliens for Pete’s sake. :) But it was a lot of fun and a huge relief that I made some kind of plot out of it. Mostly, I think it’s a fun ride to go on with Selena, sort of like Dorothy through Oz. She finally runs into some serious challenges in Tigris. It’s so hard to make my characters suffer, but finally, I got some readers shedding tears. I’m hoping to do better with that in my spinoff stories.
Here is where I dove into my novel-in-progress with Nicolas, but months later, everything has changed. Surprising, huh? I will offer a fresh take on my projects, then Nicolas will give us a sneak peek at Seven Drifts.WARNING! EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL. 😊
My focus has shifted to finishing Gemma’s story first (Selena’s best friend in The Starlight Chronicles (TSC)).
Gemma is set in Quincy, running parallel to the TSC. The Sinclair twins (black panther shifters) return to Quincy during Drago Incendium (Book Two) to run the science and communications hub remotely, while Andras and Selena head to her brother’s lodge in Alaska with Michael Elliott to complete the quest with the Anurashin.
As the series reveals, Gemma likely has a stalker she’s evading. How will the twins help her handle her problem while convincing her she’s their mate? Will it take them into the Sierra Nevada backcountry, where Gemma’s skills are tested, to face a compelling, morally grey (or worse–his character is still developing) antagonist, a rogue bear shifter named Dietrich Braun? Hmmm. While we meet a few new characters, this story will be a streamlined, standalone romantic mountain adventure.
My next goal is to finish a TSC two-book spinoff (already well in the works) for my two favorite secondary male characters. One is for Michael Elliott, who will team up with Halil Enair (who once tortured Michael on the behest of her evil father) and a new character, a powerful skin mage named Spero Vic, in a story that will explore the dragon lore Elliott promises to share with Selena. We get to travel to a new realm, learn about Onyx (Michael’s dragon) and his kingdom, discover Rune magic through tattoos and song, and meet exciting new characters. It’s all coming together in Halil’s Midnight Sun.
Running parallel to this story and set to join it during the climax is Ember’s Dark Flame. This will be a standalone story with its own ending, then moving to a final climax in Halil’s Midnight Sun. It features vampire emissary and spy Mortas, and Ember, the woman he once loved (also Andras Johns’s best childhood friend and favorite witch who appears briefly in Books Two and Three in TSC). What happens when these estranged lovers reunite to rescue a young witch and stop an evil coven’s plot? I can’t wait to let you know! Both novels will introduce new characters and bring back old ones from TSC.
I’ve also started an epic historical fantasy set in 1776 Alta California, The Spanish Maiden Who Dreamt of a Bear. We’ll embark on a true historical expedition with fictional characters, Elara Sofia de Luna Estrada and her father, Alejandro, who join Juan Bautista de Anza’s ‘traveling city’ from future Tucson, Arizona, to future Monterey, California, as de Anza (the first governor of New Mexico) claims territory for the Spanish Crown.
Elara is Andras Johns’s grandmother, a marked maiden of her time who finds bear shifter Broderick Johns when she arrives with the expedition at the presidio in Monterey. When a competing Russian colonist and bear shifter arrives on the scene, he sets his sights on Elara and pretty much everything else that belongs to Broderick, including his status as the most powerful shifter on the North American continent. Elara and Broderick are mentioned throughout TSC.
Of all the non-TSC novels in the works (three sci-fi and one YA urban fantasy), the one I most want to finish is The Fourth Planet of Cinnamon Jones. It’s a sci-fi fantasy set in Eastern Oregon, in the town of Halfway near Hells Canyon, then moves to Portland, which is a hub for displaced fae. It turns out the fae are not just creatures from human mythology, but aliens from a planetary system deep in the Milky Way called Helixia.
We’ll see what happens when a handsome but hardened bounty hunter comes for Cinnamon Jones, a changeling at birth (left with human parents who believe they adopted her legitimately), who doesn’t realize she isn’t human until a car accident throws her and her parents into the Snake River, and she sprouts gills and webbing on her hands and feet. That’s fine because Cinnamon already knows that water is her element. What’s not fine is that her birth parents want her back on Sempria as their weapon in a political power struggle.
Take it away, Nicolas!
NL: Wow, Darci! So many new stories, I can’t wait to dive into! On my end, I’ve been wondering for a while whether to reveal more of my project and risk spoiling parts of it… But the more I think about it, the more I think I’m ready to reveal more about the story, especially now that it’s mostly congealed. (BTW, I like that term.)
So here’s a first, quick-and-dirty – potentially confusing – jumble-teaser intro…
Seven Drifts is not only about chasing after treasure chests, drooling over a cool house, or watching from a rooftop as weird things happen. There are dead bodies. Thieves. NoFolk. Illegal children – lithe kids, an army of them. Places with different gravity conditions, like the heavy, hypergeeUnderlevels, the nogee levels high up in the Eights, and of course, the more familiar legitgee, citizenry levels. It has urban and rural zones, even ski resorts. It has interns, rebels… A big festival, and a jazz band with competitive lead singers. You’ll hear of climate change inside a space city with messed-up weather systems – and that’s just one more clue. It has a bunch of funky, quirky acronyms, like VR (it’s not only a drug), GPUs (General Preservation Units), MAHAL (a type of propulsion drive). At karaoke, Anita’s best friend will meet her tall, dark stranger with a baby face, older than he looks. Leona is the great-granddaughter of a well-known, infamous architect named Felipe Crasotte, who lived a hundred years ago.
Seven is a former starship, damaged and stranded, that was turned into a long stack of O’Neill cylinder-type habitats – or districts. It’s going nowhere. It is led by a benevolent-looking villainous villain who happens to be the mayor of the city and savior of the people…
As a compelling zen master, Mayor Larocque proposes a philosophy and way of life he calls Driftism – capital D – and de facto, he is the city’s drift master – in more meanings than one. Every morning, all citizens must partake in the daily drift virtual session – seven drifts per week – to train their minds to drift along with the Master’s. Mayor Larocque, aka Baba, is very much into sharing his expansive mind with his valued mentees. He intends his beloved people to get his drift just as he gets theirs – in the fullest of ways.
The story takes place over the course of the most important week of a very important year. That year is the second centennial of Seven’s Awakening, which took place after a centuries-long journey. As the saying goes, “only seven more drifts to go before the big festival night…”
(Geez, I’m still having fun after years of working on this!)
I’m planning to use excerpts from Felipe Crasotte’s journals to expand on aspects of the world and its history in a fun way and to reduce exposition in places. Also, I’d like to use the narrator’s POV in the first person here and there, to show other ideas that are useful to the story. The writer is Blake, a character in the story. He is also the trumpeter in Leona’s new band, and he becomes Anita’s lover pretty early on. In the end, he pledges to write the true story of Anita; what really happened with her and her crew, and most importantly, why, so that down the line, after they get to the end of their long journey, the people of Seven may stop hating her for what she did – effectively putting an abrupt end to their beloved, comfortable way of living, while in fact, saving them and giving their ship a true destination and purpose.
Book Recs & Cultural Influences
DLL: As I mentioned, I read a lot this year—the most I’ve done in years towards my Goodreads goal. I’m at 76 out of my 50-book goal. I raised the goal to 60 in November and surpassed it again. This is mainly thanks to a new favorite author, Lindsay Buroker, and her many series. She is a prolific urban sci-fi/fantasy writer who creates stories I dream of writing, with witty banter, fantastic world-building, and relatable characters. Her writing is phenomenal, and even my husband is enjoying her sci-fi series, “The Fallen Empire.” It reminds me of the best parts of “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” and the sadly short-lived “Firefly.”
Two other outstanding books this year were Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary.” Can’t wait for the movie! My whole family got into this one and discussed it. I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it. The second audiobook I couldn’t stop listening to was the first book in Callie Hart’s “Fae & Alchemy” dark romantasy series, “Quicksilver.” The next in the series, “Brimstone,” has just been released, and I can’t wait to listen to it!
I read both of these early in the year, ahead of the social media hype, which I love doing. They just feel more special that way.
Another author I got into was Elise Kova—wonderful fantasy romance with great characters and worlds.
Your turn, Nicolas!
NL: Seventy-six books, that’s an impressive achievement. I have read The Martian, by Andy Weir; even studied it over a course I did back in 2018, but not Project Hail Mary yet. Now it will be on my reading list! I’ll keep a note to check out Callie Hart’s and Elise Kova’s books.
Reading is one of my favourite ways to calm down and reconnect. I don’t do it as much as I’d like, but reading usually brings me a kind of peace and a lot of inspiration. I don’t set goals, but I try to read a little every day if I can. I keep a list so I won’t buy the same book twice, as I’ve been known to do. Here’s a sample from the last couple of years, so you’ll see the kinds of books I like to read.
The Language of Acorns, V.R. Friesen
Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone – Outlander #9, Diana Gabaldon
Revenger, Alastair Reynolds (Book #1 of a trilogy)
Children of Gravity Beta version 1, V.R. Friesen
Aestus Books 1-2, S.Z. Attwell
Shadowlake, Olivia Rytwinsky
Gravity Shattered Extra Scenes, V.R. Friesen
Stone of Fire, JF Penn
Day of the Viking, JF Penn
Pilgrimage, JF Penn
Manifesting Your Greatest Self, Nick Ortner & Creating Lasting Change, Jessica Ortner (The Tapping Solution)
Pale Face, W.D. Killpack III
Crown Prince, W.D. Killpack III (Next books in series on my reading list!)
The Shithead, Tim Grahl
Out of Tune, D.C. Greschner
Regenerative Business, Samantha Garcia
Ursus Borealis, D.L. Lewellyn
Drago Incendium, D.L. Lewellyn
Tigris Vetus, D.L. Lewellyn
Shadow Captain & Bone Silence, Alastair Reynolds (books 2-3 of the Revenger trilogy)
Inside a Dark Space, M.J. James
The Trials of Imogen Sol, C.L. Walters
Oh, and before I forget… Thanks for peppering your stories with so many awesome musical propositions! I look them up and listen to them. As a result, I often listen to Neko Case nonstop while writing. I love her voice and music. I have other notes I’ll explore further. Keep suggesting!
DLL: A fantastic list, and so fun to see my titles in there. Thanks again for taking the time to read them.
You’re the second person to mention enjoying the songs and other art references. If you haven’t listened to First Aid Kit, you’ll dig the Swedish sisters, too! Here’s the song referenced in Ursus Borealis.
I added a credits page for my cultural references in Tigris, along with a detailed Appendix for the series. It was fun to put that together, recalling all my side and minor characters and being amazed by the sheer number of them. I also love hearing when a reader takes the time to check out those end materials, which has happened more often than you might think.
NL: It’s wonderful! In addition to great music, I see any art form as a potential nourishment for my creativity. Marie-Claude and I sometimes go out and visit big and small art exhibits. Every little gallery, every museum, every piece of art can be a source of inspiration and energy. Check out these exhibitions we saw recently: Alan Glass, Joyce Wieland, Atelier circulaire, Espace Bougie, BIECTR. I love pottery as well.
DLL: That is a wonderful body of exploration, but not surprising from such a fantastic city where beauty is around every corner, as your walks attest (follow Nicolas on Instagram for some amazing photos, a few of which have been sprinkled throughout our conversation). One day, I will visit Montréal and say hi!
NL: It’ll be my great pleasure to say hi too! Thanks, Darci! Once again, it was wonderful talking to you and getting to know you a little more. I had a great time chatting and collaborating with you on this compilation. I look forward to more fascinating conversations to come!
DLL: Same here, Nicolas. I can’t wait to see what new things we chat about in 2026. Happy New Year to you and Marie-Claude.
Follow D. L. Lewellyn at bydllewellyn.com and sign up for her newsletter and a free story. You can also stay posted on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow Nicolas Lemieux at nicolaslemieux.com. Sign up for his newsletter and get your copy of DRIFT & CRADLE. You can also stay up to date on Instagram and LinkedIn.
This month, we get to chat with a fellow Nevada author I met at the Virginia City Writing Retreat. Sue and I enjoyed a great conversation over breakfast on the last morning about her career in education and her insights into the minds of young people, which she features in her writing. I’m glad to have the opportunity to learn more about her life as a writer and her works.
Let’s Meet the Author
Sue is a connoisseur of pretzels (the sourdough kind), a maker of killer banana bread (thank you, Joanna Gaines!), a pilates aficionado, and a writer! She loves writing fantasy fiction for all age groups—time travel, reincarnation, soul switching, and science fiction.
If you searched her pants pockets, you are apt to find a doggie poop bag, tissues, and a breath mint. She’s a proud mama to two amazing adult children and five equally amazing grandchildren!
Let’s Get Started
Thank you so much for visiting today, Sue. Your books are incredibly engaging, drawing us into thought-provoking worlds where teenagers face life’s toughest choices or encounter tragedy, often through a supernatural lens. Can you discuss how you began writing novels and what inspired your first story?
SCD: As many authors do, I’ve been writing or dreaming about writing since I was small. My first published novel, A SLOW CLIMB UP THE MOUNTAIN, was loosely based on my time as a principal in a small rural town. I began writing speculative fiction with SUPPRESSED. I found after I wrote that book that I really liked writing about reincarnation, time travel, and soul swapping.
Where do you find your amazing story ideas?
SCD: Story ideas are all around me. It might be a tidbit from the internet, the newspaper, an article I read in a science magazine, to looking at pictures in National Geographic.
Along the lines of inspiration, who or what was your biggest influence in becoming a fiction writer?
SCD: My high school English teacher encouraged me to continue writing. Then, a Literary Agent believed in my work. When I entered my, at the time, unpublished novel, S.O.S., in a contest and took first place, I really took off. Winning that award gave me confidence in myself as an author.
DLL: Wonderful, Sue. Thanks for sharing that.
What are your favorite themes to explore in your stories? And I’ll throw a tougher one in here. Which character did you enjoy writing most and why? Don’t worry if there’s more than one or if the answer is all of them. Feel free to elaborate.
SCD: I think my favorite character was Cat in CAT-ASTROPHIC. She was a complex and weird girl who didn’t fit in at school, yet she had a connection with the minister’s son, Nick. She argued they were once lovers during WWII. Now, I think you see the conflict in that revelation.
DLL: Another fun world to dive into.
You recently released the third installment in your ‘Land, Sea, and Air’ series. What a fascinating time-traveling premise. Can you give us a glimpse into the story and characters?
SCD: The third book is entitled MORSE CODE. I had names floating around in my brain–Dashiell and Dorothy–Dash and Dot. Thus, the Morse Code twins were conceived as the stars of that book. My cover designer even put …- – – … on the cover (SOS). It was a fun book to write because the protagonists from books 1 and 2 joined Dot and Dash in Guatemala.
DLL: Wonderful. Thank you!
In building your author platform, what have you found to be the most valuable connections and resources for an independent writer?
SCD: At every opportunity, I share the highlights about my books and keep a stack of business cards with me. In fact, earlier this week, I had the carpets cleaned, told him about my books, and sent one home for his kids.
DLL: I can relate. I also keep cards handy for those conversations.
How important is it to engage with your local community? What can you share about building an online presence? Can you tell us about your story awards and the organizations behind them?
SCD: I do as many local author events as my schedule allows, but I’ve also done book signings in MI and WA. It’s true—I’ve won a variety of awards, some more prestigious than others, but they are all “stamps of approval.” Probably, The Chanticleer Reviews has opened many doors for me. While they are small, they have a dedicated team to determine who gets what award. I highly recommend them, and also The Golden Wizard Book Prize awards for those who write for middle grade and under.
DLL: Thanks for sharing these.
What are your best tips and techniques for keeping your creative juices flowing and staying productive while balancing your writer’s life with everyday living?
SCD: Read a lot and read outside your normal genre and comfort zone. Although I’m not a huge Horror fan, there are story ideas or nuggets galore in them.
You recently returned from an overseas trip. I’d love to hear about your adventures and how traveling fits into your writer’s life.
SCD: I just returned from Greece and a screenwriter’s conference and workshop. Before the conference, I wrote my first screenplay, and it was a huge learning curve for me (and I’m still learning). But I think all those ‘out of the box’ events only strengthen us as writers.
DLL: And what a fabulous place to go for a learning curve!
What’s on the horizon for you, Sue, and where can we follow you to stay updated?
SCD: I’m hoping to win another award from Chanticleer for MORSE CODE. The first two books (SOS and MAYDAY) in the series took first place in ‘The Gertrude Warner Adventure’ category. I want to continue to learn about screenwriting and eventually turn many of my books into scripts.
DLL: Fantastic! I wish you the best in that endeavor. You can stay in touch with Sue via her website and Facebook Page.
Thank you so much for dropping by. It’s been a blast. Do you have any parting words of advice for aspiring writers?
Writers need to be readers. Write and read every day, even if it’s just a couple of sentences. Eventually, all those sentences make a paragraph, then a page, a chapter, and voilà, you’ve got a book.
Wow! Today I get to be a fangirl! And even better, I get to share that experience right here. Follow along as I chat with Grace Draven, USA Today Bestselling Author, and creator of the most gorgeous sweeping, romantic epic fantasy stories I truly believe should be on everyone’s reading list.
With Mr. Draven
I prepared for our chat by poring over reviews of the first story I read, Radiance. To me, this was the perfect book by Ms. Draven to start with because it renewed my love of epic romance and set me on the path to romance writing in fantasy settings.
Though I searched and searched, my 2020 Radiance review has been buried by the masses. So, I went to BookBub and found my much briefer review. I admit I updated it on the spot. Since I’ve become a writer, my reviews now come with that extra perspective, so why not take the opportunity to stamp an old reader review with a new reader/writer appreciation?
Friends to lovers is the most powerful kind of romance in my book, and Ms. Draven is a master. Here, the author takes two beings from opposing worlds who would not have chosen each other but for an arranged marriage, and then crafts a riveting story of a powerful bond that is utterly unique, inspiring, and heart-pounding all the way through. Each character was compelling. Their respect for each other sets in from the beginning, which is a great place for a budding romance if done right, and Ms. Draven does it right. And this is all on top of crafting a masterful fantasy world. It’s the hallmark of Ms. Draven’s writing and why I keep reading her stories.
Let’s meet the author
Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids and a big, doofus dog. She has loved storytelling since forever and is a fan of the fictional bad boy. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice for Best Fantasy Romance of 2014 and 2016, and a USA Today Bestselling author.
I found a few other nuggets about Ms. Draven on Goodreads where she tells us she has “lived in Spain, hiked the Teton Mountains, honeymooned in Scotland, ridden in competition rodeo and [is] the great great granddaughter of a Nicaraguan president.”
Let’s get Started
Thank you for joining me on my Spotlight, Grace! I can’t tell you what a thrill it was for me the day you responded to my request for a Q&A. This is without question the highlight of my 2023 year in writing, blogging, and interviewing, and I’m so excited for this opportunity to ask questions of a favorite bestselling author.
After all that (and I am sorry about the gushing, but I can’t help myself)… I sit here with my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Where do I start? Hmmm. Well, here goes.
My most burning questions are where do you get your ideas for such unique and compelling settings and characters? And how do you go about creating such richly layered fantasy worlds? Yikes! That’s a big request, I know, and thanks for giving it a shot.
GD. Aww, thank you so much for reaching out and including me in the list of those authors you’ve interviewed so far. There are lots of us swimming in this pond, so I appreciate the invitation to chat.
I suspect I get my ideas for stories from the same varied sources every other author uses to build worlds and characters. Memories of favorite poetry quotes, something I’ve watched on TV, a song lyric, a beautiful painting, etc. All of these things can trigger an idea that gets embedded in my brain and starts to sprout. I’ve only had one story – MASTER OF CROWS – in which I dreamed of the protagonist/hero and woke up with his character fully formed in my head and ready to be written. That was a real gift from God there.
I love world building and learned how to do it from my brother who was and still is a brilliant dungeon master. I played D&D during my college years and watched him create these incredible, heavily layered worlds that combined both the fantastic and the mundane to create these immersive places for his players to sink their imaginations and run their characters. He was amazing at this, and I completely credit him for teaching me the same approach when writing books.
DLL. I love that about MASTER OF CROWS! It is one of my earliest and most favorite reads, though I’m currently reading ENTREAT ME and thinking that’s my favorite. Except I just finished Dragon Unleashed and wondering about that being a favorite. Hmmm. That’s what’s so great about your stories. Each one feels like a favorite.
I recently finished DRAGON UNLEASHED, Book 2 in The Fallen Empire series, and am poised to start the third, RAVEN UNVEILED. The audiobooks in this series are sweeping me away. My husband even gets caught up in these stories if he’s in the room while I have the volume up. (Incidental listening is the best he can do when it comes to romance, so this is big!)
Your secondary characters are as compelling as the main characters. In this instance, I’m thinking of Halani’s mother, Asil. I adore falling in love with book boyfriends which is my main motivation for reading romance, but it’s always a great surprise when I fall in love with a character like Asil. The sweetest mother a girl could have. Sweet, innocent, simple, yet surprising and fascinating with hidden depths. Threading throughout this world is the need to track what happens to Asil (starting from Book 1 in Phoenix Unbound). In my opinion, she is responsible for illuminating an entire dimension of Malachus’ character.
Can you talk about Asil and the inspiration behind her creation?
GD. The character of Asil is a tribute to my son who is on the lower end of the autism spectrum. Like Asil, he is often challenging to deal with, stubborn, and enigmatic (especially since he’s mostly nonverbal). However, he teaches the rest of his family how to be better, kinder, more sympathetic human beings. Being a caregivers requires patience, empathy, and resilience – three things that can only build character in anyone, be they real or fictional. I wanted to show that in this story with Asil as the catalyst who shines a light on all of those traits in my main characters, especially Malachus who, for the most part, grew up a rather sheltered individual despite tragedy and his orphaned childhood.
DLL. Thank you so much for sharing the special story behind this amazing character.
Here is my opportunity to share examples of the kind of writing that has inspired me as a romance fan and writer. [For our readers. The excerpts are intended to be out of context enough to prevent spoilers but beware.]
“Wife of my soul,” he said, and this time his voice didn’t shake but held all the command of a Savatar ataman who had led an army against the Empire and won. “Look at me.”
His words sent an arrow of euphoria straight through her chest.
“And will you love me for a day? A year? A lifetime?” She knew the answer but wanted to hear him say it in that beautiful, shattered voice.
“Beyond that,” he whispered, eyes shining with the tempest of emotion he’d held in check until now. “Beyond the reign of false gods and meddlesome priests. Beyond al Zafira when her bright stars fade.”
He kissed her then, breathed his life into her mouth, her heart, her spirit—the same way she’d breathed her Gift into him while they stood in the empty soul of a dying god.
Martise kissed him fiercely in return, holding him so tightly her arms ached, and the necklace she clutched dug into his back. When they parted, she leaned her forehead against his. “That’s a long time to love someone.”
Nimble fingers worked the ties of her cyrtel, unlacing them with ease. “Not long enough.”
In RADIANCE, the strength and majesty of this story lie in the sheer beauty of a bond that grows between an alien man and a human woman, who are each repelled by their physical differences. Yet, the first time they meet they recognize in each other kindred spirits and start their journey on a foundation of respect. They must marry and join houses and they take on this task with strength and wisdom though they have no illusions that they will ever become attracted to each other.
“You make a very handsome dead eel, my husband,” she said and winked. Sinhue and Kirgipa both gasped.
“For a boiled mollusk, you wear black quite well, my wife.” Brishen shot back, and his smile stretched a little wider.
Radiance
~~~
The crust was perfectly golden and buttery with a braided edge and fanciful dough cut-outs that revealed the cook was as much artist as baker. Her mouth watered in anticipation of cutting into it.
And then the pie breathed.
Ildiko gasped and half rose from her seat, her sanap tumbling to the floor. “My gods, did you see that?”
Brishen’s stoic expression didn’t change, and he motioned for her to sit down. “You can’t run from this one, Ildiko. It’s served at every high feast and celebration. A delicacy among the Kai. It’s a surety we’ll be served one later. Newly married couples share it as a symbol of fortune and prosperity in the marriage.”
Ildiko did as he bid and sat but scooted her chair a little further away from the table. “What is in that pie?” Whatever it was, it was still alive. Fortune and prosperity be damned. Her throat closed up in protest at the thought of having to swallow something alive and still wriggling.
Brishen picked up his dagger. “Watch closely because at some point, you’ll have to do this yourself.” He stared at the pie, as focused as a hawk on a branch watching a mouse in the field below it. The pie’s crust rippled, creating cracks across its smooth surface. A black spine poked through the crust, and Brishen pounced.
He slammed the knifepoint into the pie hard enough to make the plates bounce on the table and splash wine from the goblets. An insectile screech pierced the quiet.
Brishen twisted the knife. It made a cracking noise, and the pie abruptly ruptured, sending pieces of crust splattered in a black slime across the table.
This time Ildiko leapt over her chair to crouch behind it, wide-eyed and horrified as Brishen pried his knife out of the destroyed pie. It came free with a sucking sound…
Radiance
~~~
He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. “Woman of day, you waited for me.”
Ildiko closed her book and offered him a drowsy smile. Relief and happiness coursed through her. “Prince of night, you’ve come back to me—your head intact.”
Radiance
~~~
She was solace enrobed in smooth flesh and scented hair.
Radiance
~~~
A sudden realization made him smile a little. One of his wife’s greatest strengths, and a thing he most admired about her, was her ability to adapt to a situation and still remain steadfast in her own sense of worth and place. Brishen no longer viewed her with the eyes of a Kai and couldn’t view her with the eyes of a human male, but that held no consequence now. He saw her as she’d always seen herself—as simply Ildiko. For her, it was enough; for him, a gift beyond price.
Radiance
~~~
The silence yawned between them as she continued to stare at him. “What is it, Ildiko?” he asked. “What do you see?” His question acted as a catalyst, breaking a spell that held him beguiled and her enthralled. She opened beneath him; not just her body. All of her. He sensed it in every part of him. She twined her arms around his neck and tilted her head until her lips brushed the corner of his mouth. “My beautiful husband,” she said. “I see radiance.”
Radiance
My question here is at what point in your career did you find this talent for writing such moving prose, strong emotions, witty meaningful banter, and imaginative scenes that bring the reader straight into these worlds? Or did your writing start out this awesome? I want to know because it means there might be hope for the rest of us. 😊
GD. LOL. I wish I could say it was something I was born with or was one day struck by the lightning bolt of wordsmithing. However, I’d be lying. I think the love of storytelling is God-given but the skill of writing is learned and practiced – constantly. It’s a mental workout of the imagination and riding the learning curve of technique. You have to go at it every day to improve and learn more, and there is no ceiling. I’ve been steadily at this for twenty years and eager to discover new ways to write better over the course of the next twenty.
DLL. Great advice! I’ve explored many creative avenues. Since I started writing, I realize now that those were all experiments. Writing is different and I have been writing every day for three years. You’ve given me hope that I’ll still be at it and maybe even successful seventeen years down the line. 😊
Which of the characters in your published works is your favorite? Do you have a favorite character coming up in a work-in-progress that you can preview for us? Along with that can you give us a glimpse into your current projects? What’s coming next?
GD. My favorite character is Louvaen Duenda from ENTREAT ME. She was a joy to write, and after doing some quick proofreading work on that book, I enjoyed reading her as well. Silhara from MASTER OF CROWS runs a close second. Louvaen; however, still takes first place for me as she’s someone I’d like to hang out with in real life.
I don’t have a favorite character in upcoming works at the moment. With the exception of one character, I tend to learn about my characters as I write their story, so it isn’t until the book is complete that I have an idea as to whether or not one will be a favorite. I can tell you that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing both Emerence and Gaeres from THE NOMAS KING (Wraith Kings #4) so far, mostly because of their couple dynamic. Emerence is very independent and analytical, and Gaeres comes from a matriarchal society, so I think they work well together.
I always have at least two things going at one time, sometimes three. I’m currently wrapping up the Wraith Kings novella BLACK HELLEBORE which revisits Brishen and Ildiko. Once that’s done, I’ll switch back to THE NOMAS KING. I’ve also just submitted a proposal and sample chapters for a story about the fae to my agent for possibly going on submission to traditional publishing houses. So very busy at the moment and feeling fortunate to have such a full plate.
DLL. This is great stuff! I’m learning so much from how you see your characters and the way their separate characteristics and resulting dynamics impact their growth and bond. And how exciting to hear about what’s coming next in this stunning series. I can’t wait!
What or who is your biggest inspiration that set you on the path to becoming a writer? Was writing fiction something you always dreamed of doing?
GD. Inspiration to write came from multiple sources: my brother, the brilliant DM, the incredible fantasy authors Andre Norton and Michael Moorcock, and just a fierce love of reading.
Writing fiction wasn’t something I always dreamed of doing. I didn’t start writing until 2003 as a hobby and stress reliever from long hours at my job and raising three little kids. It developed into something more over time, and now I get to do it full-time, which is amazing. I’m grateful for it every day.
DLL. After having interviewed so many wonderful fantasy writers, I’m finding D&D to be a common influence, which is a fascinating aspect of world building I wish I could tap into.
I really enjoy the books by Ilona Andrews, a writing couple responsible for the popular Kate Daniels series, and one of my favorites the Innkeeper Chronicles. It’s a fun fact for me that you and Mr. Draven are friends with Ilona and Gordon Andrews. This is a stellar example in the writing world of the power of writing communities. Can you tell us a little about how your friendship came about and the perks gleaned from being devoted writing buddies?
GD. Like you, I’m a fan of IA’s body of work, even before I met them, and Innkeeper is my favorite series of theirs. I can still vividly picture the fight scene at Costco.
Ilona, Gordon, and I first connected when Ilona put out a request for recommendations on something to read. Her readers sent suggestions, as did some book review bloggers. Has from The Bookpushers recommended MASTER OF CROWS. Ilona read it, liked it, and wrote favorably about it. Thanks to her, Gordon, and their significant platform, other people learned about the book and my other books as well, expanding my audience exponentially. It was one of those serendipitous moments. To thank them for their kindness, Mr. Draven and I treated them to dinner one evening and really hit it off. We’ve been friends ever since. I consider that friendship the most precious thing to come out of that connection – far beyond book sales and exposure, far beyond professional collaboration, etc. They are lovely, lovely people, and I’m beyond blessed to have them as friends. That is the perk above all perks.
As for other perks, I’d say guidance. Ilona and Gordon are masters of their craft. There have been more than a few instances where I’ve wrapped too hard around my own axle regarding a character motivation, a scene, a plot point, etc. and gone to Ilona for guidance and help. She always comes through with the perfect solution.
DLL. What a great story and such a fantastic thing to happen along a writer’s journey.
For a fun chat between these two dynamic couples. Here is an episode from Ashland Public Library MA‘s YouTube channel.
What is your favorite way to engage with your readers? Can you let us know where we can find you, say for a book signing over the next few months?
GD. While my ability to do so is very restricted due to scheduling, budget, and family demands, my favorite way to engage is in person, face-to-face. The next best thing is through social media, though I don’t have the time to regularly hit several platforms to engage.
I just recently attended an Author Meet and Greet at my local library but don’t have anything planned until June of 2024 where I’ll be attending Book Bonanza in Grapevine, TX, and October of 2024 where I’ll be at the Romantasy Book Convention in Orlando, Florida.
DLL. Those sound like a blast. Enjoy and much success!
Tell us about the Arcane Society, which presented beautifully illustrated special editions of Master of Crows and Entreat Me in its October box. Can you share a little about the perks of membership and its benefits to you as a writer?
GD. I’m not a member myself, but I hear from some subscribers that AS puts out some beautiful editions with incredible artwork on both the books and the separate art cards. The enamel pins are also lovely. I can attest to all of this based on what they’ve done for me as well as The Four Horsemen series (by Laura Thalassa) that I received from AS. Breathtaking books anyone would be proud to put on their shelves. High quality product and definitely money well spent if you get a subscription.
Arcane Society Member Edition
I think the greatest benefit in collaborating with AS was getting paid of course (bills to pay and mouths to feed) and expanding my audience.
I can sing the praises of AS all day long but would be remiss if I didn’t do the same with Fae Crate who put together gorgeous special editions of RADIANCE and EIDOLON.
DLL. I think it’s great to have these opportunities for readers and writers to own their favorite works in such beautifully illustrated volumes. I also enjoyed the Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa and what fantastic artwork for those as well. It would be a dream for me to write a book that inspires artists to create images for it. I did a Google search and found so much fantastic fan art for Brishen and Ildiko! It’s easy to understand what about those two inspire so many artists.
Where else can we find signed copies or special editions of your books?
GD. I also have a hardback omnibus edition available on Amazon (and can be ordered through Barnes and Noble or your favorite independent bookstore) titled Wraith Kings, Volume I which contains both RADIANCE and EIDOLON.
On the technical side, can you share your journey into publishing your stories? Is there anything you would do differently now that you can look back on it?
GD. I started out writing fan fiction as a hobby and learned some basic techniques from other more experienced writers. In 2005, I submitted a short story to a now-defunct digital-only publishing house (I would NEVER do that now. Way too risky). I won a contract with them and published that story, along with a few novellas and my first novel (MASTER OF CROWS). When Amazon rolled out KDP, that was a game changer for everyone, including me. I got rights back on most of my work and started self-publishing on KDP. Best decision I ever made to go the self-publishing route. I’m now a hybrid author, involved in both self-publishing and traditional publishing.
As far as doing something differently, I’d definitely practice better risk management by learning more about the many publishing outfits out there. Some are honest, hard-working companies invested in their authors’ success. Others, however, are predatory scam outfits that make money off a hopeful’s dreams. I was very, very lucky that the first publisher I worked with was both professional and honest.
DLL. Thank you. It is so helpful to get a writers’ experiences on navigating the crazy path to publishing. It’s also a lot of fun getting a take on the early days of KDP. These new self-publishing platforms give us so many options and a lot of competition, which is why I like hearing about the hybrid options.
What are your favorite techniques and tools for drafting a manuscript? Have your methods changed a lot over the years?
GD. I go very old school in that I typically handwrite my drafts in spiral notebooks, then transcribe them later. It’s terribly inefficient, especially when I’m actually a fast typist. However, ideas flow better for me when I’m handwriting. This is also why I’m a slow writer.
I suppose they’ve changed a lot in the aggregate but are more what I consider refinements over the years. I learn as I go. I used to write scenes and dialogue together in a very linear fashion. Now, I go with more a script method in that I write all the dialogue first with brief notes about the scene and background and then go back and fill all that in. I “hear” dialogue better than I “see” scenery, so I tackle that first.
DLL. I love finding writers who write by hand. I’ve interviewed a few, and on the other side of the spectrum, a few who love using dictation. So many ways to feel the story.
For a glimpse into your writer’s life. Do you have a favorite place to write? What are your favorite techniques or methods you use to stay creative and productive?
GD. I don’t have a favorite place to write as I typically only have one place to write – my desk in one corner of our game room.
To stay creative, I tend to relax and put myself to sleep at night by going over scenes and plot points in my head for a story I’m working on. It works to both settle my mind and build ideas I’ll incorporate into the manuscript. GD.
DLL. I came across a Medium post recently that highlighted famous authors and their daily writing routines. E. B. White’s was my favorite and your game room desk reminds me of his living room.
I never listen to music when I’m working. I haven’t that kind of attentiveness, and I wouldn’t like it at all. On the other hand, I’m able to work fairly well among ordinary distractions. My house has a living room that is at the core of everything that goes on: it is a passageway to the cellar, to the kitchen, to the closet where the phone lives. There’s a lot of traffic. But it’s a bright, cheerful room, and I often use it as a room to write in, despite the carnival that is going on all around me.
In consequence, the members of my household never pay the slightest attention to my being a writing man — they make all the noise and fuss they want to. If I get sick of it, I have places I can go. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.
E. B. White
I can just imagine the author writing Charlotte’s Web among the family “carnival,” sort of like a barn with a spider and her chatty friends.
What advice can you share on balancing your creativity with other aspects of life?
GD. Learn how to tune out.
I can write just about anywhere because I can tune out. Learning how to do that was a necessity for me as I live and work in a loud, very active household with constant noise and interruptions.
Also, get advice from other authors on what they do to stay productive. Some are haphazard like me, while others are more regimented. One of those or a combination of both will work for you. Basically, customize according to your needs and the demands of your life. There’s no one true way.
Do you have any parting advice for those who want to pursue a writing career?
GD. Write, write, write. Learn good technique and practice it. Accept the idea that your first, second, third, thirty-seventh attempt at something may not be good or publishable. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Don’t be afraid to delete words and rewrite them. I wrote DRAGON UNLEASHED twice. Of the original 132k words I wrote, I kept only 9k and rewrote 120k. It’s not unusual for me to write the beginning of a book multiple times before I’ve settled in with a start I like (I wrote the beginning of ENTREAT ME six times). I have no problem killing my darlings. You shouldn’t either.
Also remember that while marketing and ads are very important aspects of publishing, writing a solid book is equal in importance. All the ad money in the world won’t move a bad product over the long term, and in this business, your brand is as important as exposure and platform.
Most of all, stay humble, stay grounded, and don’t give up.
DLL. Absolutely staggering but oh so encouraging statistics when it comes to being ruthless about what isn’t working… and never giving up. I imagine we are benefiting from your cutting room floor with all your wonderful novellas. Also a sobering thought about putting your best work out there as the first step in marketing yourself as a writer. I think my horse left the barn when I published too soon. Wished I would have talked to you three years ago.😊
Thanks again for visiting, Grace! This has been such a treat, and I wish you the best in life and writing.
Thank you so much, and all the best to you and yours!
This month’s guest first came to my attention several years ago at an Autocrit short story workshop, and I’ve enjoyed her stories and lively newsletter ever since.
After participating in Rayne Hall’s latest writing contest, where she challenged writers to submit stories without any AI assistance, including editing (eek! No Grammarly!), I thought it would be fun to invite her to chat about her life as a writer (gardens, cats, and all), her works, and writing in the gothic horror genre. We will also discuss her work as a writing coach and her top five tips on the craft.
Let’s Meet the Author
I’m Rayne Hall, and I help good writers become great.
As the author of the bestselling Writer’s Craft guides, I answer writing-related questions on in the social media, post articles online, coach authors, edit books, speak at conferences and teach online classes.
I’ve been working in the publishing industry for three decades, as a trainee publishing manager, editorial assistant, magazine editor, investigative journalist, production editor, literary agent and publishing consultant.
In between, and often at the same time, I’ve been a museum guide, adult education teacher, development aid worker, apple picker, trade fair hostess, translator, belly dancer and tarot reader.
Now I’m a professional writer, with more than a hundred books published under several pen names (mostly Rayne Hall), in several genres (mostly fantasy, horror, historical and non-fiction), by several publishers, in several languages. I’m also a publisher, and these days I publish most of my own books, as well as anthologies with Gothic stories by other writers. After living in Germany, China, Mongolia, Nepal and Britain, I’m now based in Bulgaria where I enjoy visiting ancient Roman ruins and derelict abandoned homes, going for walks in the woods, organic permaculture gardening and training my rescued cats.
Let’s Get Started
Thank you so much, Rayne, for visiting with me on my Spotlight. I’d like to start at the beginning and ask: Who or what inspired you to become a writer and dedicate your life to the written word?
RH: I grew up in a conservative, restrictive home in southern Germany in the 1960s, when girls were expected to get married and become housewives. This didn’t appeal to me in the least. Cooking and cleaning all day long sounded boring.
My family was steeped in the Catholic religion, and they gave me a big book with the life stories of saints. I read the thrilling tales eagerly. Could I become a saint instead of a housewife, thus escaping the boring household drudgery?
Alas, sainthood seemed to require not only a pious life but a painful death. Most saints suffered martyrdom, pierced by arrows, devoured by lions or burned. I didn’t cherish an agonising demise.
Housewife or martyr? Both dreary options, and I didn’t look forward to growing up.
I started reading books when I was four, and by the time I was seven, I devoured all the kids’ books I could lay my hands on: fairy tales, illustrated animal stories, saints’ lives and more. When I discovered that there were women who wrote books, a window to a new world opened for me.
As a grown-up, I wouldn’t have to scrub floors all day, nor would I have to offer my feeble flesh up to torture. I could write books instead.
“When I grow up I want to be a writer,” I declared firmly, at the age of seven.
Of course, adults talked me out of this ‘nonsense’ and persuaded me to choose a more sensible career. But with twists and turns, my life path led me back to my vocation, and here I am, a writer of books.
DLL:How awesome to start life early with that gothic romance outlook. I appreciate how you knew what you wanted at the age of seven, or rather, what you didn’t want, and ended up where you aimed to be.Such a great story!
I find it fascinating to learn from different writers about how their journeys evolved. What inspired you to write horror? Tell us about your other favorite genres.
RH: Historical fiction was my favourite genre to read, and my first genre to write. I remember my first attempt at a novel – the adventures of a Venetian courtesan in the 1700s. Probably not a good choice of subject for a fifteen-year-old virgin who had never been to Venice.
After that came several more historical novels, each a notch better than the one before, because I became better and better at my craft. But success eluded me. I tried other genres, switched to short stories. Yet every manuscript I mailed out returned with a thud. In those days, submissions were on paper, and the envelopes with the rejected sample pages and stories were heavy. I learnt to recognise the sound of a rejected manuscript falling through the letter slot, a disheartening start to the day.
Then in one week, I got three acceptance letters. Acceptances – without manuscripts attached – whispered through the letter slot, what a cheering noise! All three were for horror stories. That’s when I saw a pattern. If Historical Fiction didn’t get me anywhere, but Horror did, maybe that’s what I should write.
At first, I baulked. I thought all Horror was Splatterpunk, with sadistic violence and gruesome stuff – again like the martyrs having their flesh torn with red-hot pincers – and that was not for me. But when I researched the genre, I discovered that it has subtler forms: Psychological Horror, Suspense, Gothic.
The Gothic especially appealed to me: more creepy than gory, more atmospheric than violent. I love it, and this has become my main writing category. I love creating the vibrant settings, the passionate emotions, the guilty secrets, the creepy atmosphere.
I tried to write other genres, too: Historical Romance, Cosy Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction. But somehow, they all took a dark turn. Without my knowledge and consent, the characters hatched evil plans and hijacked the plots. So I ended up writing yet another Gothic Horror yarn.
Fortunately, Gothic fiction lends itself to layering with other genres. So I’ve created not just Gothic Horror, but Gothic Historical, Gothic Fantasy, Gothic Romance, Gothic Mystery fiction.
DLL:This is so encouraging, not only in terms of perseverance, but also in how one finds their niche. I love it!
What inspired you to teach the craft, and where do your craft books fall in your bibliography? What topics did you focus on in the beginning, as compared to now?
The Writer’s Craft books teach advanced-level writers specialist skills. They’re the kind books I would have needed years ago but couldn’t find because they didn’t exist. At the time, there were many how-to-write books for beginners. But for writers who’d mastered the basics, there was little guidance available.
Eventually, after I had reached a very high level with my own writing, I developed the series to fill the gap in the market.
Writing Fight Scenes was the first of the Writer’s Craft books. During my long learning journey, I’d been frustrated that there was no book available on this specialist subject.
When I saw online courses on this topic, I signed up at once – only to find that they were superficial and filled with platitudes instead of providing practical guidance. So I studied fight scenes in literature and developed my own system. Then I taught an online course, which was a tremendous success. Many authors needed fight scenes for their fiction and didn’t know how to go about it, and they loved my course and recommended it.
In 2011 I decided to expand my course into a book with the same title, and it instantly became a bestseller.
So I turned some of my other courses into books, too: Writing About Magic, The Word-Loss Diet, Writing About Villains. Before I knew it, I had a series with fans who wanted more.
The series now has almost 40 titles. Writing Scary Scenes, Writing Love Scenes, Writing Vivid Settings, Writing Vivid Dialogue, Writing Vivid Plots, Writing Vivid Characters, Writing Deep Point of View…
Which do you prefer to write, short stories or novels, and how can you tell when a story might evolve into a novel? What’s your top favorite answer when a reader asks you how to write a short story?
RH: I enjoy writing both short fiction and novels. My best work, the one I’m most proud of, is the dark-epic fantasy novel Storm Dancer.
But overall, I prefer short stories, simply because they’re quicker to complete. I can finish a short story in a month, from idea to polished version, whereas a novel is a commitment for years. I have many half-finished novels lingering in my file folders, and it’s doubtful whether they’ll ever see the light of publication. With shorts, I can savour the thrill of completion more often.
Many short stories want to grow into a novel. As I write, they grow and grow, and it takes discipline and skill to keep them confined to a manageable length. My two favourite techniques for this: 1. Let the story play out in a single location. 2. Let it unfold within a short time, preferably in a single day.
DLL:Thanks for the great tips! I can totally relate to your experience. I often feel torn between finishing shorter pieces and working on novels that I might never complete. It’s frustrating when I have such epic endings and vivid scenes running through my head, all while feeling like time is slipping away. So many writers publish multiple novels in a year, and I really want to know their secret. That’s when I remember that the joy is in the writing—published or not, finished or not—and that really helps.
Speaking of getting our books out into the world, do you self-publish?
RH: My first twenty or so books were conventionally published by twelve different publishers, but now I’m my own publisher. I’m actually a trained publishing manager, that’s my career. I’ve worked in many different positions in the publishing industry, so I know the business well, and now I’m using my insider knowledge.
In the 20th century, publishing involved a big capital outlay, and the only way to reach book buyers was through a complex distribution system which only publishers had access to. In those days, self-publishing was almost inevitably doomed to failure, and at huge expense. I used to advise against it.
But the publishing industry has changed to much. With e-books and print-on-demand technology, the once exorbitant production costs have evaporated. Everyone can use online bookselling platforms to make their works available to the book-buying public.
The literary agents and publishing houses, essential parts of the system in the 20th century, have become obsolete. Why should we writers – who mostly earn very little for our work – finance a big publishing apparatus we don’t need, and the salaries of multinational CEOs? Frankly, writers need publishers like they need a tapeworm in their guts.
Of course, you need to be aware that as a self-publishing author, you are a publisher as well as an author. If you want to be successful, you have to approach this as a business. You’re responsible for your own quality control, your own marketing, everything.
DLL: Ooh, great insights on traditional versus self publishing. It’s super helpful to hear from an author who’s been so immersed on both sides.
As promised at the outset, what are your top five tips for writers?
RH: Here you go:
Write the kind of book you’d love to read. This way, you’ll create a great book, and you’ll enjoy the process.
Write about what you know. This way, your won’t commit factual errors, and your book will ring with insight and authenticity.
Use specific weather for every scene – a drizzle or a downpour, dry heat or a thunderstorm – to add realism and vibrancy.
When you experience worries and problems, write about them. They make great fodder for your fiction.
Revise your writing until it sparkles. Don’t be satisfied with good writing. Make it great.
Be authentic. In this world of automation and fakery, people crave authenticity. This is your chance to stand out: instead of automating your social media, using AI for your writing and pretending to be someone you’re not, just be real.
DLL: Fantastic! Thank you for sharing those with us today.
Now, let’s dive into your writer’s life. One of my favorite aspects of your newsletters is the photos and stories about your gardens and pets. It’s clear that you find inspiration in the nature surrounding you. Can you share how these enjoyments help to balance life as a writer?
RH: I love nature, and I’ve created my personal garden paradise – 4000- square meters (that’s about 4800 square yards) filled with trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables and fruit. It’s all organic, without use of pesticides, my private eco-project, a permaculture ‘food forest’. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies love the place. They flutter and buzz all around me. Sometimes, I see ten or more colourful butterflies in a single square meter (yard). Crickets chirp, birds twitter, storks rattle their bills.
I do my morning exercises amidst this lush abundance, and for breakfast and pick whatever fruit is currently ripe and eat it right away: peaches, nectarines, apricots, figs, plums, apples, pears, mulberries, cherries, pomegranates, grapes and more. This is my personal idea of paradise, and I feel blessed that I’ve been able to create it here in sunny Bulgaria.
I’ve had a writing chair made for me – a sturdy chair made from reclaimed materials, with broad armrests for placing my notebook and a glass of water. I love sitting there in the morning, listening to the sounds of nature and jotting down my ideas and story drafts in a notebook. Often, my cats join me (they love those broad armrests), and my dogs lie at my feet.
I savour these moments with deep gratitude. I’m able to shut out my worries and the troubles of the world, and to focus on joyful creating.
DLL:So much of this shines through in your blogging and newsletter, which is incredibly inspirational to me as a writer and blogger focused on the writer’s life. Thank you for painting such a vivid picture we can immerse ourselves in today.
Besides working in your gardens, what are your favorite activities to inspire your fiction?
RH: I find inspiration in places. Wherever I go, I observe and take notes. What does the place smell of? What sounds can I hear in the background? How does the ground feel underfoot? How does that door knob feel to the touch, what noise does that door make when it opens?
Whenever I have time to kill – at a bus stop, in a hospital waiting room – I use the opportunity to take setting notes.
Over the years, I’ve created detailed descriptions of hundreds of places, and I use can insert them into my fiction. Weather a scene takes place in a hospital, a church, a cemetery or a wildlife park, I have the vibrant details at my fingertips.
Here in Bulgaria, I like to visit places with history: ancient Thracian temples, the remnants of bath houses from the Roman period, deserted factories from the Communist era, and homes abandoned when the rural population dwindled. Each building has so many stories to tell, about the people who lived there, their loves, their sorrows, their dreams.
Those abandoned homes are my favourite spots to hang out to soak up atmosphere and inspiration. Even though the roofs have long collapsed and the window panes are broken, some still have remnants of lace curtains quivering in the breeze, cupboards are filled with dusty jars of canned fruit, and among the upturned furniture and rat-gnawed cushions I may find an old newspaper or an illustrated children’s Bible.
My pets love to accompany me when I explore these places. I’m always glad to have my dogs with me for protection, but it’s the cats who make the visits special. My black cat Sulu in particular adores entering spooky derelict buildings. He delights in walking across shattered roof tiles, scratching charred timbers and sniffing at long-abandoned hearths. Then he chooses a window-sill to lie on, and from there he watches what’s going on inside the house and in the outside world.
DLL: Have you ever thought about vlogging? I would love to follow you on your explorations. Thanks for this glimpse into life in the Bulgarian countryside.
Can you tell us about your cats, and what role they play in your writing?
RH: All my cats are rescues, and I’ve trained them. Yes, cats can be trained – if they want to. Mine love it. They can perform little tricks, shake hands, high-five and more.
When I’m writing on my laptop, the cats often join me. One naps on the rug at my feet, one sits on the printer, another curls up in an open desk drawer, and there’s almost always one snuggling between my arms. This is so sweet!
My senior cat Sulu adores books. Whenever he sees an open book on the table, he lies down to ‘read’ it, with a paw on the page. This makes great publicity photos, because what could be cuter than a black cat reading a Gothic fiction book?
DLL: Thanks again for joining me today, Rayne! Check out Rayne’s craft books here. You can find Rayne and her works on her website, subscribe to her newsletter and blogs, which she shares on Substack, and follow her on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook.
My guest and I have been sharing our writing journey for the past couple of years. We chatted on my Spotlight last May with the release of her second book, Hearing Wind.
It’s not often you get an opportunity to meet an online friend and fellow author, and when one comes around, it can be magical, especially when it takes place at Lake Tahoe, where A. B. Herron and her husband recently vacationed.
I am a huge fan of her Elemental Wolf Series and picked up her latest release, Wooden Wolves, to take with me for a signing.
We had a great time exchanging signed books and chatting over lunch in a café with the lake glistening across the highway. As these encounters often go, we barely scratched the surface of everything we wanted to discuss about writing, so I felt a Q&A session was in order, especially since this marks a year since we last chatted on my blog.
Let’s Meet The Author
A.B. Herron grew up pretending to be a wild creature running through the hills of California. Her love of reading is her dad’s fault, introducing her to White Fang, Treasure Island, and Call of the Wild before she could hold a book. Her favorite directive was “read”. Later, when she conquered reading for herself, Herron could be found curled up in her closet, tucked away from reality, riding on horseback, performing magic, and later running with werewolves.
The secret itch to write bloomed in grade school, along with the diagnosis of dyslexia. Professionals told her parents she would struggle with reading, but that information came too late for her to put into practice. However, depositing letters in the right order continues to be a mystery for Herron.
In college, while studying for her BS in Zoology, she started putting pencil to paper and allowed her imagination to bleed out into the real world (so to speak). None of her early attempts found an audience due to her complete refusal to admit to their existence.
Nowadays, Herron splits her time between her dog (well, and husband), her writing, and a full-time job that keeps her firmly rooted in the now, even when her brain whispers “the Mountains are calling…”. Her real-life adventures can be found on Instagram, and her daydreams can be discovered in the Elemental Wolf series on Amazon.
About Wooden Wolves
Becoming a werewolf was supposed to solve his problems.
As it turns out, one needs more than a fur coat to do that.
Tobin barely has time to adjust to his new life before something begins hunting him, and he’s forced to flee Portland for the unclaimed magical territories of Washington. But in those northern wilds, Fey lurk in the forests, and a newly turned werewolf is easy prey.
To survive, Tobin needs to learn fast: what hunts him, how to fight back, and where he belongs in a world where power rules.
The last thing he needs is a distraction, but there is one woman whose scent keeps drawing him closer, making him question his decisions.
Neoma never planned on coming back to her hometown.
Running a bookstore wasn’t part of the dream, and neither was her cranky autoimmune disease. Fighting her overwhelming desire to retreat from the world, she gives connection one more shot. So, when a dangerously handsome stranger invites her into his gaming group, she figures—why not? What’s the worst that could happen? She might actually have some fun?
What she doesn’t know is that some games can change your perception.
Others contain monsters that might change you.
Let’s Get Started
It was fabulous meeting you, Amanda, and what a blast. I started your book when I got home and immediately got hooked. Tell us about your Elemental Wolf series and where it’s at in the scheme of things. What was the inspiration behind it?
ABH: Hello again Darci, and it was so much fun meeting with you in person. I’m still marveling over your own beautiful book that you gifted me; I can’t wait to finish my current read so I can get started on yours. I’m happy to hear you got hooked into Wolves. I have to admit, it is my favorite book in my series currently. Am I allowed to have a favorite when it comes to my book babies?
You ask what inspired the Elemental Wolf series. Honestly, it was during a pretty stressful time in my life, and I was writing short stories for friends as escapism. One friend shared with me a fantasy that they wanted me to put on the page, so I took it, placed it in the Pacific Northwest, rubbed some magic on it, and when I was finished, I looked at it and thought, “There’s a whole book here.”
Jumping ahead, there are now three books in Elemental Wolves, and this new one, Wooden Wolves, is a bit outside the normal timeline for a series. At the end of Watching Water, the first book, I leave a couple of cliff hangers. Hearing Wind, the second book, follows the main character, Nora, on her timeline, but Wolves follows a secondary character, Tobin, on his journey. His story is one that needs to be told, and was supposed to be a short novella to connect his events into Nora’s journey for the upcoming 3rd, now 4th book. As a result, I have Wooden Wolves as book 1.5, and I worry that it will be confusing to readers. However, it gives them the option to read either book, in either order, and they are both happening at the same time. Different storytelling, and I’m hoping it will be well-received.
I will say that I couldn’t be happier with how Wolves turned out, and the secondary main character, Neoma, has a firm place in my heart. She’s strong, feisty, and determined despite the odds against her. I can’t wait to hear what you think of her and Tobin
DLL: Congratulations on your release, Amanda, and way to go. I want to say you fleshed this out and published it in like a year? Tobin is a great character, and I’m excited to be delving into his story. This is your passion story, and it’s coming through in the reading.So yes, there is nothing wrong with authors having a favorite book baby!
I love this cover, the formatting, and your publication mark, all things you’ve been exploring in your publication journey. Can you share some tips and highlights about the process and your resources?
ABH: Awe, I love that you commented on the publication mark. I had to invent this press since this time around I was the full publisher. I had a support team, editor, formatter, cover artist, and an author friend that I kept bugging with questions of “how do I do this?” For the first two books, I used an amazing independent publisher for Indie Authors called Luminare Press. I had no clue how to bring a book to fruition, and they took that stress off my plate and made it happen. They were a gift because I didn’t even know where to start. I had a manuscript and was clueless about what to do next. This was before I got on social media and found the author community. Luminare has a fantastic staff and will make the process easy on you, but that comes at a price point I couldn’t shoulder for this latest book.
Because of the author community and friends like you, Darci, that I have made, I’ve learned a lot more about how to navigate the publishing process and do more of it on my own. An IG friend put me in touch with Becky at Platform house when I was asking how to format. Becky’s an Indie author who does book formatting for other indie authors. She was amazing and budget-friendly. I know I can learn to format, but I was extremely short on time for getting this book to print. I might try to format for the next book, but Becky was worth every cent, and she really made the interior look good.
Now, the cover artist, Ravven (you can look her up just by her name), has been an absolute joy to work with, and her skill speaks for itself. The werewolf howling in the background on Wolves, she made for me when the stock photos she’d found didn’t fit the look I was hoping for. I love what she does, and I keep begging her not to retire before this series is done.
I’m always surprised by how many people a book needs to go through before it ever makes it to print. From the alpha and beta readers to the editors and formatters, this manuscript had more eyes on it than the first two, and it showed. For those who are working on their own stories, my humble advice is to get as many different eyeballs on your manuscript as you can; it will make it better. And find a good editor; they are worth it.
DLL: This is great advice. Thank you! I didn’t even know there were people who offered formatting services. Here is Becky’s website. I also found Ravven’s website, and her work is phenomenal as your gorgeous covers attest. The more eyes, the better, is so true. I’m really happy all this came together so well for you… And that I get to benefit by enjoying a great story.
Where can readers find you and your awesome books in the upcoming months?
ABH: The easy way to find me is to hop on my website www.abherron.com, and there are links to the two places to buy my books online. I’m now in a bookstore in Eugene, Daffodil Books, and will be at four different in-person events throughout Washington and Oregon over the summer. If you sign up for my newsletter, those dates and locations will show up in your inbox, but can also be found on my website.
Thank you so much for having me, Darci. Lunch was a special treat. Somehow, we need to do this again and keep talking about all things writing and books.
DLL: Yes! Meeting you was awesome, Amanda, and it was way too short. I will definitely be looking for a way to get together again.
Thank you for answering just some of the questions that I wanted to ask you at lunch. Do you have any last words of advice for independent authors just getting started?
ABH: My last pieces of advice for new authors are three-fold: 1 – Don’t start your publishing journey with a series, do a stand-alone book first, because you will learn everything you don’t know about the process and how to make it better. 2 – Get connected with other indie authors, it really helps to have people you can ask questions from when you’re feeling lost. 3 – Find a good editor. Seriously, they are worth it, and I can’t stress this enough. I’ll stop there, or I’ll keep sharing all the mistakes I’ve made (and the new ones I’m making) and the hard-won advice I’ve been given. Enjoy the journey, everyone, it’s a wild one.
DLL: Awesome! Thank you! I will leave our readers with a gallery of your fantastic Lake Tahoe photos.
Follow A. B. Herron on Instagram for more amazing photos and the latest on her books.
I am so excited to have my dear friend and author, Lucky Noma, back on my Spotlight! And, wow, does he have an awesome new release to share!
Lucky was one of my first guests several years ago. Since then, we have regularly chatted, worked together on projects, and provided feedback on each other’s work. So, when I was recently blown away by his latest book, CHROMATIC CONCORDAT: Gray Rising, I jumped at the chance to feature it and visit with my friend for a fun Q&A.
Let’s Meet The Author
Lucky Noma is a writer who blends fantasy and horror to create immersive, multi-layered stories. His works, including Fractured Soul, Sand Scriptures, and African Horror Story, explore deep narratives with unique perspectives. Through novels and short stories, he continues to craft worlds that captivate and challenge readers.
Not the gray of clouds, or ash, or dusk, but the kind that eats at the edges of everything. Born silent in a Dominion where colors sing, burn, heal, and kill, the world called her a void. Her village called her cursed. And Havayah? She called herself no one, a hollow.
But a hollow is a dangerous thing to underestimate.
When the Ma’or Council brands her a threat for lacking Chromatic attunement—the sacred bond to color that defines life — an empathic investigator named Nefesh makes a choice: to protect her instead of condemning her. Together, they uncover the Council’s devastating plan — to use the shattered Prismatic Nexus, remnants of the world’s raw luminance, to achieve absolute control over the color spectrums while casting out those they deem “colorless.” The rebels fighting against them promise liberation, but their revolution holds its own darkness.
What no one realizes is that the girl they dismissed—the one born without a single thread of color—has no intention of playing savior. Through underwater cities and skies stained with power, Havayah will forge her own path. Because when the world gave her nothing, she learned to take everything.
This is not a story of saving the world—
Let’s Get Started
Thank you very much for joining us today, Lucky. First, I must say that this description is absolutely captivating! Makes me want to crack that beautiful cover and dive in. Which is what I did.Let’s begin by reflecting on the past. What inspired you to write fiction, and how long have you been writing?
LN: Thank you, Darci! Always great to be here—though if I make too many typos, let’s just call it creative spelling. That sounds like something Nefesh would say, but eh, well—where do I even begin?
I would say my journey into fiction started with falling in love with stories as a reader first. When I discovered City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett, I was captivated by the world-building and how it blended fantasy with deeper themes. Then came A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin and The Axe and the Throne by M.D. Ireman—both masterclasses in character development and moral complexity. Those books showed me that stories could be both entertaining and profound.
What drove me to write was an itch to create a unique world system—with diverse characters appearing in my mind, demanding to be put on paper. So I did what was necessary. As with most of my fantasy novels, I started by building the map, then gave the characters room to roam free. Sometimes, I see myself as nothing more than a scribe, just recording their deeds
—And, remarkably, this year marks a decade since I first sat down and started writing. It’s been quite the journey, filled with late nights, countless revisions, burnt manuscripts, and the realization that it would take two lifetimes to write all I intend to. My first novel, ‘A Kingdom Bleeds,’ is still unpublished—and it was the project that started everything for me. Sometimes, I think of it as my training ground, where I learned what writing demands of you. Perhaps one day it will see the light, but it holds a special place, though I fear my writing has changed, and I’d need to rework everything about it. That might take another year or two. Hmm.
DLL:I can hear Nefesh saying that, and I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite Nefesh quips later so we can enjoy his singular wit. Thank you for the fabulous book recs. The Axe and the Throne grabbed my attention, especially. I confess, I haven’t made it far through the Game of Thrones series. I haven’t had that sort of time for marathon reads, but they’re all loaded on my Audible app.
I love your “map first” inspiration technique! The world fleshed out before your characters begin to navigate it. Awesome. One of the things I enjoy most about interviewing writers is discovering all their unique processes, and this one really struck my imagination. I’m glad you found your training ground because we can benefit from your excellent progression with each amazing story and culminate our journey inside the captivating world of Chromatic Concordat.
Where do you find your mind bending story ideas?
LN: I’m drawn to the void, where I fight my existential demons and where everything feels surreal. My ideas often emerge from mundane life moments that can change in a heartbeat. Of course, this didn’t happen overnight. I was always drawn to thought-provoking stories that mess with your perception. Shows like Legion completely rewired my brain—or let’s look at Mononoke, not the Ghibli film, but the anime series—and just last December, a movie—have you seen it? The way it used abstract visuals and psychological horror to tell stories about human nature blew my mind open.
These stories taught me to look for the uncanny in everyday life. The natural world is already bizarre if you pay attention. Have you ever really looked at how trees communicate underground through fungal networks or considered what consciousness might feel like to a creature that lives only for a day? I collect these oddities like others might collect stamps.
And, to be honest, my best ideas come when I’m least expecting them. Sometimes, it’s when I’m stressed and need to press pause on reality by dreaming up sequences. Other times, and like with almost every other author or writer, it’s when I’m half awake, between sleep and needing to pee.
What’s wild is the feeling when you catch one of these ideas—There’s this rush of ‘wait, what was that?’ and then this compulsion to chase it down. Half the time, I’m terrified of what I might find, but that’s how I know it’s good. If it makes me uncomfortable to write it, chances are it’ll stick with readers, too.
DLL: Ooh, I love that about chasing it down and being afraid of finding it. This explains so much about your writing, Lucky, and makes me glad you didn’t give up the search. I could use a little rewiring, too.
Your earlier books focus on dark fantasy-horror. Your latest, Fractured Soul, SandScriptures, and CHROMATIC CONCORDAT: Gray Rising, explore the human condition through thoroughly multidimensional, abstract, yet relatable representations of life. Your storytelling is captivating in all your books. Can you discuss your evolution in storytelling from dark to esoteric fantasy, comparing the genres you’ve explored and sharing what you prefer?
LN: Evolution. Hmm. Well, let’s retrace my steps and see how that happened. Err, with African Horror Story, I was drawn to primal fears and survival instincts. I wanted to explore horror through a cultural lens, examining how fear manifests within specific traditions and beliefs. The story follows Onam’s desperate struggle against both human monsters and supernatural forces, creating tension through immediate physical and spiritual danger.
Fractured Soul marked my transition toward more conceptual storytelling. While still retaining dark elements, I explored more abstract concepts—the commodification of identity, the fragmentation of self, and the price of wholeness in a world where everything, even one’s soul, can be bought and sold. The surrealistic elements allowed me to build a world that serves as both setting and metaphor.
With Sand Scriptures, my work became even more metaphysical. I challenged myself to create a protagonist who begins as literally nothing—a grain of sand—and follows a journey of becoming. Sand Scriptures did represent my deepest dive into philosophical themes, using fantasy as a vehicle to explore existential questions about consciousness, purpose, and the nature of stories.
Chromatic Concordat represents my current ‘evolution’ like you said, blending the psychological depth of my earlier works with the abstract conceptualism of my later ones while making sure fantasy served as its backbone. Through Havayah’s story of a world where colors have power, I examined marginalization (as in Havayah’s case as she’s born without color attunement), power structures, and self-determination. The world-building is both concrete and symbolic, allowing readers to engage with the story on multiple levels.
While I love high fantasy and horror with psychological themes and great world-building, I also try to blend all three together. To choose my absolute favorite would be difficult, as I love writing across multiple genres. Each approach offers unique tools for storytelling—horror provides visceral impact, high fantasy allows for expansive world-building, and more abstract fantasy lets me explore complex themes through metaphor.
What drives me isn’t necessarily the genre, but finding the right narrative framework to explore the questions that fascinate me about human existence, identity, power, and the realization that even the damned can be great, as seen with all my characters.
DLL: Awesome! Thank you for sharing this insight into your talent for blending those three genres into something unique and compelling.
In Chromatic Concordat, your main characters, Nefesh and Hayayah, are incredibly compelling. They truly drew me into this intricate world, enticed me to follow their journey, and assisted me in navigating the fantastical realm you’ve crafted with such vivid detail while entertaining me. Can you share what inspired their creation and how it came to be?
LN: Havayah’s character came from exploring what it means to be defined by absence rather than presence. In a land where color determines everything about your place in society, your abilities, and even your worth. I wanted to create a protagonist who had to define herself without any of those external markers. Her journey isn’t about discovering some hidden power, but rather about recognizing that existing outside the system gives her a unique perspective and advantages that no one else can see.
Nefesh (Hebrew name for soul or breath — PS: Don’t check out the Hebrew meaning of Havayah) — was developed as someone deeply embedded in the color system developed by the Ma’or Council who begins to question it. His empathic abilities made him uniquely positioned to see beyond society’s prejudices. While most see Havayah as a void or a threat, he sees her as a person first. His character explores how privilege can either blind us or, if we’re willing, help us become allies to those without it.
The relationship between these two characters allowed me to explore themes of belonging, systemic oppression, and the false dichotomy between revolution and conformity. Neither character fits neatly into the roles their world has assigned them, which is precisely what makes them capable of challenging it.
DLL: And exactly why your story is hard to put down.So, of course, I looked up Nefesh. But I won’t add any spoilers!
I know I’m captured by the writing when I mark so many passages, and with your permission, Lucky, I would like to quote a few of my favorite lines.
“Hmm,” Nefesh said, tilting his head further until his ear touched his shoulder. “Tell me, do you believe coffee has political aspirations? This cup, for instance, harbors anarchist sympathies. Note the way it refuses to acknowledge established thermal conventions.
…
“[W]hen you heard about this case, did you feel like all the colors in the world took a single step to the left?”
“I… what?”
“Never mind. It’s not important. What’s important is that my coffee cup was right.” He turned to the cup, bowing. “I apologize for doubting your revolutionary insights. Clearly, the established order of things is more fragile than we thought.”
“Your anxiety, it resonates with salted caramel mixed with a hint of urgent telegram. You have a case for me. Something that made you skip breakfast – no, wait.” He leaned forward, sniffing the emotional residue around her. “Something that made you forget you skipped breakfast. Interesting.”
Havayah’s perspective:
Dr. Kerah approached with a reassuring smile, but the expression sat badly on her face like borrowed clothing that didn’t quite fit.
“Tell us about the first time you realized you were different,” Dr. Kerah said, her voice taking on the soft edge of a blade wrapped in silk.
Nefesh’s grip was firm. He pulled her from the tumult of her thoughts and into the razor’s edge of action.
“Why, indeed?” [Nefesh] said, his fingers brushing over his beard. “Perhaps I was lured by the irresistible charm of chaos. Or perhaps I thought someone needed to remind you that you’re not alone.
He approached the submersible like someone greeting an old acquaintance, his fingers brushing against its surface. “She’ll hold. Stubborn things like this always do.”
And here’s a bit of that amazing world-building that is easier to share than me trying to put words to it:
From the Seder Ha’Gev Codex,
“Reflections on the Edge”
Circa 890 CD (CHROMATIC DIVERGENCE)
The Spectral Frontier can’t be called just a place–oh no, I refuse to accept that, but it is a conversation between the colors that only those who dare abandon their attunement can hear…
It is said that to venture into the Frontier is to risk the Blanking. But Blanking is not death. It is becoming unmoored from the Prism, stepping beyond the comfort of color into the void where light breaks forever. To some, it is freedom; to others, damnation.
So, I have the same question, Lucky, regarding this highly imaginative yet strangely believable color-attuned futuristic society. Was it a dream? Where did this amazing place spring from?
LN: Thanks for sharing those quotes, Darci… Means a lot.
Well, Chromatic Concordat and its world, The Spectrum Dominion, came from a fascinating convergence of inspirations rather than a single source. It wasn’t exactly a dream, though I do keep a dream journal that occasionally feeds into my creative process.
However, the initial spark came during a period when I was interested in synesthesia—the neurological phenomenon where stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to experiences in another, like ‘seeing’ sounds or ‘tasting’ colors. I became fascinated by how differently people can perceive the same world based on their sensory processing.
This interest collided with my observations about social hierarchies and how arbitrary differences become the basis for systems of power and exclusion. I began wondering what a society might look like if color perception wasn’t just a personal experience but a tangible force that determined one’s place and power.
The Chromatic attunement system grew from there. The idea that colors had life became both a literal magic system and a metaphor for how societies categorize people. Havayah’s character emerged as the ultimate outsider—someone who exists outside this fundamental system of classification as she’s born gray.
I also drew inspiration from my tiny background in art theory and the emotional and cultural associations we have with different colors across cultures. The underwater cities as we have in the Azure Depths where Nefesh is from or Ruboria, the Sea of Fire, the Dead Deep, came from wanting to create environments where color wasn’t just visual but immersive and essential to survival according to its inhabitant’s attunements.
What I find most interesting about creating this world is how a fantastical premise—a society structured around color attunement—allows me to explore very real questions about belonging.
The world may be ‘strangely believable,’ as you put it, because beneath the fantastical color magic, the emotional and social dynamics are drawn from real human experiences of being classified, marginalized, or fighting to define oneself outside the categories others impose.
DLL: “This interest collided with my observations about social hierarchies and how arbitrary differences become the basis for systems of power and exclusion.” Yes! And how intriguing to use color. My love of art and color must be why this society speaks to me so strongly. Header art like these samples contributed to my immersion and enjoyment of the story.
I know that this complex story flew from your fingers in a relatively short time. How long did you live with it before you began writing it? What was it like to have something like this take off and grow such expansive wings? How did you go about developing the history?
LN: For a few weeks, just before I lost my KDP account (around late October), the core concept lived in my head. I kept returning to the Spectrum Dominion, adding layers and complexities during quiet moments and commutes.
I had to answer some questions, too—how would this society function? What would its history be? Who would be marginalized, and how would they resist?
And when I decided to commit my ideas to paper—or rather, to Google Docs—I spent about a week arranging the five color provinces and establishing the fundamental rules of this universe. Creating the map (which took about another week) was crucial. Seeing the physical layout of Ruboria, the Viridian Expanse, Azure Depths, Aureus Fields, and Violetia helped me understand how these societies would interact, where tensions would arise, and how my characters would navigate this world.
NaNoWriMo provided the perfect opportunity to dive in headfirst. I wrote about 40,000 words in November and solidified the story’s backbone. Next, I watched as Nefesh and Havayah built their relationship, uncovering their motives and ultimate goals.
Between December and early January, the world took on a more definitive turn, with Havayah and Nefesh realizing what they had to do to survive—and maybe even change things. What started as a narrative about a colorless child and her protector first evolved into an adventure. Then, I watched as it delved into action and noticed how attached Havayah was to Nefesh.
In Chapters Twelve and Thirteen, she proved this in ways that kind of left me stupefied. Alongside working on the plot, the history of the Spectrum Dominion also expanded during this phase, growing from a basic framework into a comprehensive timeline spanning 10,000 years—that is, from Before the Chromatic Divergence (BCD) through 1,000 years after, known simply as Chromatic Divergence (CD).
Notable time periods are: The Colorless Era (10,000 BCD – 0 CD) and it’s Early Civilizations (10,000 BCD – 5,000 BCD); The Golden Age of Philosophy (5,000 BCD – 3,000 BCD); The Age of Strife (3,000 BCD – 1,500 BCD); The Great Recovery (1,500 BCD – 500 BCD); The Dawn of the Luminary Collective (500 BCD – 0 CD); and The Chromatic Divergence and Its Aftermath (0 CD – 100 CD).
Developing the history was both methodical and intuitive. I started with the pivotal moment—the Chromatic Divergence—a time when the Luminary Collective, led by Iris, activated the Prismatic Nexus, a device that gave the world color and worked outward in both directions. What kind of world existed before colors became abilities? What immediate chaos would follow such a fundamental change to human perception? How would society eventually stabilize and structure itself around these new abilities?
I found myself creating key historical figures and events—the Luminary Collective, the Spectrum Wars, the formation of the Ma’or Council—and each development suggested others. When I created the Blanking Rebellion (450–455 CD), I had to explore its causes and consequences.
After that, I took a crucial two-week break in late January, stepping away so I could return with fresh eyes for February’s editing, spotting gaps and connections I had missed during the writing rush.
DLL: An astounding body of work in three months! I’m blown away. Do you want to share the strange journey called KDP? It might be something those getting started there should be aware of.
LN: Yeah Darci, I think The KDP journey can be unpredictable—one day you’re publishing, the next you’re navigating policies you didn’t even know existed! If you’re starting out, always keep backups of your work, explore multiple platforms, and remember: every setback is just a plot twist in your author journey. Stay creative, stay resilient, & post on substack!
Can you give us a rundown on your works and what’s coming?
I think I’ve talked about A Kingdom Bleeds, African Horror Story, Fractured Soul, and Sand Scriptures earlier. With that said, I’m excited to introduce my newest project, Bonewave Broadcast: Aural Inferno.
This one follows 17-year-old music producer Raya, who “borrows” her grandfather’s skull for a music video, only to witness it levitating and creating rhythms to her beats. Instead of panicking, she and her friend Tunde record these supernatural sounds, creating a track that’s compelling.
When Raya uploads the remixed track online, it triggers widespread hallucinations and physical transformations among listeners. The village becomes ground zero for horrifying metamorphoses—extra ears growing from necks, mouths forming on palms—as music industry representatives arrive with sinister, inhuman intentions.
They—Raya and Tunde–discover their recording has opened a channel to a dimension called The Aural Inferno, with an entity known as The Station Master using their track to cross over. Guided by her grandfather’s skull (which had been blocking these transmissions for decades), Raya and Tunde race across a changing landscape to find the frequency that will close this portal.
Bonewave Broadcast blends techno-body horror with cosmic terror, drawing from traditional folklore while updating it for the digital streaming era. It explores the dangers of broadcasting what we don’t understand and the terrifying consequences of hitting “upload” without considering what might be listening on the other side.
As I like to warn potential readers: WHATEVER YOU DO—DO NOT TOUCH THAT DIAL.
DLL: I adore it! From color to music. I can’t wait to explore more of your artfully shattering perspectives of the human condition. And what a fantastic genre blend. Someone said recently that creating and blending sub-genres is one of the biggest pros of being an independent author and publisher. You have definitely taken that to the next level.
Let’s explore more of the additional passions you’ve integrated into your writing journey: music and graphic art. The artwork, map, and cover in Chromatic Concordat are stunning. Now, you’re writing books in fantasy worlds inspired by color and music, respectively. You’ve even created a music album for Chromatic. Can you share a little about your exploration with these elements and how they influenced your process and final product?
LN: The intersection of different artistic mediums has always been the wellspring of my creative process. Writing never existed in isolation for me—it’s part of a broader artistic conversation where music, visual art, and narrative all inform each other.
With Chromatic Concordat specifically, I found myself creating musical pieces that captured the emotional tenor of certain chapters before I’d even finished writing them. This approach helped me maintain consistent emotional tones throughout related scenes. The album became a sort of emotional blueprint for the narrative arc, with specific leitmotifs representing character journeys and thematic elements.
The artwork evolved similarly, with scenes and landscapes helping me visualize the geography more concretely than words alone could achieve. There were several instances where a visual composition revealed narrative possibilities I hadn’t considered.
What I’ve discovered through this multimedia approach is that different art forms access different parts of my creative consciousness. When I’m blocked in one medium, changing to another often unlocks solutions. A melody might capture an emotional quality I’m struggling to express in prose, or a quick work using Krita or Procreate might resolve a spatial relationship between characters that wasn’t working on the page.
The final product benefits from this cross-pollination, I believe.
DLL: Your brain reminds me of the original Tron. Eeek. Dating myself here, but that just popped into my head.Those totally cool Light Cycles and those tricky grids.
Your video shorts are stories unto themselves, and I always enjoy your visual worlds on YouTube and Substack. And that is just a drop in the bucket for your content (which disappears to make way for new content, so you’d better follow Lucky to get the latest and greatest). Can you discuss how important these art and music endeavors are to your process and how they relate to your writing?
LN: Thanks for your nice words, Darci.
The video shorts have become an unexpected but vital extension of my storytelling practice. Often, they are experimental side-projects—visual haikus that distill ideas or rather just a little something extra.
I find there’s something liberating about the nature of having extra content. I can test concepts, styles, and emotional tones, all without pressure.
The relationship between these multimedia pieces and my writing works in both directions. Sometimes, a video can emerge from narrative fragments that don’t quite fit into my current manuscript but deserve their own expression.
Music functions similarly, as it’s both input and output. Creating soundscapes that help me access emotional states I need to inhabit for certain characters or scenes.
What I’ve come to understand is that these aren’t separate creative endeavors but different dialects of the same artistic language. They form a pact where ideas migrate between mediums, strengthening each in turn. The novel might be the most visible outcome, but these other expressions are essential to how I process and understand the stories I’m trying to tell.
DLL: Okay, you’re blowing me away again. “[D]ifferent dialects of the same artistic language… a pact where ideas migrate between mediums.” Wow!
When it comes to writing, art, and music, what techniques, tools, or methods have you found most helpful and enjoyable? Do you have any favorite tips to share?
LN: My creative toolkit has evolved through lots of trial and error, and I’ve found that having the right tools makes all the difference in translating imagination into tangible work.
For visual art, I’ve largely abandoned the Adobe ecosystem in favor of more specialized options. Krita has become my driver—it’s not only free and open-source, but its brush engine rivals premium software for concept art and illustration work. When I need to replicate traditional media effects with digital precision, Corel Painter’s realistic brush textures are unmatched. On the go, Procreate has revolutionized my workflow; its gesture controls and portability mean I have more to work with.
Music production has been transformed by some fascinating tools. RVC (Retrieval-Based Voice Conversion) has been a game-changer for creating character voices or exploring different vocal styles without needing multiple singers. I’ve started using Humtap on mobile to quickly translate melodic ideas. I can hum a tune while walking and have it transformed into a full instrumental sketch. Final production usually happens in BandLab for mastering and spatial effects, with WavePad as my mobile audio editing solution when I’m away.
As for writing, the mechanical process benefits from good analytical tools. ProWritingAid has become an indispensable revision partner—not just for catching errors but for identifying patterns in my prose I might not notice otherwise. AutoCrit is also excellent for genre-specific feedback that helps maintain the right tone and pacing.
The most valuable technique across all mediums has been learning to toggle between creation and editing modes—never trying to perfect while still generating. I’ll draft music or prose in complete free flow, then switch to a more analytical mindset for refinement. This separation prevents the inner critic from blocking initial creativity while still ensuring the final product meets my standards.
DLL: Have you considered teaching or inspirational speaking? I’ve expanded my knowledge not just a few times from our many discussions, and now I’m realizing we hardly scratched the surface of your experience.
You’ve mentioned how demanding the work is for all these creative pursuits, but I understand how that creativity motivates you, as you so articulately expressed. What would you say are the rewards for all the labor? What would you like to do better? Are there other things you want to try?
LN: The rewards of creative work go far beyond external recognition or success. For me, the most significant rewards include:
1. The deep satisfaction of bringing something new into the world that didn’t exist before
2. The flow state that comes during moments of pure creation
3. The continuous learning and growth that happens with each project
As for what I’d like to improve, I’m working on balancing perfectionism with productivity. It’s easy to get caught in endless revisions rather than completing and sharing work. I’d also like to better integrate different creative disciplines —
There are areas I want to explore further, like collaborative projects with other creators, experimenting with new mediums, and taking on challenges that push me outside my comfort zone.
DLL: I agree with focusing on finishing and sharing rather than revising to perfection, which we know is likely an unreachable state. We are always our own worst critics. It’s something I need to work on as well if I want to finish my novel by my goal. As you know, when I share a draft for feedback, I end up sending revised versions ad nauseam. It’s the strangest phenomenon. As soon as I hit send, I’m seeing things that I want to fix. Vexing!
I’ll take the opportunity to reveal that we’ve been sharing a fun collaboration, which I’m honored to take part in. I won’t give it away here, but I am so excited to add my writer’s voice in contrast with your mind-bending conceptual fantasy tales and see where it takes us, maybe by the end of the year. So, readers, stay tuned.
Can you share where we can find your stories, art, and music?
LN: Thanks, Darci! You’re awesome. If I had a dollar for every cool thing you’ve done, I’d be rich—but still not as rich as the experience of checking out your work.
Enjoy this gorgeous track from Chromatic Concordat.
Thanks so much for your kind words and for visiting today, Lucky! What parting advice do you have for aspiring writers and creators?
The truth is, I’m in no position to give definitive advice, but I think Edward Bloom from Big Fish offers some wisdom worth sharing:
“There’s a time when a man needs to fight, and a time when he needs to accept that his destiny is lost… the ship has sailed, and only a fool would continue. Truth is, I’ve always been a fool.”
“A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him, and in that way he becomes immortal.”
“The biggest fish in the river gets that way by never being caught.”
DLL: Awesome! A favorite Tim Burton movie of mine, as you know, and so apt! Thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your latest release, and all the best to you.
Last December I shared an inspiring chat in the world of art with my friend and artist Audrey Markowitz. Since then, she launched a new website and got busy creating a whole new portfolio of mixed media art sensations. Let’s check back in for some inspiration.
Thanks for dropping by my blog Audrey! I can’t believe it has been a year. I’ve been watching your collection of stunning pieces grow and wanted an opportunity to check in and find out what this past year has brought you.
Can you share the highlights?
AM. It’s been an awesome year! Created a website: audreysmixedmedia.com; had a wonderful first show at the Silver State Art Festival where I sold a number of pieces; and had the opportunity to go to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and take a 3-day abstract painting workshop.
I also just found out that one of my pieces “Birdwatching 101” was selected to appear in the Depot Gallery of the Sierra Art Foundation’s “Mixed Matched, Made Whole!” exhibit in January. This exhibit runs from January 6th through January 28th. Gallery hours are Friday-Sundays 12 to 5. And there will be a reception for the artists on January 20th from 1 to 4 pm. (Photo of the piece on the next page.)
DLL. This is charming and so fun to delve into. I love the quote, and I wonder who is watching whom? I’m so exited you have an art show this month! I can’t wait.
I’ve learned that each decade brings new growth to my creativity. You’re my model for that and it’s a theme in your teaching. This last year had you transition from teaching art to focusing on your personal creativity. Has it gone as you expected, or brought even more surprises?
AM. It has gone even better than I expected. I discovered a joy and happiness in creating art I have never experienced! Mixed media is definitely my calling: Here are a couple that I will bring to my shows next year.
I took a couple of months to study and experiment with abstract painting when I went to Santa Fe and worked with an amazing abstract painter and teacher. I have found that abstract art liberates the artist from traditional norms and encourages one to play with color and texture and shape in different ways. It has invited me to break away from the limitations of realism, where my own individuality and personal expression can thrive. As Dr. Eric Kandel explains, abstract art challenges our brains to create our own explanations, thereby stimulating higher-level areas of the brain that are responsible for imagination and creativity. The process increases our tolerance for less familiar and even completely alien situations, making us more flexible. I wonder if my husband would agree that I’m more flexible!
Here are a few abstract paintings that are part of my Andromeda Series:
DLL. This is exactly the thing you instilled in me. Never quit learning! I’m thrilled you had this experience and brought it home to take flight. Lovely, lovely pieces. Mixed media is my favorite way to express art as well because of the endless possibilities and combinations of mediums. I’m happy to say the same for writing fantasy romance.
I can picture you smiling in your studio, lost in your art. You had an opportunity to build a new creative space this year. What improvements have you made, what’s different or the same, and how much has it played a part in your productivity and satisfaction?
AM. I have improved the lighting in my studio over my easel. And I continue acquiring more art supplies (if possible!!) I think the wonderful space I have created for myself plays a huge part in my productivity and satisfaction. It’s definitely my “happy place!”
DLL. I’m happy just looking at it! Especially when your fluffy sweet studio pal is in residence!
Part of your experience this year has been attending shows. Can you give us the highlights? And what’s coming up / planned for next year?
AM. As I wanted to build up a body of work, I participated in one show this year. It was the Silver State Art Show at Fuji park. As it was my first, I didn’t know if I’d even sell one painting. As it turned out, I sold 4! One of the highlights was the sale of one of my favorites, “Big Hugs!” It’s a 24” x 24” piece.
Next year I plan to do three different shows (One of them being the Silver State…). I will announce these shows on my website when I solidify my participation.
DLL. Fantastic! Congratulations on the success of your first show.
There are so many wonderful pieces for sale on your website. And I’ve watched so many more being sold. Has this also met your expectations, or exceeded it?
AM. Yes, website sales have exceeded my expectations. In fact, I need to add more paintings and make some cosmetic changes which will separate the pages by type of art and pieces sold. It’s starting to get crowded!
DLL. That is so inspiring to hear. Congratulations again!
Do you have any plans to return to teaching? Can I put a plug in here for at least one class a year? 😄
AM. LOL! I have been asked by a number of you wonderful people, (who I miss dearly) if I would maybe do one class a year! I am thinking about some sort of mixed media class!
DLL. That is exactly what I hoped you’d say. Yay!
Thank you so much for visiting, Audrey!! All the best to you in the next year and I can’t wait to see your next body of work.
You can follow Audrey’s work, support her art, and join her community on her website and Facebook page.
The best New Year to all of you and thank you for visiting!
I played my first tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) ever at my first-ever writing retreat in Virginia City in May. This month’s guest convinced me to give one a try on our Saturday evening in the cozy, haunted St. Mary’s Art Center, along with my friend and retreat roomie (and last month’s guest) Dee Beardsley. Jade authored the riveting Cthulhu mythos-based story and was an excellent teacher.
We started after dinner in the sitting room on the first floor, before taking a break for movie night in the theater on the 4th floor. Then, we retreated to the airy second-floor veranda, with its low lighting and the stars twinkling over Virginia City, which had us resorting to our phone flashlights to roll the dice and read the scenes. That only made the experience delightfully more gothic. And wow, was it ever the most complex, imaginative, and compelling way to immerse oneself in a story! I was Mr. Wabash, through and through, living in 1890s Chicago, discovering magic, and making some scary decisions. I would truly love to roleplay again, if I ever get a chance.
Join me for a chat with Jade today to discover what you’ve always wanted to know about TTRPGs and the stories and writers behind them, as Jade shares insights into the life of a TTRPG author.
Let’s Meet the Author
Though her usual genre is sci-fi and fantasy, discovering the tabletop roleplaying game Call of Cthulhu lit Jade Griffin’s imagination down a darker path of Lovecraftian horror. She has published six adventures so far in a series of Call of Cthulhu TTRPGs, starting with Taken For Granite on DriveThruRPG, and the collected campaign Embraced Fate: Amor Fati 1-4 is her newest TTRPG publication.
The most recent, Mr. Smith Who Works The Front Desk, is another companion novel to her Call of Cthulhu TTRPG series, which are therefore both player handouts and minor mythos tomes.
Jade Griffin lives in the high desert of northern Nevada with her family and an array of pets from several Phylum of Animalia.
Let’s Get Started
Thank you so much for visiting my Guest Spotlight, Jade. While I thoroughly enjoyed your introduction to TTRPGs, as mentioned above, I am woefully ignorant of the basic elements, having sadly missed out on this fantasy world-building craze in all its manifestations. So, to help ground us in the genre, what are the basic elements and objectives of a TTRPG from a player’s perspective? Are there other or different goals from a writer’s perspective?
JG: Very glad to answer! First, no matter if you play Call of Cthulhu or Dungeons & Dragons, or Star Wars, or any of the other tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), they are all driven by the same factors: dice, character sheet, theater of the mind, and a group of friendly people. Dice have been around for millennia and are key to the random generation of events and results at the table, which are also affected by the skills and traits on an individual’s character sheet. These, combined with theater of the mind, where the person running the game describes the situation, scene, and all non-player characters (characters controlled by the person running the game and not the players). Keep in mind that a table and the group of people that you are with could be in person or even a virtual tabletop (VTT). I have run and played both ways. The connection is still there with a VTT, connecting with people from anywhere in the world, but the more intimate nature of sitting at a physical table surrounded by other people with a similar or the same goal–to go through a story together and make it your own–is immensely satisfying from my perspective as a writer. I am, first and foremost, a writer and not a gamer.
DLL:Fascinating, Jade! ‘Theater of the mind’ really captured the essence for me, and why it’s so fun to own the story and character. I went and looked up the history of dice. I’m not sure why I haven’t considered their enduring history before.
We caught a glimpse of your writing journey in your bio, but could you share more about how you became a writer and what led you to where you are today? Who or what was your biggest inspiration along the way?
JG: My biggest inspiration continues to be life and everything in it. A color, a smell, a sound… I am constantly reminded of my characters, and this puts a smile to my lips and prods me to make even more scenes and characters to delight myself and others. Initial inspiration came from reading Anne McCaffrey’s ‘Dragonriders of Pern’ series. I also enjoyed the autobiographies of Zitkala-Sa, Benjamin Franklin, and Frederick Douglass, the Little Fuzzy series by H. Beam Piper, the Quintaglio series by Robert J. Sawyer, and the classic ‘Frankenstein.’ For someone like me with a huge imagination, they all get catalogued in my brain warehouse and continue to inspire. As for how I became a writer, I would write little poems, then fan fiction, and finally original stories. The dialogue was always there, audible to me, and I crafted scenes and settings around what I hear and see my characters doing. It is such fun!
DLL:You made me smile, too. I can easily see your method in your sensory writing. And what great recs!I read ‘Dragonriders’ years ago. I might need to revisit it. I also love ‘Frankenstein,’ the story behind its creator, Mary Shelley, and all its media adaptations, including a movie I watch often, ‘I Frankenstein,” which features other fantasy themes I enjoy like Gargoyles vs. Demons. And of course, there’s the iconic satirical and hilarious version, my favorite Mel Brooks film, ‘Young Frankenstein.’ I went on a bit of a tangent, but the remarkable themes in Shelley’s brilliant horror story resonate in so many ways.
Did you play other TTRPGs before Call of Cthulhu? What interests you most about the gaming aspect, generally? What interests you about the Lovecraftian mythos?
JG: My goodness, yes. I never roleplayed in any system before meeting my husband. Divorced now, but he was a full-on gamer of everything and anything, so I did quite a bit of boardgames, card games, console and computer games, and of course TTRPGs. It was my greatest joy amongst the games, because any playthrough stays with me forever, just like crafting a story, whereas boardgames always reset and start over. I like things that stay. As for others, I have played: White Wolf, Star Wars, The Strange, Dungeons & Dragons (1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Editions), and so many more. Why do I tabletop roleplay? As stated, the stories stay with me. They continue. Then I write novels based on stories not played through. Everything’s gloriously connected, and I love it. And I greatly prefer the Lovecraftian mythos and Call of Cthulhu over any other TTRPGs for the sole reason that you are playing a normal person. Not a hero, not a chosen one, just a person trying not to go insane but driven by the need to know or solve a mystery or even get revenge sometimes. It is fantastically human with the situations and consequences players find their characters in.
DLL:This is really helpful to me as a non-gamer, and now I understand the appeal I felt, thanks to the Lovecraft legacy and hisCosmic Indifferentism theme, which really came through in yourstory.
It seems to me that writing for TTRPGs with an established mythos and fan base would present its own unique challenges as well as benefits. Can you share what you’ve found to be the case?
JG: I find writing for Call of Cthulhu to be so much easier than other systems. You are dealing with the real world and not needing to know every rule of someone else’s fantasy world. I typically write in the 1920s and have been having loads of fun researching the era. I love to put as much history as I can into my works, to bring that world alive! As for already writing in an established mythos and fan base, the benefit is that you have fans craving more. The challenge is finding out if you need to create your own creatures and villains to tantalize them, or if it is in the public domain to use creatures already established. I love that there is a large Discord community of fellow creators, consumers, and even employees of the company that owns the rights to Call of Cthulhu, and they all welcome new creators, creations, and provide feedback.
DLL:I can see the appeal of the setting! And that’s exactly what I expected the community to feel like. Very fun.
Fantasy writers are often accused of loving the journey through their created worlds so much that they don’t want to leave them, which is why fantasy novels tend to be lengthy and often become series. Fortunately, readers also enjoy this aspect. It seems that writing for TTRPGs offers an author multiple ways to expand their worlds within the established mythos, including role-playing. Can you elaborate on that idea?
JG: Interesting question. Some have even asked me why I serialize my games if they are considered one-shots–a one-and-done where a group comes and plays that particular game once. There is no continuation for them… Except that I write with the endgame in mind, and it has always been a campaign–a lengthy story that you can do in sections. Don’t have time to play a whole campaign? No problem. The adventures I write are in small chunks, so you can just buy one; however, my goal is to tantalize the players to ask for more, and I feel successful in that regard, as it keeps happening at my own table! I have run games online and at local conventions for over three years now, and for many friendly strangers, and at least half end up asking, “What happens next?” Such a great feeling! It isn’t for everyone, however. Many TTRPG writers just do one and then move on to the next story they are inspired to do, but for me, everything – and I mean everything I write – eventually is connected together ;)
Along with your fascinating response above, how would you compare the experience of writing a novel or a single short story with creating a TTRPG?
JG: Excellent question, as there are similarities and differences. A novel is a set path, a set story. In a TTRPG, many things can happen that change the outcome of the game. Some characters even die. I try to write in contingencies for the most likely happenings and tell the person running the game that sometimes things happen, so make sure the play-through is fun and you can never go wrong – even if that means changing aspects of a story, altering a die roll, or simply saying a thing is so. The person running the game is a storyteller, referee, and observer all in one go. With a novel, though, you are judge, jury, and often executioner–of not just ideas but of your characters. I write what is there. My characters have lives. I am their scribe. Those paths are set when they go to print, and there is no deviation from their main timeline. Some deviations happen during gameplay because you can encounter the same characters you’ve read about in the novel, or you will read about a character you have just played with in a game. It was both a challenge and an experiment to see if I could write the same scene for a game as well as a novel. In my third and final novel in the series, titled “The Death of Lacy Moore: Monster Hunter of the 1900s”, this turned out to be the climactic scene. It is also the climax in my 4th TTRPG adventure, “Amor Fati 4: Ebon Roots”. They are the same scene, but I wrote them with certain fixed points in mind, points that could not be shifted in the game. I think I succeeded in my experiment and ended up with a very engaging and shocking conclusion.
DLL:Again, this is fascinating! And choosing a path by rolling the dice is exactly why playing the game was so compelling to me as a newbie, even as I felt a sense of awe over the complexity.
Both your passion for writing your stories and playing the game was evident in Virginia City, but which excites you more: playing or creating? I know you mentioned it above, but I would love more. Would you consider yourself a writer first, a player second?
JG: Always a writer first. Always. I play to experience the creation and revelation process as it happens in a TTRPG environment.
I’ve interviewed fantasy authors who heavily draw from their past world-building experiences in TTRPGs, and I envy them for that valuable skill. How much does playing the game influence your story creation? Build those world-building muscles? Do you think up new characters, stories, or scenarios even while you’re playing?
JG: For me, they play off of each other, and fuel each other, honing and sharpening the skill of world-building due to the sounding board of feedback from players, and of their own concepts brought into play. For example, one player randomly asked, in character, “I wanna go see the Ada K. Damon.” They were in Ipswich, Massachusetts, but I had no idea what she was talking about. I told her the storm was too bad so she could go another day. She accepted that reason and gave me time to look it up. Turns out it is a shipwreck that I happily integrated into a huge plot twist, which changed the whole course of that particular adventure and therefore the story. And, yes, I also get ideas from a thing spoken, a sound heard, a mispronunciation, or a mistype. Inspiration is everywhere, and my smile just lingers.
DLL:What a great story, and I caught that very smile at the retreat. This just expands on my love of writing and the many places we find inspiration.
Click on the photo to learn more about the shipwreck of the Ada K. Damon.
As we delightfully wandered through your latest story in draft form, you were able to address those few spots where something was missing as it came up, making notes in that huge binder packed with vivid, dark fantasy scenes, which suggested that this step (playing your draft story) is an important part of your process. Is that the case?
JG: Yes. And thanks again for being a part of that. Playtesting a game is important, but what you helped me with is one of several steps of THAT particular type of game. See, it is a playable Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-style TTRPG called a solo adventure. I need many, many playtests to iron out anything that doesn’t fit.
It is so hard to see what doesn’t work without a lot of playtesting and people trying different avenues in each playthrough. Even now, after 20 or so playtests, I still feel I need to do some more before it can go to print, even though I have published it digitally.
DLL:Wow! 20 playtests. That’s a lot of editing in the writing world. But I can totally see how that process needs to play out, while also being totally fun.
Which takes up more of your time, playing or writing? I imagine it’s a challenge not to let one consume the other. What organizational tips and techniques can you share about how you achieve your publication goals while running games and honing your player skills? How do you balance the world of TTRPG with everyday life?
JG: Writing! But also in “writing” is creating the story, characters, how they get in and out of dilemmas, the actual physical writing, and of course, marketing/publicity! I put all of my goals in my scope for each month/each year and refine it as I go. I also track any writing accomplishments in a Word document for easy reference and have a folder on my computer for photos. I also keep any bios I have typed up, printed out, or sent off, like for this interview, for easy access. I am definitely a planner and keep notes both in hardcopy and digitally in the file associated with the story or game they pertain to. As for how I balance? My creative space is my computer and the table where I game. My computer is not in an office where I can close the door and be alone. I share the space with my kids. I play instrumental music to drown them out or write/create/revise while they sleep.
DLL:Excellent! Thank you.
And speaking of organization, the layered complexity in your game staggered the imagination. You not only create a compelling mystery with numerous scenarios for each roll of the dice and player decision, but you basically have to deconstruct the story and assemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Can you share more about your process and the challenges of assembling such huge projects?
JG: Yes, that was exactly it! I wanted to write a solo adventure and had to think up how. Yes, there are some tutorials out there, but really doing it, there are several ways to get started, and no good way to organize it the way my brain works, except to write it and go down each path as I write. The challenge was keeping track of them all, both in my head and on paper. It took 5 months to write a playable draft, as opposed to 1-2 months for a normal adventure. The sequel is taking even longer. I know there is something missing when I sit down to write it. There are little bits, little nuggets of awesome, and I am not finding them yet. Makes writing it difficult.
DLL:You write fast. I wish I could write at that pace. Based on all the techniques you’ve discussed, your nuggets of awesome will come. 😄
What would you say are the top skills needed to get the job done, to make a story a game, and a game a story?
JG: A very organized mind rife with creativity. I describe myself as a creative firestorm and have not met someone like myself before: bubbling with creative energy, bursting with fiery, excited bits of joy when I speak of my work. Secondly, you MUST be able to set a goal and achieve it. Do not look at roadblocks and setbacks. Those are mere challenges. These are self-imposed deadlines, but I imposed them to meet them, not to have them beat me. Third, you are your biggest champion and your loudest cheerleader for your work. You must be this. People must see your excitement. If you are not happy with it, why should they be? Fourth, develop the skill. Take part as a player, then purchase a game and read through it, and run your own. You can’t write what you have no experience playing. There are some rules for how a game is set up, its flow, and how stats and character sheets are set up. There are necessities and there are accessories, just like in writing a novel or short story. And if you want to do both, you must be inspired. Either driven by the book or, preferably, driven by the game, they fuel one another like nothing I have ever heard of.
DLL:So much great stuff, and I definitely caught that bubbly, energetic excitement at the retreat, which is why I was so happy to have you visit my Spotlight and explore it further.
What advice can you share about getting started in the TTRPG world as a writer and publisher of those games?
JG: Start with Storytelling Collective and their Write Your First Adventure workshop. They also tackle subjects and genres of novels and short stories. Highly recommend them. That is where I got my start. There is also a huge presence on Discord. That is where I find my playtesters and my beta readers/critiquers. Go find them.
DLL:Excellent again! Thank you.
You’ve published many stories with more on the way. Can you share a sneak peek of what’s coming and the best way to find you and your works?
JG: Absolutely! First, a cover reveal of the 5th adventure in the Amor Fati series, which I just published. And following is my social media info to see my progress, and where I will post sneak peeks as well as snippets of writing that I am working on.
10/13-10/16 – BLFC (Biggest Little Furry Con) in Reno, Nevada – running my various games
10/17-10/19 – Miskatonic Repository Con (online Discord convention, running my games)
11/1-11/2 – SNAFUCon in Reno – running my various games
11-8, 15, 22, and 29 (every Saturday in November) – Kobold’s Keep in Reno – running my games in person
Jade’s DriveThruRPG published stories with affiliate links.
DLL: Excellent, and on the topic of sneak peeks, I would love it if you could share a snippet of a favorite scene featuring one of those harrowing decisions a character must make.
JG: Sometimes it is hard to pick! I am in the middle of a short story horror adventure anthology featuring all of my own characters from the TTRPG series Amor Fati. I just published ‘Amor Fati 5: Hound of Fate.’ I started the sequel to the solo adventure. I started ‘Amor Fati 6: Lone Stars & Pinewood Boxes.’ Here are some bits from several of the anthology stories:
“Happen Stance” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
Summer 1841
With dark of night above, cold ground beneath, and agony in between, Mr. Arthur Arctus Paisley did not ask if Death were coming for him; but instead fiercely wished for an answer on when. Death was well-deserved at the point he found himself, tossed and discarded in a barren landscape, broken and bleeding. He deserved to die. He wanted to die. Why did Death refuse to claim him?
“Origin of Mr. Doud” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
1903
He could run faster than anyone in school and had proven it in track time and again.
That didn’t matter to the nightmare creature effortlessly gliding after him.
“Mr. Midsommer Meets His Match” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
Merely fear, or the start right before the rush of the chase, and nothing more. Harold Midsommer had never experienced actual precognition, nor any validation that an impulse or feeling led to a better outcome for himself. He ignored the odd yet insistent apprehension and signaled Agent Foster to his left and Agent Dane to his right. He entered the abandoned building through the front door, easing it open slowly lest the rusty hinges give way and the door crash to the ground, alerting the creatures inside that their pursuers were closing in.
“Possessing A Sound Mind” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
Nothingness. Familiar, in a way. So familiar, in fact, that he could function within it. Most could not, or so he assumed. A nexus in which his demiconsciousness resided, not unlike what he dwelled in as a captive for decade after decade after decade after…
Nothingness. Focus. Yes. This was different. This state of being contained an absence of feeling anything emotional as well as physical. Grasping that pinpoint of awareness, so elusive…
Nothingness.
Focus! Yes. I am Mr. Smith. I am…
Nothingness.
It is empty and full but I am Mr. Smith.
“The Bowers Ring” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
“Christine, I believe you’ve taken some sort of issue with me and I’d like to know what it is. Feel free to speak candidly without reproach.”
The young female relative gave a little sigh, set the book down, faced her grand-aunt, and said, “The reason is simple: You are a liar.” Blunt, unexpected, but Virginia did not have feathers to ruffle. She herself was all scales and saw much of her own calculating coolness in the girl.
Easing onto the bed, she regarded her grand-niece with a clever smile. “What specifically do you believe you’ve been lied to about?”
Christine scowled, as if Virginia should already know the answer and it angered her to point out the facts. “Not counting the lie you just told about our family history, I overheard you talking with my dad last year, telling him where you’d been and what you’d done. All that stuff about magic and old gods and monsters. It’s all lies.”
“Origin of Mr. Grummond” (“Touch Of Paisley” anthology)
Is wonderful to sit at little café table in Autumn and drink delicious, hot coffee from tiny porcelain cup, to relax and survey all people so busy in coming and going, but is much more enjoyable to sit across from man in nice suit and let him watch me prepare tools to extract information from him. Perhaps he will tell me why I am told to assassinate him. Perhaps not. Cannot yet tell. Either way, drink coffee and read people, or clean tools and read one man, is enjoyable afternoon for me.
And here is a look at the premise for my newest TTRPG, “Amor Fati 5: Hound Of Fate” – Investigators are invited to sniff out answers to a pack of questions at the philanthropic Paisley Foundation and are allowed the full run of the building – with a few caveats surrounding Mr. Smith, the organization’s mysterious front desk man. Their curiosity has them chasing more than their own tales, interrupted by the arrival of an otherworldly predator hunting Mr. Smith.
And the premise for my upcoming TTRPG, “Amor Fati 6: Lone Stars & Pinewood Boxes” – On the eve of the new year, December 31, 1922, investigators are sent to Fort Worth, TX seeking the occult knowledge of an elusive carpenter when stars align not only for an alcohol-fueled family reunion but the arrival of a terrible creature which leaves destruction in its wake.
DLL:Absolutely awesome!! I so enjoyed reading these. Thank you so much.And thanks again, Jade, for chatting with me. Do you have any parting advice for those who would love to try their hand at writing stories for a TTRPG?
JG: Again, start with Storytelling Collective. It is where I got my start. Sign up for one of their Write Your First Adventure workshops, but they also have workshops, etc., for creative writing, short stories, flash fiction, romance novels, fantasy novels, poetry, and more. They are self-paced for some categories and a month long for others, and are geared toward getting you motivated, staying motivated, hitting attainable goals, and cheering you past your expectations. Some have contests or the end result to give you a place to submit your work. Others, like Short Story September, happening now, usually end up in an anthology. Short Story September is free. No need to pay for anything to get published, either. Just buy the book when it comes out!
DLL:Ooh, I will definitely sign up for Short Story September next year. What a great resource. I also registered for WorldAnvil, a platform to help authors build their worlds. All the best to you, Jade.
Questions and comments are welcome. Thanks for visiting bydllewellyn.com and supporting indie authors.
By D. L. Lewellyn 