SP: Can you tell us a little about you and your writing journey?
RG: Thank you so much for having me!
I currently live in the beautiful forests of North Carolina, although I grew up on the plains of the Texas panhandle. I’ve written stories since I knew how to write; one of my early ones was about a girl who got turned into an ant. Thankfully I never finished that one!
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SP: Hi Vanessa! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! We would love for you to tell us all a little bit about you and your writing journey. How did you get your start?
VB: Hi! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to be here! I first started writing after I graduated from grad school. I was confused as to where I wanted my life to go and used writing as a way to cope through some difficult times. It was a wonderful outlet and I never would’ve thought so many stories would emerge from that time.
SP: Awesome! Now for some bookish conversation…First off, congratulations on revealing the beautiful cover of your upcoming book, FORTIFIED, which we can now preorder! Can you tell us more about it?
Add official blurb:
Devora’s perfect future shatters. Instead of attending Vlacklear Academy, she is sent to the Fortress—a prison holding murderers and thieves that make up the soldiers in His Majesty’s Army. She fears it is the end of her.
Suppressing her forbidden Seeing abilities, Devora is thrust into the role of soldier, and must learn to defend herself while avoiding Warden Hazor and his ruthless right-hand man, Captain Blake.
When Devora’s Seeing abilities are exposed, she’s thrown into a tournament to win her right to live. She must turn to Captain Blake for help or be slaughtered like all the other Seers before her.
VB: Yes! I’m so excited about this book because it encompasses so many bookish themes I love. Fortified is inspired by the story of Deborah in the book of Judges, but mashed with inspiration of Mulan with a little sprinkling of Pride and Prejudice. It’s a wild mix of themes, but I love how they came together!
SP: Talk to us about fantasy and worldbuilding–how do you build your worlds?
VB: When I first started writing, it was difficult not to dump a whole bunch on information in the beginning of the story. Over time, I’ve learned to drip in little pieces of information about the world until the reader has the whole image without realizing it.
SP: As an award winning author of Heartmender, and its sequel, Heartbreaker, you already have two books under your belt. What was different about writing a new series? In which ways did you find that you grew as an author?
VB: At first I wasn’t sure if I could move on to new characters. I had grown close to Addie and the others in the Heartmaker Trilogy. But as I started writing about Devora, Captain Blake, and a slew of new characters, I began to fall more in love with them and couldn’t stop until I knew what happened in their stories.
I definitely feel like my style of writing has matured. I’ve learned how to describe emotions and action more fluidly than before.
SP: Can you tell us a bit more about your writing process?
VB: Haha, it’s a bit of a mess, which is completely the opposite of who I am as a person. I am an extreme type-A who runs off of lists and sticky notes. But when I write, I only know basic plot points and let the story unfold as I type. I’m a totally pantser all the way!
SP: What is one craft technique or marketing tip you would recommend to other writers?
VB: Reach out to other authors who write in similar genres as you. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same (i.e. you can both write YA not YA Fantasy). Create a community with others. My publisher now used to be one of my ARC readers for Heartmender! You never know where the relationships you make will lead!
SP: You recently signed with Quill and Flame publishers! Congratulations! What is one tip for writers interested in working with an indie press?
VB: Thank you so much! A tip would be to do your research on what presses you want to work. As an indie author, I work very close with my publisher and I’m so thankful we have a great relationship! When sending out proposals, be sure to only submit to places you really want to work with!
SP: Time for the lightning round! Early bird or night owl?
VB: Early bird!
SP: Most obscure hobby?
VB: I am secretly (not so secretly!) obsessed with Webtoons!
SP: Word you can never spell? This may be a trick question.
VB: Definitely. I always second guess myself on it 😛
SP: Alright, time’s up! We’re so sad to see you go! BUT…there’s way more where this came from. Where can we go to read more from you?
VB: Thank you so much for having me! This was so much fun! You can sign up for my newsletter for book updates and exciting things happening: HERE
All my books are sold where books are sold and you can get signed copies through the Quill & Flame Etsy shop!
Only a few more days to National Novel Writing Month! Computers are revving, crowds are cheering.
In my household, the young wrimos are eager-eyed and ready to go. Emotionally ready, that is. Not in the sense of having any real idea about their plot or characters. And that’s okay, of course. The beauty of NaNoWriMo is its freewheeling nature. The founder’s book title says it all: No Plot? No Problem! Start somewhere, keep writing, and see where you end up.
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SP: Welcome Gabriela! Before we get into all things DIY MFA, your book, podcast and vision, we would love to hear a bit about you and your writing life! What’s the backstory? What launched you into this writing-DIY journey?
DIY MFA began as an experiment. I was graduating from a traditional MFA program and I loved the program so much I did not want to graduate. So, I was sitting in a rickety old wooden pew of a West Village church for the graduation ceremony and I half expected the skies to part and beams of light to shine down through the stained glass windows and for the literary gods to whisper from on high, “You are now a writer.”
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SP: Hi Tara! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! Can you tell us a little about you and your writing journey? How did you get your start?
TG: You know that kid who brings a book everywhere? That was me. (My guess is that everyone reading this interview was the same way!) In high school, I wrote as much as I could: on napkins, scraps of paper, pocket notebooks.
Lee Urban is living a lie.
In a society where everyone’s DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it.
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SP: Hi CJ! So glad to chat with you today! When did you start writing and what are your favorite genres?
CJ: Thank you so much for having me! I started on my writing journey about eight years ago. I wanted a story I could hand to the teen and young adult girls I was talking to, who needed a reprieve from the pain they were facing in their lives, but also a way to learn deeper truths.
Please join me in welcoming S.F. Rhoads to The Spinning Pen! Sandra was born in Queens and raised in Texas where she earned an MA in her seventeenth-century crush, John Milton. This talented author also has experience in acting, directing, and script writing!
SP: Hi Sandra! How did you start writing YA fiction specifically, and what made you decide to pursue that professionally? (Also, I’m dying to know who your other literary crushes are!)
Sandra: I love talking about story, process, and creativity but what I love most is to encourage others to see their talents/art as valuable and important gifts to the world, so thanks for having me as a guest!
A little about me: I’ve always been a storyteller and writer, although it wasn’t necessarily on paper. Mainly I’d create fantasy worlds in my daydreams while I was on the playground or doing chores.
: Author Interview: Sandra Fernandez Rhoads
SP: Hi JJ! Thanks for joining us on the Spinning Pen. Before we get into book stuff, we’d LOVE to hear a bit about you and your writing journey! When did it all start?
JJF: It’s wonderful to be here! Thanks so much for having me.
Oh, where to begin? So, I started writing my first novel at age fourteen. I was on a family holiday touring Australia, in a place called Jurien Bay in Western Australia, when I had a dream of the opening scene of a novel. It contained just about every story cliché you can imagine, and was ditched VERY quickly, but I kept on working on that novel for years…plus, “Jurien” later became the first name of my villain. I’m sneaky like that.
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Pen Friends ~ Please welcome YA Author Alissa Zavalianos to talk about her latest novel, ENDLEWOOD, and her writing journey! I’m so excited to have Alissa here with us!
SP: Hi Alissa! Thanks for joining us! Before we get into book stuff, we’d LOVE to know a bit about you and your writing journey.
My writing journey started in 4th grade, scribbling adventures and drawing maps, taking creative writing courses throughout high school and college (English major with a focus in Creative Writing).
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