#aprilnano2023

[author-a-holmes]

Day 21 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Share a Proud Moment…

Making my first £10 in Royalties

I have a locket that I always intended to keep my first £10 in royalties inside. But I expected that to take several months.

I never even dreamed that would happen in the first month, the first week, that Changeling was on sale.

And then the absolutely wonderful reviews? I honestly couldn't have hoped for more.

[author-a-holmes]

Day 9 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - What's Your Big Author Dream?

I don't know if my dreams would be considered "big" author dreams, really

I'm not trying to be a "best selling author" or make it onto the NYT Best Seller List, or even be a houshold name. My goals, dreams, are comparatively simple.

I want my books to be read, and my characters to be loved.

I'd, ideally, like to be earning enough from my books to fascilitate my continuing to write them.

But my main goal is for people to read my books, to love my characters, and to spread enjoyment with a quality product.

[author-a-holmes]

Day 15 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - Favourite Opening Line?

This stumbles straight into one of my pet peeves; The sheer weight put on the opening line of a book.

As a reader, I have never, once, in my whole life, opened a book, read the first line, and closed it again.

The first page, even, is usually something I'll push past. I'll read a couple of pages, give the book a chance to grab me.

If a book hasn't grabbed me by the end of the first chapter, that's the earliest I might quit a book, but even on a mediocre book, I'm probably going to give it until the end of chapter two.

… Anyway… I think some of my favourite openings to books include "Belgarath the Sorcerer" by David and Leigh Eddings, and "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. Both give really strong characterization straight off the bat that I love.

[author-a-holmes]

Day 11 of the #fictionwriterchallenge - What Is Your WIP's Title?

Darkling

My current Work in Progress is the sequel to my debut novel, Changeling.

I chose the title 'Darkling' because the meaning of the word is "growing dark or characterized by darkness", and I wanted a title that hinted at the slowly changing tone of book two from book one.

That's not to say there aren't light moments, but the stakes are being raised for Lizzy and her friends in this book, and I like hinting at themes in a book's title

At this stage, I'm sure anyone who has read Changeling knows what secret I was hinting at with that title!

[author-a-holmes]

Day 13 of the #writerfriendschallenge - My writer life right now is full of…

Stress lol

Seriously though, I'm struggling to figure out how to balance everything.

Writing, editing, marketing, social media, newsletters, promotions, plus my health and mental health.

The health and mental health also have to take priority over everything else, or it all crumbles down. They're the foundation of the pyramid, and everything else has to slot in around them.

[author-a-holmes]

Day 15 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Share Book Art for World Art Day!

For ArtFight July 2022, I was lucky enough to be gifted a piece of art for Lizzy Hail, the Main Character of the Fey Touched Trilogy.

The art was created by @knuttydraws an amazing artist who I've also been lucky enough to commission previously for another set of characters.

One day, when I win the lottery, I'll be able to just hire Knutty to make art for all my books & characters, but until then I'll shout about her talent until she gets embaressed and yells at me on Discord…

[author-a-holmes]

Day 14 of the #writerfriendschallenge - Currently Reading?

I don't read much when I'm writing. I tend to alternate. Read and no writing, or writing and no reading.

So my TBR pile is getting frankly ridiculous because I've been writing a lot lately.

I do try and read one ARC from a fellow indie a month though!

Recent Reads include;

Soul of the Sorceress by Cassandra Diviak

A Rival Most Vial by R K Ashwick

And I STILL have The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff on the coffee table waiting for me to get to it.

[author-a-holmes]

Day 4 of the #writerfriendschallenge - What is your Main Character's name, and how did you pick it?

My main character's name is actually a bit interesting. At least to me.

Her full name is Lila Isabelle Hail, but she goes by the name Lizzy instead.

And you might think it's because she doesn't like her name, but for Lizzy it's the exact opposite. She loves her name, and she allows her mum to call her Lila, and her best friend, Booker, uses it when they are connected via telepath…

But she doesn't want anyone she doesn't trust to call her that. To taunt or tease her while using a name she loves, so introducing herself as Lizzy is an emotional defence for her.

As for how I chose her name, I loved the meaning of Lila (Night or Beauty), and knew I wanted her to go by a slightly different name (ie, Lizzy) so it was a matter of finding a middle name that could combine with the first and create an appropriate nickname.