I absolutely love author interviews. I’m not sure why, but just getting to read about them and get to know them better is super fun for me. I’ve recently found out the opposite opinion from others, and I hope that you give these Meet the Author posts a chance, even if you fall on the other side of the fence.
Some links in this post are affiliate links. I’ll recieve a small commission from your purchase, and I’m so grateful!
I absolutely love showcasing indie authors and their books, because marketing for them is super hard, and if I can help even a little bit to bring exposure to them, why wouldn’t I do that? Leave me a comment below with your favorite interview in this series, and why it’s your favorite.
When did you start writing? Why?
I’ve been writing one thing or another for as long as I can remember. As I grew and became a bookworm, I gravitated toward scifi and fantasy. When I was in high school, the Hale-Bopp comet appeared in the sky and I got an idea for a story about a young girl with magical powers. Thus, The Serrulata Saga was born.
Do you have a published book? What’s it called?
I do! There are currently two books out in The Serrulata Saga right now: Gathering of the Four, which is the first book in the series, and Yours and Mine, a prequel romance. If all goes according to plan (fingers crossed) Test of the Four: Book Two of the Serrulata Saga will be out in November!
What comes naturally to you as a writer? What is your biggest struggle?
Self-publishing all the way for me! Though I’ve been working on The Serrulata Saga off and on for my entire adult life and it’s a strong passion of mine to see my words in print, I know my story is very niche. (So niche even I can’t figure out how to market the series properly – cue womp, womp music!) While I would, of course, love for some publishing exec to stumble across my books and make me super famous and rich, I know that’s not going to happen.
The Serrulata Saga is ultimately for me and my (very few) fans. Kudos to those who are strong enough to go the trad route, but I’m honestly too protective of my story (any my spirit) to get rejection after rejection. Also, I personally find self-publishing fun. I’ve made so many great friends in the self-pub world and everyone is very supportive. I’m happy with my choice!
Is it your dream to write full-time? Why or Why not?
This might sound strange but… no. I write to get away from the real world. If I had to write full time, I think it would become work for me and that would defeat the purpose of my art.
What genre do you write in? Why did you choose this genre?
The Serrulata Saga has elements of several different genres, mainly because I like different genres depending on my mood. The main books are dystopian speculative fiction with elements of scifi and fantasy. The prequel and my current WIP are romance (gotta love those HEAs!) — and my next WIP is going to be my first attempt at horror. The main books in the series are in the genres where I’m most comfortable, but I like to try new things, too. (I mean, the worst that could happen is that no one buys the, right?)
What kinds of books do you like to read? What is your favorite genre?
Recommend 3 books that have been an inspiration to you.
Growing up I devoured Madeline L’Engle’s books, beginning, of course, with A Wrinkle In Time. I’m also a life-long fan of Ray Bradbury and recently re-read Dandelion Wine to kick off this summer. In terms of darker, dystopian books, Things We Didn’t See Coming by Steven Amsterdam is one that really stuck with me.
Besides books, what inspires you on a daily basis?
Again, this might sound strange but… my anxiety plays a big role in what I write. I started The Serrulata Saga at a time in my life when I didn’t understand what anxiety was or how it affected me. I just knew I needed an escape. So I put pen to paper. It’s twenty years later and the world is on fire and sometimes I just need to feel in control of… something. I can’t affect much in the real world but I do have power over the world I’ve created, and just knowing that sometimes helps.
What are your favorite writing tools? Why?
I’m Old School and just use Word and my Mac. I have an Excel calendar I use to keep my story lines straight but that’s it.
What is something you wish everyone knew about you?
I’m actually very shy. I’m terrible at talking about myself in a positive manner. (I stared at this form for a good hour before getting up the strength to fill it out.) I’m trying to get better at liking myself, though!
Where can people find you? Please include all relevant social media, and a website if you have one. No website, but you have a newsletter? We wanna know!
Bennett’s Books
Thanks for hanging out with Bennett and me! I hope you enjoyed getting to know her better, and I hope you’ll check out her books to support her!
While you’re here, please subscribe! You’ll get a weekly notification of new posts, and I never spam. Promise!
Until Next Time, Friends!
