Written in the Stars Author: Shelley Russell Nolan

Interview with Shelley Russell Nolan:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? Be as detailed as you want.

Angel Fire was prompted by a recurring dream I had as a teenager. I was an adult in my dream, and it felt so real that I would wonder if it was not really a dream but a memory from a past life. From there, I got the idea for another teenager having a recurring dream, one that turned out to be a memory. As I often daydreamed about developing psychic abilities as a kid, the story grew from there. It was written in a notebook, as I didn’t own a computer back then, and stuffed in a drawer in my filing cabinet for years. Then a writing group I was in decided to do an anthology, Sisters of the Shadows, and I pulled out that first draft of Angel Fire and revamped it. It was only meant to be one book, but readers kept asking me what happened next, so I did a fresh rewrite and turned it into a series.

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? Has that feeling changed between then and now? If so, how?

Writing the first draft of Angel Fire was a lot of fun. I loved being able to create characters and situations that matched some of my favourite daydreams, and it was great to be able to develop that first draft into a polished story ready to be published. Back then I had no idea of the amount of work that took place after the first draft was written. Now, I still love to write and am excited to start each and every book. That is the easy part, where anything can and will happen in the story. After that comes the hard work of revising and editing to make sure my words do the story justice. When I’m editing, I sometimes get distracted by new ideas and have to force myself to knuckle down to get the current series finished before I can start a new one.

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way?

That happens all the time. Angel Fire was meant to be a single book. Then it was going to be a series of three. As I was writing the third one I realised the story was not done, and the characters had more challenges ahead of them, and it turned into six books altogether. I have had readers tell me that there are some things they did not expect to happen, and I had too admit that I didn’t either. It was only as I got to that part in the story that the characters revealed their true plans

What was the most difficult part in writing the series?

The hardest part for me was keeping track of timelines and where all my characters were at one time. I would read the previous books before writing the next one in the series and jot down notes to remind me of things like dates, times, and setting, to help me keep it all consistent.

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give?

Know the main series arc before you start writing. If you know where you are headed, it is easier to write the steps your characters need to take between them. I know how I wanted Arcane Awakenings to end, I just didn’t know it would take six books to get there. Also, it is good to jot down notes about timelines, settings and characters, etc, as you write, so you can easily keep track of anything that needs to remain consistent from one book to the next without having to go hunting through earlier books to find it.

About the Author:

Shelley Russell Nolan is an avid reader who began writing her own stories at sixteen. Her first completed manuscript featured brain eating aliens and a butt kicking teenage heroine. Since then she has spent her time creating fantasy worlds where death is only the beginning and even freaks can fall in love, with more fantasy and sci/fi series in the works

The first two books in her debut adult urban fantasy series, Lost Reaper and Winged Reaper, were published by Atlas Productions in 2016, with Silver Reaper published in 2017 to complete the series. 2018 saw the release of her Arcane Awakenings Novella Series, while Odyssey Books published Dark Justice, the first book in a new post-apocalyptic series, in 2019. The sequel, Dark Vengeance, was released in 2021 with the third book coming soon. In 2021 Shelley also released the first three books in her Merry Magic Series, portal fantasy books featuring witches, magic and talking cats.

Born in New Zealand, moving to Australia with her family when she was seven, Shelley currently lives in Central Queensland, Australia, with her husband and two young children. They share their home with two wrecking ball kitties, and two crazy dogs on a mission to chew. She loves to hear from her readers so feel free to contact her on Facebook, Goodreads, or at her website – shelleyrussellnolan.com.

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Written in the Stars Author: K.M. Jenkins

Interview With K.M Jenkins:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? Be as detailed as you want.

Tales of Ferrês is 10 short stories that were part of my Tales of Ferrês short story series. I bundled them together at the end with a bonus story never seen. The reason I decided to write short stories first was due to my lack of experience writing longer works. I tended to have issues with getting bored as I got deeper into the book. These short stories not only helped me strengthen my writing skills, but also see inside my world of Tarzinëa.

I wanted to get some background stories for characters in novels I was working on and decided to create these fun tales that feature these heroes as they got sucked into the magical realm of Ferrês. I honestly didn’t think anyone would read them but many enjoyed these stories and they have become loyal fans. Makes me excited for my next series of shorts, but this time they will be novella length works.

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? Has that feeling changed between then and now? If so, how?

During the process of writing this short story series I found myself excited at the same time stressed. I struggled with writer’s block several times. I did my best to stay on a month to month release schedule, but it didn’t always work out. I learned a lot from writing this series. My surprise was actually finishing it. Then when I bundled all the stories together I realized that piece by piece I wrote a novel length book. It was on the short side of novels but still was a big accomplishment for myself.

My feelings for this book haven’t changed since I released the bundle book. I love it to no bounds and can’t wait to continue the series with Tales of Tarza. I plan to branch out more and try my hand at novella length books with the second series/bundle book. Hoping to snag some more fans and keep the momentum going to eventually one day write my novels I have planned for this world of mine.

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way?

I’ve had this happen to me several times with stories and books I’m writing. I didn’t have that much of a problem with Tales of Ferrês. I didn’t really write outlines. I let the characters write the story and I followed along.

As for my longer books I have in the process. I’ve had several get to chapter five then the characters change everything. It can be extremely frustrating. But I find that some books work well with outlines while others I just go with the flow of each chapter and visualize what will happen next.

What was the most difficult part in writing the series?

I would say the hardest part was keeping on a publishing schedule. I should have written all the stories in advance, instead I wrote them as I went. This led to missed deadlines and pushing releases back. I probably lost readers over this but it was a learning process I had to learn.

Another hard part is keeping things consistent at the same time. I couldn’t have the stories sound the same but had to keep things interesting. Then the issue kept coming up where I put swear words in the stories. My editor Allison was good about pointing out those couldn’t be in YA books. So I fleshed them out and did better as I got used to writing for the young adult crowd.

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give?

Not many writers think about doing a short story series first. I found that it helped my writing build structure and depth over the length of the series itself. It also got me in the door with several readers. Now I have them hanging around for my longer books. It is a trying process to write shorter works because you have to release the stories faster. But it does help you build a following with readers. It gives you the ability to share with the world your writing style. I honestly am glad I went this route. Then I didn’t have to stress out about my full-length books selling when know one knew who I was. Hopefully, this will help you figure out your path. Many writers can make a career out of writing short stories.

About the Author:

K.M. Jenkins is a published international bestselling author that writes epic battles, forbidden romance, and tales of fantasy and adventure. She has a big love for the fantasy genre and loves dragons above all creatures.When she is not writing, you will find her chasing her twin boys around the house. Between the three she has epic battles throughout the day and nothing ever gets boring.

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Written in the Stars Author: Krys Fenner

Interview With Krys Fenner:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? Be as detailed as you want. 

Back when I was in high school, I faced a lot of difficult issues and I never really felt that anyone understood. Some of the same issues that I’ve written about in this series. It took years before I truly overcame the feelings that I was left with as a result. As I thought back to that period in my life, it occurred to me that we needed books out there so that issues that affect young adults were out there, that maybe, they just might spark conversations and we could affect change.

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? Has that feeling changed between then and now? If so, how?

Nervous. I wasn’t confident in my writing or if I’d get the story across appropriately. And I was absolutely right to be too. Things got rushed and didn’t turn out right. That has changed since I first wrote what is now titled “Addicted.” Not only has my confidence improved, but I take the time to get things right. I don’t rush through the process any longer. Though I can’t say it stops me from coming up with a multitude of ideas or purchasing a buttload of covers. I have so much planned that the problem now is just fitting it all in.

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way?

Most of the time they don’t go off and do things differently, they just do it sooner than I’d like it. Although to be fair, I have actually had one set of characters that recently slowed the progress of a book that it took my co-author and me much longer to get through what happened. Things still went the way we expected, but it certainly showcased way more of the characters’ flaws than I ever anticipated.

What was the most difficult part in writing the series?

Organization. For a series like this, the main arc of the story isn’t just important, but the subplots going on in the background that are building to future books. To keep from overlapping, a lot, and I mean A LOT of planning and organization goes into the series. It isn’t just enough to know the order of events; you have to know exactly when and where everyone in the series is at all times.

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give?

Plan as much as you can as early as you can. And keep track of everything. Not just characters, but how they relate and connect to one another. As well as important dates. This is all extremely important information that you will turn back to time and time again. Simply because you have to ensure there is consistency throughout the entire series, which would be my final piece of advice. If one of your characters gets a tattoo on their left hip, it better be in that same spot when they pop up again in other books. Readers will notice.

About the Author:

Krys Fenner, also known as Brigit Rosé—like the wine, not the flower, has been infinitely passionate about writing and helping people for as long as she can remember. Having already published nine books, she avidly works on multiple series from social issues to paranormal romance. While she loves everything she writes, she’s truly excited for the two series she’ll be co-authoring over the coming year. Krys received an Associate of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, and is currently working on a Master’s degree. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her three fur babies, Bones, Luna, and Lola. To find out more about her upcoming book releases, visit her at krysfenner.co.

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Written in the Stars Author: Kelly Violet

Interview with Kelly Violet:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? Be as detailed as you want. 

When I first got serious about writing novels, the romance subgenre that spoke to me the most was new adult. It had angst and growing pains that I could identify with in one way or another. One day I was watching a film and one of the protagonists was reciting this epic poem that really resonated with me. The idea for The Names You Call Me was born. After publishing this NA second chance college romance, I realized that I needed to spotlight Rae and Xander’s friendship more. That’s how The Love You Give Me prequel came about.

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? Has that feeling changed between then and now? If so, how?

Well, I was actually going through a difficult time while I wrote these stories, and they helped while I worked through some things. I got back to writing poems (found in The Names You Call Me) which was something I used to do in my teens. In some ways, these particular stories started me on the healing process from my past and recent hurts. I think that’s also true for all of the books I write. They all have small pieces of me woven into the pages.

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way?

I can’t say that that happens to me often. The characters for Rae and Xander came to me and were pretty solid in my mind, and the words flowed from there.

What was the most difficult part in writing the series?

These stories deal with a couple heavy issues that many people may have experienced in their lifetime. I wanted to make sure that these characters were as real as possible while staying true to their struggles and their perceptions of the world and how they move through it, particularly for Rae.  

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give?

It’s probably the same advice that most authors would give. Make sure that you map out as much as you can. That includes the characters and their personality traits (including secondary and tertiary characters), the setting, and any conflicts that will happen on and off the page. It will give you a good sense for the trajectory of each story and help you figure out where your main characters will end up and why.

About The Author:

Kelly Violet is a born-and-raised New Yorker, living in a California world. A voracious romance reader, she published her first novel, Touch Me Softly, in December 2017. You can expect her stories to be angsty and gut-wrenching, fun and flirty, or just downright naughty. Music and dancing are her go-to outlets. If there’s a party and dance floor (optional), rest assured that she will be one of the first people to bust a move.  

Kelly loves to hear from readers. Connect with her on her various social media sites.

https://www.kellyviolet.com/

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Written In The Stars Author: Sheri Lynn

Interview With Sheri Lynn:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? Be as detailed as you want. 

I wrote The Protected Prophecy years ago. I love good versus evil stories. I enjoy immersing myself in the development of characters, especially the redemption of one we aren’t a fan of, or we believe is wicked. Add in an ancient prophecy and recognizing its correlation to the present and exposing the fears and the strengths of my heroine as she accepts her role in it—was a story I not only loved writing but is something I would want to read.

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? Has that feeling changed between then and now? If so, how?

Excited. I hated for it to end. I felt I had more to tell. I had a few readers ask for a second book, but I kept putting it off and taking on other projects. This story kept calling to me though, and I’m writing book 2 now. The Secrets in the Sacred Scrolls will release this spring 2022

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way?

Too many times to count. It happens more often than not. Probably because I am not a plotter. I begin and write, and the story goes. Then I step back from it and play around with various paths I could take. And I may continue to write with one of those, but I will think about it for days and sometimes weeks. I’ve been known to delete thousands of words and rewrite them in a different direction.

What was the most difficult part in writing the series?

Don’t get bogged down in backstory is one. I know not everyone starts with book 1 and I try to write all my books as a standalone because of this. But I don’t want to rehash so much it stalls the new book.

Cohesion is another. I always reread the previous book or books and list key points. Ages. Timelines and time frames. Names. I don’t want to reference something incorrectly. If in book 1 a major incident occurred when the character was fifteen, I don’t want to come back in book 2 and state it happened at age seventeen.

There is a reader that will call you out on it.

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give?

 Readers love series! Believe me, if you finished book 1… book 2 is in you.

Author Bio:

I grew up an Army brat, so my childhood involved moving every three years. However, truly a southern gal, I currently split my time in Alabama and Florida with my husband, one Chihuahua, two Golden Retrievers, a mean cat, and a turtle. I have two sons, who live on their own, a daughter in college, and a stepson and stepdaughter.

Romance novels have always been my first reading choice. I’m a hopeless romantic, and that trait materializes in every aspect of my life. “Wearing your heart on your sleeve” has been a common phrase repeatedly heard throughout my life. Writing romance and happily ever-afters come naturally.

Whether a result of my childhood, or not, I love to travel. Warm weather and beautiful beaches are always my choice destination.

You can reach Sheri at sherihdowning@gmail.com.

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Written In The Stars Author: Emily Camp

Interview With Emily Camp:

Tell us what prompted you to start the series? 

Be as detailed as you want.  Actually when I wrote this one it was book 2. But these were my first attempts at writing novels so I ended up scrapping book 1 and making this book 1 instead. I hadn’t even planned on it being a series either at first just wanted to write a story that inspired by was real. As I worked on this book I was also rewatching a favorite tv series of mine, One Tree Hill and it greatly influenced the story. Running Back is faith based, but it is not sugar coated by any means. I wanted it to be relatable. 

How did you feel as you were writing the first book? 

I wrote the first draft of this book during Nanowrimo in 2012. It was my first Nano ever. For those who aren’t familiar with nanowrimo, it is a challenge every November to write 50,000 words. I wrote it with pen and paper instead of typing, as I didn’t have a laptop at that time. I felt great about it. I think it was the first rough draft I wrote in 30 days. Has that feeling changed between then and now?  Like I said, I wrote it in 2012, it was first published in 2014. I’ve grown a lot as a writer since then. I still believe it’s a good story, but I like to think my writing has improved since then. 

How many times have you had a specific idea for the story but it has been derailed because the characters decide to go a different way? 

Almost always. I am not that much of a plotter as it is anyway. I write YA romances and there were a few times when I did have a certain end couple planned and my main character ended up having more chemistry with a side character instead of the one who I’d planned to be the love interest and they end up with a person I hadn’t expected. 

What was the most difficult part in writing the series? 

Remembering what happened before. Especially since each book gets several drafts. I’d be writing the sequel trying to remember if a certain scene I wrote actually made it into the final draft of that previous book. 

If you could give advice to anybody else considering writing a series, what advice would you give? 

Just start writing,  get the story down as quickly as possible then go back and revise. I wish I had a spreadsheet of all the characters with detailed information. I would say do that. Also doesn’t hurt to have several already written before you start to publish so you can rapid release. I had the rough drafts of all of mine done, but then took about a year or more revising each one, I think losing momentum hurt me in sales and in motivation.

About the Author:

Emily is the author of several young adult romances. She has a business degree and works as an office manager for a company that sells boat docks. Emily is also a photographer. Her favorite days are when she can be by her pool reading a good book. She lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband, teenage daughter, and twenty-something son. 

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