An Interview with Melissa Wright
Tell us about yourself!
I live in the center of a forest in the Midwest US where, depending on the season, I enjoy outdoors, indoors, or vacations to somewhere warm. I spent years incredibly active, collecting hobbies and working several jobs, but now prefer a comfy chair in a quiet room with hot tea, sweet treats, and a good book.
What does NobleBright fantasy mean to you? Why is it important?
I’ve long loved characters who choose to do what’s right, regardless of the world around them. I like a practical—if put upon—hero who does what they must, even when the plot has every intention of making it difficult. Most of all, I want stories of hope and endings that are full of it. I want books that bring me joy, laughter, lighten my mood, and raise my outlook, especially when the real world begins to feel particularly bleak.
How did you start writing?
Long, long ago, I wrote a few lines of a story as a part of an ongoing joke with a friend. I emailed it to her (in the days before lengthy texts were common) and we laughed so hard that I sent another. The story began to build, quite by accident, and never ceased making us laugh. I was surprised when I reached the end of the arc and still had story to tell—the series ended up being six books long. I uploaded the first book to retailers as lark, so I think maybe no one was more surprised than I was when it started to find a real audience. But once I’d written several books, I knew it was something I could never give up. Writing has become a part of who I am and I love it dearly.
What is your writing process like?
I’m a pantser but begin with a vague idea of the overall plot. For me, new stories are mostly driven by the voice of the character and a vibe (something like proper Regency lady meets gothic vampire). My process works best when I 1) leave myself a starting point—a sentence at the end of each writing session that leads into the next action or scene 2) begin each new session by reading the scene I wrote the previous day to clean up any typos, smooth out the text, and regain the voice and pace. If I get stuck, I will chat with a crit partner to spur inspiration and find the key to unstick. My daily word counts are pretty low but don’t require a ton of rewrites because I’m smoothing and revising as I go.
If you were to genre-hop, which genres would you most like to try writing?
I have already genre hopped. So much. I’ve been writing since 2011 and have an epic YA series, a dystopian series, a portal fantasy series, PNR novellas, high fantasy standalone, and dark fantasy. It’s been a great learning experience, but I feel like I’ve finally found my comfort zone in gaslamp fantasy with more romance, a lighter tone, and a bit of hijinks.
What aspects of your creative process do you enjoy most? Which are most challenging?
I love the first ten thousand words and the last ten thousand. The soggy middle really bogs me down, my brain gets tired and it seems an endless amount of words are needed to reach the finish line. The first few pages are my favorite—finding the character’s voice and letting them play with zero rules, just setting them free to have a blast before they’re penned in by plot and worldbuilding. The last ten thousand are also fantastic because by the end of one book I’m always ready to start on another, to share the characters I’ve created with the world, and to be out from beneath the weight of release deadlines and the desire to complete something.
What aspect of writing have you most improved in over time? What resources helped you most in this area?
Editing and general craft. There is so much to learn about how to form a sentence, how to control pace and smooth flow, how not to be repetitive while also making things clear to the reader. I have gained so much by having many different critique partners and great editors, but most of all by reading. Reading wide (in genre and out), reading often, and thinking about/talking about what worked and did not work with an author friend. Understanding those details so that they can be put into practice is huge.
How many bookshelves are in your house?
Given that my reading is done almost exclusively with audiobooks, I’m surprised that I’ve just counted five full shelves.
What do you like about audiobooks?
Well, they’re very practical for one thing. I never have much time to sit down and read so listening gives me countless extra hours while driving, cooking, cleaning, whatever does not otherwise require deep thought. But my mind seems really made for the format. I connect with audio in a very pleasant way and the right narrator can make a book so much more satisfying than the voice in my head. Execution is everything and with a skilled narrator I get to experience not only the story at its peak presentation but also the performance of the voice actor.
What are you reading now?
A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, and Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho, because I jump around a lot depending on what I’m doing.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an artist and animator. I did study art and I used to draw and paint regularly but I recently lost the ability so now I lean into purchasing art. Ha. It’s great fun to be able to create characters then hire amazing artists to bring them to life.
What are some of your favorite books/authors? Why?
I have a great many author friends whose stories I adore. There’s something wonderful about watching their characters take shape and understanding the drivers behind their choices, and it makes me cherish those stories so much more. As for authors who I don’t personally know, I love T Kingfisher, whose stories are so comfortable and funny. I love a Regency romp. Sophie Irwin is a new author I’ve just discovered in that genre. I love Maggie Stiefvater, Juliet Marillier, Madeline Miller for their excellent prose. Rainbow Rowell’s characters are delightful. It’s a wide range, but I love voice best.
Do you have any works in progress? Tell us about them!
I’m currently writing the third Rivenwilde standalone—regency and fairytale inspired fantasy—the final story centering on a fae prince bound by a dark curse and a mysterious heroine with a secret of her own. It’s very Beauty and the Beast meets Pride and Prejudice with sweet romance and fae magic and they’ve been incredibly fun to write.
Where can we find you online?
I’m happiest at Instagram sharing photos of art and books but also spend time at Twitter and send the occasional newsletter.
An Interview with Sarah K. L. Wilson
Tell us about yourself!
I’m a mom of two boys and I live in a part of Canada where the winter isn’t a nice break from summer but rather an old adversary who assaults us every year forcing us to expend precious resources and all our endurance simply to survive.
What is the first book that made you cry?
The Velveteen Rabbit. Sometimes I still cry just thinking about it.
The books that make me cry stick with me the longest and I love them the most, but only if they have happy endings.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I don’t see the point of writing if you can’t bring something new to the table. I certainly don’t read books that fail to do that. If you can’t raise up a fresh story then you might as well raise a turnip.
What are some of your favorite books/authors? Why?
Terry Pratchett, T. Kingfisher, Tamsyn Muir, Juliette Marillier & Amy Harmon.
I like books with a very strong voice and point of view. I want the books I read to make me look at my own life and world through a new lens and for it to be a magical and incisive one.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I think someone like that could write excellent non-fiction.
What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?
What an excellent question. I think that one of the secrets of being a good author is to learn fair-mindedness. If you can’t give both heroes and villains a fair shake, then your writing will lose depth and power. Similarly, if you base a character on someone real, then you owe it to them to take a good look at their perspective and be even-handed in how you present that in your story. Even if they’re only there so you can have the joy of literary revenge, you ought to offer them justice in the narrative. Maybe it will even teach you something about that person and maybe you won’t quite want that revenge after all. 😉
I based one hero off someone who hurt me in real life. He wasn’t even meant to be the hero of the story, but once I started seeing him with fairness he merged out of being a side character and into being the fullness of all he could be.
What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?
I’ve already given up a social life. I also gave up painting. I knew that I could only be really good at one thing if I closed off doors to all others. I have given up a lot of ego this year as I work with a new editor. I think the list of what I wouldn’t give up is considerably smaller than the list of what I would give up.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
No. But I do believe in being stuck and tired.
When you can’t write because you’re tired then your brain needs a break. Give it a day or two of physical work with no entertainment, smart phone or learning anything new and it will be ready to go again before you know it.
When you can’t write because your stuck, you need to figure out what isn’t working in your book through daydreaming, deep editing and, when possible, talking it through with someone else. You can’t write because the story isn’t working. Find out why.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Voice is the most important thing because it encompasses everything from what details you include to a sentence level telling of the story. If you want to learn good voice, study authors who excel at it and practice writing with very different voices until you find your own strong perspective.
Describe your writing space.
I sit in an armchair beside an old sewing table covered in my books and notebooks full of story notes. It is a convenient place to put my coffee. I type on a laptop in that comfy chair. When I get stuck I get up and pace circles around the room listening to loud music until the answers come to me.
What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I read all my chapters in my rough draft to my best friend aloud via voice text in one to two minute snippets and she texts back her thoughts. We initially did this because she couldn’t read for a while for medical reasons but I’ve come to find I actually improve my work quite a but as I read it to her and I can’t really afford to lose this part of the process.
What time of the day do you usually write?
I write from 5-7 am and then throughout the day until I reach my word count goal for that day. It’s one of my favorite times of the day — before my kids and husband are awake when the house is silent except for my coffee maker and the sound of my fingers on the keys. It’s when my best writing is done.
What is the best investment you ever made in your writing?
Reading. Reading good books will make you a better writer. Thinking about why and how they are good will help it come faster. Every book I read is another investment in that and well worth it.
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
True love and redemption come through faith and sacrifice in the face of the impossible. And this can be true in your life, too.
Where can we find you online?
On Instagram as @sarahklwilson or my website www.sarahklwilson.com
Thank you all so much for reading this far and I hope that you love not just my story but the others in the box. Your support means so much to me!
An Interview with Everly Haywood
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Everly Haywood, and I write enchanting Romantasy (Romantic Fantasy) from my old farmhouse in southern Michigan, where I live with my husband and two daughters. I love to write about strong but sweet leading ladies and brooding but huggable heroes who always find their Happily-Ever-After. An advocate for my Goblin Princess with Down Syndrome, I also love to write about characters with disabilities. If I’m not tangled up in magical curses or drinking pumpkin spice coffee, you will find me weeding my garden, homeschooling my Fairy Princess, and listening to all the audiobooks I can get my hands on.
What are some of your favorite books/authors? Why?
I adore Dianna Wynne Jones and Lloyd Alexander (for light, family friendly fantasy). Howl’s Moving Castle is probably my favorite book EVER. I also love Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races—this book is atmospheric and compelling, and Puck and Sean are adorable. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell is my go-to classic for romance and historical worldbuilding. I’ll also devour anything by Indie authors Tara Grayce and Anastasis Blythe…oh, I could go on for hours.
What was the highlight of writing this book?
Peaceweaver was a game changer for me. I NEVER intended to write this book. One day, the idea popped into my head and would NOT leave. I was in the middle of writing book one in another series when I realized I’d never make any progress until I wrote this impertinent story idea and got it out of my head. I wrote it in six weeks—that’s insanely fast for me.
It was supposed to be a standalone prequel. But, after I wrote this swoony tale about a dune elf healer and a blind dark elf prince, I realized I had an entire series of stories swimming in my head (6-8 at least). So I put my other series on hold and have been embracing the world and characters in Between Shade and Flame. I haven’t regretted it for a second.
What’s the best way to market your books?
It may sound funny, but marketing happens before you even write the book. In case you’ve never heard them explained, marketing and advertising are not the same thing. Marketing happens before the book is released, ideally before you pen the first words. There is something to be said for “writing what you want,” but you won’t make a living that way. I come up with a story idea and then I research the market and fashion the idea I want to write around popular tropes and books. It’s the best way to write what you want AND write what readers are looking for.
Do you have any works in progress? Tell us about them!
I am currently revising the fourth book in my Between Shade and Flame series, a cantankerous and vile manuscript called Songbender. Truly, I have a hate-hate relationship with this book right now. I LOVED it when I first sat down to write it, but then the characters deviated from the plotline and made an awful mess of things. It’s supposed to be inspired by Twelve Dancing Princesses, following the antics of a reluctant spy and a banished goblin prince…but, like I said, the characters are not cooperating. I honestly have no idea what this book will be about when it releases in November. I’ll be as surprised as the rest of you.
Where can we find you online?
I’m most active on Instagram and Facebook @everlyhaywoodauthor. But, if you’re really eager to get to know me and want to share my love for low-spice romantic fantasy, I recommend joining my Street Team. I send out emails about once a week and share my day-to-day writing struggles and triumphs, ask for help naming characters/solving plot problems, share early sneak peeks of cover reveals and character art, and request help promoting releases. I host giveaways from time to time too! You can sign up by googling books/everlyhaywood.com/street-team!