Welcome back to my guest blog. This month I’ll be interviewing a debut author of “Follow the Hummingbird”, an urban fantasy novel. She will be sharing her journey into publishing fantasy tales of dreams (and there’s a lot of hummingbirds too). Before we begin the interview, there are a few things I want to say about the future guest blogs. As you know, I’ve been interviewing people for two years and this would be my seventeenth guest blog. I love meeting new writers, authors, and people in general. And now, 2022 is approaching and I feel it would be a good time to make a pause in guest blogging. No, I’m not quitting, especially as it’s something I enjoy doing. I’ll be doing a last guest blog in December and then stop for a few months. I need time to focus on getting my debut ready for the release in 2022. More details to come. If you want to know more and be updated on the debut, then click this Newsletter link to sign up. You won’t miss a thing. Now, that being said, let’s welcome Elena Carter.
Can you tell us about yourself?
Elena: “I’m from Almaty, Kazakhstan, but 8 years ago I moved to Varna, Bulgaria, because I’ve always wanted to live by the sea. I have two sons (one is 2 and the other one is almost 16). My husband is also a writer (well, actually, he was a writer way before I became one - in fact, it was him who encouraged me to start writing). And we have a dog and cat, who are incredibly cute and love cuddling with each other (when the cat isn’t biting the dog's ears).”
I’ve seen pictures of your cat and dog. I laughed when I saw clips of those two on Instagram. It's cool your husband is a writer and got you to write. Sounds like a similar story to mine. My older sister is a writer and it inspired me to write stories too.
When did you start writing?
Elena: “Although I've always wanted to be a writer, I started writing when I was 40. Well, shortly before I turned 41, actually. But 40 sounds better. ”
Well, we all start somewhere. Glad you got back into writing.
What are your favorite things to write?
Elena: “Hard to say. I just love writing. I love drafting novels (not the editing part, though ). I enjoy writing short stories and flash fiction a lot. Probably because the feeling of completion and gratification comes quicker. And sometimes I feel like sharing my thoughts and feelings in a blog post.”
I understand. I'm not a fan of editing either. Though I do enjoy the revision stage a lot. The real story begins there.
When you aren't writing, what do you like to do?
Elena: “Mostly chasing my toddler around the house and preventing him from hurting himself. Or the same, but outside. I used to make gemstone jewelry, and hope to get back to it someday. I also love reading, long walks (seaside, park, city streets - just about anywhere), and I do my best to take care of my plants on the balcony.”
I see. It can be hard when you have a toddler keeping you busy and get little free time.
How do you find time to write while having kids?
Elena: “I started writing when my son was a baby, about 6 months old. I thought it was hard to find time. I’m laughing at myself now, because I realize how much time I actually had, compared to now, when he’s a super-active toddler. I should have written more!
Just kidding. It wasn’t that easy, to be honest. Most of my book was written on my phone, while he was napping or late at night when everyone was asleep. When I could get some time to write on my laptop, typing with both hands, that felt amazing! My mom helped a lot - she’d come and babysit the little one, so that I could get some writing done. And now that’s how I’m writing my second book too.”
That's good. Now let’s talk about your debut. The cover is absolutely stunning and the story is quite good. I've a few questions about the debut process.
What inspired you to write, “Follow the Hummingbird”?
Elena: “I have always been fascinated with dreams. They’re a very important part of my life. Some of the scenes in my novel are actually based on my dreams. I’ve always suspected that dreams are more than what we think they are, the idea of traveling to other worlds while sleeping was something that had been on my mind for a while.”
Yeah, what you did with the story was pretty creative. I’m sure it took you a while to get the draft done. When did you begin the process and how long did it take?
Elena: “I started the first draft in March 2020, and finished in December 2020. So it took me 9 months - I always say that it’s my third baby. Then a few months of editing, revising, beta-reading, polishing - and “Follow the Hummingbird” was released on July 30, 2021.”
LOL, true. I understand. We can be selective about our work and what we’re comfortable sharing. Not every story is meant to be shared at a particular moment. I’m glad you took a bold decision to release your book baby into readers’ hands.
What was your favorite part of creating this story?
Elena : “I love the feeling when you close your eyes and think about the story, and the images just start coming to your mind. Different worlds with their fascinating inhabitants, beautiful landscapes - I don't know where it comes from, it’s like someone is whispering the story to you.”
I love how you describe the gardens and the magical crystals. It reminded me of a movie I watched, Howl's Moving Castle. There is a scene in Howl's room that has a bunch of colorful crystals and flowers and other objects. I know it isn’t the same, but you know. Inspiration is everywhere.
Did you want to do traditional publishing before going into self-publishing?
Elena: “I thought about trying the route of traditional publishing at first, but to be honest, patience has never been one of my strong sides. I couldn’t wait to share my story. Besides, the freedom of making decisions in self-publishing was rather appealing. So I decided to go ahead and publish myself.”
It has been a few months since the launch, what was the hardest thing in releasing the debut?
Elena: “There is so much to do and so much to learn, it gets overwhelming at times. I still keep learning new things about publishing and marketing every day. I read more books on book marketing than fiction books. And there's always a feeling that you’re missing something, or not doing enough. I remember struggling with setting up a mailing list and making my website. I thought I’d never be able to do it, and I felt like giving up several times. It was all so complicated. Only to stumble upon a new dilemma - like, ”should I do pre-orders? And if yes, how long should the pre-order period be? And at what price?” Later on, I would be getting anxious over the launch party, and so on. However, I made it, and that’s what really matters.”
I believe you. I’m going through the same thing. I decided to self-publish my debut, which is coming out in summer 2022. There is so much preparation and so many decisions to make, it can be overwhelming. You did a good job and things will get better as you go. I noticed Follow the Hummingbird is not a standalone, are you planning to write more of this series?
Elena: “I’m working on book 2 now. I even decided to join NaNoWriMo this year, hoping it’ll help to speed up the process. I only have a few chapters so far - lately it’s been more and more challenging to find time to write. But I won't give up.”
How wonderful that you are participating in Nanowrimo for the first time. It is a challenge but I’ve faith that you can do this! You’ve got this!
Before we close in, do you have any advice to give to other debut authors?
Elena: “Where do I start? First and foremost - don't be too hard on yourself. Take breaks. Rest. Breathe. Give yourself credit. Instead of panicking over the things you've got to do, look back at what you've already done and feel proud of yourself. Genuinely proud. Celebrate all the little wins - they are the bricks in the foundation of your success. It takes time. But you’ll get there. Step by step. Don't compare yourself to other authors. You do you.”
Thank you Elena for joining us and sharing your journey becoming a debut author.
I read this book and wrote a review on Amazon. This is a review (I did some minor changes but still the same) me) e) ) isn’t always easy, and there’ll be quite a few bumps along the way, but don’t let anything discourage you. It’s all a learning experience. The result will be worth it, though, I promise! That amazing unforgettable feeling when you’re holding your first book in your hands! It’s a dream come true.” book
I read this and wrote a review on Amazon. This is a review (I apologized if there is some errors. This was written two months ago)
I want to say the story is fantastic! Tina, I feel sorry for her. The struggle of losing her husband and now, she sees him in her dreams, ah. And the vibe of the old lady’s (her new friend) place reminds me of Howl’s Moving Castle. The crystals and the flowers. Pretty creative. Elena did a great job putting the story together. Only thing that bothers me is her friend Natalie. I feel every time Tina talks to her; she laughs. I can understand here and there but every conversation, hmm. I don’t know. Maybe that’s her personality, but it was too much. I feel so bad for her friend Matt (I may spell his name wrong) He cares about her and falls in love with her. My heart aches and I hope they will be together after Tina’s husband encourages her to move on. But I can see why Tina didn’t want to. Toward the end, I felt it was bit rush. Again, I’m definitely curious to see what happens next.
If you like to get a copy of Follow the Hummingbird; it is available on Amazon. You can follow her on social media Instagram @elena_carter_author
Tiktok @elenacarterauthor or visit her site www.elenacarterauthor.com more of her works.
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