Hello fella readers, welcome back to the Guest Blog. This month’s guest I’ll be interviewing a fantasy writer and indie author of Chosen to Fall. She and I met through Facebook group page and wanted to help her out and support her on her journey of becoming an indie author. Before I begin the interview, I want to let you know that I’m open for guest interviews. You can contact me. Since I’m booked for the rest of the 2021 but the following year the slots are open. Click Contact to email if you are interested. We will work out from there. Now, let’s welcome our guest.
Welcome, before I ask you questions, can you tell us about yourself?
Emmie: “Hi, everyone! My name is Emmie Hamilton. I am an author, poet, essayist, and amateur candle maker. I live in New England, USA and spend every free moment I have living in fantasy worlds.”
Oo, nice. I love candles. I always light candles whenever I’m writing. They have a wonderful smell and it's nice to have it nearby.
Why do you like to write fantasy?
Emmie: “Writing fantasy is the ultimate form of escapism, which I really appreciate. I love the idea of creating a new world, a new race of people, a new magic system, and things like that and figuring out how the dynamics of each would change the way the world functions. Reality is difficult and can be really heavy at times, but for me, fantasy allows me to explore the same depth of human interaction in a much more interesting way.”
I totally agree. Fantasy does have a way of giving us freedom to use our creativity. Even though there are a lot of rules and such, they still give us room to fiddle around.
What is your favorite subject in writing?
Emmie: “I love world building and magic systems the best. I could talk for hours about setting up new magic systems, no matter how simple or complex they are.”
Ha-ha, I understand. For me, it is the characters. I love creating characters and their stories. I don’t mind world-building and fiddle with fantasy elements.
Where do you get your inspirations from?
Emmie: “Different things. I read a lot, so I'm inspired by other authors. Sometimes I have really intense dreams and if I can't shake it, details from it usually end up in a story. Most of the time I think about the human experience and emotions and really love diving into the motivations behind certain interactions. If I think long enough on something such as heartbreak, for example, then usually a line or two pops into my head and I have to use it in some way, whether it's in a novel or poetry.”
Same. It is nice to read other books, photos, movies, and other things to get inspiration. It is not a bad thing.
What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
Emmie: “I love doing anything that gets me up and moving. I incorporate some type of exercise in my daily routine, whether it's going for long walks or a high intensity workout. I also love to spend as much time with my son as possible. He's at an age where everything is an adventure for him, and I love watching him discover new places.”
Sounds like good proactive hobbies. Now let’s talk about your novel. I see you have published your first novel of the series.
What got you to write this series?
Emmie: “I love world building and magic systems the best. I could talk for hours about setting up new magic systems, no matter how simple or complex they are.”
Ha-ha, I understand. For me, it is the characters. I love creating characters and their stories. I don’t mind world-building and fiddle with fantasy elements. \
Where do you get your inspirations from?
Emmie: “Different things. I read a lot, so I'm inspired by other authors. Sometimes I have really intense dreams and if I can't shake it, details from it usually end up in a story. Most of the time I think about the human experience and emotions and really love diving into the motivations behind certain interactions. If I think long enough on something such as heartbreak, for example, then usually a line or two pops into my head and I have to use it in some way, whether it's in a novel or poetry.”
Same. It is nice to read other books, photos, movies, and other things to get inspiration. It is not a bad thing.
What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
Emmie: “I love doing anything that gets me up and moving. I incorporate some type of exercise in my daily routine, whether it's going for long walks or a high intensity workout. I also love to spend as much time with my son as possible. He's at an age where everything is an adventure for him, and I love watching him discover new places.”
Sounds like good proactive hobbies. Now let’s talk about your novel. I see you have published your first debut novel.
What got you to write this series?
Why self-publish?
Emmie: “I didn't always want to self-publish. I did go through the whole process of querying and finding an agent and everything. However, a lot of the feedback I received would have changed my story to be completely different and it didn't feel like it was authentically mine anymore. Not only that, but agents and publishers like to take on books that fit the market at the time and follow certain trends, which also meant that I'd have to change my story for the sake of making money. It didn't feel authentic to me and my personal brand. That was really the catalyst to me putting out a story I really believed in and knew that I had to do it myself.”
I understand. It is hard to get published these days. Querying for agents takes a long time and who knows when the story we submit will be published and be on bookshelves. And yes, it is kind of sad that they change the story to fit their market. Self-publishing is a nice route to begin the author career.
What part of the processes do you love and hate?
Emmie: “Coming up with compelling stories will always be what I love the most, followed by meeting people who love my books. I love hearing the things they liked, what inspired them, etc. The part I hate the most is the business aspect of it. Being self-published means you constantly have to worry about marketing, number of sales, maintaining your website and shop (if you choose to open your own shop), paying taxes, budgeting... literally everything I despise in life, ha-ha.”
No doubt about that. I get it. There will be trial and errors, but we learn from them and find what works best for us.
How many books are in the series?
Emmie: “There are three (I think!) books in The Destined Series. I have plans for a prequel duology and possibly two novellas or one larger story that takes place a few years later. But overall, the core will be a trilogy.”
Nice. It sounds like you got a good goal there.
If someone asks you about self-publishing, what advice would you give them?
Emmie: “Do your research!!! There are so many different ways to self-publish, so many avenues to take. It's not a one size fits all. You really need to think about your own personal goals, what you want out of it, what your budget is, etc. and then do whatever it takes to make it happen. There's no right way to self-publish since it's all such an individual journey, so doing your research is the first step.”
Right. It is important if you want to know the basic knowledge of self-publishing. Emmie, I had a good time having you and hearing your story of becoming an indie author and your love for fantasy stories.
Emmie: “Thank you so much for letting me guest blog!”
If you want to get your own copy of Chosen the Fall on Amazon or available on Kindle Unlimited. You can follow her on social medias Instagram: @authoremmiehamilton, Twitter: @authoremmieham or visit her website www.emmiehamilton.com
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