Tag: novels
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Minerva Hart, author of Know the Beast
What inspires you to write? Honestly, my story ideas can come from anywhere–video-games, other books, movies, real life, what have you–and they always start as a ‘what if’ scenario. A seed from which a story can grow. This is especially true with my third novel, The Rampion Child. It’s a dark reimagining of Rapunzel wherein…
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Candace Johnson, author of The Kitchen Isn’t Where You Cook
What inspires you to write? I’ve never asked myself if I should write. I have to write. Just like reading has always been an escape for me, so is writing. It relaxes me, it gives me joy and there are times when my fingers take on a life of their own. Sometimes ideas pop into…
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Janet Constantino, author of Becoming Mariella
What inspires you to write? The urge to say something about a strongly held value or moment of experience, or emotion inspires me to put words to paper. To tell that character’s, or my truth, even if it’s momentary. When did you first consider yourself a writer? I wanted to be seen as a writer…
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Raymond Parish, author of The Last Step
What inspires you to write? I created the Hank Anderson mystery/thriller series in the pen name Raymond Parish at the intersection between my years of writing nonfiction as a mental health professional and my lifelong love of mysteries. As I was completing the first Hank novel, Overnight Delivery, a second plot came to mind. I…
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Asha Nyr, The Mistake and the Lycan King
What inspires you to write? My novels are exposure therapy for the physical abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual assault I survived when I was a child. Years into therapy, I learned about exposure therapy, which is when you gradually expose yourself to the element of your trauma in order to desensitize yourself. For example, if…
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Annika Pampel, author of Death of a Nightingale
What inspires you to write? I tend to gravitate toward true stories or tales with a core of truth. The stickier the better for me. If it’s something that challenges my own moral codes or questions of ethics, I tend to be intrigued. I just want to know more, and that usually leads me to…
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Elizabeth Harlan, author of Becoming Carly Klein
What inspires you to write? In a word, LIFE inspires me to write. Early on, I discovered that expressing in writing my impressions and feelings deepens and enriches my experience. I’ve always wanted to make living and writing companion pieces of my existence, and becoming a professional writer enabled me to forge this alliance. When…
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It’s a Black Queer Thing: Four Black Queer SFF Novels
Happy Pride Month and Juneteeth! If you regularly follow Waking Writer, you know that I’m an indie author of fantasy, paranormal, and sci-fi novels that center queer Black women. I’m hyper aware of how invisible Black queer authors are, whether indie or traditionally-published. But we’re out here, y’all, if you look hard enough. The fact…
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Duncan Whitehead, author of A Cozy Mystery…With Cupcakes and Zombies
What inspires you to write? Writing brings me joy and inspires me to write. Whether my books are published, sold, or critically panned, my passion for writing remains unchanged because it genuinely makes me happy. Are you a full-time or part-time writer and how does that affect your writing? I am a part-time writer and…
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Kat Hausler, author of What I Know About July
What inspires you to write? I love words – their nuances, the way what comes before or after a phrase can change its meaning entirely, their rhythm and sound, how a sentence can get stuck in your head like a tune. And I also love stories and how they connect people, giving us insight into…
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