Today's guest is Alex Lidell, who began her career in traditional YA publishing, and switched paths (and genres), moving on to become a successful indie romance author. Alex joined me today to talk about the different aspects of finding success in the indie world, particularly when it comes to knowing trends and covers.
L.M. Bracklow on the new Middle Grade Fantasy, "The Islands of Iros"
Inspiration is a funny thing. It can come to us like a lightning bolt, through the lyrics of a song, or in the fog of a dream. Ask any writer where their stories come from and you’ll get a myriad of answers, and in that vein I created the WHAT (What the Hell Are you Thinking?) interview.
Today’s guest for the WHAT is L.M. Bracklow, author of The Islands of Iros which releases January 24
Ideas for our books can come from just about anywhere, and sometimes even we can’t pinpoint exactly how or why. Did you have a specific origin point for your book?
I did! The idea for The Islands of Iros came to me while I was watching three different animes at the same time. One Piece, Attack on Titan, and Jujutsu Kaisen. You could say my book is a combination of those shows, except I made it kid-friendly! One Piece inspired me to write about all these dangerous and mysterious islands you’ll get to read about in my book. The soldiers/military aspect of The Islands of Iros came from Attack on Titan. And the sorcerer’s finger was inspired by Jujutsu Kaisen. I had a lot of fun playing around with these ideas and creating something that was completely my own.
Once the original concept existed, how did you build a plot around it?
My story is character-driven, so before I even had a plot, I created my three main characters: Luke, Kaori and Damien. I first thought about how they would fit in this new world I was writing them into. I crafted their personality traits, their goals and ambitions. Once that was done, the plot basically wrote itself. I’ve always known how The Islands of Iros will end, so it was only a matter of figuring out what exactly leads the characters to this ending. The things they go through, the choices they make, the people they meet. It all came together quite nicely!
Have you ever had the plot firmly in place, only to find it changing as the story moved from your mind to paper?
To be honest, I was prepared for that to happen before I started writing. It didn’t! I think my vision concerning the plot and the direction it will move towards has been perfectly clear to me since day one. Of course, there have been some minor changes regarding characters and places, but the plot remains the same!
Do story ideas come to you often, or is fresh material hard to come by?
Story ideas come to me so often that it’s hard to keep up! I always write them down in a notebook in case I might want to use one in the future. Thankfully, I can manage to focus on one story at a time and not let all these other ideas distract me from my current work!
How do you choose which story to write next, if you’ve got more than one percolating?
Story ideas might come to me often, but I don’t believe all of them are worth pursuing. I must feel it in my heart! That’s what happened to me with The Islands of Iros. I simply had to get this story written or I felt like I would go crazy.
I have 6 cats and a Dalmatian (seriously, check my Instagram feed) and I usually have at least one or two snuggling with me when I write. Do you have a writing buddy, or do you find it distracting?
My writing buddy is a three-year-old Blue Staffy named Aquiles! He’s actually snuggling with me as I write this. I do sometimes get distracted by his snores when he falls asleep, but I don’t really mind! I just love having him around all the time. He’s the cutest boy.
L.M. Bracklow is a Peruvian author who loves dogs, traveling, and reading as many books as she can get her hands on. She has a degree in sports journalism, but her true passion is writing books for children. Enthralled by fantasy since she was a little girl, Bracklow has now written a fantastical story of her own. The Islands of Iros is the book of her heart, and she hopes kids everywhere will enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it! Bracklow is eager to continue unfolding Luke, Kaori, and Damien’s stories in what may ultimately be a five or six book series. Connect with Bracklow at lmbracklow.com, and on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok
7 Surefire Tips for Writing Author Bios with Personality and Heart
By: Melanie Faith
Crafting an author bio is a vital skill we will continue to refine throughout our writing careers. Since bios are part of author websites, query letters and book proposals, submissions to literary magazines, marketing materials for readings, and more, let’s explore a few excellent ways to create bios that have warmth and a welcoming presence.
Add a fingerprint quality.
What makes you most you? Have you played trombone in a jazz band? Do you volunteer for a philanthropic organization? Have you been an avid fan of a sports team for years or have a small business? Are you comically bad at something? Have you held a quirky or tedious job in the past? Such details will lend a personal touch to your bio.
No publications yet? No problem.
Noting any favorite genres or authors who have inspired your work, classes you’ve taken, being part of a workshop, or what you love best about writing will resonate with readers and editors alike.
Make your personalized details precise.
“I like hiking” is not nearly as intriguing as “Her superpowers include hiking the first quarter of the Appalachian Trail three summers ago and obsessing on when she’ll complete the rest.”
Tone it up. What does your bio sound like?
When I visit author websites or read author bios on book covers, my favorites have a distinctive tone. Specific details and a little clever humor, especially if the work is wry, can introduce your readers to your prose style before opening page 1. Conversely, if you write about more-serious topics, like a health crisis or accident, or if you write in genres like Thrillers, Horror, or Science Fiction, match your tone to the mood of your writing—that is, a joke in a Horror writer’s bio could be a mismatch (unless that joke relates to Horror). Picture Book, Middle Grade, or YA authors might include a detail from their own youth. Writers of Regency, Cozy Mysteries, or similar genres often include topics related to what readers of the genres would expect. Many Romance writers include details about their passion for the genre, their partner/spouse/family, and a geographical region, especially if their novels are set in a particular locale.
More than one, twice the fun.
Some literary magazines only want 50 words max while others are open to longer bios. I have a fairly long bio with links to projects and classes at my website’s landing page, a 150ish-word version I send to literary magazines who don’t mention length, along with a 50-word version for those who do. My longer bio includes more variety and personalized details, while my 50-word version mentions my very latest projects and my website. If you have a website or blog or if you’re very active on a social media site, I recommend including that link in any length bio so that interested readers can click to learn more about your writing and also increase your target audience.
Update and integrate new morsels.
Once you have a working biography, life sails onward, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep the exact same biography for years. As you and your writing evolve, it’s important to switch up parts of your bio. Adopted a rescue pup or taken a trip recently? Add it.
Swap out descriptions of projects long finished with your latest work.
Even if your manuscript in-progress is in beginning stages, readers love a hint at what you’re working on next, such as: They’re currently adding to a skiing memoir or He continues outlining a historical epic set in Loch Ness, Scotland and Marrakesh, Morocco.
Melanie Faith is a night-owl writer and editor who likes to wear many hats, including as a poet, photographer and visual artist, prose writer, professor, and tutor. She’s been a doodler for years but just recently got brave enough to share her perfectly imperfect doodles. Three of her writing craft books for writers were published this year by Vine Leaves Press, including her latest, From Promising to Published: A Multi-Genre, Insider's Guide to the Publication Process. She loves to write about historical settings in poetry and prose and will teach an online class about writing historical fiction and
time-travel stories this winter. She enjoys ASMR videos, reading, and tiny houses. Learn more about her books, art projects, writing, and classes at https://melaniedfaith.com/, @writepath99 at Instagram, or @writer_faith at Twitter.