S.B. Nova's Blog, page 2
January 21, 2017
Q&A With S.B. Nova
So, what inspired you to become a writer?
Honestly, becoming a writer was a freak accident, or to put it more poetically, a twist of fate. I always had so many different ideas growing up of what I wanted to be. Eventually, I figured it out (or so I thought) and I went to university to study film and then after that, business. I knew I wanted to tell stories somehow, and I thought I’d get the opportunity by being part of a film or a television crew.
But after university, that twist of fate happened and I realised a family member needed me to act as a carer. After that, I did a hell of a lot of soul searching, which sounds like I spent my days meditating and wandering the woods. Some of which might be true. But mostly I was just tearing my hair out and reading about how bad the economy was.
What flipped that switch then – how did you go from tearing your hair out to writing?
Honestly, it came from a pretty dark place, and it was when I had to watch someone I care about struggle with long-term illness. I realised that the only thing that matters is health because all we really have in the end is, time. We control so little of our lives and with the way the world is now, there are no more ‘secure jobs.’ So I asked myself the big question…
Which is?
When I look in the mirror and I’m 80, what do I want to see? What do I want to have done with my life? What would make me proud and not full of regret?
I’d always wanted to write a book, because I’d had these characters in my head for years. But I always put them off and said, ‘later! I have to go find a job first.’ It took a while before I realised this could be my job. If only I was willing to risk it and live a different kind of life.
Wow, quite a story! So are there any books or writers that have influenced you? What first drew you to the fantasy genre?
It was when I saw the Lord of the Rings at the cinema and went home to buy the book that my love of fantasy exploded. Tolkien entered my life and not far behind him, was J.K Rowling. It probably isn’t an exaggeration to say, they were my childhood. And although there have been many other authors in between who have inspired me, Garth Nix, Erika Johansen and Sarah J. Maas to name just a few. Those two authors will always have my undying gratitude for what they did for me.
So, for those who haven’t read Draken, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Sure. I don’t want to give too much away or rehash the blurb, but Draken is named after its protagonist, Skyla. It holds true to the themes of YA fantasy, in that the character’s trajectory is centred on a discovery of self and of their place in the world. There’s magic thrown in, mythical creatures, adventure and a bit of romance. But to me, it’s the friendships formed between the characters that are the beating heart of this book.
What was your favourite part of writing Draken then, was it the friendships between characters? Do you think that’s what readers will be talking about most once they finish it?
My favourite part! That’s difficult because, like many authors, I had a lot of ‘wow’ moments and just as many, ‘I must be crazy, I should give up’ days. But thinking about it now, it was always the love I had for these characters and their relationships to one another that kept me going. When I was sitting at my desk and there voices were pouring through me – that was the happiest I’ve ever felt. Or should I say the most contented, because it wasn’t a flash-in-the-pan moment. It was months; years even, of being a conduit for Skyla, Ruby, Henrik and even Halen. Of course, I loved creating the world and the magic, what fantasy lover wouldn’t? But the characters will always be my favourite part of any story, but as for everyone else… I couldn’t predict what part of Draken they would pinpoint as their favourite. I hope everyone has something different, whether it’s the friendship between Skyla and Ruby, or the history and the different cultures within Arthia.
Speaking of our favourite parts, I have to mention Skyla and Ruby’s friendship; did you plan for it to be a focal point from the beginning?
Well, it’s only been since I finished writing Draken that I’ve realised readers are hungry for a friendship to take centre stage, and not always to be curtailed in favour of a romance. Now in my book, a female friendship drives a sizeable chunk of the narrative and of the dialogue, but this was actually a natural process and not done to make a statement. All I can say is that throughout my life, I’ve spent more years learning the value of a friend, than I have with other kinds of relationships. So I’m not surprised that’s leeched into my writing, and I truly hope readers find their friendship to be interesting and complex, just as any real friendship should be.
Before we wrap up, I have to tell you that I loved your front cover! How did you come up with the design?
[image error]
I give full credit to the designer, Rachel Lawston, for persevering with me and making my shaky vision come to life. I wanted a cover that was simple, gender neutral and invoked a sense of what the book was about without giving anything away. The colours were inspired by the magic system within Draken. But it was the ship and the castle on the wings that made it for me. I wanted that sense of going on an adventure and coming home all at the same time, and I think we nailed it. The idea that someone can have their roots and their wings is a powerful one for me, and it’s a theme that will run throughout the Southern Fire series.
Now that Draken is released, what will you be working on next?
Well, I’m already working on the sequel to Draken, but I’m also writing a new Faerie series called Outcasts, of which Exiled (coming 2017) will be the first. I’ve almost completed the first draft and I’ve written it long-handed, if you can believe it! I also want to go to more conventions, and my friends and I have been floating the idea of doing a flash mob in our local library for a while now…
A flash mob! And in a library, would that be for publicity or just fun?
Both!
[image error]
Finally, do you have any advice for writers that you’d like to pass on?
Write what’s in you. You’re going to have everyone and his uncle telling you that becoming a career author is next to impossible. But honestly, is there a job worth having that’s easy to attain? I would say probably not.
There will always be someone with an opinion – it’s up to you whether or not you let other people’s dogma shape your choices in life. And quite frankly becoming published is the easy part. Nowadays, there are options; you can self-publish with the help of editors and other professionals. The hard part comes when you realise that to make your dream of being a full-time writer come true, you’re going to have to write a book a year, minimum.
If you take that leap and start writing, I can promise you, you’ll find out if it’s the right path or not. You’ll inevitably face that moment, when it’s not just the world that has doubts, it’s you and you’ll find yourself thinking, ‘this is the worst book that anyone has ever written, period.’
If you still feel compelled to sit down and write the next day, then you’ll probably discover what I did early on. That being a writer isn’t a choice, it’s what’s in you, it’s a calling and you’d do it even if you were writing for an audience of one.
Also, don’t hesitate. Get it all down on paper, and don’t sweat the first draft. Everyone’s first drafts suck – you’re not alone!
Great advice! And where can readers find out more about you? Or if they don’t already have their copy of Draken, where can they buy one?
You can get your copy of Draken here and you can connect with me on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.
[/su_column]
[/su_row]
December 23, 2016
*Drumroll* The Launch for Draken is here!
[image error]The countdown is officially over
It’s been a long road getting here, and now that my book is finally about to be released, I don’t know what I’m feeling because it changes minute-to-minute. One moment I’m on top of the world, the next I’m biting my fingernails and imagining the worst-case scenario.
But I seriously doubt what I’m going through is anything new, and I’m not just referring to an author publishing their books. Anyone who has ever created anything, or risked putting themselves in front of others to be judged will know what I’m talking about. And of course, I’ve gone through the platitudes in my head, ‘it’s better to try and to fail, than never…’ you get the picture. But I expect nothing will really prepare me for that next step – to have the files go live and then holding that paperback in my hands for the first time. Originally, I hadn’t planned for the launch to be in December, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s the best Christmas present I could get, although I probably shouldn’t advertise that fact to my family.
As for what the launch will actually entail, I’m an indie author and this is my first time being published, so I definitely won’t be doing champagne at the Ritz surrounded by the likes of Lee Childs and Joe Abercrombie. Actually, I think I have more post-launch plans than I do for the day itself, which if all goes well should be very soon!
Still, I didn’t want to let the occasion go by without celebrating a little. So tomorrow, I’m hosting a small party for my nearest and dearest. I’ll be doing a reading for them and let’s be real for a second, not many people sit around listening to someone read to them, so I’m going to be supplying them with ample amounts of cheese, wine and rather a lot of cake. I’ve put an image of a very delicious-looking cake; I have high hopes that I’ll be able to replicate it. But I don’t fancy my chances.
Taking a moment to look back on the pre-launch…
Over the past few weeks I’ve felt like my head’s about to explode several times, but amidst the chaos I’ve had some amazing moments. I’ve been finalising the design for my fantasy map, which I think ranks somewhere in my top five memorable moments. Career-wise anyway.
Less interesting was the opening up of my distribution accounts, and filling out some very tedious tax related stuff. But thankfully, the creation of my website granted me a few more opportunities to forge memorable moments. First by designing quizzes for my readers and then by having my very first Q&A session! To be honest, I thought it’d be awkward and that I’d have nothing to say. But it turned out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The interviewer was actually a friend, but he is also a journalist and a fantasy fan that hadn’t read the book until a few days before our session. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I was terrified of his reaction. But in the end, it was just two friends having a very enthusiastic conversation about the fantasy genre and about a book – my book. I was actually surprised when I got my copy for the website, I’d forgotten we’d managed to slip a few serious moments in there. If you’re interested in taking the quizzes or of reading my attempt at a serious Q&A, you can check those out on the resources page above.
Along with preparing for the launch and for Christmas, I’ve tried to keep my head in the game by keeping up with my current writing project. This is going to be another book, and the start of a whole other series. I only have working titles at the moment, so apologies for that. For a while I was worried about starting something new as the advice you’re given as a first-time author is to get your second and third book out as quickly as possible. The sequel to Draken is a priority, but when this new story came along I felt compelled to put it down on paper straight away. It’s difficult to explain in words exactly how a story can hound you until you do something with it. Hence, why I included an image of Captain Sparrow being chased by a tribe of cannibals. Not quite accurate, but hopefully you get the idea.
The last few days, however, the writing’s had to take a back seat. I’m already missing it. But I’m also super-excited because now that the publication date is finally here, the question becomes, what next?
Panic
Just kidding. I have a list, but it had so many ‘things to do’ on it that I couldn’t bear to look at it anymore. Although, before I shoved it into the back of a drawer, I managed to turn it into my next blog post. So if you’re interested on finding out about my post-launch plans either for advice or simply out of interest, check that out.
Before I go, I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Happy Christmas!
