Author Spotlight: Me, Myself, and I
I figured it was time to finally introduce myself a bit more in regards to my writing! So, I decided I would answer the questions I’ve been asking other authors. This week’s author in the spotlight is me — Holly Huntress.
Author Interview Questions
When did you first start writing?
I first started writing in grade school! My mom has old stories I wrote all the way back in second and third grade — mostly about our pets at the time. After that, I tended to write more ghost stories, which is interesting because it’s hard for me to write anything remotely scary now.
High school is when I seriously started writing though. My book, Haunting Memories, started my junior year of high school. It has since gone through multiple rewrites and edits, and it currently under construction for another rewrite! I had a lot of fun writing that story, but I still didn’t consider myself an “author” yet…more on that in the next question!
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Even though I had self-published Haunting Memories while in college, I didn’t consider myself an author, or consider being an author as a viable option for myself. All through college, I went back and forth about what I wanted to be. I thought about being a defense attorney, a teacher, an ed-tech (or paraprofessional), but nothing felt right. I finished college with a Bachelor’s degree in English, with minors in Women and Gender Studies, Psychology, and Sociology. All three of my minors proved to be far more interesting to me than anything else I had tried, but I still wasn’t sure what to do with that information.
It wasn’t until I started writing my next book, Broken Angel, that I really thought about the idea of becoming an author. Of course, I soon came to the realization that I am an author. As soon as I started writing, I became an author. I kept saying I was an aspiring author because I’ve never been formally published. But screw that. The only one who gets to decide if you are an author is yourself. So now, I own that title and throw it around like confetti (not really, but you get the point!)
Was there any author or book in particular that inspired you to write? Or a teacher/mentor?
YES. I read the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer in high school, and something in me said “you can do this.” The first story I wrote after reading Twilight of course was a vampire story that very closely mimicked the story of Bella and Edward. So I scrapped that. But, it had set me on a path of wanting to write a book. I couldn’t shake that desire and I still can’t! I am constantly thinking of new ideas, for current works, or for my next project. It’s overwhelming the thoughts that I have swirling around in my head sometimes. Without Twilight, I wonder whether something else would have put me on this path, or if I would have been drawn towards something else.
As for a teacher or mentor, I did have some great teachers in college. Specifically, my advisor really helped me to see my own potential and boosted me up. A few others left impressions on me, and I am lucky no one ever told me to give up…besides one teacher in high school, but it’s a story not worth being remembered.
What genre do you write?
I started out with teen fiction. Haunting Memories is a story that takes place in my hometown, though I never mention it. I used people in my own life as inspiration and ran with it. It’s a murder mystery and romance. The interesting thing is, it started out as two separate stories. I wrote Haunting Memories, self-published it, and then started writing another story. What I came to realize is that the story I was writing was similar to HM, but from a different point of view. So, I merged them together and created a new HM, and republished it. Some of those original copies are still floating around, and while the main story stayed the same, the depth to it became so much better.
Now, I write mostly fantasy! After reading some amazing fantasy novels, I’ve moved on to writing fantasy. I still want to go back to teen fiction sometimes, and I probably will someday. But this year I finished up my Broken Angel series with the final book, Forsaken Angel. That series is available on Amazon. My second series is still in the works, but the first book, Unbound, releases in just a few days! It is available now for preorder on Amazon, and releases December 6th. Check it out here!
I’ve also thought about taking a go at children’s books, so who knows where I’ll end up in the future! Every genre is fair game at this point.
What inspires you to write the most?
Mostly my love of writing is what keeps me going. After finishing Haunting Memories, it took me a few years to get back into writing. The feeling I got when I finally started writing again was one of pure joy. It is so much fun for me. On a more serious side, I also want to use my writing to try to make the world a better place. That is saying a lot, and I know it. But, I am working hard to make my writing more diverse and including difficult topics, all in the hopes that someone will read it and 1) feel less alone 2) understand others better, or 3) find joy, love, happiness…all the things reading does for me.
I am definitely not perfect when it comes to writing diversity and struggles, but, with time, practice, and learning, hopefully my writing will continue to improve.
What is your favorite thing about writing?
This goes along with the previous question…but other than what I mentioned above, my favorite thing about writing is the escape. When I write, I can be whoever I want to be. I control the world in my books, and yet the characters lead me through it as well. My characters are like friends, and when I am writing, I feel at home and at peace.
How many books have you written? What are they called? Where can they be found/bought?
I have self-published four books so far — Broken Angel, Condemned Angel, Forsaken Angel, and Unbound. They can all be found here on Amazon.
What do you write — short stories, poems, novels, novellas, blog posts etc. — and which do you enjoy writing the most?
I write short stories, poems, novels, and blog posts! I enjoy them all (blog posts the least, sorry but fiction is where my heart is at!) Novels are probably my favorite. Most of my short stories I have turned into novels or longer stories. I just feel like short stories are too short and unfinished. Telling the whole story is where it’s at for me. Poems are fun, but again, they only tell a piece of the story.
Have you tried to go the traditional route with publishing? How did it go?
I did try to go the traditional route. For Broken Angel, I queried probably at least fifty agents and didn’t get a single request for a full or partial manuscript. Now, I have a much better understanding of what they are looking for and am more adept at promoting my own work, so I may have a better shot. It is just A LOT of time, work, and effort. Self-publishing ended up working out better for me at the time, and I am going to be sticking with it for now.
Are you self-published? How did that go and what route did you take? What advice would you give to others who want to self-publish?
I started with Barnes and Noble Press for HM but ended up switching to Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon. People tend to use Amazon more, and it’s more accessible. My advice to anyone else who wants to self-publish is to come up with a good marketing plan before you do so. That was my error when I first started, I had no marketing plan. I threw my books up there hoping they’d sell themselves and that is not how it works. Of course, that also had to do with my crippling imposter syndrome and fear that people would actually read my books. I’ve come far from that, and am working much harder on promotion and marketing now.
Who is your favorite author now? What is it you like about them?
In the moment, my favorite author Sarah J. Maas. Normally I would say Cassandra Clare, but right now, SJM is fresh in my mind. I love the way she spins a story. There are elements that are so interwoven with every other piece, and you never know what is happening next. Her foreshadowing is amazing, and her world-building is obscene. Sometimes it is a little much though. With all the different places, characters, and creatures it’s hard to keep it all straight. And, the descriptions get to be a bit much. Otherwise, the stories themselves are fun and exciting to read.
Do you have any favorite books you recommend right now?
I would have to say the Clockwork Angel series by Cassandra Clare. I actually think it’s called The Infernal Devices, but Clockwork Angel is the first in the series. It’s not necessary to have read the City of Bones books, but it does help a little for a basic understanding of the Shadowhunter world. The story is amazing and heart-wrenching. It doesn’t have the smut that SJM includes in her books, but the more subtle build-up that I love.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is another great one though. The scheming and planning in those books is *chefs kiss* amazing. I aspire to have the ability to write a story as convoluted and exciting as these books.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
If you want to write, write. Don’t let anyone else stop you from doing what you love. If you write once a day, once a week, or once a month, do it. It doesn’t matter how much you write, as long as you allow yourself time to enjoy it. Being an author isn’t about the outcome, it’s about the journey. (Heh heh…so deep). But, seriously, it is.
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