About Erin K. Larson-Burnett:
Erin K. Larson-Burnett is an avid ink drinker who lives and breathes books. Inspired both by the authors she works with as a copyeditor/proofreader and those whose books she impulse buys, she loves crafting tales of whimsy and wonder that offer realistic depictions of mental illnesses.
Erin’s mythological fantasy debut, The Bear & the Rose, has won awards from Readers’ Choice and SPR and was featured in Independent Book Review’s “Hidden Gems on Kindle Unlimited” recommendation list, while her sophomore novel, A Madness Unmade (Deathly Inheritance Duology Book 1), won gold in the SPR 2024 Book Awards.
A lifelong homebody, Erin lives in Texas with her husband and their three dogs, as well as a very hungry tortoise named Hammy.
What inspires you to write?
What *doesn't* inspire me to write? Haha but no, really, everything from a half-shed dandelion on the sidewalk to a sweeping epic fantasy saga has the potential to spark something within me. I'm especially drawn to the small, easily missed details—the overlooked, ordinary moments that beg for a deeper look, and especially those with an aura of strangeness. I find myself turning them over, examining them from every angle, and always determining "yup, this needs a story."
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Oh, so many!
I would say, before anything else, my all-time favorite author is Kiran Millwood Hargrave. I love her writing for its poetic, sensory-rich prose; every line feels deliberate and lyrical, yet emotionally grounded. Her characters feel intimately real, her settings immersive without being overwrought, and the emotional undercurrents always hit in that quiet, lingering way that stays with you long after. It's the kind of writing that makes you feel like you’ve lived inside someone else’s skin for a while, and, my word, I live for it. If you haven't read any of her books, you're missing out!
Other favorite authors:
~ Silvia Moreno-Garcia for her unique ability to weave magic & realism and for her sharp, captivating prose;
~ Sarah Penner for her clear and compelling stories and the way she weaves mystery and history into narratives while effortlessly exploring deep human emotions;
~ Melanie Karsak for her rich, immersive fantasy worlds, strong, nuanced characters, and storytelling that balances magic and emotion with a vivid, engaging writing style;
~ and Charlie N. Holmberg for her charming, heartfelt voice and whimsical worlds with characters you quickly grow attached to.
Tell us about your writing process.
I consider my writing process to be less a process and more a cobbling-together of words and ideas. I do try to outline, but consistently fail to adhere to them. My stories are constantly in flux, and my intentions for where they should go are easily swayed by shiny new ideas.
What I’ve found works best for me is to start with an outline, yes—but then branch off of it, adding notes and “what if” options as I go. A true choose-your-own-adventure style of writing, where the original outline becomes more of a launchpad than a map. I never delete from it, only expand. It’s a mess, but it’s my mess, and somehow it leads me where I need to go!
I'm also a huge proponent of sticky notes, index cards, and chaotic use of my phone's Notes app.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I wouldn’t say I talk to my characters so much as I channel them. I try to slip into their shoes—muddy, bloodstained, or otherwise—and see the world from behind their eyes. Rather than direct their actions, I follow their lead, doing my best to get out of the way and let their choices shape the scene. So while I don't necessarily chat with my characters, I do allow myself to be temporarily possessed by their deeply inconvenient emotional baggage.
Also, most of my main characters are pieces of me—distorted, amplified, or broken off and reassembled in unexpected ways. So writing them feels less like invention and more like uncovering. They carry things I’ve carried. They ask questions I’m still asking. Maybe that’s why I don’t have to talk to them—they’re already loud enough in my head.
What advice would you give other writers?
Break the rules—yes, all of them! Tear up the “shoulds” and “musts” and toss them in the fire! Ignore the market’s ever-shifting whims! Write what YOU want to write, in the way YOU want to write it!
Your voice, your stories, your quirks—they’re the only compass worth following. The world doesn’t need another cookie-cutter tale; it needs your particular brand of strange, beautiful, and unexpected. Give yourself permission to wander, to stumble, to rewrite the map as you go. In my opinion, the stories that burn brightest are the ones born from honesty, passion, and a little glorious rebellion.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
For my debut, The Bear & the Rose, I chose to self-publish because I’m a perfectionist and I wanted to keep every bit of creative control. I didn’t want my vision chewed up and spat out by editors or market pressures. So I went all-in on doing it myself, and then did the same with my second book, A Madness Unmade. But by the time I published AMU, I was completely exhausted and financially drained from juggling everything solo.
Now, I’m stepping oh-so-cautiously into the world of querying. What I'm hoping to find is someone who can help carry the weight of all the business and logistics, without muffling my voice. It's a very new step forward, and honestly a little scary—but maybe also necessary?
I’m still figuring it all out, really. The publishing path isn’t a straight line, and neither is writing. I'm trying to trust myself enough to explore what feels right in the moment, and I'm here and willing to change course when the stories—or my heart—call for it.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the future of book publishing is going to be a blend of old and new—where traditional books and fresh, innovative formats coexist and complement each other. Technology will keep opening doors for authors to connect directly with readers, giving more people a chance to share their stories without the usual gatekeepers, while at the same time, I believe (and hope) there will always be a place for carefully crafted, edited works that bring a sense of polish and depth.
I’m excited by the possibility of more diverse voices and unconventional stories finding their audience, and for readers to have more ways to experience stories. Obviously it’s impossible to predict exactly what will come next, but I’m hopeful that the core of it all is refreshed and central: stories that surprise, move, and connect us. That’s a future worth writing and reading toward, in my book!
What genres do you write?: Fantasy, mythological fantasy, sapphic fantasy, gaslamp fantasy, dark fantasy, Victorian fantasy, coming-of-age, gothic fantasy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Erin K. Larson-Burnett Home Page Link
Link To Erin K. Larson-Burnett Page On Amazon
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Goodreads
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
