About Fiona Skye:
Fiona Skye is a fantasy author, currently living in the deserts of Southern Arizona. She shares a home with her husband, two kids, three cats, two rats, a betta fish, and a Border Collie.
Fiona’s passion for story telling began early in life. She loved playing make-believe and inventing elaborate fantasy worlds for her friends and her to play in. At age twelve, she wrote her first short story, which was based on a song by a 1980s hair band. After giving it to her English teacher for editing and rewrites, she learned to love the entire writing process, and has dedicated her life since then to writing, only to be occasionally distracted by her insatiable love of yarn and crochet, and the dogged pursuit of the perfect plate of cheese enchiladas.
She counts Diana Gabaldon and Jim Butcher as her favorite authors and biggest influences. Joining these two on the list of people she would wait in queue for a week to have a coffee with are Neil Peart, Kevin Hearne, and Brandon Sanderson.
What inspires you to write?
I get inspiration from everywhere–other books, movies, TV shows, songs, listening to other people’s conversations, news articles. I also play epic games of What If, where I’ll ask myself a question, like “What if that guy who gave me my coffee is actually a werewolf?” and then just let my mind go after that.
Tell us about your writing process.
I used to be a panster–writing by the seat of my pants. This is not always the best idea, however. I start out great, but then about half-way through, I get bogged down and find it hard to continue. I’m trying out different ways of outlining now, hoping to find a magic one that will help me navigate the Great Swampy Middle, so I’d say right now, I’m a hybrid. A plotster, maybe?
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I think I’m more like a conduit between my characters, who must exist in the Aether or something, and the keyboard. I’ve never spoken to them; I don’t hear their voices in my head. But whenever I sit down to write, it’s like I open up my brain and whatever the characters are thinking/feeling/doing, pours into me and comes out through my fingers.
Is that really weird?
What advice would you give other writers?
Get a thick skin. You will get negative reviews and harsh criticism–it’s inevitable. It’s best you just expect them and prepare yourself for them BEFORE you get them. Otherwise, your ego and all your creative energy will be shredded and you may never recover.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I did a lot of research into the whole question of traditional vs self publishing, and after learning that it might take YEARS to get published, that most agents and editors don’t actually read all the submissions they receive before rejecting them, that even after you do sign with an agency or a publishing house you’re still responsible for most of the marketing, and you lose all creative control over your book, I decided that I was unwilling to change even a tiny bit of my book, especially in light of all of the blood, sweat, and tears I’d put into it.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think that we’ll see more indie presses forming and doing well, thus forcing the Big Five Houses to rethink their entire approach. I also really, really hope that there will soon be some sort of standard for indie and self-publishers to that we’re no longer inundated with unedited, badly formatted books that taint people’s opinions of all indie and self-pubbers.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Fantasy and Urban Fantasy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Fiona Skye Home Page Link
Link To Fiona Skye Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
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.
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