About H S Skinner:
An avid reader ever since I figured out those tiny squiggles on paper were the keys to magic portals leading to other worlds, I have since visited many, many worlds and experienced multitudes of diverse things! On this world, I love being outside, hiking or exploring nature. Water is a big draw, especially creeks and waterfalls, or oceans. Dogs and horses are in danger of being seriously spoiled if they come anywhere near me, and so are kids. I love baking, cooking, crafting, and creating. Sharing these loves with my family and friends is one of my greatest joys!
What inspires you to write?
Everything! Pretty much anything I see or hear ticks one of my character boxes and I file it away for later. Bits of conversations, articles I read, new to me words or names, and the best one—my dreams. So many of my characters and settings are things I've dreamed. I am an inveterate people watcher, garnering many of my character traits from the people around me, good and bad.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Older generation authors: Anne McCaffrey. Andre Norton. Louis L'Amour. JRR Tolkien. Newer authors: JC Andrejeski. Nora Roberts/ J D Robb. Andy Peloquin. Marc Secchia. Erin Kellison. Rachel Neumeier.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm a total pantser! I have a general idea, like knowing you're taking a trip and going from Point A to Point B. It's the unplanned side trips and detours that make the journey exciting! I've tried writing a book straight through, but working on multiple books at one time seems to work better for me, especially since most of my characters wander in and out of each other's stories. While my books aren't technically series and can be read as stand alones, they are all inter-connected. My characters often appear fully evolved. I'm just the vehicle for telling their stories!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
All. The . Time. My DH has even labeled one of my facial expressions as, "Which book are you in and which character are you talking to now?" I spend way too much time in my own head with my imaginary friends!
What advice would you give other writers?
Read. Read stuff you love. Read stuff you hate. Read mediocre stuff you have no interest in. While you're reading, take note of things you like/ don't like/ things that tick you off. Rewrite things you read in your head to make them more interesting/ enjoyable/ understandable. Pay attention to spelling and grammar and punctuation until it becomes second nature to see the mistakes. Details—how does something smell? Taste? Look? Feel? Sound? Engage all your senses, and present your findings in your work. Make your characters and your setting so believable the reader is jolted back to reality when they have to surface from your story.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
While I tried sending my manuscripts to publishers, it didn't work out. They wanted me to drop thousands of words, or they weren't interested at this time, or… I figured out how to self publish on Amazon, and it just suits me better. I don't have to worry about my story not making sense because I cut half of it out. I'm in charge of designing my covers, so I can put what I want on the cover of my books. I take a lot of pictures, so I usually use something that's relevant to my story. If I have to create something, I use stock photos and tweak them to suit. Hard to get pictures of dragons. Those suckers are fast! I also do my own editing, but I've always had a knack for spotting misspelled words and punctuation. Plus, I don't have to write a cover letter or wait for rejection letters. I write my own blurbs, because who knows my characters/ stories better than I do? If editing/ designing covers/ writing blurbs isn't your thing… Don't stress! There are plenty of people out there who make careers out of each of those, and excel at it. Self publishing also means I'm in charge of advertising and self promo, which is way, way out of my wheelhouse, but I am learning as I go. Get a good Beta reader base, people whose opinions and observations you trust and value. Above all, Enjoy!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Despite what the media would have us believe, there are TONS of people out there who don't just like to read, they LOVE to read. There are so many fantastic indie authors out there, each with their own worlds and characters! Self publishing has opened up tremendous opportunities for far more than just what the mainstream publishers are willing to take a chance on. In fact, my TBR pile is probably going to tip over and smother me!
What genres do you write?: I write romance and fantasy, everything from sweet first love to melt your panties! My adult books are published under H S Skinner. My YA books are published under Heidi Skinner.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
H S Skinner Home Page Link
Link To H S Skinner Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
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.
