About Lindsey Cowherd:
Lindsey Cowherd lives in Salida, CO, where she was born and raised. She lives with her sweetie, Michael, who somehow tolerates her horse-craziness and love of all-things-Asian.
Licensed as an acupuncturist since 2010, Lindsey still finds time for the small stuff: writing, watching almost anything Asian on Netflix, singing and playing guitar, but especially enjoying her two horses, Bricco and Tyrra, and two dogs, Ms. K and Huffington.
She started writing “novels” at a young teen; the Assassins' Guild books (Vision of a Torn Land and The Cost of Redemption) being among the first she ever thought up that were beyond her normal obsession of horses. Turning to a world immersed in martial arts, magic, and “places not of this world” allowed her an outlet from everyday living and circumstances out of her control. Now, they are a place to allow her imagination to run wild. This "other-worlds" writing style includes her newest series The Crystals of Syre, with book 1, Awakening, being released in July of 2019. Also in 2019, Lindsey delved into the genre of cowboy romances and found she liked it just as much; look for her first book in her series "A Colorado Cowboy Romance Story": My Texas Streak; with others in the works!
With so many possibilities to delve into, it keeps her worlds alive and growing.
What inspires you to write?
Writing started, for me, as a way to deal with situations in life that were out of my control. At least in stories, I could have some power on how things turn out. Now, they are a way to relax and get a mini-vacation during a stressful work day, or just to slip away to another place. Usually, I begin to write whatever section I'm on after listening to a song–or three–that match the emotional theme of the book.
Tell us about your writing process.
I have never been a fan of outlines; as testiment to numerous English teachers frowning at me over the years. Going free-style lets me invent more twists and turns to my books. I do jot down certain events that I want to include if they come up–especially if I'm trying to sleep; it's no fun laying awake all night when I can simply write the idea down then sleep peacefully. I hand write every book (with exception of my cowboy romances). Typing seems to slow my process down and that gets frustrating. Because my Assassins' Guild and Crystals of Syre books have soooo many characters, I do keep a list of character features/attitudes/attributes that I want to make sure to capture the whole book through; other that than, I let my imagination run wild.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I know I'm not the only writer who sounds like I need to be committed half the time! Yes, I do talk with my characters, especially my kick-ass women heroines. These characters have been a reminder of me to be respectful of myself, strong and courageous. I can't imagine what life would be without having this outlet to push my frustrations onto.
What advice would you give other writers?
I started writing as an outlet for life–and still do. So, for me, writing is first and foremost for me and my sanity. I have to remind myself of this when I hear a bad review or low sales because I chose to let my works go to the public instead of keeping them for myself, and even that takes great courage!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I've had a number of my books already hand written for a few years, but they were just sitting there collecting dust–except when I pulled them out of their stand. I finally got the courage to type them up and gave them to a few wonderful souls. These people helped me see I could find others who liked the stories as much as I, so I finally went for it; though, pushing that last button to self-publish was really daunting. I shook for about an hour afterward, I believe. Now, even if these books stay lost to the web, I know I've accomplished a huge feat, one not everyone pushes themselves to do. So, new authors: it's okay to push the edge a little. I promise, you won't die. In fact, it will be good for you!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Hm… I hadn't thought of this much before. I chose self publishing myself because these books were very personal to me and I wanted all control on how their stories came out. That is why I didn't look for a publishing company. I think it's great that self-publishing is around for writers like me. We don't have to conform to a certain mold from publishing companies. However, that does mean I have a lot of work ahead for me. I know this. Getting exposure will be the hardest part thus far.
What genres do you write?: fantasy; sword and sorcery; dark fantasy; dystopia; marital arts; medieval; knights; cowboy romance; romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Lindsey Cowherd Home Page Link
Link To Lindsey Cowherd Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Smashwords
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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.
