Good Morning!!! Say hello to fantasy and historical fiction author: Sarah Ashwood! She has been writing for some time now, and is currently working on finishing up a book series, set to come in 2020!! Make sure you keep watch for the books if you are a lover of all things fantasy! If you want to know more about her or her books, than follow her at Amazon and her Author Website!
Are you an indie author or a traditionally published author?
I am both. I began my career years ago by submitting poetry, short stories, and prose to a variety of publications. I met with some success before my first book, a volume of poetry, was published by an independent press in 2009. In 2014, my fantasy series, the Sunset Lands Beyond trilogy, was published by another independent press. I’ve since regained the rights to my trilogy and now publish it myself. I also have self-published two more books and have four more scheduled for release in 2020. However, I also have an agent who is currently handling three more of my novels. We’ll see what happens as far as that goes!
Do you write under a pseudonym? If so explain why.
I do, sort of. I write under my maiden name, Sarah Ashwood because I’d already begun building my author platform under that name before I got married. After getting married, I took my husband’s last name. However, I retained my maiden name as a pen name.
What genre do you write and why?
I write both fantasy (in a variety of fantasy sub-genres), and historical fiction.
What are you currently working on?
Right now, I am writing Book 3 of a four-book urban fantasy series called Stones of Fire. My goal is to write all four books in 2019, then rapidly release them in early 2020.
What inspired you to write your books?
I’ve long had an idea of how interesting it would be to write a story about a pastor’s daughter who gets accidentally caught up in a world of warring gangsters when she saves the life of a mob boss’s child. Since fantasy is my jam, I decided to take this idea and use it in an urban fantasy setting. Hence, Stones of
What are your top 5 favorite books?
Ooooh, good question. In no particular order:
#1. Sowingand Quellingby Angie Grigaliunas
#2. Mark of the Lionby Francine Rivers
3. Stars Descendby Kara Jaynes
4. Daughter of the Forestby Juliet Marillier
5. The Buccaneersseries by Linda Chaikin
What does literary success look like to you?
I’m a stay at home mom of four, and, honestly, literary success would be earning enough money from my writing to make a significant impact on our household funds. (Which is happening, and getting better every month.) I want to be able to take my dad to Hawaii because that’s the last state in the United States that he and I both haven’t visited. Also, it’s been my dream now for a long 15+ years to be traditionally published by a major publisher, so I continue to work towards that goal.
How many hours a day do you write? What is your writing routine?
As a homeschooling mom with four young kids, time is scarce. I would say I rarely get hoursto write. Usually, it’s less than an hour. However, my daily goal is to write 1200 words a day, and I almost always manage to accomplish that.
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it be and why?
Oh, goodness. Several. Maybe the Purification Eraseries by Angie Grigaliunas, which I mentioned earlier. I love the characters, the world-building, and the complexity of the plot.
What advice would you like to give to aspiring authors?
Don’t give up! Keep writing. The more you write, the better you’ll get. Just like with anything, you improve with practice.
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