Today I am welcoming L. A. Wasielewski into the Indie Spotlight.
L.A. Wasielewski is a gamer, nerd, baseball fan (even though the Brewers make it very difficult sometimes), and mom. When she’s not writing, she’s blasting feral ghouls and super mutants in the wastelands, baking and cooking, and generally being a smart-ass. She’s very proud of the fact that she has survived several years with two drum kits in the house—and still has most of her hearing intact.
Hi L. A – welcome to my blog today!
What made you decide to publish your books independently? What was your path to publication?
I originally queried by first book, The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny, out to about one-hundred agents. Within the first two or so months, I realized that traditional publishing really wasn’t what I wanted. The rejections didn’t fuel that feeling, rather, it made me realize that I really, truly wanted to self-publish. I could have control over everything, from covers to content, and I could do it at my leisure. Now that I’ve self-published three books, I’m never looking back! I love that I have complete control, no deadlines (except for self-imposed ones), no urgency. I’m a stay-at-home mom, and this year I’ll also be homeschooling, so I really appreciate the ability to drop projects for days/weeks/months at a time when my family needs me and not have a looming deadline hanging over my head.
What made you decide to write in your specific genre rather than other genres? Have you ever written in other genres?
I grew up reading fantasy. Darksword, Death Gate, Dragonlance. (Hmmm…I’m noticing a distinct Weis/Hickman theme!) I also really enjoyed the Swords books by Fred Saberhagen. I loved being able to lose myself in the beautiful worlds, become attached to (or hate) the incredibly crafted characters. Then, when I started playing video games, I was immediately drawn to fantasy RPG’s. I remember many a night staying up way past bedtime, playing Phantasy Star, Dragon Warrior, and Final Fantasy. So, I think writing fantasy just came naturally? It’s what I love, and I knew I could invent some pretty great stories and worlds!
I do have the beginning kernels of a potential sci-fi series that I tinker with from time-to-time, but it’s definitely a “mess around for fun, let’s see what happens in the future” type of project. I don’t have any plans to work on it in earnest any time soon.
That sounds interesting – I hope you do end up working on it!
Do you only read the genre that you write?
Yes and no? I’m always in the market for a good fantasy book, and probably 70% of what I read is the genre, but I also LOVE celebrity biographies or memoirs. The funnier, the better. Eric Idle’s Sortabiography had me laughing so hard I nearly threw up…and I mean that as the absolute best compliment!
What are you currently reading? Watching on TV? Is there a type of music you listen to for inspiration?
Currently reading two books: Dan Fitzgerald’s The Archive (my “at home” book on the kindle), and Will Birch’s Cruel To Be Kind, a biography of Nick Lowe, the musician/songwriter (my “sitting while my kid is at drum lessons” book!) As for TV, I’m a creature of habit and usually fall back on my comfort classics. Emergency, Simon & Simon, and Mama’s Family are what my kid and I are currently watching. I also love Mysteries Of The Abandoned and Rick and Morty. Music doesn’t “inspire me” per se, but my last book was written primarily with the help of the E.S. Posthumous Pandora channel, and a lot of Moody Blues, ELO, Jethro Tull, Genesis, and a mixture of other 70’s rock.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
It’s ok to take a break from writing. There’s nothing worse than forcing yourself to write because you think you MUST every day. Trying to force progress only makes it worse in the end. If you’re blocked, if you just don’t feel like it, if you’re too busy—that’s totally ok. I once took THREE MONTHS off from writing because I was hopelessly blocked and overwhelmed with things on the home front. And when I returned to start again, it turned out to be just the break I needed. Your stories will emerge eventually, and you need to take care of yourself first.
What are you working on right now and what can we look forward to seeing from you next?
Right now I’m enjoying my break after finishing the final book in my Alchemist Trilogy. The Alchemist: Awakening will be releasing September 1st, 2021. And by “enjoying my break”, I mean fiddling around with several Alchemist side-projects and outlining a new fantasy series, that will star a group of bad-ass ladies in their late-30’s and early-40’s. That one won’t be on the publishing radar for quite some time, but it will absolutely come out at some point. I’m already super excited about this project, and these ladies are filled to the brim with sass and snark–my kind of people! I will also have a backstory novel starring a fan favorite Alchemist Trilogy side-character, publishing mid-2022, as well as several Alchemist side-projects in various stages of completion—from a collection of shorts to other backstory novels, and some other surprises!
I will definitely add The Alchemist series to my TBR – I love those covers and the story sounds intriguing!
Thank you for visiting the Indie Spotlight today! Good luck with your book sales and all your future projects!
The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny
Book Description
Buy here: http://author.to/LAWasielewski
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18538281.L_A_Wasielewski
The Alchemist: Dark Horizon
Book Description
Buy here: http://author.to/LAWasielewski
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18538281.L_A_Wasielewski
The Alchemist: Awakening
Book Description
Buy here: http://author.to/LAWasielewski
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18538281.L_A_Wasielewski
Who is next on Indie Spotlight?
Jeffrey Speight’s love of fantasy goes back to an early childhood viewing of the cartoon version of The Hobbit, when he first met an unsuspecting halfling that would change Middle Earth forever. Finding his own adventuring party in middle school, Jeff became an avid Dungeons & Dragons player and found a passion for worldbuilding and character creation. While he went on to a successful career as an investor, stories grew in his mind until he could no longer keep them inside. So began his passion for writing. Today, he lives in Connecticut with his wife, three boys (his current adventuring party), three dogs, and a bearded dragon. He has a firmly held belief that elves are cool, but half-orcs are cooler. While he once preferred rangers, he nearly always plays a paladin at the gaming table.
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