Read And Revel

About the book:

The Driftcap Inn has just come out! How does it feel? 

Good! But I always find it a little nerve-racking to finally make a book available to everyone. 

Why did you decide on The Driftcap Inn as being your title?  

I named it after the inn itself and the type of mushroom the inn is carved out of. My initial title was The Wandering Inn, but there was already a popular serial online with that title in the LitRPG genre and I didn’t want the two to get confused.

Can you tell me a secret about your book that no one else knows? 

I have future inns planned that I laid the worldbuilding groundwork for in this book, including an inn set in a country one of the guests on The Driftcap Inn is from. That inn was actually originally going to be the series opener, but when inspiration for The Driftcap Inn hit I pushed it back.

How did you know that you wanted to write in this genre?

Fantasy has always been my favorite genre, but I also love writing books with lots of whimsy. The cozy fantasy genre gave me the chance to write the blend of whimsy and fantasy I wanted to explore. I also wanted to write about the common people in my world and the way they are able to add light to the world one small act at a time. Cozy fantasy provides the perfect space to let those personal stories about the common man shine.

How would you describe this book in 3 words?

Whimsical cottagecore romp

Walk us through your process:

First idea: Do you remember the exact moment that you knew you wanted to write this story?

I already had a different idea for a cozy inn story that I wanted to turn into a series of standalones. While brainstorming of what else I could write I decided I wanted a sky setting. I remember turning to my husband and saying, “Hear me out. What if there were giant mushrooms drifting in the sky for some reason? And an inn.” The plot itself went through a few different versions from there over the next few months, but I kept the sky setting, the inn, and the giant mushrooms.

Do you start with the character or plot first?

The plot. 

What is your method to outlining? 

I don’t follow any specific methods, but I do like to have a very in-depth outline going into writing. I start by talking the overall idea of a book out with my husband to get a better feel for the plot and all the possibilities. I do my best brainstorming by talking it through and bouncing ideas back and forth. We’ll usually do this on walks or at our favorite tea cafes. Once I decide which version to go with, I do a general outline of the whole book.Then I create chapter outlines once I feel ready to start writing. The chapter outlines provide a roadmap that often help me spot plot or character issues before writing them.

I usually plot out my next book or start discussing it while writing my current project. That gives me time to figure enough out that by the time I’m ready to start writing my next project the outline is ready for me.

The Process: What is your writing routine?

What tech do you like to use? How do you set your environment up for writing?

I write with scrivener on my laptop. I like a quiet environment, so I either write out on my patio surrounded by my little garden and watch the bees while I work, or I work in my home office that I’ve decorated to feel cozy. If I’m outside or decide to wander into a library to work, I wear headphones and play classical music to block out all the noise around me. That lets me focus without getting constantly distracted.

Did you pull inspiration for your book from any real life experiences? 

Often! I like to include food in my books and create recipes for them. The recipes are often inspired by dishes I enjoy but want to modify to fit the world. I also have an upcoming historical fantasy series set in my city that uses real local history and some of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh. My first book series, The SerendipiTea series, also pokes good-natured fun at the experience of being a writer sometimes. I also set out to include cozy vibes and comfort in my books, which are often inspired by things I find cozy, like tea, fireplaces, and good food.

Write what you know – what does that mean to you?

For me I don’t set out to write what I know. It’s more that what I know inspires me to write. For example I have a cozy fantasy project I want to write that tackles grief and the weight of it inspired by my own experience of losing someone close to me. My interest in things like history and folklore also seep into my books because they inspire me.

What do you think your readers will take from your writing?

All I hope is that my books give them a fun escape while they read. If they get a few laughs or comfort, even better.

What motivates you to keep writing?

I write for myself more than anything, and I have way too many projects I want to tackle. As long as I keep getting satisfaction from the process of writing, I’ll keep writing.

Post writing: Why did you decided to go this way in publishing vs another?

I worked in traditional publishing for about half a decade. My experiences in that space made me decide I preferred the control being an indie author gave me. Plus when I wrote my debut, Tempest in a Teapot, publishers still thought cozy fantasy was too quiet and difficult to market. That changed once the genre blew up in the indie sphere, but I still prefer being in control of my own schedule and covers.

What has been community (or online community) involvement in publishing and promoting?

Before publishing my own books I read and reviewed books on instagram. Many of my early readers came from my instagram followers who took a chance on me. They even helped get my books into libraries by recommending them. 

I’m still very active on instagram. It’s my favorite place to hang out on the internet to connect to my fellow authors and readers. It makes writing and reading less lonely. I also get a lot of great book recs on there and advice from other authors.

What comes next for you?

More books! I have a historical fantasy trilogy set in Pittsburgh coming next as well as more magical inn books set in the same world as The Driftcap Inn.

About your writing life: 

How many book have you written, including those that weren’t published (or haven’t been yet)?

I’d say at least eight books before I felt ready to publish one. I might rewrite one or two of the unpublished ones that got me a lot of requests from literary agents but ultimately went nowhere. I’m putting the rest down as practice, especially the ones I wrote in middle and high school. I have several books in the works that I do plan to publish and a whole lot of ideas I’d like to eventually explore.

Why do you write?

I enjoy the creativity of it. I’ve always been a bookworm and being able to create my own characters and worlds is so much fun. It also lets me explore some of my own experiences and emotions in a way that I find comforting.

When did you realize you wanted to become an author?

When I was in elementary school. I loved reading and thought books were the neatest thing. I thought being able to make them myself would be the coolest, and so that was all it took to decide I wanted to be an author. I also had medical issues from a young age and reading books let me escape those problems for a bit. I think I wanted to be able to do the same for others. 

Around the same time I also wanted to be a ghost hunter and an archeologist. I never considered how all three would fit together. I wound up only doing the author bit. 

What is the secret to being an author?

Sticking to it. Like anything else, writing requires practice and finding the time to actually do it. 

What is the hardest part about being an author?

Finding my audience is the hardest part for me lately. I find marketing really hard because the market is crowded and hard to stand out in, making it difficult to reach my readers.

What would you tell a brand new writer?

Don’t pressure yourself. I think a lot of authors pressure themselves about getting published and compare themselves to other writers, feeling like they need to be just like them, but everyone’s journey and career is different.

How do you tackle diversity and inclusion in your work?

I set out to write a world that feels realistic, and that means showing the variety of people who inhabit it. Some inclusion comes from simply writing about people like me. 

Are books still relevant in the modern world?

Absolutely. We have more competition for entertainment, but I think there is still something to be said about sitting down with a book to unwind from the loud, busy world of screens. Books will always let us explore all the pain and joy that comes from being human, and some of us need that.

What is your favorite quote from another author?

Tolkien wrote a lot of great wisdom in his books. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” That quote is from The Fellowship of the Ring and has given me a lot of comfort over the years and encouraged me to not give up on writing at the beginning of my writing journey.

What authors or books have inspired your writing journey?

Pretty much every book I ever read. I’m always amazed at what other authors are writing and coming up with. Anne Rice sent me into a vampire phase in my teens, something I explored in my book Read the Leaves. Lord of the Rings sucked me into high fantasy and ultimately inspired me to try my hand at fantasy. 

What book made you fall in love with reading?

Outside of the usual suspects like Harry Potter and Goosebumps when I was a kid, I got really into the Dear America series. It was a historical fiction series for kids that explores different points in time and historical events. There was also a Royal Diaries version that covered world history. I found those books when I was getting into history and those books completely sucked me in. I read every single one my library carried. A few made me cry really hard! My librarian knew me as the Dear America series girl. I couldn’t get enough of them. Once in a blue moon I run into one of those books and still get excited to see them.

What are you reading at the moment?

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst. I love gardening and this book hits on that point perfectly. It has an adorable love interest, a magical greenhouse, and sentient talking plants. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.

If you could have coffee with any author dead or alive who would it be?

I honestly have no idea! I feel like I’ve learned so much from the authors I’ve already met that I don’t know who else I’d want to talk to, especially since a lot of my favorites growing up were traditionally published and wouldn’t be able to answer my questions about making it as an indie author. I feel lucky to meet any author.

What’s something you’ve learned from researching for this book?

I learned a lot about mushrooms, even though I made my own up. I forage for mushrooms now and have tried more varieties than I ever thought I would. The Lobster Mushroom basically eats other mushrooms, which I find very interesting, but I haven’t gotten to eat one yet.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to Google for a book?

I google a lot of history and folklore questions. For example, while researching my upcoming historical fantasy, I went down the rabbit hole about a local cryptid known as the Squonk. It is basically an ugly pig covered in warts that cries about how ugly it is. Lumberjacks used to report sightings of it. 

If you could spend a month writing anywhere in the world, where would it be?

This is a hard question. I think I’d go with Ireland because I’d love to walk the countryside during writing breaks. In a month I might have a different answer because there are so many places I’d like to visit.

Something you really want to write about is?

Local history and the fae, which is coming in my next book! Next would be a painful chronic illness. I’ve included this topic in some of my books that will never see the light of day, but I want to tackle it again. I really liked the way the book Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland handled it.

Reality vs fiction – is art really crazier than life?

No way. We want books and art to make sense and have a neat plotline and meaning. Real life often makes no sense and wanders in ways books don’t. I take inspiration from history often because real life is so unexpected and strange at times.

Cats or dogs?

Both! Although I’m technically allergic to dogs. I can visit them but not live with them. 

Coffee or tea?

Tea. I always have way too many tea flavors on hand.

Physical book or e-book?

I lean more towards e-books simply due to space issues. I also like the convenience of carrying multiple books on my kindle with me wherever I go.

Huge thank you to Kate Valent for being the first author in our new Author Chat series!! If you want to check out her books, especially her newest release The Driftcap Inn, check it out here.

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