Grace Carlisle interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Grace Carlisle, and I’m a fantasy indie author. I’ve lived in Maryland my entire life. I try to read a little of everything and I enjoy writing all kinds of fantasy stories, especially those with supernatural creatures, such as faeries or vampires. I’m a lifelong geek, so when I’m not writing I’m usually playing video games or tabletop games. I’m very new to the professional side of writing—I published my first book in March 2022 and am currently working on the second in the series.

When did your love of books begin?

I can’t say for sure, because the love has been there for as long as I can remember. My mother read to me until I was reading on my own. I grew up in bookstores and libraries and spent school reading books under my desk when I thought the teacher wasn’t paying attention.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

As with my love of books, the desire to write has always been there. I’ve found journals from decades ago that contain the beginnings of stories I wrote, such as “a very long time ago there was a City.” I wonder where I was going with that when I was eight! 

I knew I always wanted writing to be a big part of my life. But by the time I reached high school, I thought I needed to give it up and focus on a “real job.” When I got to college, however, I circled back around and decided if I was going to spend several years studying something, I was going to study something I enjoyed, so I ended up studying writing and professionally writing and editing.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

There’s a lot of moving parts. Being a self-published indie author means that writing is only one part of the job. You have to do everything a publishing house generally does for traditionally-published authors. You make the executive decisions at every part of the book’s development, like formatting and cover design, and you have to decide what you can and can’t do yourself, and what you can afford to outsource to other professionals. You also have to handle marketing in order to actually get your book into readers’ hands. So it’s quite a lot, but I learn more every day about the process.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Read. Read things that you enjoy. Read a lot in the genre you want to write. Make your reading diverse. Read things by authors of color and LGBTQ+ authors. Read outside of your comfort zone sometimes, just to see how other genres do it. While you’re reading, think about why authors make the decisions to write the way they do.

And write. You don’t have to write every day if that doesn’t work for you. But I’ve found that giving myself a schedule and making myself stick to it is the best way for me to actually sit down and get words on the page. I like going to a cafe on the weekends where I can’t be distracted with TV or video games, but each author has their own rituals.

Tell us about your book/books:

My only book at the moment is Forest of Forgotten Vows, a fantasy set in a small town on the U.S. East Coast. It follows a young woman who returns to the home in which she grew up and discovers that her childhood “imaginary friends” weren’t so imaginary after all. The story explores generational struggles and relationships, mental health, and the transition to adulthood. And faeries. It’s the first in a series and I’m actively working on the second one.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love the variety of tastes and opinions. Someone’s favorite book of all time can be someone’s least favorite, which means that no matter what you write or what you read, there’s something or someone out there for you. I’ve always found that uplifting.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank you so much. I’m always so humbled when readers take the time to let me know what they thought of my work. I hope you’ll stay-tuned, because I’ve got so many stories I want to share with you.

Where can people connect with you?

E-mail: grace.carlisle.author@gmail.com 

Twitter: @GCarlisleAuthor

Facebook: Grace Carlisle

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Carlisle/e/B09SJ24ZW4/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1 

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