This week, I sat down with Jamie Schlosser, author of new adult and contemporary romance as well as fantasy romance/romantic fantasy. Enjoy!
Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself! eg family, hobbies, bucket list…
I’m from Illinois. I live in a small town with my husband and two kids. It just so happens that my favorite hobby is also my career–writing. Even if I never wanted to publish, I’d probably still write just because I enjoy it. I’m an introvert and a homebody, so I don’t get out much. I know, I sound super boring! Ha.
What got you started in writing?
About five years ago a story came to me when I was in the shower. It was a story I wanted to read, so I searched for it. Much to my surprise, I couldn’t find a book about a trucker and a hitchhiker at the time, so I decided to write it for myself with no intention of publishing. Several months later, I thought maybe others would like to read it too, so I started looking into self-publishing. That one story idea turned into three, and it kind of snowballed from there. Now I’m getting ready to publish my thirteenth novel.
What do you like to read?
I love to read anything that’s romance. Romance has so many subgenres, it can always fit whatever I’m in the mood for. New adult, paranormal, taboo, fantasy, dark. Romance has it all!
Tell us about your first published book OR your favorite work. How did it get started?
Since I already mentioned my first book in question #2, I’ll talk about my most recent publishing adventures. Up until about a year and a half ago, I’d stuck to writing in new adult romance and contemporary romance. I didn’t think I had it in me to write romantic fantasy or paranormal. But then I got a story idea about a fae prince who was cursed by blindness and he accidentally ends up taking a portal to some woods in the human realm.
He meets a girl there and they become best friends. He’s not supposed to be with her because the only way he can break the curse is to find his fated mate… but of course they fall in love. I started writing this story for fun, but once I got going, I couldn’t stop. The Fae King’s Curse was finished in about 7-8 weeks, which is the fastest I’ve ever written an entire book before. Since then, I’ve written four books in that series and I’m loving every second of it.
Wow! I wish I could write that quickly! How do you create your characters?
My characters start out pretty one-dimensional. I usually have a good idea of what they look like and a few personality traits, but the character development doesn’t happen until I get to know the character better. (Because I’m a panster all the way.)
Where do you write?
I write in my bedroom. I have a sit-to-stand desk set up in the corner, and I need it quiet so I can concentrate. I never write in public.
What are you working on as we speak?
Right now I’m gearing up to release The Fae King’s Prize, then I might switch back to my new adult series, The Good Guys.
What would your advice be for aspiring authors?
My advice for aspiring writers would be to take it one day at a time. Write when you can. Even a few hundred words is better than none. Take breaks when you need to. Burnout is real. And if you get discouraged, remember why you started writing in the first place. Your “why” is what’s going to keep you motivated.
Here are all the places you can find me and my books
Website: www.jamieschlosser.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjamieschlosser/
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jamieschlosser
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jamie-schlosser
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jschlosserauthor/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cANmI9
Reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1738944743038479/
The Fae King’s Prize releases on April 8th. Good luck with the launch, Jamie!
Stay tuned for more interviews in the coming weeks!
Happy reading
Bernadette x