Author Interviews: Linnea, Sophia, & Vince
When we shared an open call for author interviews, I didn’t expect all of the wonderful interest we would receive! As such, we have been slowly reviewing and organizing the interviews and will share them over the next few weeks and months. Read through our interviews with Linnea, Sophia, and Vince, and maybe you’ll find your new favorite author!
Linnea Marchh
How did you come up with your pen name?
Linnea is my middle name, a family name from my maternal grandmother, Elsie Linnea Cox.
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find them.
I write contemporary romances. Some are rockstars and some are small town. Right now I have the Prevalent Notion Series, a completed rockstar romance series starting with Faultless Notion. I have two standalones, Reckless Liar and The One You Chose. Wren’s Winter, the first book in my next spicy small-town series was released in early March and I’m hoping to have the second in the series available in mid-summer.
All my books are available in e-book format on Amazon and in paperback everywhere books are sold.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks, and drinks, time of day, etc.?
I write while my children are at school. All my writing is done on my laptop, through Scrivener. I can’t work in silence or listen to music with lyrics so I have a playlist of instrumentals. Right now it’s a lot of Minnz Piano covers of Taylor Swift, the Bridgerton soundtrack, and various other pop covers.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
In-between. Every story starts with a rough outline. I know what the beginning and end will look like but I allow myself freedom to create for the in-between. I use Romancing the Beat to structure the overall storyline.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
I have very chaotic notes app entries on my phone. I often get ideas as I’m drifting off to sleep, will type out a few sentences and hope that they will be decipherable in the morning. Sometimes it’ absolute gibberish, sometimes it makes perfect sense and sometimes it’s just the words; snake=sir pants.
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
I have a good friend, Cassidy, who reads my stuff before it gets sent out. She is luckily, the right mix of being a fan of my work, and giving me the constructive criticism to say when something makes no sense and needs to be junked.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
I’m always reading. At all times, I have an audiobook, paperback, and at least one e-book. I’m of the opinion that to be a good writer you need to be a great reader. Reading what others write inspires me to push myself creatively and work to be better. I can read a turn of phrase and want to write something that evokes the same emotions.
My current reads are (paperback) Six Degrees of Scandal by Caroline Linden, (e-book) Balancing Act by Kate McWilliams, The Light Betrays Us by Greta Rose West, and (Audiobook) The Framed Women of Ardmore House by Brandy Schillace.
As an author, I don’t write critical reviews, only writing ratings and reviews for books I enjoy. You can keep track of my reading on Goodreads, where I document every book.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
I had to do quite a bit of research on the music industry for the Prevalent Notion series. How a tour works, different terms for performing, etc. For some of my other books, I’ve had to research baking, gardening, car maintenance, revenge porn laws, and drug interactions, among many other topics. I’m lucky enough to have people of all walks of life around me to help with my research and not be bothered when I text them at nine pm, asking “Can a paramedic pronounce someone dead?” (Answer, yes) and “What would be scandalous in the gardening world?” (Answer: If a self-proclaimed sustainable gardener used peat moss.)
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
Definitely adults. I write spicy books with adult themes and even my fade-to-black story, Reckless Liar, deals with some heavy subject matter I wouldn’t recommend them for children. Aside from that, I’m open to any age. Most of my audience is women, between the ages of 25-65.
I have a surprisingly large audience in the UK, which is fun for a gal from the Seattle area.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
Write the book. I held onto Reckless Liar for years before I took the plunge to publish it. It’s terrifying to put something you created out into the world, but it will also be exhilarating when it touches the right people.
Realize your limits. No matter how good I am at writing, I cannot self-edit enough for a finished product. No time spent tinkering with Canva is enough to make me a graphic artist. Pay the professionals for what you cannot do.
Read the craft books. Not all advice will work, but finding the right help will be a game changer.
And most importantly, remember that every book published either has one-star reviews or hasn’t been read enough to have a bad review. Someone out there gave your favorite book zero stars. Not every book is for every reader, so find your audience and forget the rest.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
If possible, I like to do better for each release. Writing and publishing is a marathon, not a sprint. I aim to do better each time I write and each time I publish. For self publishing, they say you need to publish 20 books to make a passable income. I’m not there yet with my six books but I’ve tripled my daily profits from when I first published. If I get the average of a few books a day sold or read through KU, I call it a success.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
Around six months from first outline to the publish date. It takes about three to four months of writing, with the other three being for prep, then editing, more editing, and more editing.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
While I’ve always felt my writing was strong enough for traditional publishing, looking into the query process did it for me. I would much rather move on to my next story, writing and creating than searching for an agent and publishing house. It takes about eighteen months for a book to be published through traditional publishing and I guess you could say I’m too impatient for that. In this day of technology, self-marketing is needed no matter what mode of publishing you’re doing. With self-publishing, I have complete control over the cover, the editing, and the marketing.
What else do you want to share about yourself or your writing?
All my books exist in the same universe with overlapping characters. The first book I wrote was a love after loss small-town story, Reckless Liar. I didn’t publish that one, leaving it to the side for years before returning to writing during quarantine. When I started writing what would be my first published book, Faultless Notion, I took a side character from Reckless as the main character for Faultless. The world they all live in is deeply personal to me. I like to create flawed and complex characters who fall in love and grow together. I hope that is reflected in my writing.
Where can readers connect with you?
All my e-books are available on Amazon and paperbacks are available wherever books are sold.
Sophia Wachtel
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find it.
I’m currently writing a YA/Teen fantasy series called Project Phoenix. The first book in the series (Kingdom of Feather and Sky) came out May of 2023, and the second book (Daughter of Darkness) just released in February of this year. I’m planning one more book in the series, but I don’t have a release date set yet. The series is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks and drinks, time of day, etc.?
I can’t write without my music. For me it has to be movie soundtracks or instrumental music otherwise I start focusing on the lyrics and I forget what I’m writing! If I’m writing anything longer than a few paragraphs I have to use my computer. I’m definitely more of a night person than a morning person, so typically you will find me at my keyboard way past my bedtime.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
In between, leaning toward pantser. I can write out the most detailed outlines, but my characters have a habit of taking the story into their own hands. I don’t mind, though, because I feel like I’m getting to discover the story as I go. Typically my first drafts are a complete mess, and my second draft is where I patch the pieces into a complete story.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
Voice memos, notebooks, the notes app on my phone, sticky notes, you name it. I definitely need to come up with a system to organize them all.
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
Probably my husband. He’s been great for brainstorming ideas when I’m stuck on a scene. Also, my local library has a writers’ group that I’ve had the pleasure of joining, and they are great for sharing scenes with.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
It depends! If I’m really into a book, I’ve noticed that I tend to ignore my writing in favor of reading, so I have to be careful if I’m getting close to deadlines or release dates. However, I recently started writing a Middle-Grade novel, and I’ve been reading some MG books to help me with my writing. Even though it’s a younger reading level than I’m used to, it has been so helpful in figuring out plot and pacing for my own novel.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
With the Middle-Grade novel I’m working on, my main character is obsessed with the moon. I loved space when I was younger, so it’s been a lot of fun looking up facts about the moon and outer space.
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
My target audience for my Project Phoenix series is high school girls who love fantasy, adventure, and a bit of romance. I started writing the first book in the series when I was sixteen, and it was the perfect escape for a girl with terrible anxiety and trouble making friends. My ideal reader is any teenager who has ever felt out of place and needed a bit of courage in their life. However, most of my readers have been college age or older, so I think it could appeal to anyone who likes to dream.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
Don’t worry about being perfect right away. Writing is a skill like any other, and no one is going to have it figured out without any practice. The first draft is about finding the story, not perfecting it.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
I try not to worry too much about numbers yet, but I would love to make writing a full-time gig someday in the future. If I can grow my sales year to year I will be ecstatic.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
My first book took me 9 years, but most of that was because I didn’t believe in myself. In the first 8 years, I only got about 20,000 words out, and I figured writing a book was something other people did. But one day something just clicked for me and I decided why not me? I listened to a ton of podcasts, researched story structure, and reframed a lot of my ideas. That was July of 2022, and by May of 2023, I had written, edited, and published my first book. The second one came out 9 months later. I think that number will get even lower as I continue to find my groove.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
I decided on self-publishing because I really loved the idea of having control of every aspect of my story.
Where can readers connect with you?
I can be found on Instagram as @just.another.author, or on my website. You can also send me an email at sophiawachtelwrites@gmail.com. I can’t promise a speedy reply, but I will do my best to respond to any messages I get!
Vincent J. Hall II
If you publish/write under a pen name, how did you come up with it?
I write under my full name Vincent J. Hall II, but most people call me Vince. I’ve considered having a pen name but never settled on a good one.
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find it.
My recent book is titled Love, Trouble and Americano, which is a story of romance and relationship. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Readers can also visit my website for other purchasing options.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks, and drinks, time of day, etc.?
My regular 9-5 job as an arts advocate keeps me pretty busy during the week. So the best time for me to write is on the weekends. After my fiancée leaves for work, I cook breakfast, usually something quick. I always have an espresso and a glass of water. Depending on my mood, I’ll either do music or TV.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
I think I’m 50/50. I love just running with an idea and seeing how much I can write before eventually hitting a wall. That’s when I stop and create an outline. Free writing like that allows me to be creative and less rigid, outlines help me see the end and make adjustments.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
I live in my Notes app. That’s where ideas, lines, and phrases are stored until I flush them out in a Google doc.
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
Usually my fiancée first. I like to bounce ideas off her, she’s a great sounding board.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
I think reading helps, I’ve been getting into short story collections, and just finished Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and Other Stories. I enjoy her writing, specifically, her use of short and long sentences mixed with the way she creates the scenes intrigues me.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
I spent some time researching the jobs for each character to make sure they were plausible. The same for the setting. My story is based in Center City, Philadelphia and I want to be accurate when referencing noticeable landmarks.
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
My target audience would be anyone who enjoys relatable stories about relationships & romance.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
Approximately 18 months, after publishing my first book, The Drinks Between Us, I started thinking about the idea for my new book.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
I started researching publishing companies and stumbled across Indie Earth Publishing, an indie publishing company based in Florida. They were accepting manuscripts, I reached out, and we connected.
What else do you want to share about yourself or your writing?
