Author Interviews: Stephanie, JD & Elizabeth
We’re back with more author interviews. Check them out and find your next favorite read!
Stephanie Logue
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find it:
My current published book is a New Adult Contemporary novella called Yes. Every Single Day. Picture your first love vs Taylor Swift’s Evermore. It examines first love between complete opposites, who always sorta know it won’t work, but also can’t let go. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and a whole host of indie bookstores online.
I’m also publishing my first New Adult Contemporary full-length novel: Not Without You in fall 2024. Follow me on Instagram for more details.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks and drinks, time of day, etc.?
Silence or with an over-curated playlist containing a lot of Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and indie music.
I draft in the finest tipped pen I can find in a watercolor spiral bound notebook – I like the paper absorbs the ink and the scratch of the pen as I think.
No snacks, but usually coffee.
Any free moment I can sneak.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
Big ol’ plotter. I can’t picture plot in the big way without my outline – my writing opportunities are too messy and never dependable on time of day or location (I work 9-5, have an Etsy shop, and a sweet kiddo), so I always need my outline to center me.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
Uh, yes. (All over – in Google docs, my plotting notebook, I email myself a lot, I have several Notes in my phone, etc.)
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
I usually send to my brother, best friend, and my husband for the initial pass.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
It inspires me. I read a line or a turn of phrase that just kills me (in the best way) and I fold the page down so I never, ever lose it – a cardinal sin for some readers, I know.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
For Yes. Every Single Day., not much. It's nonfiction, so any amount of research was me revisiting old journals and looking at a map of my hometown to make sure I was calling something the right name.
For my WIP, Not Without You, a New Adult Contemporary novel (coming in fall 2024!) there was a lot of research about mental health in women in their late teens/early twenties. Plus my main character is a competitive runner, and suffice to say – I am not. I had a lot of research to do there!
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
People who identify as women, and anyone with a soft, possibly broken heart. In the process of writing and publishing Yes. Every Single Day. it's become clear to me that something I experienced, that I thought for so long was a solo journey, was anything but. Everyone has that first love that just knocks you to your knees. Surviving that level of heartbreak and self-acceptance is another journey all together – one I’ll probably write about someday.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
Start. Write. Don’t give a flying (insert delightfully colored expletive!) You are you, you are great, and you can – you will – do this. Also – run spell check more often than you think you need to.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
Money? As a writer? What’s that?
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
Well. Technically, I started writing Yes. Every Single Day. in 2010. It went through a zillion iterations, changed tenses, changed style. At one point I thought I could pull off the ol’ Sally Rooney (you know – minimal dialogue and not using punctuation – it was 2020 and we were all a little bonkers). About a year ago, April, 2023 I realized one day that I can’t depend on anyone else to publish it for me. I took a few days off work, cleaned it up, found a copywriter and a book cover/layout designer on Fiverr, and just went for it. Yes. Every Single Day. was published on Amazon in June 2023, two days before my birthday.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
My very first full-length novel went through MANY queries, many bites, and one devastating blow from an agent who took it back to her team and they ultimately said no. After I licked my wounds, I started to take indie publishing seriously. I had/have dreams, goals, and stuff to say that I know resonates. I’m not waiting around any longer.
Where can readers connect with you?
Primarily through Instagram: @stephanielogue.writes, but I’m also on TikTok @worldallaroundbooks. My email is always open too: stephanielogue.writes@gmail.com.
JD Laubach
If you publish/write under a pen name, how did you come up with it?
It's my first and middle initials.
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find it:
Title is: Smoke and Mirrors. The genre is fantasy/fantasy romance. I will be published in October and you'll be able to find it on amazon, B&N, and anywhere books are sold
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks and drinks, time of day, etc.?
My routine: I like silence...I use my laptop but I have a binder with notes and ideas and I write the outlines out with pen and paper. Then I put scenes I like written on flash cards and place them in order of what makes sense and turn the note cards into the written outline. Then I type up the actual manuscript. I usually have a glass of water, a cup of hot coffee, and a can of Coke next to me. I don't eat while I write, I get too distracted. I like writing from about 10am-7pm....
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
Definitely a plotter. I can't just make stuff up, it has to be very detailed and laid out in an organized way for me to put it all together in my head.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
2 notebooks, a binder, and the notes app on my phone. Sometimes I email my writing email ideas so when I open that email, they're right there!
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
My husband reads it, and then I send it to my mom and my friend Carrie. After I make changes, it goes to my editor. Then back to my husband, mom, and friend. And then back to my editor lol
Does reading help you write or distract you?
Reading gives me ideas, but I can't write and read within the same day.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
SO MUCH RESEARCH. Fairytales, mythologies, religions, anthropology, superstitions, old wives tales, medieval, Viking/Norse, Middle Eastern, Indian, Native American, Celtic/Druid histories. I even looked into Chinese history when going down a rabbit hole trying to find out when enamel pins were invented.
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
I believe my target audience to me...well…me. Women from the ages of 20-40 who love fantasy, bad boys, pretty dresses, horses, nature, history, Disney, fairytales, mythos, traveling, horror, thrillers, romance...you gotta love cats, and reading...and coffee...and the feeling you get when you watched the caterpillar smoke in Alice in Wonderland when you were like 7 years old.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
Read craft books. Dig into what makes a good story and find out why the popular stories are popular before you start writing. Don't let the fear of failure make you procrastinate.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
I would just like to make enough money to get back what I paid for my editor, plus fund the next book.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
I started in March of 2023 and finished the first draft Sept 2023. Publishing Oct 2024...so about 1.5 years.
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
I didn't want to wait any longer to publish so I decided to self pub. I think it would have been picked up by an agent, I had 4 agents very very interested in it...but it would take years to get published and I just didn’t want to wait any longer. While I'm writing this series, I'm also writing another series, and I'll attempt trad pubbing then. It's in the same world as Smoke and Mirrors, so there's a chance Smoke and Mirrors will get picked up as well.
What else do you want to share about yourself or your writing?
That I am so grateful for the reading/writing community and I can’t wait for people to meet Vera and Lieve.
Where can readers connect with you?
They can find all my links here.
Elizabeth Gade
Tell us a little about your book(s) like its title, genre, and where readers can find it:
My debut poetry collection "Fawn and Freeze" is a confessional collection of free verse and prose poems about my time being trafficked and my healing journey after. I also have a creative writing workbook "Survived To Write" with affirmations and writing prompts for survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault. Both are available on Amazon.
What does your writing routine look like? Silence or noise, pen or computer, snacks and drinks, time of day, etc.?
My favorite time of day to write is between 3-5am in the morning. Those are my magic hours. I love going to sleep between 8-8:30pm and waking up early to write, before the day gets on me and muddies the waters. I'm my most clear in the mornings, the most true. But mornings are also very very hard for me. Being a trafficking survivor, I struggle with intense nightmares so I'm not always my best self in the mornings. But writing is always the best way to channel that anger or grief or despair. I love to drink an iced coffee and I normally write in silence or a playlist of handpan drums, though I specifically listen to Prof when I'm submitting poetry. I hand write every single poem first. It's a really important part of my process. The handwritten poems marinate for several weeks to months in my journal before I type them up on my laptop and do some minor edits or additions at that time. I am not a heavy editor. I really have learned to trust my process and trust my voice as a poet. I think leaning too heavily into the editing process can really entertain thoughts of self doubt and knowing when to stop. at least for me personally. I also want to see the natural growth and evolution in my own poetry over the years. I don't want to edit that learning curve out.
Plotter, pantser, or in between?
I would say in between. I love a good list, a Venn diagram, making goals and outlines but eventually you have to just dive in and do the work. Trust the process. A lot of times I don't know where a piece is going when I start writing. I have to trust that when I sit down and get my hand moving the ideas will rise up to meet me. Too much planning dampens my creativity, so it's a fine balance.
Where do you keep your writing ideas? Notebook, phone, email thread?
EVERYWHERE. I have the worst memory, so just keeping one neat notebook I write in consecutively is not an option for me. I have like 8 journals I write in randomly, plus the notes app on my phone and voice notes I use alot when driving or I will duck into the bathroom when I'm out in public to voice record a word or phrase or idea for later. I have ingrained the habit in me to write it down NOW because I know I will not remember it later. Capturing the muse is a priority as a writer or an artist, do not feel silly for doing it. Later I will sift through my journals, notes and voice recordings to see what I want to use for a poem. I call it my "mining for gold".
Who reads your writing first? Your spouse, friend, CP, etc.?
Actually, no one. I guess the first would be editors at literary journals when I send my poems out for submission for publication. I do have some friends I sent out a poem or two I'm excited about, but it's very very small percentage of my writing. I don't post poems on social media prior to publication. I don't seek out advice or editing or any outside validation. I feel very strongly that it is between me and the poem, at that moment. I don't ever want to fall into the habit of writing for other people. Or having my authentic voice altered or muddied.
Does reading help you write or distract you?
When I am deep into the writing process of a poetry manuscript I tend to really limit my reading. I love to read, I am an avid reader but I don't have the mental capacity to full engage in both when I am really trying to dig deep creatively.
What (if any) research went into writing your book?
I spent alot of time looking through old journals of mine and spending time with photographs to trigger certain memories. Sometimes I ate certain foods or listened to certain music when writing poems to really invoke that feeling tied to memories and flashbacks.
Being as specific as you want, who is your target audience?
Survivors of human trafficking, but really survivors in general.
What advice would you give your earlier self?
Your dream of being a poet comes true and things get better, so proud of your for hanging on when you didn't see any reason to.
What monetary or numerical goals do you have for your book?
I hope it gets into the hand of every survivor of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault that needs it. I hope it makes them feel less alone. I hope they know their story matters, they matter and I believe in them. I hope long after I am gone, my books are still reaching the hands of survivors and making an impact.
How long did you work on your book from the first idea to the date of release?
18 months
How did you decide on your publishing method (self, indie, trad, etc.)?
I go the traditional route until every single poem has been first published individually in literary journals and anthologies, then I take them and self-publish as a collection. Both parts of the process are really important to me, for different reasons.
What else do you want to share about yourself or your writing?
I run a free to access writing circle called Survived To Write for survivors of human trafficking of all genders 18+. No writing experience needed. I love helping empower other survivors through poetry. Follow us on Instagram @SurvivedToWrite or if you are a human trafficking survivor you can ask questions or learn more at SurvivedToWrite@hotmail.com Also my second poetry collection "Shame Wrangler" is due out 6-12-24.
Where can readers connect with you?
I'm most active on Instagram @ElizabethGadeThePoet but you can also find me on Facebook too!
