It's Monday again - funny how that keeps happening!
But it's a GOOD thing, because we have another Author Interview today!
Everyone, meet Amey Zeigler. Amey Zeigler is an award-winning author of romantic comedies and mysteries. Her laugh-out-loud Rom-Com, The Swiss Mishap, won third place in the Book Buyer's Best for Contemporary Romance. Her ten years of theater training in college and high school inspired her to narrate her own books. She spins stories with humor, charm, and heart, often with a dash of action and adventure. When she's not writing, she is teasing her three kids, globe-trotting with her husband (for book research of course!), or trying new things.
X and instagram: @ameyzeigler
TT @ameyzeiglerauthor
Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Wars OG (not the new stuff!)
A book you’re looking forward to release (by someone else)? I’ve been busy but I’m trying to get to Forrest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie. I have it sitting right next to me, but something always comes up!
A book that pleasantly surprised you? Tress of the Emerald Sea.
*When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? When I was nine and I read every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. I loved reading and would often escape into other worlds. I knew I wanted to do that for someone else.
*When did you write your first book and how old were you? I was about nine or ten. It was a romance about a grade school girl whose parents went on vacation and she had to stay at her crush’s house. I still think it would make a great story. My friend Sonja illustrated it for me.
*What do you like to do when you’re not writing? I have three kids, so there’s that. I also help out in local ways: I volunteer at my church as a youth pastor, I help out with our local food bank about once a month and I sew quilt tops for kids in crisis through the Linus Connection.
*Is there a trope you find yourself going back to in multiple works? Or one you avoid? I love enemies to Lovers trope. It’s just so fun to do!
*How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? 14 published book now (I think!) I really think The Swiss Mishap or The Casserole Dish are my favorite because they are so personal and based on personal experiences. They represent my own growth and change.
*Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they? Read other books, read everything, in your genre, out of your genre. Also get feedback, the right feedback. Get a good editor. Read these books: Story Genius by Lisa Cron, Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brodie and The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass.
*What do you think makes a good story? Hope and change. Hope to become better, to learn, to find what is lost, to heal, to grow. And having the courage to change what’s broken in your life.
*Does a big ego help or hurt writers? Ego kills talent. Humility nurtures it. (Not my words)
*Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? Yes! I have a Young Adult Fantasy series I would love to write under a pen name, Amy LeDuc. Also, sometimes I want to write something completely fun and frivolous, but my audience would probably freak out, like “The Demon Lord’s Secret Baby” or something like that. Yeah, I’d have to use a pen name for that one.
*Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? I wish I could just write something not original. It’s both a blessing and a curse to try to do things a little bit differently, but it takes longer for those who are original to become popular. If you’re going to be original, you have to be persistent and patient.
*What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer? I am so inspired by Brandon Sanderson (he called me a colleague once!) and Jennifer A. Neilson. They both know who I am, so that means we’re friends, right? I love the way Brandon is always to good to his readers. And Jen is such a nourishing person. She wants everyone to succeed. I want to be like them.
*Who shot first, Han or Greedo? Han
*If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Keep going. You’ll get there. Just continue and don’t quit. This side of the struggle is so good. But there are more struggles ahead. (Learn marketing, not just writing skills!)
*Are you traditionally or self published? Or both? Do you feel there are advantages to one over the other? Hybrid. I started out in trad publishing. I love the advantages of both. I love my small press. They walked me through everything and helped me learn the ropes of publishing. They believed in me. But I love the flexibility, the control and the versatility of indy pub.
What do you have coming next?
NEXT? Third book in the Helping of Hope Series. I’d like to start my YA fantasy pen name and launch that series. I have a few books written in it. It’s called the Stichbinding Chronicles. First book is A Weave Of A Thousand Lies. So look for that. But I want the series complete and launch the whole thing all together, hopefully by the end of next year. I also have some more Rom-com books coming out in 2024.
Thank you, this was fun!
