Welcome back!
We have another ferocious fantasist today.
World, meet Hannah-Louise Smith!
Lover of books, tea and fantasy, she has a joint degree in English literature and history and a Siberian husky named Logan. Awakening and Darkness (first two books in the Mythics and mortals trilogy), are out NOW.
Star Trek or Star Wars?
Star Wars. But only episodes 1-6
DCU or MCU?
MCU, there is more hero variety
Coffee, tea, or cacao?
Tea. Always tea, unless I’m in the mood for a hot chocolate
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I wake up, do my day job in the mornings, come home and work out then I write.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I listen to music as I write and imagine the chapters playing in my head like a film
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I’m always reading. My tbr pile has gotten massively out of control
Is there a trope you find yourself going back to in multiple works? Or one you avoid?
Love triangles, they just are so overly done and predictable.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Two so far. Awakening (Book 1 Mythics and mortals trilogy) is definitely my favourite because it’s my first book.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
There are people and companies that promise to help you get your book out there and they prey on self published authors. It makes is harder for us to get our work seen
Who shot first, Han or Greebo?
Han. No question about it because he obviously knew Greebo would likely take a cheap shot
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Definitely, I’m still fairly knew to self publishing but I now know how to do things properly
Do you write novels, novellas, short stories, episodic fiction, poems, screenplays, or something else? What is your preferred format?
I prefer novels
Are you traditionally or self published? Or both? Do you feel there are advantages to one over the other?
I’m self published and there are positives and negatives on both. With self publishing you get more freedom and can work at your own pace, but you are responsible for marketing your own work
What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters, if anything?
There are specific characters in one of my current books that I’m working on called Gameplay that are based on some real people, it’s my way of saying all the things that I will never get a chance to say, gaining closure in a way.
What is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?
The number 42
What does literary success look like to you?
To me, literary success is having my books out there in the world and having my words read by people.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Probably on social media, I’ve gotten really into TikTok lately so hopefully that and book groups on Facebook are key.
What do you have coming next?
After the first two books in the Mythics and mortals trilogy, I have a dungeons and dragons inspired epic fantasy novel that I’m currently working on. Hopefully it will be released in October 2023, and I will be working on the final instalment of the Mythics and mortals trilogy called Goddess