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Author Interview:
Helen Harper
By Sara Secora, February 5th 2019
INTRODUCTION TO HELEN HARPER
Scottish native Helen Harper is the author of the hugely popular Blood Destiny series, as well as the gritty urban fantasy Bo Blackman books and the romantic Olympiana novels. A self-confessed cat lady with an over-active imagination, she spends her time lost in fantastical worlds filled with kickass heroines, intricate legends and lots and lots of dangerous excitement.
WHAT DREW YOU INTO WRITING?
It was actually initially nothing more than a stress release! I was
promoted at work and found myself juggling so many balls that I was
going crazy. I read urban fantasy as a way to escape the pressures of
daily life and then, when I couldn’t find anything else to read in that
genre, I wrote my own. It was never with a view to publish. I was just
writing for myself. It still seems amazing to me that now I get to write full time.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE GENRE TO WRITE WITHIN, AND WHY?
Urban Fantasy. It’s the perfect escape. As UF books take place in a
modern setting, it’s easy to imagine yourself as part of that world. The
characters are always strong and powerful and get to experience all
sorts of things which are technically impossible but imaginatively amazing.
WITH A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL BOOKS UNDER YOUR BELT, WHAT'S YOUR WRITING GOAL?
I’d like to branch out into other genres one day but I love what I do so
much and there are so many more fantasy stories in my head still begging
to be told that I’m not sure I’ll ever get there!
WHICH OF YOUR BOOK SERIES DO YOU WISH HAD MORE SPOTLIGHT?
The Dreamweaver series. There are three books in total, following an
agoraphobic young woman called Zoe who can only find an escape through
her dreams. It’s not your typical UF series by any means and Zoe has a
lot of issues to work through. Out of everything I’ve written, I feel
it’s the most realistic, however.
WHAT DOES YOUR WRITING PROCESS LOOK LIKE?
I start with a germ of an idea, which pushes at me and demands to get
written. Sometimes it’s just a character or sometimes it’s a scene or a
plot point. I’m a pantser rather than a plotter so the ideas come as I
write – I don’t plan out what happens. That way it’s (hopefully) as
exciting for me to see what unfolds and what happens as it is for a reader!
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THE SELF-PUBLISHING ROUTE?
As I never really planned to become a writer, self-publishing just
seemed like the natural progression. I only released my first books to
Amazon on a whim! I’ve never sought a traditional route and as an
independent author I feel I have far more control over every stage of
the process. I get help with editing and book cover design from some
wonderful people who I’ve worked with almost from the very start and I
can’t imagine doing things any other way.
WHO ARE YOUR THREE BIGGEST AUTHOR INSPIRATIONS?
Stephen King. Not only is he a pantser too but he writes beautifully,
with immensely readable books that carry you along and which are
impossible to put down.
Ilona Andrews. They’re actually a writing couple who are at the very top
of the urban fantasy game and whose books I have to snap up as soon as
they’re out!
Amanda Hocking. Although it’s been some time since I’ve read any of her
books, it was her story as an independent author that gave me the push
to self-publish in the first place.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The good – My characters become very real to me when I’m writing. I feel
their pains and woes and celebrate their successes. I can often be found
sobbing when things go wrong for them too!
The bad – There is always (ALWAYS) a point in each book where I am
convinced that I have no skill and that what I am writing is the worst
thing ever. Then I go and read all my bad reviews and feel even worse.
It can be a very lonely job sometimes. Fortunately, the moment always
passes. It’s hard at the time though!
The ugly – When I tell people I’m a writer, they often seem to think
it’s a very glamorous life. Usually, however, it’s me slumped in a
chair, wearing slobby clothes and guzzling coffee by the gallon. It’s
not a pretty picture!
IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR PAST SELF ADVICE ON WRITING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Don’t worry about what people think!
Just write that book and have fun in the process.
Check out helen harper's books
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Sara Secora
Author of the Amethysta Trilogy and the Poet behind Dear Wallflower, Sara Secora dons’ various creative hats, all of which brim beneath her curiosity and imagination. Whether wielding a pen or microphone, Secora expresses herself day by day through the art of words. You can find her in the heart of Metro Detroit, Michigan, working as a professional voice actress, while continuing to write whimsical stories full of enchantment, mystique, and insight—destined to intrigue readers of any age.
To learn more, please visit: www.SaraSecora.com
