Today on the Indie Author Spotlight at the Seventh Star Blog we are featuring Anna Bowman, author of Black Recluse, a steampunk/sci-fi novel that kicks off the Roanoke Desperados Series! Anna is a fantastic writer and we invite you to learn more about her, and her work, in this new interview!
How would you describe your writing style to a reader who has never read your work before?
Escapist? I’m not really 100% sure how I would describe it, but I try to leave out over-descriptive details and allow the reader to fill those in on their own. In the words of Elmore Leonard, “I try to leave out the parts people skip.” Mainly because I’m guilty of doing a lot of skipping when I read.
What genres are you published in, and what do you like most about writing in those genres?
Sort of a cross between steampunk/sci-fi. I have other things I’m working on that would be considered more speculative fiction. I like the fact you can create your own reality. Nobody can come and say, “hey this isn’t accurate” because it’s my world and I get to decide what does and doesn’t belong in it.
Are there any genres that you would like to explore that you have not yet been published in? If so, then what interests you about potentially writing in those genres?
Probably contemporary fantasy. I tend to read a lot of books in that genre and I think it would be fun to switch gears from what I have been working on.
Tell us about your latest release.
( Telling people about my writing is the part I’m really bad at ) Ok, it’s called Black Recluse–the first in a steampunk/sci-fi series. There is a little bit of romance, adventure, airships, possible intrigue, things like that.
What are you currently working on, in terms of your works in progress?
I am currently working on edits for the sequel to Black Recluse, and about halfway done. I have other stuff in various stages of done, but this is the one I’m really trying to focus on and finish.
What do you personally find most challenging about the craft of writing?
Meeting my own ideals of perfection. I hold myself to a much higher standard than I do other writers, and I struggle with being satisfied that my writing will ever be “good enough” to meet that standard.
What do you view to be your strengths when it comes to writing?
I’m not really sure. Dialogue maybe? I enjoy writing banter riddled exchanges.
Tell us a little about your path to becoming a writer, including when you decided to pursue writing with a goal of becoming published and what initially drew you toward writing and storytelling.
I’m not convinced it isn’t some kind of a curse. I think I started writing when I was around ten, and have done it off and on ever since. I couldn’t tell you why I started, but stopping isn’t something that is an option. Becoming published is a natural next step I think, as far as writing goes. I think deep down we all want to share our work and find an audience.
What do you find to be some of the biggest hurdles in being a writer today?
Probably learning the non-writer aspect of it. Marketing and self-promotion is something you’re going to have to do no matter which publishing path you take. Being true to your own creativity is also an emerging challenge, as a lot of people want to dictate what some people should or shouldn’t write about.
What do you see as the most important advice you could offer a new writer?
Run. Hahah. On a serious note? Being willing to take advice from other writers and working to improve your craft really is important. It’s like anything; the more you work at it you better you will get.
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Synopsis: In a dead-end Skyport on the planet called Roanoke, the only clues Rayn has to her past are a medallion with a mysterious inscription and the knack for repairing firearms. Plagued by the feeling she doesn’t belong, Rayn’s world changes forever when airship Captain, Solomand Black bursts into her shop looking for a gunsmith. In the wake of trouble he brings with him, she has no choice but to accept his offer and set out on a journey which will ultimately lead her to discover the truth of who she is. But can the hapless pilot be trusted? As they cross paths with government agents seeking a dangerous war criminal, Rayn must decide which side of a war she belongs on and learn the painful lesson that some things are best left forgotten.
Find Anna Bowman online at the following links:
Website: https://www.aebowman.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraebowman
twitter: https://twitter.com/AEBowman3