Today on the Indie Author Spotlight at the Seventh Star Blog, we are featuring a great new voice in YA Fiction, M.P. Starkweather! M.P. is the creator of the Hidden Pearl Saga, an engaging blend of science fiction and fantasy, and we invite you to find out about her writing and releases in this brand new interview below!
How would you describe your writing style to a reader who has never read your work before?
I would describe my writing style as mature young adult. I’m on the borderline between young adult and new adult. The general themes would be easy for early teens to understand, but I have been known to write some adult scenes that may not be appropriate.
What genres are you published in, and what do you like most about writing in those genres?
I currently have a poetry book published, and 3 novels in the sci-fi/fantasy genre.
For me, poetry is hit or miss. It’s either there, or it’s not. I don’t write as much of it as I’d like to, but there are occasions when I get inspired. Those are the fun moments for me, watching where the inspiration takes me.
I fell in love with Star Trek at an early age as well as all things fantasy (fairy tales, vampires, magic). I love adding these elements into my stories, and really enjoy being able to weave the magic and technology together.
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?
I am interested in writing romance (which has been an underlying theme in almost everything I’ve written so far), as well as sci-fi and fantasy (separate from each other).
I have always been an avid reader of romance novels, and I love a good love story. I’ve just never written anything where that was the focus of the entire story.
Tell us about your latest release.
My latest release is The Pit of Pierus, which is book 3 in my Hidden Pearl Saga. It is the final book of Zoey’s story (not the end of her story, or the saga, but the end of her adventure). This book takes our hero to the edge and makes the reader wonder if she’s going to make it to the goal. It was an emotional roller coaster to write, and is my favorite of my books so far.
What are you currently working on, in terms of your works in progress?
I am currently working on several new projects, two of which are in the Hidden Pearl Saga, following other characters. I have been focusing most of my energy on two new series that I’m pretty excited about. One is a sci-fi adventure story, and the other is a fantasy academy story. Both have serious potential, and have been planned out so much better than my first series was.
What do you personally find most challenging about the craft of writing?
Outlining. I am not a planner when it comes to stories, at all. For the longest time, I simply wrote whatever popped in my head and then figured out how to fit it all together. Over time, I read a lot of books that suggested there would be far less headache and frustration if I took some time to plan out my story before I dove into it. I am learning from my new projects that this is absolutely true, and I feel like even though it’s a struggle for me, it’s making me a better writer.
What do you view to be your strengths when it comes to writing?
Every person is their own worst critic, including me. This question is by far the most difficult to answer, because I’m really not sure. If I was forced to name something that I feel really good about every time, I would have to say writing emotions. I can bring myself to tears conveying emotion, and my betas always message me that they cried in the exact same places.
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.
Writing has always been a part of me. It’s who I am. I remember in grade school; I was in an afterschool program for creative writing. I wrote a play that I only remember pieces of, but the feeling of creating that world and those characters really stuck with me. I didn’t start to think seriously about being published until after I had published my poetry book the first time (I think it was 2009). I went through a vanity publisher (bad idea), and my father paid for the whole thing (it was his idea, actually). That experience was so bad that I actually stopped writing for a while. I started writing again a few years later; I think it was in late 2013/early 2014 after my son was born. I decided that publishing was a real option after my brother-in-law read one of my stories and wanted to know more.
What do you find to be some of the biggest hurdles in being a writer today?
Actually sitting down to write when the motivation isn’t there is the biggest struggle. I set a goal for 2020 to write every day of the year. 365 days of words on the page, and so far, I’m doing it. I have had days when I didn’t feel well, and only got 5 words, but I’ve had days when the ideas were flowing and I got 5000 words. Consistency is a constant struggle, but I’ll take words on the page every day as a win.
What do you see as the most important advice you could offer a new writer?
I wrote this specific quote in 2018 when I was struggling. Someone in a writing group on Facebook was having similar issues and this just came to me. I posted it, then copy/pasted it in my Google Docs to remind myself that it’s true. Here’s my advice to anyone who wants to write:
Don’t give up. You can do this. One word at a time, one sentence at a time, one paragraph at a time, one page at a time. Just write. Get it all out and fit it together later. It will be ok. Just write.
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Find M.P. Starkweather online at the following links:
Website: https://www.mpstarkweather.com
Publisher: www.phoenixeclipse.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/starkweather_p
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.p.starkweather/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mpstarkweather
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/m.p.bookminions
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/mpstarkweather
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mpstarkweather
Synopsis of the Pit of Pierus: The Pit is a dangerous place. Don’t venture to go there alone. The emotional conclusion of the first part of the Hidden Pearl Saga will take you on a roller coaster of feels. Join Zoey and her friends as they try to defeat the Order and close the rift before it’s too late.
About M.P. Starkweather: M.P. Starkweather is a wife, mother, author, poet, online gamer, self-proclaimed fan-girl and nerd. She writes free form poetry, sci-fi/paranormal, and a little bit of romance. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, playing World of Warcraft with her husband and friends, and playing with her son.
Storytelling is her passion, and she is thrilled to be able to finally share her ideas with the world. She has been using stories and poetry as a creative outlet for more than 30 years, but has only recently chosen to share her work.
Her influences include Shakespeare, Steinbeck, Ann Rice and Nora Roberts. Her favorite genres to read are romance and paranormal. Her favorite contemporary authors are Caroline Peckham, Michelle Madow, and T.M. Cromer.
M.P. is also the co-founder of Phoenix Eclipse, LLC, which is a brand new publishing company. She is currently working on the next book in The Hidden Pearl Saga, as well as other projects.