Tell us a little about yourself!
My name is Steff, and I write New Adult Romantic Suspense. I grew up adventuring in the beautiful forests of New Hampshire, where I live and play with my husband, two sons, and lovable pup. I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in fantastical worlds, writing stories as young as third grade, and my love for breathing life onto the page has only grown since.
What led or inspired you to start writing fiction? And how did you end up choosing your specific genre(s)?
I’ve always loved writing fiction! I think it’s something that was born in me. My dad is an author as well, and both of my sons love to read.
As for the genre, it surprised me when my first book baby leaned into Romantic Suspense territory over Romantasy. I read tons of Romantasy, and almost all the books I love have magic in them, but the story that set my soul on fire didn’t end up incorporating magic at all. It has a very romantasy-type feel, with lots of action, suspense, and romance, but no magic whatsoever and is set in an alternate version of our modern world. I leaned into what excited me as a writer and reader and trusted the story that poured out.
Moving forward, I’ll likely write both Romantic Suspense and Romantasy stories. All my work will have the same feel and balance of action/suspense/romance, with or without magic.
What’s your most recently published book? What’s it about?
My debut novel, Into the Fire, came out in October! It’s a New Adult Romantic Suspense about nineteen-year-old Melanie Snow’s quest to uncover what happened to her parents the night they unexpectedly died, which leads her to fight against hidden government corruption.
What has been the most challenging part of being an indie (self-pubbed) author? How have you tackled that challenge?
For me, the most challenging part has definitely been balancing the enormous workload involved in creating a successful business and book launch with my responsibilities as a mom, wife, friend, daughter, and functional human. I have two kids, one of which is a toddler, and a lot of real-life obligations beyond. It’s sort of like trying to launch and grow a business without any hours in the day allocated to that business – because despite how important this is to me, it’s not a “real job,” at least not yet, and I have no childcare or ability to allocate scheduled time to it without shirking those other obligations. Besides, my family will always come first.
I tackle this by working on writing every single free moment I get. Four a.m. wake-ups, late nights, working during naptime… every free moment is spent on making this book launch a success. It’s not something I could keep up at this pace forever, but now the book has launched, it will get easier and I can shift my focus back to drafting, and tasks will have less urgency (I hope!)
What has been the most delightful or fulfilling part of being an author?
When readers love my characters and story, it’s an amazing feeling.
Tell us a bit about your process. Do you write every day? Do you have a specific coffee shop where you write? (What’s working for you, in other words?)
My process during book launch time is very different from my normal process, because of the amount of non-drafting work I’m trying to accomplish. I do try to write every day, usually in the morning, since that’s when my creativity tends to flow best. Very early mornings work well for me because the kids are still asleep, the house is quiet, and I can sink into my fictional world/my characters’ minds better as a result. Going for a drive with coffee and music tends to get my creativity flowing better than anything else, so if I have the chance, I always take a “writing drive” prior to diving into the story.
What tips do you have for other authors working on their books? Things you’ve learned that you like to share with newer authors?
A couple things that helped me get to this point are: 1. Writing even when I don’t “feel it” that day, even if it’s just a couple hundred words and they’re crap, and 2. Writing forward instead of re-editing what I’ve already written. The second is hard for me, even now, but I learned through writing Into the Fire that if I let myself continue to go over what I just wrote, I’ll never move onto the next scene!
What was it like working with Andrea and/or Michele of Two Birds?
Andrea and Michele are both wonderful! They were responsive and met deadlines with flying colors, willing to answer any and all questions I had throughout the process, and their feedback was insightful and comprehensive. They without a doubt helped Into the Fire become the best version of itself and I will work with them on every future project.
How did you end up choosing to work with us? What is the most helpful tip you can offer to authors who, like you, want to find the right editor for their books?
I asked several copy/line editors for sample edits, and specifically looked for an editor who would do an excellent job without changing my voice or style. Many of the sample edits I received changed those things, and some even gave incorrect suggestions (one in particular added so many unnecessary -ing’s!) Andrea’s edits were high quality and ensured my grammar, word choice, etc. were the best they could be, while still maintaining the voice of my characters and flow of my specific style. She was so thorough and gave the reasoning behind why she was suggesting the changes she was. To be honest, none of the other samples I received came close to hers. Because of my experience with Andrea, I trusted working with Michele would also be wonderful, and it was.
I would urge authors to get as many sample edits as possible, then go with the editor who gives them that excited feeling about their story’s potential and their opportunity to make it shine. Trust is a huge factor in working with someone!
Where can authors and readers connect with you, and find your books?
My books are available on Amazon and on my website. The eBook will be on KU as of pub day, and paperbacks and hardbacks are available as well. I’m also around on social media, with Instagram being my most active platform.
Is there anything we haven’t asked but that you’d like to add?
I’d love to connect with other authors and readers! One thing I’ve adored about this journey has been the supportive community I’ve found through it. I never expected to meet so many amazing people, and having a tribe makes every step in the process better, so feel free to reach out and say hi!
Have questions about the editing process? We’d love to chat with you and help you figure out your next steps. Contact us to set up a free sample edit.
Sign up to receive our Substack newsletter, full of more helpful info and exclusive content.
