Reading by Deb: INTERVIEW with AMANDA SHELLEY

Amanda Shelley writes romantic stories you can escape into. Some are steamy, others are sweet but all have strong characters with a little bit of sass.

When not writing, Amanda enjoys time with her family, playing chauffeur, chef and being an enthusiastic fan for her children. Keeping up with them keeps her alert and grounded in reality. She enjoys long car rides, chai lattes and popping her SUV into four-wheel drive for adventures anywhere.

Amanda loves hearing from readers. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter and follow her on social media. Join her reader’s group Amanda’s Army of Readers to stay up to date on her latest information.

When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I honestly wasn’t aware I wanted to be a writer until I was about 35 years old. I’d always been a reader and this one story just wouldn’t stop coming to my head… so I wrote it. I never thought anyone would see it, let alone have it published.

I eventually had 4 kids and life got in the way. As I went through my divorce, I knew I wanted to write my own happily ever after. So I did (The Resilience Duet).

I am a firm believer in being a life-long learner, so I attended conferences, took classes, and found what it takes to be a self-published author. I found a team of people to work with. It started with find a writing bestie, and we navigated this self-publishing together in a sense. We bounced ideas off one another, took classes and shared what we learned and became each other’s beta readers. After attending a conference in 2017, I found an editor and a proofreader. I set out to have at least 4 books ready to publish before releasing book one because I knew I would have to figure out the business side of things as well and wanted to take off some of the pressure I knew would be coming my way when I had to write that next book.

Did you have any influencing writers growing up?

I have always loved to read. I tended to go into reading binges. I found an author I loved and devoured their entire backlist. There were honestly too many to think of offhand.

As an adult, I found I loved books that told a great story and made me feel all the feels. Being a teacher and a mom of eventually 4 kids, I didn’t have a lot of time to read much though. I honestly can credit Stephanie Meyer and E.L. James for getting me back into reading heavily again.

When my kids were little, I read a lot during the summer while they were sleeping. It got to where I was reading hundreds of books a year because I gave up watching TV. Again, I found authors I enjoyed and devoured their backlists. I have at least 10-15 authors to this day that I will automatically one-click their books if they have a release because of it. Eventually, I became an ARC reader for Marquita Valentine and many of my favorite authors like Corinne Michaels, Meghan March, Penelope Ward, Lauren Rowe, Ruth Cardello. Each wrote such amazing stories and created worlds I never wanted to leave. But it was Marquita who opened my eyes to the idea of self-publishing.

Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

I wouldn’t say any of my characters are based on people in real life. But I do pull characteristics or specific predicaments from real life situations. My best friend jokes that all my characters are a version of me at times… I’m not sure I do that intentionally though.

Wait… there is a side character Jack that shows up in a few of my books. His spunkiness was influenced from my uncle.

Sometimes when I write a scene with a kid, it is influenced on experience of my own kids or how I think they might handle things.

Where do you draw your book inspirations from?

I get my inspiration from everywhere. Sometimes I will think of a small scene and an entire novel is written based upon those characters.

Since I mainly write in one world, I often get inspiration for my next book when I have a side-character show up and need their backstory. I typically know what their story will be before I write their book to connect with it later. I don’t always have the details, but I understand how they link together both in the current book and in the future.

Do you have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?

When I start a story, I know the major conflict and how my characters will react to it. I also know some major plot points. But I am a total pantser for how I get from beginning to end.

When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?

Sometimes yes, other times no. I’m a bit strange and typically write my blurbs first. I typically have my covers done early so I will use the image I find for the cover as inspiration, but that isn’t always the case.

Sometimes I have the character in my mind. I created them in a previous book or they are what came to mind when I started plotting the book.

Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?

My favorite way to sit back and relax is finding a comfy chair, kicking back, putting my feet up and read. All I need is my unsweetened iced tea and my e-reader. Sometimes I’ll enjoy an audio book while walking or doing chores too.

I can read just about anywhere… in the car waiting for my kids to finish an activity, in passenger seat as someone else drives, my couch or bed. I will admit it’s always better if it’s in a chair at the beach.

Other ways I relax going on long drives or just hanging with my family and watching something on TV together.

Who are your favorite current authors to read?

Whew… this is a long list. I’m sure I’ll miss someone but here are a few just off the top of my head – in no particular order. Brittney Sahin, Penelope Ward, Marie Force, Lauren Rowe, Corinne Michaels, Amy Daws, Sawyer Bennett, Meghan March, Stephanie Meyer, Megan Quinn, Lauren Blakley, Ruth Cardello, CL Collier, Pippa Grant, Vi Keeland, Melanie Harlow, Tammy Falkner, Rachel Van Dyken, Sara Ney, Pepper Winters and so many more.

What are your favorite books by others?

Gah… that’s like asking who’s your favorite child. I love the one I’m with the most… don’t you? I absolutely love Tammy Falkner’s Reed Brothers series. I reread it often. I also can’t get enough of Brittney Sahin’s Stealth Opts series which spin off into her entire catalogue. But then again, I love everything the authors I mentioned above have written… so yeah… I don’t have a favorite.

Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?

Yes. I write most of my books set in the Pacific Northwest. I live in Vancouver, WA and a lot of my books are set in this area. The Boy Upstairs starts in Colorado (which happens to be a place I visited while on vacation) and He Saved My Boy starts in Texas, but they always have a PNW connection. I also created an entire multi-author series set in Seaside, Oregon.

Do you write in single or multiple POV?

I write from the perspective of multiple POV. I usually alternate chapters between the main two characters.

What do you find to be your best research tool?

Google is definitely my friend. I also will reach out to someone who specializes in a field if I have a question and know someone that might have a similar job to my character.

Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?

Yes, Amanda Shelley is my pen name. It is the only one I write under at this time.

What genre do you write and why is this your preference?

I write steamy contemporary romance. My books have characters that are relatable. My characters are sweet and sexy with a bit of sass thrown in. I’ve got a mix of tropes built in… Sports Romance – both football and basketball, Military Romance, Single Mom, College Romance, Fake Dating, One Night Stands, and I’ve got a lot more coming.

Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?

Outside of writing, I am a single mom to four girls ranging from 11 to 17. We are always on the go. They keep me on my toes, trust me. I love every moment. I also have been an elementary school teacher for over 20 years.

I am always down for a road trip and love to travel. I love traveling both locally and on a plane. I take every chance I can to visit the beach.

If you are a duo writing team, how do you share the writing process?

I am not, but this is something I wouldn’t be opposed to if the timing was right.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

It may sound old, but just keep writing. Write that next book. Just keep your head down and write that next book. It’s far easier to edit word on the page, than a blank one.

Give yourself grace and make realistic expectations for yourself.

Don’t compare yourself to others. You will never be anyone other than you.

Find good editors. (They don’t have to be expensive, but they do have to know what they’re doing. If you don’t know where to start, look in the backmatter of your favorite author’s books. Their editors will usually be listed.)

Find a team of editors to work with as each specialize in something different. I can’t tell you how much my developmental editor has helped me grow as a writer. I love that I can count on my line editor and proofreader to make my books pretty and be the quality I want to publish.

Get a good cover – unfortunately people do judge a book by its cover. But again, you don’t have to break the bank. You can get stock images and work with an affordable designer who is known for designing books in your genre.

Treat being an author like a business. Write like an artist to get the words on a page but make financial decisions as the CEO of your empire.

Oh, one more craft nugget… it’s hard at first, but read your writing aloud as you self-edit. It will help you catch things, and you can hear the flow/pacing better.

Find author groups to join who write similar genres for both craft and the business side of things. This is a very isolating job. It takes a village to succeed. Remember other authors aren’t your competition. No one can possibly write as much as the readers can consume.

Start a Newsletter NOW. It’s the only form of social media you completely control and back up your subscriber list often.

Grab all your social media handles ASAP so they match. Try to get a website with just your author name.com as well. Make it easy for people to find you.

How do you deal and process negative book reviews?

I read them… and sure some hurt, but most of the time I just move on. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I get that my writing won’t always float everyone’s boat. If they’re constructive I take it into consideration. Sometimes reviewers make me chuckle because if they go the effort of writing a review positive or negative, I take it as a win… I made them feel something. I also get a chuckle about people who complain about the genre itself, but continue to read every book I write. Either way, I focus on the positive reviews.

Side note – when you get a few inspiring reviews, screen shot them and look at them when nothing is going right, and you feel like throwing in the towel. They are worth their weight in gold for motivation!

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

I kind of have two parts to this, but if you’re talking about the writing craft, it’s when I’m in between events in the book and it’s not transitioning as I wanted to. I also think finding the time to write prove to be difficult because it’s easy to get bogged down with life and all the other author things that come with this gig.

The second part that’s difficult is balancing all the aspects of being an author. It truly is a juggling act sometimes. As an indie author, you get to wear ALL the hats. You get to write the book, edit the book, and promote the book. You get to write the newsletters, post on social media and keep people interested in you between releases.

I personally can get lost in the business side of things if I’m not careful and not allocate enough time to actually write the words. Writing the words is what builds my backlist and I try to keep that in mind when I find myself not writing the words as often as I should.

What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?

Oddly enough, I can write anywhere, and I have. From a crowed coffee shop to the bleachers at my kids basketball practice, I am able to write. I started with toddlers crawling all over me as I wrote while they watched their favorite cartoon and now that they are teenagers, I will still watch a movie with them in the evening or on the weekend and write. I don’t get a lot of time to write so I got to make it count when I can.

Things that keep me focused are having my cup of iced tea (or any beverage at the ready). I also have found having a timer is productive for me too. When I find myself stuck or not quite in the flow, I do 20-minute sprints. No checking my phone, looking on the internet, and I put my Word document on “Focus” mode.

I sometimes will put on headphones and play a song on repeat or listen to music without words. I also will listen to songs I know well. Somehow, I am able to really get into a zone by doing this. I can’t quite describe the experience, but it works.

What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?

Hmmm… that’s a hard one. I will sometimes treat myself to chocolate or chips as I write. If I’m struggling, I will reward myself after completing a sprint with something. But I’m pretty basic as I write.

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?

I’ve been lucky and have been able to meet and hang out with a few of my favorite authors at conferences. Trust me, I had to psych myself up and NOT fangirl over them. But just talking with them about everyday things was a lot of fun.

But I think I would love to spend the day with Rachel Van Dyken. I met her briefly once at a signing as a reader, but I think it would be amazing to just hang out with her. She seems so genuine and would love to get to know her better. Her brain is insanely brilliant and I would love to just get a glimpse of it in person!

What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?

We’re supposed to have schedules??? Ha… have I mentioned I am a single mom of 4 teenage girls, teach full time and write in my spare time?

When I am on a deadline – I have to set them or words won’t get done on time! I try to write daily. Even if it is just for 20 minutes.

This may not be what the question is asking, but since you asked my schedule, it’s more of a big picture schedule than a daily one.

First, I create deadlines. I look at when I want to release a book (I’ve learned to be very realistic about my time so I don’t over schedule myself). Once I have a release date set, I work backwards. I go back one month and schedule my proofreader. Then about 3 weeks before that, I schedule my line editor. Then in an ideal situation, I go back a month before that and schedule my developmental editor. I schedule these dates with them, so I am held accountable.

Once I know when my first official deadline is, I start counting back how many days between now and then. I take my days available to write and divide that by how many words I’m expecting to write for the complete story. Now I have my expected word count to meet each day. So that I don’t put too much pressure on myself, I try to average that for the week when I write.

When I am not crashing down on a deadline, Then I try to write a minimum of 500 to 700 words. I know I can usually get that in less than an hour or so depending on the day.

When I sit down to write. I do have a routine. I typically am a clean writer, meaning I edit as I go. To get into the flow of what I’m writing, I start by reading what I’ve written the day before. Or at least the previous chapter if I was on a roll and got a lot of words in. When I’m finished, I start a timer and begin writing for the next twenty minutes.

I am never without an iced tea nearby. I typically don’t eat a lot of snacks as my hands are on my keyboard.

Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?

Not always, but I often do. In my chaotic life with four kids the noise is sometimes enough around me. When I do, I will often listen to songs that have the same feeling of the mood I’m writing. Sometimes it will be the same song on repeat, others it will be the same genre. It truly depends on what I’m in the mood for.

Artists I often listen to are Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Green Day, Twenty-One Pilots, Death Cab for Cutie, 5 Seconds of Summer, Adele, and lots of country too. It’s whatever I’m in the mood for.

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?

YES… all the time. We have 3 cats and Alice likes to come and lay across my arms as I type or try to be in my lap. But as I’m rarely at a desk and my laptop is usually there, it gets impossible to write.

What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?

My kryptonite as a writer is if I get angry or upset before I must write or if my girls are nagging at each other and I can hear it.

I also sometimes totally freeze up before writing a spicy scene if or as bad as it seems, I also will freeze if I KNOW I have a deadline. Writer’s block is real and it sucks.

How I usually get myself out of it if it’s really bad is start at the beginning of my book and start editing. It makes it so I’m not wasting my time because it’s something I will have to do anyway. It also gets me back in the flow and usually the words will start again.

I also try changing perspectives. Maybe I’m writing the chapter from the wrong POV. I try it and usually I become unstuck.

Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?

Nope. I haven’t killed off a character they know… someone they loved before the book starts… well that’s another story.

How do you celebrate after typing THE END?

I immediately pull up the song “You F***ing Did It” By Jason Mraz on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjfKskJQJnk

I play it once for myself. If I can I go for a drive and blast it on my radio.

If I finish late into the night – because for some reason I typically write the end in the wee hours of the morning. I will wait the next morning. NO matter when I finish, the next time I drive my car I’m blasting that song.

I don’t do much… but this is my thing. My kids always get subjected to the song and it’s kind of a joke that “Mom finally finished her book last night”

I hope you enjoyed this interview!

Check out all my interview/reviews for Amanda Shelley!

https://readingbydeb.blogspot.com/2024/04/author-at-glance-amanda-shelley.html

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Connect with Amanda:

Email: authoramandashelley@gmail.com

Website:
www.amandashelley.com

Amazon:
https://amzn.to/3xs7nK8

Kobo:
https://geni.us/ASKOBOPLUS

Barnes & Noble:
https://geni.us/AmandaShelleyBN

Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AmandaShelley

Radish:
https://geni.us/AmandaShelleyRadish