Taking inspiration from Vanity Fair's recurrent interviews with Billie Eilish, we're giving our authors the same questions once a year to see how their answers change.
Courtney joined SmashBear after submitting an unedited NaNoWriMo manuscript that wow'd me! She completely captivated me with her badass main character and amazing plot! I cannot hype her up more and I can't wait for you guys to finally read her work!
How many books have you written?
1 and 7/8ths! I'm finishing up book 2 of the Water's Calling series now!
What genre(s) do you write in?
Fantasy
Where does your inspiration come from?
All over the place, really. My current series was inspired by a D&D campaign. I also read voraciously and often find inspiration in the books I consume.
How many followers do you have?
I have around 1200 followers now. I worked to build my following over the last year but I've also blocked a lot of garbage accounts who were not following me to learn about my book or connect on bookstagram!
What’s your advice to future writers?
Keep writing and don't let doubt get in your way. Let people critique your writing and absorb the feedback. It will make you better.
If you were a creature from one of your books, what would it be and why?
Definitely a tempest. Forest fae and fire fae are cool, but the water fae are the coolest. Who wouldn't want to be able to breathe underwater?
What are you currently reading at the moment?
The School for Good and Evil, I'm 85% done and really enjoying it.
Has publishing changed your writing process?
Yes, definitely. I read everything, including my own writing, with a different eye now. I can read a piece and hear my editors' voices commenting on it, which I believe is helping me produce a much better first draft for book 2.