Hello, readers!
We are getting further into March, and I'm excited to share with you the first update on my writing journey! For this post, I thought I'd share a little with you about the person behind the books - that's me!
Hi, I'm Ellie!👋 I write smut!🌶️
Writing is my favourite thing to do, and I've been obsessed with books my entire life. Becoming a writer has been my dream since I was small, and only in the past few years has it become something tangible for me.
I spent my childhood in Calgary, Canada (Go Flames!), but adulthood had a lot in store for me. I moved. I moved again. And again. Coast-to-coast, North to South. Once. Twice. Finally, SoCal called, and it became home!
Life has a way of sweeping you away - responsibilities take the driver's seat and passion is placed on the back burner. But then that moment hits: when it boils right over, and there's no more ignoring it.
So, I wrote my first book. Creating FOUND was such a labour of love for me. I poured my passion, my fire, all my creative muscle into it. Holding that finished book in my hands was such a euphoric moment. All the hours, the stresses, the excitement, the hope. In that moment, my dream was realized: I became a writer. For real!
Of course a lot of the content in my book was influenced by, well, me, who I am, and my own real world experiences. I am a compulsive tea drinker, much like how Iris loves her coffee. And, like Iris, I'm hugely passionate about animals. I love being outside, like Parker, and I have roots in the LGBTQIA+ community, just as many of the characters in my novel do.
One of the most exciting parts about writing fiction, though, is pulling in things that are completely outside of my own realm of familiarity. I spend a lot of time doing research, learning about new things, and brainstorming outside of the box. Unlike Iris, I'm not a twin, I don't work with animals, and I am the furthest thing from an extrovert! It's so fun to create characters, settings, and plot lines with elements that are totally foreign to me. It's a challenge, but the benefits are invaluable to me as an individual. Oh, how I've grown!
I shape my writing, but my writing also shapes me. It's complex dynamic that has brought such enrichment into my life.
Writing is my favourite thing to do, but there are many other elements that make up the canvas of my life. I'm also an avid reader. I read tons of books - virtually any idle time I have I spend between the pages of a book. My favourite compulsive, unputdownable read is The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond. I highly recommend picking it up from your local library or nearest book store right now! I read it for the first time six years ago, and, still, this one sticks out to me year after year as one of the best I've ever read!
I also love listening to music. I have eclectic tastes, but I primarily listen to alternative. Snow Patrol is my favourite band, and Open Your Eyes remains my favourite song since it was first released in 2006. I love this song so much, in fact, that I have written components of a story hugely inspired by it.
Inspiration is a key component in the writing process. For me, inspiration takes many forms. I think about my favourite time of year, autumn, and how incredible the beauty of the season is. The changing leaves, the cooler weather, and the transition into Halloween and Christmas - just thinking of autumn makes me all tingly inside. The adaptations and shifts that occur in the natural world are stunning. Nature brings me a lot of peace, comfort, and joy. It heals and motivates all at once.
Nothing makes me feel more ready to take on a new day than a piping-hot cup of tea. I am a self-professed obsessive tea drinker, and my drug of choice is earl grey. If I'm feeling bougie, I'll head to Starbucks for a London Fog, otherwise I have it black at home. I consume cup after cup after cup. Tea is my fuel. Mm. Tastes like inspiration!
I am very much an introvert. But something about connecting with others, even if it's a simple, Good morning! to a stranger, or chitchatting with someone in the checkout line of Target, is hugely inspiring to me. We are all people, living our own lives, but a quick, micro connection can inspire me with that little extra bit of oomph.
And on the topic of connection, the most heart-filling form of inspiration to me is witnessing the genuine, uninhibited bond of love. I love love! Whether it's between friends, lovers, families, or even strangers showing each other kindness, love is everywhere. And it's beautiful! In all its unique forms! Love is love!
Thank you for following along with me, readers! Stay in the loop and keep up-to-date by following me on Instagram! I'll have lots of updates coming your way soon. Life as an indie author is such a ride, and there is so much about it I can't wait to share!
Until next time,
xxx Ellie