LQ: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
NA: OK. Well, I’ve been writing since I was six years old, with the aim
of becoming an author. Before I could even spell my name, I was asking
people to write my stories on pink order tickets, that I stole from my
father’s restaurant. When I turned 9, I visited DC Comics HQ in NYC to
try and get a comic published, and I sent out my first query letters
at 14.
LQ: What does your writing process look like?
NA: I am in a constant state of brainstorming. Whether I am taking a
shower or eating breakfast, some part of my brain is gathering ideas.
I have several binders where I jot notes, bits of dialogue, scene
descriptions, etc. When I feel like I have a good beginning and a good
ending, I’ll start writing in earnest. I edit as I work, go back and
re-edit the next day, edit the following week, then when the book is
done go through a final edit.
LQ: What was your favorite book to write so far?
NA: Probably my last two books equally, Ages of Aenya and The Princess
of Aenya. I finally got to the point where I felt I could trust my
instincts and no longer doubt every sentence.
LQ: Who is your favorite character to write about?
NA: Probably Thelana. I think she’s unique to the fantasy genre, a
hunter/warrior who was raised in a peaceful, primitive utopia. To
survive, she’s had to adapt, but she continually yearns for a life she
can never return to. She is also, like myself, a nudist/naturist, so
she almost never wears clothes, but this is in no way meant to
titillate readers—she’s naked in a natural, innocent way, like
Tarzan, and survivors on Naked & Afraid, and my Spartan ancestors.
It’s a tough concept to sell in this Fifty Shades of Grey world, but
I’ve always been taught good writers pioneer new ways of thinking and
challenge social norms.
LQ: Who are your favorite authors? Have any of them influenced your work?
NA: I like a lot of the classics. My biggest influence is probably
Homer, HP Lovecraft, the Grimms Brothers, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and
Robert Howard.
LQ: How are you doing during the current pandemic?
NA: So far so good! At least I get the chance to hop into another world.
LQ: What are you currently working on?
NA: The Feral Girl. It’s a prequel novella about Thelana, exploring how
she survived on her own in the jungle, and how she deals with
loneliness in a world that rejects her people.
LQ: Anything else you would like to share?
NA: Yes. My most recent book, The Princess of Aenya, is getting
tremendously positive reviews. My fans are very passionate about it.
But being an indie author, a lot of people just won’t give it a
chance, or want me to sell it for 50 cents. I maintain the belief that
a genuinely great book deserves shelf space at every major bookstore
(assuming we have those after the pandemic), but the indie route may
be a necessary step to getting the big publishers to notice you.
That’s my goal anyway. A million copies or bust.