Meet the Author: Emily Michel

New year, new feature
Yes, I know it's March. I've been swamped. Authoring and Editing are hard and take a lot of brain stuff. Energy, yeah, that's the word I was looking for.
 
Anyhoo...
Author Interviews are coming soon. I've been doing this gig for five years now and have made tons of author friends. I think you might like their books. Here's their chance to convince you. 
 
I'll go first.
 
What finally made you decide to write a novel?
My husband was deployed for something like the fifth time. My kids were both in school. Army Wife things were okay, but mostly unfulfilling. I got bored and decided to write down the stories I told myself to help get to sleep at night. It took me almost seven years, but Witch Hazel & Wolfsbane was published in February 2019.
 
What is the most challenging aspect of being an author for you?
When I started, it was finishing a story. Now, hands down, it's marketing. I understand the concepts but seem to have a disconnect between the understanding and the implementation.
 
What piece of advice do you have for a new author?
Find a way to make writing a long-term, sustainable habit. That includes all the other authoring stuff like revising, editing, marketing, and business. This will differ from person to person based on care obligations, disability, jobs, strengths, personality, finances, and many, many other factors. And what works for one author won't work for another. Even if your very favorite author in the whole wide world swears by getting up at 4:30 every morning to write for an hour doesn't mean it will work for you. Some things you will know right away won't (or will) work for you. Detailed outlines have *never* worked for me. I either get bored or frustrated or both and only complete the project if required (hello college essays). There will be quite a bit of trial and error. And that's fine! If something isn't working for you, it's okay to stop and try something else. That thing might come in handy when you're at a different point in your story or career. Or maybe never. Keep what works, discard what doesn't. Don't feel guilty about either.
 
What do you need to set the mood for writing?
I have multicolor fairy lights on a soothing blinking pattern, a scented candle (which depends on mood and time of year, but often a woodsy smell), and the playlist for my book. That playlist can be very eclectic. When I'm in the throes of editing, I often switch to instrumental or spa-type music. I don't eat while writing. I like coffee in the morning and non-caffeinated hot tea (winter) or cold beverages (summer) in the afternoon.
 
What was your favorite book as a child?
I have a much beloved copy of Grimms' Fairy Tales. It's over 40 years old now and I remember reading it over and over as a kid. 
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