Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Welcome, Alexa Sullivan

Don’t Give Up on Finding Your Voice

 

I stared at another email from my agent, informing me that a publisher had once again passed on my manuscript. Dejected, I wondered how I was ever going to get over the seemingly 100-foot-high publication gate guarded by mysterious, faceless people my agent was corresponding with. The feedback she kept passing me was incredibly vague – my book just “wasn’t for” the person in question or “didn’t quite captivate” them. What was I doing wrong?

 

This was many years ago. At the time, I was trying to be a YA fantasy writer in a sea of such writers. After several years of working with that agent and failing to get three separate YA books through the publication gauntlet, I amicably parted ways with my agent and took some time to re-center myself. I focused on other things, like my career. And off and on, I kept writing.

 

Eventually, I found the inspiration to try writing romance – something I’d dabbled with in the past but never seriously pursued. After self-publishing a sweet contemporary romance, I turned to writing more steamy paranormal romance and finally found my writing home (yes, my home now includes some level of smut). Instead of trying to write something that was popular, I wrote to entertain myself. I included the most random of plot points (like a three-headed Pomeranian hellhound) – whatever would make me laugh. In doing so, I found my voice as a writer.

 

It only took about 15 years.

 

If you’re an as-yet-unpublished writer and not sure what your “brand” is, I would encourage you to set aside worries about what’s popular in the market right now and write only for yourself. If there’s a genre you love to read but struggle to write, don’t write that, either. Find the type of story you both love to read and write, then tell yourself that story. Your voice, like mine, might be a little quirky. But I guarantee it will be authentic.

 

And authenticity might just sell your book.



I DREAM OF DEMIGODS

 

By Alexa Sullivan

 

Blurb

Ro Baird can't cast a spell without setting her own pants on fire—until she kisses her hot new boss, Alex. Suddenly, she's able to access her magic…sort of…and she now has a familiar, who may be more trouble than she is helpful.

Alex Kouris happens to be a soul-stealing demigod of the Underworld. He claims he's trying to leave the life, but can she really trust a man whose magical talents are manipulation and charm? When Alex enlists a shady ex to help him, Ro must risk her heart and her life to save him and humanity from Hades’s evil scheme. 

 

Can she harness her true power to set Alex and herself free?


Bio

 

Alexa Sullivan writes humorous, contemporary paranormal romance. Inspired by her previous career in IT,, she imagines a world where the mundane meets magic—and where vampires and werewolves have regular jobs. Oh, and there are cats, too. She lives and works in the beautiful state of Oregon, where she sets all of her stories. When not writing, she can be found hanging out with her husband, walking her cats on a leash, and watching far too much Bravo reality TV.

 

Socials

 

Website: https://www.alexasullivan.com/

 

Sign up for Alexa’s Newsletter: https://www.alexasullivan.com/subscribe

 

Instagram: @alexasullivanromance

 

Buy Link: https://mybook.to/ufacndK

 


15 comments:

  1. Wonderful blogspot! Following on Instagram!

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  2. Great feature! Congrats on finding your voice as a writer.

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  3. Love getting to know you Alexa! My previous career was healthcare IT. Wise words about finding your niche! If you're not comfortable with what you're writing your readers will know it!

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    1. Nice to know I’m not the only one who took a circuitous route to publishing. :) Thank you!

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  4. I totally agree with this statement, Alexa: "Find the type of story you both love to read and write, then tell yourself that story."

    I Dream of Demigods was a great story! Looking forward to more in the series. All the best!

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words!

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  5. Great advice, Alexa. Your book sounds like a lot of fun!

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  6. Thank you!!

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  7. Excellent advice, Alexa! Write for yourself--write what you like. Lovely post!

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  8. I enjoyed your post. It's great when you find your voice. I love the paranormal world as well. So many possibilities. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. What a story of perseverance. Kudos to you for not giving up. Susie Black

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