Book Shop Chats:

Dragons, Gladiators, and Fire Horses with Reese Sharon

• Victoria Hopkins • Season 2 • Episode 10

Share episode

Author Reese Sharon shares her journey of creating "Scorched," a romanticist book featuring gladiator-style battles with dragons and elemental horses coming out this October. We discuss the creative spark that comes from children, authenticity on social media, and the importance of not comparing yourself to other authors.

• Writing fantasy romance gives Reese more creative freedom than her previous dystopian works
• The idea for Scorched came from watching cartoons with her children
• Children can spark creativity for authors in unexpected ways
• Reese grew her Instagram following from 2,400 to nearly 5,000 in just two months through authentic posting
• "Comparison is the thief of joy" - focusing on your unique voice rather than others' success
• Showing up as your authentic self builds deeper connections with readers

About the book:

A romantasy filled with a FMC riding a fire horse, cursed with the ability to burn men to ash, and leaves her yearning after the man she loves, yet can never touch.

Serene is on a journey to find her sister, Tilly, after she disappeared from their home in Seattle, Washington. After touching the stones and transporting to the Realm of Azure, she realizes there's more to this world than she ever knew. Along with finding her sister, she must stay alive with the two princes who protect her from those who want her dead. Especially the ninety-nine men she is thrown into the battle games with, which is forbidden by the Gods. As the first woman to compete in the deadly battle games, Serene must live to be one of the chosen eight or die trying. Serene has to face fire-breathing dragons, unrelenting Royals who would love to see her die, and most importantly, darkness that is descending upon the Realms, including the man she will die to protect.

But little does she know that very man is the only one capable of destroying her.

Will she win the games and be granted the Light Stone to get rid of the curses placed upon the Realms by the Gods? Or will she fall to the one person whom she should be able to trust the most?

SCORCHED is a book filled with banter, tension, and yearning.

Gladiator-style battle games but with dragons & horses of the elements.

Fans who love the series, House of Dragon, Outlander, Reign, Vikings, and Fourth Wing will love SCORCHED.



Follow Reese on socials HERE

About Victoria:

Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Your story deserves to shine, let's make magic together. 

Here’s how I can help:
📖 FREE 7 day Writing Reset: Daily support in your inbox for 7 days.
Grab it HERE

📝 Developmental Editing: Get expert feedback that elevates your manuscript, strengthens your story, and polishes your characters.
✍️ 1:1 monthly support: Revitalize your creativity, map out your novel, and unleash your authentic voice.

Your story deserves to shine, and I’m here to make it happen. Let’s turn your writing dreams into a reality!

📱 IG: @editsbyvictoria
🌐 LINKS: Victoria Jane Editorial



Speaker 1:

Welcome to Bookshop Chats, where we cozy up with books, creativity and embrace the magical, messy process of writing a book. I'm Victoria Jane, a writer, developmental editor and coach for sensitive, busy writers, and I love to support you on your journey of bringing your story to life. So, whether you're here for inspiration, behind the scenes peeks of what it means to actually write a book, or just some bookish conversations, you are definitely in the right place. And if you're looking for more personalized support, I also offer one-to-one writing support sessions to help bring your story to life, because sometimes you need a little bit of support digging through the noise that is your brain, because same. And if you've got a finished draft, I would love to chat to you about developmental editing. It is my favorite thing. I love supporting authors and bringing their story to life. You can find all of the details in the show notes.

Speaker 1:

So grab a coffee, grab a tea, plug in your headphones, go on a little walk and let's dive into today's episode. Welcome back to Bookshop Chats. In today's episode, I am chatting with Reese Sharon. Welcome to the podcast. It's kind of like a tongue twister. I feel like I don't know, it could just be me. I feel like it's just been one of those days where the brain is not firing on all cylinders, but we're still here. We're still here, I think it's awesome.

Speaker 1:

Amazing. Well, I'm very excited to chat, so I'm basically going to give you the floor and let you kind of introduce yourself and, like, dive right in and we can chat about your book that will be coming out later this year, which is very, very exciting.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. So most of the people reading or listening, not reading we are listening to this. I got the reading stuff in my head Will probably know me for my uh, my romanticist book scorched. So it is a gladiator battle game style but with dragons and horses of the elements. Um, my FMC actually burns men to their death, so, uh, which was really fun and she rides a fire horse. So a lot of people, if you know me, you kind of already know that's kind of like my little spill of my book. So it does come out October 15th, so if you're listening to this, it's probably coming up soon and I'm really excited.

Speaker 2:

I do have a dystopian fantasy out. It is called the Trials of the Elysian. It's kind of like the Hunger Games meets Divergent, meets the 100, but has like fantasy elements in it, and that one was my first ever like storyline that I did and so I started branching out to the romantic side of it and I have just completely fallen in love with writing romantic. So I really think this is like my niche, like this is definitely. This is where I can tell that like my heart, my soul is like it's just so easy to write compared to like a dystopian fantasy. I feel like there's a little bit more, I guess, like certain tweaks that you have to do with that, and I feel like with romance you kind of have that full creativity-ness, basically, that you could just put your whole heart into it.

Speaker 1:

So it's been really fun wittiness, basically that you could just put your whole heart into it. So it's been really fun. I love that. I love that. I would love to hear a little bit more about what drew you to writing and how you decided that you're like I'm gonna write a book.

Speaker 2:

I love that, yeah, so it's actually really fun to kind of go back to like whenever I was like in middle school and high school. So, like in middle school, I would like write in my books like and just like scribble, scrabble ideas and like come up with these stories. But like I was in middle school, when am I ever going to finish that? Right, I did the same thing in high school and, like I know my parents still have like printouts of like the books that I would work on whenever I was younger. So I always knew I really enjoyed writing. I really liked creating a space in a world that wasn't real. So just to really just, I don't know, let loose and let your mind just be as creative as you want.

Speaker 2:

Whenever I was in high school, I actually did UIL. I don't know A lot of places don't have UIL, but it's a Texas thing. I don't know if other states have it, so maybe they do. But I did creative writing. So I would go to like other school districts and like compete and stuff, and I'm actually one third place in creative writing. The only thing that was wrong with me was my grammar errors. Like I I kid you, not even my English teachers were like girl, you're so good at creating stories, but your grammar is just not there, and I'm like I don't.

Speaker 2:

I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do with that. So that's why we hire our editors, our development editors, our line editors and stuff, um, but I've always been just so in love with that and, um, I've if people follow me, they know I'm a theater kid as well. So I've done theater since fifth grade, so I just love the arts. I actually did theater in college. I minored in theater, majored in mass media communications, and when I went to Alaska my husband was active duty. I did film school as well in Alaska. So I have a lot of background with all this like storytelling and stuff. And when I couldn't leave my house in Alaska because it was just freezing cold outside with piles of snow, I decided I said you know what I'm gonna try. I was like I'm gonna try to start writing a book, and could you not? Now here I am today and I'm like thank you that I did that. Like I'm like so proud of myself that I finally sat down and just did it.

Speaker 1:

So I love that it's so. Yeah, it's just. I think there's something so magical about the arts and storytelling and I think, like we forget that we consume so much art on the daily, like it's just part of our life, like everything, that's what, like I feel like that's a big part of our, our life, like everything, that's what, like I feel like that's a big part of being human. The storytelling, the connection, all of that sort of stuff, and to be able to put it into words and create a like a story is such a cool experience. I think there's something really cool about when you finally finish that very first first draft and you're like, oh my gosh, I did it.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I'm almost there. I have like a few more chapters and I'm about to hit that, the end word, and I'm like I know it's like, it's like just like, I'm waiting for it, I'm like, and now I have to start the editing, like it's just never ending, right?

Speaker 1:

yeah, it's totally one of those things where a little old naive me thought like, once you hit the end of that very first draft, oh, you just need to do a little bit of editing, it's fine. Oh boy, oh boy.

Speaker 2:

Yes, oh yes, it just like just continues. You know, and I feel like we read it how many times, Like I don't even know. And it's funny because I heard other authors are the same way when they read their stories. They're going through and they're like oh my gosh, is this even good? Like, is this like entertaining? Because we have read it so many times, because it's not a first for us anymore, it's like just like that constant. Oh my gosh, I was like, I feel it, I feel that completely.

Speaker 1:

Definitely, and I feel like one thing that is really challenging when you are the author is that you know everything about the story, you know the characters, you know all of the things that readers aren't going to know. So then it just becomes this sort of balance of like do I need to even tell them this information? Should I like? Is it coming through in the story? Like all of these things that you don't know until you go back into that phase of editing and understanding all of the, the mechanics that go into storytelling and that stuff I get so like nerdy about. It's just wild, because we think that it's not. Like you don't really realize that when you're like consuming books and listening to them or reading them or whatever, uh, but then when you actually start doing you're like, oh, wow, like this is how they did that, that's how, how they structured this and this is why the dialogues like that and I find that stuff so fascinating.

Speaker 2:

Yes, no, I agree with that and I do think that's why developmental editing is so important. I like new authors. That's like the one thing that I'm like. If you can afford developmental editing, like I, highly, highly, highly recommend that. Just because, like you said, we know the stories, we know the characters, we know what's going to happen, but our readers don't. So are we doing the right, I guess, right words, right structure with our story to make sure that that's coming across to our readers, because even though it's in our head, it might not be in our reader's head.

Speaker 1:

So yes, that is so, it's so true and like, even as a developmental editor, like I miss that stuff in my own writing all the time and I feel like like, did all of the stuff, like all of my knowledge, just fall out of my head? Um, but that's, it's just how it is right and I think really owning that and recognizing like that is it's normal, uh, and that's just part of the process. But, um, yeah, that's what kind of what makes it fun, right, just chaos and just creating these like unhinged characters that readers fall in love with it is.

Speaker 2:

It is really cool and it's also fun to when you are writing characters and you have, like, your side characters as well. Like it's really cool to see that the um, certain readers gravitate to certain different characters. You know, like one reader might like this character and then the other readers like, oh no, this care, and it's crazy to see like how, how they all pick and choose which ones that they like, even though, let's say, I have a certain favorite, it might not even be the readers favorites at all, so it's cool.

Speaker 1:

Definitely Well, I'd love to hear a little bit more about like how this story came to, came to you. I always find that really fascinating to hear about how these like, wildly imaginative, like worlds come to the authors.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. So I have kids. So when we were in Alaska that was about almost three, I feel like Alaska just like pushed me to my creativity or whatever. I'm like man, everything goes back to Alaska. So that was about three years ago and I have young kids and at that time we were watching this show. You know, it's just some sort of like. I don't even remember what show it was, but it's something cartoon sort of like. I don't even remember what show it was, but it was something cartoonish, right, and they were like in this cavern and it was like super sparkly and it was like, oh my gosh, it almost makes me think of like a realm in a way, cause it was just so pretty.

Speaker 2:

And so I was like, oh my gosh. I looked at my husband. I was like, how cool would it be if, like there was like this person and she touched the stones and it like transported her into like a realm. I had no idea Outlander was even a thing at that point. I kid you not, I swear to gosh, people are going to be like oh, that was like Outlander. I had no idea.

Speaker 2:

So I started writing the book, started plotting it, and then found out there was Outlander. I've watched all seasons of Outlander. I'm a huge Outlander girl. It is so good. So I was like, okay, that would be really cool to like incorporate it. But there's a reason why she was in. She was in Seattle, so it's like a whole thing. You'll like read it, you'll kind of understand it.

Speaker 2:

But all that kicked it up was me watching a kid show, and so I was like, okay, so that's a cool idea. And then I wrote that down. And then something else happened with my kid and that's how I got the fire horse idea. I was like, oh my gosh. I was like there's always dragons and like, um, all these other you know really cool creatures I was like I don't really hear a lot about, like fire horses and like ice horses and stuff like that. I was like, okay, that's cool, let's do something with like elemental horses type thing. And so then, obviously, and then it went into elemental gods. And then I was like, oh, I love writing battle games. So then it went into battle games.

Speaker 2:

So I had like all this plotted out and then I'm like, okay, now I got to create a story. Right, I got to create the beginning, I got to create what's going to happen in the middle, and then I got to create what's going to happen in the end. But as I write which you know how it is when you write the story changes all the time. I'm like, oh, my brain is just going. I didn't know this person was going to be in this room at this point. But now the person is you know, you know how it is. You're like, okay, well, my brain decided that this was going to happen. I'm going to trust my brain and I'm going to keep going with it. But if I will say this, like, if there's authors out there that have young kids, I'm telling you they will spark some creative sparks in your brain and I, they're just, they're fun and you just kind of I don't know, they're just that they help me. I don't know they help me into creating new stories and stuff like that.

Speaker 1:

So I love that. I feel that, yeah, like having kids, it's just something. They just see the world different, I feel like, especially when they're younger, and then just the. I feel like especially, you know, having that like being like at home with the kids can be very isolating, and like finding ways to play with your imagination, I think is something that's like really helpful at least for me it was so just like creating that world. It's cool and it kind of reminds you to like play again.

Speaker 1:

I think we forget that as adults right, like, like play is so important, and I think that one way to do that is through these stories and creating these stories, and I think that that's obviously why, clearly, you can see that you know books and and reading and all of that is such a huge thing, right, like that's always been a thing, and even now it's like coming back, I feel like in such a magical way, and so many young kids and teens are like getting into books again, which I freaking love.

Speaker 2:

I love that. I 100% agree with that, Because I feel like growing up I was always kind of like the person that was just kind of like in the library.

Speaker 2:

Like I wasn't really like the cool kids you know, just kind of like do my own thing. And I love the fact that, like my kids know I'm an author, so like my books, like they'll come in here and like my son will just like open it up and he's like, oh, how many words was in this one? Again, and oh, and this is the trials of the like he knows like I, you know what I obviously not what I've written. He doesn't know what's inside them, but he knows the title, he knows how many words I've had. So he, when he's at school or if he's home, he actually like cuts out the pages and will staple it and he'll like create his own little like short stories and stuff like that. So it was really cool that like I can kind of like I don't know, it'd be like a role model for him, like to show that like creating stories are super cool. You know reading is super fun, like it's I don't know, it's just really fun.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I love that, and I think one thing that is really cool about this is just sort of like bringing art back to the forefront, I feel like, especially being like a 90s kid. It was never it was. It was always a hobby. It was always for the like, special talented, not like get a real job, like that, like or like whatever, like. That's the story that I feel like a lot of us kind of like grew up on, um, and I love that now it's becoming more accessible, uh, in a way, I think, and just creating these, these stories. I feel like, especially with self-publishing, there's a demand for like stories like this. Uh, and I I feel like if it's coming to you, there's a reason for it, and if it's a book that you wanted to read, clearly somebody else is going to want to read it too, which is really freaking amazing.

Speaker 2:

I hope so. I hope people want to read it. I'm excited. I'm like I'm super excited for it. Um, I like I told my like followers and stuff like that Um, this is probably like the I don't know fourth book that I have written, maybe fifth, and it's probably like by far the best work that I've ever done.

Speaker 2:

Like I've really have pushed myself into this book and really try to push myself like to really just kind of be better to make sure that I'm not having, um, I don't know like almost not trying to like hold myself back or I'm like, am I putting too much in this book?

Speaker 2:

So I really just kind of let my brain have like full control of it. So I'm like, as I'm writing, I'm like, okay, this is what is meant to be, I'm just gonna roll with it. Um, because I feel like with my other books I kind of held back where I'm like, oh no, my book can't be too big, it can't be too thick, you know, oh, this is going to drag out, you know, and there was like reviews with this one where like it's still a great book but like we could have there could have been more right, there could have been more into it. Okay, I'm not going to do that again. So I really I'm at 181,000 words with this one right now. Yeah, it's it's it's a bulky one, but it was crucial. I'm really glad that I didn't hold myself back with this one.

Speaker 1:

So I love that and I think that's such a great reminder for people who are just kind of like starting out. Is that like you're going to grow as as a writer, just kind of like starting out? Is that like you're going to grow as as a writer? And the best way to do that is by writing the book. I know it's so simple, right, so such a simple concept, but that's really it, and I think that's really cool to see. Kind of like you know where you were versus where you are now, and then that's often how you kind of like tap into that, your unique voice as an author and that what people like appreciate um from you and what keeps them kind of like wanting to read more and all of that kind of stuff, and it's something that it takes time to kind of like build that confidence with yourself, though, because it is scary, um right, like we're we're putting ourselves into the position of getting like rejected on the daily the dnfs.

Speaker 2:

You know you're like, oh, just don't. I always tell people, just don't tag me in it. Whatever you do, I just out of sight, out of mind, I don't even want to know, don't even want to know.

Speaker 1:

No, no, not at all. I think that's very fair and totally, uh, reasonable. Right, and it's just. And that's the magic of art and and books and stories is that there's there's going to be a book for you and there's going to be a book that's not for you. Right like it, it is what it is like. There's nothing. It's not one is bad versus good or whatever. At least, that's how kind of how I approach things. It's just, it's for me or it's not. It's very simple.

Speaker 2:

I agree with that. You know, I think that's good for authors to know that too, where just because you get a one star, just because you get it like a DNF, like it's not because your book was awful, it's not because your book was, you know, the worst thing that was ever written. It just wasn't for that person. And I really had to go through multiple books to kind of start understanding that. Because I have some people who absolutely loved the trials of the Elysian and then some people who it wasn't for them. And you know, and I'm like, okay, I get that now, like as I get older, as I write more, more, more books, I understand that not every book that I write is going to be for every person.

Speaker 1:

So that's definitely like I feel like one of the biggest things, that once you kind of understand that, I feel like there's never, it's never going to get to the point where you're like fully, like, oh my gosh, like I'm totally cool, like chill about this. That's not real, really realistic. But I think, getting to the point where there is, you have that ability to kind of like separate yourself a little bit from it, like feel your feels, be a little sad if you get tagged because some people are dumb and they will do it anyway, right, but recognizing that it isn't anything to do with you or your writing and, like you know, some people are just jerks and that's really what it comes down to.

Speaker 2:

Yes, agreed, I'm like go on Goodreads, go on Amazon, that's totally fine, you know. Just don't tag an author, whatever. I swear like we're. We're humans. We have feelings that hurts, like whenever I get tagged.

Speaker 2:

If I ever got tagged and I don't think I have yet, unless I have not seen it so I'm glad.

Speaker 2:

Um, I just, you know, and I will say, like with my first books, um, like I would constantly search Amazon and stuff like that and like read my reviews and I really think that that was not a smart decision. And I will say that for any author like I just, if you see a one star, don't even click the one star, just go to the five stars and you can pull your reviews from there. If you see a one star, like I don't know if you're like me, but I can get into a depression, slump and everything and I can pull your reviews from there. If you see a one-star like I don't know if you're like me, but I can get into a depression, slump and everything and I can get really like in my mindset of like negative self-talk, comparison. And so any new authors, if y'all are listening to this and you see a one-star. You see a two-star. Just don't even click it, don't even look at it, because it's only going to make you feel absolutely awful. It's not worth it at all.

Speaker 1:

So no, not, it's just not and it's just. There's so many reasons why, right Like it's just it's not worth it. Right Like it's not something that you need to even invest your time in. I don't think, uh, it's, it's not going to help you become a better writer, realistically, I think you know, by continuing to grow, show up like, learn, um, read more books, like all of that stuff is going to help you. Um, keep going, and I mean even the, you know bestsellers that are traditionally published are going to have people that are like I can't believe they've got a deal, like I know I can't writer ever right like that's.

Speaker 1:

The thing is that, like it's, it's I, it's a very like it's so subjective, um, and I think it. That's something that I've really been leaning into a lot of, like whatever, take it or leave it, like I might not be your cup of tea or whatever, so what, go, do your thing right like it is. Go, go do your thing. Like, not from a judgmental thing, it's just like that's how you kind of have to put those blinders on, I think, um, and just kind of like, stay in your lane, uh, and find the people that are your people, um so I'd love to hear a little bit more about kind of like that journey for you, especially when it comes to like social media.

Speaker 1:

That's often like the bane of author's existence. So how do you navigate that? How do you kind of like make it a little less, Maybe, overwhelming? Yeah?

Speaker 2:

yeah, yeah, yeah, um, well, this might actually well, hopefully this will help some people. Um, so I'm actually not as engaged with TikTok as how I am on Instagram. Yeah, I can't. And I know a lot of people are like, oh, tiktok is how you're going to get agents and TikTok is how you're going to do. I can't. And the reason being is, with TikTok I can't control what I see. Right, tiktok will just pull up a lot of things and I can get very I get anxiety, anxiety really quickly and I can get depression really quickly. So if I can't control what I'm seeing, it's going to put me in a really upsetting mood for the rest of the day. So I'm not as active as I am on TikTok.

Speaker 2:

I've actually had thrown myself fully into Instagram, um, for the past like two months. So we are in June right now and I am at about 4,920 followers. Right About two months ago I was only at like 2,400. I have dived full force into Instagram. I have been doing about two to three reels a day and maybe two just regular posts a day, and now I don't want people to be like, oh my gosh, I can't do that. That's just too much. All that stuff you can batch basically where you put it in your drafts and everything. But what I do is people are going to judge me right now, but that's okay.

Speaker 2:

If I don't have, I don't wear makeup, so it is what it is. But if I still look like a bum and if I my hair isn't brushed or whatever and I like want to share something on my social media with, like, my followers, I do it because I'm like they're here for me, right? They don't care if I have makeup on, they don't care if I'm wearing the nicest shirt, they don't care what my backdrop looks like. They're here for me, right, they're here for my story, you know. And so I really have leaned into that of being like authentically truly myself, like that means if I'm laughing, if I have a double chin, like whatever, right, that's just who I am.

Speaker 2:

And I really have felt that I have made more connections that way with other authors and other readers, because they're seeing truly just who I am on a daily basis, how I am with my friends, how I am with my husband, how I am with my kids. I'm not putting on a front, right, I'm not, I don't know, Like I just can't even imagine putting on makeup and like I just like, cannot, like I just like I'm not, like I'm not a makeup person at all, like I um, I'll put a filter on, obviously, cause I have like Rosé shit I'm like people do not need to see, do not need to see that, um, but I just feel like just really connecting with the readers and connecting with other authors Like cause there's, I'm like a huge hype girl, so making connections with other authors have been probably the best thing for me.

Speaker 2:

I love talking with other authors, I love talking with readers, um. But the thing is that I've noticed is as well hopefully I'm not rambling People love, obviously, those cute little graphics that you can make on Canva and stuff like that. Like, yes, those are cute. However, people want to see your face. Yeah, they want to see your face. So I will hop on there. I mean, I have like a 3d print of my fire horse a little stuffed animal fire horse, and I'll, just because I don't have a copy of my book yet.

Speaker 2:

So I just try to still be as present as I can and if I'm not maybe present on reels, I'll maybe hop in on my story and stuff. Like, if I'm just too busy to like sit down and make like a reel or something, so I just recommend just shouting your book to the rooftops because you have worked so hard on it. You have sat down at your computer for what? Countless of hours, countless of days. Why would you hold back? Sit down, start advertising, start posting and the thing is, the more that you do it, you'll start seeing that traction. I promise Like I just have gotten the mindset where I'm not going to write a book anymore and not talk about it, because with all my other books, I would post it and release it and be done and be like, oh, if it happens, it'll happen.

Speaker 2:

Right, if it kicks off, it'll kick off. No, I'm not doing it anymore, especially with Scorched, because I have worked so hard on this book so many tears, exhaustion days that I just wanted to quit. I, so many tears, exhaustion days that I just wanted to quit. I cannot just hide back anymore and just be like, oh, if it happens, it happens. No, I want to make it happen. I want readers to find Scorch, you know. So I just think authors need to get in that mindset where, if you really want your book to get out there, you really have to just show up on social media.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I feel like you, yeah, no, I feel like that's such a great thing. Funny that you bring that up, because today I was like I want to film a little like behind the scenes day in my life reel and I love the aesthetic ones, like they look so beautiful and I'm like, and then I look on the floor and some kids like right, hockey bag, like this is just the reality and I feel like just owning that is just so much easier, right, like, and I 100% agree with you like, if I like, if I have makeup on, it's a win, but most of the days it's not because I have to take it off and that's a whole big thing. We don't have time for that. So, like, like you said, just show up as yourself, and I think maybe it's getting older. Just like giving less shits about like I'm like whatever, like I'm me, welcome to the chaos, like, embrace it, and I think that's what makes it fun. Like I enjoy seeing people that are like that because you're like, oh, cool, like this is just them. And I think just it's so easy to overcomplicate things like, especially in my ADHD brain of like, oh, like black or white. It needs to be like all or nothing, so it can be so easy to get hung up on that comparison of like oh, so-and-so is doing, doing this, so-and-so's doing that or this, whatever, but the reality is like, being yourself is what is connecting people and I think it's just like that long game mentality I think is a really important thing too of like this is a long-term thing.

Speaker 1:

If you want to be an author like this book that you're promoting isn't going to be the only one. Um, so you want to build that audience and kind of like get people wanting to be like Kate, when's your next book coming out? Right? So that's, that's something to really like. I'm reminding authors like, like it's okay, slow and steady, like this is, it's not a marathon. Like it is a marathon, it's not a sprint. Like we got to just chill out here. Like it's, it's okay if it takes time and your journey is your journey. So like, don't compare yourself to other authors. If they can write 10 books in a year, holy bananas, that's amazing. I can't.

Speaker 2:

I can't, I cannot. No, and props for them, props for them. I just I take two and a half to three. You know what I mean. Like it, just, it is what it is. And you know it's so funny that you we talked about comparison.

Speaker 2:

Anytime I get into like a self-doubt, negative mind space, you know my husband, he's always like just remember, comparison is the thief of joy. And every time I do it, I think of that. Comparison is a thief of joy. Because, it's true, I would sit behind my Instagrams and just scroll and watch all these other authors just bloom, get so many engagements, all these readers, and I'm like, why am I just sitting here, miserable, wishing I had that right, just wishing.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I want people to want me, right, I want people to want to read my book. Well, what am I doing? I'm just sitting here scrolling. I'm just sitting here basically self downing myself, comparing myself to this person. I'm like no, I'm going to change that, right. And so once I started changing that, I got into a better mindset of not every author is the same author. Every writer is their own writer, right, not everybody's going to have the same book and that's how it should be, right? Like, not everybody needs to be a Rebecca Yars, not everybody needs to be whoever else. Right, we want to be different, and if my work is different, that's all that matters.

Speaker 1:

This is what I wanted, so yes, yes, I love that and I think it's so true. I think sometimes we forget it's like social media, right, like it's meant to be connection, it thrives on engagement. So that's something even that I'm reminding myself of. Like, you know, when I'm feeling bad, oh, I'm not getting comments or I'm not getting engagement, I'm like but am I engaging? I'm expecting somebody to engage with me and I'm not really putting in that effort.

Speaker 1:

And oftentimes those comments and those connections, like you know, people start to recognize your name or you know you are like oh, I really this author is a really great connection to have, or whatever. Like you just never know when that is going to kind of like come together in some sort of like weird, you know serendipitous kind of way, and I think that that's something that I really am like trying to get my head in the in that game of like let's connection, community collaboration, like that's the vibe. That really is what makes it makes it more fun. I feel like, cause, then you're not doing it alone, cause there are many tears, like you said, that happened all by yourself. And you're like why am I fighting with these fictional characters?

Speaker 2:

That's so true and I always, I always say that like my little Instagram space, like those are my family, right? Yes, like my social media family. Like without them, without my readers, what is my book going to be? Right, right, like, and I'm just like, I love them. I'm a people person. I'm the only child, so I'm a huge people Like. I'm like, give me all the people Right. So I always tell, like my art graders, like my beta teams, everybody that like their family, I love it when they come talk to me, I love when they give me feedback, like I I don't know, I don't know how to explain it I'm just a very much of, I'm an engagement person. I just like to be, be in the loop with everybody.

Speaker 1:

So definitely that is that's so on point, and I feel like to that, um, I feel like creativity thrives in that, like I really do think, like that's often something that I find like just connecting with other authors or chatting or making those um, like relationships, like those are people that you know you can grow with, that you can chat with, that can help you kind of navigate those moments when you're like I'm gonna throw my computer out the window and they're going to be like don't, that's very bad, don't do that.

Speaker 1:

Like somebody's going to want to read your book, and I think that's something that I really yeah, because we're often our own worst critic and just forever right, and it is such a vulnerable thing to share your work with other people. I think, especially in those beginning phases, you know, whether it's your developmental editor or alpha readers or beta readers or all of that stuff right, that's scary. So it takes time to kind of like regulate your nervous system, be okay with that, just whatever feedback, it is right. Like it's not an easy thing to do and I think we forget that, like we forget to celebrate those moments of like yeah, you, you finished a book, you're letting people read it and you're like maybe you're crying in the bathroom, but that's part of it, right?

Speaker 2:

Oh, true, that is so funny, I'm telling you. There's so many moments where you know and I'm sure you feel the same way when you send it to your alphas or the betas or even art teams you know you're like, oh, that's it, there's nothing you can do about it now, Like that's already out there. And then you just sit there and you're like okay, so this is either going to be amazing. This is either going to be like complete disaster.

Speaker 1:

We'll, we'll see, and I'm like I'm just gonna pray for the best, like let's hope this works 100%, I totally agree with that and I I really do believe that if this story is like, so like in your heart and it's coming to you, there's a reason for that. Like, I really do believe that you're the person to tell it. Um, and just yeah, trusting yourself enough to tell the story, I think is something that is a really it's not an easy thing, but, um, I just think that like, yeah, like, so many people in the world get to read those books that you created and I was chatting to another author and she's like all of your like, every book that is put out in the world is like a little piece of history. So by not writing it, you're like robbing people of that history.

Speaker 2:

I'm like I didn't even think about that.

Speaker 1:

Right, that was just wild. She's like super into. Uh, like I can't remember what she is Like. She had a ton of like education and anthropology. I think that was the word, but I was like what that's so cool, Right, Like you're a little, even if it's fantasy, whatever, like it's your you know, worldview, perspectives, experiences, all that is all going to be influenced in that book and being able to share that with people is such a gift, I think, and that helps on the days when I'm like I I'm crying in my ice cream.

Speaker 2:

I a hundred percent agree with that. And like I always say, like you just never know, like cause there's some write 10 books and nothing ever happens, right. And it's like that 11th book boom, right. So it's like you just never know, so just write it. And that's what I kind of tell myself. My husband's like, girl, what you doing, you know what I mean. But he's so supportive, like he's the best husband. Um, but I'm like one day, one day, babe, one day I was like I'm gonna write a good, a really good book and I'm like, and I hope that is going to reach so many readers and it's just going to connect with them, and then I'm just going to have one big old Reese family, a little like like just a big old Reese family. So that that's my goal. So so we'll see.

Speaker 1:

I love it. That is like I'm here for that. We are manifesting that and I am like ready for that. Well, I would. I would love to hear now how people can get in touch with you and follow along on your journey and definitely get their hands on your book, because that's going to be important yes, yes, yes, you can find me on Instagram, for sure.

Speaker 2:

Instagram, because that's like where I engage the most. That's my little community. It is just author underscore Reese Sharon. And then I do have a website by now that you can go to, where it's just ReeseSharonsquarespacecom. That's where I'm going to have all my special editions. So the special editions are going to be only purchased through me and then the other editions will. The addition will be at Barnes and Noble and Amazon and KU.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, I'm on.

Speaker 2:

TikTok, but I'm not really on TikTok, so I feel you on that.

Speaker 1:

I just can't, I'm like I'm not cool enough to tick or talk or whatever this thing is Like. It's just too much, it's too overwhelming and I think it's it's best for my mental sanity to not engage. Yes, I feel the same way. Amazing, I'm saying not engage. Yes, I feel the same way, amazing, awesome.

Speaker 1:

Well, everything will be linked in the show notes so it'd be super easy for people to find you, and it was lovely chatting with you.

Speaker 1:

I feel like I learned a lot, like I always do in these chats, so thank you for sharing.

Speaker 1:

It was so much fun, thank you, thanks so much for listening to today's episode, and if you really loved this author, I highly encourage you to go check out their links and comment and share their work because, let's be real, as an indie author, all that stuff makes such a difference. And if you're feeling a little stuck on your draft and just want some gentle accountability, check out my one-to-one offers that are linked in the show notes as well. I'd love to support you with your writing or editing journey and if that's not quite where you're at, I've also put together a really amazing free resource to help with taking your writing to the next level, because there are so many amazing resources available without needing to spend a ton of money or get that MFA or all of the things that you may think that you need in order to write a book. Until next time, keep writing your way and trust yourself enough to tell your story, because I promise, if it's coming to you, there's a reason and someone needs to hear it.

Head Shot

Victoria Hopkins

Host