Jodie Pierce's Ink Slinger's Blog: Andrea Stanet

Hi all!

Please help me welcome Author Andrea Stanet to my blog today!

Here's my interview with her:

What is your name? Do you use a pen name (if so, why?)?

Andrea Stanet—no pen name.

What type of genre do you write?

I write across a few genres, but mainly YA and middle grade fantasy. I have dabbled in the thriller genre recently, and used to have aspirations of writing horror.

What genre to you personally read?

I will read almost any genre. Definitely the ones I write and horror, but also some romance, historical fiction, nonfiction. I’m just a book junkie and I look for anything interesting that moves along.

Tell me about your latest?

I am in the process of doing another round of revisions on a MG fae novel, Glamour and Flame, in which a girl with a sensory disorder gets shipped off to relatives in Ireland. She encounters some murderous faery folk and learns to control her emerging fire affinity. There’s a touch of romance, lots of danger, coming of age, dragons…All the stuff you need for a good fantasy with my own spin on it.

The story I recently had published in the anthology Urban Harvest: Tales of the Paranormal in New York City is very different. In “Under the Mattress,” 17-year-old Nathan struggles to cope with loss and life with his post-Iraqi-war-veteran mom. A devastating accident and a visit from his deceased father push him to make a life-altering choice.

I will have another story released in the Stalkers anthology hopefully at the end of November. “Lucid” features new adult, Joey Santiago, who is stalked in her dreams. I think I had a little too much fun writing that one.

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

One message in Glamour and Flame is that no matter how many challenges we have, everyone has that special something that makes them shine. And also, everyone has a place in this world. Sometimes we have to work a little harder to find it, sometimes it’s where we least expect it, and sometimes it’s right under our noses.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?

Finding the time and energy to write is always tough. Between work and family, I don’t get much time for other activities. These days, I have to get up an hour early to get some writing in before the rest of the family wakes up. Even that doesn’t always work out. Just this morning, I was all set to get up and work on my revision, but the power went out. When the clocks changed, my son got up the same time as I did, thinking it was an hour later. Life has a twisted sense of humor and likes to get in the way, just for kicks.

What has been your best moment as a writer?

It was definitely the day I got the email that my first story had been accepted for an anthology. Shortly after that, I got my second acceptance. It’s been a very exciting time, careerwise.

Who is your author idol?

I have several at this point, but the first and most enduring was Stephen King. He sparked my imagination and made me want to write stories. J.K. Rowling brought me out of a decade-long writing slump. Neil Gaiman, who I fell in love with as a comic writer before I was introduced to his novels. Joss Whedon and Aaron Sorkin because they have incredible wit. Honestly, I gain something from almost every author I read because I learn from them all—even the ones I don’t love.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Snippets of myself, here and there, appear in some of my characters, but not much anymore. Sometimes a bit of my snark will sneak its way into a character, and some of the situations I place them in are based on my experiences. More often, my characters resemble other people I’ve come across.

Do you feel like your dream has come true or is there much more to do?

I think I’ve just reached the tip of the iceberg, and there is a long way to go yet. Even though having some short stories finally seeing the light of day, I still want to see my novels out there. Much more work left for me to do.

What does your workspace look like?

A hot mess? Right now I tend to work at our dining table despite having two desks I could clear off to use for their intended purposes. But the table is in a corner, which minimizes distractions, and it’s also the warmest spot in the house. Behind me are precarious stacks of story drafts, books, a ton of other papers, and a big storage box of my son’s Legos that I sometimes use as a higher tabletop desk when sitting gets too uncomfortable. Then I’ll stand to work for a while. It’s a quite weird setup I’ve got going on, and now that I’ve written it all down, I think I’ve shamed myself into thinking about straightening it out.

Have you ever had a day when you just wanted to quit?

Several times a week.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I work as an English and Essay Writing tutor in addition to freelance writing. In my spare time, I read as much as I can, run, cycle, and engage in all kinds of genre geekdom.

What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

A sense of humor is key. For example I got a good laugh out of the use of write and sane in the same sentence! Otherwise, perseverance and a think skin come in right behind a sense of humor. Sane…good one!

Did you have a moment when you realized you were meant to be a writer?

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Don’t quit. Ever. The moment you give up might come a heartbeat before you were about to make it.

After this book, what is next?

After Stalkers is released, I expect to have a story called “Nelita and the Shadow” appear in the YA/MG anthology called Wild Cards.

Your website?

http://Andreastanet.com

Your blog?

By Process of Lumination

Other websites?

My Autism Insights

Where can your book be found?