Jamie Sands, Amazon best-seller and writer of optimistic urban fantasy and romance highlighting queer characters
The Creative Council
Welcome to The Creative Council, where I interview creatives about their lives and work and the ups and downs of being a creative soul.
Today’s interviewee is with my dear friend Jamie Sands!
Jamie is a non-binary kiwi who’s always been wondering ‘what if’? A number one bestseller on Amazon, they write optimistic urban fantasy and romance highlighting queer characters. Jamie grew up in Wellington but now lives in Auckland with his wonderful spouse and two formally-stray cats.
The Interview
Jamie! I’m so excited to have you here! It’s been too long since we did this <3 *cracks knuckles*
· When did you start creating? Do you remember what pulled you in?
My first ever book was written and self-published (one copy only) for school at age seven, it was about me saving the world with the assistance of my soft toys come to life. My first book I put out into the public was Suburban Book of the Dead in 2018. I love the idea that my books can bring people joy.
· When did you start pursuing your current craft for real? As in, when did you begin to take yourself seriously as a creator?
In 2018, I was restructured out of a corporate job that I’d absolutely loved but I got a good severance package. My counsellor suggested I do exactly what I wanted with the time ‘bought’ and publishing my books was always my goal.
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· How long did it take you to complete your first work?
I think over ten years. Suburban Book of the Dead went through a lot of life events, revisions, competitions and so on. I almost gave up on the whole thing in that time!
· How long does it generally take you to complete a work?
Depends on the book, anywhere from a month to six months. Some books are easy and flow out of me but some require more thought and research and consideration (my current WIP is in this latter category and it’s driving me nuts.)
· What has been your biggest ‘mistake’ thus far?
Probably having more than three pen names. I started by trying to publish something for each pen name, but some of them simply don’t sell. Then, when I realised which pen name was selling best, I just didn’t publish anything for it for like a year. Bad choices!
· What would you tell people about to make that same mistake?
I think it makes sense to have different pen names for wildly different genre, but don’t do it the way I did it. Pay attention to what you’re releasing and keep the fans engaged with regular releases.
· Of all the milestones you’ve reached thus far, what has been your favourite?
I think fanart. If someone loves your story and characters enough to draw them, and then go the next step to show them to me? That’s freaking magical.
· When was the last time you celebrated a creative milestone?
I’m terrible at celebrating my own successes, especially because my go-to celebration is cake and chocolate based, and I’m trying to get my cholesterol under control. I think my most recent was probably when my book Garden of Mysteries won an award, a couple of months ago.
· What do you struggle with most as a creative person?
Time! My time management isn’t great. I want to be writing more, but I find other things eat up my days.
· Have you always had that struggle or has it changed over time?
It’s changed very recently because I’ve also been making stuffed animals to sell at markets, and it’s really fun to make them buuuut it takes time away from my writing. So do chores, errands, paid work and so on.
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· What advice would you give to creatives dealing with the same?
You have to carve out time in your week to write in. I’m lucky enough to have regular writing streams on YouTube with an author friend on the weekend. Weekdays is a lot harder, so you have to schedule times and then stick to them.
· What do you do to stay inspired?
I have a few things. I find the joy in what I’m writing – is this manuscript going to reach someone who needs it? Am I making myself laugh while I write it? What’s the coolest thing I could do with my characters?
I also like going to look at art galleries or museums – there’s always something at those places that sparks my imagination.
It’s also really important to let yourself get a bit bored. When you’re bored, your mind makes its own entertainment and that can be where good ideas come from.
Also switching from typing to writing longhand often unlocks my inspiration.
· What is the biggest compliment you ever received about your work?
I think the biggest compliment I’ve had is people being excited for the next book. There’s nothing like someone getting hooked on your characters and wanting to know more.
· What’s the best creative advice you ever received?
My dear friend Steve is a screenwriter, and he was one of the first readers of my first book. He said in any given scene, you need to ask ‘where’s the conflict?’ It can be internal conflict, conflict between the characters in the scene, or conflict between your main character and the world, whatever, but, to grab reader’s attention, there needs to be some sort of conflict.
You can find all places where to connect with Jamie here.
You can find the books that made an appearance in this interview here:
Jamie’s latest novel, The Suburban Book of Dreams, was published just two weeks ago and can be found here.
Here’s the blurb:
Some nightmares are more than just dreams
Kids are disappearing from Rain’s hometown.
First, it’s strangers, then it’s someone a lot closer to home. Rain’s best friend Jacky is distraught and wants to help. But to help, she’ll need to know the truth about Rain’s side hustle hunting ghosts with her boyfriend Jake.
Coming clean is one thing, but Rain has been having strange and disturbing dreams, and they might be indicating that she’s the next target — or possibly the source of the disappearances?
Either way, something hinky is going on.
Rain’s done with hiding things from her family, but that doesn’t mean that the supernatural world doesn’t have more surprises for her.
Are you a creative and would you like to be interviewed next? E-mail me at marielle@mswordsmith.nl and we’ll make it happen!
Yas!