Emma Shelford, author of urban fantasy
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.
Joining me again today is Emma Shelford! I interviewed Emma back in February, but when I heard she was planning another Kickstarter campaign, I couldn’t help but invite her over again and ask her some other questions.
If you’ve missed that interview, allow me to introduce her again:
Emma feels that life is only complete with healthy doses of magic, history, and science. Since these aren’t often found in the same place, she created her own worlds where they happily coexist. If you catch her in person, she will eagerly discuss Lord of the Rings ad nauseam, why the ancient Sumerians are so cool, and the important role of phytoplankton in the ocean.
Emma is the author of urban fantasy series, including Magical Morgan, Immortal Merlin, Nautilus Legends, and Forest Fae. She currently has a Kickstarter campaign running for her Depths of Magic series featuring siren songs, sea dragons, and the hunt for an ancient artifact above and below the waves. Check it out here.
The Interview
Hi Emma! Thank you for coming back, and for being willing to do this interview a little differently! For today, I pulled four random cards from my two oracle decks — Cards for Creative Courage and The Sovereign Success Oracle — and based a question on each of them.
Are you ready…?
· Do you suffer from comparisonitis?
I try to avoid comparisonitis, but it’s inevitable. I run Kickstarters to launch my books, and I see lots of others reaching huge goals, whereas my own are respectable but not stratospheric. But when I see the behind-the-scenes of their profit margins (and the headaches of big campaigns), it’s a reminder that I shouldn’t compare, the grass isn’t always greener, and that I’m doing great for me.
I’m not immune to chasing trends of doing all the things on the hottest new social media platform, but after quite a few years in the business, I’m slowly learning what my strengths are and to stick with the tactics that I enjoy and that work for me.
· How does your work make a difference?
I actually went into biology to make a difference in the world — environmental-wise — and I fell into authoring. Sometimes, I wonder what I might have done if my path hadn’t shifted. But if I ever consider that I’m not making a difference, I remember the fan mail I receive. Some people use my words as comfort and escape in the most trying of situations — loneliness, heartbreak, grief, pain — and I am beyond humbled to think that it are my words they turn to.
I might write stories about mythical sea creatures and legendary wizards, but to some, that’s exactly what they need. And bringing the joy of a good story to those who are simply reading for fun, well, that’s what I’m aiming for!
· How have the people around you responded to you answering your creative calling?
I’ve been very lucky: my family has been supportive from day one. I wrote my first book for my mum, in fact, and my dad was the one reading me stories every night as a child. My husband was supportive when writing was just a hobby and is even more so now that it’s a job. He helps with many aspects of my business — brainstorming ideas, analysing marketing tactics, goal-setting — and I wouldn’t be as successful today if it weren’t for his help.
Other people in my life are supportive, to the limit of their understanding. I find that people tend to think writing is a glorified hobby, and they get surprised when I tell them the details. People just don’t know what it means to be an indie author — there are many misconceptions! But my husband (ever eager to make sure others respect what I’ve done) made sure we had a party after I sold 100k books. That got people talking!
· Do you celebrate your creative wins?
I absolutely celebrate! I’ve published twenty-seven novels to date, and every single one gets the honour of a cake. I tend to celebrate at the launch of a Kickstarter (since that’s the first time the book really enters the world — its debutante moment, if you will). If I’m feeling especially creative, I’ll make a themed cake (blue for ocean books, for example).
It doesn’t matter how many books I write… they all took effort, and creative juice, and I’m very proud of every single one.
You can find and connect with Emma on her website, Facebook (her author page and her Fantastic Lair Facebook group), and Instagram.
The Kickstarter campaign for Depths of Magic: A Completed Ocean Urban Fantasy Series runs until the 27th of December.
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!