Author Interview: Jessie Harrell

Hey everyone! Today I have the honor of having Jessie Harrell, author of Destined, here on Musings of a Write-Aholic! If you haven't read Destined, go get it! It's a great read, and you'll lose track of time when you read it. It's that much fun to turn the pages! :) Without further ado, here's Jessie!

Hi, Jessie, and thanks for taking the time to stop by the blog today!

Thank you for having me. I'm always honored when someone thinks I'm interesting enough to interview.

You're definitely interesting enough to be interviewed! First off, I loved Destined! What made you decide to write about Greek mythology?

Thank you so much! I was a Classical Studies major back in college and focused primarily on ancient Greek and Roman history and culture. I took lots of classes studying the ancient myths and just loved them. But I also knew lots of people found them difficult to get through. My hope in writing about mythology is to take down some of those barriers.

I think you did an excellent job of making the myth of Psyche and Eros relatable and current! How did you choose the story of Eros and Psyche out of all the Greek myths out there? Was there anything in particular that spoke to you about their story?

Eros & Psyche's story was always my favorite myth. Let's face it, there aren't very many romantic myths. And even fewer with happy endings. I guess I'm just a sucker for a good love story.

Really, who isn't? :) Who was your favorite character to write? Was any character tough to write?

I loved writing Hermes. He's funny and would be a guy I'd love to hang out with. Aphrodite was hard for me to write at first. She started out having too much of a soap opera personality and I really needed to find her core - her weaknesses and wants - before I could make her real.

That makes sense. She was a fun character to watch develop! Where's your favorite place to write? Any special habits you have while writing?

My favorite place is anywhere I can eek out an hour or more of writing time. That usually means I'm glued in front of my desk, but when my laptop and I can go mobile, I'm a happy camper. Regardless of venue, I HAVE to listen to music to get my creative juices flowing. Me and silence don't work well together.

That's understandable. I love music, too! What's on the docket for you now? Any new books in the making?

Why, yes, actually. I just released a short story called "Before" that's in the In His Eyes Anthology (free on Smashwords).  I'm co-authoring a novel called Beneath the Surface that will come out this summer. (Tag line: A timeless love. An endless curse. Which one will survive the summer?) And then I'll have another short story out this fall in the anthology benefiting #yalitchat called Two and Twenty Dark Tales. That one draws on ancient Egyptian mythology and is VERY loosely based on the "Hey Diddle, Diddle" nursery rhyme.

Wow, you're busy! I can't wait to get my hands on these other projects! I'm sure they'll be just as awesome as Destined. Speaking of which, Destined is doing spectacularly on Amazon right now! How's it feel to know people are enjoying your writing?

It's amazing. I was pretty scared to make the leap and put Destined out there, but I knew deep down it was ready. The novel has really resonated with people who enjoy a good love story and don't mind the modern-day flare I added to the ancient setting.

I definitely appreciated the modern-day flare. It's always great when an author puts their style in a myth. Personally, I think that's what can make them better! Do you have any secrets to your success? Anything to offer to others in the indie boat?

I wish there was a secret other than "hard work," but that's all I've found for now. I spent years learning about the industry and how to write for YA. I made sure the novel was professionally edited and had a professional cover. And I've just tried to be a friendly and accessible author on every platform.  It never hurts to be nice!

No kidding! Kindness goes a long ways! Finally, what are you reading right now? Found any good books so far this year?

I'm currently reading How to Date an Alien by fellow Indelible author, Megan Vernon. It's so much fun, but I'm just waiting for the hammer to drop. Gulp! I just finished reading Anew by Chelsea Fine and it was awesome. I also enjoyed Addison Moore's Ethereal and My Enchanted Life by Laura Eno. You've got to hand it to the Indie authors (like yourself!) who are putting out some fantastic books at a fraction of the price of traditional publishers. I can't read fast enough to keep up with my ever-growing list!

I just downloaded Ethereal last night! I can't wait to read it. And you're right, Indie authors are great! It's been a blast to meet so many like-minded authors and learn the trade with others. Writing is such a journey, it's fun to have friends along the way, like yourself. Thanks for stopping by today, and best of luck with all your future books as well as Destined!

Thank you for hosting me! I can't wait to see what's in store for you and your novels as well.

Now for the fun part - Jessie's agreed to give away SWAG to some lucky readers! We have 5 autographed bookmarks to give away, and I'm gifting one copy of Destined to another reader! 6 chances to win! Just fill out the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

There you have it, folks! If you'd like to get to know Jessie more, check out her interweb haunts!

Official Website -- Twitter -- Goodreads -- Blog