One of my favorite moments in my professional writing career was working for a local newspaper. I had come from the world of backpack journalism — that is, I worked in a TV studio but also had to produce work for print mediums — and I just knew that writing was going to be the backbone of my future career. My nosy self loved getting the inside scoop on the happenings in my community, but I ultimately knew I wanted to go corporate. Content marketing and corporate communications seemed like the perfect fit for me, as my writing would flourish in a world where I’d be dipping my toes in short and sweet social media copy, longform press releases and articles, and website copy.
Interestingly, my path as an author isn’t totally unique. Sara Puissegur, an indie author whose debut novel in the Celestial Destiny Series is coming out in late summer, took a similar path in her career. And, boy, does she have a story to tell!
Nikki: Thanks so much for chatting, Sara! To kick things off, let’s talk about your writing career. What do you do now? Is it something you always knew you’d end up doing?
Sara: I wanted to be a teacher when I was younger. But I quickly realized that was not for me. I don’t have patience.
I always knew I wanted to write, so I ended up studying print journalism/mass communications. I worked for my college newspaper for four years of undergrad and was the Editor-in-Chief my last three semesters. Those are some of my best memories! I went on to work for a company that had three small-town newspapers for two and a half years before I moved on. Now I do communication work – website management, social media, event flyers, and so on.
I majored in mass communications, too! It’s funny how as we age, the world just feels smaller and smaller. So, tell me, are you traditionally published, or self-published?
My debut novel, A Sparrow Among Stars, will be self-published. I opted not to pursue a traditional publisher because I like having full control of my words and content, and ultimately, I don’t want this novel that I’ve put my heart and soul into to sit and collect dust for a year or longer. I’m ready to release it into the world and let it fly!
I’m happy to see the stigma is slowly fading from self-published authors. There are many truly amazing writers out there with wonderful ideas and excellent grammar who deserve a chance that agents and traditional publishers may not give them.
I totally agree. I ultimately decided to self-publish for the same reason… I wanted control over my brand, personal image, and words. Now, is A Sparrow Among Stars a stand-alone work, or is it a planned series?
A Sparrow Among Stars is the first book in a planned trilogy, but the Celestial Destiny Series has the potential to grow far beyond that! I have just sent the revised draft back to my editor for line editing, which is very exciting.
That’s so exciting! I saw the cover reveal on your Instagram, and it’s a beautiful book. Would you be comfortable sharing a synopsis with us?
Sure! Determined to keep his stolen crown and the besieged kingdom of Hyrosencia, King Antoine Rexton hunts Garrick loyalists without remorse. When his bloodthirst fixes upon Serena Finch, he orders his Enforcing Army to kill her and anyone who stands between them. Labeled a traitor by the unrelenting sovereign, Serena must flee her idyllic homeland and cross treacherous mountains to seek asylum in the City of Mercy, the last stronghold of Queen Elara Garrick’s realm. As Elara secures alliances through her wedding, Rexton’s son, Crown Prince Anteros, interrogates their newest prisoner — and Serena’s best friend — Talitha Vise, forging an unlikely friendship that could further unravel his father. Guided by the queen’s elite guardians, Serena must learn to wield her father’s sword if she wants to survive the barrage of aggressors in their path. But when faced with dangers untold, will the gentle girl from Durmak find the strength to fight, or will she be caught in the tyrant’s snare?
That sounds incredible. What genres do you typically write in?
Fantasy primarily, but my series includes a healthy dose of romance and friendships due to the large cast of characters. I enjoy reading fantasy as well as contemporary romance with some drama. While I’ve read some spicy books, my preference is a cozy YA read with no spice.
My novels have no spice beyond kissing because I want them to be a gateway for younger (14+) readers who are interested in fantasy stories without the over-complicated world building and sex scenes.
That was around the age where I really dove head-first into literature, so I love that you’re encouraging younger readers. What does your writing routine look like?
I work full-time, so every day I close my office door during my lunch break and write or work on social media content for an hour. It’s the only way I could get through my novel revisions in peace since I have a toddler at home.
A toddler, oh my gosh! You must be busy as heck. I’m so impressed at your balancing act. What do you do to destress and have fun?
Writing is my version of fun! But when I’m not writing, I like to read something new.
For the past two years, I’ve done more writing and listening to music than anything else. No matter where I’m at or what I’m supposed to be doing, I find my mind drifting back to Hyrosencia – to epic sword fights and forbidden loves and a kingdom in desperate need of a savior. Don’t we all want someone to save us from something? I think for many readers, we just need someone to save us from our boredom. So that’s what I’m offering my readers – love, war, and everything in between!
That sounds incredible, and I think A Sparrow Among Stars just skyrocketed to the top of my TBR. What have readers been saying so far? Has there been one piece of feedback that’s stuck out to you?
My younger sister has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She has read several versions of this novel. I struggled every time with one particular chapter – the pivotal action scene toward the end of the story. After my last round of revisions, I re-sent this chapter to her, and she said, “I just read a cinematic masterpiece.” That made me want to cry. My novel’s always felt like a movie in my head and getting this huge climactic moment just right was so satisfying. I slept so well that night!
I love that! My younger sister is a big cheerleader for me, too. She and I always loved discussing the different fictional worlds we were reading about as kids. If you could live in any literary world or universe, which would you choose?
I don’t know if I could survive in any fantasy world, but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve always related to Hermione Granger from her bookishness right down to her bushy dark hair. I’d love to grab a mug of hot butterbeer with the gang at the Leaky Cauldron and practice spells in the Room of Requirement. I don’t think anything else could compare to the magic of that world.
I totally get that. There’s something about magical world that’s just unbeatable. I want to circle back to the magical world in A Sparrow Among Stars… what’s one thing that nobody has asked about the novel, but you wish they would?
“Is this romantasy/spicy?” The answer is no. While it is fantasy, and there are several couples/ships, romance is not the primary focus of my story. The first book is about Serena’s brutal fight for survival. The second and third books shift focus to the brewing war and a rebellion’s attempt to take back their kingdom from a tyrant.
That is so darn cool. How do you feel about your characters?
I love most of my characters. They’re my babies. I used to struggle with making some characters “too perfect,” but I’ve enjoyed figuring out what quirks and attributes to give them to make them more relatable. A couple of characters that I created after I had already established the base storyline ended up stealing the whole show and becoming clear favorites. One character I created with the intention of giving them a super emotional death – but then I couldn’t do it. And luckily, magic is real in the fantasy world.
Yes, sometimes they do get under my skin, but that’s a good thing. The more flawed they are, the easier they can be to write. It’s almost like certain characters write their own scenes, and I’m just along for the crazy ride with them.
I totally agree, the more flawed, the more individual they feel. And I totally relate to struggling to kill a character… I had the same intention for one character in the sequel to Industrialized, but I realized he was the star of the show when I tried to off him. The more I hear about your book, the more excited I get! Let me ask, are there any indie authors you’re currently obsessed with that we should also keep on our radar?
I’ve read more indie authors’ books than trendy ones over the past few years!
I’m obsessed with K. Sinko’s debut Safe Harbor and her latest release Always Choosing You! I just love her writing style so much.
I also really enjoyed the ARC read of Isabella Ayubi’s When You Return, a no-spice romantasy that was a really lovely read. Also can’t wait to see what she writes next!
Amazing, we’ll all have to check those books and authors out! I especially love debut novels, as there’s just something so promising and energetic about them. Do you have any advice for aspiring novelists?
Read, write, edit, and keep writing. Your writing style will develop and improve a lot if you constantly work toward it.
Amazing. I just have one more question for you, Sara. Going back to the roots of where many of us found a love for writing, how did you feel about required reading back in language arts class?
English was always my favorite subject in school, so I never minded assigned reading. I would rather be reading a book than doing anything science-related. I really enjoyed Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, The Outsiders, and Wuthering Heights. I took AP English as a senior, and I was grateful I was “forced” to read books like Wuthering Heights. I think I was the only person who actually liked that book, but I can’t get enough of a misunderstood love interest. That’s probably why!
I took a Jane Austen literature course in college as an elective and loved it. I think it’s important that everyone read some classic works such as Shakespeare and Austen. They’re such unique and wonderful works of art.
Sara Puissegur’s own work of art will be out soon, so she’ll be looking for ARC readers before then! To keep her work on your radar, connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
Want to learn more about other indie authors to know? Keep an eye on my Indie Author Spotlight Series!