Q&A
Things you may want to know all in one place… no more hunting through the astral plane to find the missing stuff. If something you want to know isn’t here, contact me, with your question to have it added here.
And here we go! Click the questions below to travel through the astral web page directly to your desired answer. You can also scroll, but where’s the fun in that? Astral Space…
When is your next book coming out?
What are you reading right now?
When is your next event/signing?
How did you come up with your idea for the Divine series?
How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?
Q&A
When is your next book coming out?
I have so many books in my head, and not enough time to put them all out there all at once, but here is the current schedule for the Divine series, and I’ll reveal the next project before the release of Book Three. (wiggles eyebrows) So many stories to tell you. All within the Paranormal Fantasy/Sci-Fi fantasy realm.
The Acatalec Series: Sci-fi Fantasy Adventure Romance
My Abett Book 0.5 Grab it for free by joining my Newsletter
Kingdom of Acatalec Book One – Releasing October 2022
Acatalec Chosen Book Two – TBA
Acatalec’s Sword Book Three – TBA
Divine series (COMPLETE): YA Paranormal Dark Fantasy
If you’re reading this Q&A then you secretly get to know that I’m currently working on the following upcoming projects:
A Medusa + Poseidon Romance Retelling
A Fae Epic Fantasy Romance
& a collaboration Sci-fi Alien Romance
Stay posted on these releases and be reminded when each one is available by joining the voices in my head by subscribing to the mailing list, you can unsubscribe at anytime, Grab your first free book by subscribing today.
What are you reading right now?
So many things. I usually read a writing craft book in between each book I write, and sometimes in the middle of writing one. But, for my own amusement’s sake I read what I like to write. You can find books I’m reading now at my book review site: You can see everything I read by following me on Goodreads.
I’m part of a book club or school and want to order in bulk with discounts, can I do that?
Yes, yes you can. If you are a book club/teacher that would like to read one of my books you can get a discount for a bulk order over 10 books for 10% off, plus shipping and handling. All of these books will be shipped from the publisher directly to the organizer’s home with tracking info. Or you can can signed copies (but this will delay the shipping as it needs to be sent to me then to you.)
please email me for details: StevieMarieAuthor (at) Gmail (dot) com
Please be aware that print books are POD and are non-returnable. However, if your book arrives damaged, at time of receipt take a picture and email for replacement.
Thank you again for being an advocate for learning and reading! I love to support teachers, schools, and book clubs.
Also, happy to provide book club materials upon request.
Please keep in mind that shipping may vary depending on location, this will be included in the invoice.
When is your next event/signing?
Due to current events, things are digital for the time being.
I want a signed copy, but am unable to make it to a local event in Washington State, how do I get one?
That is wonderful! If you want a signed book, if you want to support my directly, you can order signed books or direct digital Audiobooks/E-books from the S.M.McCoy Direct Shop on PayHip. The book will be shipped out asap with recycled packaging. I’m big on recycling cardboard, so I use old boxes to keep your book safe and the environment too! (Keep in mind shipping varies depending on location.)
How did you come up with your idea for the Divine series?
I had a dream of Chrystal, not known as Chrystal at the time, and Damien, not named at the time, circling each other in the air with colorful fog all around them. Two moons transitioned and layered in the center, each casting their light on the rotating couple. All leading up to this passionate kiss and then a sudden fall to the ground at the realization that they hardly know each other, but something is drawing them together.
Then another idea hit me, I was part of the mutant gene, and then thought about what if my power was super sucky? Then I’m thrown into a world of the supernatural, and the only thing I did was have energy that helped other mutants by just existing. How mind-bendingly horrible would that be on a teenage soul when you’re trying to discover who you are, and who you are is tied to everyone else?
It’s like rolling the mutant D20 dice and getting a natural 1 where you rely on everyone else in your party to make sure you don’t bleed out, or cause other people to suffer before the D&D campaign is over. Then, thinking about how someone would over come that start, how they discover what makes them special outside of that, and the change in people when they think they’re going to die anyway.
Yup that’s my inner nerd coming out, but the next theme in there that really built this book was my take on vampires, psychic energy vampires.
Ever walk into a party and feel like you would normally have fallen asleep hours ago, but you keep on going, your energy buzz is so high you can keep dancing. Then there are other times where you go to a party and you were ready to party all night, but for some reason you can’t bring yourself to go on any further, you want to go home and sleep? What if those times you were secretly being attacked or transfused by ENERGY vampires.
Those were the building blocks of Blood Crescent. The plot, how you say, was pantsed (writing by the seat of your pants) while I wrote. The characters took it from there. I was just as surprised by the outcomes as the reader is, I just had time to edit it and fill in all the little plot bunnies before anyone else got to see the blob that it was before.
How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?
When spelling something out in a book I ask myself, “Is it necessary? Am I telling instead of showing? Would it be more emotional with or without?”
Don’t distrust the reader too much, they are a lot smarter than most realize. Most of the time the reader will build something greater in their mind than I could ever create in my words alone. Words are merely what guide them there.
So, I am very torn between explaining something outright, when I feel like enough information is provided to lead the reader to higher experience on their own. It is a continual struggle, and I hope that my readers appreciate that I keep a bit of mystery to whether something is supposed to be one way or the other. Like whether Damien or Victor are bad or good for Chrystal? Each one does things that benefit her, but they also have their own selfish reasons for why they do what they do. Which one do you think is doing the right thing? And isn’t the “right thing” subjective anyways? I try to give my readers a fast, easy read, but also enough rope to really be able to think about what’s going on.
There will be some people who think I haven’t explained enough, other will be happy that everything wasn’t spelled out for them, and others still will believe I gave too much direction, and they wanted a bit more of a challenge. Either way, you can’t please everyone. I’m happy to please the people that I do. I heart all of your faces.
The astral plane sucks you up into it’s embrace. The ground moves beneath you, disorientating your vision. Before you know what’s happened you’ve been spit out here, where the Dragon awaits you to answer one question.
Whoah, that’s some astral projection skills you have there.
I’m kind of a lover of Easter eggs, and I don’t mean the kind you eat… unless they are chocolate.
If you’ve read Kingdom of Acatalec then you can answer this question:
Who is Tyler’s bestie?
Be the first to answer correctly… email me. stevie (dot) mccoy (at) gmail (dot) com
This question will stay here for a limited time, then it will magically change to a new challenge. As mysterious as the astral plane, only the winners will be given the rights to boast about their conquests.