Please welcome, Livy Jarmusch to the blog today. She is another indie author you need to meet.
Hi there! So, my name is Livy, I'm in my twenties, and I'm just a liiitttllleee bit obsessed with writing. (But I'm sure you already guessed that, hehe!) I love creating pure, lovely, uplifting Christian fiction for teen girls, most of which is contemporary. (So far, anyway ;)). I love Disney, castles, glitter, and pretty much all-things-girly. I enjoy singing, playing guitar, and writing songs. I'm 50% introverted and 50% extroverted (yep, I'm split exactly down the middle), which makes for an interesting life (half the time I crave human interaction, and the other half of the time I'm locked upstairs in my room! hehehe...), but the most important thing about me, no, the only thing that truly matters about me, is my relationship with Jesus! Jesus is my Savior and Best Friend, and I love Him SO very much! <3 br="">
2. Do you have a job other than writing?
I work from home, so I do a variety of things; freelance web-design, planning Blog Tours for other Authors, and write, of course! :) Even though writing takes up the majority of my time, I also blog, which I'm able to use as an income source as well.
3. Who do you credit with supporting you the most in your writing journey?
The Lord, and His Holy Spirit, has been absolutely my biggest cheerleader in all of this. I know for a fact that I never would've started writing without Him! I didn't think my stories mattered. For many, many years, I pushed my desire to write fiction on the back-shelf, thinking it was too "selfish" or not "spiritual-enough" to make an impact. I had no idea that the enemy was fighting so hard to try to keep my creativity locked-up. Then one day, the Lord spoke a word to my heart that changed everything, and I suddenly felt free to write!
Writing can sometimes feel like a lonely journey, so the Lord's been faithful to give me friends and family to cheer me along as well. My best friend, even though she isn't a writer, is always encouraging me, and challenging me to keep pressing forward. I also have a lot of friends who write, which is a HUGE blessing, and we're able to Text one another and keep offering one-another encouragement for those dry spells.
I also have to give credit to my lovely readers. Oh my goodness, they're incredible! Getting texts, emails, or Instagram messages from them, just seriously MAKES my day. It encourages me to keep going, and when I hear that they're enjoying the stories, it definitely gives me that extra spark to keep going!
4. Any words of advice for novice writers?
Yes! First of all, TURN OFF your inner critic. That nasty voice that keeps saying you cannot do this. Shut it down. It's nothing but lies. You can do this. You can write! Your writing isn't going to be perfect, but that doesn't matter. Write anyway. And write, everyday! The more you write, the better you'll get. This I have learned from personal experience! When I look back at something I wrote even a year ago, I'm amazed at how much I've learned and improved from writing every single dayfor a year. It might sound overly simplistic, but the best way to get better at writing is to write. Yes, reading books, attending conferences, and listening to PodCasts are great...but at the end of the day, you have to sit down and actually get those words out. That's what makes all the difference.
5. Are you a plotter or a pantser, or somewhere in between?
I am what you call a pantser-in-recovery! Haha! I am trying to mend my wayward, non-plotting ways, but goodness, I love the suspense of not always knowing what's going to happen! In my first novel, The Coronation, I plotted the first half of the book, up until the dramatic climax, and then I had seriously no idea what was going to happen next. I got my characters into a massive, massive mess, then I stopped typing, rolled my chair away from the computer and thought, "Huh...now how in the world are we going to get out of this disaster?" It was a big of an enigma, but it was also majorly exciting! I was really able to place myself in my characters heads and think through everything, as if I were living in the story with them, which I think made the ending feel so much more genuine. But, I've learned a lot about writing since I wrote The Coronation, and decided to exercise my plotting-mussels with the sequel, The Rebellion (not yet released), and I really enjoyed the simplicity of having everything pre-planned! I was able to fly through each scene so quickly, and didn't run into any plot snags, so there's obviously something to be said for plotting. I do love pantsing though, so I'm working on finding a happy medium between the two extremes, haha.
6. Do you set a writing schedule for yourself?
No, I don't have a specific schedule, but I do have goals. For example, I try to write five pages a day on my current project, unless of course I'm editing, doing promo for a new release, or have another non-writing project eating up my time.
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7. What challenges do you face in keeping to a writing schedule?
The five pages a day goal used to be really hard for me. It was exhausting to write that much, but now, I find that sometimes I'll crank out ten or fifteen pages, and be like, 'Wow, I remember when I used to struggle through just one!' I'm not sharing this information with the purpose of tooting my own horn, but rather to encourage you with the fact that I used to struggle to meet my goals. It was like weight-lifting..it was uncomfortable, tiring, and I had to just press through it...but with time, it got easier, and easier. And you can do the same thing! Anyone can write, anyone can set goals, and anyone can improve if they just stick to it! So no matter what, don't give up!
8. When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?
I've loved writing, ever since I was a little girl. In Kindergarten, I declared that I wanted to be an Author. The desire to dream and tell stories has always been in my blood! But as a teenager, that fire got extinguished, and I put my dream of writing on the back-burner. It wasn't until just two years ago, when the Lord revived that dream, and showed me that the world needs my creativity...just like it needs yours! We all have something special go give, and even though it might feel like everyoneis writing, you have to remember that nobody is writing with YOUR unique heart and perspective. So don't be discouraged...share your gift, pursue your dream, and change the world through your pen!
The Coronation
Prince Addison is only several weeks away from inheriting the Kingdom of Tarsurella. The entire Palace is ablaze with excitement, as the Royal Family prepares for the event of a lifetime. Despite the exciting event which is near at hand, Addison and his younger siblings (all seven of them!) must carry on with their daily activities.
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Meanwhile, Princess Chasity is dealing with her own fragile affairs of the heart. Her new security guard, Hanson Fletcher, is completely captivating, yet entirely frustrating. She attempts to keep the entrance of her heart firmly protected, while following the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23. But can she be successful in guarding her heart, from her security guard?
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Regal Hearts: The Unlikely Story of a Princess, a Popstar, and Amish Girl, and an Average Girl
Following the dramatic birth of her royal daughters, the Queen of Bella Adar is murdered by the merciless sword of an evil usurper. The helpless princesses are placed in the care of the URIA, an undercover organization who safely extracts and protects the girls from a tragic fate. Sixteen years later, Lena Bodner encounters a stranger who uncovers secrets from her past...
Secrets of Royalty
Welcome to the Worthlessness Camp. A nightmarish place where helpless captives are held by chains. Here, an orphaned girl grows tired of her tears and desires to escape from the place of her fears. But the powers of darkness are far too strong for her. Suddenly, a glimmer of hope is seen on the horizon. Who is this Prince on a white horse, galloping in to save the day? As you dive into this allegorical fairy-tale, experience the relentless love of a passionate Prince, who rescues this helpless captive and sweeps her into the royal courts of His Kingdom. But happily ever after has not yet arrived, and this grand rescue is only the beginning. Does this orphan have the makings of a Princess inside of her? Will she become everything the Prince says she can be, and rule by His side? Or will the wicked villain continue to control her mind, her heart, and destroy her destiny?As you travel throughout this story, you'll uncover the hidden Secrets of Royalty and rediscover what it truly means for you to be a Chosen Daughter of the Most High King! Following this epic tale is a 31 Day Devotional that will powerfully transform the way that you think about yourself, your relationship with God, and the world around you!
To see all the great books in the Indie Christian Books sale, visit http://www.indiechristianbooks.com/
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