Guest Appearance: Meet the Author with Shelly Mack

Q&A from Instagram Interview

1.Tell us about your book/ books?

My debut fiction novel, The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick, which is Book 1 of the Witches of Maple Hollow Series, is coming out October 2024.

Book 2, The Dream Mirror, will be out in Spring 2025, and hopefully Book 3 Fall of 2025.

2.How do your plan your writing days?

I try to wake up early each morning and write at least 500 words a day.

3.Tell us about your journey to publication?

I think originally I wanted to be traditionally published, but I realized with how quickly I wanted to publish it, and with how much control I wanted over all of the aspects, that I needed to do it myself.

4.Do you ever suffer from writers block and if so, how do you overcome it?

Yes, I originally started writing this book, which was almost a middle grade novel to start, 10 years ago. I wrote 10,000 words and then stopped. I didn’t return to it until 10 years later after I had a spiritual awakening and it took on a whole new life of its own.

5. Where do you take inspiration from?

My dreams! I actually don’t read fiction and avoided reading other works for decades because I didn’t want to be influenced or copy anyone else’s style.

6.Do you have favorite characters to write?

Ones that are deep like me.

7.lf stuck on a desert island, what standalone book and what series would you bring?

I think I would need wifi on that island because I really like to watch movies.

8.What are you working on now?

Book 2 of the Witches of Maple Hollow Series, The Dream Mirrors.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Do not compare your journey to someone else’s. Imposter syndrome is real but the only way out of it is to write. The only difference between authors and non-authors is that authors write. The time is going to pass anyway so why not leave a legacy you can be proud of. Create small attainable goals like a word count per day. Routine is Key.