Meet Blye Donovan | Award-winning Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Blye Donovan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Blye, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Oh, this is a great question. As an indie author, my books are self-published. When most people hear “self-published” they think the product (book) is going to be unprofessional or even “hack”. But that’s not what being an indie author means. Our books still go through editors, formatters, and proofreaders. We still use cover designers for digital covers, jackets and paperbacks. The only difference is, we’re doing the work to find and hire those professionals ourselves instead of having them incorporated within a big publishing house. So don’t be afraid of a book just because it didn’t come from a well-known publisher.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an author, my art is creating with words. I’ve been writing since I was a child, but I didn’t pursue it as a career until the pandemic shut the world down. Suddenly, I had the opportunity to think about what I really wanted to do. I started writing children’s books expecting that to be easier—trust me, it’s not! Then I picked up a romance novel I’d started writing as an undergrad over fifteen years prior. I completed it in a record two weeks and published it a few months later in the summer of 2021. That was the start of my Rolling Brook Series and my career as an indie author.

My books are set in small towns because I love adding quirky characters and historic architecture into my stories. They also tend to be fast-paced (think James Patterson style) with a large helping of suspense. Even though there’s a romance, it’s never the only thing happening in the story.

Writing, like most things, improves with practice, and I’ve grown and learned a lot in the past two years. Even so, I’m learning new things all the time! Writing is the fun part of creating, but what I’m still trying to master is the marketing side of the industry. So, while being a writer professionally is beyond rewarding, it’s far from easy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a lover of history and historic preservation, house museums are one of my favorite things to do in a new city. I’m a big foodie and a wine-lover too, so anytime there’s a festival including those things, I’m checking it out. If there’s live music, then we’ve hit the trifecta! I love to read and explore independent bookstores also, but unless I’m with someone else who reads, I’ll save them from the hours-long visit it would inevitably turn into, lol! Otherwise, art museums, craft fairs, and live jazz are events I’ll always sign up for.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The indie author world can be a daunting industry when you first foray into it. One of the best ways to navigate it is with the support of other authors who have been in your shoes and know the struggles you face. I was lucky enough to find a group of wonderful women early on who fill this role for me. So, I’d like to dedicate this Shoutout to my Shades of Romance sisters. Ladies, your friendship, mentorship, and encouragement keep me doing this author thing, and I can’t thank you enough for it!

Website: https://linktr.ee/blyedonovan

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