GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Angelique Fawns!
Angelique Fawns is a journalist and writer of speculative fiction. When not spinning dark tale, she interviews and promotes the publishers and writers of the genre. She lives in Canada and you can find more of her work at www.fawns.ca
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
My strengths come from my background in journalism. After spending four years in university learning how to write short, concise non-fiction, I believe my fiction benefits from this skill and makes my work clear and easy to digest. Of course, I feel pangs of jealous when I read the work of authors who are able to wax eloquent and create poetic paragraphs… My answer to writing problems is the same as my answer to article writing. Ask experts. Listen. Double check. Action the result. When my agent had an issue with the likability of my MC when she first received my book, I curled into a dark ball of despair for exactly one day, and then I consulted a few beta readers, and finally hired a top story doctor (thank you Bruce McAllister) to fix the problem.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community?
Writers are some of the kindest, most open individuals I have ever met. Most of us embrace the concept of “a rising tide floats all boats.” The book industry is a difficult one, and is forever in flux. One person will say it is the best time in history to publish, while another will say it is the worst. To me it is neither. It’s simply the time was are living in now and we must exist within it.
Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
See above answer, lol. I think the degree of difficulty or ease is all based on the individual and their circumstances. Some writers secure the BIG dream and end up trad (like Hugh Howey) after time in the indie trenches, others create mind-blowing hybrid careers (Gail Carriger), and others carve out profitable careers that would not be possible in the traditional world. (Katie Cross)
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
I have a few stories that I am thrilled I managed to create. (What you are making me pick just one?) It all depends on audience. My story, “Three Calendars” has been published twice by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and it takes a woman with dementia and turns her into a heroine, albeit with a sad twist. My mother-in-law is suffering from this disease and her struggles to manage daily life were the inspiration for this piece.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
I’ve recently completed my first cowboy romance novel and it is on sub with my agent Cherry Weiner. I am working on the next book, and it is more of suspense romance, and I am hoping to have it done in 6 months. My best friend, Rachel Luttrell from Stargate Atlantis, and I have penned a script called Dancing into the Dark which is a dark romantasy which is also on sub. We are also in the process of creating the partner novel.
And of course, my big baby is my Substack. I love researching the markets, interviewing editors, and sharing my findings with other authors. https://angeliquemfawns.substack.com
KANDISHA PRESS 
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