Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester is pleased to bring back horror writer and poet Morgan Sylvia. The first thing I usually ask authors is how they want us to introduce themselves, and tell readers a bit about their writing. This is Morgan’s response:
I write mostly horror, with some fantasy, sci-fi, and poetry sprinkled in. I’ve been an avid reader my entire life, and started writing for fun at a very young age. My first novel, Abode, came out in 2017 by Bloodshot Books. The next book I did was Dawn: Book One of The Aris Trilogy, from Crossroads Press. That one is a fantasy, one I tend to describe as a mix of Druid/Spartan/Tudors elements set on a post-technological world, with paranormal elements. I’m currently finishing edits on Book 2. I’ve also released two poetry collections. The second one, As The Seas Turn Red, was nominated for an Elgin, which was a huge moment for me. I’ve also been in several anthologies.
Where can people find your work? (Besides Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester–though they should totally check here first!)
The easiest way is to follow my Amazon page,
https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Sylvia/e/B00SW1JWBC%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
How can we follow your work and share your awesomeness?
My website!
I’m at www.morgansylvia.com
https://www.instagram.com/msylvia1916/
https://twitter.com/MorganSylvia11
For readers unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe what you write? What can readers expect from your latest work?
I’ve been told I have a very poetic style. It seems to be more apparent to others than to me, as it’s just how I naturally write. I think that goes back a long way. I used to write pages of what I thought were song lyrics. It took me until my 20’s before it dawned on me that I’m not a singer and that I was actually writing poems. But there’s still something there about the rhythm and flow of words, and the images that they conjure. I’m picky about language and flow that way.
What was the inspiration for [newest release/series release is part of/spotlighted release]? What were the steps you took to bring it from initial inspiration to the finished book?
I saw the call go out for this, and immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it. I originally just spat out this sort of rough draft for a different song, not realizing that the song was already taken. I made some changes and turned it into Julia Dream, and I just love this piece.
What was the biggest challenge in writing and putting out [newest release/spotlighted release]? How did you overcome that challenge?
I’ll be the first to admit I tend to get wordy. I always write long, so getting things to fit short word counts is hard for me. The editor, T Fox. Dunham, pushed me to chop, chop, chop, and while some of those cuts hurt, it really did make the story shine.
What piece of advice would you want to share with other writers?
Do your research on the genre and industry, but realize that this is an art, a craft, and a business. You need the art part for your creative input, the craft part for storytelling, and the business part for success, no matter what level you are at. You can’t just pick and choose from those elements. But you also need to love this, because otherwise you’ll resent the time it takes.
How important has the New England setting been to your writing?
Very much! I grew up here, and spent a lot of time walking in woods, driving in woods, and even camping or riding in woods. That atmosphere is just very rich for sinking into thought. Plus, we also have these cool, archaic towns and sceneries and the history behind them. I don’t think our long, dark winters hurt either. Blizzards are perfect reading/writing weather!
What is/are your passions when you’re not writing? How do you make time for your non-writing hobbies/things you love?
Gardening and other arts and crafts are at the top of the list. I love going to concerts, though of course that hasn’t happened lately. I’m also enjoying walking my dog and getting back into fitness. I actually enjoy barre and pilates.
What does your writing space look like? What do you need to have around you while writing or editing?
I work from home, so I have my own dedicated office. One wall is all bookshelves, but it’s still not enough. I have at least as many books in storage as I do displayed. I unfortunately don’t have a lot of wall space, but I have a few pieces of art I love, a comfy chair, and a desk I decoupaged myself. There’s also usually a dog and cat snoozing in there somewhere.
What has been your favorite adventure during your writing career?
That has to be the last reading I did before the shutdowns started, which was a live event at the Salem Witch House with a few other local authors. Sacred ground!
Writers very often have furry or feathered or otherwise non-human companions to “help” them through their work. Do you? What do you have? How do they “help” (or, “not-help”) with your writing?
I do! I have a floofer princess kitty named Orca, who is just the most adorable cat ever. (I may be biased) We also just adopted a super cute dog, Miko. This poor thing was in a shelter for six years! She is just the sweetest thing. She’s settling in well, and is almost always at my feet when I’m working.
We also have a fat goldfish named Swim Shady.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Morgan! And thanks for doing the interview and reading soon to be on our YouTube channel!
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