Congrats to Sasha and Lindsay for the release of their second book in their Androma Saga!
I had the chance to attend one of their book events at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT. If any of you get the chance, you really need to go to this bookstore! It has a very cute indie bookstore vibe with a cafe in the back of the store (btw, I definitely recommend getting a chai tea latte) and a children’s section on the second floor.
I got to the event a few minutes early and ended up chatting with Lindsay and gave her a copy of my children’s book. Again, this is why I love meeting and talking with indie authors because they are so down to earth. For this event, Sasha and Lindsay welcomed their editor who helped them with their second book Nexus.
The following are questions their editor, Lauren Smulski, asked them throughout the event:
Acquisition Process
SA/LC: Zenith was initially a 60 page e-book series that made it on the best seller list. Zenith is like Guardians of the Galaxy, but with more females. It ended up going into an auction for publishing houses to gain the rights to publish it due to the popularity of the book. We both thought about what would be fun and what felt right for the book. We gave a poll asking fans if they would rather read a fantasy or sci-fi genre. The fans picked fantasy, so naturally we decided to go for sci-fi. We initially had our literary agents edit Zenith before we had editors.
Being Co-authors
SA/LC: as co-authors, we had to make sure the book was cohesive, having one voice. Writing solo does give you your own private space, co-authoring a book does bring something unique.
SA: co-authoring with Lindsay is like working with your mentor.
SA/LC: the first draft of Zenith took only six weeks to write whereas Nexus took 8-9 months for revisions.
SA/LC: to co-author a book, you need to write over one another, as in the authors voices must blend together
Inspiration while writing
SA: traveling to Iceland
SA/LC: writing Nexus felt the same, but better because it shows character growth and plot development. Nexus is a smaller book, but the story is deeper.
World Building
SA: I have always liked astronomy, so this helped me writing about galaxies for the book.
LC: I liked writing the smaller lines. Writing about the little details makes you think more about something.
SA/LC: there are rules in building how the world functions.
Lauren Smulski (Editor): also liked the different worlds, like a Flerken (Havoc)
Favorite Characters
LC: Andi, fierce girls; I also liked Valon because she was a deeper character
SA: I liked Nor. She seems like a villain but she does care for her people. Plus she has the best style.
What was hard to leave out
SA: ellipses (Lindsay is known for ellipses). LC: yes. I’m made of ellipses.
How does it feel (with the second book coming out)
SA: it feels amazing. I am so happy and proud.
LC: you’re pushing a piece of your soul into the world. It’s never a good bye, it’s a see you later.
Fancasting
LC: the cast of The 100
SA: Andi: Margo Robby Dex: a Brazilian model
Do you compare yourself to other authors
LC: if you put your happiness and worth into other people’s hands, you’ll never be satisfied. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who bring you up not bring you down.
Future
LC: I have a book being released in 2020, it’s a western space fantasy.
How did you come up with the name
LC: I came up with a great name for a character. It was Dex. At the time, I did not realize I had named one of my characters Dex in my book The Murder Complex
SA: Andi came from Andromeda, which led to Androma series, which led to Andi
Becoming an author
SA/LC: You are all writers. Read and write as much as possible. Persistence is key.
Favorite Writing Spots
SA: I like to move around a lot, have writing retreats with other authors. Having these helps me to stay on track and stay focused on my book. I also like to go to coffee shops to write.
LC: I used to be able to write 8 hours/day but now I write when I can.
Lauren Smulski (Editor): I edit at home, rather than at the office
Be sure to check out the rest of the Nexus tour!!
Author websites:
Sasha Alsberg:
Lindsay Cummings:
Living in a World of Book Quotes 