Today’s interview is with award-winning author Beth Barany. We learned more about her journey to publication, how she switches between genres and her interests outside of writing. It was an honor getting to know a talented writer like Beth.

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HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet?

BB: I write popular fiction in science fiction and fantasy, with adventure, mystery, and romance.

HG: You also write non-fiction, is that correct?  Which did you publish first?

BB: I published in non-fiction first, my e-book Overcome Writer’s Block. I used these tips and techniques to be the prolific writer I am today.

More about the book:

From a writing teacher who has taught hundreds of students in writing classes in-person and online!

Do you have writers block?

Do you wish you could get writing now?

Are you looking for writing prompts and story ideas to get writing?

You can break through your writer’s block and ignite your creativity today! This unique writing guide will show you how!
This writers guide was written for novelists, writers, creatives, and artists of all kinds.

Unique Approach to Writers Block
This guide offers a unique approach to writers block. Since I believe we are all creative, and the writing tool is a great way of thinking through problems, the way through writers block is a multi-pronged approach, with 

— writing exercises
— writing prompts
— creative writing prompts

**All to help you with your fiction writing and nonfiction writing!

Tools to Spark Your Writing Today!
This 45-page writing guide is chock full of tips, tricks, inspirational and motivational tools to spark your writing today. Derived from many sources, including the author’s writing experiences, this writing guide is rich with advice. Whether you are a writer in fiction or nonfiction looking for ways to keep the creative juices flowing, or you are a professional looking to bring in new ways of looking at old problems, this writing guide to overcome writers block, Overcome Writer’s Block: 10 Writing Sparks to Ignite Your Creativity, is designed for you.

HG: On that note, could you tell us a bit about your publishing journey? How did you know you were ready to take on the “author” title?

BB: It’s definitely been a long circuitous road. When I started my business in 2006, I realized I needed to get my non-fiction books out there. I was still working on my first novel that I eventually published, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. (Though I’d written two novels before that.) I was teaching how to create an e-book using pdfs. I needed to test my curriculum, so I gathered my blog posts together and created the first e-book as I mentioned above. I was also starting to speak at writers conferences and had pitched my Writers Adventure Guide material that was first local workshops. I realized I needed to get the book together, so put the workshop materials together for my first print book, The Writer’s Adventure Guide, and second book published.

HG: What have been the challenges you’ve faced in your publishing career?

BB: I spent a few years (ahem, 3-4 years, maybe more) trying to get my fiction traditionally published but when self-publishing it started taking off in 2011, and I was ready to publish my novel, the first book in my young adult adventure fantasy series, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, I decided to self-publish right before an agent agreed to pick me up. When she found out I was already published, she decided not to take me on, as she already had one of “those” (an indie author). At that time, it was an experiment taking on an independently published author and trying to sell them into traditional publishing.

But it all worked out! I was happy being an independently published author. It’s afforded me to make some contracts with interesting publishers. To date one of my romances has been published in Danish. And I was able to sell my audiobook rights to an audiobook publisher.

HG: Awesome! Is there anything you’d do differently? Advice to aspiring authors?

BB: I really don’t know what I would do differently. I don’t believe in regrets. My advice to aspiring authors? Don’t give up. Be creative. Try lots of different things. Keep going. The authors I see who succeed in this business don’t give up.

HG: Solid advice. What inspires your writing?

BB: So many things inspire my writing! My emotions; other people’s books: fiction and nonfiction; TV shows; movies; random conversations; people watching; traveling; the clouds; silly things my husband says; something inspiring a friend says; my dreams. Everything. I never know where inspiration comes from.

Also, I’m deeply inspired by the space industry, as well as all the new discoveries coming out of science, human consciousness, community building, futuristic and strategic foresight work.

HG: That’s fantastic. Tell us a little bit about your actual writing process. Does it differ by genre? How do you switch gears?

BB: I usually work on one fiction project at a time in one genre at a time. The other stories remain on the back burner, while I work on the main project. Currently I’m working on book 5 in the next Janey McCallister mystery, my space station investigator series. Book 1 is Into The Black, the first of four so far in the series.

More stories in my young adult fantasy series and in my paranormal romantic suspense are brewing in the background. When I get ideas, I write them down. But I’m dedicated to the one project I’m working on currently.

In terms of day-to-day process, I usually write after lunch for an hour or two, depending on my schedule and lots of other factors, usually write 4 to 6 days a week.

HG: What feeling do you hope readers are left with when they finish one of your mystery novels? YA fantasy? Romance?

BB: For my science fiction mystery, I hope readers are left with a sense of satisfaction.

From my YA fantasy I want to leave readers with a sense of empowerment. For my romance, I want to leave readers with a sense of hope and a heart-opening.

HG: Wonderful. What do you enjoy doing when not writing?

BB: I like walking and exploring new neighborhoods. I like taking pictures of plants, the urban environment, and my cats. I also like pruning and weeding and playing with my compost bins. My husband and I like talking about stories, science, and traveling.

HG: That’s great. Thank you. For fun, before we wrap up, let’s do a fast five! First one…coffee or tea?

BB: Coffee!

HG: Bonfire or fireplace?

BB: Bonfire

HG: Tropical beach or rustic mountains?

BB: Mountains! Though I love oceans, just not the tropics.

HG: Are you a morning bird or night owl?

BB: Usually a night owl, though I like getting up early once in a while.

HG: eBook or paperback?

BB: ebook

HG: For readers that want to find out more about your stories and keep up with you, where should they go to connect or learn more?

My website with free stories, here. And on Twitter.

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