Author to Author Q and A: Settle Myer
- Where did you grow up? Did your childhood have any impact on your writing? I grew up all over the place. Born in Michigan then moved to Texas for a few years before moving to Kansas. In middle school, we moved again to Arkansas and that’s where I went to high school and college. I wouldn’t say my childhood had an impact on my writing but I did write out stories by hand when I was a kid! I’ve always had stories to tell.
2. Tell us about the first story you ever wrote, published or not? The first story I wrote was called 1,700 Miles to Mylan which is now Beyond the Bright Lights! It was completely different when I first wrote it. The main characters were younger and the same age but when I rewrote it, I made the FMC older to create an age gap and made her plus-size like me. The story is about a woman who lost the love of her life to cancer in college and how she’s still struggling to move on 18 years later because her late fiancé’s sister wrote a book about his inspiring life and that book is becoming a movie. The actor cast to portray him in the movie shows up in the small Arkansas town, asking the FMC to help him with the role. I wrote a lot about my own grief in this book as well as accepting my body and loving myself.
3. What are you currently working on?– I just finished the first draft of my new FFM monster romance! Next I will likely finish my next mafia book.
4. What is your favorite character you have ever created and why? – I’d say Lana Young in “Beyond the Bright Lights.” She was the first character I wrote who resembled me in age and body. She’s also strong-willed and sassy!
5. Do you have to write/draw in order or do your ideas just come to you and you put them in order later?– I mostly write in order but if a scene or some dialogue comes to me, I’ll write it down and figure out where to piece it together later.
6. What was your path like until you found writing?- I mean, I found writing as a child so not sure how to answer this one, lol.
7. How is your relationship with your publishing company?- If you are self-published, what tasks do you have to do to get your project completed? I do everything including marketing and hiring my editor and cover artists. I recently started a street team but put a pause on it the last couple months because it all got to be too overwhelming. I work full-time so I do what I can when I can, even if it’s writing a few paragraphs during my commute.
8. Tell us about your covers- I love people covers despite most people hating them. I knew I wanted to portray big bodies on the covers for “Beyond the Bright Lights, Beyond the Fame & Beyond the Spotlight.” I was lucky enough to do a photoshoot for the covers of the first 2 books, including hiring a plus-size male model for “Beyond the Fame!” Unfortunately finding plus-size rep in stock photos is near impossible so I’ve turned to illustrated covers for my monster books! I also did object cover for my mafia book aside from the man chest cover for the ebook of “Deadly Deceit.”
9. What inspires you to create? – It could be anything! The idea for “Deadly Deceit” came after hearing my neighbor cough (the walls are really thin, lol!)
10. How do you get reviews?- I have arc readers.
11. What is harder: writing, drawing, editing, or marketing? MARKETING
12. If you could publish every book/comic/art idea you’ve ever had, how many would you have out right now?- OOF. Probably about 50 books, lol.
13. Have you ever considered co-writing a series with another creator?–Yes, but it seems stressful and complicated, so I don’t think I’d ever do it.
14. What do you do to relax?- Read, watch TV, or if I’m feeling social, karaoke!
15. If you could tell your 14-year-old self one thing, what would it be?- Don’t go to college for journalism! You’ll hate it! lol!
16. What advice would you have for this upcoming generation?– Don’t let other people dictate what you do with your life! Do what makes you happy!
17. Do you have a classic piece of literature or a classic author you are fond of?– Nope! I’m not a fan of classic.
18. Any type of music that gets your writing juices flowing? I like to create playlists for my books so each one is different depending on the vibe of the book.
19. Dog or cat person?- CAT
20. What is your favorite holiday or time of year? Fall
BIO:
Settle Myer is on a mission to write romance books where everybody type gets a love story. She lives in New York City with her cats, Zombie, Michonne & Birdie. She loves all things zombies, cats, karaoke, and tattoos. But not necessarily in that order.