#WOTR #Spotlights – Shawn Reilly @shawnreilly2012

Shawn Reilly

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

My twin sister and I were born in the small town of Martinsville Indiana but raised for the greater part of our lives on the south side of Indianapolis—just five minutes from downtown. We played outside like most normal children do but when Indiana winters became brutal, and since I was always a sickly kid, we watched television; mostly science fiction or the old black and white monster flicks. When I wasn’t doing that I was in my room filling up notebooks with stories.

I met my husband on a blind date, arranged by my sister, at a concert at Ball State University. He was a drummer in a band. We now have been married for thirty-two years. We have three grown daughters and live in Mt. Comfort Indiana, surrounded by corn and soybean fields, with far too many pets.

Right now I have nine published books. Six in the Union Series, an adult paranormal/fantasy romance about animal shifters, and three in a young adult trilogy, titled Children of the Alliance. I tend to write more in the paranormal genre but I have several science fictions, one dystopian, and one dram-com (drama-comedy) waiting for my attention someday.

When and Why did you start to write?

When my stepfather heard that I was suffering from dyslexia, in the sixth grade, he decided to take me to a used bookstore with the belief that the best way to improve my reading skills was to read. Some of the books were hard to get through at first, but with his encouragement I refused to give up. Then one day, after complaining about the ending of a particular book, he told me that if I didn’t like the ending then I should just write my own book, so I did. My first attempt resulted in a horribly written western when I was fourteen, staring a cocky gun slinging cowboy by the name Curt Calhoun. Curt along with his seven brothers, who all shared C names in common, may never have seen the pages of a book, but that was the day I started writing, and never stopped.

Then six years ago I was diagnosed with Lupus, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and connective tissue disease. Needless to say my life altered and I was left having to readjust, both physically and emotionally. The CTD has been very unkind to my knees and hips and I was no longer able to do the things I once loved, such as horseback riding and hiking. I let depression get to me for a while and then one day I got up, walked to my computer, and sat down. I opened up one of my stories and started working. At first writing was just a way to escape but after some encouragement decided to give the indie world a go.

What authors do you always read or suggest to others?

Of course I’m a big Poe fan. I love several classic authors such as Jane Austen, the Bronte’s and Tolkien. I’ve read several novels by Terry Brooks, Rachel Caine, along with Margaret Weis and Don Perrin to pass the time. Although, since indie publishing four years ago I admit that I read a lot less of the big publishing company books, and have chosen, that is when I have the time, to support my fellow indie authors and I have a very long TBR list.

What is the most surprising thing you have found out with the writing process?

When I die someday people probably won’t know my name or my books and that’s okay. Because when that time comes I’m going to look back over my life and see that a shy, dyslexic introvert, with a chronic pain disorder did not give up no matter what life threw at her. I once thought that it was the support of others that I needed in order to achieve anything but I was wrong. Through all the discouragement and my own inner doubting while writing my books, in the end, what it finally took to fulfill my dream, which was to actually finish a book, was my own belief. The belief that I can do anything I set my mind too.

“Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.”
Johann Wolfgang Goethe.

What are you working on now?

Right now I am currently working on book seven in the Union Series, Rise of the Raven. I meant to have it out last year but 2016 was a very bad year for me. Hopefully it will be released later this year. I have a lot of make up work to do.

When writing are you a pantser or plotter?

Most definitely a plotter. I keep very detailed notebooks that contain definitions, maps, and scenes for each book. I tend to have one main plot along with several sub-plots so I write basic outlines to keep my mind on track, but keep it loosie goosie. We authors know how quickly characters can stage a mutiny. I’ve had characters that were supposed to die suddenly decide they want to stick around for a while, and that tends to change the story somewhat. Either way when I’m done with a book I pretty much feel that it ended the way it was supposed to. Sometimes I even write the ending first.

What are your social links?

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shawn.reilly.940

Fanpage https://www.facebook.com/shawnreillyauthor/

Website http://shawnreilly.wixsite.com/shawnreilly

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6904027.Shawn_Reilly

Twitter https://twitter.com/shawnreilly2012

Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/Shawn-Reilly/e/B00DR8V27W/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1486489258&sr=1-2-ent

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shawn_reilly_author/

Googlepage https://plus.google.com/u/1/111020808080506817629

Gmail doubtingauthor@gmail.com

What are your buy links?

The Union Series