Molly Evangeline is a prolific writer of all things fantasy, including those stories reflecting her love for pirates which was boosted from watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Now she is the independent author of five books. She will illuminate what it truly means to be free from traditional publishing…for the time being.
Erica:What inspires you to write about pirates and other fantasy genres?
Molly:The initial inspiration to writing about pirates came from seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl on my fifteenth birthday. That immediately got me interested in pirates and sailing, and I began the first book of my pirate series. The excitement eventually wore off and I didn’t end up finishing the book until a couple years later. As I went on in the series, my fascination with pirates turned more into a deep love of the time period and life at that time. It’s still one of my favorite time periods, and I hope to write more stories set in that time someday. I’ve had my love of fantasy for a bit longer. That came from the writing of J.R.R. Tolkien. My mom read The Hobbit to me and my brothers when we were pretty young, and when I saw The Fellowship of the Ring movie when I was thirteen, I was hooked.
Erica: I see that you were a fan of the Babysitters club- me too! What kinds of books/genres do you read now ?
Molly:At the moment, Christian fantasy is hands-down my favorite. Though I’m very selective, I’m always on the lookout for a good fantasy read. I’m not in the habit of buying many books, but my last several purchases have been fantasy fiction. I love adventure. I’m also a huge fan of historical fiction. Anything pertaining to medieval times or the 1700s-1800s is my favorite. I love stories of knights, colonial times, and cowboys.
Erica: There seems to be trend in supernatural stories geared towards young adults; from a Christian perspective why do you think this is? From a writer’s perspective?
Molly:Mostly, I think it’s just the world we live in. There is no doubt a fight going on for the minds of young people. Satan will use anything he can to influence us. Not saying all supernatural fiction is bad, but there is an unbelievable amount of stories I would never recommend to anyone.
In the world we live in, it seems that more and more lines are being blurred. And the sad thing is, it’s both Christians and non-Christians. That’s why Christian authors should be especially careful with what we write. We influence our readers too. From a writer’s perspective, the trend is natural. When one author hits on something big, others will want to get in on it and hope to have the same success. If an audience loves something, they’ll want more.
Erica: Of the books you have written, which is your favorite? Why?
Molly:I have to say Truth, the first book of my Makilien Trilogy. I started writing that story when I was thirteen, ten years ago, so it has been with me for a very long time and has been such a huge part of my life. The characters in it are especially dear to me and feel like old friends now.
Erica: How long does it take for you to write a book? Do you have to do some research?
Molly:It varies depending on what I’m working on and other things going on in my life. Usually, the average time to complete the first draft of a book for me is a year. I somehow wrote The Pirate Daughter’s Promise in only two weeks. Trust, my last completed book was four months, but that’s not typical.
I did a lot of research for my Pirates & Faith series. I spent hours looking up sailing terms, ship diagrams, old maps, and general information about the early 1700s. There is certainly a lot less research that goes into writing fantasy. That’s part of the fun of fantasy writing—you’re making up your own information. World building takes the place of most research.
Erica: Christian Fiction seems to have risen in sales over the last ten or so years. Do you feel it is important for Christians to focus on the spiritual aspects of every book they write or just write a story and hope the audience experience the message?
Molly:I really think it depends on the author and what they feel called to do. I know Christian authors who write for secular audiences and don’t focus heavily on the spiritual aspects of their writing, but portray their characters in such a way that will hopefully make the reader curious why they are that way and search out the reason. Personally, I am very focused on the spiritual aspects of my stories. I want to clearly show how God works in people’s lives. So I believe it’s every author’s choice, and no one way is right.
Erica: What are the perks to publishing your own book? The downside?
Molly:Full control and retaining all rights to your work are the biggest perks. Most people work for years on a project, and after putting so much time and effort into something, giving up the rights to it would be very difficult. Personally, I love the entire process and taking my books from start to finish. You learn something new every time, and it’s exciting. And, of course, another big perk is the royalties. They are typically much higher than publishing traditionally.
The biggest downside of doing your own publishing is marketing and distribution, and building an audience. You have to do everything. (Although, I have heard that is now much the case in traditional publishing as well.) It’s a ton of work and can be frustrating, but you sure enjoy the rewards.
Every sale makes me excited. Another downside is the learning curve. There is so much to learn in order to truly do this well. I can’t stress enough how important cover design and interior formatting is. The cover is the first thing people see and you have to make sure it doesn’t scream “self published!” You need to either know what you’re doing yourself, or know someone who does. That can be a challenge. It takes hours of research, and trial and error. Actually writing the book is the easy part. But, in the end, it’s all worth it if this is what you’re passionate about.
Erica:For those interested in writing and publishing their own works, briefly describe the process?
Molly:Read a lot while you’re writing. It is the best thing you can do to improve your writing. Once your book is finished, edit, edit, edit- have as many people as are willing to read and edit for you. When you are pretty confident the book is ready (I believe you could go on editing forever, but at some point you just have to decide you’re done), then you can start getting it ready to publish. This is where you’ll be doing a ton of learning and research. Depending on what company/printer you choose, you have to check it out very thoroughly. After that, it’s all about spreading the word.
Erica:I see there are plans for another trilogy after the Pirates &Faith series, what can readers look forward to in Makilien?
Molly:Lots of adventure and surprises. The story starts out with a girl who wants more, who wants a purpose to her life. I think everyone could relate to that. There are so many twists and turns throughout the trilogy and a wide variety of different characters. This series has the biggest character cast I’ve done so far. Between the good guys and bad guys, there is quite a diversity of personalities. And with all the different settings and fantasy races and creatures, there is the exciting discovery of something new. That is what I’ve always loved about fantasy.
Now, for off topic goodies!
Erica: What is your pet peeve?
Molly:My biggest pet peeve actually has to do with writing. I can find it quite annoying when people downplay how much work it actually is to be an author. But how can you know unless you’ve done it, right?
Erica:One or two scriptures that keep you going?
Molly:Commit your works to the Lord, And your plans will be established. - Proverbs 16:3 (NASB)
That verse has been my favorite ever since the early days of publishing my first book. I used it constantly to remind myself that my writing was and always should be for God, and in committing it to Him, He would take care of everything else. Another of my very favorites is:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28 (NASB)
Another reminder that no matter what happens, no matter how discouraged I might get at times, all things will work out in the end. God called me to be a writer and share my stories. Even when I wonder if what I’m doing is making a difference, He has a plan for me.
Erica: Word of encouragement for aspiring writers?
Molly:Never give up. Keep writing, keep reading, keep improving your craft. Things happen very slowly in writing, but try not to get discouraged. If writing is what God has planned for your life, things will happen, even if it’s only small steps at a time.
To learn more about Molly Evangeline and her writing adventures, please visit her on the web at: www.mollyevangeline.com.
To discover more about Makilien, go to Makilien Trilogy
Are you a writer residing in Norfolk, Va? Well, you can self publish too! Poetica Publishing Company will show you how to prepare your manuscript, publish, and there are writing contests!
Erica J. Smith is author of The Prayer Monologues and is a contributing writer for The Norfolk Christian Fiction Examiner. Her poem, Tender Breath I Hear was published in the University of Maryland’s Constellation Journal and now she offers free writing tips, reviews and an online book club on her blog The Write Web. Contact her at: rain200@msn.com
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