Meet South African Author, Rachel Morgan...

1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I always planned to write something, but I didn't plan for 'writer' to be my job title. I thought writing books was something one did in one's spare time or when retired! But while doing my masters in Biochemistry, I started to realise that scientific research wasn't for me and that I wanted to write and be published NOW, not in the distant future!

2. Tell us about your first novel.

My first book I completed was an other-world YA fantasy where magic and angels and demons (spelled deemons because ... why not?!) exist. A girl wakes up in the middle of nowhere with no memory of who she is or how she got there, aaaaand ... lots of stuff happens after that! Only one other person has read that book so far. I haven't been back to it since finishing it and moving on to Creepy Hollow!

3. Top three books? Hard one, I know!

Nope. This is not a valid question. (Ha ha!) Can I go with series instead of books? Harry Potter, Throne of Glass, His Dark Materials ... (I also need to fit The Mortal Instruments and several others in there somewhere!)

4. Are you self or traditionally published? What advice do you have for others?

My books are all self-published. My advice for others is to figure out exactly what your publishing goals are, and that will determine which publishing path you pursue. If you just want to WRITE and are willing to put up with doing a bit of self-promotion and marketing (because I think pretty much every author is expected to do that these days), then getting a traditional publishing deal might be right for you. If you’re interested in being in control of all other aspects of your writing career (the cover design, the pricing, the promotional strategies, the publishing schedule, the business side of things) and you want a much higher chance of making a living as a writer, then definitely take a look at self-publishing.

5. What are you currently reading?

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu and Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker (a non-fiction book about outlining stories. The title is in reference to the term "pantser," which is the opposite of a "plotter," someone who plots out an entire story instead of just starting and flying by the seat of their pants!).

6. What are you working on at the moment?

The next book in the Ridley Kayne Chronicles. This is my newest series (young adult urban fantasy with a bit of a dystopian vibe) that launched in August this year. In a world where magic has been outlawed following a cataclysmic global magical event that destroyed large parts of the earth, Ridley uses illegal magic to steal from the wealthy upper class she used to belong to and secretly give to those in need.

7. When you're not writing, what are you doing?

All the other stuff that goes into running a selfpublishing business! Organizing promotions and marketing campaigns, checking the status of various ads, answering emails, organizing newsletter subscribers, designing book covers and promotional graphics, updating meta data on already-published books, packing parcels to send to readers, etc. (Sometimes I am also sleeping, eating, or reading!)

8. Do you have a specific place to write?

I have this weird thing about lighting. It has to be just right! Warm and comforting, not too glary and bright. So I move around the house following the light, from my study to the dining room table, to the couch, and sometimes to the bed (where I try to remain awake!). Of course, if it's pouring with rain and really dark and grey, that's even better than perfect light. When I get tired of my home, I move to a coffee shop. And again, it has to be a coffee shop with the right 'mood' or 'vibe.' I have a few favourites ;-)

9. If you could have dinner with three authors OR literary characters, who would it be?

You know this is impossible to answer, right? Hmm. Sarah J. Maas, J.K. Rowling, and Laini Taylor. I think. This exact list would probably change on a weekly basis! But in all seriousness, if this is a dinner in which I actually interact with people and eat food (instead of sitting in awed, intimidated silence), then there are a bunch of superawesome indie author role models I'd love to meet.

10. What does a typical day look like for you?

I'm not a morning exerciser, so my days do NOT start with exercise! I try to start most days with some Bible reading and talking to God. After that, I generally stick to this rough structure: write in the morning, all other work in the afternoon. But if I'm close to a deadline, writing can either take up the entire day (and most of the night!).