Tell us about yourself.
I'm an Irish writer and poet who immigrated to Canada in 2019. I live with my husband and young son in a little house along the coast of Vancouver Island. My faith, motherhood, and experience as an immigrant heavily inspires my creative work.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up mostly in Ireland but was born in Wales to a German mother and a Northern Irish father. Growing up in a mix of cultures has influenced me as a person and writer in more ways than I can count. Probably predominantly, I have the ability to enjoy a diverse range of stories, legends, and myths of these places, but the feeling of not fitting into one place and being a bit of an outsider emboldens me to speak for those in similar circumstances.
What was your journey to getting published like?
It always starts small; just one word after another on the page in a quiet moment. At some point, you have to be bold and take the leap. For me, it was self-publishing my first speculative fiction Novella on Amazon Kindle and then finding my poetry voice in performing spoken word performances and leading a small poetry workshop at the Sakura Days Japan Fair in Vancouver. It's scary but you need to build confidence in yourself and be brave in able to put your work and name out there and market it.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
Writers are probably tired of hearing this one but it's true: Write the book you want to read. If you can't find a book on a specific topic or storyline that you want to read, then write it yourself.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Mix it up. It can be such a drag to labour through one project or manuscript for months so take breaks. Go out and try something different. Most likely it will help you come back to your work with a fresh perspective and new ideas. I like to mix up writing with photography because they both tell a story but are opposites of each other; colorful and visually stimulating instead of black ink on a white page.
What’s a fun fact about you that your readers might not know?
My photography! I love taking pictures and have just released my first photography series called "Shelf Memories" on Flickr and my website. I think it will appeal to writers and readers as the focus of it is books! I describe it as a nostalgic photo series that explores the relationship between giver and recipient through the medium of books given as gifts. No matter what I do, I'm never far from words.
What’s your guilty pleasure book or genre?
I love reading poetry and short stories. As a mom of a toddler, I don't have much time for reading longer books and my attention span has shrunk a lot since becoming a mom so whatever I read has to be short these days.
What’s your favorite quote about writing?
"The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." – Terry Pratchett. I like this quote because it takes the pressure off writing a first draft.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I love eating good food with my husband or walking the beach with my son.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I remember reading the Narnia series as a young child and that helped spark my imagination and love for fantasy and fiction in many ways. I adore anything C.S. Lewis has written.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry has inspired me a lot. He keeps it simple and tels the story just how he wants. I admire that and try to be just as bold in my writing too.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
I normally just put it down to a disconnect; they're just not capturing the vision of the piece or aren't on the same page as me. My work isn't for everyone and I'm ok with that. I can't take it to heart or else I'd never create again.
How do you connect with your readers?
I'm trying to be more active on social media so that I can connect with them in real time and hear the stories they have to share too.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I'm working through several manuscripts but I can't give too much away at this time. I'm excited about the future though and feel that I have lots more to share with the world.
Are there any Easter eggs or hidden messages in your work?
Always! But it wouldn't be a hidden message if I pointed them out every time. Most of them are written for those closest to me anyway. If you don't see it; it's probably not for you!
How do you approach writing dialogue for your characters?
I try not to overthink dialogue. It needs to sound natural and not over-explain itself. Keep it simple, always.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
I have lots of ideas but little time to do it all so be patient with me in the waiting. Also, I love collaborations. We each have something beautiful to offer so if you have ideas, reach out to me!
Sophia Conway’s Author Websites and Profiles
Website
Amazon Profile
Goodreads Profile
Sophia Conway’s Social Media Links
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube Account
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
