Tell us about yourself.:
Not who everyone thinks she is.
The product of someone’s imagination.
The end result of a lifetime wishing to get out.
Do not buy the lie.
If you live in fear, you give up freedom.
Taking the risk and making the leap.
Too much of anything is a bad thing.
Innuendo floating on the mist that rises above the water.
Walk away and leave it all behind.
Telling the story that haunts a fantasy.
Catching a dream.
She does not exist.
-Ophelia Kee
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was raised in Northern Middle Tennessee, Have a Bachelor of Science in History and Geography, and am certified to teach High School social studies. I have lived most of my career in education in Texas, but have taught in Tennessee and Florida. I love the classroom but don't want anything further in education. Writing and building an indie author career slowly is my choice for what I want to do when I no longer step into a classroom full-time.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a chaotic pantser writer. I write the scenes as they come to me. That's not always in order or even in the same story. I also do not publish a book until I am completely done with it. So some of the stories have been languishing in my Docs files for years.
What authors have influenced you?
I was raised in Northern Middle Tennessee, Have a Bachelor of Science in History and Geography, and am certified to teach High School social studies. I have lived most of my career in education in Texas, but have taught in Tennessee and Florida. I love the classroom but don't want anything further in education. Writing and building an indie author career slowly is my choice for what I want to do when I no longer step into a classroom full-time.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, read, research, and write. Learn marketing and take the time to build at least one social media platform.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
"Don't ask your broke friends how to get rich." This adage has been expanded for many years to cover a lot of things. I try to learn what the best practices are and adapt those to my way of thinking and operating. My way works for me even if it might not for other people. Looking toward successful people and adapting what they do to your way to meet your goals is still good advice.
What are you reading now?
Everything I can find. I will even read the back of the shampoo bottle if nothing else is available. True story: I like reading the dictionary.
What’s your biggest weakness?
Cute puppies. I love them, I want to pet them all and take them home. Thankfully, my park has a two-dog limit so I won't turn into a hoarder.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. The rest of Tolkien's works are just as amazing. I write urban fantasy, and Tolkien invented the Fantasy genre, so it only makes sense to read the master.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I like to cook, take long walks and bike rides, play board games, and watch movies. The pesky day job still pays the bills so that doesn't leave too much extra time. Mostly I enjoy playing with my books and experimenting with what I can do with them.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I don't remember the first story I ever read. I do remember one of the first stories I ever read to my infant son and how enthused he was with it. I must have read it until the pages fell out of the book. It was a 1,2,3 Sesame Street little golden book. Reading is important. It matters. That same son will be receiving his Bachelor's degree in Theological Studies at the end of the year.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
What inspired the Draoithe Saga was one seriously boring repetitive meeting I couldn't avoid and couldn't read through. But I did have an open laptop in front of me…
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a new series, The UnFallen, set in a different world from the Draoithe Saga. It's likely to be a nine-book series. I am also working on a Duet epilogue-style story set in the dream but five years after the end of the events in the Draoithe Saga. And whatever else that comes along and intrigues me. I often write spur-of-the-moment flash fiction if the inspiration strikes and on occasion, I even write verse, but I don't publish verse.
What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
I prefer free promotions such as Ebooklingo and SelfPublist. They operate the best on Twitter and I get most of my outside traffic to my Payhip site from Twitter. I am pretty active on Twitter and love the writing/reading community there.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I just recently began publishing wide and am currently beginning to dabble in paid newsletter marketing. I want to create more video content and build my Youtube channel. Mostly, I want to keep writing and eventually maybe be able to do that full-time.
How well do you work under pressure?
I don't work well under pressure with the writing at all. I considered writing and posting to Kindle Vella but realized that I can't write like that. It's one of the reasons that I am pure indie as well. I can't meet arbitrary deadlines. I write a lot and have more than fifty titles published, but I have to do it at my own pace.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
I let the characters dictate the tone as they're the true writers of the story. I write the scenes as the characters play them out in my mind. For me, my characters are real and live in a world eerily similar to our own. The scenes of their life are the chapters in the Draoithe Saga.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
When you read a book you enjoy, please leave your kind reviews. Even a few words are enough and mean a huge difference to both the author and other readers. Thank you to all who have taken the time to step into the dream with me and have enjoyed any of my stories. I sincerely appreciate that. Also, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about the books, the writing, publishing, or marketing. I love to talk about books. -OK
Ophelia Kee’s Author Websites and Profiles
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