Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I graduated with my Master in Library and Information Science from USF in 2018 and am currently working in a public library surrounded and inspired by all the books and titles around me. As of 2020, I have only finished one book, and self-published said novella in August.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reanimated: Survival. Although it is filled with apocalyptic horror and monsters, and a young woman having to become strong enough to deal with those daily horrors, the story is centered around the pain and fear of the main character. How she lost her dad and how his death caused her to hide from the world. When the society she once knew breaks down around her she has to learn to trust and love again even though she’s still heartbroken. What’s going on in the background forces her to love and conquer her own emotions. I say all of that to say that I wrote it when my own father was dying and then finally passed away in 2019. I essentially wrote about my own pain and grief over losing one of the greatest loves of my life. My heartache coupled with fantasy equals this latest novella.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to listen to television and movie scores when I write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The big ones: JK Rowling, Angie Cruz, Junot Diaz, and Stephen King. The ones who are locals: Laura Perez and Erik Deckers
What are you working on now?
I was initially working on the next book to the Reanimated series but took a break from that to write an actual novel about falling in love with the wrong people.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter, Facebook, and my blog through WordPress.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I am a new author so I could definitely use all the advice I can get. My two pieces of advice: 1. The process is scary. Keep writing. 2. Make author friends or join your town’s writing crowd. You’ll find vets who will gladly teach you the basics.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never include lines of conversation in the middle of a paragraph. Never write so much conversation that you lose the reader. Just keep writing.
What are you reading now?
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, more pushing, more self-publishing. Self-publishing within itself is gratifying but it would be nice for someone bigger to discover my creativity.
What is your favorite book of all time?
I’m an author, technically a librarian, and I work at a library. Please don’t do this to me. My latest favorite read is definitely Dominicana by Angie Cruz and Get a Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert.
Author Websites and Profiles
Ambar Payne Website
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account