Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a full-time freelance writer who pens books on the side. I've published 6 books so far—3 novels and 3 nonfiction books for writers. I live in the beautiful Pacific northwest and am also a French horn player in the local symphony and pit orchestra.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel released from CamCat books in July 2022. It's called "The Beached Ones." The idea for this book came to me after watching the movie, “Sarah’s Key,” which was based on the book of the same title by Tatiana de Rosnay.
The movie had a profound effect on me. Without giving too much away, the main character is haunted by the death of her little brother, for which she blames herself. At the end of the movie (spoiler alert), unable to shake her guilt, she commits suicide. Close curtain.
That movie haunted me for months. It seemed so unfair, what happened to the main character. And I kept feeling like her story was left unfinished. What happened after the suicide? "The Beached Ones" gave me a chance to explore that general question, although of course, within an entirely different story with a supernatural twist.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think my writing habits are pretty normal! I just sit down and write. As a full-time freelancer, I've learned discipline and daily writing—skills that have served me well when writing books.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my favorite authors include Margaret Atwood, Andre Dubus III, Kazuo Ishiguro, and many more. As a youngster, I loved all types of horse stories, but was a huge fan of Water Farley and the Black Stallion series.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on a retelling of the King Midas myth. In my research I discovered there was a real King Midas who ruled in the 700s BC. I'm blending pieces of that history with the mythological story to create a new fantasy novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I've found the best success promoting my books through book blog reviews, guest posts, review services (like BookSirens and BookSprout) and through some book promotion sites.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The only advice I have is to decide whether you are a writer or not, regardless of what happens in the outside world. I spent years being unsure of whether I had the talent to be a writer, but learned later on it's not about that. It's about how willing you are to practice, improve your craft, and keep plugging to get your work out there. Once you decide you're a writer no matter what, the indecision falls away and you can put 100 percent of your energy into your goals.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard was to "finish the story." Too many times we get to the middle where it typically gets hard and give up, thinking the idea is bad. But it's usually that we haven't learned how to tell a story from beginning to end. Finish the story and you will learn how to do that. Then you can finish another and another.
What are you reading now?
I'm reading "Game of Thrones" (Book 1, George R. R. Martin), "Klara and the Sun" (Kazuo Ishiguro), "A Million Things" (Emily Spurr), and "The Wild Hunt" (Emma Seckel).
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am in between projects at the moment. I recently finished another draft of my Midas novel, so I'm letting it sit while I brainstorm my next story.
What is your favorite book of all time?
I have many favorites, and can't really name one, but I will say the one that sprang to mind first: "The Art of War" by Steven Pressfield. I have found it tremendously helpful not only in my writing, but in life.
Author Websites and Profiles
Colleen Story Website
Colleen Story Amazon Profile
Colleen Story’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account
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