Today on Interviews with the authors we have
E H Graham
Tell us about yourself?I am a mom of two very “creative” preschoolers–creative as they are learning and creative as they discover new ways to do things they shouldn’t. I would rather be outside than inside, rather be with people rather than alone, rather be reading a book than on my phone, and rather be drinking tea than coffee.
Fun fact about me, I can’t wink; a fact which many find entertaining as they request multiple times that I “try” and then roll with laughter as I contort my face into unnatural positions.
What changes did 2019 bring to your writing?
I began publishing a children’s series to help with speech development a couple of years ago. The series has been popular and won multiple awards. I have always enjoyed writing young adult and adult works, but these were never made public…that is until now. The Window is my first published adult work.
Why did you do an anthology? Was it harder or easier than writing a full out novel? What was the hardest part?
I was invited to try my hand at publishing adult work by participating in this anthology, and it sounded very intriguing. I cannot remark on whether or not this was easier than a full novel, but I can say it did have its own rewards and challenges.
It was very challenging to construct a novella that was not entirely of my own imagination. I had to do a lot of fact-checking and collaboration with the other authors. However, at the same time, it was very rewarding to write alongside other authors, and work as a team to build stories within the same universe.
How did you come up with your story?
It came to me while I was reading Bulwark. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to watch the story unfold from the outside; not only watching, but eventually finding yourself right in the middle of the drama.
What is the hardest part of being an indie?
Hands-down, marketing. It is time consuming, and very difficult to have your voice heard. Though, I can say it has led me to meet some incredible people.
Do you stay with one genre, or jump around?
Right now I have published children’s books and an adult thriller, so I believe it is safe to say I jump around a bit.
Share the process of this collaboration? What inspired you from the original story and how did you marry it to your own work?
As I mentioned earlier, the thought of approaching the story from an outsider’s point of view intrigued me. To ensure that our stories matched, our group made a file where we shared information about each of our characters. If one of us decided to use another character, we would contact all the authors who planned to included that character in their books to ensure our stories matched. It was a bit like piecing together a puzzle, and the pieces were being created as we went. For me, it did require quite a few revisions as the stories progressed, but I feel it made our books stronger.
Would you do another anthology?
Yes!
What trends do you see in indie books?
I see a lot of indie authors using their flexibility to work outside the norms of traditional publishing; both in their writing and marketing. If we can dream it, and the opportunity is there, we will do it.
What makes your books stand out from the sea of indie authors out there?
With my children’s books, I used my degree as a speech-language pathologist to create a unique series allowing parents, teachers, and therapists a way to promote speech development by reading to their kids. With The Window, I believe my collaboration with an incredible group of authors has helped make this book and the other books in the series exciting must-reads.
You can find out more about E H Graham at the following links
Facebook: facebook.com/authorehgraham
Twitter: twitter.com/ehgrahamauthor
Alex R Carver 
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