On the final day of Interviews with the authors we have

Brittney Leigh

Tell us about yourself?

Hi! I’m Brittney. I began writing in the middle school where I was introduced to a creative writing class. I fell in love with writing poetry and even had one of my poems published in the school paper. From there, I would be challenged in class to write short stories and scripts. As I continued to write I discovered my passion for the human condition and writing from my heart. I’ve always found it to be easier for me to pour my feelings out by writing than by speaking it.

Aside from that, I’m 29 years old and I’d really like to freeze time to be able to stay in my 20’s forever! lol! I’m a shorty, coming in at 4’8″, giving me the nickname Snooki. lol. I love music. Music speaks to my soul. I like listening to pop, house/dance music, R&B, and rap. Mostly anything of the pop charts. My favorite thing to do binge-watch tv in my PJs with a blanket, even better if I’m with a friend.

Everyone loves my cooking, but especially my mashed potatoes. I’ve incorporated my mashed potatoes into making Shepard’s pie and I know you’ll never have it as good as my recipe. lol I’m very detail oriented which I suspect comes from my Virgo characteristics. When I do something, I give it 100%.
What changes did 2019 bring to your writing?

2019 brought me a gift I wasn’t expecting. The Bulwark Anthology kind of fell into my lap after working so closely with the other authors on different projects throughout the years. The past 2 years I had gotten wrapped up in work and put my writing on the backburner. When I was approached to join this amazing team of authors on a new writing journey, I couldn’t wait to dip my toes back into the writing pool again.

How did you come up with your story?

I’ve always had this vision of creating a story that was based in high school and continued to follow the lives of the characters. Friends made in high school are the kind of friends that you try to hang onto for life. They’re the people who understand the environment you grew up in and can relate. So of course, when it came the time, high school was my backdrop.

Also, when I was in high school I read “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky and I had fallen in love with the “Dear Friend” format of the book. It felt more personal like you were good friends with the narrator. That’s why I chose the “Dear Diary” setup. It just felt right and the words started flowing out of me.
Why did you do an anthology? Was it harder or easier than writing a full out novel? What was the hardest part?

Well, I had been approached by author Brit Lunden to continue to tell the story of her fictitious town of Bulwark, Georgia and I was thrilled. I love the idea of different storylines of mayhem happening all around the same setting. The town of Bulwark is the perfect backdrop for all sorts of crazy stories to lurk out. It was easier than writing a full novel out because I was already given certain people, places, and things to work with. For instance, we had Bulwark to work with for the town, I incorporated the puddle from the original Bulwark story, and Sherrif Finnes makes an appearance as he does in every book in the anthology. The hardest part for me was was pacing myself. I had the idea in my head but I wanted to rush to the end. I had to dig in deeper to build the story and characters. I was a very interesting process. The rush of writing is exciting when you’re on a roll!

What is the hardest part of being an indie?

I’ve only just started my indie journey, but for now, I’d say the hardest part is the exposure or lack thereof that you get. All the promotion is on the author to provide. There is no team provided to you from the book company who signed you. You are the author and the marketing promoter all at the same time. If you thought writing a book was hard, just wait until you get to the promoting part!

Do you stay with one genre, or jump around?

I’d say I jump around. This may be my first published book, but I’ve written many different pieces in my life. Some have been poems, songs, stories based on my life, and fictitious stories. I enjoy the creative freedom of being able to go wherever my mind takes me.

Share the process of this collaboration? What inspired you from the original story and how did you marry it to your own work?

The small town atmosphere is what inspired me. I really enjoyed the idea that a town could be the epicenter for the anthology. I married a few concepts from the original to my book. For example, in the original, Bulwark, children are going missing. In my book, The Darkness, a student has gone missing. You’ll have to read it to find out what happens…

Would you do another anthology?

Yes. I really enjoyed working with the anthology concept. I can’t wait to put out the next book within the Bulwark anthology. It’s been a fun experience.

What trends do you see in indie books?

I’m not sure, honestly. I think we’re all just trying to get our voice heard. There are so many amazing and creative stories that are overlooked just because they’re an indie author and not published by the big publishing companies. You never know what kind of story will one day become a big success. “50 Shades Of Grey” was an indie book before it became huge.

What makes your books stand out from the sea of indie authors out there?

My book stands out on its own just in the mere fact that it’s a “Dear Diary” concept. I love that take on my book. I felt it was a breath of fresh air to read and write in that form. I also think it stands out because I pulled from the high school experience and made it as authentic as I remembered high school. I truly enjoyed working on this story and I can’t wait for the next! Stay tuned for more!

The Skull Pirates