Obsidian Corvus is a newly published fantasy author straight out of central Missouri.
Books:
Wake Me Up is Obsidian’s debut novel that she had worked on for over ten years before its release.
Where available:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Me-Up-Obsidian-Corvus-ebook/dp/B08BX91291
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wake-me-up-obsidian-corvus/1137148987
What sets your book apart from all others?
I think one of the bigger things I’ve noticed that sets my book apart is the manner in which it is written. So, I suppose, style. The entire idea centers around the following of several first person point of view characters that each know different things about their very similar situations, and the reader is required to learn everything else alongside the characters as their story progresses. I’ve had a lot of readers message me in the beginning of the book, telling me that they are past chapter one, and while intrigued, have no idea what is going on yet, and that is the purpose. The reader is dropped in, and along for the ride. I think unraveling the mystery alongside these characters is part of the enjoyment when it comes to this very dark book. As far as whether or not it is important, I can’t say for sure. I think that there are some really relevant parts to this book.
Who is your target market, who should be reading your book?
This book is marketed as a dark fantasy. It is the first book in a series I am working on, so my target market would be a patient reader that is 18 and older. It is a slow burn, but the action is worth the wait. However, it does have some very grim and disturbing content, so I think readers that can handle dark fantasy novels and books would, in general, handle mine well.
What authors inspired you most and how so? What do you admire about each one?
I don’t even know where to start. There are obvious ones like Edgar Allen Poe, but I think my current, largest inspiration is author Sara A. Noe. She was such a big help to me just getting started, and she is the epitome of what I believe self published authors should be. Her work is incredible and as a person, she is so uplifting.
What advice do you have to offer in support of other authors?
Just do it. Publish the book. You’ll never look back and wish you hadn’t tried, but you will always look back and wish you had.
Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to other authors. Having someone in your corner, or even someone with a little experience to help guide you through the tangles of this industry will always be a weight off your shoulders, and I haven’t talked to an author yet that wasn’t willing to help in any way they could.
What is your genre of choice and why?
As far as writing, my genre of choice is fantasy. I lean toward fantasy simply because I believe it is so flexible. I’m sure other genres are just as flexible, but in fantasy, the flexibility gets a sword. I grew up with books and movies like Lord of the Rings, and I’ve realized since then that the imagery of a good fantasy with creatures that aren’t quite average just impacts me in a way nothing else does.
How’d you come about discovery of your writing talent, gift or ability?
My mother told me that I learned how to read at a very early age. Reading to my little brother is one of my earliest memories. But learning to write was a whole different story. I knew I liked to tell my own stories as far back as I can remember, but my mom helped me write them when I didn’t know how yet. I continued to expand upon this for the rest of my life so far to the point where I no longer recall a time where I haven’t been writing.
What are your future writing endeavors? What’s next on your authorship agenda?
Book two in my Wake Me Up series is going through personal edits right now. I am hoping to have it published by late this year, but I’m known to be slow.
Is writing for you synonymous with living and breathing, or just something you do as a hobby, and how so and why?
I’m not a happy person if I’m not writing. I love sort of living inside my head, away from the reality going on around me. Edits are akin to torture for me because they don’t feel like divine creation as much as they do brain melting agony.
What do you feel we need to hear or read more of, that is rare today in a book?
I really think this depends on the individual reader. I think what everyone needs to hear or read more of is different, depending on what path they are walking in life. What might impact me, won’t impact the person sitting next to me because we have different experiences that shape us. There are so many nuances in so many books, I just can’t pinpoint a specific rarity that would apply across the board.
What changes in the literary world would you most like to see?
I would like to see a change in how self published authors get on the shelves. Being a debut author opened my eyes to how hard it is for many struggling newbies just to sell a book, let alone ever see a shelf. There are so many magnificent self published books, and one day, I would like to see the literary world accept that rather than fight it simply for some preconceived notion about what it is to be a self published author.
Indie/Self-Published Author and/or Traditionally Published? What do you favor more and why?
Well, I am indie/self published. I had an offer to go another route at one several moments in the process, but I stuck to this one. I’m a bit of a control freak, and I enjoy the creative control that self publishing gives. I feel like I get to filter my works less, and that is important to me despite the hardships that accompany self publishing.
How is your writing controversial, profound or mind boggling, or how would you describe it?
I’m not certain I would ever call my writing profound or mind boggling. There is a bit of a mystery to the story itself, however, I think the controversy is in the dark content and what that content centers around. There are factors at play within the darkness of this content that make it a bit of a back and forth on the morality front, but overall, it can be hard to read in places.
What do you hope to accomplish with your literary creation? What change or enlightenment do you want to bring about in your reader if any?
All I have ever wanted to accomplish with my creation is intrigue and entertainment. There are no changes or enlightenments I think this book could ever bring about, and one thing in particular, is that I wanted it to be written in such a way that these point of view characters just feel so average and tangible, that the reader is living it as they go. Maybe they don’t walk out of my book feeling like a breath of fresh air, but they were on the edge of their seat, holding that same air in their lungs right until the very end. And that’s all I could ever ask.
What’s the greatest compliment that you ever received regarding your literary accomplishments and what did this remark do for you, how did it transform your life or your writing?
I don’t think I can pinpoint a greatest compliment. To me, every compliment I get, is the greatest one I’ve ever had.
What’s the most memorable criticism you received regarding your literary works and how did this remark transform you as a writer or influence your writing if at all?
In one round of my edits, I was asked to omit a particular point of view all together and replace it with a different character. It is memorable, because it is the absolute best decision that could have ever been made for this book. Seeing this left me more open to critique and criticisms in general.
If you could ask a question of your favorite author of all time, what would the question be? How would you answer that question -yourself?
I would ask them how they built confidence in their work within themselves, and this would be the question I ask because I don’t know how to answer it for myself.
What have you sacrificed, if anything, to be a writer, or to write as you do? What have you gained from writing, how has it rewarded you personally?
As far as what I’ve sacrificed to be a writer, I would just say a lot of time. I spend hours locked up, working on my next book, and I could be doing other things, but time is what I sacrifice. Everything after that, is reward.
