She has been a writer all her life but is a mentor at heart. When she is not writing, you can find her slaying enemies online or hunt for the next bohemian adventure. She has published works of fiction, poetry, and academia, and even won awards for her short stories in science fiction and horror.
Abi is also a proud mom of two…ferrets! She lives streams on Twitch where you can enjoy her terrible gaming skills and join the live discussion. She works part-time as a freelance ghostwriter, editor, and audiobook narrator, hoping to one day make these passions her full-time job. She currently resides in Kansas. She is one of nine children--all of who share the creative spark.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself not many people know?
A. I gave myself a homemade tattoo on my hip a very long time ago.
Q.2 What inspired you to write the Season of the Runer series?
A. It’s a funny story actually. I watch a lot of ghost-hunting channels on YouTube. One features a lot of international ghost hunters. One of my favorites was a hunter from the Middle East who always fearlessly ran into the rooms they suspected to be haunted. Most hunters run away. Not these guys! I thought, “it’d be awesome to write a monster hunter/ghost hunter fantasy about these guys” and that’s what started it all!
Q. 3 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes! I have a YA, steampunk/western, alternate history novel that also has a vampire in it. I’m not sure what genre it falls into exactly. It’s dark and low magic, stands alone and I hope it does very well. Then, of course, at the end of the year, the third book in Season of the Runer comes out! I’m very excited about that.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Making sure I don’t emasculate them. I like strong men, but also tender ones in touch with their emotions. Most of my MCs are male, so I try to make them well-rounded. It’s hard though.
Q.5 Do you plan out your books before you start writing, or do you just write and see where it takes you?
A. I am a mega planner! I have a few mental illnesses that make remembering things and focusing very very hard. If I don’t outline meticulously, I’ll forget something and it makes developmental editing a nightmare. I cut most of that out with outlines and planning.
Q.6 How long on average does it takes you to write a book?
A. My upcoming book, Season of the Runer Book III: Eldritch Hunt, is just over 130K words and took me 3 months to write the first draft. But before that, I did research for a month and wrote the outline. So technically four months. But it takes me nine months to produce the thing from nothing to complete book and audiobook.
Q.7 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. Eldritch Hunt is my 20th novel! I ghostwrite as a freelancer, so some books are not mine. Some books will never be seen in public. I had several books published with a traditional publisher that is no longer in circulation, but I always have something new coming! I am excited to start my 21st novel for NaNoWriMo this November.
Q.8 Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
A. I would get all the certifications I need to own and operate a HAM radio. I’d be trim and fit circus performer. I’d homestead in the wilderness. I’d travel and do the van life. Do extreme sports. Own a museum. I have no end of things I want to do in life!
Q.9 If your books were made into a film, who would you like to play the lead role?
A. Oh, that’s hard. Sadly, I don’t know many Egyptian, Turkish, or Saudi actors. But that just means we could find great new talent and burst them onto the Hollywood scene!
Q.10 Is it vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. I am very bad at marketing. Basically agoraphobic, I also suffer from extreme social anxiety. So my marketing is very bad. I’ve tried a few services and some very expensive ones have ended up being more scams than help.
Abi is also a proud mom of two…ferrets! She lives streams on Twitch where you can enjoy her terrible gaming skills and join the live discussion. She works part-time as a freelance ghostwriter, editor, and audiobook narrator, hoping to one day make these passions her full-time job. She currently resides in Kansas. She is one of nine children--all of who share the creative spark.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself not many people know?
A. I gave myself a homemade tattoo on my hip a very long time ago.
Q.2 What inspired you to write the Season of the Runer series?
A. It’s a funny story actually. I watch a lot of ghost-hunting channels on YouTube. One features a lot of international ghost hunters. One of my favorites was a hunter from the Middle East who always fearlessly ran into the rooms they suspected to be haunted. Most hunters run away. Not these guys! I thought, “it’d be awesome to write a monster hunter/ghost hunter fantasy about these guys” and that’s what started it all!
Q. 3 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes! I have a YA, steampunk/western, alternate history novel that also has a vampire in it. I’m not sure what genre it falls into exactly. It’s dark and low magic, stands alone and I hope it does very well. Then, of course, at the end of the year, the third book in Season of the Runer comes out! I’m very excited about that.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Making sure I don’t emasculate them. I like strong men, but also tender ones in touch with their emotions. Most of my MCs are male, so I try to make them well-rounded. It’s hard though.
Q.5 Do you plan out your books before you start writing, or do you just write and see where it takes you?
A. I am a mega planner! I have a few mental illnesses that make remembering things and focusing very very hard. If I don’t outline meticulously, I’ll forget something and it makes developmental editing a nightmare. I cut most of that out with outlines and planning.
Q.6 How long on average does it takes you to write a book?
A. My upcoming book, Season of the Runer Book III: Eldritch Hunt, is just over 130K words and took me 3 months to write the first draft. But before that, I did research for a month and wrote the outline. So technically four months. But it takes me nine months to produce the thing from nothing to complete book and audiobook.
Q.7 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. Eldritch Hunt is my 20th novel! I ghostwrite as a freelancer, so some books are not mine. Some books will never be seen in public. I had several books published with a traditional publisher that is no longer in circulation, but I always have something new coming! I am excited to start my 21st novel for NaNoWriMo this November.
Q.8 Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
A. I would get all the certifications I need to own and operate a HAM radio. I’d be trim and fit circus performer. I’d homestead in the wilderness. I’d travel and do the van life. Do extreme sports. Own a museum. I have no end of things I want to do in life!
Q.9 If your books were made into a film, who would you like to play the lead role?
A. Oh, that’s hard. Sadly, I don’t know many Egyptian, Turkish, or Saudi actors. But that just means we could find great new talent and burst them onto the Hollywood scene!
Q.10 Is it vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. I am very bad at marketing. Basically agoraphobic, I also suffer from extreme social anxiety. So my marketing is very bad. I’ve tried a few services and some very expensive ones have ended up being more scams than help.
But, I’d like to shout out Shannon over at R & R Book Tours who always has a good turnout for me. I want to do more in person events, but it’s very difficult. Not just recent events and my mental illnesses, but I also live in the middle of nowhere, haha.
Q.11 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, which would you choose and why?
A. A Masahk. That’s the magic, immortal race in my dark fantasy world. They are based around Egyptian Gods and have distinct animal traits based on the tribes they are from around the map. I’d want to be a water-type Masahk so I could swim in the ocean and walk on land. I wouldn’t choose a bird-type as they can’t actually fly.
Q.12 If you could invite one character to dinner from your books at home, who would it be and why?
A. Most likely I’d invite my female MC Sybal. She wouldn’t mind my terrible cooking as she can’t cook either and is used to bad food, hahaha.
Q.11 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, which would you choose and why?
A. A Masahk. That’s the magic, immortal race in my dark fantasy world. They are based around Egyptian Gods and have distinct animal traits based on the tribes they are from around the map. I’d want to be a water-type Masahk so I could swim in the ocean and walk on land. I wouldn’t choose a bird-type as they can’t actually fly.
Q.12 If you could invite one character to dinner from your books at home, who would it be and why?
A. Most likely I’d invite my female MC Sybal. She wouldn’t mind my terrible cooking as she can’t cook either and is used to bad food, hahaha.
I’d invite her over to tell her that I am sorry she suffered so much, but it will all be worth it in the end if she can just wait and hold on. She might not believe me, but at least I would have told her.
Q.13 What three things can a reader expect from your books?
A. Darkness, sadness, violence. I’ve been told by two people recently that I write “weird” stuff. I’ve also been told my books are depressing and people have to take them in small doses. A beta reader once said she was shocked at the amount of violence I had in my upcoming YA book. I like it dark, I like it bloody. I like it sad so that the ending hits hard.
Q.14 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Everyone loves villains, right? I loved my serpentine villainess Zhiang from the second book, Sojourn. She was slimy, cruel, ambitious, sneaky-everything a boss babe villain should be.
Q.13 What three things can a reader expect from your books?
A. Darkness, sadness, violence. I’ve been told by two people recently that I write “weird” stuff. I’ve also been told my books are depressing and people have to take them in small doses. A beta reader once said she was shocked at the amount of violence I had in my upcoming YA book. I like it dark, I like it bloody. I like it sad so that the ending hits hard.
Q.14 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Everyone loves villains, right? I loved my serpentine villainess Zhiang from the second book, Sojourn. She was slimy, cruel, ambitious, sneaky-everything a boss babe villain should be.
I didn’t intend for her to even be in the book as much as she was, but she slithered her way in. I liked her because she was fearless. She didn’t even fear the man she served as a general. She’d be a good remodel if she weren’t so into murder, haha.
Q.15 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. I have a few artists I hold on to for my books-same with my narrators for my audiobooks. I select them based on their portfolios and who has the most original artwork. For my Runer series, I get only the best. I put more money into that series than anything else I’ve ever self-published. I picked the artists based on their previous work and I loved the look of it. I get compliments on the Runer covers all the time so I consider it money well spent.
Q.16 How do you select the name of your characters?
A. That is a long process! I select them based on ethnicity (if I need to. I write a LOT of what would be considered international characters here in the US). Then I pick based on the name meaning for that character.
Q.15 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. I have a few artists I hold on to for my books-same with my narrators for my audiobooks. I select them based on their portfolios and who has the most original artwork. For my Runer series, I get only the best. I put more money into that series than anything else I’ve ever self-published. I picked the artists based on their previous work and I loved the look of it. I get compliments on the Runer covers all the time so I consider it money well spent.
Q.16 How do you select the name of your characters?
A. That is a long process! I select them based on ethnicity (if I need to. I write a LOT of what would be considered international characters here in the US). Then I pick based on the name meaning for that character.
For example, my character Vicdan in the Runer series was given the Turkish name for many reasons. One (I won’t say the other as its major spoilers, but if you were able to pick up which real-life countries my fantasy ones are based on, then you can guess the second reason) is that the name means “conscience.”
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said that Sherlock Holmes needed someone juxtaposed to him to show how inhuman he was. To keep readers centered. So he made The Watson.
In book one, our MC Tzarik seems conscience-less and rather cold. So I made Vicdan to set next to him to keep things light and centered. I gave him that name for it’s meaning and that it was fun to say. I have to think about these things since I do audiobooks. What does the same sound like when spoken? I also look at names on the page. How does it look? Does it look nice, calming? Vicdan looks energetic-just like he is. It sounds that way too. I put all this thought into almost every single character I name.
Q.17 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
A. Yes! I don’t get many, so every single one I get, I celebrate. Even the bad ones. I always share them on my social media outlets.
Q.18 Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. Tough one. My answer for this is pretty “writerly” of me. I want to meet The Bard. William Shakespeare himself so I can prove once and for all-to all the doubters out there-that he did INDEED write all his works himself. Then we’d hang out and get drunk, because that would be awesome.
Q.19 Are there any new books or authors in science fiction or fantasy (or both!) have you excited about? What are you reading right now?
A. I read like a teacher (as I am one) so I don’t have any favorites and I am not eagerly anticipating any new ones. I should change that, but I haven’t met an author yet that has made me want to read everything they’ve written. I like some big ones, of course, like Gaiman and Funke.
Right now I am reading The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Angel of the Opera. I love Sherlock Holmes and implement some Holmesian traits into my Runer series.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It’s been wild. I’ve started to write some of it up as I’ve been a victim of scams in the writing and publishing world. Have two degrees in creative writing and rhetoric. Have worked for a few magazines and presses. Started my own press briefly. It’s been a long road with a lot I’ve learned.
The one piece of advice I would give is this: You will never find the time to write. You will never be inspired to write. If you want to write, you have to make the time and you have to do it every day-inspired or not.
Share your social account links -
Facebook - www.facebook.com/abilinhardt
Instagram - www.instagram.com/promthanius
Twitter - www.twitter.com/promthanius
Website - www.abigaillinhardt.com
Q.17 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
A. Yes! I don’t get many, so every single one I get, I celebrate. Even the bad ones. I always share them on my social media outlets.
Q.18 Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. Tough one. My answer for this is pretty “writerly” of me. I want to meet The Bard. William Shakespeare himself so I can prove once and for all-to all the doubters out there-that he did INDEED write all his works himself. Then we’d hang out and get drunk, because that would be awesome.
Q.19 Are there any new books or authors in science fiction or fantasy (or both!) have you excited about? What are you reading right now?
A. I read like a teacher (as I am one) so I don’t have any favorites and I am not eagerly anticipating any new ones. I should change that, but I haven’t met an author yet that has made me want to read everything they’ve written. I like some big ones, of course, like Gaiman and Funke.
Right now I am reading The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Angel of the Opera. I love Sherlock Holmes and implement some Holmesian traits into my Runer series.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It’s been wild. I’ve started to write some of it up as I’ve been a victim of scams in the writing and publishing world. Have two degrees in creative writing and rhetoric. Have worked for a few magazines and presses. Started my own press briefly. It’s been a long road with a lot I’ve learned.
The one piece of advice I would give is this: You will never find the time to write. You will never be inspired to write. If you want to write, you have to make the time and you have to do it every day-inspired or not.
Share your social account links -
Facebook - www.facebook.com/abilinhardt
Instagram - www.instagram.com/promthanius
Twitter - www.twitter.com/promthanius
Website - www.abigaillinhardt.com
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