Written Interview
Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing. What is a day in the life like for you?
I work full time in healthcare, volunteer for my union and local Master Gardener program in my off time, in addition to managing and marketing my book at events and online. Aside from writing, reading, growing things, and all things out of doors (camping, hiking, boating) occupy the rest of my time.
What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
I initially began writing my story as an act of self therapy. I decided to publish it after reading many stories like mine and realizing that there is a space for stories like these.
How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
My book is a true story, so all characters are real people, just names have been changed.
What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first time readers or people looking for something new?
My favorite genre to read is historical fiction, followed by fantasy and nonfiction.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
The marketing is by far the hardest part of writing. Especially as an introvert who doesn’t have a big social media presence or connections. Formatting was also a beast to tackle.
What is your process to completing a novel from outline to final product?
My process from rough draft to completed manuscript took almost twenty years. It was a long process. I started by simply writing down all the memories of my childhood and adolescence. That was the bones of the book. The next step was trying to flesh the memories out into readable stories in a cohesive sequence. Then, honing the writing, followed by beta readers and then lots more editing and rewriting. And then a professional edit (panic a bunch) and put it out into the world.
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
My story has a lot of unhinged moments unfortunately. It’s hard to pinpoint the single most outrageous one. Perhaps the bit where my mother and my six siblings end up living in a swamp, without food or money, for a lengthy period of time.
What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
I detest the need for me to market my book and spend excessive time on social media.
What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
Success for me as a writer would be steady book sales. I don’t need many, but having a steady flow of my books heading out into the world would feel amazing.
Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
I daresay my writing journey is already reflected in the journey of my book. Chaos and emotions, followed by the complicated and intense process of gathering myself together and accomplishing whatever task is in front of me. Learning everything on the fly, in a nontraditional manner, due to limited tools and opportunities at my disposal.
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About
Fia Sylvan is an average, lower middle-class American woman who works full time and did so throughout the writing of this book, which took over 20 years to complete, due in part to the painful nature of some of the memories, as well as the vast complexities of learning how to write a book.
Fia worked in fields as varied as healthcare, horticulture, construction laborer, professional painter, retail clerk and horseback riding instructor, in addition to the various internship jobs detailed in the book. She completed two years of college at a state trade school for her associates degree.
She held a multitude of volunteer positions over the years in addition to the two mentioned in the book. She has been involved with CAVA – Citizens Against Violent Acts, Literacy Volunteers of America, The Wetlands Conservancy, Cascadia Wild, a volunteer EMT, and currently Oregon State University Master Gardener’s Association, as a Master Gardener. Her interests always wide ranging and centered around caring for her fellow beings.
Fia did not have a normal education. In and out of eight public and private schools by sixth grade, she was removed from school immediately after starting sixth, with no formal education thereafter.
Fia Sylvan is a pseudonym adopted to protect herself and others, whose lives and secrets are exposed in her book. Fia is a derivative of the Latin “Sophia”, meaning wisdom, and Sylvan is also from Latin (sylvanus) meaning “of the woods”. Words which hold a strong connection to both Fia, and the story told.
This book was born from her lifelong love of reading and the inspiration taken from reading similar memoirs. She hopes to share in the tradition of giving voice to the voiceless and bringing darkness into the light.
Social Media
Website: https://likearedwoodseed.godaddysites.com/
Amazon: https://a.co/d/efeinyL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiasylvan?mibextid=LQQJ4d
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