Interview with Clover Autrey

Published 2013-09-13.
What inspires you to write?
My fourteen year old son's body was breaking down from cystic fibrosis. When the lungs start failing, instead of regular oxygen, they produce gases that filter into the brain and cause horrible headaches that even the strongest pain medicine can't relieve. My mom gave him an audio version of Fablehaven and he loved it and asked me to get him the rest of the books in the series.

I watched him hold his forehead with one hand and turn pages with his other hand as he devoured these books, some times even chortling out in laughter at one of the character's silly antics. I've witnessed firsthand how a story can make a dying child forget about his pain and what's happening to him for just a little while.

That's what inspires me.

I don't expect that my silly little time travel fantasies will have the same impact to anyone as those books had on my son and our family, or that my words will be considered any kind of great literacy genius of our time, but anytime anyone gets to step outside of their daily routine for a moment and enjoy the company of my characters along with me, I think that's awesome and incredible and humbling.

No one on this planet can ever tell me there isn't a power in books and reading.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
At a very young age, probably around twelve. I remember swinging on my grandparents large swingset, pumping my legs hard to get as high as I could while daydreaming stories. I pretty much spent my life in daydreams. So I was swinging when I had the very coherent thought: I'm going to be a writer. That must be the coolest job in the world.

And you know what? It is the coolest job in the world. I'm thankful everyday that I get to do this.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I've had a lot of tragedy in my life, but I've learned that you just have to roll up your sleeves, tuck your chin in and keep moving forward. If you want something bad enough you don't let anyone or anything tell you no. You fight for it, you learn your craft, you improve, and you have to be bold.

Indie publishing is bold. But it's also so freeing and wonderful and life-changing. Yes, I said it. Being an indie author has changed my life.
What do your fans mean to you?
Everything. When I get those reviews and emails that tell me they love my characters, have read every book in the series, and when is the next one coming out? "Soon, soon, right?" I can hardly believe it. It's an amazing feeling to know that other people out there enjoy the same kind of quirky heroines and do-what's-right-over-everything-else heroes that I love as well.

I feel like there are a bunch of people out there who "get it", get the way I think, get my wacky personality and off-kilter thought processes, and that if we could all somehow end up in a big room together, we'd really hit it off.

Then again, that might be a little frightening to have a bunch of people who think like me around. We'd either rule the world or destroy it.
What are you working on next?
This is a hard question to address. Not because I can't think of anything, but because I have too many projects to work on. I have two four-book series following the first four books of the Highland Sorcery novels. One series will pick up with Charity and Toren's son Alexander, taking the fight to the monsters who have decimated mankind. And the other series beginning with Highland Dragon, goes back to the beginning of the Second World War in Scotland with demi-dragons (cousins to Roque from The Vampire and the Highland Empath) banding together to fight the Nazis.

I also have an entire new series centered around mythological teens each having to make a choice whether to become human or remain as they are.

Add to that, several more books in my action/adventure Anointed series. I've had several fans worried about poor Cael left bleeding otherworldly goo from that slice in his stomach from the book A Haunting. Rest assured, I'll get to him. Or course the brothers will be making a trek down to hell, but, hey, what can I say? Somebody's got to go to hell.
What do you read for pleasure?
Right now I'm hooked on Rob Thurman's Cal and Niko Leandros books. They rock. She can't write them fast enough. I love the chemistry between the brothers.But then I suppose you could have guessed that going by my own brother team in my Anointed series.

More of my favorites are Marjorie Liu and Andre Norton. I've read just about anything Louis L'amour wrote. At one time I even had all his books crossmarked for when a Chantry happened to show up in a Sackett book and vice versa. I love when characters jump books like that. I'm such a book nerd.
Describe your desk
Controlled messiness. I know exactly what each untidy stash of papers are for, but every inch of space is covered. I like it that way. A cluttered desk is a sign of creativity, right? Well, I'm sticking to that. Or is it insanity?

Messy or neat, writing is still the coolest job on the planet.
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(3.50 from 2 reviews)
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