Snow: Cursed by Willa R. Finnegan

11/29/2025

Young Adult author Willa R. Finnegan introduces us to her award-winning novel, “Snow: Cursed”:

GOLD MEDAL WINNER in the 2025 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards in the Young Adult Mythology/Fairytale Category.
Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Snow has always been the perfect princess or at least the best that she could be. She had done everything correctly for fifteen whole years and had always righted every single wrong that she had ever committed. Though, it still wasn't enough. On the eve of her fifteenth birthday, her father divulges a secret that her parents had kept from her since the very beginning. One that could ruin her life forever. The fact that she was cursed at birth by an evil sorceress who cast a spell that is nearly impossible to break. Snow will find that the line between good and evil is not all that it is cut out to be. It is blurred, and it has faded from the black and white that it once was. Good is not always pure, and evil is not always wicked. Throughout her adventures, battles, and difficulties she quickly discovers that she might not be on the side that she thought she was on. Will she succumb to the fate that was forced upon her or live to see another day? Will she find the truth or just encounter lies? Will she remain pure as snow, or will her conscience falter as the trials of her life wear on? Will she live happily ever after or have her future unjustly stolen from her grasp? The future is up to Snow.

What a wonderful surprise! I grew up with fairy tales and legends of many kinds. We watched all of the versions on TV, every Sunday night. Before cable and streaming were available. Yes, I am that old.
Blending so many different stories into a fresh vision is spectacular! I enjoyed the story a lot, great fun!
Read this book, you will enjoy it!
I am picky about certain things, so I award four point seven stars.

You can buy this book:
https://www.willarfinneganbooks.net
https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Cursed-Willa-R-Finnegan-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-snow-cursed
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/snow-cursed-willa-r-finnegan
https://mailchimp/snow-cursed-book
https://www.walmart.com/Snow-Cursed-Paperback
And many other online retailers.

You can follow the author:
https://x.com/writerfinnegan1
https://www.willarfinneganbooks.net
https://www.facebook.com/people/Writer-Willa-R-Finnegan
All of the author's links:
http://linktr.ee/wrfauthorgirl

Copyright © 2025 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction.

60 Comments

Willa R. Finnegan link

11/30/2025 06:32:12 pm

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review of my book. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your feedback is very helpful.

Mark

11/30/2025 06:40:59 pm

You are welcome, Willa. I thoroughly enjoyed your book. I have read variations of fairy tales and fables, but your book is so original that I loved it. Creating a dark mashup of so many fairy tales and the quest Snow feels forced to follow is quite well done.

First question.

Please tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

11/30/2025 07:03:52 pm

I was born back East and moved to the Midwest when I was seven years old. According to my parents, I've been a storyteller since I was a toddler. Even in those early years, I enjoyed putting my own spin on traditional tales. Reading has also been a big part of my life since I was an infant. Both of my parents have teaching backgrounds, so getting an early start with reading was important to them. When my mom was ill with her third cancer, one thing we could do together was read, and read, and read. Reading really led to my writing aspirations. I've always enjoyed reading fiction books, especially fantasy. More recently, I prefer reading YA fantasy, because of the places they take me. Something readers probably don't know about me is that I absolutely love geography and maps. I've actually put a pin in every capital of the world on one of mine. I find them fascinating...for some reason. Due to my love of maps, we formed a campaign to get my debut novel in all fifty states. We succeeded, and I found great joy in shading in each state as a reader, library, or group acquired my book. I also like maps of fictional realms. They intrigue me. But above all else, writing is my passion.

11/30/2025 07:21:41 pm

We have a fair amount in common, as I also love to read. I learned to read before entering the first grade. My mother made sure there were lots of books in the house, I got my love of reading from her.

I am sorry to hear your mother has had more than one round with cancer. So has my wife; she is on her fifth or sixth round with that dreadful disease. She is still recovering from the treatments and new spots have shown up.

Maps are wonderful! I have a 24X36 map of the world in my office. Flip the frame over and then you are looking at the United States.

Fantasy is my second favorite genre, close behind science fiction. J.R.R. Tolkien was my introduction to high fantasy when I was in the eighth grade. I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that year. I read LOTR two more times before graduating from high school. A few years after school, I read The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. A few years after that, I learned that Tolkien and Lewis were BFFs at Oxford. Lewis wrote a dark, sci-fi trilogy, Out of The Silent Planet. He patterned the protagonist after his best bud, Tolkien. Powerful writing, a little gruesome in some of the descriptions of evil.

New questions.

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?

11/30/2025 08:20:04 pm

I enjoy reading YA fantasy, historical fiction, and dystopian science fiction. I recently read a historical fiction novel, the Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak. It might be my all-time favorite book, besides my own, of course. The narrator is DEATH which is unique.

I have to say, writing has changed the pleasure of reading for me. I tend to have a much more critical eye for attention to details, now. I'm much more nitpicky than I used to be, which can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Sometimes while I 'm reading, I find I have an editor's mindset. It takes some of the joy away from the novel's message and theme. I also think about what I may have done differently if I happened to be the author.

Mary Lu Scholl

12/6/2025 09:44:13 am

You might enjoy Piers Anthony's Immortals series. The first book is also written from Death's perspective.
I look forward to reading yours.

12/6/2025 11:52:28 am

Thank you so much for the book recommendation. I'm glad you are looking forward to reading SNOW: CURSED. That means a lot to me. Please let me know what you think of it. I appreciate your support as a young author.

12/1/2025 10:39:08 am

Historical fiction is my third favorite genre to read, followed by cozy mysteries or murders.

You have given The Book Thief high praise, declaring it might be your all-time favorite! Besides the Holy Bible, I don't have a favorite book; I have read thousands of books and can only pick out a few as truly impressive.

Many authors report similar experiences when reading books after they have written their own.

New questions.

Why do you write?

Do you also journal?

12/1/2025 06:16:22 pm

Storytelling has been my passion for a long time, like I said previously. I feel like I've always been that way. But the reason why I write, truly, is because it's a good outlet for me. It transports me to different worlds, worlds that allow me to escape my everyday life. I've had to face a lot of adversity; my mom had cancer when I was young, and three of my four grandparents all passed away within the same year. Writing was my coping mechanism at a time when I needed one, and it served me well. I really tried to turn something so negative in my life into something positive, something that would impact others and their ways of thinking and feeling.

When I was younger, I loved getting journals, and the idea of being someone who regularly wrote in one fascinated me. I would always do a couple entries, but then have to rip them out because an idea for a story would pop in my head, and I needed somewhere to write it. I do plan to journal at the start of 2026, however. That's my New Years' resolution.

12/1/2025 06:28:37 pm

Everyone needs a diversion or a way to escape pressures that build up in life. I think writing is an excellent choice. Reading was my escape of choice. I learned to read in almost every situation and trained myself to focus on the page in front of me to the exclusion of my immediate environment. I had to release my focus grip a little bit after missing a bus stop more than once. When I got married, my wife didn't appreciate being ignored when my nose was in a book. More re-training for me.

Adversity comes and goes in life. No one is immune.

Journaling is interesting. I have struggled with it much of my adult life. In the last two or three years, I have been journaling and am pleased that it feels normal now. I encourage your step into journaling.

New questions.

How has writing changed your life?

Does your schooling, past or present, have any influence on your writing?

12/1/2025 07:53:10 pm

Writing has definitely changed my life in more ways than one. It occupies most of my free time. Even if I'm not actually putting words on the page, my characters and what's happening in my story is always in the back of my mind. But no matter what, it's my passion.

As far as school goes, it has had an impact on my writing. When I was in fourth grade and writing a series of short stories called "The Pupsters," my teacher let me read them to the class. My peers loved them, and I had the best time sharing my writing with others. Sharing my stories gave me a taste of readers enjoying my writing.

12/1/2025 08:06:36 pm

Many authors have said similar things, if the memes floating around are to be believed. Sometimes serious plot problems are solved by letting the muse deal with it for a few hours or days.

"The Pupsters" short stories sound really cute. Acclaim from your classmates really solidified your identity as a writer, in their eyes and yours, I bet. Very nice!

Have you checked your book on Goodreads? 355 ratings or reviews is a big number! Congratulations!

New questions.

What did you believe about writing in the past that you now know is false?

What inspired you to write this book?

12/1/2025 08:51:15 pm

Generally I have an idea and a trajectory for the story, but sometimes characters or situations take on a life of their own that alters that trajectory, as well as the ending of the story. Sometimes it even surprises me as the author when writing it. Also, the publishing process was very surprising, and I know I still have a whole lot more to learn about it, but it was different than I anticipated going in.

I've always loved fairytales; the complexities of them, the duality of them, the choices made and the lessons learned. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for them, and I've always been enamored with them too. Snow White has always stood out to me because of all of those things, and also because of everything that tale represents. Being an avid reader of YA fantasy really sparked the idea for SNOW: CURSED.

12/2/2025 08:28:03 am

Many authors report experiences similar to yours. Some like to plot out their storyline, the critical moments that characters face, and the failures that lead to success for the protagonist. As you have experienced, sometimes the characters take the reins, and many authors have been pleased when they allow that to happen.

I will never see fairy tales in the same light since reading your book.

New questions.

Will you keep writing in fairy tales or will you branch out?

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

12/2/2025 05:42:22 pm

I will keep writing in fairy tales, and I will also definitely branch out to other things too. I really want to explore other themes, and create my own worlds, too, but fairy tales will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm excited to see what the future holds.

No, I have never seen a UFO or UAP.

12/2/2025 10:18:51 pm

Your many fans will be pleased to see more fairy tales from your pen. Some, maybe most, will welcome your writing in other genres. The only real limit is your imagination.

My sisters claim we saw a UFO when we were children, but I have no recollection of that event.

New questions.

Have you ever seen a cryptid, an animal unknown to modern zoologists, or found evidence of one?

How did you decide the order of the stories?

Dr. Hussam Atef Elkhatib link

12/3/2025 12:12:53 am

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Snow: Cursed” is a gripping, emotionally rich retelling that pulls you in from the first chapter. Willa R. Finnegan gives the classic fairytale a darker and more thoughtful edge, exploring choice, courage, and the thin line between light and shadow. Snow is a compelling heroine, strong yet vulnerable, and her journey feels both magical and real. The pacing is quick, the twists land well, and the story carries a depth that stays with you long after the final page. A beautifully written and genuinely memorable read.

12/3/2025 11:22:43 am

Thank you, Dr. Hussam, for sharing your review of Willa's book. You have quite a way with words.

12/3/2025 05:31:31 pm

Thank you so much for your kind review, I really appreciate it Dr. Hussam! You do have a wonderful way with words.

As far as deciding the order of the stories goes, it really depended on what connections I could find between characters from the various tales, and how I could weave them together.

No, I've never seen a cryptid before. My family and I did travel to Scotland, and we went to Loch Ness and learned about Nessie. It was a lot of fun! As for me and my family, we're not sure she exists. We aren't convinced.

12/3/2025 05:42:51 pm

Nessie might be the most famous cryptid in much of the world. There are mysterious, unclassified-zoological animals all around the world. They seem to have different names for each locality, though many of them seem similar by description to others.

Finding and amplifying the connections must have been fun at times and difficult at other times.

New questions.

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

Is there anything unconventional about your writing technique?

12/4/2025 05:14:51 pm

SNOW: CURSED went through four drafts in total.

No, I don't think there's anything unconventional about my writing technique...except for my age, LOL.

12/4/2025 05:36:51 pm

Four is a decent number of drafts. Though many authors do more, especially if the book is long.

Your age does set you apart from many authors. Some don't do any writing until they retire from their chosen career. Many authors have told me they feel a compulsion to write. Some say they write to quiet the voices in their head.

New questions.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a copy-and-paste link if appropriate.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

12/4/2025 05:46:53 pm

The cover design team at my publisher were the ones who designed the cover of SNOW: CURSED for me. I knew exactly what I wanted, and I wrote a massive email to them describing it. The cover only went through one draft, because I absolutely loved the work they did.

12/4/2025 08:07:48 pm

A perfect cover based on a lengthy email. I don't recall hearing of that before. Congratulations!

Unless the author has made the cover themself, most covers go through several drafts.

New question.

At first glance, the cover seems obvious, but I frequently miss a detail or two. What do the elements on the cover represent?

12/4/2025 08:30:55 pm

I purposely did not want Snow's face to show on the cover. I wanted readers to be able to envision their own version of Snow based on the pictures I painted with my words. The forest represents Snow's journey while the red cloak is symbolic of Snow's transformation along her path of discovery. Finally, the bright moonlight on the cover casts a shadow not of Snow herself like you would imagine, but rather the wolf pack that represents the threats coming against her in the darkness. Snow portrays what is good while the shadows portray what is evil. The fact that the shadow doesn't mimic the silhouette of the figure alludes to the idea that good and evil are not at all what they appear to be in my novel.

12/4/2025 08:43:03 pm

The shadow of the wolves had me very intrigued. I knew from reading that Snow took over the leadership of the pack. Not showing her face is a smart choice. Thank you for explaining it so well.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

12/5/2025 05:49:34 pm

At first, the title was simply SNOW. When I decided to write multiple books in the SNOW series, I chose to change it to SNOW: CURSED. The curse in my novel is a central piece of the plot, so I thought it would be fitting to include it in the title.

The process of coming up with the title was pretty simple for me. I wanted a title that was short, to the point, and fitting for the content of the storyline. I felt like the title SNOW: CURSED was potent and prominent enough for readers to understand the gist of the story by using only two words.

12/5/2025 06:19:38 pm

The short title is quite potent as you described it. Short titles have been the fashion for a while now. Title length has seesawed for years. Most titles are short. A few are long and sometimes the longer titles stand out, sometimes they get lost for being too long. Sometimes it’s a hard choice to make.
Thank you for letting your fans know that more books are coming in the series.

New questions.

Were the minor or secondary character names difficult to develop? You were locked in for the major character names.

How did you choose them?

12/5/2025 07:08:53 pm

They weren't very difficult to develop at all. For some people, like Carina Cheshire, I just chose a name that I liked and that sounded good. For others, I chose them because of ties to other tales, such as Marian, because Maid Marian is a character in Robin Hood. For the Red Pack, I wanted names that were a bit humorous and unorthodox. It depends on the character, really.

12/5/2025 07:33:20 pm

That sounds pretty easy. Many authors struggle with naming characters. But they are usually writing in other genres.
Certain genres demand names authentic to a particular point in history. There are websites devoted to the popular names for a given decade, some going back hundreds of years.

New question.

Had you written and published any short stories before writing your book?

12/5/2025 08:02:59 pm

I have written many short stories and two other YA FANTASY novels, but I haven't published them. I likely will not pursue publishing them anytime soon. For now, I hope to publish the sequel to SNOW: CURSED in 2026 sometime. Then... who knows???? I have several ideas for future books/series.

12/5/2025 08:15:44 pm

It makes sense to keep working on this series. Fans want to see how the story ends. I do too.

New question.

This is the first book you have written. What can you tell us about the rest of the series?

12/5/2025 08:48:09 pm

The next book in the SNOW SAGA is a continuation of SNOW: CURSED. I ended SNOW: CURSED with quite a cliffhanger as you know. I really wanted to leave my readers wanting more of the storyline. In the sequel, new characters will be introduced and some familiar ones will return. Readers will find answers to questions I left them pondering and will find out what happened to Snow. I'm not really willing to divulge much more about the sequel, including the title.

12/6/2025 10:47:05 am

What wonderful suspense! I am sure your fans are loving it as much as I do. I don't blame you for not divulging more.

New question.

Snow has been out for a year now, and you have been trying different strategies for marketing and promoting your book.

What marketing strategy, if any, has had an immediate impact on your daily sales?

12/6/2025 12:01:32 pm

Making authentic connections with readers, whether it be on social media, podcasts, interviews, or in person at author book signing events is key to making readers aware of your writing. Human bonds are more powerful than any marketing graphics used for promotion. When readers invest in me, my novel, and my dreams as a young author, I want to reciprocate. People are genuinely interested in hearing about my writing journey, and I believe many are inspired to follow their dreams as well.

12/6/2025 12:20:47 pm

You have hit upon a great truth. The human connection is very important.

One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. A copy-and-paste link or search the title in the search box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/

I would add a few tips, seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some questions ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

Senior centers are another good possibility and they usually welcome any sort of activity like that. Contact the events director.

If there are tourist destinations, try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities.

New questions.

Is there a marketing strategy you have tried and it failed?

Do you know why it failed?

12/6/2025 01:01:39 pm

Thank you for the suggestions. My book is in many local stores and shops in our area like coffee shops and specialty gift stores. My dentist office also displays SNOW: CURSED with swag items like bookmarks, business cards, and fanart. You are right, there are many bases to cover when trying to reach readers. I am fortunate that my community is very supportive of my hopes and dreams as a young author.

One marketing strategy that hasn't really worked for me ... yet, is Pinterest. It is more of an effective long term strategy for reaching readers than an immediate one. Visibility for SNOW: CURSED is taking more time to gain traction on that particular platform, as opposed to other social media outlets. We will keep trying to establish a presence on Pinterest as a long term marketing method for reaching the perfect readers for SNOW: CURSED..

12/6/2025 01:23:39 pm

You are welcome. Marketing and promoting a book is a never-ending story, as you write more you will sell more. Many authors have experienced that effect. When you are promoting a new book, don't forget to keep marketing the previous books.

It is hard to effectively balance writing and marketing. It's necessary to keep at it. I have suggested in the past that authors should devote at least one or two hours a week to marketing, put it on the schedule.

New questions.

Is there a different genre you would like to explore in the future?

If so, what genre attracts you the most?

12/6/2025 02:00:58 pm

I will likely continue writing within the fantasy genre due to the limitless ways I am able to use my creativity and imagination. If I do venture out into something else, it would probably be something in the dystopian vein. Due to the futuristic nature of that genre, there are also endless possibilities.

12/6/2025 02:28:31 pm

Dystopian sci-fi seems to be growing in popularity. Like the other major genres, it has been around for a long time. It also has bled into romantic fiction like many other categories.

Yes, the only limits you face will be what you can imagine or dream.

New questions.

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI, Artificial Intelligence and books?

Did you use AI in any of your planning, writing or editing for your books? I am not including research in this question because most of the major search engines have embedded AI in the browser.

12/6/2025 03:38:43 pm

No, I did not use AI to plan, write, or edit SNOW: CURSED. Everything concerning my book came from my imagination, and my own thoughts.

12/6/2025 03:57:52 pm

A lot of authors think that AI is a detriment to creative writing and other artistic endeavors. I agree with them. I don't think anything written by AI will show true creative work. The output will be an amalgamation of the work of other humans, depending upon the instructions provided in the prompt to the computer.

New questions.

Have you encountered a troll reviewing one of your books?

How did you handle it?

12/6/2025 05:23:09 pm

There is a singular "troll review" of my book on Goodreads, but it isn't terrible. The person simply states that they didn't like my book and that they assume all the good reviews for it are just from loyal followers. That obviously isn't true, however, and I didn't take it to heart at all. There are people out there who purposely try to tear people down rather than build them up. I choose to be an author who builds others up.

12/6/2025 06:50:42 pm

You got lucky with that review. Some reviews are mean and hurtful intentionally. Most of the time, the troll's comments are obvious to other people that the troll hasn't even read the book. Conventional wisdom strongly suggests ignoring any trollish comments. I have told more than one author that a bad review validates the other good reviews.

Keep lifting people up, even if the others are tearing people down. Don't feed the trolls.

New questions.

Among present or past family members and friends, how many are or have been writers or authors?

Is there anyone you know who might claim you as their inspiration for writing?

12/6/2025 07:29:31 pm

I know many family members and friends who are avid readers, and some extended family members who have written books. I have a second cousin who just opened a book store in Buckhannon, West Virginia where my mom grew up. They are kindly highlighting SNOW: CURSED in their new shop. While I don't have deep family roots regarding writing, literature and reading have always been important throughout my lineage.

When people come to my book signing events, sometimes they will share with me that they used to write. I encourage those people to take up writing again, because it's such a rewarding thing to do. On social media, in person at signings, and in the community, people tell me that my writing journey is inspiring to them. It is heartwarming to me that even in some small way I am inspirational to others. I firmly believe it is important to follow your dreams at any age, whether that be writing, music, acting, art, sports, or really anything you can think up. If you invest in your dreams, they will give something to you in return. By encouraging and inspiring others to pursue their dreams and passions, I feel like the world could be a better place.

12/6/2025 08:20:05 pm

The love of words runs deep in your family and the people you meet. How wonderful. Many writers cannot point to anyone they are aware of inspiring anyone to write. You are blessed in multiple ways.

Reading and writing both help make the world a better place.

New question.

I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?

12/7/2025 01:12:13 pm

Since SNOW: CURSED was published by a hybrid publisher, they completely control the listing of my book. They choose the categories, key words, key phrases, metadata, and whether SNOW: CURSED is available through Kindle Unlimited. When completely self-publishing, an author has much more control over their listing. This is a lesson my family and I learned, and will be aware of regarding future books I will publish.

12/7/2025 01:22:47 pm

You are right. When you sign a contract with a publisher, you give them complete control of your book, your intellectual property. They can require you to make all kinds of changes in your book. Hopefully, there is a reversion of rights clause in the contract that returns contriol of your IP to you under specific circumstances. That can become important to your children and grandchildren because an American copyright lasts for 75 years after the author's death.

Amazon requires an exclusive listing for a period of time to put a book in Kindle Unlimited. Something else to keep in mind.

New question.

What is your favorite food and beverage?

12/7/2025 01:52:01 pm

Awww.... this is an easy answer. I love any kind of pasta. I would eat pasta each and every day if I could. My favorite dish in particular is the five-cheese ziti at Olive Garden along with the signature salad they serve. I NEVER eat the breadsticks, though. I have a huge aversion to bread of any kind. It is a texture thing that bothers me. My favorite drink by far is FIJI WATER. It is delicious and makes me feel incredibly hydrated. I even like the smell of it when I open the bottle.

12/7/2025 02:52:22 pm

I love Olive Garden also. We both love their salad, but I also enjoy the breadsticks. I will be happy to eat the breadsticks you don't want.

Texture is an interesting thing. In the bread realm, there is a wide variety of textures from the super light, such as croissants, to heavy, homemade sourdough bread. I love it all. I didn't know how much work went into making croissants until my wife took a class.

Fiji water is pretty nice, but nothing stands out about it for me. I do admit that my olfactory senses are mostly offline. It takes a strong smell to make an impression on my nose.

New question.

What is your least favorite food and beverage?

12/7/2025 03:04:31 pm

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Chinese food. It has an unusual smell to me and the taste isn't pleasing to my palette. I also don't like mixing flavors together. For example, orange chicken. Citrus and chicken do not go together in any way, shape, or form concerning my tastebuds. As for drinks, I do not like soda. It is too sweet and fizzy for me. I don't enjoy carbonated drinks of any kind.

12/7/2025 04:37:23 pm

If I may, I would like to ask you a question. What five or so quick tips could you share with me as someone just starting out in the literary realm of publishing and marketing a book to potential readers? Maybe you could touch on some things you haven't already mentioned.

12/7/2025 04:42:41 pm

The Chinese have developed a particular method of preparing food. They have lots of combinations of flavors and textures. One thing you are not likely to see on a menu from a Chinese restaurant is dairy. They do not include it in most of their meal prep.

Soda is very sweet. I choose lemonade over soda whenever I can. I will drink soda if that is the only choice.

I am a native Oregonian. One of the wonderful things about living in the Portland area is the water. Tap water is quite nice. The water is piped from a protected reservoir near Mt. Hood. Anywhere else I have been i find it necessary to drink bottled or filtered water.

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

12/7/2025 05:35:08 pm

I have not queried yet. I decided to go the hybrid publishing route because I felt I needed some guidance rather than totally self-publishing. I will likely make different publishing decisions with the sequel to SNOW: CURSED. I hope to query agents in the future.

12/7/2025 06:20:48 pm

I think you probably made a good choice. Hybrid publishers generally have prices for their services clearly posted. Some authors lump them in with vanity publishers; I think that is a disservice to the hybrid publishers. Most vanity publishers don't have their prices posted; if they do, it is for a package deal only. They want to make as much money as they can. Many of them require the author to buy hundreds or even a thousand printed copies of their book and offer little or no help in distribution unless the author pays for that.

Anytime a contract is involved, it is worth the money for the author to hire a lawyer experienced in intellectual property or entertainment law before signing a contract.

A traditional publisher will not ask for money up front. All of the expenses for editing, formatting, covers and or illustrations are on them. Same with a reputable agent. Neither gets paid until a contract is signed. If there is an advance the agent gets a portion of that and a portion of sales. Publishers are not giving out large advances, if any advance at all. Most traditional publishers are barely keeping the doors open and the lights on. So they only offer a contract if they are sure they can make money from a book. For the publisher, a book means about the same as a box of cereal on a grocery store shelf. If they sell enough they can stay in business. That small advance they gave the author? It has to be repaid to the publisher before the author sees a penny.

New questions.

When you decided to indie-publish how did you pick a publisher?

What is your publisher doing to market your book?

12/7/2025 08:31:09 pm

My parents and I interviewed several different hybrid publishers before settling on the one we chose. I guess you could say they interviewed me as an author as well. There was a lot of interest in publishing my book, but in the end we found a good fit with one of them above the others. They were sensitive to my age and took that into consideration regarding marketing materials and presenting information about me as the author. What we learned about the marketing part of my contract is that the majority of marketing and promotion lands in the lap of the author not the hybrid publishing company itself. Don't get me wrong, they did help with marketing a little bit, but their primary goal was to make a great book out of my manuscript. Some minimal marketing services were included in my contract, but in the end they referred us to a marketing company both recommended and vetted by them for the promotional needs of me, as an author, and SNOW: CURSED as my debut novel.

12/8/2025 09:50:06 am

Thanks for sharing that process of choosing a publisher.

Few publishers do much more than post a book on Amazon and their website unless the author is well known, like Rowling, King or Patterson.

Regardless of who the publisher is, almost every author has done more than write a book. They have started a small business, and the book is the product. Many authors struggle with the idea of having a business that they don't really want. They want to write and ignore everything else. I understand that. If an author rushes to unload one or more aspects of their business responsibilities, they run a serious risk of choosing poorly and getting scammed out of a lot of money at best, losing control of their IP at worst. Having a book stolen is one thing, losing an entire series is another. Great care must be taken.

Last questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once?

If so, which one?

12/8/2025 05:36:17 pm

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, stirred up a wide range of emotions in me. I read it fairly recently and the ending still lives in my mind. It was very sad, and I can't really explain why without spoiling the entire thing.

I never usually read books more than once. I think the only book I've read twice is the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, because we read it in school, and I decided to read it again after that.

12/8/2025 06:06:09 pm

Thank you for not providing any spoilers for that book. I think I would like to read it. However, my TBR pile is quite large, so it may be a long time.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Clive Staple Lewis is quite an amazing story. I have read it more than once. As book 1 in a 7-book series, the story carries well. If you haven't read the other 6 books I encourage you do make time for them. Some people think it shouldn't be book 1. CS Lewis was a prolific writer and wrote a lot of non-fiction on many different topics. He also wrote a science fiction trilogy, "Out of the Silent Planet" and modeled the protagonist after his good friend JRR Tolkien. I read that series at least twice.

Thank you for allowing me to help promote your book. I loved it and look forward to the next installment.

I thank you for answering my questions. We have had a lovely chat during this last week.

Until next time, keep on writing.

12/8/2025 07:41:20 pm

Thank you so much, Mark. It's been a real pleasure interviewing with you in this back-and-forth dialogue manner. This is the first time I've interviewed in this way. I really enjoyed the format. I appreciate your review and promotion of my book, as well as the well thought out questions. I really learned a great deal from you. Your responses were both informative and engaging. As a young author, I truly appreciate your advice.

Snow: Cursed by Willa R. Finnegan

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