Ask the Author: Alessa Ellefson
Answered Questions (14)
Alessa Ellefson
Hogwarts, of course! :)
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Laurah,
Thank you for your message, it's always really nice to hear when someone's enjoyed the story :)
And don't worry, I don't mind answering this question at all (in fact, it's my fault for taking so long to come out with the third installment of the trilogy)!
The book is now finished, and I'm currently waiting for the artist to finish the book cover before I can publish it. And I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as you did the other two.
In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying the summer!
Thank you for your message, it's always really nice to hear when someone's enjoyed the story :)
And don't worry, I don't mind answering this question at all (in fact, it's my fault for taking so long to come out with the third installment of the trilogy)!
The book is now finished, and I'm currently waiting for the artist to finish the book cover before I can publish it. And I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as you did the other two.
In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying the summer!
Alessa Ellefson
Thank you, Anna!! Your good thoughts are definitely helping :)
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Laurah,
Yes, I'm definitely still working on book three (final editing stages). I'm so very sorry it's taking me this long to finish it--definitely not what I'd intended!
I suppose Life had other plans for me (in the let-me-kick-you-where-it-counts kinda way), but I've worked hard to get back on the saddle (cue in intense voodoo chanting to cleanse the air and avoid further mishaps) so I can finally share the ending with you (twists included)!
Of course, I'll let you know as soon as I get closer to publishing! In the meantime, thank you for your kind message. It helps a lot to read your enthusiasm about the Morgana Trilogy :)
Yes, I'm definitely still working on book three (final editing stages). I'm so very sorry it's taking me this long to finish it--definitely not what I'd intended!
I suppose Life had other plans for me (in the let-me-kick-you-where-it-counts kinda way), but I've worked hard to get back on the saddle (cue in intense voodoo chanting to cleanse the air and avoid further mishaps) so I can finally share the ending with you (twists included)!
Of course, I'll let you know as soon as I get closer to publishing! In the meantime, thank you for your kind message. It helps a lot to read your enthusiasm about the Morgana Trilogy :)
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Jessica,
I think every writer gets annoyed by interruptions, especially when they're "in the flow." I find myself struggling with them just as you are, especially these past couple of years where Life has been knocking down all my best-laid plans and greatly reducing my actual writing hours :/
And of course, as you say so yourself, once you're interrupted, it can be hard to grasp all those creative strands and put them back together again(1). Not only that, but when I haven't touched my writing in a few days (which I'm shameful to admit has happened to me way too often), then it's hard to even get started again (something to do with mass and inertia and how much greater the force needs to be exerted to get it moving again). Which only compounds the problem.
The best thing, I find, is to have your writing space (a quiet coffee place where no one can interrupt you, perhaps? Though those are getting rarer, at least here in Brussels), and try to go there every day (makes it easier to not forget where you were), and then write without necessarily putting a time limit to it (unless you absolutely have to, because of work, or there's a train to catch, or another can't-get-of-it situation), that way, when you're really getting into your story, you will keep on going and going and going and going...and it's the best feeling :)
Hope this helps, and keep on writing (even if in short bursts--sometimes they can be highly creative moments too)!
(1) Re-reading my note before posting it, I remembered that I've developed a new habit because of these constant interruptions:
To quickly jot down ideas representing what I want to write about next (a line of dialog, a quick description, an event) beneath the passage I'm currently working on. That way, I can remember where I was going as I was writing or editing before said interruption.
I think every writer gets annoyed by interruptions, especially when they're "in the flow." I find myself struggling with them just as you are, especially these past couple of years where Life has been knocking down all my best-laid plans and greatly reducing my actual writing hours :/
And of course, as you say so yourself, once you're interrupted, it can be hard to grasp all those creative strands and put them back together again(1). Not only that, but when I haven't touched my writing in a few days (which I'm shameful to admit has happened to me way too often), then it's hard to even get started again (something to do with mass and inertia and how much greater the force needs to be exerted to get it moving again). Which only compounds the problem.
The best thing, I find, is to have your writing space (a quiet coffee place where no one can interrupt you, perhaps? Though those are getting rarer, at least here in Brussels), and try to go there every day (makes it easier to not forget where you were), and then write without necessarily putting a time limit to it (unless you absolutely have to, because of work, or there's a train to catch, or another can't-get-of-it situation), that way, when you're really getting into your story, you will keep on going and going and going and going...and it's the best feeling :)
Hope this helps, and keep on writing (even if in short bursts--sometimes they can be highly creative moments too)!
(1) Re-reading my note before posting it, I remembered that I've developed a new habit because of these constant interruptions:
To quickly jot down ideas representing what I want to write about next (a line of dialog, a quick description, an event) beneath the passage I'm currently working on. That way, I can remember where I was going as I was writing or editing before said interruption.
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Zoë,
I'm so very glad you love the Morgana Trilogy!
I unfortunately can't tell you exactly when the third book is coming out (I learned that the hard way with Book 2). My initial plan had been to have it ready by December of this year, but it's not a hard-set date. I'm still working on the first draft (though it's on hold until beginning of June because I have an important exam I need to take then), but I'll keep you posted via my facebook page as I make progress with each step. Once the exam on June 4th is over and done with, I'll be devoting all my free time to the book to have it good and ready as soon as possible so you may finally read how the story ends!
Thank you for asking :)
I'm so very glad you love the Morgana Trilogy!
I unfortunately can't tell you exactly when the third book is coming out (I learned that the hard way with Book 2). My initial plan had been to have it ready by December of this year, but it's not a hard-set date. I'm still working on the first draft (though it's on hold until beginning of June because I have an important exam I need to take then), but I'll keep you posted via my facebook page as I make progress with each step. Once the exam on June 4th is over and done with, I'll be devoting all my free time to the book to have it good and ready as soon as possible so you may finally read how the story ends!
Thank you for asking :)
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Holly!
I'm so very glad to hear that you liked Rise of the Fey! I can't give an estimate for when book 3, Curse of the Fey, comes out, but I can tell you the wait will definitely not be as long as it was for book 2 (so less than 2 years)! I'll post updates along the way though :)
I'm so very glad to hear that you liked Rise of the Fey! I can't give an estimate for when book 3, Curse of the Fey, comes out, but I can tell you the wait will definitely not be as long as it was for book 2 (so less than 2 years)! I'll post updates along the way though :)
Alessa Ellefson
Hi Zoe,
I'm so glad to hear you loved Blood of the Fey! I'd completely forgotten to update the publication date on this website. The book is being sent out to interior design this week, so it'll become available as soon as they're done (the sooner the better, but unfortunately that process is mostly out of my hands). So you can expect the book to be in your hands either in March or April...
You can also sign up for my newsletter (via my website: alessaellefson.com) through which I will officially announce the book's publication as soon as it becomes available (I also occasionally send out extra goodies such as upcoming chapters, freebies, etc).
Thank you for your patient support, and I hope you'll enjoy Rise of the Fey as much as you did the first :)
I'm so glad to hear you loved Blood of the Fey! I'd completely forgotten to update the publication date on this website. The book is being sent out to interior design this week, so it'll become available as soon as they're done (the sooner the better, but unfortunately that process is mostly out of my hands). So you can expect the book to be in your hands either in March or April...
You can also sign up for my newsletter (via my website: alessaellefson.com) through which I will officially announce the book's publication as soon as it becomes available (I also occasionally send out extra goodies such as upcoming chapters, freebies, etc).
Thank you for your patient support, and I hope you'll enjoy Rise of the Fey as much as you did the first :)
Alessa Ellefson
Whenever I read something interesting, even if just a tidbit, I'll start spinning stories off of it or find ways to include it in stories I'm already putting together. And the more I exercise my brain in creative pursuits, the more easily it becomes for me to come with even more ideas! Sometimes, when I get really going, I get a physical rush from it--it's quite addicting.
I have noticed something really important when it comes to being more productive, creative-wise: rest. I've gone on for years (13 or so) without sleeping much at night, and find that I've slowly turned myself into a zombie--my brain barely functioning enough to get me to work. So obviously it's not in tip top shape to perform any more interesting feats, such as putting together an interesting story. However, when I've had my 8 hours of sleep, I wake up feeling refreshed, and ready to go! All I need is plenty of natural light and I'm off!
I have noticed something really important when it comes to being more productive, creative-wise: rest. I've gone on for years (13 or so) without sleeping much at night, and find that I've slowly turned myself into a zombie--my brain barely functioning enough to get me to work. So obviously it's not in tip top shape to perform any more interesting feats, such as putting together an interesting story. However, when I've had my 8 hours of sleep, I wake up feeling refreshed, and ready to go! All I need is plenty of natural light and I'm off!
Alessa Ellefson
I'm currently editing Book 2 of my Morgana Trilogy--this is turning out to be a lot more intense than I'd expected, and therefore more time consuming, unfortunately. Still, I'm shooting for a year end publication, then I'll move onto book 3 right away!
Alessa Ellefson
You get to learn about anything and everything while you shape out worlds and characters out of nothing. It therefore never gets boring!
Alessa Ellefson
Don't be afraid to write, no matter how daunting the task may seem. Write your ideas down, so you won't forget them, and so you'll free up your mind to come up with even more ideas. As you keep at it, you'll have garnered enough ideas to put together into a story.
Also read a lot. I find that I'm truly inspired to write myself when I read stories from authors I really enjoy.
Also read a lot. I find that I'm truly inspired to write myself when I read stories from authors I really enjoy.
Alessa Ellefson
Ever since I read Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon, I've been hooked on Arthurian mythology. I particularly liked how she didn't turn Morgan into the most evil of all evil people, which a lot of other stories based on the myths do. Then, as I almost always do, I started to wonder what would happen if things were set in modern times, how the whole relationships would change or remain the same, while keeping Morgan as the central figure. And that's how the Morgana Trilogy was born.
Alessa Ellefson
I'm lucky enough I don't get writer's block. I just get lazy. It's getting started that's the hardest part, especially if I'm home with a thousand distractions (like my couch and the latest TV shows). My answer to that is to force myself to go to a cafe, and then my productivity spikes.
However, there are some times where I'll get stumped on a passage in my writing. But I know it means there's something wrong with the storyline so instead of forcing it, I then brainstorm new ideas that would make the passage more interesting and "alive." With practice, this exercise becomes easier to perform (and can be a lot of fun too).
However, there are some times where I'll get stumped on a passage in my writing. But I know it means there's something wrong with the storyline so instead of forcing it, I then brainstorm new ideas that would make the passage more interesting and "alive." With practice, this exercise becomes easier to perform (and can be a lot of fun too).
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