Author Interview: GRACE HERBST

I'm pleased to welcome a brand new self-published author to the blog today to learn more about their
​journey and aspirations.

 

Grace Herbst was born and raised in a small town in Southern Illinois. She moved to Arizona in 2008. In 2010, she began to dabble her hands in writing fanfiction. She really loved causing chaos in Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill. In 2013, she graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. In 2018, she moved back to the Midwest. She currently lives outside of Detroit, Michigan with her beloved dog, Molly. On Oct. 15th 2019, she self-published her first book Behind Closed Doors Book 1: Brave New Girl, and Behind Closed Doors Book 2: Bright New Penny is also available on Amazon.

​Follow Grace here! 

Amazon
Twitter
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Skipping school. Drinking. Partying with a fake ID. Taking the school’s driver’s education car for a joyride.
​
It was all fun and games until a car accident changed everything.

Now Ashley Meyer was determined to forget her wild sophomore year
and start anew.

No more hanging out with Roxanne Spencer. No more rebelling against her father and new stepmother. No more counseling. In a new town with new friends, Ashley hopes to leave her troubled past behind and move on to a more promising future.

But not everyone is welcoming to the new girl, and Ashley begins to wonder if moving to a new town really is the key to a better life…or whether things would be better if she went back to the city after all.
​

Grab your copy here! 
​
​

The Interview... 

What kind of books do you enjoy writing?
 
I would love to try my hand at writing different genres like fantasy and mystery. I enjoy reading both of those genres so I would love to write stories in magical worlds with fairies and dragons or solving the mystery of a classic whodunit. Right now, I’m focusing on YA books dealing with social issues.  


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

My passion has been writing since I can remember. I’ve been writing stories since I was little. I always believed I would be a published author, I just didn’t know how I would get there. At first, I thought I would go the traditional route. I thought that was the only way it could happen. I didn’t know about self-publishing until after college. Even then, I still wasn’t sure about that particular route. However, the more I researched about it, the more I considered it.
 
 
How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

I’m only in my first year of self-publishing, but it’s been quite a rollercoaster already. Once I knew I wanted to self-publish, I hit the ground running with researching what I needed before I published it. Editor. Cover Design. Formatting. I knew by self-publishing, I had to pay for everything myself. 
 
 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
My hardest part has been trying not to compare myself to others and play the numbers game. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in seeing everyone else’s numbers with their sales and reviews. I have to really remind myself why I’m writing. I’m doing this because it’s my passion and I want to share my passion with others. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
 
The most enjoyable part is between writing the story and hearing how much readers enjoy your books. It’s such a great feeling to know that someone loves your storytelling and is inspired by it in some way. Whether you’ve made someone’s day better by reading your book. Or inspired to start writing a book themselves.

 
Would you go back and change anything?
 
Like anybody who is just starting out on a new adventure, I’ve made mistakes. I may have skipped over some steps that I shouldn’t have. I would love to go back and change them, but then I wouldn’t learn anything. Even if I did, I still probably would made mistakes. I just have to do better next time. 


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

I love writing. That will never change. Down the road, I am hoping to be able to become an author who has several successful book series under her belt.
 
 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?
 
Find your definition of success. Do you want to see your book in a bookstore? Or get on the New York Time’s Best Seller List? Do you want to make a lot of money? Or do you enjoy writing to get better at your craft and share your stories with readers? Once you figure out what you want out of this writing journey, you will be able to find the path you want to take.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? - Neither
Night or Day? - Day
Inside or Outside? - Inside
Dogs or Cats? - I used to be a cat lover. Now I love dogs.
Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook
e-book or Paperback? - As much as I enjoy my Kindle, I’d prefer paperback books.
Sun or Rain? - Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? - Drama
Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate, always