My Afternoon with Emma Michaels

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I am so excited to introduce you to the, awesome 

Emma Michaels Author of The Sense of Truth Series and Society of Feathers

Emma Michaels is a multi-talented bookish girl. Not only is she the designer of beautiful covers, but she has many other accomplishments under her belt. She started book blogging in 2009 and was first published in 2010. She started The Writer's Voice blog in 2011 as a way to help readers get to know authors on another level.

She moved to Washington at seventeen to be with the man that she loves, who asked her what she secretly wanted to be when she grew up. Naturally, she told him that she wanted to be an author, but at the time she thought "it was a pipe dream." He encouraged her to pursue her dreams and taught her that "sometimes reaching for the impossible can make a world of difference in your life." Now she is published and reaching well beyond what most people can imagine.

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Derinda: Tell us who is Emma, on a more personal level?

Emma: I am a reader, blogger, author and cover artist who is very passionate about books. To be honest, I am still figuring out who I am one day at a time. I am a big fan of Doctor Who, Harry Potter, vlog brothers and have always been fascinated by deep thinkers like Langston Hughes, Nikola Tesla and Leonardo Di Vinci. 

Derinda: When you were a child, what was your dream?

Emma: Everything from a physicist and artificial intelligence specialist to a lawyer. I mostly just wanted to find a way to help people and while I wasn’t the biggest fan of school I absolutely adored learning. 

Derinda: What was your first step into the Literary World?

Emma: I would say book blogging on my site www.EmmaMichaels.com. I started book blogging in 2009 to help me keep track of the amazing books I was reading. Book blogging ended up giving me the courage to submit my first novel. 

Derinda:  As an Author, what did it feel like to receive your first review?

Emma: Terrifying. When you start out as a book blogger and have been an active member of the community you see that there are glowing reviews and there are the kind of reviews that would make any author want to curl up into a ball and hide. I hadn’t thought about it from the author’s perspective until it was happening to me so was hardly even able to read it myself. I had my fiancé read it to me and once it was positive I was so thrilled that I practically bounced around the house all day. I just adore my fellow bloggers so take their reviews very seriously. I can’t sit back and not read them because a lot of reviews show extremely important ways I can personally improve and those little gems are worth more than the pain any negative review could ever give. 

Derinda: What are the challenges (‬research, ‬literary, ‬psychological, ‬and logistical) ‬in bringing your books to life?

Emma: I think the biggest challenge for me was fear. I was so afraid that anything I wrote would never be good enough to help anyone until I realized just writing it was already healing me and I was able to rewrite and revise as much as I wanted. At first I was anti rewriting but now it is really my favorite part of the process. You have a chance to make everything in your novel exactly how you want it to be so that when you release it, you know without a doubt that it is the best you could have made it with the skills you had at the time. 

Derinda: What was/is the most complicated part of being a writer?

Emma: I would have to say the part I find most complicated is interacting. I really love interacting with bloggers, readers and other authors but I get very nervous and sometimes freeze up. I try to keep in mind that decades ago I wouldn’t even have been able to connect with these amazing people and could have spent my entire life feeling different than everyone around me. Instead I am surrounded by people who understand and appreciate my love for literature. It really is a blessing. 

Derinda: Who is your favorite Author?

Emma: Tamora Pierce and Dia Reeves are currently battling it out with John Green and Bridget Zinn 

Derinda: When you are not witting your masterpieces, what is your most favorite thing to do in life?

Emma: Read. I am one of those girls who gets in trouble because she still reads until 2 am and when I say just one more chapter that normally means ‘just sit there until I finish the entire book in one sitting’ so anyone who knows me just walks away and comes back in a few hours. I also really love cover design.

Derinda: Also Emma, we know that you are a designer as well, could you give us details as to what you design?

Emma: I love all things literary and that includes when it comes to cover art, branding logos and more recently I have been learning about designing interior chapter heads as well. I feel like cover art can really make a difference for an author and when you pair a phenomenal novel with an amazing cover, you really have a product the world will be interested in enjoying. 

Derinda: Could you share with us some of the work you have done, as a cover designer?

Emma: Here is some samples for you Derinda

Derinda:  Also I have notice that you work with the well known Regina Wamba, of Mae I Designs & Photography , could you tell us how that came to pass?

Emma: I actually approached Regina with my portfolio and asked if she might be open to doing some collaborations for premade covers. I do mostly commission based covers so love the freedom of getting to do premades with her where I can just let my creativity run wild and learn from her expertise. She really is as much of a sweetheart behind the scenes as she is on Facebook, etc. I look up to her because she is never afraid to reach out for what she wants, is always kind and always does her very best to go the extra mile for each and every client.

Derinda: What advice do you have, for Other Authors or Designers?

Emma: For authors, an editor is your best friend, your reviewers and readers are your family and never forget that if you can bring joy to just one reader you have succeeded.

For designers, never be afraid to ask for what you want and remember that you are designing the face of an author’s book baby- don’t be afraid to go all out for every client. It will show in your portfolio and nothing looks better than honest hard work. Also, never be afraid that your current piece will be the best thing you ever do because it won’t be as long as you continue to love what you do, branch out and grow.

Derinda: Has there been anyone that has impacted your life?
Emma: My grandmother was the first person to sit me down and tell me what no matter what happened to me or how much life hurt I could do anything I wanted to and become anyone I wanted to be. She helped give me the courage to become who I am today. 

Favorites:

Color: Pink!

Food: Chocolate
Singer/song: The interlude to ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ though I am in love with Imagine Dragons right now too.

To Find this wonderful Author

Goodreads  Amazon  Website  Facebook

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