Check out this author spotlight for M. H. Woodscourt!
You can find all her links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out her books!
1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!
Writer of fantasy, magic weaver, dragon rider! Having spent the past 20 years devotedly writing fantasy, it’s safe to say M. H. Woodscourt is now more fae than human.
Her published titles include the completed YA/high fantasy Wintervale duology, ongoing teen/portal fantasy Paradise series, as well as October Cove, a teen/urban fantasy novella. Crownless, a stand-alone high fantasy novel will be released June 2021. All of her fantasy worlds connect with each other in a broad Universe, forged with great love and no small measure of blood, sweat, and tears. When she’s not writing, she’s napping or reading a book with a mug of hot cocoa close at hand while her quirky cat Wynter nibbles her toes.
2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!
Winter, spring, summer or autumn?
Spring is my absolute favorite, as I come alive after a long and dreary winter. It’s also my least productive writing time, since I’d rather be outside digging in the dirt than anything else.
Ninjas or pirates?
They’re both too epic to pick one over the other. How about a ninja pirate? <3
Mountains or beaches?
Mountains, easily. Less crowded by far and usually forested, it’s nearly heaven. Haha!
Plotter or pantser?
I’m a planster. I plot out bullet point style goals to reach throughout my books, but usually the plot takes a different track. I love the surprises along the way!
Hero or anti-hero?
Hero, definitely! I love reading about a main character I can admire and try to emulate.
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
I’m a huge fan of medieval settings in fantasy, so I definitely gravitate to high fantasy books, especially with dragons and graceful magic systems. Not really D&D, mind you. I’m not a fan of orcs, wizards, and complicated magic systems. I adore Tolkien-esque elves.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
I write several fantasy subgenres within Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult demographics. Some of the subgenres include High Fantasy, Science-Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Portal Fantasy.
My upcoming novel is a stand-alone high fantasy for YA audiences. Crownless releases on June 19th. It’s about a storyteller on the run and a spoiled prince who has to travel with him against his will
You can preorder it here: http://books2read.com/Crownless
I’m also working on the final edits for Book 1 of my upcoming Science-Fantasy series, hopefully launching toward the end of this Summer, so it’s coming up fast. I also have two other projects in the works. I like to juggle lots of stories at once. Haha!
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
My latest release is the second half of my YA/High Fantasy Wintervale Duology. Magic is against the Crow King’s law, but Gwyn seeks it out to save his elder brother from a fatal illness–even if it means facing execution.
You can buy the complete duology on Amazon or grab it in Kindle Unlimited!
Book 1: The Crow King: http://getbook.at/TheCrowKing
Book 2: The Winter King: http://getbook.at/TheWinterKing
6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!
A friend once said, “No wonder you write fantasy. Your life is less believable than your fiction!”
I take that to mean I’ve got a wealth of pain, heartache, and precious moments to draw on for inspiration, including a house fire, flood, earthquake, and far more personal struggles. I sincerely hope those experiences help flesh out and deepen the relationships and circumstances of my characters throughout my novels.
I’m also deeply influenced by Lloyd Alexander, J. R. R. Tolkien, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Lorna Freeman in particular. Their complex worlds, fluid writing, and heartfelt tales bring me back to Prydain, Middle Earth, Earthsea, and Iversterre over and over.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
I write 2,000 words per day, six days a week. Sundays are my day to rest and recharge. This is my minimum and it’s how I’ve managed to draft 18 novels. I always keep water close to stay hydrated, and if I hit my goal, I reward myself with a treat; usually a Lindor truffle. Yum! Once I hit that daily/weekly goal, I spent whatever free time I have remaining to edit a different novel or read a good book. I love that reading is part of my “job” as a writer!
8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?
Build better habits sooner. I think of all the days and months I didn’t write between stories. So much wasted time! Haha. Better now than never though, right? I’d also teach me the in’s and out’s of Show, Don’t Tell a lot earlier, as that would’ve spared me a lot of grief.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
Sure thing! Here you go:
http://mhwoodscourt.com
http://instagram.com/woodscourtbooks
http://facebook.com/mhwoodscourt
http://twitter.com/woodscourtbooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14623134.M_H_Woodscourt
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-h-woodscourt
