Check out this author spotlight for Tahani Nelson!
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!
My name is Tahani Nelson. I live and write in Billings, Montana and am best known for wearing armor to all of my events, signings, and readings. My local newspaper has referred to me as “local armored woman” on more than one occasion—which, honestly, is the best legacy someone can hope for.
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!
Tea or coffee? Tea. I love the smell of coffee, but it tastes like death. And tea has so many amazing varieties! What’s not to love?
Morning or evening? I’m a night owl. I’m often awake in the mornings, but that’s just because I haven’t gone to bed, yet.
Ninjas or pirates? Vikings. Which I guess are closer to pirates than ninjas. But also so, so much better.
Plotter or pantser? I really respect plotters. Those people are like unicorns. I, on the other hand, don’t know what’s going to happen until about 3 paragraphs after it’s over. Then it’s a surprise for everyone!
Hero or anti-hero? Heroine. One wearing armor that covers all of her body parts. Anti-heroes can be fun, too, but there’s something special about a woman standing up for the betterment of everyone.
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
I love fantasy. I love strong heroines leading armies and who have ambitions other than romance. Give me sword and sorcery with a strong, interesting protagonist who hates love triangles as much as I do and I’ll follow you anywhere.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
I write female-led military fantasy. I started my debut series, the Faoii Chronicles, back in 2017, and now the final book is releasing on November 16!
I can’t believe how far our army has come and how much we’ve accomplished in that time. It’s been an incredible journey and such an honor.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
Faoii Ascended is the captivating conclusion to the Faoii Chronicles.
The Old Gods have returned to Imeriel. As one of the few people who can hear Their Call, Ehryn, a simple launderer, is expected to lead Clearwall to greatness.
Along with several others—a warrior destined to rule Clearwall, a spirited child with infinite knowledge, and an enigmatic Faoii as their guide—Ehryn is sent to uncover the will of the Old Gods and act as destiny’s harbinger.
But Clearwall has always been built atop buried secrets, and as ancient beings begin to rise again, dark forces stitch the final threads of a grim Tapestry that stems from very beginning of the Faoii Order.
Can Ehryn and her companions escape a trap that’s circled Imeriel for a millennia? Or will they fall beneath the machinations of deities lost to time?
You can read the rest of the series before Faoii Ascended’s November 16 release! They are available in audiobook, ebook, paperback, and hardback formats. Check them out on TahaniNelson.com!
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!
I’ve always been enthralled by warrior women in history and myths. The Amazons, Athena, Freyja, Skadi, Macha, onnabugeisha, Boudicca, Hua Mulan… there are so many amazing sources of inspiration out there, and young me soaked them in like a sponge. Those legends and stories built the foundations of what I sought in my role models and heroines as I grew and discovered myself, and I use what I’ve learned to craft new worlds and protagonists that the next generation of women warriors may also build upon. It’s been an amazing journey.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
My writing routine is probably the exact opposite of what most people would expect. I used to get overwhelmed by word counts and how much I was expected to write each night as a “real” author. It seemed like everyone else in the world was writing 1,000 or 2,000 words a day and I just couldn’t keep up. It made me ashamed and exhausted, so most nights I wouldn’t write anything at all because I knew I’d never be able to hit a number that was “worthy.”
Now I write 200 words a night after everyone else has gone to bed. That’s it. 200 words. I never feel too tired or overwhelmed to hit that goal, and often just starting is enough to break the dam. Sometimes I end up writing thousands of words. Sometimes I only hit the 200. But it’s always more than the 0 I used to consistently hit.
I know that some people laugh at that number, and that’s okay with me. 200 words a night has brought me through three 100k books and an additional anthology. It works for me. I don’t think there’s any wrong writing routine as long as you put words on paper.
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?
Don’t compare yourself to all the other authors you see on social media. You’re only seeing the cherry-picked highlights, and comparing yourself to that will only lead to disappointment. There will always be someone who writes more than you each night or who has more followers or who gets more reviews. There will always be someone better, and it’s easy to be buried by “betters”. But you’re better, too. You’re better than the person you were when you started. And that young version of you would be so, so proud. Keep going. Only compare yourself to the author you were a year ago. Or 5. Or 10. That’s the only one that matters.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
TahaniNelson.com
Facebook.com/TheLastFaoii
Twitter.com/TahaniNelson
Instagram: TahaniNelson
TikTok: TahaniNelson
