Check out this author spotlight for Gabriella Balcom!

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!

Hello. I’m Gabriella Balcom and I want to thank you interviewing me. I appreciate your time and effort very much.

Here is a short bio about me:

Gabriella Balcom lives in Texas and writes fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, literary fiction, children’s stories, poems, and more. She loves great stories, forests, mountains, and back roads, and has a weakness for lasagna, garlic bread, tacos, cheese, and chocolate. She’s had 280+ works accepted by publishers including Barrio Blues, Black Hare Press, Black Ink Fiction, Blood Song Books, Breaking Rules Publishing, Celestial Echo Press, Clarendon House Publications, Clarendon House Short Story Magazine, Crow’s Feet Journal, Dastaan World, Dragon Soul Press, Eerie River Publishing, Fantasia Divinity Magazine, Inner Circle Writers’ Magazine, Insignia Books, Iron Faerie Publishing, JayZoMon/Dark Myth Publishing, Paper Djinn Press, Pixie Forest Publishing, Raven and Drake Publishing, Reanimated Writers Press, Siren’s Call, Soteira Press, Stormy Island Publishing, Suicide House Publishing, Sweetycat Press, The Great Void, The World of Myth Magazine, and Zombie Pirate Publishing.

Gabriella won the right to have a novel published by Clarendon House Publications when one of her short stories was voted best in the anthology in which it appeared; her book, On the Wings of Ideas, came out afterward. She was nominated for the Washington Science Fiction Association’s Small Press Award, won second place in JayZoMon/Dark Myth Company’s 2020 Open Contract Challenge, and her novelette, Worth Waiting For, was then released. Gabriella’s novelette, Free’s Tale: No Home at Christmas-time, was published at the end of 2020, and her sci-fi novella, The Return, came out in 2021. Another of her novellas pends publication.  Her Facebook author’s page: https://m.facebook.com/GabriellaBalcom.lonestarauthor

2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this-or-that questions. Explain why you chose your this answer or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Autumn?

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the trees’ stunning colors, and the usually mild temperatures. It’s not hot to the point of sweltering like part of Spring and most of Summer, and not cold like Winter. Being able to relax in shorts is nice as opposed to needing heavier, warmer clothing.

Cat or dog?

I prefer cats, although I like dogs a lot, too. My first friend was a cat, and I can say quite honesty she was a true one. I’ll never forget how loving and responsive she was to my emotions. Cats’ overall independence and alert watchfulness appeal to me, as opposed to dogs often fawning over people and seeming more “needy,” per se. But I know cats can demand attention forcefully, too. I also admire cats’ cleanliness, ability to twist their bodies and land on their feet, and how many of them hunt for food even when they don’t have to.

Tea or coffee?

Neither. I prefer hot chocolate, although I do like certain decaffeinated teas (camomile, blueberry, green, lemongrass, peppermint, etc.). Water is probably what I drink the most, but I also enjoy blue Powerade and fruit juices like orange, grape, and apple.

Morning or evening?

Both, and night, too. I’m naturally most alert in the morning, but typically sleep through a good part of it because I work evening shift (mid-afternoon throughout the evening, and sometimes a few hours into the night). When I’m off work, I get up early to have time for writing or writing-related things, and work on my creations for hours at a time. The days I go to my job, I try to fit in writing time before I have to leave, and once I get back home, too.         

Mountains or beaches?

Mountains and forests, actually. I live in a small town in the country surrounded by trees, and love it. I enjoy smelling all the nature scents, and seeing and hearing birds, squirrels, deer, rabbits, coyotes, and other animals. I find walking in the woods to be both healing and uplifting. Mountains thrill me also. I love seeing them and being on or near them. I admire their majesty, agelessness, and knowing how long they’ve been around. 

I do enjoy visiting beaches now and then, walking in the sand, hearing gulls, and collecting shells. But forests and mountains are my favorites.

Plotter or pantser?

Pantser. I don’t outline my stories or plan out this or that. Ideas constantly flood my mind, and I never know where a certain idea will take me. My characters lead me along, per se, and I often envision or “hear” scenes from their lives.

Pen and paper or computer/phone?

I mainly use my laptop, as I type fast and can go quicker that way. When things pop into my head, I don’t want to forget them, and jot notes down on paper, index cards, or whatever I can get my hands on. If I’m driving, I’ll dictate into a memo app or text things to myself.  

3. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings.

I write in multiple genres, including fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, literary fiction, children’s stories, poems, and more. I do stories of varying sizes, all the way from one-hundred-word drabbles through novel-length works. Right now, I’m working on several pieces, some for specific calls, others just for myself.

I submit things to several publishers on a regular basis. My acceptances for 2022 include drabbles for Black Ink Press’ Heartless anthology, a short story for Raven and Drake’s Aliens anthology, a poem for Sweetycat’s Beautiful: In The Eye Of The Beholder anthology, and a drabble and story for the January issue of The World of Myth Magazine. I’m excited to say one of my novellas has been accepted for publication, too, but I’ll keep that secret for now and announce it later. 

My goals for this year include submitting more works, and doing so steadily. I hope more will be accepted. I also hope to finish a novel I’ve been working on, do edits on a second, and submit a third  to publishers.

4. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it.

My most recent publication is The Return, a sci-fi novella published by Black Hare Press. I’m quite proud of it, and just love the cover. Here’s a little about my story:

The world doesn’t know anything about the compound hidden underground, and the wealthy investors funding it want things to stay as they are. It’s the year 2030, and scientists have made numerous scientific advances.

They use cutting-edge technology with their Feline Service Units and Human Replicas—HRs, as they’re commonly known. However, most of the research being conducted in the facility is illegal. If animal rights’ activists had an inkling of what went on, they’re clamor for justice. Human rights’ activists would scream from the rooftops.

Tensions are mounting, and things are not as they appear.

Amazon link: https://bit.ly/39y9iOL

Reader comments about The Return:

“…This is a thrilling ride. I’m hoping there’s a sequel.”

“…man, it got me good. Best plot twist I’ve read in a book…you’ll love this book!”

“Fascinating and amazing!”

“…had me on the edge of my seat.”

5. 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?

BELIEVE in yourself, no matter what!

6. Last but not least, where can we find you? Drop those links!

My Facebook author page: https://m.facebook.com/GabriellaBalcom.lonestarauthor