Author Spotlight: Stacy Elliott

I always enjoy meeting authors. It’s an opportunity to compare notes about writing, publishing, promotions and all that jazz.  That was the case recently when I met Stacy Elliott.

Tell us a little about yourself and your journey to becoming an author.

My mother is an avid reader and she got me hooked on books at a young age.  Throughout my childhood teachers commented on my talent to write poetry and stories and encouraged me to pursue writing.  I began taking it seriously a little over 14 years ago before writing my debut novel ‘Grandfather’s Whispers’.

Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series? 

I try not to think about it.  Those who have read Grandfather’s Whispers tell me that it would make a great movie and that the details in the book gives them a visual in their head like they are watching it on the television screen.  I hope that one day I will see one of my stories on the big screen, but I don't let the thoughts bog me down.

Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles?

Never thought of it.  However, I imagine my favorite singer, Pink, covering the soundtrack. 😉

What is your writing process? 

With Grandfather’s Whispers it was a complete free-write.  There was no organization, just pure thought to pen to paper.  During the editing process, I vowed to never write a novel in free-write form ever again.  So much time and energy were wasted reformatting the storyline, organizing the thought process, making sure the scenes matched up with the associated magical element, and ensuring the symbolism was spot-on.  Now, I take the free-flowing thoughts and put them on index cards. Then, I will organize those index cards in a way that I want the story to move and create my outline from there.  Once the outline is complete, I plug it all into Scrivener as scenes in chapters divided up by acts or parts, adding additional notes as I go along.  Next, I build my characters and settings.  I may draw a crude map if I need it for the storyline so that I keep my location in the story straight.  Then, I begin writing one scene at a time in chronological order.  This method has worked very well for my novels, and I do a condensed version of it for my short stories. 

Describe the characters in your  book.

Sarah Miller is the main female character, a 17-year-old girl on the cusp of adulthood and in a medical crisis.  She's going through the typical teenage angst but has experienced more tragedies in her young life than her peers, which makes the prospect of aging into adulthood much more frightening to her.  She meets her grandfather, Ralph Miller, while she is unconscious. Ralph has been the steady rock in her life, the one that Sarah can count on to help her through any problem that she may endure. 

However, some problems are too shameful to reveal to even her own grandfather. We quickly learn that even a grandfather's love can't protect her from all the evils in the world, but his compassion can help guide her into telling the truth about her past and into making a decision that will have a significant impact on her life and the lives of the ones that she loves.

Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?

It starts with one and the rest fall in line as I develop the story.  I usually don't add characters as I write.  But, sometimes, during the editing process, I will discover a need for a new character in a certain scene and will add them in.  Typically, they have a minor role and I try to make sure that they are in scenes where they should belong.

What is your latest book about?

Sarah Miller struggles to remain conscious while medical teams work diligently to save her life. As she slips into a deep sleep, she enters an ethereal realm where her grandfather, Ralph Miller, awaits her under the protective canopy of a large oak tree beside a still pond.

But this is no ordinary tree!

As Sarah gazes into its glittering leaves, she is whisked away into one memory after another. With her grandfather’s ever-changing tie, Ralph guides Sarah into understanding life’s tragedies and the power of decisions. She will discover the consequences of actions made by others, as well as her own. Compelled to accept the truths of her past, she finds the courage to face her fears. In the end, Sarah will have one final choice, a choice that could set the precedence for not only her life but the lives of those around her.

What’s the next project you’ll be working on?

My next project is a 5 book modern fantasy series.  I'm not ready to share what it is about yet since I'm still working on it, but the first book has been written.  The series is called the Snow Chronicles and the title of the first book is Ashes of Winter.  It's in the editing phase and I need to write in a couple of scenes and rewrite a couple more scenes.  I have started the second book. The rest of the series is completely mapped out.

Here are links for Tracy’s book:

For a signed copy:

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLYZHARH66KXB/checkout/SAOBSZJ7E3QJUPI7TSDZOWFG

Amazon:  https://a.co/d/cqufWd9

Website: https://stacynelliott.com/