Indie Author Spotlight, Episode 9

Hello! It's me (again). S.E. Reed, your favorite multi-genre Indie Author and volunteer at The Writer's Workout. Okay, so maybe I'm not your favorite, but I am an Indie Author who has made it her mission to help you find out more about others like me. Each of these episodes features a Q&A-style interview with an Indie Author so you can get to know more about them and their writing. In addition, some of the authors have chosen to participate in a 2nd interview on my website, Writing With Reed, which I'll link at the end.

On today's episode, we are speaking with author Shaelynn Long, who I met several years ago through a mutual publishing house. What struck me most during those conversations was just how freaking smart and witty Shaelynn is. And that intelligence and witt absolutely comes out in everything they write. I'm a definitely a fan, and I know you will be do after this interview!

Thanks again for taking the time to let me interview you! Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m Shaelynn, and I grew up in a small town on a dirt road in the middle of Michigan. Given the rural setting, I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that I had to find ways to entertain myself. I fell into a world of books! This led me to try writing my own stories as I was growing up and finding myself. Now, in my dream career of teaching English composition, literature, and creative writing classes at a college, I have a bit of time to delve into all those fantastical worlds I created long, long ago. Putting my work out into the world began with self-publishing, but I had the fantastic experience of meeting Brittany McMunn several years ago, and my friendship with her has blossomed into publishing careers with both Wild Ink Publishing (with Abigail Wild) and Conquest (with the aforementioned Brittany).

So, whaty's your writing style?

When I really began to explore storytelling, I thought for sure that I would write YA fantasy. I do still write fantasy, but I’ve shifted into writing for adults. I tend to like darker, grittier explorations of characters, so my MCs are often working through some rather heavy emotions or experiences, and I don’t make things easy for them.

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and link it! 

I’m still so incredibly proud of my debut novel, Fury’s Fate, which entered the world in 2023. That book lived in my consciousness for 15 years from start to finish–a real labor of love. It began as a writing exercise that I returned to during a very deep neurodivergent obsession with Greek mythology and lore and follows a protagonist, Olivia, who’s an ancient Fury having a bit of a mid-immortality crisis.

Fury’s Fate on Amazon

Fury’s Fate at Barnes & Noble

author Shaelynn Long

Spill the tea, what are you currently working on?

I’m working on three rather large projects at the moment, which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. It’s really fractured my focus! However, all of these things are so exciting that I’m having a hard time even being a little angry at myself for doing them all at once. The first project that people will be able to see is a fairy tale-inspired anthology called Wickedness & Wonder, which will come out this summer. My second project, due out in December of this year (2025), is a book currently titled Court of the Unwanted, which is the story of Tish, a Changeling, who is forced to enter a Hunger Games-style tournament. This, like Fury’s Fate, has a bit of romance in it, as well, because even though I put my characters through the ringer, I’m always rooting for them to have something for themselves. The final project, out early 2026, is a book of poetry called wild thing, in which I’m exploring the idea of what it means to be a “feral” woman. At the conclusion of those projects, I will, as promised, begin working on Rage’s Reckoning, the sequel to Fury’s Fate.

This is one of my favorite questions... What is your biggest/best piece of advice for other Indie Authors?

Be kind to yourself, but trust your gut. It’s really easy to look around and think everyone’s “making it” except for you, but anytime I’ve tried to push a timeline or an opportunity into existence, it hasn’t worked out. I’ve learned to be active in my communities, find people I love working with, and let things come into my path if they’re meant to. There are, unfortunately, a lot of people willing to take advantage of those of us with big dreams, so we have to be our own advocates and our own security teams, to some degree.

That advice might seem strange, I suppose. So much of writing for me, though, is staying in the right headspace. If I let too much outside noise in, I can’t or won’t create the works I’m proud of.

Who is your favorite Indie Author?

This is SUCH a tough question, but I’ll say that I really like Vermilion H. Baine’s work.

Where can someone find your work, social presence, etc. drop some links. 

shaelynnlong.com

@shaelynnlong on Threads & Instagram

@authorshaelynnlong on Facebook

Want to learn more about Shaelynn? Check out the follow-up interview over on my website - https://www.writingwithreed.com/post/bonus-episode-with-shaelynn-long