Rowan Rook – Be Inspired By This Awesome Author, Entrepreneur and Editor

I’m thrilled to bring you another inspirational conversation with a creative author and entrepreneur.

They’re pursuing their dreams, I know you’ll be as inspired as me by their love of words and imagination. So let’s dive in…

Hi Rowan, great to chat! Please give my readers a quick introduction to you. Who are you, where you live and what you do

Hello! I’m a speculative fiction author and freelance editor, as well as a poet and game writer. I’m also an introvert, cat lover, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I live in Lakeside in Washington state.

Something you love about your home town, and why people should come visit

I hail from Langley, Washington, a tiny seaside town on Whidbey Island.

It’s a quaint, atmospheric place, with plenty of hobby shops, an 82-year-old cinema, two stage theatres, a county fair, a marina, and plenty of foggy hiking trails which may or may not be haunted.

It’s decorated with Christmas lights almost all year long.

What do you wish you knew when you were a teenager

I wish I would have known that my love of stories could form a viable career path if I were willing to put full-time work hours into it.

Instead, I spent too long forcing myself to try more “practical” careers. I recently returned to my passions after finding only dissatisfaction elsewhere.

Tell us about something or someone in your life, that motivates you each day

Good stories themselves motivate me.

Whenever I encounter one that truly pulls me in, whether in the form of a book or film or game, it reminds me why I love the art of storytelling and it drives me to improve as an editor and author.

Tell us about one of your online mentors, how they inspire you and how can people find them

It’s not just one person, but I love the Writer’s Workout organisation.

Its Facebook group is a great place to connect with other supportive writers, and its contests come with inspiring prompts and exceptionally helpful feedback from the judges.

An ambition you haven’t achieved yet

I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve most of my childhood dreams to at least some extent. At this point, I’m hoping to take those ambitions to new milestones.

I want to earn a more stable income doing what I love.

I want to publish upwards of 50 books during my lifetime. I also want to live somewhere outside the U.S.

How do you like to stay fit and healthy, mentally and physically

Mental health is especially important to me.

I use weekly journaling to clear out my thoughts, daily meditation, and apps like Pacifica and Headspace to cultivate mindfulness. Personally, I don’t enjoy always focusing on the present moment – I live to daydream and analyse – but the components of mindfulness that help manage anxious thoughts and feelings are immensely beneficial.

Physically, I aim for a relaxed 30-minute walk everyday with music and headphones.

Quickfire Quiz

Favourite book

It’s hard to pick just one. Can I say that I love speculative fiction in general?

I especially love books that combine so-called “genre fiction” elements with so-called “literary fiction” elements. One of my favourites is Bag of Bones by Stephen King.

Favourite writer

It’s equally hard to pick just one author, but a few underrated favourites include Kenneth Oppel, Ambrose Ibsen, and Dawn Kurtagich.

[Christie: I love finding new books to read don’t you? I’ll definitely be adding some of these authors to my reading list in Goodreads]

Favourite quote

“A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.”

Madeleine L’Engle (another favourite author)

Favourite city and/or country (other than your hometown)

There are so many places I’d like to travel to, including Denmark and Japan, but I’ve yet to leave the U.S.

Of the places I’ve lived, I really enjoyed the summer I spent in Ellensburg, a semi-arid suburban town in eastern Washington. It combined the freedom of a big city with small-town charm. I also fell in love with the warm winds, the rolling hills, and the wide open sky.

Favourite film

The Book Thief, definitely. It’s the only movie that’s drawn out tears.

Favourite piece of music / song

My long-time favourite album is The Living Infinite by Soilwork.

I love the way it combines rich, blues-like melodies with heavy metal power and poetic lyrics.

Your guilty pleasure

I don’t necessarily believe in the idea of a guilty pleasure – if you love something harmless, why feel guilty for it? – but something I spend too much time on is life simulation games, like Stardew Valley and the Sims.

You’re having a dinner party and invite 3 people, living or dead. Who do you invite and why

Can I cheat and say that I’d invite my three favourite protagonists from my projects? It’d be fascinating to get to know them even more from an outsider’s perspective, since I spend so much time inside their heads.

[Christie: What a brilliant idea, for all you writers out there what a great writing prompt too!]

Share a link to amuse, inspire or motivate the community

I frequently use the Wherepostrockdwells YouTube channel while I work:

Post-rock is such a magical genre of music, striking the perfect balance between easy-listening ambiance and inspiring, emotive atmospheres.

[Christie’s Writer’s Tip: Listen to different genres of music as you write, see if they impact your style or voice]

And now it’s all about you…

Something people don’t know about you

I struggle with anxiety, especially in the form of OCD. It causes a lot of unique issues while writing, particularly its characteristic intrusive thoughts that distract and sabotage.

I try to be open about it because I don’t want other creatives who deal with similar issues to feel alone. I refuse to let it limit me.

Where can people find you and your work online?

Website:

www.rowanrook.com (my author website) and

www.speculativesoulediting.com (my freelance editing website)

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/xRowanRookx (my primary social media presence)

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WriterRowanRook/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rowanrookauthor/

How can other creatives support you and your work?

Perhaps by checking out my website if they’re interested in working with an editor?

I also appreciate every single book sale. Reviews make a huge difference to indie authors, too. They help books get noticed by Amazon’s algorithms. The negative reviews provide useful feedback while positive reviews make an author’s day.

Massive thank you for your time, have we missed anything you’d like to mention

Thanks for the opportunity!

I’d like to remind everyone that your story matters. You’re also the protagonist in your own life story.

If you have a passion for something, chances are it aligns with your purpose. Instead of worrying about what society says should make you happy, focus on what actually brings you fulfilment instead.

Be fearlessly you.

Could you share a photo/image that motivates or inspires you

I don’t know if it’ll inspire others the way it does me, but as a bibliophile who can stare at the sky for hours, I really love this wallpaper from Wallpaper Abyss.

I’ve had it on my work laptop since the start of this year.

My Tools Of The Trade (Stuff I use and like!)

(A few of the services I use to bring this free content to you. I earn a small commission on some – it doesn’t affect your price, in fact it could save you money- others I just love anyway so wanted to share with you. You’re supporting my work, enabling me to continue writing and keep this website and content free to you, thank you!)

I hope I’ve inspired you to get creative, tweet me from your next coffee stop! Or why not jump over to Facebook and join The Independent Freedom Creative who write, work or travel independently.

 

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