For me latest Author Spotlight, I’m joined by the wonderful Sheena Jolie. We talked about using emotional beats to tell a story, being captivated by the overwhelming power of an instant connection, and getting lost in painting.

Take it away Sheena…

First things first, please introduce yourself!
Hello everyone, I’m Sheena Jolie, queer nonbinary indie author of urban and epic fantasy romance! I live in Maine by the ocean, enjoy spending time with my cats, and I have been writing full-time since 2015. This June will be 9 years writing professionally.

Tell us a little bit about your writing style.
I write 3rd person limited past, which means we learn about things along with the character. I enjoy using all the senses we have to tell a story, so expect at least three of the five senses in most of my scenes. (Where applicable of course!)

Describe your books in only three words.
This is the hardest question on here, you know that, right? I’m struggling! I’d say characterization, world-building, and plot-driven. I cheated with the hyphens, I know.

What’s your next book about and when is it coming out?
My next book is The Necromancer’s War, Book 7 of The Beacon Hill Sorcerer series. It’s a return of Angel and Simeon to the spotlight as the main characters, and focuses on the battles ahead as the High Council of Sorcery brings war to Boston. It’s all about love, family, and keeping each other safe and happy when war is threatening to destroy it all. It comes out June 6th, 2024, on Amazon. 

Out of all your books, which one are you most proud of?
Wolves of Black Pine. That book was the first full-length novel I wrote and it took me several months of hard work and angst to get it done while working full-time. I poured everything into that book and I am so proud of it.

What or who (or both) has influenced you most as a writer?
Three authors have really influenced me as an author: Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey, and Andre Norton. Three phenomenal fantasy authors who are some of the best in the genre, and their character first methods are something I strive to emulate, in addition to detail oriented world building. RIP to Anne and Andre!

What inspired you to start writing?
BBC’s Sherlock fanfiction. The show frustrated me so much I got my start writing fix-it fics. Eventually I found MM books on Amazon, and I finally got to the point where I wanted to read something and it didn’t exist, so I began to write what I wanted to read. (I actually began writing as a child, but took a long break in my twenties before picking it back up again with fanfiction.)

What’s your writing process like? Do you have a typical “writing day”?
I get up at 8am, breakfast, feed the pets and take my meds, then head to the office and boot up the computer while I go over my notes from the day before. If it’s a weekday, I write alone, usually from 9am to noon, then break for lunch. I write again from 1pm to about 430pm, then I’m done for the day. On weekends, I zoom with my editor while she works on her stuff, I work on mine, and we keep each other company as we work from about 1pm to 6pm. I rarely work past 6pm unless I’m on a deadline or I’m in the zone. I tend to take random days off during the week, usually a Tuesday or Friday, or both. 

What comes first for you – the plot or the characters?
Emotion comes first. I write to create moments that generate the emotions I want to feel, and then I craft the plot and characters to fit the emotional notes I want to hit. It makes for interesting storytelling.

What’s a book that you wish you’d written?
Broken by Nicola Haken. That book is phenomenal, and I can never read it again, as it was so impactful and emotional.

If you could only write one trope for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Insta-love. There’s nothing quite like the overwhelming power of an instant connection, and then the struggle to realign your life to let someone else in, a stranger who you love, and learning about them as a person and falling in love all over again.

What would be your three desert island books?
Nor Iron Bars a Cage by Kaje Harper, Gravitational Attraction by Angel Martinez, and The Last Sun by KD Edwards.

If one of your books could be made into a movie/TV series, which would you choose and who would you cast?
I’d choose The Necromancer’s Dance, as it’s urban fantasy and that fits best with today’s vibe of Sandman and Dead Boy Detectives, etc. I’d love to cast Oliver Stark as Isaac Salvatore, and Angel, the main character, is likely the hardest to cast as he’s a difficult character. Small and mighty! Cody Fern as Simeon is a given, honestly.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Do you have a secret passion or hobby that we don’t know about?
I love cooking, painting, reading, and hanging out with my cats. I paint a lot, and I can get lost in the hobby for months.

Finally, what’s your favourite dinosaur?
Triceratops! I love that dino so much. I’m still scarred by The Land Before Time, but Cera was my favorite.

My name is Sheena Jolie (they/them) and you may know me as SJ Himes, my soon-to-be-retired pen name. Under SJ Himes I’ve written the Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series and The Wolfkin Saga series. 

I reside in MidCoast Maine, close enough to the beach to be annoyed by seagulls and enchanted by the views.

I live with Wolf and Silfur, two cats who love me but hate each other. I write urban, epic, and sci-fi fantasy romances with an emphasis on plot and character development, and almost all my characters are LGBTQ+ and that’s on purpose.

For more information on Sheena Jolie and their work you can follow them on Facebook, join their Patreon, and their Facebook Reader Group for the latest news and updates.