Ink and Flame Episode #6
Von: Author of Taken, Not Destroyed.
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Transcription
Tina Koutras (00:00)
Welcome to Ink and Flame. I'm Tina Koutras, your host, and I'm sitting down today to talk with Von the writer of Taken Not Destroyed.
How are you doing tonight, Von
Von (00:10)
I'm doing well. How about you, Tina?
Tina Koutras (00:12)
I'm doing good too. I'm excited to get into this one because I'm not overly familiar with this genre. I haven't read any of these books, but I have to admit that you've got a tagline on your Goodreads. The survival is more than living. It is desire, a will, something that burns so deep in one's soul. And I was like, yeah, that sounds like a good one to start with. Mission of Destruction is the sequel and it's coming out soon too, eh?
Von (00:31)
Hahaha
Yes, yes it releases April 7th so I'm excited.
Tina Koutras (00:41)
Awesome.
Yeah, it's a very exciting process to go through not just one, but two books to give your readers a sequel.
Von (00:52)
Yes, a lot of work, but exciting as well.
Tina Koutras (00:54)
Yeah, let's dive into some of that work because I can't wait to hear some of your processes. So, what was your earliest memory of falling in love with books?
Von (01:03)
Well, I remember when I was a kid, I did, love to read always. And I think it was a Christmas present. You know, I always used to go to the tree and I'd be like, trying to shake all my presents. And there was one that was like really heavy. And I was always trying to figure out how I can open my presents so my parents didn't know. And then they figured that out. So then they would wrap.
under the wrapping with newspaper. So you couldn't unwrap them without like totally screwing it up. And then I opened it, was filled with the entire series of Nancy Drew. Hardback edition. And it was my favorite present ever. So then, you know, my cupboard was lined with Nancy Drew and that was my favorite. So I remember that when I was a kid.
Tina Koutras (01:31)
Yeah.
wow.
It got your bookshelf
started. How many books was that?
Von (01:53)
Yes, yes. Now I've,
my gosh, I would have to Google it. I don't know, but it was not, it was a lot, like 20 at least. Yeah.
Tina Koutras (01:59)
Like 20? Yeah, that's
awesome. And how old were you? If you can remember. No, you don't remember.
Von (02:05)
I was young. I was young.
But yeah, Nancy Drew was my favorite when I was little. I read, of course, I read them all. And I read them all multiple times. But yeah.
Tina Koutras (02:11)
That's awesome.
Awesome.
I've never read Nancy Drew, but my husband read the male counterpart, what was it called? The which one? The Hardy Boys. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. So I was fantasy right from the get go. So I never really dove into that genre, but my husband definitely would remember that. So.
Von (02:22)
Hardy boys. The Hardy boys.
because there were lot of crossovers.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Tina Koutras (02:37)
So that was the first series that you read. What did you go to after that?
Like
was there ever a switch in genre or something next after Nancy Drew?
Von (02:48)
I mean, I don't know. don't know if, you know, I read all the Harry Potters and the, gosh, you know, just, I read so much. If you asked me what I read last year, I'd have to pull, yeah, I'd have to pull out my Amazon list to tell you. I'll look at a book and I'm like, I think I read that one, but I'm not sure. It sounds familiar. The cover looks familiar or have I just seen that before? And then I'll pull it open and I'm like, oh yeah, I've read this book before.
Tina Koutras (02:58)
It's still not enough.
you
Have you ever bought a book a second time by accident?
Von (03:14)
I recognize all this.
no, because I had Kindle Unlimited for so long, but I would pull it open and say, you downloaded this and they'd give me a date. And I was like, but I actually got rid of Kindle Unlimited recently because I haven't read a book in like six months because writing and reading is so hard. I can't sit down and read. can't focus on reading a book while I'm writing.
Tina Koutras (03:34)
I was just about to ask.
Von (03:43)
And I've been so overwhelmed because I've been trying to write book two while editing book one. And now that I'm editing book two, I'm working down the road. So, well, I know I'm done with this series, but on my next book. So it's really hard to read.
Tina Koutras (03:43)
Yeah.
on Book 3.
okay. Okay.
Yeah, I definitely understand that problem and I've asked a few people how they keep that balance and it's probably a tricky thing to do. So was there, yeah, I imagine. So was there a defining moment when you realized that you wanted to be a writer?
Von (04:09)
think some people are better at it than I am. Yeah.
I don't think that I could put my finger on it, to be honest, but I, might've been 10 years ago or maybe more where I wanted to write. So I took a class from an author, a romance novelist, Lori Wilde. Have you ever heard of her? Okay. Yeah. I've actually never read any of her books. Even to this day, I have not picked up any of her novels.
Tina Koutras (04:35)
Okay, I have not, but I'm going to look her up as soon as we're done.
Von (04:43)
They're very short, if I remember correctly. But she taught a class that I took online. I learned a lot from her and I still use the techniques that she taught. I kept all the classes. It's just back then I didn't, I had young kids, but I also didn't have a story arc that came to an end.
Tina Koutras (04:57)
Mm-hmm.
Von (05:07)
that somebody would pick it up and be like, yeah, I'm satisfied with that, or I want to keep reading. That just kind of came to me more recently.
Tina Koutras (05:07)
Right.
Okay, we'll get into that soon. So What inspired you to take the leap or who inspired you aside from this author?
Von (05:17)
Sure.
Just the ideas. They are always.
Tina Koutras (05:26)
Okay.
Von (05:26)
like had dreams or thought about things. Always had a vivid imagination, I suppose you could say.
Tina Koutras (05:32)
Okay?
You had some people taking up residence in your imagination?
Von (05:36)
There you go. And then I've always loved
reading, so...
I've had residents in my brain and I always felt like maybe if I could figure out how to tell their stories and get them on the paper, other people might enjoy their stories. If I could just figure out how to do it.
Tina Koutras (05:51)
Yeah, I love that.
Right, I love that. Do you remember the first story you ever wrote? this, this two book series, was it like the first time you put words to paper or did you have sort of this transition from little short stories that you wrote to get some imagination going or what was your process like?
Von (06:10)
this, these Armist Locust series actually is not the first story I wrote. I don't really remember the first book I wrote. I could probably dig through my computer and find them. I just know that the first ones I tried to write never had like good plot, right? Or.
Tina Koutras (06:21)
Yeah.
plot. Yeah.
Von (06:33)
The idea was there. The ending wasn't there. Yeah. Or I didn't nail the character growth. I've always seemed to have FMCs that were the center, I think, for a female writer. Female leads are easier to write. And she never grew.
Tina Koutras (06:36)
Not so much. You didn't nail the ending,
Mm-hmm.
Von (06:57)
where you would as a reader would be like yes you couldn't get involved with her and then see her come out on the other side and be like yeah that's a great story. I could never do that until Taken Not Destroyed. At least I never felt like it was doable.
Tina Koutras (07:05)
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay. So that makes it even more exciting to dive into that book because, you know, I love watching the transition of, you know, maybe naive, maybe young, misled, whatever, growing into something so much more powerful. It's so much fun to read. So, the taken, not destroyed is so evocative. How did you come up with it and what does it mean in the
in the context of the story. No spoilers, of course.
Von (07:38)
Okay. No spoilers. Well, I'll do my best at the no spoilers. I mean, I guess so, Rayola is my main character. She's not necessarily young. She's your average 40 year old female. So I, I think a lot of women who sit down and read can kind of connect with her.
Tina Koutras (07:42)
Hahaha!
Okay.
Von (07:58)
on a personal level. And I did that, well, because I could connect with her. And she's kidnapped by a Mexican cartel. And I said taken, not destroyed because she was taken and she couldn't let them destroy her.
Tina Koutras (08:16)
Okay, that sounds very compelling. nice. Okay, so did you always know you wanted to write romance with kind of a darker theme, a more intense theme?
Von (08:17)
That's where the title came from.
No, I mean, I like reading this kind of book, know, storyline, the genre. But the story wrote itself up here. So I will write what comes to me. If it's there, the characters tell me what to write. I have no control over them. I've heard other authors say that and I didn't know what they meant until...
Tina Koutras (08:32)
Yeah.
Okay.
Von (08:51)
I started writing, yes.
Tina Koutras (08:52)
until these books.
So if you had to give this these two books a spice rating, would you be able to give it a spice rating?
Von (09:02)
I mean...
maybe three, it's spicy, there's open door spice, know, but there's a lot of plot and story behind it. It's not all about the sexual tension, that's just part of it. So it exists, but that's background. It's not about the relationship.
Tina Koutras (09:05)
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
It's the sidebar, not the whole story. All right. So what's your favorite part of the writing process? The world building, character development, or crafting high stakes emotional moments? What do you say?
Von (09:27)
Exactly. Yeah.
I think it's about watching my characters and their stories develop because I start and I know, but I'm a plotter. So I have it all written out and some people would be like, oh my gosh, look at all that planning that she does. But then other writers are like, yep, that's me too. But it still changes.
Tina Koutras (09:46)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Von (10:04)
Once I start writing it, I'm like, hmm, I didn't quite follow that plot plan. But that's because my character did something different than I planned it as I was writing. And just watching them grow and change and become different, I like.
Tina Koutras (10:18)
Yeah, you start
with an idea and it suddenly has muscle and hair color and eye color and memory, right? Very cool. So the Armas Locas series explores some, am I saying it right? Okay. It explores some bold and intense tropes like obsessive MMCs and love triangles and slow burns. What draws you to these themes and how do you make them feel fresh and unique?
Von (10:22)
Yeah, right, right.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Well, like a obsessive MMC is kind of an intriguing idea, central idea for I think a lot of women, a lot of readers. Whether we'd actually want one for ourselves in real life is a different thing. It's kind of cool to read about one though, you know, to live out that little fantasy.
Tina Koutras (10:59)
I think that's a great point.
Von (11:10)
And so writing about one's kind of cool too, you know? And my character, Segundo or Hugo, you can notice a lot of people have two different names in my book.
Tina Koutras (11:14)
Yeah.
Okay, like nicknames and like, yeah, okay.
Von (11:22)
Kinda, yeah. It's a cartel.
don't go by their real names.
Tina Koutras (11:26)
Mm-hmm.
Von (11:27)
So he's a little, well, what did my editor call him?
can't remember what she said, but delusional. And so he's obsessive, but kind of delusional and you sort of feel sorry for him sometimes, at least I do and so did she.
Tina Koutras (11:36)
Okay.
Okay, so the strong female characters in your books, they definitely are standout feature. How do you approach the writing female characters who are both vulnerable but really powerful?
Von (11:55)
I guess it's, you know, we're all vulnerable and we all need to be vulnerable to have good relationships. But I also wanted to show that we have to be strong to make it in life and
Tina Koutras (12:01)
Mm-hmm.
Von (12:10)
I wanted my FMC to be relatable for people. I didn't want them to be so kick-ass and bad-ass that people couldn't like say, I feel this person, you know? But I also didn't want her to be a complete pushover, because I can't read those characters.
Tina Koutras (12:14)
Mm-hmm.
Right. That makes sense.
I get that. So.
Von (12:30)
I there had
to be some point where they were locked on. Otherwise, they wouldn't grow, right?
Tina Koutras (12:35)
Where does the strength come from? Right.
So you have a few trigger warnings with your books. And do you want to tell people where they can find those trigger warnings?
Von (12:42)
Mm-hmm.
Yes, so the front of the book has a QR code and you can scan that and it takes you straight to my website and you'll find where it explains the trigger warnings for the
Tina Koutras (12:58)
Okay, I love
when authors not only put them in the book, but they also make them so readily available, you know, in the digital world for people to have access to them. dubious consent and light BDSM are themes that require kind of a delicate balance. How do you ensure that these elements are handled thoughtfully, but still delivering the intensity that readers love?
Von (13:07)
Thank
Well, I guess I say I do my best. I did some research on the BDSM world and tried to be as true to
the...
Tina Koutras (13:30)
intent
Von (13:31)
situation as possible without being disrespectful.
Tina Koutras (13:33)
Okay.
Okay, so do feel that that's kind of got like a threshold?
Von (13:36)
And
Yeah, and then I didn't, since I've never experienced, I didn't get too in-depth in my descriptions or my scenes. I just kind of tried, that's why I said light, kind of stayed on the surface.
Tina Koutras (13:50)
Right, okay.
That makes sense. And it definitely seems like a very good way to approach that kind of concept when you're, you know, coming at it from just a research perspective.
Von (14:01)
Yeah. I just gave my FMC time to accept her situation. that MMC allowed her to give consent. So I let them both.
Tina Koutras (14:10)
Okay.
You worked that in.
Von (14:14)
I worked that into their thought processes so that the reader could see that there was some thought within the characters about the situation.
Tina Koutras (14:24)
Okay, that makes sense. And, you know, I've seen it handled too by the name of that book. It was the one that was turned into a movie that everybody loved about 10 years ago. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that was probably my first exposure. I never read the books. My sister did and absolutely loved them. And I can say that
Von (14:32)
So the gray, right?
Tina Koutras (14:45)
the way that they handle it is very similar. Like they kind of give that gradual progression into the emotional connection that leads to the consent. Yeah. So if you had to pick one trope that from the series that you'd write over and over and over again, what would it be and why?
Von (14:55)
Yeah.
well, the strong FMC always. Mm-hmm.
Tina Koutras (15:07)
Yeah.
Does it do you think to some degree give you somebody that you kind of talk to in the back of your mind a little bit when you're facing stuff in your own life?
Von (15:19)
Yeah, sometimes or maybe just someone I can admire for growing through hard times.
Tina Koutras (15:23)
Yeah.
Yeah, that's cool too, I think. So let's talk about the characters in Taken Not Destroyed. What's the most challenging part of creating the dynamic between the obsessive MMC and strong FMC?
Von (15:38)
I think making her look strong without actually putting her in real danger or getting her killed because it has to be real world to some degree and she is in a cartel and so she has to be strong but yeah these people I mean at what point are they gonna just kill her right?
Tina Koutras (15:45)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. And you keep her looking strong, but not, you know, of course that worked that way. You don't want it to be predictable.
Von (16:06)
That too, right? Uh-huh. I mean, and maybe some of the things I did have or do might have gotten her killed in real life. I mean, or, you know, some of the things in the second book that happened may not have really worked out in real life or whatever, but I mean, it's fiction, right?
Tina Koutras (16:26)
Exactly. That's
that is why so many people dive into the fantasy genre in the first place. It's escapism. Yeah. So do you have a favorite character in the series?
Von (16:33)
This exactly, exactly.
So yes, he's in the second book though. Yeah.
Tina Koutras (16:43)
Okay, well we
can maybe have you on a second time and we can talk about him then. Do you have a favourite in the first?
Von (16:48)
Okay.
Well, I mean.
Tina Koutras (16:50)
or somebody
that surprised you. Somebody that started talking upstairs and then kind of just became a surprise character for you.
Von (16:58)
Well, so I, this is kind of funny. So I've decided to write a bonus chapter. I had not planned on writing it, but I was like, well, I want people to sign up for my newsletter. So I'm going to write this bonus chapter. And when they sign up for the newsletter, they can get this bonus chapter. And I wrote it on this one character, Camilla, who, I'll be honest, I was.
I had no, I didn't have a lot of plans for her. And then I wrote this chapter and I was like, wow, she turned into be something I didn't know she was gonna be. I mean, she wrote her chapter and it fit perfectly into the book, but I didn't know she was gonna be like that or have any of those. I know, I didn't know she was gonna have any of those external thoughts or plans or be like that.
Tina Koutras (17:27)
You
Yeah
I love those stories.
Von (17:45)
But she wrote herself and when I look back at the book I'm like, well yeah, that's perfect. I was like, I wonder what people are gonna think about this. Nobody tells me, I don't know what they think. Like I don't have any idea.
Tina Koutras (17:58)
Okay, so then we have
to ask everybody to tell you now.
Von (18:01)
I know nobody's
nobody's told me I don't know if anybody reads it. I don't know if I just wrote it for myself.
Tina Koutras (18:07)
That's awesome. I love it when, you know, you kind of hear about this character that the writer's writing along and then all of a sudden this character that they didn't expect to be very significant becomes an arc, a whole entire arc. So a secondary chapter is also perfect. Or sorry, a bonus chapter. Yeah.
Von (18:24)
Bonus chapter, yeah.
Tina Koutras (18:27)
So the love triangle and mission of destruction adds so much tension. How do you approach that writing with the emotional complexity that is that dynamic?
Von (18:36)
Well
I guess I just try to do my best to show the jealousy as best I can. And a lot of the triangle in the mission of destruction is stems from Rayella's
Tina Koutras (18:41)
Mm-hmm.
Von (18:50)
internal struggle, trying to figure out everything that happened to her in the first book and growing into who she is. And she's got these two guys and also trying to figure out what's she thinks. What the world says is a normal relationship and what she thinks it should be and what a guy should be. And so it's it's actually.
a triangle made of her own issues, and then the jealousy of someone who likes her. So it's not your typical love triangle, should I say.
Tina Koutras (19:23)
Okay. So the setting of, Armist Locust series feels very, very vivid and alive. How do you do the cityscapes? and how do they influence the story and the character's journey?
Von (19:34)
In book one, she's trapped in a mansion and her only escape beyond the four walls is her view out her window. So every time we kind of look out her window, this is her only step to freedom. So I guess describing that view sometimes is.
all that you have for her thoughts of freedom.
Tina Koutras (19:52)
Okay.
Okay. And what about your main male character? What did you say his name is? He's got two?
Von (20:00)
Segundo. Segundo. Second. It's second in Spanish.
Tina Koutras (20:01)
Okay.
Okay. do you get to see from his perspective at all throughout this process where she's trapped?
Von (20:07)
Yeah.
Yeah, he doesn't focus too much on the house because it's his house. Like it's where he lives. He does go to on a mission for the cartel. so he that was a little challenging for me to write that particular scene. It was in a small city in Mexico and I'd never been there. So I'm trying to do the Google.
Tina Koutras (20:17)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Von (20:37)
search and research exactly.
Tina Koutras (20:37)
Yeah, research. Yeah,
awesome. So if you could live in one of the places that are featured in your series, which one do think it would be?
Von (20:48)
I mean, the weather here is cold. It's freezing. So, I mean, if I could get rid of the economics and live in Mexico, I'd do it.
Tina Koutras (20:50)
Hahaha!
That's fair. My family is actually, part of my family is actually in Mexico right now. Yeah, for sure.
Von (21:00)
Yeah, it's a nice vacation. If I could,
you know, not get kidnapped.
Tina Koutras (21:06)
Yeah, you wouldn't want to go the way she goes, right? Are there any real life places or experiences that inspired the settings for your books?
Von (21:14)
Not really, I chose my settings based on logistics to fit my storylines honestly. Google Maps and okay here here here okay this works you know.
Tina Koutras (21:21)
Okay.
Okay. So what do you suppose the most challenging scene to write in Armas Locas series has been for you?
Von (21:33)
Well, like I said, was the scene where Segundo was out with the cartel and yeah, I guess I skipped ahead where the Zappas attacked and he, mean, just all of that was difficult for me.
Tina Koutras (21:39)
yeah, guess we already talked about it a little bit. That's okay.
Von (21:50)
to I've never been there. And I so I had to kind of do the whole Google Earth mapping so I could see everything and describe it to my best the best of my ability without getting too descriptive is like, you know, you don't want to take away from the actual fighting. But
Tina Koutras (22:07)
Yeah.
Yeah. So, did you have any aha moments or breakthroughs while writing the series that changed the direction of the story?
Von (22:15)
Well, book two is filled with a lot of technical stuff that I spent a lot of time talking with my husband about, who is very smart about that stuff. So I had a lot of aha moments when talking with him because he is very smart. And it helped me kind of direct a little bit of that. But I can't tell you too much.
Tina Koutras (22:34)
Okay.
Von (22:35)
and
Yeah, but no, not really with book one. No, I mean, I had a few, I had a few like, yeah, that's better. That will fit better. But no, nothing I can really like say.
Tina Koutras (22:39)
Okay.
Not necessarily the
moments. Yeah. So are there any fun or surprising behind the scenes stories from writing the writing process that you can share with us? Some things that happened while you were writing that was was part of the journey.
Von (23:01)
I always think it's the Google searches that are the funniest, right? If anybody could come back and see the stuff that you're searching on Google, what happens when you die in Mexico? A US citizen dies in Mexico. How do you cover it up?
Tina Koutras (23:05)
Yeah.
wow.
People suddenly watching your computer with a certain amount of interest. The Google searches on this lady's computer is crazy.
Von (23:19)
Yeah, yeah, you know, stuff like that. It's,
Google is if they if they search if they kept track of you, I'm sure they'd be wondering what the heck you were up to.
Tina Koutras (23:36)
Then you just show them the book and you're off the hook. So how do you handle feedback from your readers, especially when it comes to the more controversial and intense elements of your books?
Von (23:39)
Maybe, you never know.
Well, I mean, I do know that my book won't be for every reader. You know, not everybody will like it. That's okay. I didn't like every book I picked up either. But I love my readers. So I love anybody who's willing to pick it up and give it a shot.
Tina Koutras (24:01)
Mm-hmm.
Von (24:07)
some doesn't mean that if somebody doesn't like it, doesn't hurt, you know, because it's still my baby, you know. So I guess it's.
Tina Koutras (24:11)
Yeah. Yeah.
Von (24:16)
I just know that they won't be for everyone and not everybody's gonna like everything about it either, you know.
Tina Koutras (24:20)
Yeah, for sure.
Right. So I had a conversation with Jessica Leigh on my first podcast that I did with Ink & Flame. And I asked her the same type of question and her response was beautiful. She said, whenever I get frustrated or disappointed about somebody's review, I just read what people say about Tolkien and it always makes me feel better. I didn't look them up, but she said that there's some people who just didn't like his style and he's a legend. So really.
Von (24:43)
Oh, what did they say about him? Oh, okay.
Yeah.
Tina Koutras (24:53)
What difference does it make? There's always, like you said, it's not for everybody.
Von (24:55)
Well, that's.
Yeah, mean somebody will love it and some people will not and it's yeah that's well exactly and I'm happy that people are even willing to pick it up and give it a try.
Tina Koutras (25:04)
and you're writing for the ones that love it.
Mm-hmm.
So what's your writing routine like? Do you have any kind of rituals or habits or things that help you get into the zone?
Von (25:17)
Well, I plot, plan, I write, I read.
Tina Koutras (25:20)
So what's the
plotting process for you? Do you have a computer or do you have like a murder board on your wall? What do you have?
Von (25:27)
Well, that would be kind of cool, but no, it's all on the computer. have, use Microsoft note and I have another author recommended it. So I use that and I have like all these little tabs and I've all my tabs labeled and I have, you know, characters, I do character interviews. All my characters have personalities and I.
Tina Koutras (25:28)
Hehehehehe
Mm-hmm.
Von (25:49)
write everything out about my characters, their personality, everything I want to know about them. I go and Google pictures so I know what they look like. I stick them in there. And then I have a section that talks about the storyline and I break it all down, the whole storyline from start to finish and it goes, breaks it out. You know how you know a
A movie has a beginning, a middle, an end, and yeah, they break stories up that way. So mine's that broken up. I type out everything that's going to happen. And then each chapter has the same thing. So I break it down by chapters. And I only.
Tina Koutras (26:16)
Yes, yeah.
Okay, yeah, that's some extensive plotting
right there.
Von (26:31)
I only plan
two chapters ahead because my characters will screw me up if I go too far. They'll change stuff. So I only go to, I've tried to do the whole book and, and no, can't. They'll change everything up. Yes. So I only do two chapters at a time. So.
Tina Koutras (26:36)
You
you end up in a different place. Yeah.
So do you listen to music or create any playlists while writing? No way.
Von (26:52)
Mm-mm.
It's got to be quiet. And I love all these authors who come out with playlists for their book, it doesn't sit, it doesn't flow within me to do that. I don't know enough about music to do that. mean, you, you'll, you'll turn on the media and you'll be like, who plays, who sings that? And be like, I don't know. I don't know. So I couldn't do that. But if like I have a reader who wants to do that for me, for it. I'll take it.
Tina Koutras (27:05)
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Mm-hmm. I just like it.
The playlist
to the book after it's been written. So that leads to another question. Is there ever music that plays like in your life that you think to yourself? Yeah, that's my character. Not really.
Von (27:24)
Yeah, pretty much. It's just...
No, uh-uh. I guess I'm not connected to music that way, I suppose.
Tina Koutras (27:42)
Mm-hmm, and that's okay. So if you could have one piece of advice for aspiring authors who want to write a dark romance, what do you think it would be? Aside from just do it.
Von (27:53)
Yeah. I would say besides writing and figuring out how to
get it on page, definitely have an editor because I've read books from authors where I've been like, did you have an editor? You know, I feel like there's definitely a place for an editor and I love mine to death. She's, it's the book belongs to myself and my editor. Like we have done this. This is a team effort for sure. I never knew how much you needed a good editor. So
Tina Koutras (28:06)
Yeah, okay.
Von (28:24)
to those who had her named. I love her. We have the same name.
Ha
Tina Koutras (28:31)
Well then, thank you very much, editor.
Von (28:33)
Exactly. And
then do your homework. So find out what it takes to publish, but not just publish. Like if you're an indie publisher, you actually you are your own cheering section. You are your own social media. You have to tell everybody about your book and expect them to say, I love your book as much as you do.
And then they have to want to pick it up and read it. And there are people out there who will believe you. You just have to find them. and that is not an easy thing to do. And I didn't know any of this. I was publishing November 11th and I didn't learn any of that until like August 15th.
Tina Koutras (29:16)
Okay, so you had a bit of work ahead of you to get a cheerleading squad.
Von (29:16)
So...
I had a lot of work. And I had a very small cheerleading squad when I published. It was very tiny. And so I still have a lot of work to do before I publish my second book. Because I still need a lot of people to read book one before they can read book two, because it's not a standalone. You can't read it without reading the first book. Yeah.
Tina Koutras (29:21)
Yeah.
The first book,
So, well, hopefully we'll get some attention with Ink and Flame to try and get some, some love for you. Because I think that the way that you've handled this story is such a very well thought out approach. And it sounds like, like I said, this isn't my genre. I've always lived in the fantasy realm, but you, you have me definitely paying attention. I think that I am.
quite excited to read it. So I have until April 7th too. So that's
Von (30:05)
thank you.
Tina Koutras (30:08)
the one drawback of doing Ink and Flame right now is that I've now got this great big huge TBR that just keeps building. And I'm currently reading one of the books to one of the podcasts. And then March 1st, I'm joining onto another.
Von (30:12)
You're very busy!
Yes, I'm sure.
Tina Koutras (30:26)
Buddy read with another author that we've already talked with and now I want to read yours. So I'm going to be busy. So doing this weekly show is going to create this endless stream of books that I want to read. And I love supporting the indie authors because it takes a lot of courage to do what you guys do. And I think that it's such an incredible transition that, you know,
Von (30:32)
Yes.
Tina Koutras (30:52)
KDP has created and other styles where you can self publish. I think it's incredible.
So what's your favorite guilty pleasure trope in romance? For example, know, forbidden love, forced proximity. What ones really get you to pick up a book?
Von (31:07)
I'll be honest, I did not know what a trope was until I started in this publishing world. I had no social media presence, so I didn't know what Booksta was. Somebody said Bookstagram and I'm like, huh, what's that? No clue. I thought it was a separate app than Instagram, so I was Googling Bookstagram. I didn't realize it was...
Tina Koutras (31:17)
August.
Is there an app for that?
Von (31:34)
just like a little community inside of Instagram. Yeah, exactly. That's how ignorant I was. So when I joined Instagram, I was like, my gosh, how do I do all this stuff? I was just so overwhelmed. So.
Tina Koutras (31:36)
subgenre. Yeah.
you
You've done
a really good job. I've seen your Instagram. You've got lots of great pictures and you've done lots of posts. You've created quite the little display on there. I think it's awesome.
Von (31:58)
Well, thank you. I try to copy off people.
Tina Koutras (32:03)
learning from people is important and that's, you know, that's the way we go. It's, mean, jumping into a podcast for the very first time, I kind of had to pay attention to people too. So it's not really copying.
Von (32:05)
Sorry.
Well, okay, true. It's just picking
what you like from other people's styles. Yeah. Yeah. So I honestly, I just I usually read the blurbs, which is funny because I hate writing blurbs. It is so hard. I never realized how hard it was until I had to write my own. I'm like, man, but
Tina Koutras (32:21)
That's right. It's creating your own.
Von (32:40)
I really rely on those silly blurbs. That's how I choose my books. I'm like, so I really, it's super important to get that thing down right.
Tina Koutras (32:44)
Yeah.
Yeah, the elevator pitch. So what's your elevator pitch?
Von (32:51)
Yes, the elevator pitch. And then when people,
I know, and then everybody says, what's your book about? I'm like, read the back. Exactly. So at my first signing at Flirty in Kansas City, I handed my book out. Here, read. Because I didn't know what to say.
Tina Koutras (32:59)
I this question. Yeah. I spent a long time writing the back, so read the back.
You'll
Von (33:16)
My husband,
Tina Koutras (33:16)
get there.
Von (33:17)
my husband was like.
Tina Koutras (33:18)
So if you could have dinner with one of your characters, who do you think you'd choose?
Von (33:18)
Peace.
Well, definitely not the cartel leader, El Raton. And when you read the book, you'll understand why I say that. I would probably, it would be my main character, my main female character, Ray. I mean, it seems like the easy answer, but I mean, the books are about her. Yeah, yeah.
Tina Koutras (33:40)
If you like her, you like her. Yeah.
So what's next for you?
Von (33:44)
Well, the next books. I am actually moving into fantasy.
Tina Koutras (33:48)
Yay!
Awesome! you have, have you started, we'll just say have you started your plotting process for your fantasy?
Von (33:56)
I actually just started chapter 10. Yeah.
Tina Koutras (33:59)
Okay,
that's awesome!
Von (34:01)
Yeah, while book two was at the first section of editing. I was doing all my plotting, like all my world building, all that stuff, which my world building notes are insane because my next...
Tina Koutras (34:10)
Mm-hmm.
Von (34:17)
set of books. The plan right now is three standalone books which will set up the dystopian human world, explain why it changes. So it'll explain what happened to shape the world. And then there's going to be a four book series which will tell what happens between the fairy and this dystopian human world to save fairies.
That's the plan. That's all, that's what's floating around up here. Yeah. And it's all kind of mapped out in my little notes, but I've started on the first book already.
Tina Koutras (34:42)
That is awesome.
up there.
Okay.
That's exciting.
think that's so exciting. I love that. So.
Von (34:58)
And my
newsletter people got the little, got a blurb, tidbit, yeah.
Tina Koutras (35:03)
Tidbit? A little?
Yeah, cool. So where can listeners find you online and maybe talk a little bit about your newsletter?
Von (35:12)
Okay, so I'm on Instagram and Facebook. I'm the most active on Instagram. SvonAuthor. So, just shove all the words together. SvonAuthor. That's my Instagram handle. And then Facebook, SvonAuthor. So, www.facebook.com, SvonAuthor.
Tina Koutras (35:21)
Is it S S dot one? Just S. Okay.
Von (35:33)
I try to make it real simple.
Tina Koutras (35:35)
Yep. You're not alone. And
you also have a website, you said.
Von (35:39)
I do, svonauthor.com.
Tina Koutras (35:40)
Perfect.
Von (35:41)
I was just happy it was all available.
Tina Koutras (35:43)
You do have the advantage of it being your name. and can we have a little peek at your book? Taken not destroyed. So this is what I think the cover is just stellar. I love it.
Von (35:47)
I do.
Yeah. So, this is my book.
So thank you to Miblart. They did my cover design and they are awesome. Very easy to work with. They did the cover for both my books. And this is actually one of my special editions. So I have...
Tina Koutras (36:00)
Okay.
Yeah.
Very nice.
look at that! Very nice.
Von (36:13)
So this, I, my e-commerce store opens on the 3rd of March. So you can buy these direct from me.
Tina Koutras (36:18)
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Von (36:20)
my e-commerce store.
Tina Koutras (36:22)
Awesome.
And finally, what do you hope that readers would take away from the Armist Locust series after they've read it?
Von (36:31)
So this I'm gonna look at my notes, because I wrote these out and I felt like they're very profound.
Tina Koutras (36:35)
That's perfect. I like that.
Von (36:37)
So there are some heavy topics, like heavy real world topics in the series. And every month when I send out my newsletter, I make sure to write something about sex trafficking because this is in my book. And I wrote, I'm not sure why this was part of the book. It just, it was, it's what came to my mind. But I feel like
In the fiction book, it's just you're thinking this is just fiction, but this is not fiction. This is a real world issue. It happens more than anybody realizes. There at the back, I have a statistic in the back of the book.
Okay, maybe I don't have the statistic, but I tell you more about it.
I just feel like bringing awareness to people about sex trafficking is one of the biggest takeaways that can come from my books. But I also feel like every woman is entitled to be treated with love and respect from their partner, no matter who that partner is. And my main character didn't have that. And it's almost like she had to die.
to figure that out, which is, I mean, it's terrible, but that's what happened. And then after you kind of get through book two, I wanted people to realize that there is not a normal type of relationship. There are all flavors, just like there are all kinds and flavors of people. And it's what entices and excites you that's normal.
Tina Koutras (37:41)
Yeah.
Von (38:02)
for you and it's okay.
Tina Koutras (38:04)
I think that's an incredible takeaway. think that is what I think what people need to grasp in general that it's okay to be whatever your flavor is exactly. I love that. So thank you so much Von for sitting down with Ink and Flame tonight. I really enjoyed chatting with you and I honestly now I have to pick up another book.
Von (38:12)
You.
You
Tina Koutras (38:28)
So it's a new one for my list and so I can get that one on Amazon now, right? Where else is it available?
Von (38:34)
Yes. Yeah. There.
There you can buy the paperback from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and somewhere else. have a books to. Yeah. No. So my link tree has all my buyer sites on it. So you could just click buy now and it'll take you right there.
Tina Koutras (38:45)
Ingram.
Perfect, that's good.
Von (38:55)
I have a universal buyer link so you can find all the places where you can buy it. It's only digitally available from Amazon because I'm on Kindle Unlimited. You can pre-order my second book. And then once my e-commerce store opens on the third, you can buy direct from me. And I will be opening pre-orders paperbacks for my second book.
Tina Koutras (38:56)
Okay.
Okay. Okay.
Okay.
Okay, so when are the pre-orders going to start? Do you have a date for them? Yeah.
Von (39:22)
for my paperbacks
when my, the third, March 3rd, when my e-commerce store opens.
Tina Koutras (39:29)
Okay, perfect. All right, so thank you again for sitting down with us and I hope you have a fantastic launch to your second book on April 7th.
Von (39:38)
Thank you.
