Dragon Soul Press took a moment to interview Nicole Walsh, an author featured in the Magick & Mystery anthology.

I am a creator who supports fellow creatives.

1. What prompted you to begin writing?
   • I have been writing for as long as I was able to curl a hand around a pencil, and making up
     stories before that. Reading and writing has always been my escape. It was a very private
     hobby that I only shared with my family and closest friends until a few years ago. I always
     wanted to be a published author, but I am embarrassed to admit for the first few decades I
     expected it to drop out of the sky and clunk me on the head whilst I lazed about in my lounge
     room, writing what I felt like, when I felt like it.
     A few years ago I had a “what would it take” moment, curtesy of a chance meeting with a palm-
     reader at a festival (after gallons of mead). What would it take? Well. I would need to get serious about it. I would need to be just as ambitious and clear about my writing goals as I was about my day-job career. Time to get serious!
2. Do you have a favorite story or poem you’ve written? What’s it about?
   • One of my strategies these past few years is to learn how to write (and continue to improve in
     my writing) of short stories. I prefer to write novels, but short stories allow you to experiment in
     different genres, with voices and characters and worlds and angles. It is surprisingly refreshing.
     A lot of short stories I write are just for entertainment. There are a few that I feel, down to the
     core of my soul, every time I re-read through them or edit them. The end scene of Brother’s
     Keeper (through Dragon Soul Press’ Magick and Mystery anthology) is an example of that.
     There are a few others I have written that still move me, no matter how many times I read them.
3. How many projects do you have planned over the next few years? Tell us about one.
   • My second novel is launching this month (June 2024) through a second, slightly larger
     traditional publisher than my debut novel. The God-Wife Reborn is a steamy sci-fi mashup
     about a beauty obsession socialite who helped create the God of the universe, but is now
     trapped escorting his un-resurrecting corpse on an endless tour of the universe. Reckless and
     traumatised, Ophelia creates small spaces of silliness and defiance where she can, beneath the
     thundering supremacy of her husband’s dominance.
     I am very much a beginner in the promotions and marketing space. I am very focused on trying
     to get the word out about this new book, whilst chasing publishers for my three other completed novels. And, of course, creating and improving my short story collection!
4. What is your writing process like?
   • I am privileged enough to be in a position where I can shift my full-time day job to part-time and still bend the pieces to allow ends to meet. I try to do 20-30 hours of writing related work a
     week, mostly by getting up super early (I get up 3-4am each day). I am down the far end of the
     pantser scale (pantsers are writers who make it up “by the seat of their pants” and work out the
     story as they go, rather than having it plotted out in advance). I don’t know what is going to
     happen in the next paragraph of a new story, let alone the next chapter.
     Five years ago, I was slave to the muse, feeling like I could only write when the “tap” magically
     turned on. That was one of the biggest challenges, learning to dissolve that limitation. My week
     is a patchwork of creating new things, editing, social media, learning new things, attempting to
     be a supportive community member and a decent human being… on top of a day job! The
     things fit in, with lots of early mornings, a writer’s plan to guide my year and monthly, weekly
     and daily reminders in my day-planner in cute coloured ink!
5. Where do you draw inspiration from?
   • I’m very much a pantser, so all my stories start with a scene. For me it is often a thought from a
     main character’s perspective, or a piece of dialogue someone says. It wiggles and jumps about
     in a funny way. I call these “wiggly concepts” and write them into a note in my phone. I then put them at the top of a blank page and start typing. They don’t all fold into cute stories, and they don’t all work, but it’s surprising how many do!
6. Who is your favorite author / what is your favorite book?
   • Gosh, I am an avid reader. I used to devour several books a week (things are a bit busier now,
     with the day-job AND writing). It’s hard to limit it to just one, but probably Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan series (starting with Dead Witch Walking, I think). Probably because of just how dang unique and amazing that story world was, and the fact it kinda showed me that the sky is the limit with urban fantasy/modern fantasy writing. Such an inspiration! I still re-read that series several times a year.
7. What is one goal you have for your writing future?
   • For so long I wrote for the joy of it, in a little bubble. What I am focused on now is creating things people want to read. This includes writing in different styles and genres and learning, constantly learning and improving, being open to change. My goal is to be a life-long learner, to be constantly working to next-level my writing!
8. What do you hope readers enjoy most from your work?
   • It’s a funny thing… the more you write, the more you produce, the more you start to see
     patterns in your work. Themes and elements that are the same across your pieces. I think that
     concept of found family, of new relationships and connections, of finding your space and your
     people is something I am seeing in all my work. It’s not something I was aware of until recently,
     when I started to try and describe the pieces I was creating. There’s a coziness and care and
     protective element in so many of my pieces, that concept that you are stronger together, that
     you need to let others in and work at relationships. I am hoping that is starting to come through with more finesse, and that readers will enjoy that!
9. Where can readers learn more about you?
   • My website has all the info about me, including social media links and what is happening where.
     I am on Facebook and Instagram, but I am such a social media noob, so sometimes it feels a bit
     stale and static there.
     I am most active as a creator supporting other creators and most enjoy Tiktok.