Nancy E. Dunne: Never Say That Outside the House

Nancy E. Dunne is a multi-genre fantasy writer who has been creating stories since she was a child. She lives and works in the Upstate area of South Carolina with her husband, Simon, and their terrier mix, Willow-Pickle.

Tell us a bit about your most recent work.

I've started a new series in my story universe, the Orana Chronicles. This is a trilogy (at this point) of novellas that dive a bit deeper into some of the characters from the previous novels. The first one is The Wizard's Bond and it is the backstory of the villain from the Nature Walker Trilogy, Taeben. He gets to share why he became what he became and where he is headed next. I'm bad about spoilers so that's all I can say. This fits in between Darkness (first in the Guardians of Orana series) and Red (second in that series). It is out July 1st. 

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I have strong female characters who stop waiting for someone to save them. I have strong found family vibes. Also, in my other life I am a sign language interpreter, so language and how it influences characters and plot fascinates me. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?

I am not sure - I've been writing since I was a kid. One of the things I found when we cleaned out my mom's stuff was a book I "wrote" in crayon on construction paper. But for the current work, I was playing an MMORPG and keeping a journal of our adventures... and thought I could put this into a book! 😊

What inspires you to write?

Music. Nature. The people around me. There are characters based on loads of my friends. Mostly music, though. I have a playlist for all my different universes, and in my current WIP, I'm adding a note at the top to remind me which song prompted me to work on that chapter. 

What of your works has meant the most to you?

I used to say it was Wanderer, which is the first one ai wrote, but I think now it is Red, which is part of the second series in that same universe. Red focuses on one of my favorite characters I've ever written, Tairn. She starts out trusting no one but herself and convinced that she owes the world a debt she can't repay. But in that book, she learns to trust and to ask for help... and rights a huge wrong from her past. It's coming of age, but she is older and has been through a lot, so I guess it is her own redemption arc. 

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

All of them? 😂 I would re-do the Nature Walker Trilogy. I was in a different place writing those, and there is a lot there that serves me more than the story, if that makes sense? It has resonated with readers, so it could be me being too hard on myself and my work, but aren't we all?

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Terry Pratchett for sure. Terry Goodkind. JR Ward, not just because of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books but who she is as a writer and a human. Carol Beth Anderson and Nicoke Givens Kurtz are writers who make me step back from the book and wish I could craft words and worlds like they do. 

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or is it a science continuum?" Why?

I think it is more of an art, and not just because I like my sci-fi more fi than sci. 😂 I feel that you can follow grammatical rules and have careful paragraph/chapter lengths, but the heart of your story is the art of it. This is why I'm not worried about AI taking over fiction writing. At the point where we are now, I don't believe that anything without a soul can create a character with a soul. Art is humanity. Writers are creative that understand the science of writing but don't get lost in it. 

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Editing. That's where the science comes in. That's where parts of what you have taken so much time to craft have to get cut out, and you have to do it and move on... but I hate it. 

How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?

They hold me accountable. They raise my standards. They inspire me to keep writing. I hope I do that for them as well. 

What does literary success look like to you?

I once told my husband I would give people my books if they would read them and love my characters like I do. His answer was for me never to say that outside the house. 😂 But seriously, to have someone get Sath and Gin or Em and Lex, for someone to tell me that Lucy and Annie sparked a love of history or Tairn and Nel remind her of the relationship she has with her sister...nothing is better than that. I mean, I'd love to earn a living writing but it isn't the total goal. 

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

The WIP is a vampire novel that I'm collaborating with my adopted brother to write. This is a new experience and I'm so proud of what has already been committed to the page. Currently, it is called The Soul Series, and I'm having the best time working on it! 

For more information, visit: 

• http://nancyedunne.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyd.writes/
• Instagram: @nancyd_writes
• Twitter: @nancyd_writes