Today, I bring you a fabulous interview with author Victoria Moxley. The author describes their writing as the chaos in their brain splattered on the page. Let's find out more.
Tell me about yourself
I’m a Texas girl, born and raised. I’m also a former prison sergeant, booking officer, and marine biology student. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Back in pre-school, I was making up fantastical stories. So even though I’ve tried different things throughout the years, I keep coming back to writing. It’s been my one constant. In the last few years, my other constant has been designing covers. While I’ve still got a long way to go, I’ve had a lot of fun working with indie authors to bring their visions to life.
What do you like to read?
Honestly, I’m a mood reader. While I prefer to pick up a horror or dark romance, I have plenty of genres on my shelves such as paranormal romance, classics, fantasy, and whatever else catches my eye. A good contemporary romance or period romance is a great palate cleanser. And sometimes I need one to get me out of a reading slump.
What inspires you?
There’s not just one thing that I draw from. Sometimes it’s a song, a random thought or what if, sometimes even a scene from a movie that sends me spiraling down a dark path until I have a new plot for a book to work on. Though I have to say that things I work on with my long-time writing partner are a big source of inspiration. She’s my best friend and the best person in my life to toss plot ideas off and flesh them out with until I’m happy with them.
Tell me about your book titled ‘The Trials of Aphrodite’ (Misaligned Myths)
We meet Dite after she’s gone on a downward spiral and worked through her issues in therapy. She’s come to the realization that the love she thought she wanted was a source of toxic energy in her life. And the love she’s denied for so long might be what she’s really needed. But she has no way of getting in contact with her estranged husband. The only person she can think of to reach out to is her mother-in-law, Hera, who is not a fan of her and her treatment of Heph. Hera agrees to pass a message to Dite’s husband if Dite will agree to go through trials. While Dite knows the trials won’t be easy, and she may not survive, she agrees. And so, she’s able to reconcile with her husband, but she has to hold up her side of the bargain and go through incredibly gruesome trials. The only thing that makes them worth it is the time she is gifted to get to know her estranged husband, including some spicy situations. There’s no guarantee from Hera that Dite will survive to make up for everything that Dite put her husband through. All she can do is make sure to use the time they have to try.
What do you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
I’m hoping that I’ll have a few more books, at least, to put out. I can write a book in a short time, it’s just the battle with my spicy mental health that makes it difficult to finish a project.
Tell me about your role with Tea with Coffee Media.
When Tea With Coffee Media was first being established by some of my good writer friends, they offered me the role of editor-in-chief. It’s been great, the company is like a family because we’re so close. When I’ve had some family issues and losses, everything has been incredibly flexible. As for being the lead cover designer, I just sort of fell into that position but it’s one that I’ve loved. Sometimes it’s a difficult job, but I’ve recently had help with taking some covers off my plate. No matter what else I do in life, working with my Tea With Coffee Media family is something I want to keep doing.
What are you working on currently?
I have been working on the second Misaligned Myths book, which is about Hera’s journey to a healthy relationship. It’s going to be quite a bit spicier and darker than The Trials of Aphrodite is. I’m also working on a dark fantasy romance duology that I’m so excited to finish. I’ve made good progress on book one so hopefully I’ll have it ready to put out this year.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Choose? A shark, but I have a weakness for them. The reality is that I’m much more of a sloth or Dug from Up. I get distracted by new and shiny plots and fall into writing slumps so easily.
What does literary success look like to you?
For a while, before publishing my debut novel, I thought it looked like financial stability (though it would be nice), or everyone knowing my penname. Now, it’s having even one person say that I’m their favorite author. That’s what success with my writing looks like to me. It’s a bit of validation, but it’s one that I hope to have some day. I think at that point, the imposter syndrome will be less of an issue.
What advice would you give another writer?
Write what you want to read. Lots of people have said it, but it’s true. If it’s not something that you would pick up and read, why would you think that other people want to read it? Even the plot needs to be something that would draw your interest and make you put it on your TBR list if a friend told you about it.
Thank you to Victoria for sharing with us. If you would like to check out Victoria's work, click on the link below.
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