About the Author

Shaelynn Long is a dirt road kid from Michigan. She teaches English at a small-town community college. Shaelynn has previously published Blur, Dirt Road Kid, Work in Progress, and her debut novel, Fury’s Fate, came out in October 2023. This writer can often be found with a nose in a book and covered in Corgi fur.

Fury’s Fate

What is the Story Behind Your Story?

I started writing this story 15 years ago, but it was nothing more at the time than an exercise in getting better at writing scenery and creating stronger visual imagery within my work. When I picked it back up a few years ago, I was in the midst of a neurodivergent obsession rabbit hole about Greek mythology. When I read over the first few chapters I’d created long ago, I knew that I had a story to channel my obsession into. An assassin became a rage-filled ancient Fury, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

What Was Your Journey to Publication?

My story’s a bit odd! I had a friend from grad school who’d started working for this awesome little publisher, but she was offering editing services on the side. I hired her to edit my book, and after she read the first few chapters, she told me I should definitely submit it for publication with Wild Ink. (That friend is the one and only Brittany, who’s a real force to be reckoned with, with both Conquest and Wild Ink.) I’d been querying, but nothing was happening, and all the short works and poetry I’d submitted over the years had always been rejected. I knew I didn’t want to continue self-publishing, so I put together a submission packet and emailed it in to Wild Ink. 

What Surprised You the Most About Publishing?

The pacing of everything. It feels sometimes like sprinting just to stand still for awhile. It’s odd!

Are You a Plotter or a Pantser and What Is That Process Like for You?

I start with a vague sense of a story—almost like a tag line. Then I meticulously plan out characters—who they are, what they look like, what they sound like, what their damage/trauma is. Then I do some math, breaking things down into what sort of resembles a formula (average word count for genre / ideal word counts for chapters = chapter total), and then I’ll often check out a beat sheet or two to see where things should happen. I plan out the Big Moments—turning point, point of no return, climax, etc.—but then I pants the rest. If I do too much planning, I get bored with it, and if I do too little planning, I end up with a mess on my hands. Delicate balance.

What is Your Favorite Writing Tool?

The “Write A Book Like It’s a Movie” structure and Scrivener.

What is Your Favorite Writing Resource?

Story Genius by Lisa Cron, my writing group (assembled in grad school), and babynames.com.

What’s Next?

I am currently working on a book of poetry called Wild Thing and a new fantasy novel that doesn’t yet have a title.

What’s Your Number One Tip For Writers?

If you create a good character, you have everything you need.

Where Can People Find You?

Twitter: @shaelynnlong

Instagram: @shaelynnlong

Website: shaelynnlong.com

Goodreads Shaelynn Long

If you create a good character, you have everything you need.

Shaelynn Long