I’m excited to introduce you to Conquest Publishing author Sylwia Koziel. I know you are going to enjoy getting to learn about her and her books just as I did. Both her favorite writing tool and writing resource are favorites of mine as well! Enjoy!

Amy

Author Bio

Sylwia is a born and raised Chicagoan, spending her days exploring the city, one train stop at a time. She currently works as a media planner at a large media agency where she daydreams of the day when a slack notification no longer makes her heart jump in fear.
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Sylwia writes all sorts of genres that have strong romantic subplots. She enjoys character driven stories where the main character is on a journey of discovering themselves and learning to let go of the expectations weighing on them.
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On top of publishing her debut duology, The Bone Below and The Bone Above, with Conquest Publishing, she is also in the early drafting stages of self publishing a series of novellas under her pen name KC Silver.
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The Bone Below, a first installment of The Bone Below series, will hit shelves in April 2024.

The Bone Below

Nelka, born to a small village in Nidora, meets Kazimir, a passing traveler. Each time Nelka leaves her cottage, she seems to bump into this stranger who teases her relentlessly, and ignites feelings she wasn’t prepared for.
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When Nelka’s sister becomes ill, Nelka leaves the safety of her village, and Kazimir, to find a cure. As trouble becomes imminent, Nelka is taken prisoner and held hostage by the foreign King and Queen. Their son and soon to be King, Prince Andrius, has plans and Nelka is exactly what he needs to set them into motion.

Each day Nelka spends in the castle with Prince Andrius brings her closer to a truth she didn’t know had been hidden, while pushing her farther from the village farmer of her past.
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The Bone Below is a journey of self-discovery, first love, and learning about one’s place in a vast world.

What is the Story Behind Your Story?

When I was a child, I visited my family in Poland. While there, I bought a Princess and the Pea computer game, and when I played it, I always found it to make me slightly uncomfortable for some reason. Unfortunately, I don’t have the game anymore, but I decided I wanted to write a retelling of the fairy tale and include some details of my culture.

What Was Your Journey to Publication?

This is the first novel I wrote. I finished it in 2022 and queried agents for a few months. With no luck there, I decided to start querying small presses and discovered Conquest Publishing when someone mentioned it on Twitter. I sent in my manuscript, got accepted, and it’s been history ever since.

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

I am a planster—or a mixture of both. I plan out my character’s arc since I like my stories to be more character-driven. From there, I brainstorm a few scene ideas that will lead my character’s through their journey, and then I just dive in writing.

What is Your Favorite Writing Tool?

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What is Your Favorite Writing Resource?

I purchased a Character Profile template from Abbie Emmons that I really love to truly get to know my characters before writing. I like the questions asked and how it’s not overcomplicated, but really gets to the heart and motivations of my characters. I discover a lot by doing the exercise.

What Has Surprised You the Most About Publishing?

That publishing and writing is hard for everyone. As a newbie writer, I always knew it would be a struggle, but it truly is a challenge for even the most experienced writers.

Bestselling authors will go through writer’s block and will still struggle to sell their newest books. It’s an industry with constant rejection. But the best part, it means that there are so many people who understand it and can be such great resources.

What’s Next?

On top of releasing The Bone Below in April with Conquest Publishing, I am currently working on drafting my Weather Court Gem series. It’s a series of 5 novellas that I hope to start publishing under my pen name KC Silver starting in mid-2024.

What’s Your Number One Tip for Writers?

Write a story that makes you happy and excited. I think some writers feel so much pressure to write a story that is filled with popular tropes and trends (and I totally understand that writing for the market helps getting traditionally published), but I think readers will notice when the story isn’t written from a place where the writer enjoyed writing it.

Where Can People Find You?

Website
Instagram
TikTok
Twitter
Goodreads

Write a story that makes you happy and excited.

Sylwia Koziel