This is from a recent interview I did with Awesome Gang.
Interview With Author Ellis Nelson
(and me as an AI rock star)
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Ellis Nelson has served as an Air Force officer, government contractor, and teacher. She writes for children and young adults largely under the newly emerging category of visionary fiction. Having returned from living abroad in Europe, she now calls Colorado home. Ellis has four books currently published.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called, Down the Treacle Well. It is an Alice in Wonderland retelling. The inspiration for the story started with reading a biography about Lewis Carroll. I found we had several things in common besides both of us writing for children. I was so fascinated by him, I decided he really needed to feature in his own story and so, I took him back to Wonderland to engage with the world he created. It was a blast!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not a regular fixed routine type of writer. I don’t have a daily practice of it. I do like to gather inspirational items around me that connect to the place or characters I’m writing about. During the phase of writing Down the Treacle Well, my office was filled with Alice in Wonderland memorabilia and photos of Lewis Carroll. When I wrote Into the Land of Snows, I had photos of the Himalayas and ritual objects connected to Buddhist practice.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like fast moving plots with lots of adventure. So, at the top of my list are writers like Michael Crichton, Dan Brown, and Preston/Child. I have always loved reading and read about as much non-fiction as fiction. I think it’s great to strive for a balanced diet in what we read just like in what we eat. So, I do read widely looking for ideas across many interests and genres. If you read one of my books and I haven’t exposed you to something new or taught you something, I feel that I’ve failed.
What are you working on now?
I’m trying something entirely new. I’m writing my first novel for adults that will explore what it feels like to be alive at a time of massive social and political change.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My best method has probably been my website where I’ve written a blog for the last dozen years or so. I have international followers and lively engagement there. I write about a wide variety of topics and ideas.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persistence helps and so does trying new things.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Find your superpower and lean into that.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading a book by an intelligence operative who recently testified before Congress about UAPs. The book is Imminent: (Inside the Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs) by Luis Elizondo.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently circulating two novels for young adults looking for a publisher. Recently, I’ve started work on the adult novel I described above.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That is a tough question. I very rarely re-read a book. So, my best guess is that I would grab the next 3 or 4 books off my to-be-read list.
Author Websites and Profiles
Ellis Nelson’s Social Media Links
