Welcome to Indie Publishing Group, Gwen Adelle Draude, and welcome to our author interviews! If you could start by introducing yourself to everyone, let them know where you’re from, and some of your interests and hobbies.
Hey there! I’m Gwen. Calgary is where I live, and Saskatchewan is where my heart refuses to move. I chase nature all year long: biking and paddleboarding in the rivers in summer, hiking and camping through those awkward “fringe” seasons Alberta is famous for, and flying down snowy hills in winter. Off the trails, I sing in a choir, play in my garden, craft anything that involves glue, and love a good live show — music or comedy, I’m there.
What inspired you to start writing?
Wanderlust, falling in love, van life, and to heal my broken heart after saying goodbye to my Jack Russell, Hailey.
What is your preferred genre to write in?
Nonfiction/travel memoir.
What is your writing process?
Keeping track of ideas that pop up in the middle of the night in a journal is crucial – for sleeping and writing.
Coming back to what you have written over and over again, polishing, perfecting, and rewriting.
Having the courage to hit delete, to re-arrange, mix it up, and have several beta readers who don’t know you proofread your work.
What is one thing you wish you knew now that you didn’t know when you started writing?
What you want to write and what people want to read may be two entirely different things. Don’t stop you from writing what you want.
What was the most challenging part of self-publishing?
The constant self-doubt.
If you use a pen name, why and how did you come up with it?
My name is already cool, so I use it.
Which book is your favorite and why?
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It stuck with me that the story was written from a dog’s perspective, and it inspired me to use a dog’s voice for the narrative of Vanifesto.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Jeanette Wells, Jodie Picoult, and Margaret Atwood.
What are you working on right now?
A few children’s books, inspired by my niece, Emma.
How do you handle a bad review?
Take a deep breath, get some perspective, and don’t take it personally.
What’s next for you as an author?
Another mega trip with our dogs to write a sequel to Vanifesto and publish a few hilarious children’s books.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully, hippier than I am now – perfecting beekeeping, gardening, bread making, and living off the land with my husband and dogs.
If you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why?
Teleportation. I could save so much time, money, effort, and coordination if I could blink and be in a new location.
Where is your ultimate holiday destination?
Africa. Stay tuned.
What are some of the items on your bucket list?
I rewrite this list almost every new year. This year includes: eat beignets in New Orleans, invent something, cuddle a koala, camel ride in Egypt, publish Vanifesto as an Audio Book, take a beer bath, enjoy a passenger train ride across Canada, learn a proper tango with my husband, learn to juggle, volunteer at an animal shelter, Heli snowboarding, summit six peaks, win a photography competition, learn new agility tricks with my Blue Heeler, sell my beeswax wraps online.
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview, Gwen Adelle Draude!
Check out where you can buy Gwen Adelle Draude books below and how to follow Gwen Adelle Draude on social media. If you would like to do an author interview or have questions about our author features, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
******
Author Name: Gwen Adelle Draude
Genre/s: Non-Fiction | Travel Memoir
Author Website: N/A
Social Media Links: Amazon Author Central.
Best Link to Where People Can Buy Your Book: Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Vanifesto-Gwen-Draude-ebook/dp/B0G4F653DV
******
At Indie Publishing Group, we’re proud to support Canadian self-published and traditionally published authors across all genres.
If you are writing a book and need any assistance with paperback or ebook formatting, cover design, professional editing, uploading to self-publishing sites such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, or Amazon KDP keyword and category research, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We also offer children’s book illustrations and formatting services.
For Canadian authors still considering whether or not Amazon KDP is the best self-publishing platform for them, check out The Complete Guide to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing for Canadian Authors, where we cover everything you’ll need to know about getting started on Amazon KDP for the first time.
