Jessica Pietro

I have been enchanted by fantasy worlds my entire life. Though I dabbled in writing, I never anticipated being a published author. In 2019, I started selling my artwork and teaching art classes under the name Vellichor and More. Then, in 2021, I began writing The Great King and the Seer, an epic fantasy series about healing, heartbreak, family, love, and fighting the darkness that lives inside us all. It is my hope that those who experience my craft will be captivated by my struggle, that they will be left feeling vulnerable, seen, and maybe even understand themselves a little better. Or, at the very least, know for certain they are not alone.

“Let's start by discussing your sources of inspiration. Where do you draw inspiration from?” 

Anything and everything. My life, the world around me, things I’ve read, watched, heard or experienced. I was at the beach, and a bunch of tiny sand crabs kept popping up out of holes in the surrounding sand, and so a scene emerged with the crabs and the tide creeping closer to my toes as it reached desperately for the shore. Magic and inspiration are all around us. We only need to keep our eyes open and take it in. 

“Fascinating! Now, let's talk about your writing routine. Can you share a glimpse into your daily writing process?” 

I sit at my computer and check social media. Then, I write for a while before checking social media again. I refill my coffee and continue writing. Occasionally, I research things and get stuck down a rabbit hole. After that, I write a little more before attending to life's tasks. I take notes on my phone for scenes when I can't sit and write. Then, I write some more and reread what I recently wrote. I’m a wife and mother first, so I have family commitments. More social media, eat, sleep, and then repeat! 

“That sounds like a busy yet productive routine and I certainly can relate. Moving on, what is one surprising thing you discovered while creating your books?” 

When creating villains, I’ve realized that I need to work really hard. I LOVE villain stories. I believe most villains are made, not born, so it always interests me to learn the “why.” However, I struggle to write them as deep and dark as I want to. 

“I totally agree. Do you have a favorite motivational phrase that keeps you going during the writing process?” 

Motivational phrases are for the weak. Just kidding. Probably something like: “Do one chin-up a day until you can do two chin-ups. Then do two a day until you can do three. And so on.” Or “Do the best you can until you know better. Then do better.” That one is Maya Angelou, I think. 

“Great choices! Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?” 

Turn back! It’s a trap! But…if you still choose to take this path, make friends and build each other up; believe in the story you’re telling, make it mean something; and take some lessons on what is considered “good writing.” Learn the basics about tags, to-be words, adverbs, repetitive words, spoon-feeding the reader, misplaced modifiers, etc… And finally, know that each book will be better than the last, so just keep going, keep growing, keep writing. 

"Thank you for sharing your insights and advice with us. If you’d like to check out Jess's work, simply click on the books displayed below. And if you want to stay updated on her journey, you can follow her through the social media links provided."