Today we’d like to introduce you to Aurelia Jane
Hi Aurelia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Authors are readers too. I was that kid in the 80s, hiding under my bed with a flashlight, reading any paperback I could get my hands on. I secretly wrote (really) bad poetry as a teen, and I wrote stories in college, but I never saw that translating to a writing career. I was always an editor at heart, and I still am. I love fixing manuscripts. So, that’s what I did. For a decade, I was an editor, working largely with indie authors.
A client of mine became my best friend, and in regard to writing, she had more faith in me than I had in myself. She lovingly badgered me to write a book with her. I had never been more scared of putting myself out there. I can take critique, but the online world is venomous. I didn’t want to fail. Honestly, without her—and my husband gently nudging me in the background—I never would have taken the risk. I knew a lot about the publishing industry, both traditional and indie, but I’d always worked behind the scenes.
I realized if I was ever going to write a book like I’d always wanted, this was my opportunity. I trusted my co-author, and what made it easier was that we’d been working together for years. We were already a great team. So, I picked my pen name, and we started worldbuilding. As scared as I was leading up to it, I wasn’t scared when I was writing, or when we released our first book together. We’ve been writing together now for five years. Our tenth book is due for release on October 31st, and we’re currently working on the first book in a new series.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Readers are voracious, and there are no shortages of authors or books. Just google “romance book industry” and see what pops up. Like any creative industry, it’s a rollercoaster, and indie publishing is constantly changing.
As indie authors, we’re responsible for it all. Not just writing the book, but hiring an editor, getting a cover designer, running ads and marketing the book, uploading onto multiple platforms, writing and distributing our newsletters, etc. And that’s only scratching the surface. There’s also doing market research, learning and keeping up with trends, interacting with our readers, branding, working on our craft, and expanding our knowledge base within the business. It’s a lot of work to be self-employed anywhere, and being an author is no different. In the end, it’s worth it.
There are so many indie authors that do this by themselves, and I admire them for it. I work strictly with my co-author, and I’ve only released books with her. We can balance the creative side with the administrative side, while sharing the weight of what it takes to continue to build our brand while we also manage our lives at home. We joke and say we’re also married. We aren’t just co-writing books and splitting the profits. We share a business together.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a romance author, focusing on fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance—all of which are spicy. My books are definitely not safe for work!
When chatting with my co-author recently, we came up with the tagline “Dark Humor with Heart” and that describes our style. Laughing is essential. We might be writing about supernatural creatures and their romantic adventures, and we do touch on some serious subjects at times, but everything we write has humor. It’s very important to us that our stories are LGBTQ+ inclusive, and I’m fortunate that I get to add elements of my culture and ethnicity into the worlds and people we create. When that representation reaches someone and they feel seen, it makes me happy to know I have accomplished that. Add that we usually have an animal sidekick of some sort, and our readers love us for it.
Seeing people post pictures on their Instagram and TikTok, showcasing an entire shelf dedicated to books with my name on it is surreal. To know someone loves what you have created that much is really an honor.
I am beyond proud of the brand my co-author and I have built together. We’ve produced audiobooks on our own, as well as having contracts with two audio publishers. We also have a French publisher and a German publisher. What I’ve really been excited for lately is our expansion to sell books directly from our online store. We have some really beautiful special editions, and I love that we get to connect with readers on a more personal level.
I seriously love my job, and my kids love that I’m an author. I honestly try to keep my anonymity, and it’s hard for my kids to keep it a secret. Especially my daughter. Agreeing to this interview was so nerve-wracking!
How do you think about happiness?
In general? In no particular order: cats, sugar cookies, new books, doing just about anything with my husband, hugs from my kids, traveling (not flying), drinking coffee, watching competitive swimming, autumn weather, watching my kids become more independent—that one is more bittersweet—and listening to the goats and the turkey that live across the street.
As an author? I am so privileged that I get to work for myself and create the perimeters that fit my life as a mom. My job is to write books and tell jokes—and I get paid for it. That’s a pretty cool gig.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aurelia-jane.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoraureliajane/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraureliajane/
- Other: https://kelandaureliabookstore.com/
Image Credits
Regina Wamba, Maegan Kelish, Good Girls Events
