My last two interviews with Kindle Vella authors, Stella George and Johnny Miles, were a ton of fun. It’s so interesting to see how author’s opinions change over time as the platform grows and changes. Today, I’m joined by Kindle Vella author Celia Shadrach, author of Acts of Kings. Read the first three episodes for free today!
What do you write on Kindle Vella and is it ongoing or completed?
Acts of Kings is a speculative fiction novel. It follows our main character, Carolyn Whitmore, as she meets our secondary character and arguably the most interesting one, Hamman. He claims he isn’t a hitman but Carolyn Whitmore isn’t so sure.
This is ongoing. I have a vision for the end but right now, the story needs more room to grow before it comes to an end. And maybe it hasn’t come to an end because I don’t want it too which makes it a good piece for Vella.
How has the experience been for you, in terms of getting your book out there to readers and navigating the platform overall?
The experience of the platform has been good. It’s easy to navigate as the writer and the instructions for uploading episodes are easy to follow. For readers though, it’s difficult to navigate to Vella but I imagine it’s due being new and bugs and kinks being discovered and corrected.
Advertising with the platform is nonexistent at this time. Again, I’m sure it’s due to being part of the initial rollout but it is a struggle to find the right audience and advertise to them.
The other writers and authors on Vella, whether on social medias or outlets like this one, are exceptionally supportive of one another. I’ve found it’s been easier to gain fellow writer support with this platform as we all are struggling together.
Do you feel that the number of readers on your story has increased or decreased since launch?
I started with zero fans or followers. My readership has increased marginally since the launch but only through reaching out on social platforms to gain readership.
It will be helpful when the platform has more in-house options for writers to use. For example, Royalroad has about a dozen different ways for your fiction to be discovered and Wattpad’s algorithm is simple – update often. But Vella is unique because we are all learning as it grows and hopefully it moves towards similar concepts as the other platforms where new writers and experienced ones too, can gain traction easier.
Has the platform changed the way you write?
I went into Vella purposefully. I wanted to practice writing serialized fiction and thought this was an excellent way to do it. Each chapter is repetitive and themes are sticky throughout but intentionally for the episodic structure. So this platform didn’t change how I write overall but it did drive the style of Acts of Kings.
Do you plan to write more stories on Kindle Vella?
I have a high fantasy fiction drafted. I believe it will be a good contender for Vella though I’ll wait to post it until I see Vella develop more.
I love stories about myths and legends. My book, Mythical Investigations, involves vampires and fairytale creatures wrapped up in a mystery plot. I loved researching gnomes, Grootslangs, and other folklore creatures. What creatures can readers expect to find in your story?
Acts of Kings is based on the idea that angels and demons are real. That life and death are real too and so is the in between. This story explores that in between. Where angels appear as they please, demons in the form of shadows lurk in the woods, transparent beasts capable of possessing humans stalk.
This specific story is rooted in these concepts.
I have a few other fantasies that dive into more folk lore because man, who doesn’t love these concepts passed down from generation to generation?
But Acts of Kings sticks closely to the idea that spiritual beliefs are real. Many of the creatures seen in Acts of Kings are derived directly from personal experiences and supposedly real stories shared around the dinner table.
The premise for your story is great. Can you tell us a little more about the main character, Carolyn Whitmore? What was she up to before a mysterious hitman took her on this adventure?
Carolyn Whitmore is bland and boring. She does little else besides grow vegetables and brew pots of coffee for her customers that stop by her roadside store. But thankfully we learn that Carolyn Whitmore, she isn’t real.
She’s a drug-ring mastermind, former mob boss wife, and always running from her past. She loves her antic pocket knife – Barlow, yellow jig bone. And she is a fantastic liar. That’s what she is. A professional liar. She also has bitchin’ tattoos covering her arms and maybe a thigh or two.
But when Carolyn Whitmore meets Hamman the hitman, we get to see her die, metaphorically speaking. Well, maybe metaphorically. And Mags, the tattooed wild woman, she comes to life as she carefully explores her new world.
Where can readers find you & your books?
Find me on Twitter @ShadrachCelia
Find me on Facebook @Celia Shadrach
Goodreads @Celia Shadrach
Acts of Kings is available on Kindle Vella
Check out other published works on Kindle Unlimited too! Forgot About You is not a fantastical speculative story but it is a fast-paced, fun romance read.
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