Author Spotlight: Emily Moore

–an award-winning poet and children book author, as well as a freelance writer and editor.

Readers! Let’s give a good hearty welcome to Emily Moore.

The many hats she wears include writer, editor, social media manager, student, mom, wife, and volunteer. She loves promotion, marketing, socializing, and getting behind a cause she believes in.

One such cause is supporting local businesses. Most people think this means local shops and farmers markets, but she’d like to encourage others to go beyond that. Check out local artwork, read local authors’ books, buy handmade products and crafts from friends with skills. She hired a young, budding artist to create the cover for ROWDY DAYS OF DOM SANDERS, and is excited to be a stepping stone in her artistic career.

She’s agreed to visit and share with us today some dreams, some advice, and some reading recommendations.

Emily, thanks for agreeing to be here today. Most interviews start off with bios and such, and while I’ll get to that as always, let’s start with the important stuff!

If you could have any pet (real/fantasy/no-allergies/no worries about feeding it) what would it be?

Though I’m not typically a reptilian lover, I would absolutely love to connect on a personal level with a dragon. A fire dragon. Or a water dragon… oh, wait, that’s one of my manuscripts in progress!.

Welcome to the growing club! I’m starting to think it’s the preferred pet of quality fantasy writers.

What do you write and how did you get started?

I write the full spectrum of children literature, from picture books to young adult novels and series. They are forthcoming! For me, the urge to write stems from wanting to bring an experience to children that makes them feel less alone and hopeless in tough situations as well as bring joy to their lives. My children’s fiction lets them grapple with family dynamics, navigate shifting emotions and friendships, and focus on helping others and allowing kindness and forgiveness into their lives with fun, relatable stories.

I’ve been telling stories since I was young, which my mom caught on cassette tape. Lol. About ten years ago, my daughter started telling lies. I looked up what other cultures used to scare their kids straight, and from that research, my first manuscript developed. My love of writing flowed after that as I submerged into the writing community both close to home and online. I’ve been writing in several capacities since then.

I love that! Turning to stories in order to scare your kid straight! You’ll have to let us know if it worked!

What do you like to read?

Ah, my first love. Reading was an escape route from an emotional childhood. My true love is fantasy in all its forms. Especially retellings and embellished folk lore. Young adult and adult sci-fi also makes me really happy. Classic literature are another of my favorites, and historical fiction in the veins of Jane Austen or Gregory Philippa. Some non-fiction make it into my Goodreads account as well, usually about home, gardening, art, and parenting. I’ve read a few memoirs that I really enjoy, too.

You’re talking my language! I’ve always loved retellings and reimaginings of folk tales and fairy tales. And I’ve recently starting enjoying the occasional memoir…

Name one commonly accepted piece of writing advice that doesn’t work for you.

“Write what you know.”

Write what you know. I love the research process and the daydreaming process even more that real life. Learning new things stretches your reality and your plotlines.

That’s awesome. My mother was a high school librarian, so was always happy and ready to help anyone with the research process.

Name one commonly accepted piece of writing advice that they can pry out of your cold, dead hands.

“Replace passive verbs with active verbs.”

My writing group jokingly calls me the passive-nazi. While it may offend some people, it’s sort of true.

There are probably more PC ways of saying that, but I totally understand. I know it’s especially nice to have a lot of active verbs in middle grade novels.

Shameless Self-Promotion time! 

When twelve-year-old swindler Dom witnesses a cop’s murder and his boot prints land his bully Taylor in handcuffs, Dom must decide whether to swallow his guilt and let the jerk go to juvie, or take the stand and risk his own life by revealing the truth.

You can buy it NOW on Amazon: Rowdy Days of Dom Sanders.

I’m an award-winning poet and children book author, as well as a freelance writer and editor. I lead my local chapter of the Idaho Writers League.

My shorter pieces have been featured in Hope Paige’s Anthology on loss BREAKING SAD in 2017 and AN OUNCE OF TRUTH, a fundraising anthology for a historic building.

When I’m not telling “Mommy Made stories” to my two daughters or awaiting feedback for my latest manuscript, I can be found off-roading on my four- wheeler, baking something scrumptious, or in a long, plot-refreshing bubble bath.

Be sure to tweet at me, connect with me on Goodreads, catch my posts on Facebook, and subscribe to my blog and website.