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Hello, Adventurers!

For this month’s Legends and Tea Author Spotlight, I interviewed Iris Retzlaff, author of the Happily Maybe After series. I connected with Iris on Instagram, where she shares beautiful bookish photos and updates on her author journey. Let’s begin:

Audra: Your whimsical fairytale series, Happily Maybe After, has three books available now. What inspired you to write this series, and how do you approach worldbuilding in your stories? 

Iris:  I first wrote it as a collection of short stories after my best friend asked me why I didn’t write something funny for a change. So I wrote her one story for her birthday every year over several years. I had a lot of fun with them, so two years ago I decided to give them an upgrade and publish them as a novella trilogy. Fairy tales, like mythology and folklore, are very dear to me, they had a very formative influence on my love for stories and storytelling. But that I wrote a parody might also be Shrek’s fault, the movies were huge when I first started writing Happily Maybe After. – Worldbuilding, well… My entire writing process is utter chaos, to be honest. It can happen that I’ve already written half the story before I actually sit down and really start building the world – which makes for a lot of editing later on. At least by then I have a clear idea of what I want this world to be like and what the story requires, and use that as a starting point.

Audra: Can you share a bit about your writing process? Do you follow any specific rituals or routines when you sit down to write, like a cup of coffee or favorite music?

Iris: Well, as I said, it’s all very chaotic. Definitely can’t recommend my process, but, hey, it’s what works for me. So, I don’t have any specific rituals (a pity, though) and definitely no routine. Sometimes I write in the morning with a whole jug of coffee at my side. Sometimes it’s the middle of the night and I’m already in bed. But every first draft gets written – very old-school – by hand – always. I cannot sit in front of a screen and just write, there are too many things that distract me. Typing the whole thing afterwards can be a pain, but it’s also when I make the first big edits and changes.

Audra: Do you have a favorite character from your series? Which has been the most fun to write?

Iris: The answer to both is – Pax. Of course I love Bran and Finn, but that forgetful, drunken, rude sorry excuse of a fairy godmother is kind of special. I’ve conjured her into existence, there’s no way I’ll ever get rid of her again… (send help)

Audra: What authors or books have inspired your writing?

Iris: When it comes to Happily Maybe After, the answer is Douglas Adams and several Mel Brook’s movies. But in regards to my other writing: the Nightrunner Series by Lynn Flewelling and Mercedes Lackey’s Last Herald Mage trilogy.

Audra: What have you found to be the most challenging part about writing in a series?

Iris: Consistency. Sometimes it’s not so easy to keep every little detail straight.

Audra: Every author faces struggles during their writing journey. What have been some of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered as an indie author, and how have they shaped you as a writer?

Iris: Promoting my books is very difficult for me. I’m not very good at it, and I’m always afraid that people might just get annoyed by me talking about my writing again. But hey, it’s not like anyone else will do it for you, so what can you do? Finding my audience is definitely also a very big obstacle. My novellas are pretty niche, and my other writing is very different to them, so readers who liked the novellas might not necessarily like my next book. But I’ll continue to write my stories, in my way. I think that’s all one can do.

Audra: Can you share any details about what readers can expect next from you? Are there any exciting projects you’re currently working on?

Iris: Yes, I will finally publish my first full-length novel, Moon’s Lament, in November. I have been working on it for more than fifteen years now, so I’m really excited to finally put it out into the world, but also really scared. Unlike Happily Maybe After this is not a humorous story. It’s about betrayal, loss, love, and revenge, and the masks we hide our true selves behind.

Audra: What advice would you give to aspiring authors, especially those looking to write fairytale-style fantasy?

Iris: The best advice – and yes, it’s not from me, but it’s the best there is – write the story you would want to read. Oh, but when you write fairytale-style, don’t forget, every fairy tale has a message. Even when it’s a parody.

Audra: Are you a plotter? A pantser, or a combination?

Iris: I’m all over the place – no, but seriously, I’m a combination. First I’m pantsing, then I’m plotting, in the end my characters just grab the story and run with it, because sure, who cares about plans anyway, right?

Audra: It’s hard being an indie author; I know I find it challenging to keep at it when it seems like I’m spinning my wheels at times. Do you ever get discouraged yourself? And if so, how do you deal with that and keep going? I’d love any advice you may have for me.

Iris: I wish I could give you some golden advice, but unfortunately all I have is: be stubborn, don’t give up. Yes, it’s so hard. I get frustrated and discouraged all the time, and frankly, I’m not dealing so well with it most of the time. But then I remind myself that the most important reason why I’m doing this despite all the frustration is because I love to tell stories. And I want to share those stories, because stories need to be shared. As long as they are out there, others can find them.

And on that note, you can find Iris’s books HERE

And follow here on Instagram HERE

Thanks for joining me!

Until next time,

Audra