An Interview with HM Roberts
Hayley Mitchell began her writing journey crafting enchanting children’s books before exploring the lyrical world of poetry and, most recently, reimagining timeless myths for modern readers. Her work has been recognized with the Indies Today 2021 Best Poetry Award, and her latest release has just earned a five-star Open Book Award. Hayley’s stories and poems celebrate the power of imagination, the depth of emotion, and the voices of women and mythic figures long overlooked.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
This is the fifth book in my Myths Reborn collection. I was actually halfway through planning a different idea when I suddenly had a compulsion to write this story first. I’ve always felt Iphigenia was an overlooked character in the Iliad and I desperately wanted to give a voice and soul to the poor girl that was sacrificed in order to start the Trojan war. As soon as the idea hit me, her story wrote itself.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Sacrifice of Iphigenia is the latest release in my Myths Reborn collection. The first book I wrote was Prophecy of Achilles, a verse novel, which explores the idea of nature versus nurture and how that might have impacted on the role Achilles played in The Trojan War. Each of the following books have similar titles; I want them to be quite transparent so readers know exactly what they are getting. Spoiler alert, Sacrifice of Iphigenia doesn’t have a happy ending, hence the title.
Describe your dream book cover.
As a self-published author, I am limited with my cover designs. I absolutely love my new-look covers, which I’ve recently had done professionally, but I would love to have gold foiling or textured covers eventually. I think Jennifer Saint’s covers for her myth books are really striking.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
I actually have soundtracks available for all my books via Spotify. Sacrifice of Iphigenia includes Sweet Sacrifice by Evanescence, I’ll Find You by Lacrae, and Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
I’ve just finished reading Rich as F**k, a book that is about mindset, to try and support my entrepreneur mindset when it comes to writing. I always have a fiction book on the go; at the moment, I’m re-reading Romeo and Juliet for the zillionth time (as it’s one of my favourites) but it may also be a sneaky bit of research for my next book, too…
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I’ve been a primary teacher for over twenty years and still teach part-time. I’ve always worked in early years (ages four to five) as, for me, you have to be a storyteller to inspire children at that age. I can make anything into a magical story, from number bonds to connectives! A few years back I also qualified as a two hundred hour yoga teacher. One day I’d love to combine my love of books, mythology and yoga!
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I had two career goals when I was little. One was to be a teacher and one was to write. When I looked into writing, for some reason I looked at journalism and that wasn’t right for me at all. I went into teaching and have had a wonderful career. When my first child was born I then started writing children’s books (because he never slept and I lived in fear of falling asleep with him in my arms!). From here the writing just took off. I have always been very creative and writing allows me to put that on the page.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My husband actually built me a custom fold-down desk. It holds two monitors (heat for editing!) and I have my Freewrite Smart Typewriter on there, plus room for lots of essential author books, such as The Emotion Thesaurus. The desk is in my lounge, which is ideal, as I can flip it open at any point and get a few minutes of writing done— ideal with three boys to supervise!
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
I think it’s the same advice I would give my current self—don’t put yourself down. It’s so hard not to compare yourself to others, or suffer from imposter syndrome. I’m trying very hard to remind myself that there is a place for my stories in the world, and people that would love to read them.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
With the new book it’s all about choices. Iphigenia, Helen, Clytemnestra, and Agamemnon all face difficult choices. Now, I hope none of my readers have quite as extreme choices to make, but I hope to inspire people to own their decisions. Even the most difficult of choices is still a choice in the way you respond to it. We need to take ownership of our choices, however difficult. That, and I hope all of my books offer my readers a chance to release a good ugly cry! I think sobbing over a good book is an essential cathartic release that we all need from time to time.
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