New Chapters: An Interview with Maria A. Arana, author of Wing Clipped

Maria A. Arana is a writer, poet, and editor from the Los Angeles area. She has published many poems and short stories in various publications. Formerly a teacher who encouraged a love of reading and writing, she now channels that passion to create magical stories for a wider audience. She lives with her family, four dogs, and one cat (who thinks she’s a queen herself).

You can find her on Twitter at @m_a_Arana, www.booksbymaarana.com, and at Arana Editing Services, where she also blogs.

You can buy Wing Clipped here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title of my book, Wing Clipped, came to me after I decided to convert my short story into a full-blown novel!

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

The cover was amazing! I knew Atmosphere Press had my back on this and took all my suggestions to heart (thanks to Ronaldo’s design team). I get a lot of great feedback on it and the colors really work well with the theme.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve always written poetry. I dabbled in short stories here and there, but it wasn’t until a friend of mine suggested I write down the story I kept mentioning to her that I couldn’t stop writing. Wing Clipped just happened to be a great story to get readers interested in my work.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve worked as a kindergarten and first grade teacher. I read about six books a day to students and made time for writing. I feel children could express themselves if you let them. Many ended up writing short stories!

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Feeling that book in my hands was rewarding to me. It jumpstarted a whole new chapter in my life. It was also a meaningful experience since the support I had from Atmosphere Press has given me new confidence for the second book.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Watch my videos on www.booksbymaarana.com to find out!

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The one thing I want readers to take away from reading my book is enjoyment. These are the readers that haven’t read fantasy or who have stopped reading and decided to pick up a book again and once they read Wing Clipped, they feel a sense of accomplishment because they felt the characters and watched that little film in their heads play out the different scenarios.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I continue to write poetry as I complete the second installment to the Wing series. I’m also working on a paranormal story with werewolves and editing various manuscripts in different genres.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere Press will get your book out there because they believe in your creative project. They’ll guide you through the process, so if you’re starting out, it is a great experience to learn something about the publishing process.

You can buy Wing Clipped here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.