I was lucky to get an interview with Azalea Forrest, the author of A Bitter Drink, and one of this year’s #SPFBO8 semifinalists.

Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
Hi there! I live in hot & sunny Florida with my partner & pets (one cat & one leopard gecko). I've loved fantasy for as long as I can remember, but especially that in video games. The Final Fantasy series was my kick-off point into writing.

What was the first thought that popped into your mind when you found out you had made it to the semifinals?
Excitement & kind of disbelief, haha, but also gratitude. I hope new readers enjoy my work!

Why did you decide to take part in the SPFBO?
I've never participated and first heard of it last year. I honestly didn't think I'd make it in time as I heard the submissions close quickly, but a ton of authors I follow were entering too, so I figured, why not? I'm very proud of A Bitter Drink and thought it would be a great opportunity to get more eyes on it.

Aside from your SPFBO8 book getting the stamp of approval by being in the semifinals, why should I buy it?
My favorite pitch right now is actually a drink recipe:

How to mix A Bitter Drink:

One part each action and adventure

Two parts queer characters

A shot of becoming a better person

A splash of elves, dwarves, and plantfolk

A dash of dastardly villains

Blend with magic

Garnish with snark

Enjoy!

What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
Online roleplaying. Haha. I started RPing probably around 2001? Much of it was 'fanfiction' RP, like in the worlds of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, the Wizarding World, random anime, etc, and original worlds as well. It wasn't until 2017 that I started to actually take long-form writing seriously. But yeah, dang, I've been writing for 21 years.

Why did you choose to write fantasy? And why pick this particular fantasy subgenre?
Oh, I've just always loved fantasy. From watching movies as a kid like The Neverending Story and Lord of the Rings, to playing video games like Morrowind and Final Fantasy IX, it's been hard-coded into my very being. Ghibli Films and The Legend of Zelda have been huge inspirations as well, and A Bitter Drink along with all my books have a bit of that flavor wrapped up in each of them.

Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
This is going to be a partially unconventional answer. The conventional part will be Ursula K. Le Guin and her Earthsea series. The unconventional part is Hayao Miyazaki for his manga Nausicaa, Eiichiro Oda for One Piece, and Hitoshi Ashinano for Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. The pre-time skip in One Piece had the most amazing and emotional characterization, and Nausicaa and Yokohoma Kaidashi Kikou have fantastic atmosphere. There's something about that atmosphere that I really want to instill in my own work, and characters have always been my driving force.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Writing what I like & find interesting, and coming up with new characters. :)

What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?
Haha, coming up with all the worldbuilding details and editing. Writing the first draft is easy in comparison, but regardless of how much pre-planning I do, I still always have a lot more work ahead in edits. xP

How do I get into the semifinals? Just kidding! No seriously, might you be willing to share a tip, a scrap of wisdom, or perhaps an app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend to authors?
Having a great team of beta readers will help you immensely. Self-editing is great but it can only take you so far, at least in my experience. Finding local or online writing groups would be my top advice. ProWritingAid is a great tool in editing as well. As far as a writing tool, just use what's comfortable. But to stay organized, I really recommend Fantasia Archive! It's a free tool for any lore-maker. I used to use GDocs but got so overwhelmed: Fantasia does a much better job.

What new projects are you working on?
I'm working on a project temporarily called Apothecary. It's about a doctor in a god & beast filled land that's begun having a string of debilitating anxiety. When a patient is brought in after a beast-attack, the MC Vivi has to decide whether she's going to let these new fears stop her from living her life, or if she's going to take control instead.

Anything else you would like to say before we close?
Thanks so much for having me, and thank you to the judges & host, Mark Lawrence. What a wonderful opportunity you all have given indie authors. :)

Congratulations on the semi-finalist spot and best of luck in the competition, Azalea.
Thanks for doing the interview!