I was lucky to get an interview with Philinna Wood, the author of Fae Gods: Maze, and a semifinalist in this year’s #SPFBO9.

Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is Philinna Wood and I’m a Greek author who loves fantasy, mythology, and romance. In 2017, I survived a horrible car accident. During my stay at the hospital, I realized that it was time I fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming an author, so I started writing again. But this time, I chose to do it in the English language even though I’m not a native English speaker. I published my first book in 2022, and haven’t looked back since.

Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
You should buy and read Fae Gods: Maze because I butchered the Greek myth of the Minotaur in the most delightful way. This book will make you laugh, and think about how duty and love can shape your destiny. You’ll descend into the dark maze beneath king Minos’s palace and learn about Greek culture and the beliefs of Ancient Greeks in a way that doesn’t feel like a university lecture. Oh, and it also has some spicy scenes inside as the protagonists are hot and they like to get naked a lot.

What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I’ve been writing ever since I could write. Of course, my first stories were written in Greek. My teacher at the time was reading them aloud in class, and I couldn’t understand why. One day, he took me aside during lunch break and told me, “Please, remember when you grow up to be a writer.” I was 9 years old at the time. I never forgot what he said to me, but when the time to choose a university came, my parents didn’t allow me to study English literature. So I became a dentist. It was in 2017 when I had the car accident that I started writing my debut novel.

Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
Yes. I entered my debut novel, The Heart of the Bloodstone, in SPFBO8. I heard about the competition from other indie authors.

Why did you choose to write fantasy?
The first fantasy book I read when I was 8 years old was The Hobbit. I was immediately enchanted and couldn’t stop reading fantasy after that. When I was 14 years old, I wrote my first Harry Potter fan fiction, and I realized that I love writing fantasy. Since then, I’ve written an epic fantasy adventure, and a fantasy romance inspired by Greek myths.

Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
George RR Martin for his mind-blowing characters and world-building, and Madeline Miller for her lyrical prose.

If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
Oh, I’d love to win. The exposure would be a nice boost!

What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge to date is the financial part involved in self publishing. Because I’m not a native English speaker, I pay a lot for copy editing. And I also like to work with seasoned cover designers so the cost to publish a book gets really high (between 3-5k, depending on the novel’s length). One way I’m thinking of overcoming this and continue writing without worrying about how much it’s going to cost me, is subscription models, like Patreon. I can post my unedited work there, and still get paid.

Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
I love Scrivener (for writing) and Vellum (for formatting).

And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
I’ve just finished writing Fae Gods: Underworld (a fantasy romance reimaging of the Hades and Persephone myth), and I’m currently outlining Fae Gods: Psyche (a fantasy romance reimagining of the Eros and Psyche myth). I’m also considering rewriting my debut novel, The Heart of the Bloodstone, and publishing all my projects on subscription platforms.

Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
I haven’t used ChatGPT or Midjourney yet, but I’ve dabbled with Sudowrite and Leonardo. From what I’ve seen, they could make my life much easier, but there’s a huge BUT. The writing produced by AI feels soulless to me. I prefer my own prose. Moreover, fantasy romance readers LOATHE and BOYCOT AI-generated covers and art. And nowadays it is very easy to get cancelled by the reading community. I wouldn’t want to risk that. Besides, I love my cover designers. They are honest and hardworking people, so why wouldn’t I want to work with them? So far, I’ve worked with the amazing Felix Ortiz, and the wonderful Franziska Stern. I love supporting real artists, and I always get compliments on my book covers. So, that’s a big win!

Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
I’d love to write a serial one day. I have a very good idea that’s been bugging me for some time. Let’s see what happens!

Anything else you would like to say before we close?
There are three words I’d like to say to other writers: It is normal. It is normal to cry; it is normal to laugh; it is normal to despair because of the competition out there; it is normal to not want to write; it is normal to have the best writing day of your life; it is normal to want to quit; and it is normal to keep trying. Do you hear me? It is normal.

I wish you the very best in the SPFBO. I hope a lot of readers discover your writing.
Thanks for doing the interview!