Hello fellow book lovers,

I’ve got my Introverted Indies hat on for a moment! We have teamed up with some fantastic authors to create a giveaway where you can win e-copies of 18 books!

Please follow the link to our instagram page to be in with a chance to win* and support our growing channel. All that we ask is that you subscribe to our youtube channel and follow us on Instagram! Competition went LIVE on 22nd March!

*Winner will be required to provide an email address and e-reader email address, so authors can send their books direct to you e-reader to avoid piracy concerns.

Back to Indie Author Insight….

A Interview with Lauren H Salisbury
Author of The Wolf King

Hello, Lauren. Thanks for joining me at Indie Author Insights. Please tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey.

Thanks for having me. I'm from Yorkshire, England, though I've lived in a few different countries over the years. I've been writing stories since I was a small child, lining up my teddy bears and younger sister to listen to them, but I started writing for publication in 2017.

Before that, I was a full-time English teacher, and when I decided to leave the profession, one I thought was my calling and only talent, I had no idea what to do next. My husband reminded me that I loved to write and that my students often thought I should write 'for real' rather than just on the board as examples for them. So I tried it, and I haven't looked back since.

Fantastic. I bet your readers are pleased your husband encouraged you to write ‘for real’! Can you tell me about your novel, The Wolf King.

The Wolf King is a closed door romantasy inspired by The Three Little Pigs. Unusual, I know, but bear with me because it really does work.

The idea came from a walk with my nieces around Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight. Being told stories as we walked used to distract them from the distance (and their complaints), and that day they asked for The Three Little Pigs "but with romance. And a happy ending for everyone". And that's how The Wolf King was born. It took several years for me to complete it, mainly due to interruptions due to burnout and health issues, but I finally released it in 2024.

It involves themes of sacrificial love and redemption and has enemies to lovers, only one bed, an evil MMC, touch her and die, and lots of plot twists and banter. When a quick-witted princess captures the notorious Wolf King inside her borders and is blackmailed into marrying him, she must discover the reason behind his invasion and foil his plans before her entire kingdom is enslaved.

I love the Isle of Wight. It’s a beautiful place. Sounds like a great book. What else have you been working on?

I've been mapping out book 2 in the series ready to jump into drafting next week. It's inspired by The Hare and The Tortoise and tells the story of the second princess of Tyrrath, who gets caught up in warring kingdoms while hunting for a cure for her father's sleeping curse, and finds love along the way. The Dragon Stone will stand alone, just like The Wolf King, and I can't wait to get to certain scenes.

Can you tell us some of your best moments as an author, and how you overcame some of the lows. As we know writing can be a rollarcoaster of emotions.

There have been so many good moments along the way that it's hard to pick a top one. Getting to meet some of my favourite authors at my first conference was a huge high, as was making lifelong friends in my genre, and getting a message from a reader who stayed up all night to finish my book. Each was precious in its own way.

As for the lows, his writing life can be extremely hard sometimes. We pour our hearts into our books, and when they're rejected or the words don't come, it can feel devastating. But I try to remind myself in those times that my worth and value don't come from what I do as an author. Taking a break, getting out into nature and sunshine, and spending time with my friends and family helps right my focus then too.

I can completely understand all of that. Its a tough journey but one we won’t give up! I find marketing the hardest, what about you?

I find marketing difficult too. The most useful piece of advice I've been given came just after I published my first book, and I've never forgotten it.

'If your aim is to sell more books, don't use it for a giveaway. People won't buy it if they think they might win it for free, and by the time they don't, they've forgotten they wanted it so much. Give away related items instead, things that will get people even more interested in the book, and save the book giveaways for when your aim is to increase followers or get sign-ups to your newsletter.'

That’s a great tip! I’d not thought about giving away merchandise instead of books! If you could go back and give your past self a tip, what would it be?

That's easy. Don't doubt yourself so much; you can do this! But do your research and start building an online presence NOW. You'll need it much sooner than you think.

Goodness yes. An online presence seems to be the way forward. When you’re not writing, what else do you enjoy doing?

I love all sorts of arts and crafts. My main hobby is making greeting cards, but I enjoy painting and zen doodling too. I used to bake a lot, but I find it difficult since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, so I'm finding more things I can do that take less energy.

I sometimes play online games with my nieces who live in Canada, but I've banned myself from most videogames because I find them too addictive and can forget to eat while playing. Oops!

Well, thank you so much for joining me. It’s been great to hear about The Wolf King and your writing journey. Lastly, where can readers find your book and stay up-to-date with your books?

Thanks for the opportunity to talk about my books. This was fun and has me feeling quite nostalgic now. I think I'll go call my niece.

The Wolf King is on Amazon here:

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Lydia x