Onto the interview!
Do you have a set routine for writing?
I don't really! Each story had its own routine.
What's your favourite tip for newbie writers?
Don't discount the writing you did yesterday. I've been writing since I was seven. Sure, it wasn't good writing. But we all have to start somewhere, and we almost all start out bad. And then you get better the more you write. I have learned with every single story I've written. There are stories I wrote as a teenager that are so incredibly cringe, but I learned SO MUCH from those mistakes.
What was your experience writing your first book?
The first novel I ever finished writing was actually Lowercase. And it took me almost six years to get to this point where it's out in the world. I actually wrote a second book like halfway into it! So it's really been quite the journey. And very much a learning experience, as I self published and did all of my own editing and formatting and all of it. I think “exciting” and “terrifying” and “frustrating” are the words I'd use to describe the experience. And I'm ready to do it again!
Do you have a favourite place to write outside of your usual space?
Yes! So my usual space has been my side of the bed I share with my husband, usually at night after he's fallen asleep and I'm waiting for my meds to kick in. But I've been working on turning our spare room into my office for over a year, and I finally have a pullout loveseat in there. I did a lot of revisions in there during the end of January.
Do you hoard notebooks or anything else writing related?
All of it. Notebooks, pens, stickers, stamps, bookmarks. I have way too much of all of it.
Which genre is your favourite to write in?
Contemporary. It used to be horror, surprisingly. I almost only wrote horror during college. But I found that contemporary fiction and I really have a strong relationship. And I really enjoy it.
Would you ever use a pen name? And if so, why?
I actually currently use a pen name! My first name IS Hayley, and my middle initial IS B, but Halliwell is a name I chose for myself.
Which social media do you enjoy using the most?
I really fell in love with threads. But I'm on TikTok a lot, too.
How old were you when you were first ready to start publishing?
I published my first book, a poetry collection, two years ago, a month before I turned 32. I might've thought I was ready before then, but I'm not upset that it didn't happen until my 30s.
Do you have any pets?
Yes! My husband and I have a tortie who is the Queen of the house and her name is Roswell Soup.
Do you keep good reviews and reader comments?
I do. I have screenshots saved.
Paperback or ebook? And why?
I have always preferred paperback. I'm someone who likes to see my journey with a book in the lines along the spine and creases among the pages. However, I switched to ebook for ease almost a decade ago. And I very recently switched to mostly audiobooks.
Where do you see yourself, and your writing, in ten years?
My hope–my dream–is that I'm a full time writer by then. And that I'm still putting out books!
What's your favourite writing snack?
Ooh this is tough, because I will be stuck on a snack for weeks or months at a time. But I think any snack that doesn't stick to my fingers is good. Right now, I'm obsessed with cookies and cream puppy chow, and the powdered sugar sticks to my fingers and gets everywhere!
You can follow Hayley on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok!
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