Harlowe Savage | Author
1. What inspired you to start writing/creating art, and how has that inspiration evolved over time?
I've written for as long as I can remember. When I was younger I'd spend most of my time either reading or thinking up stories while listening to songs on my ipod for hours. That inspiration has evolved into actually writing the stories down and giving myself enough motivation to actually publish them!
2. Can you share the story behind your latest work? What was your creative process like?
My projects share a rather staggered timeline; for the Monarchs of Eros series, I typically will write the first draft of the next novel in around two months and then put it away for a while before editing it again while the book right before it in sequence is being published. While I was writing Emperor Ai, I was publishing Alexander and while I was writing Hadrian, I was publishing Emperor Ai. The fourth book is currently in the works alongside an upcoming queer, monster romance being published through Bewere Publishing. In terms of my inspirations for the stories, I've just always been the kind of person who creates narratives in my head and now I'm just writing them down when they hit!
3. What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your work, and why are they important to you?
In addition to increasing the visibility of queer romance in the mainstream, I think that it's incredibly important to make each of the characters more than just a stereotype, each with their own motivations, complicated thoughts, and feelings. What I think a lot of writers get wrong when writing queer characters is that they make their sexuality the most interesting thing about them. For example, Alexander didn't fall in love with Hephaestion because he was queer, he loved Hephaestion because Hephaestion was his best friend. My husband was my best friend before we started dating, so I can say from personal experience (especially as a queer person) how that goes. By reducing every queer character to "the lesbian character" or "the gay character", writers are doing a disservice both to those characters and their writing as a whole.
4. What advice would you give to aspiring authors/artists who are just starting their journey?
Write the things you want to read and don't worry about what other people might think. I started reading fan fiction during the pandemic and started writing it shortly after, beginning my journey as an author on Archive of our Own. Once I realized how much I loved creating in that way, suddenly I started having all these ideas about where things could go next. Then, instead of resisting or questioning why I wanted to write, I just did it.
5. What role has self-publishing or independent production played in your career, and what have you learned from the process?
Up until last December, I was an unsigned, independent, self-published author. The Monarchs of Eros series is currently still being self-published but the upcoming monster romance and subsequent follow-ups will be published traditionally through a smaller publishing company, Bewere Publishing. I don't think that most people understand the sheer amount of work that goes into self-publishing. Not only do you have to write the book, but you have to edit it, source contractors for additional editing and cover design, as well as manage all sales and marketing alone. Self-publishing has taught me that I am far more capable than I'd originally given myself credit for and since I know that I can do it alone, I won't ever feel pressured to accept a bad deal from an agent or publisher just to achieve my goals.
6. How do you connect with your audience, and what has been your favorite moment of reader or viewer feedback?
I connect with my audience through social media primarily however, my favorite moments always happen while selling at conventions. For the past two years I've had a booth at Phoenix Fan Fusion, and the first year, I had no idea what to expect so I brought 100 books as a stretch goal. Surprisingly, I sold out! So the next year, I brought 230 books and I sold out again! I love talking to my audience because I could talk about this sort of thing forever and I love seeing the joy in their faces when I explain that I write queer romances. I recognize it because it's the same look I get on my face when someone tells me about a new queer story they're reading or writing. I think my favorite memory, though, of reader connection has to be when a customer comes back the following year to buy the next book in the series; I love hearing about how they liked the first one and I'm just always so ecstatic that the things I love creating can bring them so much joy.
7. How do you handle challenges like writer's block or creative burnout, and what motivates you to keep going?
I don't beat myself up when I go through times of writer's block, so I think that's how I avoid creative burnout for the most part. If something's just not working, I step away and either work on something else or take a little break. I think that there's this misconception among writers that if you're not always working on your next project that you're failing, but that's just not true. Creative work requires not only your time and energy, but also your heart and soul. Taking breaks and allowing yourself to step back isn't just a kindness to yourself, it's a necessity.
8. What’s next for you? Can you share any upcoming projects or future creative goals you’re excited about?
I am very excited about my partnership with Bewere Publishing, I can't say too much about it right now but I will post about it as soon as I can! Furthermore, I am working on a queer romantasy series that will eventually be five books long with the first coming out, hopefully in the next few years. In terms of the Monarchs of Eros series, once Hadrian comes out December 1st, I am going to start working on a special edition omnibus of the first three books before continuing on with the fourth, so look out for that!
9. Who are some of your biggest creative influences, and how have they shaped your work or style?
My biggest creative influences are the writers I read on AO3. Some of the most incredible, beautiful stories that I've read were written on that platform and proved to me that smutty romance can be so much more than what some people make it. In terms of authors, I'd say that my biggest creative influences are Casey McQuiston, Ruby Dixon, and Katee Robert for a variety of reasons. However, the connecting factor between the three of them mostly stands in the concept that they write what they want, proudly and very well; not to mention the queer pairings seen in some of their books!
10. How has your personal life or experiences influenced your writing/art, and are there any particular moments that stand out?
Something that I think is really funny is how supportive my parents are of my career in writing queer smut. There has not been a single event that my parents have not attended, helped me prepare for, and/or cheered me on at. I think that their support really helped me shift my gears from being someone who writes just for myself, to someone who creates for a larger community, unapologetically.
