Hey there! I’m Addison M. Conley, an Indie author living in rural West Virginia along the eastern slope of a mountain. My fourth novel, and my favorite, Cabin Fever, is scheduled for release on 1 February 2023. The Amazon Kindle version is currently available for pre-order. It’s set in Merrick, Idaho, a small town that’s a figment of my imagination, but the scenic wonder of Sawtooth Valley and its National Recreation Area is a sight to behold. I recommend some hiking there if you ever get the chance. The Fourth of July Lake is my favorite.
Cabin Fever focuses on Kate Minton—she loses her job, her girlfriend dumps her, and her dad dies. If that’s not enough, her brothers inherit everything, and all she gets is a remote cabin in Idaho that comes with a half-million dollars if she can live there for a year. Piece of cake, right? Except the cabin has no electricity and is in the middle of BFE. Kate meets an infuriating but sexy construction owner, Riley Anderson. Riley has lived in Merrick her entire life. The only thing she loves better than the outdoors is her Aunt Lilly and others who have become her chosen family. This novel is an enemy-to-friends-to-lovers story with some surprises and secrets along the way.
From the first inkling of an idea to the finished product, it takes me two years to write and between two-to-three thousand dollars to publish on average. So, why do it? One reason is that it’s therapeutic. My grandma on my adoptive side was the rock of my life, and I miss her dearly. Therefore, I always have multigenerational secondary characters in my stories that are loving and full of life, like my grandma. A little bit of myself always goes into my novels, but art often influences how we look at the world around us. Reading stories by other writers and creating my own, I gravitate toward people who rise to the challenge of facing down and defeating obstacles in their way. I’m particularly fond of romances simply because I like that warm, fuzzy feeling that happiness prevails after all the bumps the characters must face.
Daydreaming has always played a significant role in my life. Dreamzoning or “daydreams on steroids” is a process K.M. Weiland describes as an essential tool for writers. It uses diverse regions of your brain and can offer a fresh perspective to solving a problem rather than just going full force into trying to force-fit a quick solution.
I may have an idea and jot down a rough outline and character attributes, but daydreaming helps start the process. Have you ever heard of the characters taking over the story and changing the plot? LOL. Some of the changes are good, and some have to undergo revision, but the writing still flows better. I use it to help me create my characters and to imagine how I’ll put them through the fun and challenging times and end with them coming out as better people.
Perhaps you daydream when you’re doing the dishes, mowing the yard, or shoveling snow. I hope they’re happy ones, like dreaming about a good vacation or kissing the one you love. If you’re a writer, I encourage you to have a good daydream about your characters now and then. You might be surprised, and it could result in a pleasant story twist.
I feel so lucky to be able to write lesbian fiction. I could not come out for many years while in my job. Times have gotten better but are far from perfect. It’s so lovely to say gay, lesbian, bi, trans, WLW… However, not everyone has that luxury. My heart goes out to you if you still live in a closed-minded community or have to work with a boss who could fire you if you dare speak the truth.
Hug the ones you love and your chosen family. Togetherness and love are the only ways forward.
Love and peace,
Addison
Addison M. Conley 