Q&A with F.A. Eden, debut author of "Mortal Memories"

It was a glorious writing retreat weekend in Washington ⛰️

I’ve spent this weekend in Seabrook, Washington, with some of my closest friends from VCFA, writing and walking on beaches and eating good food and playing with the literal world’s most adorable puppy.

It’s been so wonderful. I’ve cried a lot, too, because, well, writing and stuff is emotional. It’s been absolutely delightful.

I’m spending the rest of this week in Portland and I’m so looking forward to my time (the first!) in the PNW.

Welcome to the interview 🗣️

This week I’m so delighted to share an email Q&A I did with author F.A. Eden, whose indie debut Mortal Memories came out on Oct. 10. Mortal Memories is a spicy fae romance:

A mortal woman missing her memory.A fae lord held captive by his.When Carra is discovered in the fae Quarter alone, a transgression punishable by death, she’s given a choice: marry her savior, or run for her life. Missing all memories from before that night, she agrees to the marriage and turns her focus toward rediscovering who she is, and why she was in the Quarter in the first place.When his fiancée died fifty years ago, Straid withdrew from society. But after impulsively marrying a mortal woman to save her life, there are some things he cannot ignore: his feelings for his new wife, the growing list of people going missing in the Quarter–and the possibility that the disappearances may be connected to the woman he loves.Mortal Memories is a slow-burn, spicy fae romance perfect for fans of K. F. Breene and Sarah J Maas.

I had the joy of reading an early version of the book, and it was such a delight, so I’m so happy to have been able to chat with F.A. about her experience with her debut and so much more!

Karis Rogerson: How did you get into writing to begin with?

F.A. Eden: I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. My sister is 4.5 years older than me, and we used to play Mavis Beacon against each other, so I’ve been typing since literally before I could read. I grew up in a household where reading and stories were very important, so I think it was natural for me to want to come up with my own. I didn’t get serious about it until I was nineteen, though. I was working at a daycare and heard about NaNoWriMo (which I no longer do) and decided to give it a try. I tapped out after about 2,000 words, but I knew I wanted to write a book. So I went back to college for creative writing, and here we are!

KR: Why do you write?

FAE: Honestly I write because I don’t really have any other choice. I have so many stories inside me, and they’re always fighting to get out. Even if I weren’t publishing anything, I just have to write.

I also have a lot of health issues, so I haven’t always been able to hold a job. Writing has gotten me through those times emotionally, but it’s also a way I can make some money without having to leave the house or do things on other people’s timelines.

KR: What inspired Mortal Memories?

FAE: Honestly the very first kernel of inspiration I had for Mortal Memories was a husband-of-convenience walking in on his wife with another man. I’d intended for this story to be a 20k erotica but as I wrote, more plot and characters just kept coming to me and it evolved into a whole book.

KR: What is your favorite thing about your debut?

FAE: Straid, the mail main character.

I know a lot of people have strong feelings about sex work and its portrayal, but it felt important to me to have a character who likes her job and feels safe doing it. Without getting too much into it, I’ve worked in various parts of the industry and wanted to make sure I didn’t demonize it in my book, and I think I did a pretty good job of that.

KR: Is there anything in the book that might surprise readers?

FAE: The main character is a sex worker, and her clients are fae. They’re mostly very human, but there’s one who, while still humanoid, is also very snakelike… and his snake tongue definitely comes into play.

KR: How did you decide to self-publish this book and the rest of the series?

FAE: Since it started off as erotica, self-publishing seemed like the obvious way to go. Once it evolved into a novel-length project with more of a plot, I realized I could pursue traditional publication if I wanted to, but I’ve always liked the idea of being an author who does both.

Spicy fae romance tends to do well in indie spaces, and I knew I wanted to write under a pen name since I work with kids and don’t want them to find smut tied to me. Plus, having a little more control means there’s a potential for earning money quicker than in trad. So it just made the most sense on every front for this particular project.

KR: Is there anything you’ve learned on the journey to self-publication that surprised you?

FAE: I knew going in that it would be a lot of work. I’d braced myself for that. But I somehow didn’t fully understand just how much work it would actually be. People say that self-publishing is 30% writing and 70% admin, and that has definitely been the case here.

But honestly, I’m surprised by how much I enjoy a lot of that work, even though I’m having to learn as I go.

KR: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers, either in trad or in self-pub?

FAE: My biggest advice is to find a writing community that supports you. Having friends who understand the ups and downs of writing and who will hold space for you is invaluable. I have friends who are indie, trad, and hobby writers, and I value every single one of them.

My other big piece of advice is to ignore the advice that doesn’t work for you. It can often be worth trying new things, but not everyone is a plotter, not everyone is suited for traditional publishing, not everyone can write a book a year or more. There’s a lot of advice out there and none of it is one-size-fits-all. Let go of the things that don’t work for you!

KR: Can you share 1-3 recent reads and why you’ve loved them?

FAE: Hex and Hexability by Kate Johnson. It’s a regency romcom with magic, and it’s so much fun.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer. It’s an absolutely stunning story about what happens after you return from magical worlds, and what happens to the people left behind.

Things Left Unsaid by G. A. Mazurke. A small town romance that sucked me in right from the beginning.

KR: Is there anything else I should have asked?

FAE: I can be found on most social media platforms with the username @faedenbooks.

Mortal Memories is in Kindle Unlimited, and the paperback is available through indie bookstores, as well as on Amazon (you’ll just have to ask indies to order it for you, but they’re typically happy to do so).

From the shelf 📚

God, but I’m so obsessed with You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian. This book — it’s got it all! A gay baseball player falling for a gay reporter in 1960. Eddie and Mark wormed their way into the depths of my heart and took up residence. There was something so delicious about the book and I don’t quite know how to quanitfy it, but I think my good friend put it well when they said “It’s just one of those books that makes you feel like you’re being embraced.” Please read it.

Alla prossima 👋

It’s been a good week and a blissful weekend, and on the top of my mind remains the fact that multiple genocides continue across the world. Palestine is not free. And that is not something I can forget, even on the days when my life is good.

That’s all for this week, folks!

— Karis xoxo