Interview with Sèphera Girón

Sèphera Girón is a multi talented artist with a background in stage, film, and music as well as writing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Arts Studies with a minor in Psychology from York University and is the author of many books and short stories.

When Sèphera isn't writing, she's a professional tarot card reader. She also holds Certificates in Reiki and Touch for Health.

She writes the horoscope for RomanceDailyNews.

When did you first start writing?

I was very young, likely before kindergarten. My first musings concerned squirrels and dogs being hit by cars and lying on the side of the road dead or dying. I guess I was cut out to be a horror writer. 

What's the story behind your latest book?

I’m working on the “Taurus” book for my Witch Upon a Star series. This one concerns a horror anthology TV show that is shooting in the witch town of Hermana and wouldn’t you know it, the Taurus witch’s favorite crush from the show is right there in her town. She will meet him and share a broomstick ride with him. The story behind it is of course based on my own wishful thinking personal celebrity crushes. That’s the fun of being a writer! 

If this is part of a series, how did you come up with the idea for the series?

The Witch Upon a Star series combines my love of witchcraft, horror, mystery, romance and erotica. As an astrologer, it seemed like a cool idea to feature one astrological sign per book and explore the witch behind it. Each book is a complete story unto itself so you can pick up any book in the series and not feel like you missed anything.

What motivated you to become an indie author?

As publishing companies crash and burn or just plain shift, I decided to take some of my out of print books and stories and publish them on my own. I do it more to understand the process and see how it’s done. Certainly, I’m still old school and would prefer a publisher to deal with all the specifics of getting a book ready for publication; developmental editing, copy editing, line editing, proofreading, formatting, designing the cover and other book matter, and getting it out there. But it’s interesting to see how it all works.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

I love to entertain people, so it makes me happy when people read one of my books. I think my favorite part of the process is getting the final draft into shape as the hard writing has been done and now it’s just a matter of making sure it’s readable.

Which other authors have most influenced or inspired your writing?

Stephen King

Clive Barker

Mary Shelly

Sylvia Plath

Emily Dickenson

Yes, my list looks like someone who grew up in the seventies!

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What is the first book that made you cry?

I don’t know what is the very first book that made me cry as I began reading at a very young age. However, I do remember that Beautiful Joe made me cry when I read it on a stormy day in Maine when I was very young, and it also was one of many books that inspired me to be a writer.

Describe your writing process.

Each book or story uses a different process. However, I will say that I still use cue cards to keep track of “big picture” concepts and that I tend to write most first drafts with a pen and paper. I rarely write a story in order unless there’s a very short deadline. I use baby name books or baby name websites to pick character names. 

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in London, Ontario, and my parents are classical musicians. People say that my work often has a musical quality to it, and I attribute that to being a classically trained violinist in a house that always had (classical) music playing. Living in a small town (which London was in the seventies) I yearned for the Big City. I also spent summers in the woods in Maine as a kid as most of my mom’s side relatives were there. Summers in Maine were likely a huge influence towards me being a horror writer. There’s a reason King is a horror writer. If you’ve ever spent any time in the woods in Maine, you know what I mean!

What are you currently working on?

I just spent a couple of years focusing on the craft of the short story. I think I’m finished with that now and am ready to get back into writing novels, my real passion. I have several books to write for the Witch Upon a Star series. I’m also working on a couple of horror books and a science fiction novel. 

What drives you to keep on writing?

I’m not sure. There might be some kind of implant in me as it’s a difficult way to earn a living, yet I continue to do it.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Keep on writing. There’s no secret handshake or special formula, it’s all about tenacity.

What is the one thing you want your readers to know about your books?

I write to entertain you, not to make you unlock weird language puzzles or spin your head with dry concepts. My books have a beginning, middle, and an end. My Witch Upon a Star series can be read in any order. You don’t know to read the series from the beginning. Each book stands on its own in the WUAS world.

Horoscope

February is Black History month, Women in Horror Month and of course, is the month for Valentine’s Day. Check your horoscope to see if love is in the stars for you this month. Even if you can’t get out in the world for now, you can make connections online. Also, if you do work with the community, you can expand your circle of friends and meet new people. Whether you are still in lockdown or not, you can still connect with people through the internet and phone or even standing outside socially distanced. Don’t forget to check up on friends who live alone, they might be lonely but not sure how to reach out. 

To celebrate Women in Horror month, Sèphera will be reading from her own horror work on her Twitch channel on Thursday, February 11 at 7 pm EST.  It’s free and will be fun! 

If you’re interested in a free tarot card reading, follow Sèphera on Twitch for Tarot Tuesday and other

times she’s online.

Thanksgiving needs a marketing do-over. It should be the sexiest time of the year when you consinder that we get four full days off from work, too much good food and drink, football, left-overs, binge-watching, and the intoxicating rush of shopping, either in the flesh or online, for presents for others and yourself. And maybe even a trip back home to rekindle old flames. 

In this novella sequel to the Magic University series, Christmas Magic picks up the tale a few months after the end of The Poet and the Prophecy, at Christmas time. And who better to tell a Christmas tale than Frost? After the cataclysmic events that shook the magical world, it's time for Frost to come to grips with the changes in his magic and his body--with the help of the people who love him most.

Who doesn’t love some holiday smut? It’s one of the greatest pleasures of the season. There’s just something about the season that turns me on, and makes me think wicked good thoughts. I don’t know – maybe it’s the metaphoric possibilities – Santa’s lap, stockings filled with goodies, naughty or nice? Christmas just makes me feel giddy and nasty in a wholesomely bad way.

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