Hey book bestie!
Welcome to the third edition of the interview series. It’s a series where I get the incredible opportunity to talk to some amazing bookish creatives. Today, we’re chatting with author Alice Brooks.
I stumbled upon Alice’s debut on Instagram, and it sounded so interesting and cool.
Hope you enjoy the interview!
Jessica: Tell us about yourself in 3-5 sentences.
Alice: I’m an indie author who likes to write about mental health, queer characters and character exploration. I’m 23 years old and I’m releasing my debut, Don’t Trust the Raven, on June 1st. Outside of writing, I really enjoy video games, modeling, art, fashion and everything weird-core.
Jessica: What country are you based out of?
Alice: I’m German. I was born in the southwest of Germany, close to France, now I live in central Germany.
Jessica: When and how did you get into writing books?
Alice: I started writing fan-fiction and prose when I was about 12 years old or so. I did it for a few years, and then dropped it again for a long time. I only picked it back up in 2023 when I began writing fanfiction again (specifically for Stranger Things) and eventually moved on to short stories. I participated in online contests (even got fifth place in one!) until I decided that short stories weren’t cutting it for me.
The final decision to start writing a book came from a Reedsy livestream about editing; someone in the comment section wrote “A sh*tty draft is better than no draft at all”, and somehow, that gave me the push I needed to begin writing my first ever book, which will never be released. It was amazing just to see that I could do it.
Jessica: What inspired you to write your debut, Don’t Trust the Raven? Can you tell us what it’s about?
Alice: Honestly, I didn’t have one specific event that set off my process of writing Don’t Trust the Raven. I wanted to write something about a naive protagonist who encounters a charming antagonist.
It’s about Ellie, who has no control over her life. From a toxic relationship to a home that carries her trauma, she feels trapped and alone; even more so when her sister Mallory moves out. When Ellie discovers that she can enter and manipulate dreams–not just her own, but those of other people too–she uses this ability to take back control over her life. Taught by Aura, a beautiful inhabitant of the Dreamscapes, Ellie learns to be in charge of herself. But then strange visions begin invading her mind and an eerily familiar woman from a story Mallory made up years ago starts talking to her in riddles. Ellie realizes there is more to her perfect safe haven than meets the eye; and she must decide which path to take and who to trust.
The chapters are interrupted from time to time with scattered journal entries designed to make you wonder who is telling the truth and what’s really happening to Ellie. Find out who to trust and learn the truth.
Jessica: What made you decide to self-publish your debut? How did you stumble upon the indie author community on social media?
Alice: Initially, I wanted to go the traditional route. My dream is to see my books displayed on a shelf of any bookshop. As I looked more and more into it, I started to like the idea of self-publishing more. It’s expensive and a lot of work, but I like being in control over my creative choices. Nobody can decide which cover to use but me. I’m in charge of deciding who edits my book and how to sell it. It comes with its downsides, but I think it’s definitely the right route for me.
Meeting the community came on its own with writing a book. People found my work fairly quickly, the right audience always makes its way to you. I’m also part of a few Discord servers for authors, and Threads is a game changer in the social media world when it comes to finding the right audience and like-minded people.
Jessica: What’s your favorite part of the self-publishing process? (ex: writing the first draft, editing, cover design, etc.)
Alice: The first draft, tied with cover design. I’ve made so many covers for books that I haven’t even written yet; it’s such a fun way to be creative and motivate myself. I also just love punching my keyboard.
Jessica: Has your writing style changed since publishing your debut?
Alice: Well, it’s not published yet (June 1st!), but since I finished writing it, I’ve definitely realized that I’m more of a pantser than a plotter, meaning I work best without a concrete outline. For my debut, I meticulously planned every detail. Everything I have written since has been 98% vibes and 2% coherent ideas. For me, structure comes later. I’ll edit after the whole idea is out of my brain.
Jessica: What tagline would you give yourself as an author?
Alice: “Scatterbrained lesbian writer with a Stranger Things obsession and a love for everything pink.”
Jessica: Are there other genres that you want to explore in future books?
Alice: Absolutely, yes. I’m already sort of doing that. Don’t Trust the Raven is a mystery and low fantasy; and with my other works that aren’t out yet, I’m more leaning towards character exploration, and I’m dabbling a bit in soft horror. Right now, I just want to find out what works best for me, and write what’s most fun for me to write. One day, I would also love to write a Choose your own adventure story, but for adults, and make it super gay.
Jessica: Tell us your top 3 favorite tropes to write about.
Alice: Oh, that’s hard. I think Grumpy x Sunshine is definitely at the top. I also like the There’s only one bed trope; I’ve only ever written it once, but I had fun with it. And, this may not even be a trope, but the classic “women being told they can’t do something, then they do it anyways.” This is something I haven’t done in any of my promoted or talked-about works yet, but in some smaller projects I’ve tried it out, and I love it.
Jessica: Can you give us 3 book recommendations written by indie authors?
Alice: Storm Captain by E.L. Reeves, Frostbyte by N.S. Chaudhury, and When No One Was Listening by Haley Valenta.
Jessica: What can readers look forward to from you this year?
Alice: First and foremost, of course, my debut Don’t Trust the Raven. The e-book can already be preordered while the paperback will be available starting on June 1st.
I’m also working on a second standalone book right now; it’s a murder comedy focused on character exploration about a murderer who dies and convinces the Grim Reaper to give him another chance to make up for his actions. They embark on a journey on the search for forgiveness—if that’s even on the table—and form unexpected bonds. I can’t tell you the title yet, but I’m hoping to release that one by the end of 2025 or early 2026, depending on how my schedule works out.
Jessica: What do you do in your free time when you’re not working on author-related things?
Alice: I really like to do modeling as a hobby; as in, my friends are good photographers and like to take pictures of me, and I like to stand in front of the camera. I’m also always down for a day trip, and sometimes I just like to play some video games. One highlight of my week outside of writing is always the day I spend with my roommate; it’s just an evening of cooking and watching a show together, but it’s a great way of taking a break from work.
Jessica: What advice would you give to aspiring authors out there?
Alice: Two things that I’d say are most important.
Firstly, getting started is the hardest part. You need to muster up the courage to begin typing the words, even if they’re not perfect. Even if they’re bad. Take the first step and remember that all your favorite books were once blank pages.
Secondly, don’t start writing your first book with the intent to make money. The publishing industry is fascinating, but competitive. You need to write your first draft to get the story out, not to please anybody. If you only focus on how you’re going to market or publish, it’ll drain you. Take your time with it, enjoy the process, worry about the rest later.
Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Alice! You can find her on Instagram and Threads. Her debut novel, Don’t Trust the Raven, releases on June 1st.
Join me on my author journey by following me on Instagram and Threads.