Author Interview: AJ Moran
Tell us about yourself.
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I used to write extensive storylines for my Barbies to act out with my friends. Then I started writing fanfictions about my favorite couples on shows, while writing original stuff I’ve never published for myself for years. When I realized that writing and publishing was something I could do on my own I took the leap. I self-published my first book in June of 2021 and I have a total of nine books published now.
Tell us about your recently released book.
My most recent release was February 21st, the first in the series Orion’s Daughter. I’ve always been a little obsessed with Greek Mythology and the story of Orion and how he ended up in the stars. So I created a world with a little twist and his ancestors are demon hunters. It follows Samantha as she attempts to capture (not kill) a demon prince and return him to Tartus. She has to fight her growing feelings and fear of falling in love with not one guy but four. It is fast-burn, a slow build, why choose with darker themes. Book two will be out by end of April or early May, and I expect the series to be complete by August.
Who is your favorite character in your book/series? Why?
Awe you are making me choose my favorite? That is like picking a favorite child. I love them all! BUT the ones that have been the most fun to write have been Tristan from Brookview Academy and Bellamy from Orion’s Daughter series. Probably because they both have a few screws loose, and are a bit dangerous to people they don’t care about.
What is your writing process? Show us a day (or week) in the life.
I wake up every day at 5:45 am and I make a coffee before sitting down with my dogs to write uninterrupted until about 7:30 am, I have a sprinting partner that keeps me going and we meet on Discord every morning before I have to go to the day job. I can usually write 10k words per week with that schedule.
What keeps you motivated to write?
My motivation for writing is my love for it. I absolutely love creating stories that I can disappear into, and then releasing them to the world and having other people read them, hopefully experiencing the adventure I’ve created. My dream would be to make it a full-time job.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I work full-time at a credit union, boring and mind numbing, but it does currently pay the bills. In my off time, I spend time with my family and my many pets, and work on marketing and all the financial parts of writing and publishing. I also walk daily, read, and sometimes play video games to unwind.
What subgenres or tropes are your favorites to read?
I love Paranormal or fantasy romance. My favorite trope is enemies to lovers or forced proximity when they don’t ‘like’ each other.
Are you a cat person or a dog person?
I used to very strongly be a cat person. We have three of them. But I also have two dogs and I have discovered that the excitement and loyalty they show is the best in the whole world. We rescued both of our pups, one is a beagle and super judgmental, the other is a husky/lab mix and acts almost exactly like Scooby Doo, afraid of everything.
Where is your perfect reading spot?
Near water somewhere. I love reading at the beach in the summer or at the park in the spring and fall.
What’s your favorite book / #1 comfort re-read / #1 book you recommend?
My favorite book changes all the time. But Aly Beck’s Web of Lies is amazing (the whole series is my favorite read of 2022). And if I’m looking for something that isn’t why choose, I usually will read Sherilynn Kenyon, Holly Black, Karen Marie Moning or Jennifer Armentrout each for different types of stories.
Who or what has had the most influence on you as a writer?
My past influences my stories. I had a rough upbringing, my father was abusive and an alcoholic that threatened to unalive me and my mom when she finally was able to run. We lived in the worst area of Detroit as a white family for six months during a time when white folk were not accepted and were seen very much as the enemy. On new years the local gang targeted our home and shot our windows out at midnight, but it was still safer than being around my dad. Then I was raised by my older sister in hiding for three years. A lot of dark themes tend to sneak into even the happiest stories I write, and I assume it is because of that history, and so much more that happened after that. But all of that is pretty dark.
Where can readers find you online?
