On January 2024, I finally got accepted to receive an ARC from LoveNotes PR. My first ever ARC as a very small bookstgrammer who had no idea what she was getting herself into (said positively) and I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe that little old me was going to get a book, for free !? to read ?! to review ?!. 

That ARC was for The Road Not Taken by Emily Tudor. 

My initial review started as: 

"A note to all readers: don’t read this on an airplane because you WILL CRY."

(you can see my full review of both Hart Sister books here and here. spoilers are in both reviews) 

And oh boy did Emily Tudor make me cry. Not only with Liv Hart but then with Bree Hart in The Road Less Travelled. AND THEN again with her Grand Mountain series. Every single thing Emily writes is beautifully crafted with deeply wonderful characters that any young woman will see herself in. 

Emily is a deeply kind and caring individual who puts so much heart and passion into and around her stories. She is a beautiful writer who crafts her words so carefully, especially when dealing with sensitive topics such as grief and trauma. I am honoured that Em answered my questions and I was able to highlight one of my favourite authors out there. 

You can find all of Emily's books here: https://www.authoremilytudor.com/. 

Thank you to Emily for answering my questions 💕

Who are you and what sort of books do you write? 

My name is Emily Tudor and I’m a 23 year old indie author who writes romance novels that span from college to post-grad.

How did you get into storytelling?

I’ve always found writing to be something I loved. I was always writing in my journal as a kid and I actually wrote fanfiction on wattpad when I was a teenager. But I really took the leap when I wrote a screenplay with one of my friends when I was in college. I realized I loved to tell stories, and I love crafting a narrative around certain characters. It was fun for me, being able to do that, and that’s kind of where it all began.

How do you find the time and motivation to write?

It’s actually quite hard sometimes! Like a lot of other indie authors, I have a full-time day job that takes up a lot of my writing time during the week, so trying to manoeuvre that schedule with all of the other parts of life can be hard at times. I try to make the most of my weekends, and if the motivation for writing isn't popping up how it normally is, I’ll put my energy elsewhere whether it be making posts or any other admin tasks that come with being an indie author.

What is your writing process like?

It’s a bit chaotic, at least that is how I would describe it! Normally, my books and characters start with me daydreaming while listening to music or some sort of media. I like to form my books around my characters so they usually come first and the plot sort of falls into place.

As for tackling a first draft, I am an outliner to my core. I don’t think I could ever just write with no idea where the rest of the story is headed, so I usually outline chapter by chapter, that way I can see the story through all of its parts. And most of the time, I write in order of the chapters, but occasionally I can bounce around depending on my mood that day

What are the highs and lows in being an Indie Author? 

One of the highs for me is being able to connect so closely with the people who read my books. It’s genuinely the best part about it, and whenever I get a message from someone actively reading one of my books, I get so excited. I wouldn't have a career if people didn't read my books, so I’m always excited to chat with people who read my books.

A low I would say is having to do it all myself—even on the days I want to disappear from the internet. As an indie, I don’t have a publisher backing me with a huge marketing budget, and that does weigh on me sometimes. The highs definitely outweigh the lows, but sometimes I feel like I’m shouting into a void and that can be disheartening. 

Of all your novels, which is your favourite? And which of your characters is your favourite/do you relate to the most? 

My favorite novel is The Road Not Taken. And subsequently my favorite character I’ve related to the most was Olivia from that novel. I took a lot of my own feelings and experiences about post-grad and threw them into her character, and it helped me sort through my own feelings and experiences as I wrote her story. She will always be a favorite of mine, and thankfully, a lot of people can relate to her, too.

Do you ever steal elements of real life people and add them to your characters? 

Oh my goodness, of course! I’ll never take a name or full personalities from people I know, but I have taken bits and pieces for certain characters. Sometimes it helps having a real life scenario to work from!

How important are book reviews to an indie author? 

They are so so important. Not only does it help to push our books further into the world, but reviews help to spread the word for indies to a different audience than just the one we build up. That momentum and word of mouth does wonders. It’s truly one of the most important things about indie books. 

What’s your favourite book? 

My favorite book of all time is Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

Who is your biggest inspiration? 

I would say the circle of indie authors I surround myself with. Truly nobody keeps me going more than my friends who are constantly reminding me that my books, characters, and words matter. This industry can feel so isolating at times because you’re always in your own head and in your own manuscript. Being able to have the type of hype girls I have around me are the biggest forms of inspiration for me. I love seeing how they work, how they plot, and I’m fortunate that we all share secrets. It makes me feel like I’m in a cool club or something!

What important advice would you give a first-time author?

I would say that it’s not a race. If you have that itch to write, don’t just rush it and try to get your book out as soon as you can. Really take the time to polish it off and make the story as perfect as it can be. I know publishing is ever changing, but it truly is not a race.

And if you struggle with thinking the book you want to write has already been written—I can promise you, it hasn't been. I always tell people when I write certain tropes or books that those are my version of the tropes, and my version of the story. 

Promote your work in as many words as you’d like:

I would say to anyone who wants to feel a little less alone, or to anyone who craves characters they can maybe relate to, check out my books. They have varying spice levels, but they’re all full of heart, found family, and swoony characters you’ll want to be best friends with—I’m biased, of course!

In three words, what’s your next book about? 

Brothers best friend… tehe.

You can find Emily Tudor on Instagram and via her website.