Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher | Debut Friday

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Hey everyone! Welcome to Debut Friday!

For today’s feature, I chatted with Ashley Schumacher, the author of "Amelia Unabridged", a YA Contemporary standalone with a hint of magic that will be released on February 16, 2021.

Read ahead to see what Ashley has to say about her publishing journey, her debut novel and her best advice for aspiring debut authors!

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1. First off, congratulations on being published! How does it feel to be in the final steps of becoming a published author?

Ashley: Publishing is such a long process. Amelia Unabridged sold in January of 2019, so it’s a bit surreal to be so close to publication!

2. From what I've heard, the publishing process was not an easy journey. What was the hardest part of the process for you and what did you learn from it?

Ashley: I think the hardest part of publishing is the vulnerability that comes with sharing art. It’s difficult to let a piece of yourself go out into the world to be read and judged. That being said, good critique partners and a writerly support system make the emotional landmines of querying and submission much easier!

3. Did you have any finished manuscripts before you started on "Amelia Unabridged"?

Ashley: Amelia Unabridged is my first completed book.

4. What's the one thing you wished you knew about the publishing process?

Ashley: I thought that once I had an agent or a book deal that writing would get easier. Ha. Writing is always going to take effort and come with rejection and insecurities, no matter the stage. I have friends who have been in the industry for years and they still struggle with this.

5. Let’s talk about your debut novel! What was the main inspiration behind "Amelia Unabridged"?

Ashley: This book was a love letter to so many of my favorite things: Bookstores and booksellers, small towns, found families, reading, and misbehaving dogs. I wanted to capture the feeling of being at a big juncture in your life and having so much outside input that it is difficult to find the right path forward, but I wanted to do it through the lens of the stories we read.

6. How did the title "Amelia Unabridged" came along?

Ashley: When it was time for me to query, I still didn’t have a title. I had been calling it Amelia throughout my entire writing process. Thankfully, my husband came up with this title in the final hour and I was able to query with the title Amelia Unabridged.

7. Describe "Amelia Unabridged" in 5 words in one sentence.

Ashley: Stories can bring us home.

8. Alongside your debut novel, give a shout-out to some of your fellow 2021 YA debut authors and their debut novels that readers should check out!

Ashley: There are SO many wonderful debut books coming out next year, but here are just a handful from my pre-order list:

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood, Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone, The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould, Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica Olson, Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft, and Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan.

9. As a debut author, what is your best advice to those who wants to become a published author someday?

Ashley: Find excellent critique partners! There are so many ways to connect with other writers: Online, in-person writing and book events, workshops, seminars, etc. Critique partners are going to be the backbone of your editing process, even when you find an agent and become published, but they’re also wonderful support systems and friends.

10. And my last question! For the readers who are still hesitating to pick up "Amelia Unabridged", why do you think they should give it a go?

Ashley: I have a lot of answers to this, but the primary one is this story has a semi-magical bookstore and a no good, very bad dog who drinks coffee even though he shouldn’t.

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Thank you so much for reading for reading today's feature!

A huge shout-out to Ashley for being a part of Debut Friday!

You can follow her on her Instagram (@ashwritesbooks).

And don't forget to add "Amelia Unabridged" to your Goodreads!

You can click here to add it.