Hello everyone – welcome to Sapphic Fiction February 2024! Make sure to keep checking back here (or on my social media accounts) to read a daily interview with a Sapphic Fiction author, every day in February. Kicking off our month of daily author interviews is the wonderful Erica Lee, author of Every Slow Song, The Truth and 11:59, among others!
Hey Erica. Let's begin with you telling us a little bit about you. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Erica Lee! I am a writer and also an eye doctor. I have been married to my wife for five and a half years (together for eleven) and together we have three pets (dog, bunny, and chinchilla) and a crazy three year old boy. We have fun finding new adventures to go on as a family, but we also love staying home as well.
How did you become an author?
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer. To young Erica, it was never a question that I would grow up to be a writer. As I got older and “wiser,” I convinced myself that wasn’t realistic, so I put writing on the back burner and pursued a different career. After years of undergraduate and optometry school, I was ready to finally do something for myself, so I decided to write again. Once I started, I couldn’t stop, and I was reminded why writing had always been my true passion.
Who’s your favourite character that you’ve ever written?
Choosing my favorite character is like choosing a favorite child. I love them all in their own way, so it’s hard to choose one who stands above the others. If I had to choose, I would say either Kinsley (Sunsets and Shades) or Willow (And Then I Met You), but for entirely different reasons. Kinsley cracked me up the whole time I was writing her story. I like that she’s a lovable asshole, and even though I’m the one writing them, even I don’t see some of her sarcastic remarks coming. Willow is the person I want to live my life like. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I tend to get caught up in the little things and sometimes miss living in the moment. Willow helps to remind me how important it is to take everything in and appreciate what I have.
Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?
If anyone hasn’t experienced writer’s block, I would love to know what their secret is, because I definitely do. I have a few go-to methods if this happens. The first thing I try is discussing the story with a friend. Sometimes talking about what I have and where I’m going with it gets me excited enough to push past the writer’s block. If that’s not working, I’ll put that story aside and switch to another one. If all else fails, I read. Reading romance normally gets me excited about going back to my own characters.
What do you consider to be the hardest part of writing?
Definitely waiting for the characters to talk to me. There are a lot of ups and downs with writing, and you have to learn to be okay with that. There will be weeks when I write five thousand words a day and then other weeks where I struggle to get to one hundred. I had to learn to be okay with that and take it as it comes.
And how about the most rewarding?
The most rewarding part of writing is when people reach out to me to tell me what the book meant to them. My characters and their stories always become a big part of me so hearing that they meant something to someone else as well means more than anyone will ever understand.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had listened to, either in life or with regards to being an author?
I don’t think I was actually given this advice, but if I could go back, this is the advice I would give myself. Being a writer is not unrealistic. It’s not a pipe dream. Don’t let others make you believe it isn’t something you should pursue. It IS a real job, and to do a job you are passionate about is truly magical.
You’re putting together a party. Which characters from the Sapphic Fiction genre would you invite?
Don’t tell my wife, but I would totally invite all of my book crushes. Actually, come to think of it, my wife would probably just say, “Get it girl.” Anyway, I would invite Bennett Burke from Then and Now by Monica McCallan, Blair Bennett from Hammers, Strings, and Beautiful Things by Morgan Lee Miller, Jordan Tuscana from How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden, and Gianna Mäkinen from On the Same Page by Haley Cass. My whole reasoning is the fact that I’m in love with all of them.
Is there anyone you’d like to highlight, while you’re here?
There’s so many people I could mention here. It’s hard to stick to just one. I’m going to go a different route this time and boost the cover artist for my book, 11:59. Everyone needs to follow kindle.reads.kindle on instagram. She is absolutely amazing. Her artwork never ceases to blow me away.
How can people connect with you?
I’m EricaLeeAuthor on pretty much all social media, except on TikTok I’m EricaLee_Author :)
Finally a light-hearted one. What ice cream flavours and toppings would you put together in your ultimate sundae?
Chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter ice cream with hot fudge, peanut butter sauce, and whipped cream.
Thank you, Erica! That's one hell of a sundae...
If you enjoyed this interview, then make sure you’re following my social media accounts (@kblakemanwriter on Twitter and @katherineblakemanwriter on Instagram) to get all the latest updates! And if you want to support my own Sapphic Fiction journey while you’re here, The Summer We’ve Had is available now, and Love You However is coming on March 22nd!
