Akemi Dawn Bowman Book Club Part 2!

Hello, welcome back to part 2 of this mammoth post about our wonderful book club visit from Akemi Dawn Bowman. If you haven’t read Part 1 you can check it out here

This second part will be more focussed on Akemi’s writing style and process, and centres around questions she was asked about other elements of writing, including getting published!

Akemi was asked what her writing process consists of, and she told us that she does the majority of her writing when her children are asleep, which she says is quite a stressful method. She will write for 3 or 4 months straight while on deadline, then crash spectacularly afterwards. She was also asked if she had any tips for anyone else wanting to become a writer themselves, and she laughingly told us that she finds this question very difficult to answer! But she did manage to give some great tips, including not to quit, and to write everyday, even if it’s only a sentence or two, it all counts, and it all adds up to a finished piece of writing. Akemi also told us that over the 5 books she has written she’s had around 800 rejections, and that this is something you have to become comfortable with and accepting of if you wish to be a writer because it is inevitable. Even the very best writers get rejected, and it doesn’t mean you are destined to fail. She also stated that a thick skin is equally as important, both in regards to getting rejection, and in the criticism and comments your writing will receive. Not everyone will like what you have written, as everyone has different likes and dislikes, but this doesn’t mean that no-one will like your writing!

One of the bookclub members was interested about agents, and how Akemi got her agent. Akemi was living in the UK while she was searching for an agent, and eventually found a US based agent, even though she was based in the UK herself. She stated that the location didn’t matter when it came to finding an agent, she applied to both UK and US agents before she found hers.

We also had a fascinating discussion about Akemi’s book covers and how beautiful they always are. Akemi was asked if she has any say in the design of the covers, and she told us she has no say at all! Starfish and Summer Bird Blue were designed by Sarah Creech, and they are both wonderful designs, and work together as a pair. Interestingly Akemi’s next book Harley in the Sky is designed by Heather Palisi-Reyes and edited by Sarah J. Coleman. You can see the difference in this cover compared to the previous two, and it’s interesting how a differently designed cover can make the novel feel like a slightly different direction for the author, and represent a new series of writings.

Akemi was also asked about what stage she names the characters, at the beginning of the novel, or does she leave the naming until the end? Her answer was unequivocal, she has the names of her main characters decided at the beginning, they don’t change. When she has to think of names for side and minor characters, she uses baby name websites to give her inspiration.

In addition to Harley in the Sky which is being published in March next year, Akemi also let us know that she is currently working on a sci-fi novel, which is her favourite genre, and what she used to write. This new novel is still in the early writing stage, but she hopes it will be published in 2021, and I am very excited to read it because sci-fi is one of my favourite genres to read, and I know she will do a wonderful job of any novel she writes!!

After the discussions had finished, Akemi very kindly signed books for everyone, and she had brought along some gorgeous prints of the characters from Starfish and Summer Bird Blue for everyone. These were a lovely touch, and they look brilliant next to the books!

Having Akemi to visit the shop was lovely, she was brilliant and so kind to everyone, stopping to chat to every one, and sign everything she was given. Her insights into her characters and her writing process was fascinating, and hopefully she will visit the shop again soon!

Happy reading!!