Author Spotlight: Teri Polen

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I know it’s only the start of the week, but hey, why not hit the ground running? 🥳 If you’re looking for a new author to check out, look no further than our guest for today, the wonderful Teri Polen! I think a lot of us can relate to her — she reads and watches horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, and she’s a fan of The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, and anything Marvel-related. Sarah, her debut novel, was named a horror finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Grab your coffee or favorite beverage, and let’s have a chat with Teri! 😊

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Got a story to share about your querying and publication journey?

I’m not self-pubbed, but consider myself an indie author since I’m with a small, independent publisher. It’s an unusual story in that I didn’t query them – they found me. I’d been querying other agents, and one requested I upload the first few chapters of my book to a website only he would have access to. The website name escapes me right now. Anyhoo, nothing happened with that agent, but a few weeks later the website asked if I wanted to make my book “discoverable” for a month, meaning any agents or publishers would be able to read it. I figured there was nothing to lose, so I said sure. Soon after, my publisher contacted me and before long I was offered a contract. But I also did my time in the query trenches like most writers. I’d thought about trying for one of the Big Five, but I consider myself to be a slow writer, and I like not having that pressure on me to produce a book on someone else’s schedule. My publisher lets me set the pace.

What has been your most unforgettable experience (good or bad) as an author?

The first time someone said they’d read my book and told me how much they’d enjoyed it. There’s nothing like knowing readers love your characters as much as you do.

Who do you think you inspire? If not, who and what do you want to inspire?

I don’t know that I inspire anyone, but being a young adult author, I’d love to inspire more teens to read. Especially teen boys. I write from a teenage boy perspective – sounds weird, but I raised sons and speak the language.

What character archetype would you be if you were a character in a book, movie or TV series?

I’d definitely be the nerdy, no-nonsense, too-curious-for-my-own-good type of character. Sometimes I jump into things before I’ve completely thought them through. I trust my instincts.

What kind of animal character would you be in your story, and why?

A black cat! I’ve known several, and all of them have stolen my heart. I’d also have nine lives, so there’s that.

If you were not doing what you are doing now, what activity or hobby would be keeping you busy?

Reading, reading, and reading! I’ve loved to read from a young age and could probably do it all day. I also work out regularly – weights, yoga, cardio machines, and love movies and Legos.

What do you consider as your weakness, and have you done anything to overcome it?

Like most writers, I’m an introvert. Not a fan of crowds, parties, casual conversation, etc. But books don’t sell themselves, so I’ve made a big effort to be more visible on social media. Some days it really feels like a chore, but I’ve also made some wonderful online friends that way.

Anything else you want to tell your fans, our readers, and the writing/reading/blogging community at large?

The Insurgent releases 5/19/22 and wraps up The Colony Series. The character I’d thought would be the center of this book never stepped up, but another one took over the story and became the driving force. And it made complete sense. I’ve had my fifth book rolling around in my head for over two years, and it’s demanding attention. While my last three releases have been YA sci-fi/dystopian, the next one will be a supernatural/paranormal like my first book, Sarah.

Thanks so much for having me here today, Marie!

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If a megalomaniac threatened your family, would you give up your freedom for them? Would you give up your soul?

Asher Solomon is faced with that choice. And makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Exactly as Director Silas Reeves expected him to.

Unable to live as the Colony’s premier assassin, Ash retreats to a corner of his mind, ceding control of his body to the alter-ego he was engineered to be—Subject A36. As he’s unleashed to battle the Insurgents, the only family he ever knew, the tide of war shifts in Silas’s favor.

Combined with his expansion into new territories, the director is poised to take over the world.

But the Insurgents don’t give up easily. Not on their cause, and not on their people. With the help of a few double agents deep in the Colony, they stand a fighting chance at ending Silas’s reign.

In order to shut down the program, they face almost insurmountable odds. And their most dangerous foe—their former champion turned killing machine, A36.

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