Today we’d like to introduce you to Delilah S. Dawson.
Hi Delilah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My family is originally from Roswell. If you know Bowen Road, we were the Bowens, apparently. I grew up in Roswell, where I was an artist, valedictorian, and slam poet. For college, I went to UGA, where I earned a degree in studio art in 1999. As it turns out, that was a pretty useless degree, and I had a difficult time finding a job that could leverage my arts administration skills. I became a stay-at-home mom when my daughter was born in 2006, and after my son was born in 2008, he stopped sleeping. So did I. Running on maybe three hours of sleep a night and caring for two kids under 3 all day, I started to fall apart. My husband Craig told me I needed more sleep– and a hobby. Something just for me that could work as a creative outlet and take me out of my Mommy headspace. He suggested I write a book. My brain was so frazzled at that point that I figured, why not? So I wrote a book while my baby nursed in my lap and after midnight, when everyone was asleep. After a few months, I had a book–a terrible book. I learned how to query a manuscript online, and although no literary agents wanted to represent that train wreck, I wrote another book, and that one earned an agent. My third book, Wicked as They Come, sold as a series to Simon & Schuster and was published in March 2012. Since then, I’ve published over seventeen books, multiple comics, and short stories galore. I’ve written for Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Disney, IDW, and Boom. I hit the New York Times bestseller list in 2017 with Star Wars Phasma. When I was younger, I always felt like an artist who could never find her body of work, but once I started writing and discovered my voice, I knew I’d found my calling.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As far as I know, working the arts is rarely smooth. Publishing is a very challenging industry with horrifically low odds. They say fewer than 1 out of 1000 writers finds a literary agent, and even then, selling a book is never a guarantee–plus, most books never earn out. I almost fell for a predatory vanity press right out of the gate. My first book series tanked when my publisher got in a fight with Barnes & Noble and my second book was blacklisted on launch day. I’ve written complete books that didn’t sell or were fatally flawed. And since you’ve probably never heard of me, it’s clear I haven’t reached Stephen King status. Luckily, all along the way, my husband has been terrifically supportive, and I’ve been fortunate to work with incisive agents and incredible editors and inspiring publishing professionals. I always tell new writers that it’s not over until you are. Even if you think your career is circling the drain, no one can stop you from writing. You can take a pen name or self publish, switch genres or mediums. Being a writer isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I mainly write genre novels. Science fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Western, Thriller. I’ve written for adults, teens, and kids. I write my own, creator-owned stories, and I’ve also written for properties like Star Wars, Spider-Man, Firefly, Adventure Time, The X-Files, Labyrinth, Rick & Morty, Hellboy, and more. Lots of writers choose one genre and stick with it, but I knew from the start that I would skip around. I’m known for a mixture of whimsy and violence in my books, although it’s definitely a sliding scale. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I’m proud and honored to get to be part of that galaxy, and I enjoy killing my friends in Star Wars books as a running joke–including my husband. My latest Star Wars book, Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire, was a unique project written as an introduction to the Galaxy’s Edge theme park in both Disney resorts. I had the pleasure of learning about that world before most fans new it existed, and I was able to create stories that are part of the land now, including the character Vi Moradi, who visitors can actually meet. But I’m most proud of my upcoming book, The Violence, a thriller about a pandemic of random, brutal violence that was in part based on the domestic abuse in my childhood home. I guess most writers are proud of their latest book, but this one was really personal for me.
How do you think about happiness?
My favorite thing in the world is to have adventures. I love going to conferences and comicons and exploring whatever new city I’m in. I’ve ridden camels, swam with whale sharks, taken flying trapeze lessons, gone ziplining, caught a shark, held a koala, eaten gelato with a baron, met Mark Hamill, and stuffed myself with the weirdest gluten-free cuisine I can find. I love trying new restaurants with my husband. I love the ocean. I love laughing with my kids. I love hiking in Roswell’s gorgeous parks. I love Olympic weightlifting. I love mountain biking. I love pottery classes–although I’m not very good at it. I love gluten-free cake and interesting craft cocktails and pork belly. Just like when I was a weird, lonely kid, I love getting caught in a good book. And I love first drafting my own books, getting caught in the manic, obsessive tornado of flow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.delilahsdawson.com
- Instagram: @delilahsdawson
- Twitter: @delilahsdawson
