Indie Support Sunday: AJ Somers
- Jan 25
- 11 min read
I always love hearing stories about how authors/writers got their start thanks to a teacher when they were a kid. And that’s exactly how we’ve been blessed with AJ Somers’s stories—a 7th grade teacher encouraged her to keep writing! And she’s been doing it ever since, including publishing the first in a series that I cannot wait to dive into soon.
Her Amongst Desolation series was inspired by AJ’s love for zombies and apocalyptic situations. Mix that with romance and you have a series that sounds so damn good. It’s only after AJ mentioned it that I realised there are so few apocalyptic romances, so I need more people to dive into this and give us action-packed stories full of chaos and love that we so clearly want!
Even though romance might not have her primary genre for a long time, it’s what AJ writes these days. However, if she was ever to write something else, it would definitely go into the suspense or mystery genres.
Valor Amidst Decay is the first book in the series with Chivalry In Chaos releasing this March! You can get your copies everywhere you buy books.
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
I started writing when I was only in middle school. It was the one thing I had that helped me navigate depression and a lot of the long-term trauma I had to navigate. At first I didn’t think of it as anything but an outlet but I had a teacher in the 7th grade who inspired me to continue creative writing. She took notice of my stories and encouraged me to feed that talent. I like to think because of her, I really allowed myself to see it as a talent and art form instead of therapy on paper.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
One of the best parts of being an indie author is the community. While I know there are some wild things that happen in the author community at times, I feel lucky enough to have found some amazing peers who have supported me and continue to uplift each other.
The worst part of being an Indie author I’d say is how much goes into it. While the freedom is amazing, it can be exhausting when you need to be your own admin, marketing team, accountant, etc. It’s become a full-time job and can be a little rough while working full-time outside of being an author and having kiddos or other responsibilities.
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
There were a few reasons, but the biggest was the freedom and having complete creative control. To be honest, I didn’t consider trad publishing at first when I started working on my debut, and I didn’t really know what goes into that process. My amazing developmental editor actually gave me a little to think about in terms of deciding and as I started my route to self publishing and learned what went into trad publishing, I was happy with my decision. While starting off trad works for so many, I knew it wasn’t for me.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I wish I could say I had a whole process to get inspired but I don’t have any big process to help me out. Usually listening to music or even watching some movies can help if I’m feeling creative burnout. But most of my ideas and creative moments hit me when I’m zoning out into music, especially if I’m driving!
If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?
This is such a hard question because there are so many amazing reads and I am the worst kind of mood reader haha! But right now, I’ve been raving about Olive Winter’s debut novella, Ready Or Not. It’s perfect for those who love spicy contemporary romance. I also gush over Rare by Natalie Ashee. It’s a spicy romantic suspense! But another one I love to recommend that would fit a little closer to my own genre in terms of apocalyptic, is How We End by LM Juniper. It’s set during the Zombie Apocalypse and somehow has a wonderful blend of cozy moments and thrilling ones. It’s such a fun read.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
First I’d say, don’t worry about the logistics. Just start getting those words down on the paper. Once you start and feel a little more comfortable with where you’re at, you can start making a publishing plan!
Your first draft isn’t going to be perfect so don’t stress about editing it as you go. The most important thing is just getting your ideas out there. It’s a lot easier going back after to start reworking things.
Take advantage of sample edits with editors and don’t feel bad when you need to let them know you may not be compatible. Every editor has their own voice and how they work, just like us authors! Not everyone will be the match for you and that’s okay. I can be a huge people pleaser so it was hard at first but we have to remember, our books are an extension of ourselves and we want it to be the best it can be. Finding an editor with an editing style that works for you is a game changer.
Don’t be afraid to reach out and build those connections. Trust me, as an awkward neurospicy introvert, this was so hard for me but I am so glad I pushed myself to get out there. I have met amazing peers who not only supported me since the beginning but have helped teach me so many amazing things. Having those friendships really helped me become a better author and I am incredibly thankful for all the connections I’ve made.
Lastly, don’t let low sales numbers or ARC numbers/reviews discourage you. While some debut authors hit some huge milestones right off the bat, for most of us it’s a small start and that’s okay! The best advice I was given was that self publishing is a long game thing. Just keep publishing your books! That’s the best way to market yourself and build a readership. My debut had a smaller following but I saw each reader as a win because for a debut author who had no following prior, I think finding those who are excited about us newbies is such a gift.
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
Funny enough, I didn’t start off as a romance reader but enjoyed a little romance thrown into stories. But gradually, I wanted more and more romance in the books I read. I realized, I love the complexity and beauty in human connection and how those building relationships can look different for everyone. I wanted to write the complex and messy human stories and bring hope and love in even the darkest parts of everyone’s individual journey. I’m a sucker for love in the darkness so to speak.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
A lot of my ideas/WIPs are suspenseful/action packed so I’d say if I were to journey out of the romance genre it would be suspense or maybe even mystery. I’ve actually been considering doing children's books under a new pen name..
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
They actually change sometimes but my current faves are forced proximity, accidental pregnancy, morally gray MCs, and touch them and unalive. My least favorite but isn’t a deal breaker and I tend to read them anyway, is large age-gaps. Another least fave is cheating between MCs.
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
I really want to write a true enemy to lovers. I think it would be such a fun relationship to navigate!
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
Honestly, I have been seeing it more and more which is amazing, but I’ll say it anyway. I love when characters are big on consent. But another thing, normalizing characters who talk about STIs/being tested before sex or other real life things that can come up with having a sexual relationship without stigmatizing or being harmful when talking about the topic. I really just like normalizing real life and human things. Another example is menstrual cycles. We’re all human and I like seeing our characters be too.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
I think inspiration comes from other books I’ve read but also my characters themselves and who I’d love for them to become. I decided I wanted to write open door because I love how those scenes can actually allow us to connect with the characters and see a lot of who they are in those moments where we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. We can also see a hidden part of the relationship where they learn to trust and grow with each other or where they start to open up and be vulnerable.
A great example is actually in my upcoming release. The first book is a very slow burn where my FMC is incredibly shy and closed off for personal reasons but in the second book, she’s starting to discover more of herself during those heated moments with the MMC. She’s opening up and exploring parts of herself in a way she’s never been able to before. I don’t think I’d have been able to manage to show those parts of her otherwise.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
To be honest, the exact inspiration for Valor Amidst Decay has lost itself in the chaos of my head (haha!) but a lot of it was inspired by my love of zombie and apocalyptic things and romance. I love to read apocalyptic romance but finding them isn't always easy. I wish I could say this book was inspired by something more heart warming, but to be honest, I just don’t remember the exact thing that made it come to me.
I do remember though, when the idea hit me, it held onto me like a vise and wouldn’t let go. I had attempted to write other stories prior but this one in particular was relentless when it came to ideas coming to me at all hours of the day and my motivation wouldn’t let up. It was unusual for me because as an ADHD person, after a while, I tend to not finish what I started in terms of projects. But this book wouldn’t let anything get in the way and it really helped me learn to navigate my neurospicy tendencies and publishing.
One story I have in the works but probably won’t be published for a long time has a deeper inspiration but that’s on the back burner for now.
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
Valor Amidst Decay is book one in my Amongst Desolation series. Chivalry In Chaos (coming March 13th!) is book two. This series is a whirlwind of chaos and humanity fighting against all odds. VAD is what I call an epic slow burn because the building of the romance plot is slow. Book two though, will be faster paced and spicy! It just didn’t make sense for my characters to take things fast in the first book. They’re both wounded souls with so much love but the world hasn’t been kind to them. This series touches on many themes including mental health, some darker aspects to being human and trying to survive, but also finding love and hope when realistically, the world is trying to tell you it’s just not possible.
Both VAD and CIC are suspenseful and almost cinematic in the way a lot of the action takes place. But one of my favorite things about this series is the organized crime aspect which isn’t something I’ve been able to find in too many apocalyptic stories. Ren’s brother is a Yakuza boss and Ren himself has ties despite him having run away from them. We get to see a lot more of this in book two which is why I am so excited for my readers to get their hands on this new release!
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
Absolutely! I have two actually. It’s a hard tie. Dahlia, my FMC, because despite being quieter and shy, she has a strength to her that she’s discovering in this journey. She’s also such a caring person with a huge heart and I hate myself for what I put her through. My other favorite is Hana, my MMC’s sister. She’s unapologetic, bubbly and talkative, smart, but also a badass. She also cares deeply and is loyal to the bone. She inspires me to get myself out of my little introvert bubble to be honest.
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I won’t lie, I have no clue! I haven’t been keeping up with many movies/shows lately and I am really not up to date on most celebs. All I know though, is I’d want to cast actors/actresses who would be own-voice roles.
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
I can admit, I put a lot of myself in each of them. There are bits of me in every main character and maybe even a few side characters.
What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?
With my current series, I want to tell the story of finding light in the dark despite all odds as cliche as that sounds. My life has been one chaotic shit storm and despite everything, I managed to find some of that light. In an apocalypse, that’s a pretty drastic darkness but even when survival is a must, we all deserve to still have hope and find some light at the end.
Another story I mentioned prior that is on the back burner is actually one of a SA survivor. It’ll be heavier but it’s a story I want to write for others who have experienced sexual violence and spread awareness that healing and everyone’s response to this type of violence is not black and white.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
Some type of mental health rep for sure.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
Yes! I have a few actually. Since I’m currently taking care of a baby, my scheduling for publishing was put on hold a bit but I have some spin offs to the AD series I want to write. But I also have a dark fantasy romance novella I’ve been really wanting to write and publish. I love playing games like Skyrim so I can sheepishly admit, it’s inspired by the assassin's guild in that game.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I, for one, love suspense so I want my readers to feel like they're watching a movie and be gripped by it. But I also want my readers to find their version of hope in my stories. Whether that be your typical sense of hope or maybe something else they can find in reading about characters who are imperfect, in their own healing journeys, or what I really hope for, relatable to some. Maybe some reassurance that life is messy and being human is messy and it’s okay to just be yourself and be human.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks—All of them! LOL. Recently, Audio despite having an APD but I rarely have time to read physicals anymore. But If I were to choose a physical type, paperback or e-book.
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV—Lately, I have been enjoying more single POVs.
Standalones, series or standalones in a series—Because of time constraints as a reader. Writing, I love series lol
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing—Really depends. Having APD makes having music on or other noise difficult, but in the very early writing stages I like having music on. But when I start getting further into the process, I need silence, otherwise I can’t process what I’m reading.
Plotter, pantser or plantser—Pantser for sure. Although, I take down a lot of notes for myself when scenes and ideas come to me.
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?—All the coffee. Maybe the occasional wine too.
Cold or warm weather—I don’t do well in the heat to the point I’ll feel sick sometimes. I love the cold and feel better physically and mentally lol Which is funny because I have back issues and somehow, the cold doesn’t exacerbate it.
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?—My internal clock has always been backward so my creative moments are mostly at night. After having my daughter though and her being in school now, I try to write whenever I have time though.
Illustrated or photo cover?—I love art and supporting artists so as a reader and an author, I love illustrated covers.
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