You may know Scarlett St. Clair for her fiery take on Greek mythology, where she amps up the heat between Hades and Persephone with plenty of adventure between steamy scenes. But before her books jumped the bestseller lists or made the rounds on BookTok, St. Clair began his writing journey in the world of self-publishing.
“I started self-publishing in 2014,” she tells PEOPLE, noting that she was writing young adult fiction at the time because she was still a student herself. But the road to finding readers was difficult at first.
Even as her books began to find an audience, she still struggled to secure the support of the traditional publishing world. “I remember interviewing all these agents, and publishers would even approach me and say they couldn’t help me for one reason or another,” she says.
She has finally found a home at Bloom Books, who will publish her latest book, A touch of chaos, in hardcover 12.03.
‘Touch of Chaos’ by Scarlett St. Clair.
Bloom’s books
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As a former librarian, St. Clair takes a research-oriented approach to her work, but emphasizes that readers don’t need to be mythology experts to love her books.
“Several people have said that [my books have] she encouraged them to learn more about Greek mythology or mythology in general, which I certainly encourage,” she explains. “But I think it might just be a launching pad for a greater interest in mythology. I try to be very informative, probably because I was a librarian,” she adds with a laugh.
St. Clair is also quick to point out that she’s not here to give history lessons. More than anything else, the bestselling author sees her books as a point of true connection between writer and reader and an opportunity for her fans to form real relationships with each other.
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“I decided to make real connections, because I think that’s what makes us human,” she explains. “That’s why I think a lot of us like to read any kind of book that has a fanbase, or is part of a series, or anything that has a social aspect to it. It’s a community.”
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The community that formed around the works of St. Claira is big. Her books have taken off on TikTok and Instagram, and more and more readers are discovering her work each time. This could be because St. Clair, who is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, makes a concerted effort to ensure that her books reflect the world in which she lives. She believes this is what attracts readers and keeps them coming back.
“I want everyone to feel like they can see themselves in some aspect of my books,” she says. “At the end of the day, it comes down to people.”
This mutually supportive community underlies everything she does – and enriches her life as well.
“When you’re writing romance, which is something that people discount all the time as not important enough to be considered literary, you’re still out here saving lives,” she says. “You’re still here and influencing people. And that’s bigger than any award or any bestseller list.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education