Shopper Blog: Powell author Audra McElyea has released her second book

POWELL

Powell author Audra McElyea has released her second book

Al Lesar, Shopper News

When in doubt, do it yourself.

The world of publishing is constantly changing, and Powell author Audra McElyea made sure she was going to take advantage of it.

In 2022, her first book, “If You See Me,” was a mystery that went the conventional route in terms of having a publisher handle the release and distribution of the book.

In 2023, McElyea went the self-publishing direction with “One Little Word,” which recently found its way into the public domain.

“The industry has changed a lot,” said McElyea.

A huge Taylor Swift fan, McElyea credited the singer with striking a blow for artists by re-recording her music so that she has complete ownership.

“The art industry as a whole, people want to own what they create,” McElyea said. “The publishers are realizing that they need the authors. We’ve evened the playing field.”

McElyea has established herself as a quality author, turning out suspense novels that have a twist to keep people engaged.

“With my second book, I’ve established my own publishing imprint,” McElyea said. “I’m my own advocate. I’ve learned formatting, designing the cover, hiring my own team of editors.

“A success or flop is on me. But it’s nice to earn more for my work.”

Writing while raising kids

One aspect of publishing McElyea did sell the rights for was the audio book, which has becoming more popular in recent years. Four voice actors read the book. Two of those, Bailey Carr and Amanda Stribling, have family in Knoxville.

In reality, McElyea completed writing her first book in 2017 and her second a year later. Her two children were both toddlers at the time. Today, they’re both in school, which makes her most productive writing time − from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. − much more consistent.

McElyea said her third book, which was set in Hollywood and revolves around a couple actresses, is already in her agent’s hands and is being shopped to publishers. If the offers aren’t good enough, she’ll take it on her own.

'My books have complicated villains'

McElyea calls her style of plot “villain era.”

“My books have complicated villains,” she said. “They aren’t so black and white − good guy and bad guy. There’s a little good in the bad guy and a little bad in the good guy.”

However her audience views the characters, there has been a good response. Through the two books, she has built a loyal following.

“I’m still figuring out what the Lord wants me to do on this path,” she said. “I try to be a voice of encouragement and support for others. I’ve allowed myself to help other writers.

“I don’t consider a reader a customer, I consider the reader a potential friend. I like to build a relationship through my writing.”

McElyea has also learned what criticism is like and how to handle it.

“You have to grow a thick skin,” she said. “People have told me to not read the reviews. I don’t listen to them. You have to learn not to take them personally. You won’t grow by shutting them off.

“I look at the three-star (out of five) reviews. They’re the ones who wanted to like it, but had a problem. The one- and two-stars were in the wrong genre. The four- and five-stars loved it.”

To order a book, go to: www.audramcelyea.com.

OPINION

Learning to drive outside my comfort zone

Leslie Snow, Shopper News

I was excited about the trip.

I was excited to see my sister Robin and my two nieces, Jenn and Mel. I was excited to see their new babies, too, a boy for Jenn and a girl for Mel.

I wanted to make sure my mom got to meet her new great-grandchildren. I wanted her to know that she could still travel, even in her 90s.

And I wanted my sister Shelley to come along, too. I thought the three of us could hit the open road, senior citizen style.

But the closer I got to our departure date, the less I wanted to go. I still wanted to see my sister and her nieces. I still wanted my mom to have the opportunity to travel and to see the babies, and I still wanted to spend time with my sisters. All of that was still true. I just didn’t want the stress of traveling.

I didn’t want to drive 10 hours or face impending winter weather. I didn’t want to get stuck in traffic or have to depend on my car’s navigation system to find an alternative route. I didn’t want to be responsible for figuring out where to stop for gas or where to eat, and I didn’t want to drive at night, especially in the rain. But mostly, I didn’t want to leave home.

My house is my safe place. It’s my refuge from life’s turmoil and trouble.

I like the way it’s tucked into the woods on a quiet street. I like all the windows and the natural light. I like to watch the birds at their feeders and the squirrels in their trees.

I like cooking dinner with my husband and cuddling with my Great Dane. I like the familiar routine of my daily life. It’s comfortable. It’s easy. And it never asks more of me than I can give.

But I am a responsible adult. I keep my promises and do what needs to be done, even if it means fighting my reclusive tendencies. So, on the morning we were set to leave, I shoved three suitcases in the car, ignored the calls for torrential rain, and set out for Virginia Beach with my mom and sister in tow.

But a funny thing happened on our way to Virginia.

Almost all the worst-case scenarios that played out in my head really happened. It rained in sheets the whole way. There was an accident that closed all lanes of traffic in both directions. I got rerouted to a road that was closed and couldn’t figure out how to get back to the highway.

A nine-hour drive took me 11 hours to complete. I had to be large and in charge. I had to find a way.

But to my surprise, I was fine. We were all fine. We laughed the whole way and ate too many snacks. And when we finally made it to my sister’s house, in the dark of night, we hugged and talked and shared a delicious meal.

We spent our days snuggling babies and catching up on the small details of our lives. We spent our nights talking and watching movies in our pajamas until we fell asleep.

It was good for us all. It was good to face the hard road and to make it out OK. It was good to connect with people we love but don’t see often enough. And it was good for me to learn how to be comfortable outside the sturdy walls of my comfort zone.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News brings you the latest happenings in your community