We recently connected with Brandy Woods Snow and have shared our conversation below.

Brandy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

Oh man, now that’s a loaded question! In retrospect, I do wish I’d pursued my passion much sooner in life. I’d certainly have many more books on the shelf by now! However, I think things happen in their own times and for their own reasons. Let me explain. I wrote the first words of my first book Meant To Be Broken on a lunch break at my corporate-American job in 2005. I was only 25 years old. Those words sat in a virtual file folder for a solid decade before I pulled them out to give it an authentic “go.” I was so much more mentally and emotional prepared at the age of 35 for the extremely arduous task of not only writing a novel but also navigating the publishing industry. Personally, I changed so much and on so many levels during those ten years that it ended up imparting a more well-rounded perspective into my narratives as well as my business acumen. That first novel (along with the ones that followed and will soon follow) are what they are today because of who I became in that decade.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been a lover of books and have written for as long as I can remember. The passion really grew wings at the age of six when I received my first typewriter. (yep, I’m THAT old!) I wrote stories and illustrated them–stories about country mice venturing into the big city and fantasy tales of the “Perils of Princess Brandy” (actual title)–and even dabbled into poetry. As for reading, there was never a time that I didn’t have a book in my hand. I blew through The Babysitters’ Club and anything Beverly Cleary and by late elementary school was reading a host of adult books that I probably shouldn’t have been consuming. Though, in all fairness, I do still have my ragged copies of VC Andrews’ books and Helter Skelter.

I went to Clemson University where I earned a BA in English/Writing. I started my career in corporate communications and public relations and business development but moonlighted as a freelance magazine columnist for a local magazine. It was always a dream to write a novel but when I started that first rough draft in 2005, there just wasn’t an opportunity to attack it the way I wanted. With a traveling military husband and three kids heading into my 30s, I really began to believe it wasn’t ever going to happen. However, at the age of 35, I was contacted by a major international magazine to write a piece for an upcoming issue, and I was stunned. YOU MEAN THEY CHOSE ME?! It really did give me the motivational push to pull out those long-forgotten words and get back to work.

Finally–I wrote the book! And after some harsh editing and querying, I signed a contract with a small press in 2017 for publication the following year. I went on to publish my second novel with the same press in 2020. The press ended up closing that same year, and once the rights reverted to me, I self-published the titles and turned them both into series that are currently in progress. I have another YA contemporary that I’m querying now and a comprehensive of future titles I intend to self-publish in the interim.

There are a few things I’m proud of so I’ll share that here. One, I’m proud of myself for chasing my dream. It would have been easier to quit. I’m glad I didn’t. Two, I’m proud of my very positive Kirkus and Library Journal reviews for my second title As Much As I Ever Could. That was my first work to go before major industry reviewers and they had lots of good things to say. It was a major validation moment. And three, which might be most important, I’m proud of the fact that my words have been able to impact people who read them. It touches my heart each and every time a reader takes a moment to sent me a note on Instagram or Facebook or wherever to let me know what the book meant to them. At the end of the day (as well as the end of my days), I want people to be able to look at the books I’ve left in my legacy and think: “This is important.”

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

To be fair, in addition to being an author, I’m also a military wife and mother of three so my entire life has been a series of pivot points! Ha!

Honestly, though, I think the hardest pivot point was when the small press who’d published my books shut down. Things with that particular press wasn’t the best and the closing of that chapter left me quite disillusioned with the industry and humanity in general. It took me a hot minute (okay a hot year…) to absorb, reflect, and then reconnect with myself and my own goals. It was the same time Covid was ravaging the globe so, yeah… the black cloud was hovering overhead for a while.

It was during that time, though, that I had a few long conversations with myself and realized that detours don’t mean the journey is finished, it just means you have to find a new path. There were tears, frustration, anger, you name it. But in the end, I republished my titles and then began writing again. It gave me a real sense of accomplishment to overcome the adversity and keep forging ahead with my dreams.

The lesson: dreams are in your heart for a reason. Let no one or nothing stand in your way!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

This is an easy question. The best part of being a creative is the ability to reach people’s hearts through your creations. It fosters connection and empathy and love and in our present day, that’s what we all need more of!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BrandyWSnow.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/snowbrandy
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/BWSnowWrites
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/brandy_snow
• Other: TikTok: www.tiktok.com/brandywsnowbooks

Image Credits
Book Cover Design by Jena R. Collins/JRC Designs, www.jenarcollins.com