We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Salina. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.
Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
When I was in kindergarten, we had to fill out these “books” that asked us what we wanted to be when we grow up. I wrote that I wanted to be an author. It’s no surprise, either – I always turned to my favorite stories, mainly books but also video games and film, for comfort and escapism when times are tough. Despite the layer of escapism, I think stories can provide a real connection. When you see a character struggling through something that you can relate to, it helps you feel seen and less alone. That was certainly the case for me, starting in childhood and going all the way through adulthood, and it’s something I aim to do in all of my works.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m the indie author of the superhero romance series Riverpeak Heroes, which includes four novels: Not My Time, To Be Normal, Play With Fire, and Etched In Ink. The series follows people’s lives affected by a vigilante superhero, Hematite, who protects his small Colorado town. The story unfolds from the perspectives of Hematite’s love interest, sidekick, and supervillains in a series of four superhero romance novels for adults. Perfect for fans of Marvel, DC, or My Hero Academia, the series is hailed for blending heart-thumping action and fight scenes, authentic mental health representation, and mid-heat romance that will leave you swooning. I’m currently preparing a romantic comedy for publication and working on a paranormal romance novel.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an author is connecting with readers who relate to my characters.
I have CPTSD, and wrote a protagonist (Rory from Not My Time) who also has PTSD after being stalked. I’ve had readers send me direct messages on Instagram or leave TikTok comments to let me know how they felt seen by her, which makes my heart grow five sizes every time.
When I was stalked, I felt like I had no one to turn to – my friends at the time weren’t great (I have new ones now) and family wasn’t the most supportive, either, so I wanted to make sure no one ever felt alone in that situation again. Seeing that impact lets me know that every road bump on the journey to publication was worth it.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I have over 21,000 TikTok followers, and most of them did not follow me from book content. You obviously want to share your work out there, but if you’re selling something, don’t just sell them your work – sell them you as a person.
For example: I also cosplay and enjoy video games, so I share content about that, too. People who followed me from a cosplay video have become readers who leave the sweetest comments on my book videos and support me and my work. I’ve followed creators who post content that I just find hilarious and then later find out they wrote a book.
This is a great way to connect with your audience on a deeper level, too. You want to be an active member of your community, and this helps you be more involved and integrated rather than just someone trying to make a cold sale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jessicasalina.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjessicasalina/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/authorjessicasalina
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jess_Salina
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjessicasalina