We were lucky to catch up with MS (Samantha) Chambers recently and have shared our conversation below.

MS (Samantha) , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

As a writer and an author, the most important legacy I can leave behind is my work. I have written 3 fantasy fiction novels in full now, “The Sisters of the Moon Trilogy”. Pearls of the Sea, Book One, was published in December 2022. Book Two, Blood of the Moon, was released this June, and Book 3, Ashes of Oak is scheduled for this October. I have begun writing a stand-alone and two more series and have many more outlines for future novels to come. I want to build a legacy library of amazing dreams, come to life. It’s a dream I’ve possessed my entire life, something I’ve always wanted to do, a legacy I always wanted to leave to my children and grandchildren, and to the world.

Writing, for me, is the best “job” I could ever imagine, aside from raising my daughters. With each story, I pour my heart and soul onto the pages. Blood, sweat, and tears are an understatement. We’ve all read a book that took us to places that were described in such detail, it left us feeling as if we had traveled there too. Where we felt like we knew the characters personally and could relate to them entirely. Where we cried over their heartbreaks and pain, felt fear alongside them in dire situations, reveled in their happiness and triumphs, and experienced every adventure like it was our own. We couldn’t wait to see what happened at the end but also felt that pang of regret that it was over, left longing for more. I want my readers to have more, so a trilogy was always my intention. I want them to truly feel what these characters are feeling and to feel that they took the same journey. I want to feel that way too, the same way I myself have felt with so many wonderful stories I’ve read in my life, and so, that being my goal, if I can bring my readers to that same place, then it’s a legacy I’m leaving behind, not just for my readers, my daughters, and my grandchildren, but for myself.

Within a story, we immortalize people, places, and things. They can live forever, again and again. We can see the whole world and go on adventures as often as we wish. We can hear their words in our minds, over and over. There is no journey we can’t take, time is what we make it, and there is no end to the mystery and magic we can discover, inside a book. This trilogy encompasses some of my most treasured adventures, places, and people in my life. They were inspired in every way by my daughters and my mother and her memory, may she rest in peace. She is represented in several of the characters as well, along with my girls, grandchildren, spouse, family, friends, and myself. It’s really just a story. A story of life, and of death. A story of struggles and achievements, heartache and loss, family, adventures, love, and magic.

My ultimate goal in this life is to leave my children and grandchildren something they can be proud of. I know from personal experience how the heart aches for your mother and grandmother when they’re gone, how you long to hear their voice just one more time, for one more story that can only be told by them. I hope to give them that gift. I hope that they’ll pick up these books and find what they’re looking for inside. We are all very close and spend a lot of time together doing the things we love. In addition to those memories they can cherish for all of their lives, my hope is that through these books, we can travel together again, that they will always be able to hear my voice telling them that everything is going to be okay and that I’m always with them in every step of their journey.

Years from now, when I’m gone, I hope people will remember me for many things. My genuine smile and my huge heart, the kindness and love I so openly give to everyone. I hope they’ll recall my silly ways and boisterous laugh, and laugh themselves while remembering. I hope they’ll take a trip down memory lane and fondly reminisce about the good times we had together. I hope they’ll recall my spooky stories around flickering fires on starry nights and retell them again and again. I hope people will hold my tales close to their hearts and remember me as an author that spoke to them. I hope my books will sit on their bookshelves and coffee tables and bedside stands. I hope they’ll continue to be read and remembered and cherished and loved, for in the end, it’s truly what we leave behind, the lives we touched, and the stories we told. That is our legacy.

MS (Samantha) , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Samantha, MS Chambers in the writing world. I am 47 years old, the mother of 2 phenomenal daughters, and 4 more remarkable daughters I call my own, via my partner. I am a proud grandmother of 6 beautiful grandchildren, 2 girls, and 4 boys, with another baby girl, due in October. I am blessed beyond measure with family and friends! I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Idaho, where I lived until my teens, and then moved to Washington, where I lived until I was in my 20s. I spent some time in Colorado and almost 10 years in Wyoming before moving to Kansas City, where I have lived for 17 years.

Living in Kansas City, I have developed a deep love for this bewitching city, a hidden gem of the Midwest. When I am not writing, I am reading, traveling, cooking, spending time with my family and friends, and being in nature whenever possible. I cherish and love the outdoors, walking, bicycling, exploring, and camping. Anything that brings me outside to revel in the majesty of the stunning landscape that surrounds me. Wherever I am, I will find the beauty that lies within and it inspires my writing deeply. I am also a big fan and supporter of my home teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, and can be found at home or at the stadiums cheering on our boys. I am also inspired by all of the mysteries and magic of life. In addition, I also love to craft and create other things which will soon be available in my “MS Chambers of Magic” brand I recently started at Krafting Eclectic, joining with other incredible artists and their personal brands such as my daughters, a close friend, and my niece, who owns and operates the business. See all of their lovely artistic work and get signed copies of my books at kraftingeclectic.com.

I was raised solely by my amazing mother and was born into a family of avid readers and writers, and surrounded by books. I developed a very early love for the written word. My mother was a writer and a poet, and though never published, her exceptional works and obsession with books were the beginning of what inspired my deep love of reading and my drive to write, beginning with short stories and poems. I began writing at a young age, with an intense love for literature, and won multiple awards throughout my time in school for my writing pieces.

I devoted 20 years of my life to caring for my Mom and raising my children first and foremost and it has been the most extraordinary, important, and rewarding job of my life and the one that I am the most proud of. I made a promise to myself that after my children were grown, I would finally achieve my dream of writing a book. My dream was always to be published and share my love of the written word with the world. My day job involves real estate but writing is my true passion, lifelong job, hobby, and love. As I mentioned, I am the self-published author of “The Sisters of the Moon Trilogy” with releases of Book One, Pearls of the Sea, and Book Two, Blood of the Moon. Book 3, Ashes of Oak is scheduled for release in Autumn this year and I have much much more to come. What is extra special about these books and what sets them apart from others, are many things.

First, let me begin by saying that my books are born not only from my deep love of writing and wild imagination, but they are the love and creation of myself and my children. No one from the outside is hired into the process until publication and even then, we do all of our own layout, editing, design, and marketing. Each book is given a great deal of attention. Via research and study, you’ll find a lot of factual information in each, about history, timelines, amazing places, traveling, traditions, lore, legends, and more. In addition, the recipes that you find inside are from our own families. We have plans to write a “Sisters of the Moon” cookbook to share with the world our love of food and cooking. A tradition that runs deep in our family.

The detail in which things are described is everything to me. I often receive feedback from my readers, that my attention to detail is superb and they truly felt like they were in the places they were reading about. That they could feel what the characters were feeling as they joined them on their travels. Though many of the destinations that I’ve written about in my books I have been to, some I have not. For me, doing research and learning about them is one of the best parts of the writing process. I love to learn about the legends and history of places, the culture and traditions of the wonderful people, and the magnificent nature that surrounds them. It makes me feel as if I’ve been there too. It’s so exciting! I’ll share one of the beautiful reviews for Pearls of the Sea below.

“This is not just another story about a witch. There is so much to behold in these pages. MS Chambers tells a story about love and loss, family, adventure, culture, history, mystical folklore, and of course magic…. The good kind and the dark twisted kind. Beautifully described places, people, and experiences provide incredible imagery. There is something for everyone in this story. If you love all things mystical, if you love to cook, if you love to explore new places, if you’re a movie buff, if you want something you can relate to, or even if you just love the good steamy adult reads, this book is for you. My heartstrings were pulled several times, reading about the loss of a loved one, the coming together of long-lost loved ones, and the unfolding of a new love. It was hard to put this one down. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!”

My daughters have played an integral part in the process of my becoming a published author. Not only are they the inspiration for my writing; they have both worked tirelessly for endless hours on these novels. I truly couldn’t have done it without them! My youngest daughter, Mirrissa (Missy), owner of “Entangled Elements”, is the Developmental/Copy Editor and Proofreader. Alongside me, she edits every word of these books and helps to develop the characters and story arcs, and adjusts things with precise brilliance. Beverly, my oldest daughter, and owner of “Bits and Bobs by Beverly”, is my book cover Artist and Designer. I tell her what my vision is and she brings it to life with such attention to detail and astounding creativity, it takes my breath away at every reveal. With the help of my partner and tech genius, Alex, we have built a great website which I operate and maintain, and am constantly improving. I’ve even dedicated a portion to promoting other authors and small businesses at mschambersauthor.com! I do this because I truly understand the struggle of getting your work out there as a creative and small business owner. It’s so much harder than one who is not can realize. Supporting others not only helps them grow but it helps me flourish and I love to share their unique goods and creativity as much as I like to share my own.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspects of being an author and creative are the ability to make it all my own; to be individual, unique, and imaginative. To start with blank pages and fill them with ideas and creativity that will be read and hopefully loved by many, and that will live on forever, is the most remarkable thing! Though the forms in which it is read (or heard) may change, literature will never die. People need books to escape, to travel to faraway places, to be something or someone else, just for a spell, and most importantly, to discover the magic! To watch another lose themselves in my story, to know they really enjoyed it or were moved by it is incredibly awe-inspiring. And to see and hold something you created yourself with your mind and your heart, right in the palm of your hands; to know that endless generations could read your work; it’s wonderous. That in itself is a dream come true.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The ultimate goal is to be with one of the “Big 5” Publishers and mass market my works so they can reach the entire world. Finding an agent and getting a foot in the door is very difficult, so I took the self-publishing route to begin. It’s a start and I will continue creating and keep striving to share my novels. Marketing your own work is tough. It’s hard to reach the audiences that find interest in the genre you write but I truly believe my books are so much more than fantasy fiction. They fit many genres and subgenres; Dark and Urban Fantasy, Supernatural and Gothic Horror, Family Saga and Women’s Fiction, Mystery, Drama, Romance, Action/Adventure, Chick Lit, Magical Realism, and the Pagan/Wiccan genres.

My books dive deep into the hearts and minds of both men and women and the trials and tribulations of life. We read from both their points of view at times and even from a teen’s in “The Sisters of the Moon Trilogy”. These books feature female witches as the protagonists and celebrate spiritual empowerment and magic while they explore their own individuality, natural spiritualism, the sacred feminine being, and magical worldviews. Accompanied by strong male perspectives and the male protagonist, intense romance, passionate scenes, and loving family influences, they include something for everyone! It’s just a matter of discovery. Dreams rarely come true without perseverance, dedication, and really hard work and that’s okay. It’s all I want to do! My mission, is simply to bring to the world, MS Chambers of Magic, to share the enchantment and the mystery. To share breathtaking literature and the joy of reading. Come in, sit down, and stay a while…Let me tell you a story!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mschambersauthor.com, Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mschambersauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mschambersauthor
• Other: To purchase signed books by MS Chambers: https://www.kraftingeclectic.com/mschambersofmagic To purchase Book One, Pearls of the Sea on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7YA34bE To purchase Book Two, Blood of the Moon on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4Oc3HSd Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23302109.M_S_Chambers Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MSChambersAuthor/

Image Credits
Missy Alexander