We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shana Dow. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shana below.

Hi Shana, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

I didn’t start writing my first story until I was in my forties. Would I have started sooner? No, I don’t think so. My writing journey has been unique to me and has afforded me the best of both worlds. Let me explain. Before I started writing, life had been busy up to that point with raising children and everything that goes along with that. It can be pretty consuming when you have four boys in the house! I also homeschool, so the early years are fundamental and require detailed planning and attention.
However, I finally got to a point in my life where I could devote time to some of my personal goals; one of which was to write a story that had been burning in me for years. In 2019, my family moved out of state, which allowed me the time I needed to write. I suppose you could say it was providence that opened that opportunity. Within two years, I wrote and published three books. The books have received positive feedback and earned excellent reviews.
So, now that I’m a few years down the road from starting my writing career, I am pleased at my progress. I am excited about the future of my writing career and look forward to the new series I have planned.

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 am a young adult (teen) author. I write adventure, fantasy, and coming-of-age stories with sweet romance. All my stories are clean and suitable for ages 11+. I am proud that my books are enjoyed by all readers, regardless of their age. My goal is to write a fun and relatable story, where the characters embark on a transformative journey and take the reader along with them. I want my readers to escape into a fantastical world and experience an adventure that leaves them wanting more. I recently finished my first series, The Keepers of the Balance. All my books are available on Amazon in paperback, eBook, and always free on Kindle Unlimited. The series is a trilogy focusing on a fifteen-year-old boy and his discovery of a magical portal. Here’s the description for the first book, The Keeper:
They stand between the balance of light and darkness. Invited into their ranks, will a lonely teen answer the call to be a hero?
Marston Ames’s parents have ruined everything. Forced to move away from all his friends for his dad’s new job, the unhappy fifteen-year-old is sure his life is over. And just when he believes things can’t get worse, a man from his dreams attempts to kill him in the waking world.
Barely escaping before stumbling upon a magical portal, Marston transports to another realm. There, an invitation to join an ancient order standing against evil seems like the solution to his isolation… until he discovers a terrifying connection to his nightmares.
Can Marston embrace a fate beyond his wildest imagination without summoning his doom?
The Keeper is the action-packed first book in The Keepers of the Balance YA fantasy series. If you like relatable characters, adventures full of surprises, and coming-of-age tales, then you’ll love Shana Dow’s captivating page-turner.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My interaction with my readers and fellow writers on Instagram has been amazing! When I started my Instagram account, my goal was to connect with my ideal reader and gain support from other writers. I try to post meaningful content that gives people a glimpse into my life and keep them up to date on my books. I also enjoy posting advice to writers on different techniques, books, or even software that will help them in the writing process. I want my interaction with people on Instagram to be genuine. I’m not there to gain a huge following and never talk to any of them. No, I want to build a community – something meaningful.
My advice for anyone just starting out on social media is to think about your long-term goals. Why are they posting? Who are they posting for? One piece of advice I received that has really helped is to have your ideal reader (or client) in mind when creating content. This approach will make it seem sincere and significant.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal in creating my stories is to provide a sort of escapism for my reader. I want them to put real-life aside for a while and delve into a different world full of adventure, suspense and romance. I also want them to go on a journey with the characters I create, experience the trials and difficulties as they move towards their end goal. The characters I write all experience a transformation as the story progresses. I hope my readers will experience that same transformation along with the characters. So, when they finish reading the story, they will have experienced a satisfying change along with the characters and be happy they read it. Hopefully, my readers will enjoy the story so much that they will share it with their friends and family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shanadow.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanadowauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shanadowauthor