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

Shina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The greatest risk I’ve taken in my career so far was deciding to publish my first book independently. When I finished writing what would become A Light in the Sky, I queried agents. I planned to test the waters and hopefully find a good fit with an eager agent, and then they’d help me find a great traditional publishing company. I also knew I could, if I decided to, publish independently, either under my author name, or by starting a publishing company.

I thought a lot about publishing and what I wanted for my career, and I ended up leaning toward the independent route for more freedom and creative control. I had heard of authors who would query agents, only to be told that their book wasn’t a good fit, and then sometimes they’d shelf their book, and start all over again. But I knew I was going to publish my first story idea, regardless of if an agent signed me, or a publishing company showed interest. To me, it was a story I wanted to tell, and I had no intention of shelving it.

After an agent did a full read-through of my book and didn’t connect with the voice, and I hadn’t heard from my only dream agent, I stopped querying. I hadn’t queried nearly as many literary agents as I could’ve, but I was ready to move forward, and didn’t see any reason I couldn’t publish my book myself. That, and I was getting excited about publishing independently.

My husband Ben, an entrepreneur and business owner, and I had many conversations prior to my decision to publish independently. I told him early on that if I was going to publish my book, that it had to be of the same quality as any traditionally published book. That meant I was going to start my own LLC. I was going to find the best book editors, a talented cover designer, and someone to do the interior layout. I would research and learn how to publish independently, and I would do it to the best of my ability. And I wouldn’t publish until my book was ready.

And when I decided, there was no turning back.

On November 9th, 2021, I published my first novel, A Light in the Sky, under my publishing company, Wink Road Press.

To date, A Light in the Sky has won twelve awards, including the Gold Medal for Teen Fiction in the 2022 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards.

I’m currently working on book II in the Clashing Skies series, the sequel to A Light in the Sky. And I’m also looking forward to publishing another debut author under Wink Road Press in the coming year.

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’m the award-winning author of young adult fantasy novel, A Light in the Sky. It is the first book of the Clashing Skies Series.

I write imaginative stories with a passion for writing fantasy and sci-fi with resilient characters who are still figuring out who they are and what they’re doing. Characters who face challenges but also rise to them. I write books about freedom and what it means to be free. In my list of future story ideas, freedom is often a theme. The tagline on my debut novel, A Light in the Sky, is, “How far would you fly for freedom?” I also love to combine genres, which can be seen in A Light in the Sky, which has fantasy and sci-fi elements.

And I write books that are ready to be translated to the screen (waves at film/tv producers). Coming from an acting and film background (and from writing screenplays), everything I write plays out in my head before/as it hits the page (in my case, the computer screen).

I love writing. I love world-building and creating places for readers to explore and/or escape to. I love hearing from readers and knowing that a story I wrote brought them joy.

One of the things I’m most proud of, other than publishing A Light in the Sky, was writing and directing the book trailer for my debut novel. It was so much fun to use my film background to make a live-action book trailer for ALITS (you can check it out on my website).

Also, I’m proud that A Light in the Sky has won twelve awards. I’m beyond grateful for them.

I hope if and when you read A Light in the Sky, it plays out in your head like an amazing movie or a tv show and that you enjoy the ride! And I hope that it brings you some happiness.

If you’d like to keep up with when my next book is coming out, please visit my website and subscribe to my newsletter. I also offer signed copies of A Light in the Sky on my website, or you can buy a copy wherever books are sold.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I have been an actor, a model, a singer, a painter, a photographer, to name a few, and now I’m an author. I have been a creative person my entire life. But I’m also a consumer and an enthusiast of the arts.

I know firsthand how hard we creative people work to have our art seen, appreciated, and, if we’re lucky—paid for.

Artists and creative folks are entertaining the world. Please pay them for their work.

I’m surprised and disheartened to see how many people are illegally downloading and stealing people’s hard work. I find it odd that some people see nothing wrong with not paying for movies, books, or artwork.

As a fellow consumer of the arts, I think it’s pivotal that we all step back and think about the immense effort that goes into making all the things we readily consume. And that we often quickly judge. And remember the artist or many people that were involved.

As a creative person, I’ve seen and experienced the effort and efforts, for myself, and other artists firsthand. But I still like to take time to reflect on this and try to remember as a consumer that there are always more ways to support creative folks.

Please, buy a book from an author or a bookstore, buy a ticket to go see a movie, or purchase an art print from an artist. But please don’t do these things illegally. Remember, artists need to make a living, as well.

And, if you can, support independent authors, booksellers, and small business owners.

Tell people about a book you read and loved, a movie they should go see, or an artist you’re really excited about. Word of mouth matters.

Thank you to everyone who is already an ardent supporter of the arts. As a creative person, I appreciate you and your patronage.

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

I love creating things. I feel so thankful I get to do what I love and am passionate about.

My primary goal is to share hope, happiness, and joy with others through the things I create. If I can help one person not feel so alone, I have done something I’m proud of. And ultimately, I hope the things I create entertain and inspire.

Seeing my debut novel, A Light in the Sky, along with the rest of Clashing Skies series, adapted into a film or TV series is among my greatest dreams/goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shinareynolds.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinareynolds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorshinareynolds
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shinareynolds/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shinareynolds
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5882dzcSC7om-gK14pBaA
• Other: https://www.winkroadpress.com