Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valerie Brandy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Valerie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned how to write in the fast-paced world of the entertainment industry. I was in college when I sold my first screenplay, and had taken classes on screenwriting at UCLA, as well as working with a mentor through a mentorship I won via the International Scriptwriters Association (ISA). As a screenwriter, I learned on the job through the best method– real life experience. Nothing will make you more confident in your knowledge of storytelling craft than sitting in development meetings taking notes and collaborating with studio executives and producers. As I’ve segued into novels, I’ve kept what I learned as a screenwriter front and center in my story-telling process. With every book I write, I focus what I want the reader to feel. What’s the emotional experience they will have while reading this book? What emotional “need” is this story meeting for my readers? I love creating big, cinematic worlds that feel welcoming and cozy– I like to think my books present places that readers can feel they belong.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a writer, professor, and 50% owner of the publishing company Emerald Lion Press, LLC. I started as a screenwriter for movies and television, writing feature films for studios like Walt Disney. As a professor, I lecture at Loyola Marymount’s top 5 film program, Syracuse University’s LA immersion program, and UCLA Extension’s online writing series. I started writing books because– while working as a screenwriter– so much of what I was asked to do was adapting novels into screenplays. But my heart was always in creating original works! I wrote my first novel in 2017, and slowly started to expand into different worlds and series. This ultimately led to opening the publishing company with a family member. We currently have offices in Calabasas and are about to exhibit for the second year in a row at the LA Times Festival of Books, where we sold out last year.

My best-selling series is the Rebecca Orange Castle Cozy Mystery series, which has eight books, starting with “Mystery at Monrovia Castle.” It follows an animal trainer who loses her job and her boyfriend all in one swoop. Luckily, she’s recruited to work at a castle in the fictional county of Monrovia managing the animals there, only to find herself caught up in a murder investigation. The series is like a big hug– Monrovia is a country of warmth, friends, and peace (minus a few murders!)

I love cozy mysteries because they frequently feature women in unrelated fields becoming amateur detectives. It’s a genre that says you can make the world better just by caring and deciding to pursue justice. Cozy mysteries are books make me you feel hopeful.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is having the opportunity to send a message into the world that I believe is positive. Sometimes this means sharing a message that’s a catalyst for change as a key takeaway beneath the content of the story. But other times– and maybe even more powerfully– it means writing work that comforts people. If I write a story that makes someone feel less alone, I feel my work is valuable and I’m using my life to do something meaningful. I view my stories as sources of hope that remind people of a myriad of positive messages. It’s never too late for love! Friends can be found in the most surprising of places. Second chances are always around the corner. These are messages I care about, believe in, and try to incorporate in my work.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I’m still working on being better at social media! But I do connect deeply with readers via our mailing list. It’s important to me to thank people for continuing to read my work, and I like to do that by offering free stories, giveaways, and more through my mailing list. It makes my relationship with readers feel more personal, and I love it when I share dog pictures or a recipe and get emails back from members of my author club. Reading is such a cozy hobby, and it’s so nice to connect in a way that’s not controlled by algorithms. I’m a very private person and don’t always like to post on social media, so connecting via my newsletter feels more personal and authentic. Sometimes, I’m even able to get reader feedback by asking my mailing list what they’d like to see next from me! Any readers who want to join can sign up at: www.valeriebrandy.com

To creators looking to build a social media presence with an audience, I’d advise thinking of it like any other connection. The digital landscape is getting less trustworthy by the day– we can’t tell as easily what’s real and what’s fake. So, I’d advise trying to connect as personally as possible in ways that show your audience there’s a real person behind what you’re doing– not a “brand.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.valeriebrandy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriebrandywriter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valeriebrandywriter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmeraldLionPress