Stephania Thompson

Stephania Thompson is the award-winning author of Woven, Book One in the Charm City Threads Series. A poet and full-time novelist, she received her bachelor of arts in accounting from the University of Maryland, then went on to earn her CPA and work in both the public and private sectors before pursuing her passion to write. 

A Maryland native, she and her husband are living the dream in their modern-day money pit with four children, a spoiled aussiedoodle, and one not-so-fire-breathing dragon. When not writing, working, or wrangling pets, she can be found hiking local trails or escaping in a book at her favorite café, iced latte in hand. She’s a sucker for quirky romance, is addicted to audiobooks, and finds herself most drawn to flawed characters, raw honesty, and life’s cringiest moments. You can visit her online at www.stephaniathompson.com or find her on Twitter @stephthmpsn and Instagram @stephtwrites.

---

Interview with Stephania Thompson

Thank you, Stephania, for taking the time to chat!

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

I always knew I wanted to be an author, but it took several decades for me to take my passion seriously.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

After my first book signing in Barnes and Noble–a life long goal by the way–I finally felt comfortable calling myself a writer.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My dad is my biggest inspiration. He battled cancer three times before succumbing to it in 2012. Never once did I hear him complain, or ask why, or consider giving up the fight. He worked, he exercised, he took care of his family, and he kept his faith. And he always, always encouraged and supported my dreams. ​

​How do you come up with your ideas?

Most of my ideas come from real life experiences or stories I’ve heard others tell. I take these ideas and then think, what if…???

Are your characters inspired by or based on real-life people?

None of my characters are based on a specific real-life person, but they all have bits and pieces of people I’ve met or know well. Some even have little pieces of me. ​

What comes first, the plot or the characters?

Characters. Always. With an idea of the plot, but the characters are the ones who dictate where the story goes.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I’m not sure this is a quirk, but I have to edit my writing by listening rather than reading. Once I nail a chapter, I listen to it over and over, tweaking the words as I go.

How did publishing your first book change your writing career?

Writer’s block is the worst, and it happens to all of us. You just have to keep writing. I know some people recommend taking a break, or changing things up, but I find the more I stray from writing, the harder it is to get back.

Have you ever gotten writer's block? How did you work through it?

Writer’s block is the worst, and it happens to all of us. You just have to keep writing. I know some people recommend taking a break, or changing things up, but I find the more I stray from writing, the harder it is to get back.

What are you working on now?

I just wrapped up my second book (Tangled Charm City Threads Book Two). This is a standalone novel that picks up where my debut, Woven, left off. We’re in the editing phase now, and hoping for a release later this year. I’m also working on books three and four in the series. I have a self-published poetry chapbook coming out in February titled Unveiling Love. This is the second chapbook in my unveiling series. The first book is titled Unveiling Chaos and is available on Amazon. In addition, I contribute regularly to multiple publications on Medium with poetry, short stories, and short form articles on writing, health and wellness, and relationships.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Write. Don’t just think about it, plan for it, fantasize about “someday”...actually write. Surprisingly, that is the hardest part, but once you get started, the words come. Also, write for the right reasons. Write because you have to, not for someone else, or to fit some genre or subgenre…write the book that’s on your heart. Your audience will find you :)

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I have four kids. They occupy most of my non-writing time, which is fine by me–they’re my favorite people :) Aside from them, I enjoy jogging, reading in quiet cafe corners, exploring new places, and binging on podcasts.

What are three things that are unique about you?

Hmm…let’s see…I have an excellent writing companion named Todd. He’s a Bearded Dragon who thinks he’s a human, eats better than most humans, and lounges on a couch all day. Okay, what else? Well, I’m living proof that office meet-cutes are a real thing. My husband and I met at work years ago. We now have four kids, and far too many responsibilities…but we’re still madly in love. Check out How I Met My Other: True Engagements, Forever Love for the full story. And finally, how about something fun? I held many jobs in college, but the most memorable was when I dressed as a Planters Peanut at a local wholesale club opening.

---

Jaguars and Other Game