Erin Hylands

 Erin Hylands

     Today's post is another one about another friend of mine who has self-published a few books, Erin Hylands! 

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Interview

Me: "Erin, what is your writing story? "

Erin:   "I started writing when I was six years old, telling everyone I wanted to be an author. When I was             7, I got the idea to write a book called The Capture of the Queen. I didn’t finish it — and the                 two subsequent books in the series — until I was ten.

                Over the years, I wrote sporadically — if at all. As I grew older, I figured there was no way I           could make it as an author, that my love of writing made no sense.

            When I was fourteen, I began writing With Eyes of Blue. I even have the date written in my journal:                 March 21, 2021.

            Over the next — almost — two years, I got six chapters written.

            When I began my senior year of high school — this year — I had given up. I was going to go to         college to be an English and Literature teacher, thinking my love of writing would go to good use             there. But when I joined an online history class, fellow YDubber and young author Cari Legere             told me I needed to write a book, and that I was an amazing author.

            I didn’t believe her. I told her I had tried, but I couldn’t do it. Besides, I could never publish a             book, I was too young.

            Then, Cari told me she was self published.

            At that point, I began to wonder if it was possible. I brought out my journal with my first draft of         With Eyes of Blue and tried to continue, but to no avail. Writers block comes from lack of                        motivation and consistency.

            When Cari invited me to do Crazy Writer’s Week in January, I hesitantly agreed to join her.                 After all, it couldn’t hurt to do a fun writing competition that only lasts a week.

            That week changed my career.

            Over the course of that week, I wrote nineteen chapters of my book. Then, I joined YDubs and             have never looked back. I pay for it by myself, and it is worth every single penny.

            On April 5, 2023, I self-published With Eyes of Blue. After two years and fifteen days, I held my         book in my hands.

            That feeling is indescribable.

            I have discovered that I don’t want to be a teacher, I want to be a writer. My God-given gift of             writing isn’t to be taken lightly. I will use writing for His glory!" 

Me: "That's so incredibly and so inspiring! So With Eyes of Blue was your first finished story?"

Erin: "Thank you! Yes, With Eyes of Blue was my first true finished story. I actually just finished and               published two other books the other day!"

Me: "Oh that's awesome! Congratulations! What is one thing you wish you knew before you started                 writing?"

Erin: "I wish I had known that it was possible for me to get published. It’s been my dream to be an                 author since I was seven years old, but I never believed I could do it until I met young author Cari         Legere (author of The Mystery of the Missing Boat) and discovered that it was, in fact, possible to         get published!"

Me: "Oh absolutely, you have to wonder how many potential artists were talked out of pursuing their         dream, because it's "impractical."

    "What are the names of your other published stories?"

Erin: "Besides With Eyes of Blue, I have Fairy Tales Made Modern Volume 1 (which is comprised of             Set in Ice, Seven is a Large Number, With Every Ounce of Love, and Under the Sea) and Mary,             Queen of Scots: A Shakespearean-Style Play."

Me: "Oh those sound incredible! Thank you for your time today Erin!"

Erin: "You're welcome!" 

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About the Author:

     When she’s not reading, Erin Hylands spends her time crocheting, writing, and with her family. Naturally, she spends quite a lot of time writing fantasy and contemporary fiction. She has grown to also love reading and writing historical fiction as well. She is the author of With Eyes of Blue, Mary, Queen of Scots: A Shakespearean-Style Play, and Fairy Tales Made Modern Volume 1.


You can find Erin on the blog she shares with fellow young author Cari Legere.



Link to blog: https://twofriendsonepen.wixsite.com/twofriendsonepen


With Eyes of Blue    

It is the year 965 BC. Amunet is a young girl with blue eyes who wakes up in a pyramid, alone except for her cat, Nephthys. She has no memory beyond knowing her name and her cat's name. Who is this girl? Where did she come from? Trouble is brewing. The Pharaoh Ahmose has just died, and with his death, his only heir has vanished. Egypt is without a ruler, for Queen Chione died in childbirth and the heir went missing. Chaos ensues as five different countries approach Egypt to fight for the double crown. Can this girl with eyes of blue have a means to save all of Egypt? This is a story of love and war, of betrayal and trust, of family and Yahweh. This is the story of Amunet, the girl with eyes of blue.

Link to Story: https://www.lulu.com/shop/erin-hylands/with-eyes-of-blue/paperback/product-wpvmgq.html?q=Erin+hylands&page=1&pageSize=4



Fairy Tales Made Modern

Fairy Tales Made Modern is a delightful reimagining of classic fairy tales; The Snow Queen, Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid. Set in Ice What if the Snow Queen wasn’t born with her powers? Juniper King is an ordinary girl with an ordinary family. One day, they moved to a new, sprawling house. In the attic, Juniper discovers an orb that grants her magical powers. She shuts herself away, and then things change forever. Seven is a Large Number What if the seven dwarves were in league with the Evil Queen? Lemon Ada White is a normal girl with a normal family. On a normal day, her normal family is torn apart, and she is the only one left. She is sent to live with her only relative with room, her aunt’s sister. This woman despises Lemon, and Lemon is terrified of her. One fateful day, she is forced to run away. With Every Ounce of Love What if Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother was evil? Addilyn Bennet had a perfect life. She had a beautiful, loving mother and a strong, hardworking father. One day, all that changes when her mother dies in a fatal car accident. For years, Addilyn and her father are alone, until her father brings home a woman named Agatha along with her two daughters, Mariana and Riona. He ends up marrying her, then dying a week later. Addilyn’s life changes forever. Under the Sea What if the Little Mermaid was originally a human? Valerie James is an ordinary girl enjoying her summer break. Her fourteenth birthday is coming up in two months, and that is exciting to her! But when she makes a new friend named Coral Star—who just happens to be a mermaid—her life changes forever. Valerie, now Echo Valley, must find a way to turn back into a human or spend the rest of her life under the sea.

Link to Story:


Mary, Queen of Scots

    Mary, Queen of Scots since she was six days old, has a pretty tragic story. From being forced into an arranged marraige at a young age, to her lover being murdered in front of her, to being executed by her own cousin, Mary's life was cataclysmic. But what was her life really like? Did she love her husbands? Was she justly executed? Decide for yourself after reading this Shakespearean Style play on Mary, Queen of Scots.




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    It's Erin's story incredible?! Please let me in the comments which of her stories you'd be most interested in reading! And if you'd like to read future posts, then please subscribe. I post every Saturday so check back then! 

    If you'd like to receive writing updates, vote on future content, compete in competitions, and hear more about the dystopian novella I'm planning on self-publishing then please join my email list by going to this link, https://story-anchor.ck.page/b0d556afb4. With that, farewell and have a wonderful day!

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