I've always been imaginative and telling stories, but the writing didn't happen until 2015. I accidentally fell into it while going through a severe depression. It saved me.
There is no fixed time. It depends on the story. Each story has a personality--some are easy and flowy, some take a few hits to crack, and some are stubborn. For instance, I've been writing the Sea Standalone for over 9 years while Gothikana took me 2 weeks to complete. So it varies.
From literally everywhere—things I've experienced, music I've listened to, art I've witnessed, stories I've heard, books I've read, conversations I've had, movies I've seen, an object, an aesthetic, a photograph, a simple what-if... it's all inspiring.
Most importantly, remember why you started writing in the first place. Your story is going to be someone's favorite, so write it!
Worst: Write what you know.
Best: Know what you write.
I've tried a few but always end up coming back to MS Word.
I don't know how to explain it. My brain just files away interesting data in a mental drawer, only to take it out when a story comes to me. The names just pop up.
Favorite: All the control it gives the authors.
Least favorite: All the things outside of writing that need attention.
I used to in the beginning, but now I don't. I don't see it unless someone sends me a review or tags me.
As for dealing with negative reviews, not everyone will love your books and that's okay. Some will hate it, some will be indifferent, and some will be moved by it in the most beautiful ways. You can't determine how someone will connect with your story so don't make that a mark of your value. That begets an unhealthy cycle that is hard to break. Just focus on what you can control—your stories—and keep writing and improving your craft. Be happy.
Yes. All my books have a content warning in the author's note. I advise all readers to check it out before proceeding.
What is 'process'? I don't know that word. It doesn't exist in my vocabulary. All I know is chaos, tears, and the occasional sacrifices to the writing gods LOL.
I genuinely don't know how to answer this so I'm just rolling with it.
Before writing:
Story enters brain. Story screams to be written. We battle because I'm lazy. It wins.
During writing:
I have no idea where it's going except a general direction but the Story unravels as I write.
After writing:
I oscillate between thinking it's shit and thinking it's sensational. Then I become a potato.
It depends on my mood and what I'm writing.
I make my playlist even before I start writing a story, and then keep adding songs as the writing progresses. My playlists have songs that fit a character, a scene, or simply the vibe of the story.
I write when I want to. It can be daily, it can be once a week. Whatever suits. And when I do write, my word counter is hidden. That way, I write without pressure to meet a goal, only writing what comes naturally. It could be a thousand words or ten thousand, I wouldn't know and I love having that mindset.
Yes.
I love third person, simple as that. Third person pov is excellent to play around with—for the plot, perspectives, and narrative styles, especially if there is an element of suspense in the story like there's usually in mine.
My characters come to me as themselves in my imagination, even the secondary characters. This includes how they look, move, dress, smell, sound, and think as well as their histories, personalities, and motivations.
They’re their own entities in my head. Because of this, I don’t think of celebrities when I write. In fact, even after I’m done, it is difficult for me to think of celebrities who fit!
However, I make mood boards that aesthetically match characters in vibes on my Pinterest page, so check that out!
October 29th, 2024. PREORDER HERE.
YES. These books are NOT standalones, and the plot throughout is connected. Reading them in order is recommended for best experience.
Reading order for Dark Verse series:
A full-length book? No. I'll see where they are at the end of the series, and I'm hoping their arcs are wrapped up. In case not, then maybe a novella someday for them.
No. He's a side character in the series.
Never say never. I know all the kids and who they end up with. But unless they scream at me to write their stories, I don't think I will be.
Tristan—Sagittarius
Morana—Capricorn
Dante—Leo
Amara—Virgo
Alpha—Taurus
Zephyr—Gemini
Shadow Man—Scorpio
Lyla—Cancer
I can't say until the series is finished.
He's not big on communication, so I doubt he'll talk to me for a whole book LOL. But also, rewriting the same thing doesn't excite me as a writer. There will be bonus scenes of some key moments from his POV but not the whole book.
That's for me to know and you to find out 😉
Yes. It is already available on Audible!
Yes, I have multiple scenes for all the couples and characters that will be compiled together in a Bonus Novella. It will be available after the series is completed.
These scenes were edited out of the main books because either they didn't fit or were out of place with POV. What type of scenes? Steamy scenes, fluffy scenes, flashback scenes, POV switch for a particular scene, and more.
Yes to both. After the series is completed, I have a very special Dark Verse passion project I've been sitting on for years. More details to come in time.
Yes, many foreign publishers have acquired translation rights for the Dark Verse series. A list page is under construction right now.
2025. Exact date to be announced.
Both Gothikana and Arkana are standalone books, but reading Gothikana first is recommended.
ARKANA is set in Verenmore in the late 1800s and is a dark historical gothic romance releasing 2025.
As for other gothic romances, who knows? If I get a good story, of course.
Gothikana was a culmination of my own experiences in boarding school, my own memories, questions I never found answers to, and my love for gothic fiction as a genre. I was in a cabin in the woods in January 2021 when it just came flooding and flowed. I wrote it all out in two weeks.
Vad—Aries
Corvina—Aquarius
That's for the reader to decide. There is evidence in the book supporting both a psychological explanation and a paranormal explanation, and the reader can decide which they feel is truer for them. That's the beauty of it.
Mainly because it felt right. Verenmore has been there for so many centuries, no one person can know all its secrets at one point in time. I just felt like it wouldn't fit the vibe of the story and the setting to have everything tied up. There will always be secrets and open ends in Verenmore.
No, not all of them.
Not really. It just happened naturally as I wrote Gothikana. Verenmore became an entity in itself.
Yes. It's already available on Audible!
You can find all published translations here.
There are more in the works. The page will be updated as they come.
On my UPCOMING page.
I write multiple stories simultaneously but primarily, my focus right now is writing Enigma, and editing The Syndicater and the Fire Standalone at the moment.
I'm releasing The Syndicater and Fire Standalone in 2024. Release information to come.
No tentative release dates for my self-published books right now. Enigma, my traditional published dark academia standalone, is coming April 29th 2025.
To be notified, make sure you're signed up for my newsletter or following me on Instagram.
With titles and cover:
- Enigma (dark academia romance)
- Arkana (dark historical gothic romance)
- Kinetik (dark heist biker romance)
Untitled and no covers:
- Sea Standalone (been writing this for 8+ years)
- Jungle Standalone (one of my most fun adventures)
- Snow Standalone (an absolute angst fest)
- Fire Standalone (wrote this back in 2016 and it's just... something else)
No tentative release dates for any yet except Enigma.
Self-published books: My wonderful friend Nelly R. designs all my gorgeous regular covers.
Traditionally published books: The publisher chooses the designer/team.
Foreign editions: The foreign publisher chooses their designer.
I format all my indie paperbacks myself.
I might not do ARCs for all books going forward but for the books that I do, there are three ways:
- Be a member of my personal ARC team. It is closed at the moment but I open it once a year and announce it on Instagram and in my reader group. My team is guaranteed ARCs for all books.
- Sign up for an individual book ARC. The sign-ups open a few weeks before release and ARCs are NOT guaranteed since they are limited.
- Join my Facebook reader group (RuNyx's Firebirds). I do a giveaway for a bunch of ARCs a week before release.
I don’t have a street team per se. I genuinely consider all my readers my support system, and it means the world to me that you share the love!
But if you were wondering how to help more? Here are some ways:
You could do one, you could do several, you could do all, or you could do none. I just hope you know that you just being here warms my heart. Thank you <3
There's no one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to marketing your book. You have to try multiple things and see what clicks for you as an author.
For me, it's word-of-mouth. I used to do ARC signups with a PR company before a book release and leave the rest to my readers. Aside from that, I was decently active on Instagram. Now, I'm mostly active in my reader group and have built a good newsletter list. That helps loads.
Other marketing options you can definitely look into are using Tiktok for marketing, using ads on Amazon and Facebook, etc. I have many wonderful author friends who have found immense success using different tools. So try and figure out what works for you.
If you're truly curious about marketing advice, I highly recommend checking out some Facebook reader groups like 20booksto50k and Smuthood Authors. The community of authors there have a variety of great tips you might find working for you.
Sadly, Amazon determines which markets they want to make which books available in and at what prices. The authors can only determine the price for certain marketplaces.
You can talk to your local publishers and express interest in getting my books. I'm working on making the books available on other retailers globally as well but there are only limited countries I can reach.
I'm already working with some incredible publishers in a few countries to bring my books to you in their translated versions. The best thing you can do to help is contact publishers in your country and let them know you want my books translated. The more they realize people want it, the higher the chances of them contacting me.
I'm private so I always knew I'd write with a penname. 'RuNyx' is a word I made up, but it has some personal, special meaning to me.
Feb 6th.
Aquarius Sun, Leo Moon, Scorpio Rising.
No to all.
All my characters, especially female characters, have bits and pieces of myself.
Yes, I am.
Mostly paranormal romance, romantic suspense, fantasy romance, and horror. Sometimes, I intersperse it with contemporary or new-adult romance if the mood strikes.
Traveling. Watching crime shows and movies. Taking long walks. Yoga. So much stuff I can't even think of right now.
Two tattoos. A phoenix on the nape of my neck, and a fish on the side of my wrist.
Nose and ear piercings.
Unsolved mysteries. Unexplained phenomenons. All the mythologies from all over the world. Urban legends and oral histories. Psychology. Parapsychology. The list is endless.
Black.
You can subscribe to my newsletter HERE.
Whenever I have some news to share, can be once a month or once in two months. Depends. I prefer sending longer newsletters with multiple updates instead of many to avoid flooding reader inboxes.
For all business inquiries, including foreign, film/TV, gaming, merchandising, and other subsidiary rights, please contact my agent Kimberly Brower at:
For fanmail and other queries, email at: runyxwrites@gmail.com (though I am really bad at responding quickly to personal mail).