INTERVIEW
Angela Haas writes stories about the lives of people who have lived and stumbled. A slow-burn romance author who loves emotional tension and sharp banter, she began writing when she was about ten, filling her spare time with handwritten and typewritten stories while cassette tapes played in the background. Her writing journey has been diverse, from fantasy and superheroes to romance, including two books in her Goalkeepers of the Universe series and more works to come. Haas, who can read, speak, and understand some Italian on account of growing up in an Italian household, also co-hosts The Author Next Door podcast, which discusses the realities of indie publishing after the first book. She has a BA in Business Leadership and an MBA in Organization Leadership and Communication, has taught college-level business, mass media, and public speaking, and helps manage several brick-and-mortar retail stores with her husband. She lives part-time in Colorado Springs and part-time in Rio Verde, Arizona, and is also a photographer, a communication trainer, and active in local author communities. Outside of work and writing, her life includes three dogs, salty snacks, blankets, and emphatically no camping. B Sudharsan, Founding Editor-in-Chief, Literary Harbinger, recently interviewed her via email. The interview has been lightly edited for flow.
HARBINGER EXCLUSIVE
‘Never Thought I Could Write Romance’
B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms Haas. When did you first start writing, and what inspired you to begin?
Angela Haas: I started writing when I was ten, maybe. Grew up in a time without technology, and my parents always worked. So if I had downtime, I started writing. I would put a cassette tape in and write by hand or on a typewriter just to pass the time. And here I am, about to publish my fifth book.
B Sudharsan: Tell us about your published works and what readers can expect from your latest book.
Angela Haas: I started writing fantasy stories and then moved to superheroes in space. I published two books in my Keepers of the Universe series but actually have now gone back to rework those based on all the knowledge I have now versus four years ago. I really wanted to see older women as the Avengers, if you will. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that there is a lack of stories where women of a certain age are superheroes or soldiers, so I decided to write them myself. While I was waiting for edits to come back on book 2 in that series, I accidentally started to write a romance. I never thought I could write romance, having really read action/adventure stories, but I studied and read romances and then created a fun, faking dating wedding-themed one. My latest book is a small-town Western romance set on a Colorado ranch for veterans coming home. It’s a place for them to transition back into civilian life. It’s also about a travel writer who has to do a story on the ranch to save her career.
‘I Almost Always Have the Title First’
B Sudharsan: What does your creative process look like when you begin writing a new story?
Angela Haas: Sometimes, I begin when I hear a song that inspires me, and I can then visualize a scene like a movie, and then I start to create the characters. I almost always have to have the title first. That way it’s already manifested into existence. Once I have that title, I start working on characters, emotional wounds, setting, etc. I do know who the characters are when I write, but they sometimes take shape differently as I’m writing them.
B Sudharsan: Any authors who have had the greatest influence on your writing?
Angela Haas: I grew up reading Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, and I LOVE Emily Henry as a romance author who inspired me. I love the way the first two write humor into their stories with a little absurdism. I learned from Douglas Adams that sci-fi doesn’t have to take itself too seriously. With Emily Henry, I learned that it’s okay not to have graphic levels of spice in your romance. As long as you’ve created great characters, readers will find you.
B Sudharsan: What does your writing routine look like, and how do you stay consistent?
Angela Haas: I’m a night owl writer, which can get a little lonely because there are no writing groups that I know of that write from 9 to 12 like I do. I try to keep that schedule as my office hours whether I write or complete author business tasks. Showing up every night regardless helps me stay consistent.
B Sudharsan: Could you tell us a little about your life outside writing, including your professional and academic background?
‘I’ve Always Been a Writer’
Angela Haas: I split time between Colorado Springs and Rio Verde Arizona. My husband and I run/own several retail brick-and-mortar stores, the largest one being 24,000 sq ft. We have 200 employees, and I’ve worked in the business since I was 16. I’m turning 50 in December. We needed to escape in the winter for our mental health; otherwise, we would just work every day all day. My background is a B A in Business Leadership and an MBA in Organization Leadership and Communication. I also taught college-level classes for eight years, teaching business, mass media, and public speaking classes.
B Sudharsan: When did you consciously decide to become a published author?
Angela Haas: I mean, I’ve always been a writer. Becoming a published author was a decision. Started during COVID when I was locked down, had more time on my hands, and again, wrote to pass the time. Then, I decided to take the plunge and self-publish my first book.
B Sudharsan: May I ask what other interests occupy your creative life?
Angela Haas: I really stick to my office hours. When you run your own business, you never clock out. But that’s why I’ve learned to fight for my creative time. My other hobby is photography, and I do communication training seminars on the side. I’ve also really started networking with my local author communities, and I’ve put together classes that I present at writer conferences.
‘Selling a Few Books Is a Win Sometimes’
B Sudharsan: What are you working on now, and is becoming a full-time author ultimately the goal?
Angela Haas: I feel like I always have so many ideas, and I can’t write fast enough. For now, I’m reworking First Strike and Seconds to Oblivion, which are books one and two in my Keepers of the Universe superhero series. Then, I’m hoping to publish books three and four in that series. I also have sequels to my first two romances planned and a romantic suspense series outlined. I do intend to become a full-time author, but that won’t happen until I get more books out and start generating an income from those.
B Sudharsan: For an author disappointed by a book’s performance, what would you say about defining success and deciding what comes next?
Angela Haas: Keep going. And I would ask what their idea of ‘not performing well’ is. Selling a few books is a win sometimes. If you self-publish, guess what? You can change your book. I have gotten a lot of feedback on my first book; I read the reviews and realized that it’s not the book I actually wanted to write. It’s the book my editors and coaches at the time told me to write. I have complete power to go in and change it and republish it. If you think your book is not doing as you’d hoped, maybe run an audit on it. Then, change what you want. If you don’t want to go back, keep going, keep learning, and write a new one that’s even better.
B Sudharsan: Last but not least, if you could change or invent just one thing in the world, what would it be?
Angela Haas: I’m never one to discuss anything that might be seen as something political, so I’ll keep this light. I would invent technology that could better dissolve the plaque on your teeth. Like some sci-fi tech that makes going to the dentist much more enjoyable. I HATE going to the dentist because I hate that scraping tool on my teeth!
If you self-publish, guess what? You can change your book. I have gotten a lot of feedback on my first book; I read the reviews and realized that it’s not the book I actually wanted to write. It’s the book my editors and coaches at the time told me to write. I have complete power to go in and change it and republish it. If you think your book is not doing as you’d hoped, maybe run an audit on it. Then, change what you want. If you don’t want to go back, keep going, keep learning, and write a new one that’s even better.
~ ANGELA HAAS
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