This month I had the pleasure of hanging out with "Pirate Queen" herself, Tess Poppert, albeit over a virtual cup of coffee as we are both kindred spirits and self-proclaimed coffee addicts! When Tess isn't writing you will find her surrounded in nature or enjoying the company of her loved ones! So grab a cup of coffee, we insist, while you have the pleasure of getting to know Tess!
What branch of the military are you affiliated with?
- Navy
How long have you been a military spouse?
- I’ve been a Navy wife for 7 years now. My husband, Reilly, went to OCS while we were dating, so we’ve shared 8 years of Navy adventures together!
What is your favorite part about being in a military family?
- Getting to be a local in different states and now two foreign countries (Japan and Italy), and the travel opportunities that come with it, is probably my favorite part of being a military family. However, the strong military communities we’ve been blessed to be a part of, and the confidence that comes with overcoming everyday challenges as a military spouse, are very close seconds.
What would you say is your biggest challenge being in a military family?
- My employment and I’ve yet to be at a duty station (this is my 6th move in 7 years) where I’ve been able to unpack all of the boxes—maybe I’ll crush that challenge one day! Ha-ha. In all seriousness, much like serving Thanksgiving dinner on an ironing board to a bunch of sailors and Marines who couldn’t be with their families or using a Navy Lodge ice bucket as my son’s first Easter basket due to a PCS, these challenges aren’t unique; only the creative solutions are. So, in short, I haven’t been without my challenges, but they’re as original as deployments and sliced bread. under employed.
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with our current military families?
- I would encourage everyone to invest in their communities (military or not), their friendships, and each duty station, regardless of how long your respective family is there. Never underestimate the impact you can make in even 6 months!
How or why did you decide to become an author?
- I was about five years old when I finished “The Last Battle” by C.S. Lewis. I was absolutely devastated because I believed that Susan deserved a better ending, so I boldly declared to my mother that I could write a better book. I still have no idea what was going through my mother’s head, but to her credit, she calmly handed me a piece of printer paper and a crayon and said, “Okay, do it.” I didn’t write a better book than C.S. Lewis that day or probably since. However, to quote one of my favorite poems that my husband has written, it’s: “what got me out of the door in the first place.” I completed my first novella at 15, my first novel at 18, and published my first book at 26.
What book has been your favorite that you have written so far?
- Every book I’ve written has a special place in my heart, but two stand out in particular. The first is my current Work in Progress: “Rise on Its Ruins” because it’s the story that’s been with me the longest, and it’s the closest I’ve gotten to writing Romantasy. Keeping “Rise on Its Ruins” within the Lux Series was critical, plot-wise, but I am open to branching out to true Romantasy in the future. The second is my latest release, “In Her Mind’s Eye (The Lux Series)” because it’s a rewrite of the first project I ever completed: my first novella, which I wrote when I was 15. Only three characters, two scenes, and one part of the plot survived from the first draft to the now published work, but it’s truly special because of that.
Do you have more books planned for the future?
- I currently have two books published, and I am actively going through rewrites for my third publication. Presently, the Lux Series is slated to be a 15-part series, primarily comprising standalone novels set in the same shared post-apocalyptic universe, with strong fantasy elements. Here is a list of all of my books, along with their current status.
- The Lux Series (Chronologically Ordered)
- 1. Year One —In Progress
- 2. Acceptable Losses—In Progress
- 3. The Wasteland Heir—Outlined
- 4. The Fallen— Undergoing Final Prep For Publication
- 5. Grid—Published!!
- 6. The Man Who Has Nothing To Lose—Completed Manuscript
- 7. The Man Without a Name—Completed Manuscript
- 8. Forging Fate—Outlined
- 9. Diamond Heart—Completed Manuscript
- 10. Two Thrones—Completed Manuscript
- 11. In Her Mind’s Eye (The Lux Series)—Published!!
- 12. Kit’s Project—Outlined
- 13. The Shadow Prince—Outlined
- 14. Winter Winds—Outlined
- 15. Rise On Its Ruins—Current WIP!!
What author inspires you?
- It’s so hard to narrow it down to a single author that has inspired me because everything I’ve read - every tale that has ever been told to me in whatever medium (TV Series, Movie, etc) - has inspired me and made me the author that I am now. However, there are a few that stand out. C.S. Lewis got me out the door in the first place. J.R.R. Tolkien made me a fan of huge casts of characters. Sarah Dessen and Brian Jacques turned me on to stand-alone novels in a shared universe with Easter Eggs littered amongst interactions between major and minor characters of series. Kass Morgan’s “The 100” (both her books and especially the TV series inspired by them) has served as a huge inspiration for my post-apocalyptic settings. Otherwise, my biggest author inspiration is my husband, Reilly, who is primarily a poet but also dabbles occasionally in prose.
What’s a random fact about you we should know?
- I grew up lost in the woods, building forts, and winning battles with wooden swords and imagining all the backstories for these “distant lands.” The caves I explored and the wooden forts I built in my parents' backyard in rural New England turned into what you now know as the Attican Empire, Lutheria, Vaenisan, the Norman Tribes, and so on and so forth!
Anything else you would like to share?
- If it were socially acceptable to wear a ball gown every day, I would. Still, you’ll find me a dress and heels most every day, cooking for a crowd (whether for book club or one of our monthly themed parties), alternating between planning our next adventure and my next novel. I am currently stationed in sunny Sicily with my husband and our four-year-old son. Follow for all things Lux Series on Instagram: @TessOriginals
Book Titles:
- ”Grid” and In Her Mind’s Eye (The Lux Series) are currently available. Look for book number three soon!
I'm so grateful that Tess took time out of her FIFTEEN book series to share her story with us! I can't wait to get my hands on one of her books!
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