A Journey of Perseverance and Passion as an Indie Author – Exclusive Interview with Isabella Presley
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 20
- 4 min read
Isabella Presley, a 32-year-old Canadian author and English literature student, opens up about her creative journey from stage acting to publishing her gothic vampire romance, Her Dionysus. In this candid interview, she discusses the realities of being an indie author, the power of perseverance, and her passion for storytelling that transcends challenges and inspires others.
Isabella Presley, Author
Who is Isabella Presley? Introduce yourself, your hobbies, your favorites, you at home and in business. Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I’m Isabella Presley, a 32-year-old Canadian author and English literature student. I self-published my debut gothic vampire romance, Her Dionysus, in September 2024. I am from Toronto, Ontario, but I moved to Montreal, Quebec, to attend Concordia University and pursue my Bachelor’s degree. I always grew up around books, having a deep passion for storytelling at a young age. I was a former stage actor in Toronto, and I did nine months of film training before going into writing. My favourite author is Anne Rice, who is my inspiration for my novels. 18th and 19th-century Gothic literature is my favourite genre to study. I am currently in the editing process of my prequel novella to Her Dionysus, and I am also studying French. My dream is to live in Paris, France.
I love going to local coffee shops to spend my time, whether it’s alone with a book, writing my next project, or hanging out with friends.
What’s the biggest misconception about what you do?
The biggest misconception people often have about being an author or a writer is that you will make it big immediately and make lots of money. That’s a very rare case, and oftentimes authors don’t make a lot from their books. It’s a constant marketing struggle to even be seen, no matter how much SEO, Instagram, or TikTok Reels you do, some days it’s like screaming into a void and nobody sees you. You definitely need a passion and drive to never give up, despite what others may tell you. Being an author is a struggle, but incredibly rewarding when you meet the right people who will support you on your journey and not try to tear you down with their own insecurities.
Another misconception I find is that people (even myself) can be hesitant about calling themselves an “artist" or “writer'' because they think the only way to be a writer is to be a millionaire who is selling books faster than they even get on the shelves. That’s not reality in most people’s cases, as I’ve said, but being a writer is just that writing. If you write, you’re a writer!
How did your personal journey lead you to become an expert in this niche?
My personal journey with publishing was a two-year to two-and-a-half-year-long process. I went from the creative conception of what I wanted to write to sitting at the computer for endless weeks, while going to school, and eventually completing my first draft. I then did some self-edits before doing research, and I chose to go with a hybrid publishing company. I wanted to keep the rights to everything at the time, and I initially liked how much flexibility and creative freedom I had, but at a price. Literally! I spent a lot of money on this and am still paying back the debt. It’s one thing I want my readers to know because it was a difficult process, both spiritually and financially. I didn’t go with the most professional people, and looking back (although grateful), I would have chosen traditional or doing it completely on my own for next to nothing.
I went through many days and nights of anger, frustration, sadness, depression, anxiety, and self-doubt until the whole process was completed. Then came the marketing. To be honest, not my favourite. I had no idea how to market a book, how to talk to managers and owners of bookstores. The other challenge was that I am an Anglophone author trying to get into the minuscule number of Anglo-friendly bookstores in Montreal! It’s still a challenge today! However, this experience of years of learning, growing, evolving, and doing has given me a valuable amount of knowledge in this area, and now I can teach new authors how to navigate the publishing industry, no matter what type of publishing they decide to do.
What’s one strategy or tip you wish more people knew?
The best thing I could say is knowing how to network with people. You may not have all the marketing strategies or the editing skills, but that’s what those people are there for. I wish in the beginning of my journey I had someone wise enough in my circle from the publishing industry to tell me what to avoid (especially scammers) and what opportunities to take. I had to learn on my own how to market to the best of my ability, how to look over documents a thousand times over, how to figure out the distribution process, etc. If you can have the best interpersonal skills possible and know how to treat others, it will open your world to endless possibilities. Also, knowing when to keep going when others put you or your work down is huge!
How can someone reach out and begin working with you right now?
You can reach out to me by email or Instagram! I love hearing from people about how my book or myself has helped them learn from my experiences. I love collaborating with others and learning from them as well. Although my book is a fantasy romance, it holds a lot of weight when it comes to self-love, how to navigate friendships, how to trust your intuition when you feel stuck, and when to say no to something that feels off. It’s also a story about never giving up. I hope that those messages resonate with the readers of my book, and I look forward to hearing from them!
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