Author interview with romance writer Regina Sage

Regina Sage, author of the Underwater series, says, “Love is a daily magic we can choose to use, and in my books it defeats evil every time.”

Q: Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
A: I honestly think the authors in my writing groups are the biggest influence on my work. By workshopping scenes and plot lines, sharing beta reads, and engaging in other forms of feedback, I think we all share a commitment to the craft and to the community that allows us to grow in ways we couldn’t otherwise. Participating in various author groups with traditionally published, indie, or as-yet-unpublished authors has been the greatest influence on my perspectives, skill, and attitudes surrounding my books.

Q: What’s been the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
A: I can do hard things. It might sound silly, but as I finish each stage of the drafting, editing, or publishing process, I’m constantly surprised I actually managed to do the thing. It always seems daunting, and then I do it. I hope to keep surprising myself this way.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice another writer has given you about storytelling?
A: My best friend, also a writer, reminds me all the time: Let the story be the length it wants to be. She says I told her that first, but I don’t remember it, so credit goes to her for this one. When I get hung up on word count or chapter goals, or the number of pages something will be, she reminds me that the story can take care of all of that for me if I let it. It has saved me from cutting some stories very short, much to the benefit of the resultant book.

Q: What’s a book that changed how you think about writing or storytelling?
A: It’s really hard for me to pick one book, so I’m going to say a series: Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books. I first read them after I started publishing, but I wish I’d found them sooner. These have such rich world building and expansive plots that span generations of characters but never leave me feeling bogged down with unnecessary details. She writes cleanly and beautifully, with incisive observations about people… It shifted how I think about organizing my plots and character arcs, and helped me see that the backstory I’ve already written can sometimes do the heavy lifting.

Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: Love wins is my constant theme. It is a belief I have that we can accomplish all things with love—of the self, of others, as friends or partners, or in a more general way by just greeting the world with love as we explore it. Love is a daily magic we can choose to use, and in my books, it defeats evil every time.

Q: How do you approach writing characters with experiences different from your own?
A: I write as close to my experience as I can, but when I can’t, I ask sensitivity readers for help. I highly recommend it for anyone writing outside their scope.

Q: What’s your go-to snack or drink while writing?
A: Water is always a must, but I also brew a special Smut Fuel (coffee) to keep me going when I run low on steam. Pretzels, fig bars, and Swedish Fish are also finger foods I like to snack on while I’m writing.

Q: In your experience, what has been the best way to market your books? Where have you found the greatest return on your investment (whether it be time or money invested?)
A: Engaging with a community of people has been the best way I’ve found to market my books. Shark romance is niche, and I don’t have much money to spend on ads, so I rely on word of mouth to find new readers. The great thing is that a lot of writers are also avid readers, and together we can all swap or spread the word about our books. A rising tide lifts up all sharks, as I say. So too, when we all help each other, we all rise together.

Q: How do you define success as an author? Has that definition evolved over time?
A: This is one thing I talk about a lot with people, especially new authors, or people who are considering publishing. Success is exactly as we define it individually, not as others define it and subsequently project on us. For me, that definition is really simple: publish a book, sell one copy. I did that. I am therefore successful. For each project, I might make a different definition, like publish the book by a certain date, and if I do that then I am also successful. Success is measured by our own goals, and we control what those are and what they look like. We control our success, no one else does.

Q: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
A: My favorite under-appreciated novel is By Dust & Duty, by K. C. Phillips. When I say this book changed my life, I mean it. I first read it at the beta stage and was immediately bespelled. I reread it all the time because of the insightful perspectives, poignant observations, and overall hopeful arc of the story.

Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: I would easily hop into any of the Underwater books. If I could be swept off to vacation in an island paradise by a shark alien? I totally would be.

Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: The Underwater books are set to go on for quite some time. I currently have five published, but there are at least twenty more waiting for their turn to be told. So I’ll be working on those for probably the rest of my life.

She likes to garden, cook, crack whips and sling steel. If she doesn’t run twenty miles in a week, she calls it self-care and reads a book instead.

Connect with the author

• Author website
• Instagram and Bluesky: @ReginSageBooks
• Buy Regina Sage books today!

Now available in print and on Kindle!