Madilynn Dale
- Apr 1, 2022
- 5 min read

Author Spotlight Naomi Valkyrie

Tell our readers briefly about yourself.

Naomi Valkyrie, often called a Firebrand Provocateur, brings her unique Autistic perspectives and curiosities to life by weaving tales of deep connection, mystery, and romance. She is inspired by being able to spontaneously create a thought that takes on a life of its own, opening up new adventures for her readers.

The Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy realms are particular areas of interest for Naomi as they allow for the vast exploration of magic, adventure, and the impossible while creating diverse characters that her readers connect with on an emotional level.

When she isn’t attending to familial connections, Naomi loves a dark, comfy reading space surrounded by the symbolism of her spiritual archetypes and her daemon/familiars, while she sips her Starbucks tea and immerses herself in imagination.

What books do you have available? Can you give us a short description of them?

At the time of this interview, I have twelve books published:

An Urban Fantasy series – House Valdis (two books and a prequel out, more books coming)

A Paranormal Romance series – Life is Hell (5 books out, writing the last one)

A Paranormal Rom-com novella – The Ghastly Gumball

A Paranormal Fated Mates novella – Fate, Frankincense & Funerals

A Gothic Paranormal Romance novella – The Widow (co-authored with Rebecca E. McEwen)

A Paranormal/UF series – Aberration (one book out, co-authored with Rebecca E. McEwen)

Do you stay in one genre when you write or do you find yourself veering toward others?

So far, my stories have all presented to me as either Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance. I’m open to writing in other genres if my muse takes me in another direction at some point.

Are you a panster, planner, or someone in between?

I'm definitely a pantser. Most of my writing is done intuitively with no plan. I get an idea, then I sit down and start writing. If my brain is giving me an info dump for the story, I'll jot the notes down on my whiteboard so I don't forget; but it's not anything formal.

What is your writing routine like?

I don’t have a structured writing routine. Most often, I refer to my process as pure chaos. Being neurodivergent, most of the mainstream writing advice out there doesn’t work for me, so I’ve learned to patch together the things that work, and it’s ever-changing. In addition to that, being a parent means my schedule is nuts. I write when I can make the time.

Tell me about your favorite character that you’ve created?

That’s a tough one. I don’t know that I have one favorite. I have a soft spot for Onyx from my House Valdis series, and Jaru from my Life is Hell series. Of course, Lark is also a favorite - so mischievous! Acheron from Fate, Frankincense & Funerals…

Most of my characters are meaningful to me in some respect.

Where do you get your ideas for world building?

I honestly don’t know where they come from. It kind of creates itself as I go along.

Do you add romance to your writing? Is it steamy or clean?

There’s some type of romance in most of my books. It’s a part of life for many people, so it feels natural to include it. As to the steam factor, I wouldn’t classify my books as clean because they don’t meet the other criteria for a clean story (mine have swearing and violence), but most of them aren’t super steamy either. The ones with the most steam are: The Widow, and Fate, Frankincense & Funerals.

I might add more steam to future stories, depends on my muse.

What was your favorite scene to create?

I don’t know that I have a favorite. I will say that I had a lot of fun writing Hell in A Handbasket, Sure As Hell, and The Ghastly Gumball. Mischief and humor are always entertaining.

Where do you get character inspiration?

As with the world building, I really don’t know where these characters come from. They just show up and demand I tell their story. Most of the mood boards and character inspiration pictures I have only come about after I’ve already had the character begin speaking with me.

What genre do you prefer to read?

I love M/M Romance, any subgenre.

Do you have any specific authors you follow and try to craft your work after?

I do have authors that are one-click buys for me, but I don’t pattern my work after any specific person. My brain doesn’t translate what I read in a way that I could, even if I wanted to.

Do you have any recurring themes in your book?

Most of my books are about found family. A lot of my characters are flawed. I don’t know that I could write a book with a well-adjusted character since my lens of life doesn’t really understand what that looks like. I think maybe Lockwood from The Ghastly Gumball is the closest to well-adjusted as I have imagined thus far.

What does your editing process look like?

In a word – chaos. Edits are a necessary evil and I only manage it because it’s mandatory, lol.

Do you have a preferred drink or snack that you eat/drink while writing?

I usually have lemon water or unsweet tea. I’ll snack on whatever is available – usually some kind of chip or some cheese.

When is your favorite time of day to write and why?

When I am actually able to choose what time of day I write, I prefer late at night. There’s a certain quality of stillness in the dark hours that’s great for creativity.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

I don’t know that I have a specific favorite. If I do take a vacation, I prefer the mountains. If I’m going on a trip specifically to write, Salem, MA is definitely a place where I get a lot of work done.

Marvel or DC? Do you have a favorite character?

Marvel, and Deadpool

What hobbies do you have?

I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies. Mostly I use coloring and reading to help me destress.

Where can our readers find you?

For interaction, I’m on several social media platforms, and I have a website.

Amazon: All Books

Barnes & Noble: Life is Hell series, House Valdis series, The Widow, and Aberration

Kobo: Life is Hell series, House Valdis series, The Widow, and Aberration

iTunes: House Valdis series and The Widow