Interview with author Hazel Rockwood

This week Jordan chats with indie author Hazel Rockwood. Hazel has a penchant for writing multiple love interests in both contemporary and paranormal settings. Listen to learn about her chaotic style of writing, get her favorite recs (some that aren't even out yet), and hear all about her next release Plants and Playtime. 

https://www.instagram.com/authorhazelrockwood/

https://hazelrockwood.com/

Transcript

Jordan 0:02

Welcome to Romance Recs. We're romance obsessed besties, sharing book res broken down by genres and tropes so you can be sure you are getting exactly what you want out of your next read. Hello, I'm Jordan and I am currently reading Beta Reading Beast and Thorn by Chelsea Ann Tompkins. And I am listening to Grumpily Ever After by Teagan Hunter. And today with me. I have a very special guest that I am so excited to chat with today and share with you. Would you like to introduce yourself?

Hazel 0:34

Yes. Hi, I'm Hazel. Hazel Rockwood. If you don't know the whole name, uh, white Romance author. And as we just talked before, the recording hit Chaos Goling, like

Jordan 0:47

Yeah.

Hazel 0:49

It is pure chaos around here. Yeah. So that, that's, that's me.

Jordan 0:52

We thrive in the chaos.

Hazel 0:53

Yes, we do.

Jordan 0:55

Oh, wonderful. And are you reading anything right now or are you so far into your writing process that you can't

Hazel 1:00

So I am in a happy situation that I'm an author, so I get to read books that other people don't get to read yet.

Jordan 1:07

Yeah.

Hazel 1:08

So I'm reading the second book from Katie l Smith for the Seldomy trilogy,

Jordan 1:14

Oh.

Hazel 1:14

and it's good. You guys are gonna love it. It's coming out in a couple of months.

Jordan 1:20

Awesome. Okay. It's something to look forward to everybody, and we love those. Thank you. And then, we're gonna talk all things Hazel Rockwood today. We're gonna break down the books that she has out, the books that she has coming out and just her as a reader. Before we do that, as always, we're gonna start with some quotes. So I have a quote and I. From plants and playtime. I was lucky and fortunate enough to get an arc copy of this. It is not out yet, but by the time you're listening to this, it will be out very soon. The release date again? Can you remind me? 21st. Okay. 21st of February for plants and playtime. Are you angling for a spanking? Precious, of course not. I reply primly. I know. I only have to ask. And I just love that. And it's like a perfect representation of their dynamic too. So

Hazel 2:17

Yeah,

Jordan 2:18

that was fun for me.

Hazel 2:19

precious.

Jordan 2:20

I know she is precious.

Hazel 2:22

Yes. Cs?

Jordan 2:23

She's like, I just, my dream is just two men. And then she gets her dream and it's a

Hazel 2:28

It's like manifestation one-on-one.

Jordan 2:30

Yes, exactly. If you dream it, it can happen.

Hazel 2:34

Yeah, absolutely.

Jordan 2:36

And do you have a quote for us today?

Hazel 2:38

Yes. So, uh, since the book is not out yet, I went back and took quote from the book one that is already out that you can read from Katie. So book one is Shelter me from Darkness. And, I actually have two quotes because Piper is, Piper is also precious. So. Uh, it's Second Chance Romance Socy is giving him SaaS because, you know, he fucked up that the first time around.

Jordan 3:09

Love some grovel.

Hazel 3:10

Yes. So goes like, you seem confused. The last time I checked I wasn't one of your wol and you aren't my alpha. My business is exactly that. Mine

Jordan 3:20

Yes. I love a woman that stands on business. She's.

Hazel 3:24

And then I have another part. It's like I can't bind for him like a lovesick fool. I won't, he ripped our pond apart, like it meant nothing. And I picked up the pieces. I can't do that again.

Jordan 3:36

Oh,

Hazel 3:37

Although it's like Yeah. The book, it will track on your heartstrings.

Jordan 3:42

I was like, I love a self-aware woman. Like, oh.

Hazel 3:47

so she's a witch and he's a wolf. And because he wasn't a wolf, he broke the pond and he released the pro.

Jordan 3:54

Okay, now I have to add that to my TBR. Let's just keep adding it, folks.

Hazel 4:00

Like, sorry, we are starting early, but like, just get your good dreams ready And add it,

Jordan 4:04

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll get there. We'll put it right at the top. So can you tell us a little bit about yourself as an author? Tell the listeners like what types of books do you have out now that's

Hazel 4:16

Yeah, so why choose? That's the jam that I'm going for. Yes. I sometimes I try to keep myself sane and like just write one love interest. I managed to do that once. It's the sort Halloween sword story. There is just one umpire,

Jordan 4:34

Yeah, I did read that one. That one

Hazel 4:36

everything else, there's at least two. Uh, and yeah, very spicy, open doors, windows, outdoors, everything.

Jordan 4:46

we're in a field. We're in a field. There are no doors.

Hazel 4:50

Like the Halloween one in a grave yard. Like if that's your vibe.

Jordan 4:56

That

Hazel 4:56

And also like kick ass female characters. That's my, I like them strong and giving them SaaS. Or being spread like Karen.

Jordan 5:07

But, but like Precious with sas, there's a lot of sas.

Hazel 5:12

So that's, and, and the men just, they, they just fall fast, hard, all the time. Everywhere on their knees.

Jordan 5:18

They're just falling. They're just dropping like flies.

Hazel 5:20

yeah,

Jordan 5:23

And you have paranormal and contemporary, right? You kind of play between both.

Hazel 5:29

Yeah, it's, it's like I'm fantasy girl at heart, but then at sometimes it's just like, no magic. Like I don't wanna think about what this means if this does like, you know, the full on effect, like in content per like, it's so relaxing.'cause you're like, phone works like a phone works, taxi work, like a taxi work. And it's just goes.

Jordan 5:49

I mean that makes sense. Just like something a little more simple or the whole world, how the different political systems are going to like intrigue.'cause I know in storm bringer, which if you've been listening to the podcast, you know that I have a slight obsession with storm bringer. That is a why choose, romantic set at an academy and wave. Okay. I'm just gonna dive into it because Wave is amazing because she, to me, she's just like, I need to go under the radar. She just physically can't. She mentally is just listen, you're kind of being a. a dumb bro, and I'm just gonna like throw this water at you, like I

Hazel 6:28

Yeah,

Jordan 6:30

I can't just sit here and not say something because you're being stupid and I really can appreciate her for that, for her lack of self-control.

Hazel 6:40

see. Tries to go under the radar so bad as he fails epically.

Jordan 6:45

So. Like, sorry, I just keep giggling because i've read the book twice already and I need everyone to read it. It's super special to me and I need the next one like yesterday. So when you're doing, worlds like that, right, when you're digging into the worlds, is it the characters of the world that comes to you first?

Hazel 7:05

Characters.

Jordan 7:06

Characters.

Hazel 7:07

Yeah.

Jordan 7:08

Yeah. Great character. And then do you think about like, okay, what kind of world would this character come from? Or then how is that magic system and world or worlds multiple built for you?

Hazel 7:21

chaos, that's the answer to everything. I start with characters and then I go with the rule of cool. What would be cool? What would be fun to write? Then I just go there and then I figure right in the edits like, okay, how does this actually make logical sense? But that's like, that's how they feel like, okay, this, this, this sounds fun if this happens. And then something opposed to it goes on fire ice, something like that. Then I, then there's a fiction and then it's hard fun to get like drama out of that. Like we know the two dudes are fire and ice and there's something coming.

Jordan 8:03

Stop. Yes. Sorry. I'm professionally or I'm

Hazel 8:08

Yeah, me too.

Jordan 8:09

We are professionals. We don't fan girl over

Hazel 8:12

adult, never.

Jordan 8:14

No. What was your first book that you published then? Was it runner?

Hazel 8:19

Uh, so the first one was the Halloween short story.

Jordan 8:23

Okay.

Hazel 8:24

I was planning to publish Runners Prize first, but then because chaos and I got impatient and everybody was posting about their Halloween stories, I just sat down and wrote it in three days, send it to my editor, please fix it. And I thought like from the idea to getting it out was like six days.

Jordan 8:42

Wow.

Hazel 8:43

So that's

Jordan 8:44

little novella. It is.

Hazel 8:45

yeah,

Jordan 8:46

But it is, it's very cute. I love it.

Hazel 8:49

yeah. So.

Jordan 8:50

it's very hot.

Hazel 8:51

That's how that came to be. And then it was like, well, Christmas is next and I don't have a Christmas story. And then I actually, I actually took like maybe eight, nine days to get the Christmas story together. So that was like long process. Like my editor was already knew that it was coming and it was like, it was cool. Like it was four case for the Halloween one. And then it was like, okay, and now we get to the scheduled program, random's price is coming out.

Jordan 9:17

I love that. Where did your idea for Runner's prize come from? So for those that don't know, runner's prize is a throuple. It's contemporary. It's novel. Here I have for the

Hazel 9:27

Ooh, you have the paper.

Jordan 9:29

Yeah, I, I had to order a trophy hazel, like, I don't know if you know me, but I, I need my trophy,

Hazel 9:35

Trophies. Yes. Yeah. The idea for that one, um, I actually don't know.

Jordan 9:42

It's, it's just hot. It just came to you like,

Hazel 9:44

Yeah. It, it, it's, it is like the characters, like I wanted, I was tired of writing fantasy and magic, and I just wanted something simple. So I just started writing it like, okay, what would happen if I had a blonde girl who went to the club? That was basically where I started, and then, well, there was somebody in the club and then there was two, somebody in the club, and

Jordan 10:08

yeah, what if the boyfriend had a boyfriend and

Hazel 10:12

So it's like they're best friends. Uh, they probably have some emotional connection things going on, but like, um, they ling into the best friends.

Jordan 10:22

they just like to share.

Hazel 10:24

Yeah. They like to share.

Jordan 10:25

they're really good at sharing with their friends.

Hazel 10:27

Yeah. They's like, they believe the sharing is caring mentality fully.

Jordan 10:32

Yeah. Yeah. Plants and playtime. Now that's where the boyfriend

Hazel 10:36

Yeah. They're boyfriends before. Yeah. Yes.

Jordan 10:39

And that was really fun to unwrap and unravel through the story. And I felt like the way they did that, you did that in plants and playtime, it felt so. Consensual, so natural and so thoughtful, and it made me love the men even more. Like they were so conscious, well, they were so conscious of her and her coming into this situation, and it just, it was, it was fun and also really comforting to read,

Hazel 11:13

Oh, that's nice. Yeah. Yeah, it was really nice book to write. Also like it

Jordan 11:19

Sound

Hazel 11:19

because, because, yeah, it, it was just like, kind of like pressure source all over the thing.

Jordan 11:28

Love that visual. Wonderful. Um, how, how long have you been writing then?

Hazel 11:36

I started 2017 as a joke because?

Jordan 11:42

chaos.

Hazel 11:43

Because chaos. Yeah. So I, at the time as I was working at the office and sometimes we had downtime, so I just started writing like to my closest friends in the office. Like this little like started this story. As an email, like I was just Googled like, how many cliches can I fit in the first like thousand words. And I started writing the story and then it's like, this is entertaining. Like just keep it coming when we have downtime, like it's nice to have something. So I just like, I get writing it and then at sometimes I had like 20 K in the email and then it's like, maybe this needs to be a book. And uh, like I got my friend involved and we spent two years finishing that thing. It's not ever gonna see a light of day, but like that's how I started.

Jordan 12:24

Oh my gosh. That's so cool. I love that story. It just kind of came. Oh wow.

Hazel 12:31

Yeah. And like there are authors who, like, I knew I'm gonna be a author whe from whenever I remember as a teenager sitting reading Nora Roberts and because Nora,

Jordan 12:42

she's everywhere.

Hazel 12:43

Yeah. CS Queen. And uh, reading the book and thinking like, thank God I'm not gonna be an author because writing a book this good is gonna be hard work.

Jordan 12:53

This is a lot of work. Look.

Hazel 12:55

Yeah. Yeah. It's like this is so much fun to read, but I'm never gonna write something like this, like this.

Jordan 13:02

I love that though. I love that. I love your storyline because yeah, you always hear, like, I just always knew, right?

Hazel 13:11

Yeah.

Jordan 13:11

But there are so many people that discover it in different ways, so it's really nice to hear that there are other options for those that are

Hazel 13:20

So it's like it's never too

Jordan 13:22

four, so now what do I do?

Hazel 13:25

it's never too late. You are bored at office. Just start writing whatever coffee break, see what happens if you like it or not, and go from there.

Jordan 13:32

Yeah, you never know. You could

Hazel 13:33

Just be prepared that some years later it might be a chaos and you are doing a podcast and you know, you never know.

Jordan 13:41

and here. Yeah, and here you are. And then you have to field field messages from crazy readers like myself about. About characters and have to answer When is the next book? And you're like, I'm just trying to live my life here. Leave me alone, but

Hazel 13:57

Yeah, actually like, uh, so far all the message is like asking when the next book is coming. Have been really nice. I haven't had any, anyone saying like, I need it. Like they say it, like, I need it now, now, but take your time. I want it to be. Kind of tone.

Jordan 14:11

We haven't hit the

Hazel 14:13

yeah, ccra in, in that sense. So

Jordan 14:16

Okay. That's good. I, don't wanna have to fight anyone for you, and I would, so do you mention you have another pen name do you write other than romance?

Hazel 14:26

Yeah. I have a fantasy pen name, but it's kind of like side projects. So when I get hired, riding spice. Then I have a fantasy pen name that has like, it has a little bit romance, but like zero spice, not a, and that,

Jordan 14:39

kind of a.

Hazel 14:40

um, it's more even like just like kind of hinted at. So I have a story like where the woman. Her husband died. Like fa it's poor fantasy. So that's high fantasy settings all around. So it's more on the world building and uh, that kind. But like, like in, in a sense, like the husband died a hundred years ago and now she's getting, her best friend is getting ready to marry and then she's helping with the wedding. And kind of like more about like going through the process and then she meet somebody and they maybe like have something going on, but it's not like focus of the story.

Jordan 15:17

right.

Hazel 15:18

And those are sort ones also like around the Halloween one and, uh, Christmas, like that length.

Jordan 15:23

Okay. Okay. Oh, that's a lot of world in a short amount of time.

Hazel 15:28

Yeah. I, I enjoy that. Like, how much can I pack in the like, and that's, that's like when we were weathering, like, you were like, is does this mean something? I like probably.

Jordan 15:39

Listen, I am picking up these little pieces that you might be throwing down. Who knows? We'll find out.

Hazel 15:46

So in the fantasy world, it is like I'm just throwing them left and right, like,

Jordan 15:51

Yeah, I love that. So if you're looking for something fast, entertaining and very engaging, there we go. Perfect. So you switch kind of just as like pallet cleansers, then just to help keep you fresh so you don't get so bogged down in one thing versus the other. I love that. That's what I do with reading. Like I

Hazel 16:10

yeah.

Jordan 16:11

around. Like if I read too many contemporaries or like Sweet Romance, I was like, this is sickening. I need something super dark. I need like some serious bully romance to really bring me back to reality.

Hazel 16:24

yeah. It is exactly like that. Like there's the contemporary romance, then there's the, okay, like storm PR is more, I would say that it's, uh, paranormal romance because it. Current world kind of. So I wouldn't classify it to like fully as a romantic in that sense. And then I have the second pen name that I write when I feel like writing that thing. And then I have like projects that are not on the deck, but if I feel like writing dark stuff, I have a monster and stalker romance that like, this is like coming slowly, maybe 500 words here, 500 there. In five years it's gonna be a book and then I can draw it out. Mm-hmm.

Jordan 17:02

whenever they speak to you is when you're gonna address it, and that's fair.

Hazel 17:05

yeah.

Jordan 17:06

You can't make characters talk to you sometimes.

Hazel 17:08

No, they are like, if I, like for my chaos project, I have so many projects going on at once because I bounce around them and that makes my brain keep moving. And'cause also, like, I don't know if you know Clifton strengths, have you? Okay, so I'm not going too deep on that. But I have a personally trait that needs a lot of time to think about things before I make decisions. So if I hit that wall in a book I need, I can still work on the other book, but if I don't have the other book, then I'm just like spinning my wheels and waiting like, okay, like brain, please do something. And then it gets frustrating. But if I just bounce on the next project, work on that, and then it just keeps going and at some point then I have a book ready. Okay.

Jordan 17:50

I love that. So definitely a pants, like when you're

Hazel 17:53

Yes. Full

Jordan 17:54

all laid out and then you fill it

Hazel 17:56

No, nothing is laid out.

Jordan 17:58

put this here, put that there, and then this one's a book. This one will be sometime, and I

Hazel 18:04

and it's like, uh, I didn't, do you know the Josh Ara Martin quote about architects and godliness?

Jordan 18:11

I can't recall it, but it sounds familiar. Like I haven't, like it's not in my

Hazel 18:15

So basically he said that there's two type of writers, some are architects who plan everything out and, uh, have how many rooms in the house there is and what kind of materials it's gonna build on. And they have everything like we did it and then there's gardeners, we'll just block the seed and watch it grow.

Jordan 18:31

Yeah.

Hazel 18:32

And that's that. Like I fully, like I know the cities, I know it's gonna be contemporary or I know it's gonna be. Paranormal, I know it's gonna be fantasy. That's all I know when I start, and then I just order it and see what kind of plant, how many branches, is it flour? Is it thorny? Whatever. And yeah, it, it is like when somebody ask like, what's, how, what's your process? I like, can, how can I, I'm like, don't, don't do about,

Jordan 18:59

Don't do what I do.

Hazel 19:00

yeah.

Jordan 19:02

just love hearing that though.'cause I love how different authors like approach it.'cause there are definitely like, it's a huge spectrum of ways to write and it's so interesting to hear. I love that.

Hazel 19:16

and I'm fully on the other end of it, and maybe like over the edge on, on that end, like,

Jordan 19:23

Yeah, you're one extreme.

Hazel 19:25

yes.

Jordan 19:25

Love it. Okay, we'll break it up with the, and we'll play a little game. We're gonna play this or that.

Hazel 19:31

Ooh.

Jordan 19:32

gonna give you book preferences and just like your first instinct, which

Hazel 19:37

I am just like you are giving. Why choose author preferences?

Jordan 19:41

and you have to choose why choose. But you have to choose. This is gonna be, some of these will be easy, some of these will be brutal, and just do the best you can. There's only slight judgment, but in the end, our opinions don't matter'cause this is all yours. So, physical book or ebook,

Hazel 19:59

Ebook.

Jordan 20:00

sweet or salty snacks,

Hazel 20:03

Sweet

Jordan 20:04

vampires, or werewolves.

Hazel 20:06

vampires.

Jordan 20:07

Oh yeah. Enemies to lovers or fated mates.

Hazel 20:11

Um, it's like, no, don't make me choose.

Jordan 20:15

I know.

Hazel 20:15

Okay. Enemies, lovers read faded me, right?

Jordan 20:18

Ooh, okay. That's a good clarification.

Hazel 20:21

Yeah.

Jordan 20:21

Okay. Standalone or series

Hazel 20:24

Series.

Jordan 20:24

Fake dating or marriage of a convenience. I. Liam or Elijah?

Hazel 20:30

No.

Jordan 20:30

This is from Plants in Playtime because I know no one else has read this yet, but these are our

Hazel 20:35

Um,

Jordan 20:36

male main characters.

Hazel 20:37

if like forced to choose Elijah?

Jordan 20:41

Okay. Yeah. Daddy Elijah

Hazel 20:45

Yes,

Jordan 20:46

Helion or ine? How do you say Chen Ine.

Hazel 20:50

Um, okay. I have a professional like narrator friend who actually read all the names on my website. That's the.

Jordan 20:57

found that yet.

Hazel 20:58

It's on the book. Like note

Jordan 21:00

Oh, that's right. It

Hazel 21:02

Yeah. Yes. So if you are, you can find it there. So that's the pro actual, like if you identify with somebody how to say this name, that's how it is. As long as nobody comes at me, how I say them? Because I send, say them a little bit differently.

Jordan 21:20

Sorry. I love that. Like, look, it's this way. I'm gonna say it this way. I don't wanna hear

Hazel 21:25

Yeah, exactly. So

Jordan 21:28

Okay. Oh, you're gonna choose ear. Okay. Yeah, I

Hazel 21:30

yes, because I, I'm writing book three. I know what happens

Jordan 21:33

How many are supposed to be in that series? So this is for, Stormbringer.

Hazel 21:37

It's three.

Jordan 21:38

There's three. Three is gonna be the, the final one. We'll maybe talk a little bit more about that in a minute, but, okay. And the last one, name your top three book boyfriends. It can be ones you wrote or ones you've read.

Hazel 21:51

Hmm. Okay. One of them is a book that is not out yet,

Jordan 21:56

okay. Give us something to look forward to.

Hazel 21:57

it's, uh, omega verse and he's called Ruin and, and he lives rent free in my head.

Jordan 22:06

I love it. What's the book? Do we get to know

Hazel 22:09

It, it doesn't even have a title yet

Jordan 22:11

oh my God. Okay, so we'll keep you posted on that one, everybody.

Hazel 22:16

for sure. You, you'll see it everywhere on my social media when, when it's time to like read this book because it's so good.

Jordan 22:23

Okay. I'm really excited for that.

Hazel 22:25

Yeah, so that would be the latest because of course, like there's so many that it won. I read rather recently is the one that is on top of mind. Oh, two more. Holy

Jordan 22:36

you are like, that's it. I don't need

Hazel 22:38

Yeah, it is. Like he read leaves, rent my,

Jordan 22:41

okay. I usually give three because people have a hard time choosing three, but if you have one, that is totally fine.

Hazel 22:46

that that is the one that is currently Yeah. Living, renting my fa like, uh, there is of course like for my own, they're all precious little babies.

Jordan 22:56

I bet

Hazel 22:57

And the one that I wrote most recently is the one that is the most British at the moment.

Jordan 23:02

that's fair. That's fair. Yeah.

Hazel 23:04

yeah, so now it would be the Dragon Lord on the book that it's also not coming out in forever, I'm like, I'm sorry.

Jordan 23:13

really teasing us with these folks. The best characters you've never read.

Hazel 23:17

Yes.

Jordan 23:18

I love that though.

Hazel 23:19

that is already out. Let, let's find one that is already out that you guys can go read. Read it. there is a character in Clash of Clause,

Jordan 23:30

Okay.

Hazel 23:31

uh, and he's also called Elijah.

Jordan 23:34

Sensing a theme.

Hazel 23:35

Yeah. Coco. Co read and a dear class of clause. Larger.

Jordan 23:40

Clash of.

Hazel 23:41

I like love Crumpy professor.

Jordan 23:45

Who doesn't?

Hazel 23:46

Yeah.

Jordan 23:47

Oh, grumpy Elijah. Love it. You've mentioned Omega verse a few times. What genre do you read most often? Is it Omega verse, or what do you read a lot?

Hazel 23:56

I read white juice, whether it's omega verse why choose, contemporary, dark, as long as there's why choose. That's one that I read a lot. I also read like just romance. As long as it's spicy, that that's like, if there's no spice, I get bored as a reader. Like, I'm sorry, like there, there needs to be detention and uh, Fantasy I don't need it. But for romance, it needs to be spicy.

Jordan 24:21

that's fair. That's fair. Keep

Hazel 24:22

And then the other one that I read a lot is, uh, little Rrp G.

Jordan 24:25

Okay. That is, have you read Dungeon Crawl or Carl?

Hazel 24:29

no, I have heard a lot about it, but

Jordan 24:32

It is not romance.

Hazel 24:33

yeah, it didn't bring Ping my radar like there's um, the wandering in series that it's my favorite.

Jordan 24:41

Wait, what is it called?

Hazel 24:42

the wandering in by pirate Ava.

Jordan 24:45

I'm gonna write that down.

Hazel 24:45

It's a long series. Try the audiobooks. They are phenomenal.

Jordan 24:49

I'm a slut for audio books, so that's perfect.

Hazel 24:51

a long series. It's still ongoing. The audiobooks are amazing.

Jordan 24:56

Okay.

Hazel 24:57

So that one would be the one that I. So if you want something, it's like heavy on emotions, but not romance kind of way. There's all of it like, like slice of life

Jordan 25:08

Okay. Do you have any other book racks for people that you're like, people need to read this,

Hazel 25:13

uh, everything written by Catherine Moon.

Jordan 25:16

Catherine Moon. Okay.

Hazel 25:17

Yeah, because you know. A lady of the Kray manner, uh, got me started on her and then I just read basically everything and then new find Yeah, dear. Like, go, go read her stuff and you'll be happy. Happy

Jordan 25:33

We gotta give everybody the Recs.

Hazel 25:34

Yeah. Like I'm not even listen, like one book, like just go that author it, download everything. Read it,

Jordan 25:41

Yeah. Grab the first thing that catches your eye. Start there. Love that. What are your goals as an author? So as an indie author, as this chaos gremlin of content, what are you hoping to achieve? Or are you just here for a good time? What are you hoping for?

Hazel 25:59

So

Jordan 26:01

Yeah.

Hazel 26:01

first of all, it needs to be good time because why would I do it if it's not good time? That's that, like, it needs to be fun. Oh, there are times when it's work. Of course it is.'cause you have deadlines, you have to write, you have to edit, you have to do this and that. But if I don't enjoy the process, what's the point? Like that? That's, that's the main thing. But, yeah, I'm going full time. That's not even quite, like, that's not a goal. Like it's, I'm going full time.

Jordan 26:26

Exciting.

Hazel 26:27

Maybe this year we'll see.

Jordan 26:29

Ooh, good luck. Yeah, let's get you there. Let's get her there, folks. Get her there.

Hazel 26:34

like get, get me there and there's gonna be more books, faster,

Jordan 26:38

Yeah. Oh

Hazel 26:39

more time to do the chaos thing because I don't have to go to the day job to do the other thing.

Jordan 26:45

Yeah, I know. Go to the grind. And then looking ahead, so you've got a lot of projects on the board.

Hazel 26:51

Mm-hmm.

Jordan 26:51

This month plant some playtime, we'll be out. Do you know then what's gonna be out next? Do you, what are your next.

Hazel 27:00

Next one is gonna be a book one on the Vampire shifter series. I am hoping it's gonna be May, might be June, depends a little bit how the final edits go, but it's next.

Jordan 27:16

Yeah, you guys, so good. I'm, I'm beta reading it right now and it's so good. I have to read it chapter by chapter though, and it's kind of torture sometimes. Uh.

Hazel 27:24

they're like, sorry about this.

Jordan 27:28

But it's so good. It's fast-paced, but like you, I feel so connected to these characters already and invested, and there's this mystery, and I have theories, but I also have no idea. I'm really excited for you for this one too.

Hazel 27:45

Yeah. So that, that is coming next. And then book two Siren Secret is coming September.

Jordan 27:55

I might cry when I get that one. I might, that's one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so

Hazel 27:59

Oh yeah. And that, that's also like part of the chaos process. Like for me, I need to have time between when I draft the book and before I start editing. Because if I'm too close, I cannot do the edits to the limit that they actually need to be done. So that's why there's like the book two, is drafted. It's gone through two rounds of edits. If I pushed it, I could get it out next month, but I just need to have the time to breathe to get it to the point that I'm sure, okay, now it's good.

Jordan 28:34

Yeah.

Hazel 28:35

And also I need to finish drafting the next book before I would book the previous one out.

Jordan 28:39

Oh, I like that.

Hazel 28:41

Because my chaos brain comes up with the fabulous ideas, then I need to go back and add them in.

Jordan 28:47

That's really smart though, to like acknowledge that about and see that in your writing and then be like, wait, so I'm gonna hold off until this is at a certain point.

Hazel 28:55

Yeah. Like the next book doesn't need to be finished anything. I just need to have the roughest rough draft done before the previous one comes out. And that kind of is the biggest thing that makes when I get the next book out is if the next book after that is already done.

Jordan 29:11

Okay.

Hazel 29:12

Because it might be that your main character changes the race or there is one external of interest that pops up and then you kind of need it seated in and

Jordan 29:22

what happened, right?

Hazel 29:23

Yes.

Jordan 29:24

Because.

Hazel 29:27

Yeah. He was supposed to be the bad guy.

Jordan 29:35

And y'all this, you shouldn't. It would not be the same book Without him.

Hazel 29:39

No.

Jordan 29:39

It would not like,

Hazel 29:41

Yeah, and he's perfect the way he's now, but like originally when he came to the page, he was supposed to be the asshole bad guy.

Jordan 29:49

and he kind of is at

Hazel 29:51

Yeah. His thoughts that way. Yeah. There is still the elements, but like the intent behind them is completely different.

Jordan 29:58

And you go back and read it and he's just so sweet. He's so attentive in a way that none of the other ones are. He's the only one

Hazel 30:04

He, he, he's the precious.

Jordan 30:06

He's the only one that sees past her walls. I'm gonna, excuse me. Wonderful. Well, I'm so excited. Where can people find you If they wanna go find, not just your books, but they wanna follow you, where can they find you at?

Hazel 30:25

Everything. If you go to hazel rockwood.com, there is social books, newsletter, signups, everything is there.

Jordan 30:33

Okay, awesome. And lots of art folks. Lots of character art. Very good character art.

Hazel 30:39

get to my newsletter if you want to see all the art, character, art,

Jordan 30:42

Yes.

Hazel 30:43

not save the work

Jordan 30:44

Go. Sign up now, and if you haven't yet, please go make sure to subscribe to our Substack Romance Recs pod. You can follow us on Instagram and make sure that you are subscribed wherever you listen to your podcasts. We will have more interviews. So stay up to date. Stay with us and thank you so much for joining us. Hazel,

Hazel 31:06

was so fun. Thank you very much for having me.

Jordan 31:08

Yeah. Thank you. Till next time everybody.