Ottawa Author: Ivy Marie

My name is Ivy Marie, and I'm an Ottawa-based author, dabbling in both contemporary romance and supernatural romance. Writing has always been a passion, starting as a simple hobby to fill the time, until it blossomed into full-length novels to share with the world. With every published piece of work, I'm weaving threads of my soul throughout the pages.

Why romance? I didn't exactly choose it. The genre chose me. My writing was influenced by the stories I read throughout high school, and though I preferred vampires and werewolves, there was always a thread of romance in those stories. I had started focusing on the supernatural genre (with a touch of romance), but after two books, there was this subconscious need to write a contemporary romance story. Now here I am with romance guiding my pen on the pages of my notebooks.

I still love to write about supernatural creatures. As much as I love my vampires and werewolves, I'm loving a Grim Reaper. My book Bound to the Reaper, book one of what will be a trilogy, follows Damien Grimm, a reaper wanting to gain a scythe, but can only do that when he finds the one woman destined to give it to him.

1) What does a typical writing day look like for you (if such a thing exists)?

Because I'm in an office from Monday to Friday, I don't get a lot of writing time. My most productive time is in the early morning. As much as I love to write, I'm not getting up even earlier before my shift to do so. As long as I don't have appointments, I can get 1-2 hours of writing done on the weekends, while in bed, before I need to get ready for the day. I've taken to going to the library, putting on my 'writing playlist' and spending a few hours in the silence with my pen to paper.

2) What themes or tropes do you love exploring in your stories?

Here's a little secret: I don't start writing with tropes/themes in mind. I have a rough storyline plotted out before I start writing, but it's the words and the characters (as they grow) that guide me. Looking back, I can see that 'opposites attract' is my go-to trope. Hunter vs. werewolf, or cop's daughter vs. criminal's son — I enjoy putting two people from different lifestyles together.

3) If you could get stuck in one of the worlds you created, which one would it be and why?

Burnstone. You won't know this one yet — it's my work in progress. I would love to wander the city of Burnstone and meet the two main characters, Kyrie Albert and Mario Zuberi. This novel is a personal project of mine, so I'm taking extra care with the words. It's tentatively scheduled to be published in 2028, and it'll be a trilogy with two bonus stories.

4) Are any of your characters based on real-life people?

Mario Zuberi is the main male character in my current work-in-progress. A friend of mine was the inspiration for this character. They are both fun, loving, carefree, and there for a friend. I wanted to capture his light-hearted nature, and I think I’ve been successful in doing so. 

5) If your writing style were a cocktail or dessert, what would it be-and why?

Dessert or cocktail. Tough choice. If I had to choose a cocktail, I would select a Smoky Martini. It’s a twist on the classic martini using Gin or Vodka and Scotch whisky, just like my writing. I like to try to put a slight twist on the tropes to make them unique while still maintaining the classic nature that is expected. But then, there’s also a delicious chocolate vanilla swirl brownie. An opposites attract bite of dark, rich chocolate and sweet vanilla. And as I type this, I have a craving for both. I wonder if I have the ingredients.

6) What's your go-to comfort read when you need a little romance magic yourself?

It really does depend on my mood. If I want a bit of comedy, I love to read Eve Langlais. If I want something a little sweet, I’m picking up a Piper Rayne book. Erika Wilde for a spicier read. I think there’s an author in every category that I gravitate towards, as I said previously, it depends on my mood.

7) How did your journey as an author begin—and what kept you going?

My journey began in high school. I’m an army brat, and my family just moved to Ottawa. I was missing my old friends, so I started to write little stories with them in it to feel close to them again. That’s how the writing bug began. From there, I moved on to fan fiction, which then evolved into the romance I write today. I never wrote for others. I never planned to publish. It was a fellow author, Eve Langlais, who influenced me to publish, telling me to take the leap. And now, here I am, seven books written and still going.