About the Author

My name is Quill Cassava Elska and I’m a published empathic author who suffers from chronic anxiety and PTSD. Currently, I have nine published novels through Amazon, three short novels, three average length novels, and a trilogy. I also have several more books on the way and four LITMAG publications, the writing never stops! I mostly dabble in sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy, paranormal, horror, and romance genres, typically with sexually explicit scenes. All of my novels are LGBT+ and my signature is writing polyamorous relationships, though I don't always do so.

Feel free to follow me on X, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and Substack.

Online Interview

When did you first start writing?

I started writing when I was about ten years old to cope with bullying and feeling like an outsider, I was odd and not treated well. Dealing with anxiety and PTSD has made things more difficult over the years, but I often include characters with mental and physical disabilities in my stories because of these experiences. Writing is my way of getting through life.

Where did you grow up and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in Canada and was adopted, but this only added to the bullying and emotional abuse. Writing was a way for me to vent my feelings and I’ve been writing ever since. It’s taken years to figure out my style and a process that works but the effort has been worth it.

What do you love most about writing?

Being able to tell stories and live in a world where my dreams, hopes, and fantasies can all come to life. I’ve always lived in a fantasy world, even as a child. I found it hard to connect with the real world, so I started to create my own and adore the magic of storytelling.

Who are your favourite authors? (Fiction/Non-Fiction)

Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, Stephen Hawking, Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Jane Goodall, and Anne Rice.

I may have forgotten a few.

What do you want people to know before they read your work?

I write stories with explicit romantic and intimate aspects, but I don’t base my stories around sex. As an author and someone who has read many genres – erotic and not – I realized a long time ago what kind of stories I wanted to share. The unique ones, such as fantasy, dystopian, sci-fi, or paranormal, all with the ability to connect to realism. Real, raw, and rare is how I like to keep it. I write based on life experiences, emotion, empathy, and personal struggles. So just because my stories include explicit intimacy, that doesn't mean they're trashy or smut.

What's your process and how do you plan out your stories?

My process is quite different from that of other authors, but every writer is different and has their own process. For me, I can't simply plan out every event or chapter, I see the story as it unfolds in my mind and it comes to life on the pages. I’m a vivid daydreamer with the ability to see, hear, and feel every scene. Occasionally, I will write out some details if I already have an idea of what those are, but most of the time, I can't do that.

What are some common themes in your writing?

Some common themes include but are not limited to:

Mental health

Empathy

Emotional intelligence

Trauma

Anthropology

Science vs. nature

Good vs. evil

LGTBQ+

Polyamorous relationships, as well as non-polyamorous

How do you approach cover design?

I’ve seen so many cover designs in my lifetime and the sad part is, a lot of them – especially romance and erotica – often have similarities. So when thinking about my own cover art, I strive for originality and try to give the readers mystery and something fresh to capture their attention. Everyone has their own ideas, but uniqueness can make a cover pop!

How many more stories or books are you planning?

I can't say, but what I know is that I’m not stopping. I’ve already published six standalones and a trilogy, with my tenth novel on the way, so I know there's a lot of potential in me even if I don't always believe that. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to do what I do, especially all on my own, but that hasn't stopped me so far.

What do your fans mean to you?

I’m always aiming to please readers of many demographics, but I am by no means writing for anyone in particular. I write my stories the way they are meant to play out and make them come alive. Some will love them, some won’t, but we can't please everyone.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

Life isn’t easy when you’re low income disability but it doesn’t prevent me from continuing to do what I do. Having anxiety and PTSD makes it hard for me to work on the bad days, but it has also given me the time and freedom I need to write. Knowing that I’m waking up with a purpose every single day is what keeps me going and motivates me not to quit no matter what anyone tells me.

Inspirational Message:

Don’t ever give up on your dreams. I once had someone tell me that “love and hopes and dreams don’t pay the bills,” and although there’s truth behind those words, I never let anything stop me. Some people ONLY get out of bed because they have something to strive for and without it, they feel like they have nothing. Don’t let go of that hope or dream, it will keep you going and eventually, it will come true.

Thank you!

Quill Cassava Elska