Dixie King’s epic fantasy, Ithia’s Dance, may have just hit the shelves last month, but this debut novel was 30 years in the making. Originally inspired by a dream, Dixie began working on the story years ago, but she set it aside as she focused on her career as a cultural anthropologist. Dixie recently returned to her story and was able to complete and publish her first novel after a serious illness forced her to reexamine her priorities.
I was lucky enough to be Dixie’s book coach as she completed and eventually published Ithia’s Dance, the first book in her planned trilogy, The Sun God’s Children. We recently got to sit down for a chat about her journey from idea to published novel.
In this conversation, we discuss:
Why hybrid publishing is a better option for some writers than a Big Five deal
What it is like working with a hybrid publisher on everything from editing to book covers to marketing and sales
The advice that made her think differently about reviews of her book
How her career in cultural anthropology was instrumental to the themes and world-building in Ithia’s Dance
The autoimmune disease that changed the course of her life.
The first novel she wrote at age 13… and what happened when she tried to get it published
This interview is a great place to start if you’re interested in hybrid publishing or if you dream of being a published author but are afraid your chance has passed you by.
Many thanks to Dixie for this conversation and for inviting me into this epic fantasy world!
Get your copy of The Sun God’s Children Book I: Ithia’s Dance
(Affiliate link: I may receive a small portion of the sale if you purchase the book using this link)
About Dixie King
Dixie L. King has been writing since I was seven years old, when she taught herself to type on her father’s big metal Smith Corona typewriter. She wrote her first novel at 11; however, despite the fact that it was about drug trafficking (about which she knew nothing), took place in New York City (which she had never visited), and involved a woman working at the United Nations, not only did Harper & Row refer it to the children’s lit editor (she was insulted), but they rejected the book. Dixie gave up writing novels and became a cultural anthropologist. She has since returned to her first love. She served as executive director of the International Women’s Writing Guild from 2014 to 2018 and published her first novel, Ithia’s Dance, in 2026. Her second novel in the series, Spirit and Bone, will be coming out in 2027.
You can learn more and join Dixie’s mailing list at dixielking.com.
