Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Cutler.
Hi Samantha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
HI! I’m Samantha, but I most often go by Sami. I’ve lived in Utah my whole life, surrounded by many loving friends and family. My story is still unfolding, but so far, the parts I love most are my relationships, my job, and the creative adventures I find myself on every day.
I work as a piano teacher and take cello lessons. I spend my free time learning songs from my favorite movies. I think music helps us understand life more. It helps us speak when no words will come. Because of that, it has been my greatest honor to teach it.
Connection of all forms is one of my greatest passions in life. I spend much of my time volunteering at symphonies, my church, and the hospital. Helping people holds a depth of joy that is unmatched by any of my other projects.
Desserts of any kind sure come close, though.
Recently, my mom and I started a small business selling baked goods for weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations! I love to bake, and while the experiments can get messy, it sure is fun!
Of all my projects and aspirations, there is one that I’ve given the most of my time and heart to. And that is stories.
I have always loved writing. It seems that stories have always filled my mind. Whether through reading, writing, or being swept away in captivating daydreams, I have never stopped loving the thrill of writing a story. I love the adventure of bringing to life a world where magic and reality intertwine. To bring a greater sense of connection and understanding to all people. Stories, whether read or written, can bring about the most beautiful kind of empathy, and that’s the part I’ve always loved most. I have stacks of miniature books and short stories written long before I learned how to spell, each filled with its own kind of wonder.
All of these things have led me to write and publish my first book at just 18! What started as a simple childhood fantasy is now known to the world as The Fall of Levrianne.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a novel and finishing one are two very different things.
It was brutal. I have dozens of drafts. I switched out the perspective from third person to first person twice. I deleted so many different scenes that I lost count. Scenes which I loved–mind you–but ones that didn’t fit in the story. It was heartbreak for sure.
But the discovery and awe I felt when crafting each character and every plot point was something I could never give up on, even if it took me forever. So through all the plot holes, typos, frustrations, and inexperience, I carried on.
And I did it! I wrote a book. I published it. That’s something I’m so proud of. It’s without a doubt the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done, but it’s worth it.
The truth is, it’s far from perfect. It’s flawed, and I’m the first to say that. While creating it, I became my worst critic; I hated everything I wrote and published, to the point where I didn’t even tell anyone about it.
But in that place of defeat and insecurity, I learned something vital…
It was never meant to be perfect. That’s the nature of art–it’s messy, complicated, and could probably use a little help here and there. It’s human. Perhaps that’s why it connects us to each other so well. Maybe that’s why it can make us feel all the crushing, hollowed-out, raw emotions that exist every day…but maybe that’s why it can also evoke all the feelings of peace, hope, and courage that make the world so precious.
Through releasing something so flawed, I also unlocked a part of me that never existed before. A braver and wiser part.
I continue to write every day. And because I stepped forward, instead of waiting for the day when all I wrote was utter perfection, I’ve seen new words blossom, new stories take form, and imperfect, yet beautiful novels come to life. It hasn’t been easy, and it isn’t over. I will continue to learn and grow each day, both as a writer and as a person, but now I think that it is the journey that makes it all worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Fall of Levrianne is about a young girl who finds a world where Mother Nature lives. She discovers that the powers of Mother Nature have been scattered, and she must figure out why.
What I think sets this book apart from others, especially in the YA category, is that it is filled with an emotional depth and inner voice that’s hard to let go of, even when the reading is done. It is a journey of grief and growth. It’s one of anger, sadness, and all that makes life beautiful and hard. It’s full of mystical elemental powers, yet centers around a lot of the mundane realities of growing up.
I am so proud of the way this story turned out, but it is far from over. It is a planned trilogy, where everything loved about the first book can be expected in the next two!
Book two, titled The End of the Elementals, is coming out later this year, and I could not be more excited to share it with the world!
The thing that makes this story so special is that it is incredibly interconnected across all three books, leaving the reader flabbergasted at the end, but with a beautiful message to hold onto.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I think a favorite childhood memory of mine is the camping trips I’ve taken with my family. Growing up with horses and a “don’t give up” attitude has prepared me for a life full of ups and downs, but a lot of joy in between. I don’t think I can pick just one memory, but a combination of riding through the mountains, all alone save for the people I love most. I can’t describe just how great it’s been.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://samanthacutlerbooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthacutlerbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573229224750
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamanthaCutlerBooks
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/mamaandmedesserts/
