We are honoured to work with as many authors as we do at Pegasus Publishers – each with their own stories to tell. Their worlds are singular, their characters are relatable, and their creativity truly knows no bounds.

This is Author Life, a feature on the Pegasus Blog, that opens the door to each of our author’s creative process and previous literary experience, offering you – the reader – an opportunity to learn a little about the mind behind the novel.

This is Author Life with Emily Poilé, author of ‘The Tales of Sebastian the Ash’.

What are the three most important things you have accomplished, aside from publishing a book?

1. Moving and making a life in Greece, and learning the language.

2. Having my first art installation in Athens, Greece, 2025.

3. The birth of my daughter, 2025.

In your own life, what influences and inspires you to write?

Nature is an ever-present influence in my life. My childhood on the Big Sur coast of California has stuck with me throughout my life. The nature there – the giant redwoods, the wild Pacific ocean that crashes right up onto the cliffs, ferns and wild foxglove, created an atmosphere that made nature so alive, with its own voice. And curiosity about the world inspired me to travel. I pull a lot of my stories directly from my own experiences.

How would you summarise your book in as few words as possible?

“The Tales of Sebastian the Ash” is a story about the eternal nature of love, the cycle of life and death and the silliness that ensues in between, all told from the perspective of the tree, Sebastian.

What were your first experiences with writing?

In first grade I won an award for writing a story about a box of butterflies. Then I took a 30 year break from writing until moving to Greece, at which time I was strongly, urgently pulled to write. I listened to the feeling and out came “The Tales of Sebastian the Ash”. I’ve been writing ever since and even returned to university where I majored in English and minored in creative writing.

In your opinion, what are the key ingredients for a good story or novel?

A good story is like a good dish. You need the main ingredients, i.e. characters, place, plot, theme, just like you need your meat and potatoes. Then you must have your seasoning to make it interesting and entertaining. You sprinkle a little humor here, add a dash of meaning-of-life, a pinch of universal human condition stuff, and you have the makings of a good story.

How long do you spend writing every day?

I’m currently on a small break as I tend my infant daughter, but normally, I like to write for about two hours a day. More if I can. When I’m working on a big project, I like to shoot for 2K words a day, which can take much longer than 2 hours. I’m looking forward to getting back into my writing routine in 2026.

How long did you spend writing this novel?

The original piece came quickly. It took about a month, as I was focussing only on that at the time. The editing took longer and I even added sections later which took time to incorporate.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book, and what did you learn from writing it?

The most challenging part was keeping track of all the drafts. Additionally, this was one of the first pieces I wrote when I began writing and between then and now, I have become a much more discerning writer. So, I’ve had to back and tighten it up several times as I evolved.

What did you find most helpful when writing your book?

Time. And support from my husband and my family whose help allowed me to have the time to create the story.

What writing advice would you offer to your younger self?

Approach your writing, and all art for that matter, as if it is your work, not a hobby. Put it first. The house will always get cleaned, the food will always be made, and the friends will be seen. But your art will never get done if you think you’ll just get to it after your done with all that other stuff.

The Tales of Sebastian the Ash is available now!