Embracing Imagination: Erin Curran’s Journey into The Seven Universe

In the world of storytelling, inspiration often blooms from the most unexpected places. For Erin Curran, the seed for her captivating universe, The Seven, was planted in her childhood, nurtured by her father’s inventive tales and the whimsical charm of an old Snow White movie. As she reflects on her journey—from crafting fanfiction to forging her unique narrative voice—Erin invites us into her imaginative realm where the days of the week become vibrant characters with their own magical abilities. In this interview, she shares her creative process, the challenges of self-publishing, and the importance of representation in literature. Join us as we explore Erin’s journey and discover how she transforms childhood memories into a rich tapestry of stories that resonate with readers today.

What inspired you to create The Seven universe, and how did the Days of The Week rhyme influence your storytelling?

I’ve always been writing, ever since I could hold a pencil. My sister and I were both inspired by our Dad, who invented stories of his own for as long as I can remember. Storytelling was woven into the roots of our upbringing, it was an aspect of our lives that always remained a constant. As any teenager with an imagination too large to rein in, I entered the trenches of fandom life and wrote my fair share of fanfiction for Doctor Who, The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, and many more. The first original novel I ever finished was called “Shattered”, but I shelved it due to being unhappy with the manuscript.

The Seven was my first venture into publishing, and I remember the exact day I came up with the idea for the universe.

There was an old Snow White movie that I had a video tape of as a kid and each of the seven dwarves were named after the days of the week, their personalities were then inspired by the day of the week rhyme. The rhyme goes as follows:

Monday’s Child is Fair of Face
Tuesday’s Child is Full of Grace
Wednesday’s Child is Full of Woe
Thursday’s Child has Far to Go
Friday’s Child is Loving and Giving
Saturday’s Child Works Hard for A Living
and the Child Born on the Seventh Day is Fair and Wise and Good in Everyway.

I was thinking about that particular version of Snow White one day in 2016 while sitting in my Animal Care class. It was a rather bizarre interpretation of the story and due to its unique approach, it always stuck in my head ever since I was little. It made me think about the rhyme the seven dwarves were named after, and I began to imagine if the poem hadn’t been written about the general qualities of those born on those days, but about specific people. A person who was born on Monday who had a magical ability to change their face; someone born on Tuesday who was unnaturally graceful and elegant; a woman on Wednesday whose emotions controlled her powers etc. until I had invented the outline of my antiheroes: The Seven. The universe fell into place around the characters.

Can you share the journey of how you developed the concept for The Seven and its prequel, Monday?

The Seven is an extremely character-driven novel. The seven people who make up the ground are the cornerstones of the story. The first one I developed was the main point of view character, Thursday. Most of the Seven have names beginning with the initial of their day (Matthew for Monday, Titus for Tuesday, Whitney for Wednesday etc.) but I knew that I wanted Thursday to be named after her day. I wanted to write someone carefree, mad almost, who didn’t worry about the bounds of society and did what she wanted when she wanted. Since it is stated in the rhyme that “Thursday’s Child has Far to Go” I knew that they would fit the bill perfectly.

Found families have always been important to me, so I knew that I wanted that to be an aspect in my novel. The Seven aren’t related by blood, but by loyalty to one another that’s stronger than that. I wanted them to come back together after a time apart, and what would bring them together had to be one of their own because that was the only thing that mattered to them. So, I tweaked the rhyme a little. I changed the final part to “but Beware the Child born on the Seventh Day, for he is Fair and Wise and Good in Everyway.” The Seven must come together to stop their unhinged youngest brother, Sawyer, who has the power to manipulate fate to his whim. But is such a thing even possible?

I came up with Monday a year or two after the initial publication of The Seven. I had been tossing around an idea for a series of short stories called “A Week of Stories”, each book from the perspective of a different member of The Seven, starting with Monday’s Child, Matthew. I wanted to tell the story of how he met his partner Finn who, by the time the story of The Seven rolls around, he has become estranged from. Set in 1896, the story of Monday is about when Finn joined the group, and the chaos that ensued from his and Matthew’s meeting. Whether I’ll continue with A Week of Stories or not is still up for debate, but since I had written Monday, I wanted to share it with the world.

What have been the most rewarding and challenging aspects of self-publishing your books?

The main challenge was that I was entering this world alone. After my contract ended with the publishing company that first sold The Seven, they told me I could self-publish on Amazon, as if it was as easy as uploading a file and there you have it. Turns out, there is a whole lot more involved than that. ISBN purchasing; formatting the interior of your book so it looks professional; sending out advanced reader copies to get some reviews in advance. It was all so foreign to me, and I had been thrown in at the deep end. But in the challenge, I found the reward.

The most rewarding part has been the community I have discovered in my self-publishing endeavours. Threads, Instagram’s unassuming take on X launched after Elon Musk bought Twitter, has been an unlikely home to the most warm and welcoming group of people I have ever encountered online. Independent authors have to stick together, because we are fighting the same fight together, and everyone has been so ready to help, armed with advice and experience that they’re not at all shy to share. I wouldn’t have gotten my book launched independently without them.

How did you manage the transition to self-publishing, and what were some of the biggest hurdles you faced in the process?

As I mentioned previously, I wouldn’t have managed nearly half as well if I hadn’t found my indie kin on Threads. If it hadn’t been for them, I would most likely have dissolved at the first hurdle. Funds are definitely a hurdle, as every indie author is working from their own pocket, funding their dream in the hopes of getting a return someday. I’m only a student myself, so things have been a bit tight. Thankfully, I’ve always been decent at managing my money, and I’ve made it work. I’d say that marketing is another difficult aspect, as that is something that an independent author must do themselves. My Threads profile is filled with posts about my work, not just because I hope it will catch a reader’s interest, but also because it’s something I’m incredibly proud of.

How has taking on all aspects of self-publishing, from cover design to formatting, impacted your creative process?

I would say that it has invigorated my creative process. When my contract ended with my old publisher, I lost a great deal of steam for The Seven and its universe. Monday sat in my documents untouched for years. When I decided to take that step and self-publish, I was immersed in my characters and their stories once again. I was creating posters, making trailers, editing tiktoks, commissioning artists and feeling that excitement for my work that I had felt that day in Animal Care when the idea first struck me. I’ve even begun to examine and edit the small portion of another prequel called “Tuesday” that I had written but abandoned two or three years ago. It’s very possible that Tuesday could be on the horizon. Maybe someday in the future.

What are some skills you’ve acquired through self-publishing that you find most valuable?

Marketing skills have been essential to grabbing the attention of potential readers. I had no idea about advanced reader copies or street teams or hype teams because, in a conventional publishing relationship, that would be the work of the publishing house taking on the work. Sending out digital advanced copies to a select number of people before releasing The Seven on ebook was instrumental in my getting reviews and hype on Goodreads and Amazon.

Being aware of how the publishing process as an independent author works has also been incredibly important. As I write this, The Seven is the only book I have available as a paperback, while Monday is an ebook (although you don’t need a Kindle to read it, just download a Kindle app onto any device!) because I wanted to take my time through the learning process for paperback publication. If I had tried to do both books at once without knowing what I was doing, I know for sure that I would have gotten too overwhelmed and stressed, and that would have affected the quality of the works. Paperbacks of Monday will be coming now that I have learned the independent paperback process!

How do you balance the creative aspects of writing with the technical and logistical aspects of self-publishing?

Both The Seven and Monday were pre-written before I had taken on being self-published, so I can’t honestly answer that just yet. Writing can be a slow process for me, so even when trying to balance my creative process with self-publishing, it would still take me a good deal of time between books. That is, unless I get struck with the ultimate inspiration grenade and I write until my fingers smoke. Unfortunately, that doesn’t occur too often. Other aspects of my creativity don’t seem to be too affected by it, though. I still draw, find time to read, and have even taken up colouring in since I broke my ankle in July.

Can you describe a particular challenge you encountered during the self-publishing process and how you overcame it?

Formatting was a big place of confusion for me. Uploading my file for the ebook versions of my books was simple enough, but when it was explained to me that I had to format my book a particular way for the paperback versions or it was going to look very amateur, I went into panic mode. I had no idea what I was doing, I didn’t even know where to begin! I was very lucky to get the help of a user on one of the indie author Discord chats I’m part of. I would have been lost without her aid, and I was so grateful that she has a credit on the copyright page of my book.

How has your mental health been affected by the demands of self-publishing and writing?

My mental health can be very tender, so I’ve always tried to be mindful of how I’m feeling. I have an anxiety disorder, and depression, and was diagnosed with autism in 2022, which is a recipe for disaster if I’m overworking or overwhelming myself. It can be a lot, especially during the academic season when I must add studying on top of the workload I have given myself. Stress is common, as is exhaustion, but I take care of myself as best as I can, and I am surrounded by good people who understand. I am extremely fortunate.

What strategies or practices do you use to maintain your mental well-being while managing the responsibilities of being an independent author?

It’s important to recognise the signs that you need a break. Not just your body, but your mind as well. Take time to do the things that you enjoy that aren’t related to your work as an independent. As cliché as it sounds, taking a walk outside clears the mind and gives you an escape for an hour or so. Make sure you’re drinking enough water, eating healthy, and taking all the steps that ensure your well-being is being kept. If you’re struggling, talk to someone! Even if you don’t feel like there’s someone in your everyday life who would understand, there is a wide community of fellow indies out there who not only understand, but are probably going through the exact same thing as well.

What advice would you give to other women who are considering self-publishing their work?

Go for it! If you have a story you want to tell, there will definitely be a reader out there just waiting to find it. However, research is essential! Familiarise yourself with the process, get things arranged in advance such as your cover art and ISBN. Those communities of indies I spoke about are heaving with women supporting women. If you find a group where you’re comfortable, I can guarantee they will be more than happy to help you with anything you may be struggling with. You will find your tribe as I found mine. I found multiple and am still discovering groups to this day.

How do you stay motivated and inspired throughout the writing and publishing process?

Reading books has always been a major source of inspiration for me. If I’m struggling with writer’s block then I will pick up a book and read. There’s something about consuming a fellow author’s work that gets me super excited and motivated to start writing again. I want to create the feeling I get when I’m reading in someone else with my own writing. Ideas seem to slot themselves with more ease when I’m reading a book, like jumping into someone else’s universe ignites my mind’s desire to dive into my own again.

Can you share any resources or support systems that have been particularly helpful to you in your writing journey?

I would recommend the following:

The independent author circles on apps like Threads, X, Instagram and TikTok. Having a social media presence of some sort is essential in the current landscape for marketing books.
Amazon KDP and IngramSpark are the best places to start your publishing journey.
Wix is a wonderful resource for creating your author website for free.
Canva is a MUST for creating posters, pamphlets, advertisements and book covers. The free version doesn’t limit the user in any way. The perks you get with the paid version are just extras that you can get if you wish.
Pexels is an excellent royalty free picture and video website that’s perfect for creating marketing materials like trailers.

What impact do you hope The Seven and Monday will have on your readers?

In 2013, I read The Mortal Instruments, a YA fantasy series written by Cassandra Clare. While I have extremely mixed feelings about the series now, at the time one aspect had a massive impact on me. One of the main characters, Alec Lightwood, was gay. This wasn’t something I had encountered in the books I had read up until then, particularly the young adult books I was devouring. As a closeted lesbian who didn’t even realise she liked men as much as she liked a brick to the face, this simple inclusion of an LGBTQ+ character meant everything to me.

Both The Seven and Monday have LGBTQ+ characters in them, but they aren’t what I would describe as solely LGBTQ+ stories. I want my work to contribute to the normalisation of representation in media. Everything I write will have queerness in them in some capacity, even if it isn’t what the story is about. Because, to me, that’s true representation. You know, writing LGBTQ+ characters as human beings. Shocking, I know! Thankfully, we have made massive strides since the arguably dodgy way Cassandra Clare wrote Alec Lightwood. We have shows like Our Flag Means Death; Interview with a Vampire; The Montague Siblings Trilogy; Red, White and Royal Blue. I want my works to be amongst these titans, even if it’s only as a tiny deity in the footnotes.

If someone reads my books and feels seen because my characters represent them then my work is done. If I could give someone the moment of visibility that I felt when I first read City of Bones as a confused fourteen-year-old, then I know I have made it.

Oh, and I’d love to someday have books with sprayed edges.

How do you envision your future as a writer and what goals do you have for your next projects?

Making Monday available as a paperback is definitely next on the agenda! I have a manuscript for a non-The Seven related project, but I’m in two minds about publishing it just yet. I’ve been revising the small portion of what would be the second book in the Week of Stories series (called Tuesday) and someday that may see the light as well. I would love to get it finished someday, but there are many channels I would have to go through first before publishing that one (for reasons I can’t discuss just yet!)

I have the honour of being an attending author at the Belfast Books and Ballgowns event in 2025. I will be signing copies of both The Seven and Monday, along with some other exciting goodies I’m hoping to throw together! It will be my first event as an author and I’m super excited to be taking part.

IG/Threads/TikTok: @erinella98