“Tipsy Lit is an online publisher that encourages writers to dig into “the deeper” and leave the bullshit at the door. We don’t want the warm and fuzzies. We want the heartbreaking, the brutally beautiful, the grit and grime that leave us wanting more, more, more. We want YOU. The real you. The person you tuck away when you meet someone new for the first time. The person you’re only now discovering.”

I’m thrilled to have Ericka Clay, founder and editor of Tipsy Lit on My Sweet Delirium.

I first noticed Tipsy Lit on Twitter. When I visited the website I found a community of gutsy writers who shared my love of adult beverages and ballsy literature. Within the year, Tipsy Lit has evolved from a cool blog hangout into an online magazine and publisher. And Ericka Clay is here to tell us all about it.

Ericka, when did the idea for Tipsy Lit sprout in your mind and how has it evolved since?

I actually started Tipsy Lit over a year ago as a Goodreads book club. We were basically small group of readers (and drinkers!) who discussed a book a month in the comfort of our own homes, drink in hand. From there, I created the blog to accompany our book club, but soon the blog became its own force, so to speak, and really helped to form a close community of readers and writers. I knew it would be pretty sweet if we could get into publishing on some level, so from there I launched our literary magazine which introduced me to an entirely new group of writers. Their incredible work inspired to look into publishing longer compilations and here we are!

What writers made you interested in literature?

I’ve loved books since I was young, and after reading stories like Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, The Giver by Lois Lowry and pretty much anything ever written by Judy Blume, I was intrigued by how words could heal me. Of course there were a million other YA authors (S.E. Hinton comes to mind), who also knocked my socks off. It’s hard for me to make a list like this. It could go on forever!

You’ve become a hybrid of a writer and editor. What do you enjoy about each role?

Writing plays to my creative side while editing allows me to be the Type A freak I am at heart. Usually writers are all over the place (and don’t worry, I have my moments), but I love lists and calendars and checking things off my lists and calendars, and editing allows me to do that.

Are you working on any novels right now?

Yes, I’m working on a novel called White Smoke about a family in modern day small town Arkansas who comes unglued due to the father’s secret affair with a local male resident. The story continues to follow their daughter, Wren, as she grows older and reconnects with her mother after her stint in prison that’s related to her husband’s affair years before.

What kind of writing is Tipsy Lit looking for?

We’re open to all genres, but we’re not fans of erotica or gratuitous violence. Really, we want something that makes us think, changes our minds, gives us those “feels” everyone is talking about. I want to see literary quality no matter what the genre.

Where is Tipsy Lit published?

 Tipsy Lit is published through Wattpad. I chose Wattpad as our sole distributor because it speaks to my social media marketing heart. There are over 35 million Wattpad users ready to read your work, and the platform makes it uber easy to share stories, so just imagine the exposure an author receives when publishing through us. Not to mention the Wattpad app. I kind of adore it. You can add it to your phone or tab and read free stories ASAP. Reading and free are two of my favorite things, if you haven’t noticed!

What do you envision for the future of Tipsy Lit?

Right now, I’m going day by day. I’d like to concentrate on growing our readership and maybe one day look into starting a more mainstream small press. But I don’t know. I’ve still got the laundry to do! 🙂

Thanks so much to Ericka Clay for joining us on My Sweet Delirium. Leave any comments or questions you have for her below, and don’t forget to hook up with Tipsy Lit using the following links.

Wanna get tipsy? Pick your poison.

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