Meet Cori Wamsley

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cori Wamsley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cori, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I honestly struggled a long time with my purpose.

Growing up, I was constantly told that the arts are just hobbies. I was good at science, so I was nudged in that direction by most of the adults in my life. They had great intentions, but unfortunately, it meant that I didn’t feel that my creativity was acceptable.

In college, I majored in biology because it was interesting to me, and I thought I would be happy working in a lab, but my heart was with books. I started filling all the holes in my schedule with English classes so I could read and call it work. The joke was on me, though, because that was a huge hint at my purpose.

Two English degrees later, I worked as a scientific and technical writer for the government. I spent time with two different agencies honing my writing skills, specifically my storytelling as I got to explain technologies and showcase our scientists. I was getting closer, but I still felt like something was off.

When they laid off half the PR department, including me, I finally paused. What were my skills actually worth? What could I do now? I realized that I was tired of “braining” my way through everything. I was completely worn out from that work (I was in resistance, not flow) AND from not sleeping through the night … my one-year-old would have none of that nonsense!

I had written five novels by that point, and my friends encouraged me to freelance while I hunted for a new job. I realized after a few months that 1) I loved being my own boss, 2) Everyone wanted me to work from their office, which put me in a childcare conundrum, and 3) Business owners want to write books for their brand and have no idea how to do so.

I leaned hard into the book writing angle and have done so ever since. It’s been almost 8 years, and my business has grown from a freelance writing agency to a writing coaching and editing shop to a publishing house. My work allows me to do what I love, which is reading, writing, and working on books all the time. It led me to embrace my creativity and help others share powerful stories that connect with others.

My purpose sat quietly in the shadows a long time before I coaxed her out. I believe that I was ready when she arrived though.

There are, of course, times when I waver, when I’m not sure if this is what I’m meant to do. I think that’s common for entrepreneurs. I mean, how can you ever truly KNOW that you’re living your purpose. When I work on a book that really lights me up, though, I’m pretty sure. There is a flow to my work. I don’t have to think about it. I just know. Even when an author presents me with a problem I haven’t addressed before, I just know the answer. It’s kind of wild.

When I write novels now, they flow too. I see the scenes in my head like a movie and type as fast as I can to get them down. I don’t think that’s something everyone does, which is another realization I had to have about the arts—it’s a gift, not something everyone does because it’s easy. It’s easy for me! Most people will stare at a blank screen with their story in their head forever, but I’m able to ask the right questions, see how it’s structured almost like video game blocks falling into place, and understand their story arc like it’s already written.

If you aren’t sure if you’re living your purpose, or if you’re still hunting for it, look at what lights you up. What would you do if you could spend your time doing literally anything? Where do you feel most at home? For me, it’s looking at a story; asking questions that help the author go deeper and share a bigger, truer connection with the reader; and letting my own writing flow. Yes, I still read books in my spare time too. I think you have to love books to do what I do!

There was a time when I was still twisting around, avoiding my purpose because it was too scary, or too difficult, or too uncertain, and I would see others who were so clearly living theirs. They spoke with confidence and always seemed to know the answers in their field. They were “in flow,” and I wondered when I would hit a point where I would always know what to say and how to respond. Now, I don’t think twice. I answer, I converse, I do livestreams without a script (lol!), and I just remain open to letting all the wonderful writing and editing and publishing knowledge of the universe pour through me so we can build a beautiful mesh of stories weaving all of humanity together.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

One of the most exciting things I get to do is listen to people talking passionately about what they’ve been through and why they want to help others. It’s amazing to listen to some of the things that humans go through, how they’ve risen above the challenges, and that they now want other people to have an easier route.
It says a lot about a person when they can go through difficult times and want better for the next guy.
Aurora Corialis Publishing is a place where stories go to be told. I work with the most amazing people who want to help others with their story and also use that story as a brand-builder. Books are such amazing tools for business because they help people dive deep into your story and feel connected to you. They can build trust with the audience, when written right.
I’ve seen a lot of books that are written like glorified sales pages or that are haphazardly thrown together. Covers that look like they belong on a book in a different genre! That’s not how you connect with your audience. Those books might be pretty or be well-written, but they are more like checking the box on getting the book done than actually focusing on doing the whole “story-thing” right.
I believe that storytelling is powerful. I believe that this is how we heal ourselves and each other. And I believe that everyone out there who has the desire in their hearts can write their book.
I’m really excited about all the books we are launching this fall, particularly about my own book, The Treasures We Seek. It’s about a woman finding herself, gaining the courage and learning to trust again.
Kenzi, my main character, came bouncing into my world in December of 2021 with a tangled bunch of ideas that didn’t really lead me anywhere until I figured out who she was, what she needed to heal, and how we could do it.
She was incredibly fun to write with her quirky cleverness and her overly self-conscious vibe. It felt like I was pulling from so many women I know who started their journeys like this and then found their confidence and themselves along the way.
It’s amazing that the book has come together now, and we are launching it on November 2nd. Everyone can get a copy of the ebook that day only for $0.99 on Amazon.com, and the paperback and ebook will be available on both Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com, as well as with several other online vendors.
I’m also having a launch party at a local Italian restaurant to celebrate the feel of the novel, which takes place in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. The food, wine, and music will be Italian, and my husband and I are presenting about the history of the region and the novel, respectively.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilience, communication, and honesty have been imperative to success in my industry. I’ve had to make so many changes to what I do and how I serve my clients over the years, not just because of the pandemic. You learn what people expect, what they want, and how to handle multiple books at once, along with what you’re willing to put up with and what you won’t. In business, you’ll run into lots of people who disagree with the rules you have for your business, but you have to stick with the rules you set up because they are there for a good reason. You may lose some potential clients that way, but you have to bounce back and know that you’ll be working with more aligned people if you stick with what feels right to you.
Obviously, communication is important, but it’s doubly important with a team. One of the best things that we do is asking what went well and what we can improve on after a big project. Sometimes, there’s no good answer to how we can improve on something challenging, but that at least puts us on alert for when an answer does come along. I also insist on communicating expectations with my team and clients and making sure that I understand theirs before moving forward with a project. It helps prevent confusion in the end.
You may think that honesty is big for everyone, but there are some service providers out there who aren’t up front about everything included in their packages or about how often you can contact them for advice, for example. Being a hybrid publisher, I find that there are TONS of misconceptions about what I do. Some people think my services should be free or cheap. Others think I’m going to make them famous. A traditional publisher doesn’t even make all their authors famous, so that can be a big problem if someone thinks they can write a book and be on national television without any effort or without a majorly expensive PR campaign. I have to be up front with my authors about how things will likely shake out. Absolutely dream big, but understand that you may be starting at the bottom of the ladder for impact. No judgment, we all start there! And then you can work your way up.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
2023 has been shockingly all about me setting up boundaries and being very clear about what I will and won’t tolerate in my life and business. I thought I was pretty good about these things, but it turns out that I have a terrible people pleasing streak that I’m learning to quash. I’ve been on a multiple-decades-long health journey that culminated this year. It took me saying, “No. This isn’t working” about a hundred times, hunting for the right practitioners, digging deep into online research, and finally finding the right people to have in my corner to see a change. It’s awful how many people won’t listen, assume without hearing the full story, or brush you off like you’re making up your symptoms. I’m glad I pushed through now!
In business, I’ve been a little too flexible on the type of people I will work with (story-wise), and several of those who I worked with because I “just want to help everyone” turned out to be less than ideal clients. I even had to fire a client because they weren’t adhering to my guidelines. I felt sick about it for weeks and finally decided I’d had enough.
I’m hoping that these lessons will stick with me so I can grow my vision the way I want to instead of backsliding. I certainly don’t want to go through any of these challenges again!

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