One of my school friends was close to Sarah Maas. I hung out with her a few times, and we played online games together for years. The secret to her success was her parents' money; they poured funding into her editing and publishing, and so she became a "self-made" literary success. I have mixed feelings about her.

I'd be curious about your work if you're willing to share an excerpt? Lemmy might be a suitable test audience if you're into it