Interview with YA Romantasy Author Melissa Poett

May 13, 2025 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

SP: Hi Melissa, we are so excited to interview you! First congratulations on your debut novel! We have read it and are OBSESSED!!!! Few authors go to auction with publishers on their first book but after reading it, we know why!

So, to begin — can you start by telling us how did you first realized you wanted to write a story and become a published author?

MP: I got into writing in a pretty typical way—it started as just a hobby. But the more I figured it out, the more I fell in love with it. Eventually, I started to believe I actually had something worth reading, so I decided to take a shot at traditional publishing. But yeah, it definitely wasn’t an overnight thing. We’re talking a process that took years and years.

SP: How long did it take you to write The Enemy’s Daughter?

MP: I would say about a year to shape it into something I felt comfortable querying to literary agents. Then once it was picked up by my publishers, we went through edits again.

SP: Other than The Enemy’s Daughter being a “Tristan and Isolde reimagining,” is there anything else you drew inspiration from while writing your story, like a film, novel, or song?

MP: Yeah, I absolutely loved the Tristan and Isolde movie with James Franco and Sophia Myles (watch it if you haven’t seen it!), and I can confidently say it sparked in me a deep-seated affection for the legends from the 12th century.

SP: Are there any themes or messages within the story that mean something to you?

MP: Yes. But the tricky part is that most of the themes in The Enemy’s Daughter stem from spoilers or plot twists—and I’m pretty sure people would come for me if I gave those away here. What I can say is that in writing this book, I was processing a lot of my frustrations with real-world events, which led to some tough questions about war, freedom, and what truly makes a great leader.

SP: What would you like readers to know about you and your upcoming novel?

MP: Readers can expect enemies-to-lovers and forbidden love woven into a dystopian world with magic. But within that, it’s also a story about two young people on opposite sides of a war who mess around with a love potion of sorts. So there’s an instant push and pull that’s heavy on the romance as they’re drawn together. But ultimately, they’ll have to choose whether to give in to their bond, or betray the other to save their own people. And if that’s your thing, then you’re my people and THE ENEMY’S DAUGHTER is likely for you!

SP: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

MP: The story is the embodiment of my favorite tropes, so I hope to make you swoon, gasp, and cackle with laughter (for those of you who know, I’m talking about the tie-him-to-the-tree scene ;). But most of all, I hope to open people’s eyes to the insidious ways that we lose our power and freedom as a society.

SP: Now that you’re officially a published author, what advice would you give aspiring writers?

MP: Oh gosh, there are so many things. But here are three:

Always back up your manuscript.
Check your junk mail regularly when you’re querying. No, seriously—go do it right now.
Build your writing community. Writing doesn’t have to be lonely. Make friends. Critique each other’s work. It’ll make both of you better writers.

SP: What authors do you love and draw inspiration from?

MP: Tahereh Mafi and Sabaa Tahir are two of my favs. Tahereh blew my mind when I read her for the first time because of how deeply she emersed me in the story. That was a class, and I ate it up! Sabaa is the queen of giving you a heart attack as you read. No character is safe. No plot twist too big. I aspire to live up to those standards.

SP: What do you do when writers block strikes or when it’s hard to find inspiration?

MP: I think reading is an excellent option for writer’s block. But when I just don’t know what to write for a scene, listening to music or taking a nap has been surprisingly effective. Sometimes doing both at the same time. Never underestimate your subconscious and its power to solve a lot of your problems if you just give it the space and environment to work it out for you.

SP: Are you currently working on any other exciting projects?

MP: Yes! I’m working on book two. I can’t say a whole lot about it yet, but I can say it will be in the same world with the same magic system!

SP: So where are you hanging out these days where we can find you?

MP: You can find me via my website or IG!
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/melissawritesya/ & Website: www.melissapoett.com

SP: Thanks Melissa for being here with us! For readers, we posted the official synopsis below with an amazon link (although we suggest going to a local bookstore!)

OFFICIAL BLURB:

A stunning reimagining of Tristan and Isolde set in a dystopian world woven with magic. An addictive debut YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy—perfect for fans of Rebecca Ross and Sarah Underwood as well as books like Curious Tides, The Hurricane Wars, and Belladonna.

It’s been thirty-seven years since the Republic was destroyed. Now two settlements—the five clans and the Kingsland—fight for control of the untainted land. Though the five clans are outnumbered, they’ve finally struck, killing Kingsland’s brutal leader.

In the war that follows, Isadora, an eighteen-year-old healer, risks her life to help injured soldiers. But when she stops an attack from Tristan, a Kingsland assassin, his soldiers shoot her with a poisoned arrow. As Isadora lies dying, Tristan does the unimaginable: He offers to save her life using a rare magic.

In choosing to live, Isadora is unknowingly bound to the mysterious Tristan. Worse, even acknowledging the attraction between them allows him to glean fragments of her memories and the very knowledge he needs to destroy the five clans. But their magical connection works both ways. So to save her people, Isadora will have to open her heart to her most cunning enemy. Because in a race for ultimate survival, she’ll need to destroy Tristan and his people first.

BUY HERE: https://a.co/d/6MpKsnd

Love and Books ~

Author Interview: Sarina Louise, from The Author Conservatory to getting published!

December 10, 2024 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Hey Spinning Pen Readers and Writers! We have a treat for you today! Debut Author, Sarina Louise is going to share her writing journey from The Young Writer’s Workshop to the highly-praised ‘Author Conservatory’ and getting published in the Voices of the Future Anthology.

SP: Hi S! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! Tell us all a little bit about you and your writing journey.

SL: Hey SP! Thank you so much for having me; I’m so excited to get to chat with you guys today. That’s a great question. I am 22, almost 23, and I’ve loved stories for as long as I can remember. In fact, when I was a little kid, I used to force my babysitter to write down the ones my sister and I made up. *laughs* but I actually ended up taking a significant break from writing when I was 15, and never thought that I would go back to it. I’ve never been more glad to be wrong.

In 2019, I stumbled on The Young Writer’s Workshop, which is an online writing program that showed me it was possible to pursue writing seriously. From there, I attended The Author Conservatory, which is a three-year college alternative program for gifted writers. I graduated in June of 2024 and am now working on beginning my writing career!

SP: Ok now for the bookish part we’ve been waiting for…tell us about THE POET WHO LIVED ON PICKPOCKET LANE! How did the idea come to you? Favorite parts of writing it?

SL: I love this question so much! I actually came up with the idea for the story on a Zoom call with one of my best friends. I was on deadline to come up with three short story concepts for a school assignment, so I decided to head over to Pinterest. I found a picture of an apartment listing in a newspaper and it said “NO TEENAGERS, PETS, OR POETS”. I’d had a poet character who had been in my head since probably 2021 and as soon as I saw that picture, he came to life and the story was born!

One of my favorite parts of writing this project was working with the poems. I actually always used to say that I would never publish any poetry because, for me at least, I write poems when I am in really vulnerable places and emotions. But this was a whole different process, because I was writing poetry from the perspective of my main character, rather than myself, and was writing poetry on deadline instead of just for fun. It was really difficult, but such a fun exercise to stretch me creatively.

The Poet Who Lived on Pickpocket Lane by Sarina Louise

“Elias Thornbury hasn’t written poetry in a year. Not since his wife, Rosa, passed away. His poems bring memories to life, and he’s not ready for that kind of pain. Then his six-year-old daughter, Nina, asks for a birthday poem. Just like the ones Elias used to write when their family was whole.

Desperate to find new inspiration so his poem doesn’t hurt Nina, Elias embarks on a journey through London. But as memories of Rosa haunt his every step, he must decide whether to continue suppressing his grief, or face it, and realize it’s been love all along.”

SP: Since this is your debut publication, we’d love to hear about what else you have in the works. Can you tell us anything about your other projects?

SL: Oh, that’s such a hard question, because I always want to spill more than I should. *laughs* What I can tell you is that, as a part of The Author Conservatory, I wrote two full length novels (and spawned ideas for many, many more).

One of those novels, which I like to call Project Reaper, is currently in the final editing stages. I’m working on polishing it up and then am planning on pitching it at conferences and querying it in early 2025. “Darker By Four meets Belladonna in a YA paranormal fantasy novel about a girl with cancer and the Grim Reaper who doesn’t want to kill her.” It’s deliciously angsty and swoon worthy and has been such a fun project to work on!

Other than that, I’m juggling a ton of other projects around and letting them percolate and figure themselves out. My main focus right now is starting the pitching process!

SP: You keep mentioning the Author Conservatory. Tell us a little bit about your experience in the program.

SL: *laughs* uh oh, I’ll have to try and keep this answer concise. The Author Conservatory has both a writing track and a business track and is designed to teach students how to have sustainable careers as authors. The short answer to your question is that it was one of the best, and most difficult, things I’ve ever done. It taught me everything I know about marketing, pitching, querying, and business, which were the areas that I struggled the most in.

And the relationships I’ve built with the faculty and students are ones that I hope and pray will be in my life for a very long time. The program is focused around mentorship, which means that I received personalized feedback from writing and business professionals for over three years, and that instruction is something I will treasure for my whole life. It has grown and honed my writing skills, business skills, and me as a person so much.

SP: What are some of the dream goals you’d like to reach?

SL: I love this question so much! I feel like I have career goals, like getting published by a Gig Five publisher, or hitting the NYT Bestseller. But my main dream goal actually has more to do with the type of life that I want to live.

Right now, one of my biggest dream goals is to move to Korea and live there for a bit. I’m not sure for how long, or whether I’d stay there long term, but I am just so fascinated by the culture and the country (and of course, the food). I’ve always wanted to live abroad, ever since I was a little girl. Travel is one of my favorite things and getting to experience new cultures and new people makes my heart so happy.

I know this is probably a different answer than you were expecting, but I feel like I’m a bit more relaxed about my writing career. I’m trusting that I’m where I’m supposed to be and letting the doors open naturally and organically.

SP: How did you decide to write this short story as an Adult story, when your novel is Young Adult?

SL: I wish I had a super intellectual answer for this, but *laughs* that was sort of an accident. Because of the premise of the story, where Elias has to write a poem for his daughter, I needed Nina to be old enough to understand the poem and also the fact that she’d lost her mother. Therefore, Elias would need to be older, since he and Rosa married before they had Nina. So Elias just wasn’t in the age bracket that would make him a YA protagonist, so the story naturally fell in the Adult category. The themes and the writing style also put it more in the Adult category anyway, so it all ended up working out!

SP: Time for the lightning round! Early bird or night owl?

SL: Oh, night owl, 100%. I love staying up late and have spent a lot of this month curled up on my Yogibo in my bedroom, writing away. I find that I write my best prose wicked late at night. It’s great for my writing, but not so great for my sleep schedule.

SP: Most obscure hobby?

SL: I’m not even sure I really have hobbies, let alone an obscure one. But I love to travel, meet new people, and see the world. I do also really enjoy K-pop and K-dramas, but I think those are more full-time jobs than hobbies.

SP: Word you can never spell? This may be a trick question.

SL: This is such a funny question because I was JUST talking to my mom about a word that I hate spelling, but have to write basically every day for my job. It makes me feel like a failure as a writer. But I just cannot spell the word “entrepreneurship” correctly. I never get it on the first try and it frustrates me so much.

SP: Alright, time’s up! We’re so sad to see you go! BUT…there’s way more where this came from.To check out SL’s book, go HERE. To connect with her on Instagram, go HERE. To check out her website, go HERE. Thank you so much for your time, SL!

SL: Thank you so much for having me! This was so much fun.

Author Interview: Rebecca Alexandru

December 5, 2024 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Hey Readers and Writers! It’s time for a lovely debut indie author interview to kick off our month of December! Her book just released and she was even interviewed on TV! We’d loved her premise, and we think you will too…check it out!

SP: Hi Rebecca! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! Tell us all a little bit about you and your writing journey.

RA: Thank you! I have been writing for over a decade now and love multiple genres. I have projects I’m working on varying from kids’ picture books, MG scifi, YA fantasy, and adult dystopian novels. And if that isn’t enough, I love to change it up by writing screenplays. My favorite part of any book is the character growth. I think that’s what draws me to stories in the first place.

SP: Ok now for the bookish part we’ve been waiting for…tell us about 12 Days to Christmas! How did the idea come to you? Favorite parts of writing it?

RA: In 12 Days to Christmas, holiday festivities and the history of Dec 25 come together in a sweet romance filled with heart. Mira, while grieving the loss of her mother, leads her small town’s Christmas festival, linking each community event with something that happened in history on Dec 24-25. She doesn’t expect a widower and his three sons to help her heal and find the joy and magic of the season.

12 Days to Christmas is different from any of my previous works because it’s a contemporary sweet romance! I love it though because it ties in so many elements, from dealing with grief during the holidays, to intriguing historical facts, and an eclectic mix of antique and vintage finds.

I can’t remember exactly how the idea came to me but it was probably while I was watching Hallmark Christmas movies and wondering if I could branch my writing into another genre.

SP: Since you write YA as well, how did you decide to debut with an adult romance?

RA: This story is ready to be told! 12 Days to Christmas has been whispering to my heart for a while that I need to share it with others. Every step of its publication journey has solidified that belief…it’s no longer my story but it belongs to those who read it and connect with its message.

SP: How did you decide to self publish? What are some of the dream goals you’d like to reach?

RA: Choosing to self-publish took me a long time to accept because I believed a lot of the lies, wanted validation, and was literally terrified of marketing, haha. BUT when I finally took the plunge…it was FREEING! I get to choose the title, the cover, the release date, where & when I sell it. Having full creative control is liberating and I am really loving the process! To break down one of the lies of self-publishing: “not edited well” – I edited 12 Days to Christmas with a fine tooth comb and perfected everything I could. There might still be a little wiggle room for human error – but that’s just to prove I’m not AI. As for validation, my early readers have enjoyed it! Although it hasn’t been released yet, I’ve already had reviews like “This book was written for me” and that means more than a corporation stamping their approval. I write for real people, not mega-businesses seeking profits. As for marketing…I’ll answer that in the next question…

One important step in encouraging me that I could self-publish successfully was watching two of my writing group buddies do amazing with their own books! So this is a special shout out to Callie McLay and her book What If We Met in A Bookstore, because her guidance made my dream become a reality! I’m also thankful for Nova McBee, Candace Kade, and M.T. Solomon for their support! If you haven’t read their books yet – go read them! Having friends who are writers has been pivotal in encouragement, pursuing publication, and ultimately being able to share 12 Days to Christmas with you!

SP: What’s one or two craft techniques or marketing tips you would recommend to other writers? (We LOVE your reels by the way!)

RA: Marketing has been a learning curve but it’s becoming fun! (Although I can’t wait til January when I can just hibernate the entire month, lol).

I knew the 12 historical events in 12 Days to Christmas needed Reels to explain the history in the book. Those, paired with the fun I’m having on Canva, has been a creative outlet that I enjoy sharing with others.

Little tidbits: Many times my cameraman is one of my sons. My 11yo son edited my first reel! They also helped inspire some of the characters in the book.

The main marketing tip I’ve learned from other writers and have tried to practice myself is: Have fun! I keep it interesting by changing up my outfits or decorating for Christmas in September. And on the days it’s difficult, I’ve learned that pushing myself to learn and do something new is rewarding. While I dreaded the idea of making videos and showing my face on SM, it’s actually been growing easier and I’m finding enjoyment in it…especially when I can act goofy.

SP: You’re a YA fiction writer and a screenwriter too. Tell us about this?

RA: I have a YA fantasy dragon trilogy I’ve been working on for several years and will publish it when I have the series complete. I also love writing screenplays because I can write a story the way I visualize it. In fact, I finished the screenplay of 12 Days to Christmas before I completed the novel! If anyone is interested in partnering to make it a movie, let me know 😉

SP: Time for the lightning round! Early bird or night owl?

RA: Night owl ALLLL the way. Don’t ever wake me up before 10am, LOL

SP: Most obscure hobby?

RA: I’m a homeschool mom and writer so I don’t have lots of free time for hobbies but I do spend more time than I should watching videos: especially dashcam footage of crazy drivers and home inspectors showing all kinds of messed up houses. Does that count?

I also love watching kdramas, going thrifting, and sleeping in.

SP: Word you can never spell? This may be a trick question.

RA: Definitely. (Thank goodness for autocorrect!) Also, “horsdeouvres”…those tiny snack bites before a meal, haha.

SP: Alright, time’s up! We’re so sad to see you go! BUT…there’s way more where this came from. Where can we go to read more from you?

RA: I’m on instagram @rebeccaalexandruauthor and have all my links in my bio. Check out my website for free coloring pages and a new, exciting gift soon! (Hint: it’s connected to 12 Days to Christmas and vintage styles)

Thanks so much for your time RA! To check out RA’s series, go HERE. To connect with her on Instagram go HERE. Check out her website go HERE.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaalexandruauthor/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.alexandru.92/

Website: https://rebeccaalexandru.com/

Order book: https://happilybooked.company.site/products/12-days-to-Christmas-Pre-Order-P-p694595326

Purchase the eBook early on Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1637534
—

Rebecca Alexandru

Cover Reveal & Author Interview with V. Romas Burton

January 6, 2023 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

SP: Hi Vanessa! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! We would love for you to tell us all a little bit about you and your writing journey. How did you get your start?

VB: Hi! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to be here! I first started writing after I graduated from grad school. I was confused as to where I wanted my life to go and used writing as a way to cope through some difficult times. It was a wonderful outlet and I never would’ve thought so many stories would emerge from that time.

SP: Awesome! Now for some bookish conversation…First off, congratulations on revealing the beautiful cover of your upcoming book, FORTIFIED, which we can now preorder! Can you tell us more about it?

Add official blurb:

Devora’s perfect future shatters. Instead of attending Vlacklear Academy, she is sent to the Fortress—a prison holding murderers and thieves that make up the soldiers in His Majesty’s Army. She fears it is the end of her.

Suppressing her forbidden Seeing abilities, Devora is thrust into the role of soldier, and must learn to defend herself while avoiding Warden Hazor and his ruthless right-hand man, Captain Blake.

When Devora’s Seeing abilities are exposed, she’s thrown into a tournament to win her right to live. She must turn to Captain Blake for help or be slaughtered like all the other Seers before her.

VB: Yes! I’m so excited about this book because it encompasses so many bookish themes I love. Fortified is inspired by the story of Deborah in the book of Judges, but mashed with inspiration of Mulan with a little sprinkling of Pride and Prejudice. It’s a wild mix of themes, but I love how they came together!

SP: Talk to us about fantasy and worldbuilding–how do you build your worlds?

VB: When I first started writing, it was difficult not to dump a whole bunch on information in the beginning of the story. Over time, I’ve learned to drip in little pieces of information about the world until the reader has the whole image without realizing it.

SP: As an award winning author of Heartmender, and its sequel, Heartbreaker, you already have two books under your belt. What was different about writing a new series? In which ways did you find that you grew as an author?

VB: At first I wasn’t sure if I could move on to new characters. I had grown close to Addie and the others in the Heartmaker Trilogy. But as I started writing about Devora, Captain Blake, and a slew of new characters, I began to fall more in love with them and couldn’t stop until I knew what happened in their stories.

I definitely feel like my style of writing has matured. I’ve learned how to describe emotions and action more fluidly than before.

SP: Can you tell us a bit more about your writing process?

VB: Haha, it’s a bit of a mess, which is completely the opposite of who I am as a person. I am an extreme type-A who runs off of lists and sticky notes. But when I write, I only know basic plot points and let the story unfold as I type. I’m a totally pantser all the way!

SP: What is one craft technique or marketing tip you would recommend to other writers?

VB: Reach out to other authors who write in similar genres as you. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same (i.e. you can both write YA not YA Fantasy). Create a community with others. My publisher now used to be one of my ARC readers for Heartmender! You never know where the relationships you make will lead!

SP: You recently signed with Quill and Flame publishers! Congratulations! What is one tip for writers interested in working with an indie press?

VB: Thank you so much! A tip would be to do your research on what presses you want to work. As an indie author, I work very close with my publisher and I’m so thankful we have a great relationship! When sending out proposals, be sure to only submit to places you really want to work with!

SP: Time for the lightning round! Early bird or night owl?

VB: Early bird!

SP: Most obscure hobby?

VB: I am secretly (not so secretly!) obsessed with Webtoons!

SP: Word you can never spell? This may be a trick question.

VB: Definitely. I always second guess myself on it 😛

SP: Alright, time’s up! We’re so sad to see you go! BUT…there’s way more where this came from. Where can we go to read more from you?

VB: Thank you so much for having me! This was so much fun! You can sign up for my newsletter for book updates and exciting things happening: HERE

All my books are sold where books are sold and you can get signed copies through the Quill & Flame Etsy shop!

Author Interview: Chelsea Bobulski

November 14, 2020November 17, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Pen Friends ~ So happy to introduce you to a good friend and YA author, Chelsea Bobulski, author of The Wood and Remember Me, (out with Macmillan) who recently announced her new 4-book deal, with Wise Wolf Books!

SP: Hi Chelsea! Thanks for joining us! Before we get into book stuff, we’d LOVE to know a bit about you and your writing journey!

CB: Thank you so much for having me! My journey has been ten years in the making if you can believe it (although, really, it has been the trajectory of my entire life). I’ve always loved storytelling in all of its various forms. Whether it’s a good book, TV show, movie, play, or even video game, I’ve always loved exploring human nature, both through reading and through writing, although it wasn’t until I took a class at the Thurber House in Columbus, Ohio my senior year at The Ohio State University that I ever thought I could really make a career of writing. Before that class, I’d put my favorite authors on a pedestal, thinking they must have been born published authors, because there was just no way the average person could write a 300+ page book, let alone dozens of them. But taking that class with YA author Lisa Klein opened my eyes to the fact that every author, whether on their first book or their one hundredth, starts the same way: with an idea and a blank page. To make a very long story short, I began pursuing traditional publication right after that, although it took me five books and five years to get my very first book deal, and now, in my tenth year of pursuing this career, I have two books published and countless others that may never see the light of day, some due to the fact that I wrote them early in my career when I was still learning and growing as an author, and some due to the market just not being right at the time for that type of book (although I’m hopeful that I may get the opportunity to pursue them someday).

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Cover Reveal: CALCULATED by Nova McBee + YABC Giveaway

November 11, 2020November 17, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

I am so incredibly excited to share with you all the cover for my debut young adult novel, CALCULATED!!! Isn’t she stunning?

Three important things!

Its available for pre-order now! Find the links to the paperback and kindle preorder on my website or amazon !
YA Book Central is giving away 5 paperbacks of Calculated so go enter the giveaway here: YABC GIVEAWAY
You can now add it to Goodreads!

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Author Interview: June Hur

October 1, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Pen Friends ~ Please welcome YA Author JUNE HUR talking about her upcoming novel, THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS, publishing journey, writing the second book, and so much more! I’m beyond excited to have June here with us today. Her books are gorgeous and the kindness and knowledge she shares with the writing community is priceless!

SP: Hi June! Thanks for joining us! Before we get into book stuff, we’d LOVE to know a bit about you and your writing journey?

8 years and two failed rounds of querying later, I put aside my first book and decided to work on a new project. A Korean historical mystery. I didn’t think anyone would be interested in a police drama set in 1800s Korea, but I didn’t care at this point and just wrote the book for myself. Fortunately, as I was browsing through Manuscript Wish List, I found an agent who was passionate about diverse literature, and so I decided to send a query her way. I didn’t think Amy Bishop would actually offer. But then on September 20, Amy emailed me with an offer and shared that my debut was a book she wished had existed when she was a teen.

SP: The Stolen Girls will come out April 2021 by Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan. Please add on Goodreads and check out her amazing debut, The Silence of Bones, while waiting!

Here’s the blurb for The Stolen Girls:

1426, Joseon (Korea). Hwani’s family has never been the same since she and her younger sister went missing and were later found unconscious in the forest near a gruesome crime scene.

Years later, Detective Min—Hwani’s father—learns that thirteen girls have recently disappeared from the same forest that nearly stole his daughters. He travels to their hometown on the island of Jeju to investigate… only to vanish as well.

Determined to find her father and solve the case that tore their family apart, Hwani returns home to pick up the trail. As she digs into the secrets of the small village—and collides with her now estranged sister, Maewol—Hwani comes to realize that the answer could lie within her own buried memories of what happened in the forest all those years ago.

SP: The book cover is outstanding! I’ve never seen anything quite like it! What were your thoughts when you first saw it?

When I first saw the cover, I was absolutely blown away! I thought it was so intriguing that the cover wasn’t saturated in green, as I assumed it would be, since my book’s title has the word ‘forest’ in it. Instead, in choosing white as the main color, I feel like it creates a sense of mystery and makes the word ‘forest’ pop out more due to the contrast. I also love the two girls hidden in the cover, as it really reflects the heart of the story—the search for thirteen missing girls.

SP: How long did it take you to write The Stolen Girls and how did this story come about? Was the second book harder to write than the first?

I began brainstorming this novel around two years ago, but never got around to doing anything much with it until I realized I needed to get started on my second book in the contract ASAP! I began writing it in earnest during the last half of 2019 and sent the polished draft to my editor by the spring of 2020. Writing the second book was so hard, and it was probably one of the most stressful experiences I’ve ever had to go through, mainly because I lacked the luxury of time and the freedom to fail. I spent years writing then ditching one version of THE SILENCE OF BONES for another, playing around with plot and character until I finally felt confident enough to commit to the story. But with my second book, as I was under contract as well as a deadline, I had less time to play around with ideas, and definitely not enough time to ditch one idea for another. When I wrote the first draft, I was devastated, because I wasn’t sure I liked the characters, or the plot, or the historical aspect I was focusing on. But I had to commit and it was terrifying—investing that much time into a work you know will end up getting published, but a work you’re not certain you’ll love and be proud of. In the end, THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS turned out to be one of my greatest achievements. Mainly because I watched this manuscript go from being a hated second book to being a book I’m immensely proud of.

SP: Are there any characters that surprised you along the way?

Maewol, the youngest sister, surprised me. She infused the book with touches of humor, and humor is something I thought I’d never include in my books, as I tend to be very dark and melancholic when storytelling. My favorite part about writing this book was writing the last chapter, mainly because there’s a particular scene in it that I was writing toward for months.

SP: What part of the writing process do you most enjoy? The first draft? The development in revision? The final touches?

Development in revision!

SP: Any writing tip you’d like to share?

Write what scares you. The only way to grow as a writer is to constantly challenge ourselves.

A few fun questions. Is June a…
Plotter/pantster?

Plotter.

Last book you read?

If I had your face by Frances Cha

Current dream vacation spot?

Scotland

Current favorite K-Drama?

Kingdom

Would you rather be a professional: Marine Biologist? Spy? Opera Singer? Brain Surgeon? OR?

Spy.

Favorite childhood book?

Anne of Green Gables

Ellen McGinty, signing off.

Why Sci-fi?

September 21, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Why Science Fiction?

“Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science fiction is the improbable made possible.” Rod Sterling

I love to read—and watch—both science fiction and fantasy, but when it comes to writing, I find myself consistently drawn to science fiction. Even ideas that start as fantasy often get taken over by technology or space travel or aliens.
What makes science fiction so fun? The improbable made possible. The things that sound exciting or intriguing or frightening or far-out-there, told in a way that makes us believe it could one day happen, maybe even to us. As enjoyable as fantasy is, this is one element it lacks. (Although I’m still holding out hope for my Hogwarts letter…)

Science fiction is a broad and complex genre that can include many elements, but here are some that I find most intriguing that you might consider when writing.

Technology

I love to think about how advanced technology might go wrong. Stories are about problems, so if an invention works perfectly, it’s far less interesting than if characters have to deal with unintended side effects. The more advanced the technology, the greater the possibility for terrible consequences.

It’s also fun to consider how an invention would affect every area of life. A transporter would make traveling the world much easier, but what would it do to warfare? How would criminals use it? How would change an average person’s life?

Society

The fun thing about science fiction is, you can imagine a future going whichever direction you want it to as long as there’s a reason. Think about common elements of daily living—school, transportation, entertainment, fashion. How they might change in the future or with new technologies?
For a while, people thought virtual school was the way of the future. And even though that’s what many are experiencing now, it’s hard to tell if the method will stick or people will celebrate a return to in-person school. Fashion comes and goes in cycles. What if your futuristic society decides Victorian dress or Roman togas make sense?

Themes/Humanity

People remain the same regardless of technology or location. With science fiction, especially when the world seems improbable or humans dwell among the stars, it’s extra important to ground the reader with characters who want relatable goals and feel the same emotions we all experience.

Outer Space

Science fiction doesn’t have to be set on a space ship or another planet—Earth-based settings can be just as interesting, whether they’re set in the present or the future. But I’ve always been fascinated by the wonders of the galaxy, by how much is out there that we’ve barely begin to see. And since we know so little, it’s a fertile ground for your imagination to run wild. Unique planets, strange aliens, unknown phenomena…make the improbable seem possible, and take readers to a new world!

What do you love about science fiction?

Becky Dean, signing off.

Author Interview: Hope Bolinger & Alyssa Roat

September 14, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Pen Friends ~ When these lovely authors shared their blurb and cover with me, I loved the concept and was eager to share it! Who doesn’t love a good hero-villain story? Come meet co-authors, Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat, as they share about DEAR HERO releasing September 28th.

SP: Hello Ladies, so happy to have you on the Spinning Pen! So, how did this story, DEAR HERO, come about? How did you decide to co-author it?

H: Most of that summer was pretty fuzzy, so I don’t know if I can remember the exact circumstances. But it all started when Alyssa and I created parody YA twitter accounts to make fun of YA tropes. She was a cliche YA villain, I, a cliche YA hero. My friend back home was also on a lot of dating apps, and I’d read a novel that was a series of letters between two people dating. The idea sort of all just clicked: what if there was an app, like Tinder, that matched you with your nemesis in the superhero world? We took the idea and ran from there.

A: Once we had the idea, co-authoring was a no-brainer. We’ve co-written shorter pieces and articles before, so we knew we work together well.

SP: Co-authoring must be an interesting process–can you tell us a bit about your process? How long did it take you to write DEAR HERO as a team? Any obstacles?

H: So yeah, we didn’t do the typical co-authoring process with this. Basically, we hopped on a Google doc and each took on the personality of different characters. I was the hero, she was the villain (and we playacted other characters who later pop up like an 80-year-old henchman who is a dragon and a theatre-nerd/frat boy sidekick). We’d spot-check each other as we went for consistencies and had a skeletal outline we were following in terms of plot. The “obstacles” if we could call them that were that we never expected what the other person would write. We had to roll with the punches to get to our plot destination points whilst balancing two different visions for the book. But I think we worked together really well.

A: Confession time: we wrote the first draft in nine days. We were having so much fun we just couldn’t stop. (A lot of edits came afterward, don’t worry.) Basically, it was nine days of fingers flying, grinning in a room by myself at Hope’s quips, and trying to remember that oh yeah, I do have jobs to do as well.

SP: What was your favorite part about writing this book? Which character surprised you most?

H: I think what surprised me was how fun it was to write. I kept saying, “We shouldn’t be allowed to have this much fun writing.” I think the speed of writing the book in 9 days (don’t worry, we edited it a TON afterwards) caught me by surprise. We’d originally planned to write the thing in 60 days.

A: My favorite part was waiting to see what hilarious thing Hope would come up with next. We had a loose outline, but lots of room for imagination. Honestly, all of the characters surprised me—I didn’t expect to fall in love with them so much! I knew the book was going to be funny, but I didn’t expect how much I would feel for the characters and how much we would watch them grow. And of course, there’s that plot twist that neither one of us saw coming!

SP: Writing tips–how do you stay focused? What is your revision process?

H: I usually don’t personally have a problem with focus. I often call a version of myself “beast Hope” where I’ll forget to eat or sleep because I’m so absorbed with the project. As for the revision process, it did look a little different for this project. Alyssa and I edited each other as we went and edited the document after numerous times. We had some betas give it a read and give their thoughts. The publisher and us also went back and forth a lot to make sure we caught lots of typos and inconsistencies.

A: The problem is UN-focusing, haha! Hyper-focused Alyssa comes out with big projects like this and forgets to do important things like eat food. As for revising, it was really nice having someone clean up behind me in real time as I typed, and I did the same thing for Hope. Then we did broad revisions and a couple copy edits. I’m the nitpicky one to a fault, so I did a couple rounds of proofreading as well.

SP: Who is one author that influenced your writing?

H: I’ve been told John Green, which I think is high praise. His snark but also ability to pull no punches does often seep into my writing.

A: For this book, I think Rick Riordan had a lot of influence on tone. Plenty of snark and silliness, but with deeper character emotions and themes as well.

SP: Launching during COVID 19 must be an interesting experience- in which ways have you seen positive things come of it?

H: It’s opened up a lot of opportunities for online events. I usually do about 20 speaking engagements per year, but because of COVID, that has doubled for 2020. I do miss in-person events because they’re so personal, however.

A: It definitely turned a lot of my marketing plans on their head, but in some ways it’s given us more opportunities. Since I have dysautonomia/POTS, traveling and speaking puts a lot of strain on my body. Being able to attend conferences and events from home has meant I’m able to do much more without any fainting adventures!

SP: Now, to lighten things up!

Are Hope and Alyssa…

Plotter/pantster?

H: This is actually funny because we’re complete opposites. I’m a plotter. I remember telling Alyssa, “This is the most pantsing I’ve done for a manuscript.” And she said, “This is the most plotting I’ve done,” when we talked about Dear Hero.

A: Poor Hope. My writing style gives her secondhand stress. I pants everything and usually have no idea what’s going to happen next.

Last book you devoured ?

H: The Thing about Jellyfish. I’m getting into middle grade now. Absolutely beautiful book.

A: I just finished A Conjuring of Light, the final book in V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic, a series I really should have read a long time ago. Can you see how the two of us ended up writing a contemporary speculative novel? I devour anything spec fic/ fantasy, and Hope loves her contemporary fiction.

Current dream vacation spot?

H: Probably a secluded forest or some obscure national park. I’m convinced I’m half-fairy. Alyssa will probably agree.

A: If Hope is a fairy, I’m the kooky old lady who lives in the woods. I’d like to be in a secluded cottage where I can write to my heart’s content. But barring that, I’m always down for a trip to London.

Something always in your fridge?

H: Cookie dough. Always.

A: Cheese!

Would you rather be a professional: Space-X Rocket Scientist? Spy? Food Critic? Paleontologist? OR?

H: PALEONTOLOGIST! I’ve been obsessed with dinosaurs since I was four. I once corrected a docent at a museum, when I was six, when she got her Dino facts wrong.

A: Maybe this is why Hope and I are such good friends. I was obsessed with dinos as a kid, and I may have missed my calling as a paleontologist.

Any recent fictional crushes?

H: Oh gosh, LOL, I always go for the bad boys: Loki, Bullseye from Netflix’s Daredevil (not so much in the comics … he’s a little more psychopathic in those) and Zuko. And can I really be honest if I don’t put Darcy in here? Again, I’m like a cinnamon roll, so I’m not sure why I’m going for these dudes.

A: My biggest crush will always be Captain America. Always.

Favorite childhood book?

H: You know, it just depends. For a while it was Harry Potter, but I think I’m edging more toward Percy Jackson now.

A: This is a cruel question. I thought I was supposed to be the villain. I can’t even pick a favorite childhood genre. I loved everything from Hattie Big Sky to Redwall to A Wrinkle in Time.

SP: Thanks so much for sharing with us, ladies! Congratulations on your book!

Be sure to connect with Hope and Alyssa:

You can find Hope on most social media @hopebolinger

And Alyssa is @alyssawrote:

Website: https://alyssawrote.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alyssawrote

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/alyssawrote/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/alyssawrote/

Signing off,

Nova McBee, author of Calculated & 2020 PitchWars Mentor!

Author Interview: Alicia J. Novo

August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 ~ The Spinning Pen ~ Leave a comment

Pen Friends ~ Please welcome YA Author Alicia J. Novo talking about her upcoming debut, UNWRITTEN, publishing journey, writing tips, favorite books & book-crushes, launching a book during COVID, and so much more! Do NOT miss her book cover. *It is beyond gorgeous and made by my favorite cover designer, Micaela Alcaino.

SP: Hi Alicia! Thanks for joining us! Before we start talking about UNWRITTEN, can you share a bit about you and your writing journey?

Absolutely! I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was six. I remember the exact moment. After I won an inconsequential writing contest and saw my story printed in the school newspaper. This is what I’m meant to do, I thought. But it took a long time and many turns before I decided to embrace writing professionally. I told myself I was too practical. Now, I think I was too scared. Instead of English or History, I studied Economics and became a technology executive. Not that I regret it. I enjoyed it. I’ve lived and worked in different countries and learned a lot about business, and people, and the world. Stories are in my blood, though, and eventually I had to accept writing is my calling. The journey since then has been bumpy but also satisfying because there is nothing I’d rather be doing than immersing myself in stories.

SP: Now, congrats on, UNWRITTEN, which will come out in March 2021!
Here is a blurb:

Books whisper to Beatrix Alba. But they aren’t the reason she has never fit in. Bullied at home and school, she keeps a secret—a power of violence and darkness.

When the spell that keeps her hidden fails, she’s catapulted into the Zweeshen, a realm where all tales live, and her dream of meeting her favorite characters comes true. But wishes are tricky, and behind its wonder and whimsy, the Zweeshen is under attack. A character is burning bookworlds in pursuit of a weapon to rule both stories and storytellers. To succeed, he needs a riddle in Beatrix’s keeping.

Now he’s hunting her down.

Joining forces with William, a cursed conjurer, Beatrix must face an enemy who knows her every weakness in a realm where witches play with time, Egyptian gods roam, and Regency heroines lead covert operations. And with her darkness as the only weapon, she may have to sacrifice everything to save a world that rejects her.

SP: How long did it take you to write UNWRITTEN and how did this story come about?

I began writing this book almost seven years ago. It sounds crazy long. In truth it was a discovery process, and I feel I’ve written three different UNWRITTEN novels during that time. The final version, the UNWRITTEN which is being published, is about three years old, and it’s the best of that exploration. It contains what I’ve learned, not just in terms of writing, but life as well. Even though UNWRITTEN is not an issue novel–it does touch on concerns that feel pressing today, such as bullying, discrimination, and tolerance. So it was enlightening to find some answers through Beatrix and her challenges.

The original idea for UNWRITTEN is even older. Remember the six-year-old who wanted to become a writer? Well, she didn’t have a lot of friends and adored book characters. So she invented a place where they all went after the end of their books. I picked up that old concept and used it to develop the Zweeshen, a universe where characters from all stories live. UNWRITTEN grew from there in ways that surprised me.

SP: What has been your favorite process about launching this book? Any marketing tips you can share with debuts?

My favorite part was growing a community on Instagram. I wasn’t active at all on the platform before UNWRITTEN, but it has proven such a boon, especially because COVID has limited the impact of other more traditional channels. The bookish world on Instagram has been so fun and supportive!

In general, playfulness works for me. It’s one of the reasons I like fantasy so much. Because as a writer you get to play. Subvert the way of things. For marketing, I’m a huge fan of bookish swag. I had a great time creating bookmarks, finding props and designing a charm and a keychain. I even have a funko pop based on amazing character art of Beatrix Alba. But I am also a planner. I created a marketing plan and put every single idea I could find in there. The goal isn’t to do them all but have the pressure out of my head. I take it one day at a time. One action per day at least. And I try to have fun with it, turn it into a game.

SP: What was your favorite part about writing this book? Which character surprised you most?

My favorite part was discovering the world of the Zweeshen through Beatrix’s journey. I always try to challenge my main character to the breaking point, so the Zweeshen had to evolve to test Beatrix. The Zweeshen would be a completely different place if not for her particular issues. It ended up becoming a much richer world than it was originally.

The character who surprised me the most was Emma. She’s younger than Beatrix, so I had planned to keep her on the sidelines. Emma wouldn’t have it. She kept taking over scenes and expanding her role. In time, I stopped fighting her because she made Beatrix better. Emma has changed the least too. She was fully-developed and idiosyncratic from the start. Now she’s one of my favorites.

SP: Writing tips and revision– what helps you stay focused on finishing a book?

I think a book is no different than a painting in that you have to expect multiple passes. You have to let the paint dry before adding the next layer to create a specific effect. I’d say embrace the process, try to enjoy each step. My biggest writing tip is to get stuff down. Whether for a first draft or a scene or even a paragraph. Often my first try is full of Xs. They stand for a word or a sentence I know I’ll have to include. Something that would force me to slow down to get it right and would break the momentum. Let ideas flow first. There will be time to revise. To agonize over the perfect word or sentence structure.

You asked about staying focused. For me, it’s less about focus and more about maintaining the right distance. That place where you can still assess the work with a level of objectivity, detached enough to prioritize. If I’m revising for plot, every comma shouldn’t stop me, and I have to let some things go. One of my biggest challenges is cutting too much. It’s the opposite of struggling to kill darlings. I have a murdering bent. Feedback is mana to me, so all someone needs to say is “that portion dragged a little”, and I will chop a whole chapter off. Learning to cut more judiciously is one of my goals.

SP: As an author, what have you learned about the publishing world that you think is important to share with upcoming authors?

Here are my top 3:
1) You already heard publishing is slow. Well… It’s slow. Slower than slow. So slow you want to pull your hair out. Slower than the sloth from Zootopia. So make sure you arm yourself with patience and keep yourself busy while you travel through whatever stage you are in.
2) Expect things to work differently than you hoped and differently from everyone else. Even though there’s a process, each journey is personal. Have faith and believe you will get there. There is no one way. This is your jungle. Love the path you’re clearing. When in doubt, get yourself a bigger machete.
3) Speak up. Ask. Question. Do not suffer your uncertainty in silence. If there’s something you feel strongly about, request it. I had always envisioned UNWRITTEN having a map, so I was disappointed when it wasn’t mentioned in the planning discussions. I agonized over it. When I finally brought it up, my publisher loved the idea. I’m delighted with the final map in the book.

SP: Launching during COVID 19 must be an interesting experience- in which ways have you seen positive things come of it?

A huge challenge, yes. COVID forced me to accept changes, delays and a feeling of constant flux. Everyone is doing the best they can, but we all work with limited information and make the best choices possible on any given day. I had to make friends with that relinquishing of control. It’s a work in progress 🙂 The cancellation of live events and signings is the saddest loss from my perspective. I really like interacting with people. Still, there are silver linings. Small bookshops have been forced to develop their online presence, which will help them long term. As a reader and local shopper, I love that.

For writers, the move to online has opened up possibilities to participate in events that would have been out of reach. Not everyone can travel constantly for conferences. I recently participated in the SCBWI Summer Spectacular which was amazing. If it had taken place in person, I would have missed it.

Also, and It is too early to tell if this will be a permanent shift, I think COVID has served as an equalizer. Small and independent presses struggle to get into the limited shelf space in bookstores which is dominated by Big 5 releases. The internet is more democratic. The online focus is a win for readers’ chances to find quality books that would have otherwise gone under. Bloggers, online reviewers and cool sites like the Spinning Pen help with that too because people turn to them for honest recommendations and that is more important than ever during COVID.

SP: Now, to lighten things up!

Is Alicia a…

Plotter/pantster?

Plotter without a doubt. I have outlines, lists, mindmaps. I have charts of my charts. But I am willing to blow them all up and go with something a character wants because, in the end, the best laid plans…

Last book you read?

I just finished rereading Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, and I love it more every time. The prose is lyrical and the story is rich, enthralling and full of mystery. And it’s a book about books–I can never resist those.
Current dream vacation spot?

Bali. I crave sun and sand and turquoise water. I’ve always wanted to stay at one of those huts that sit on stilts in the ocean.

Something always in your fridge?

I feel like I should say something cool and healthy like avocado (which I love) or Kale (which I kind of tolerate) but actually diet coke. Not cool and not healthy but my vice. Especially when on a deadline. And champagne. There always has to be a bottle in there just in case. Either to celebrate a surprise success or enjoy just cause.

Would you rather be a professional: Kick boxer? Archaeologist? Dog Groomer? Mechanic? OR?

Archeologist. Hands down. I’m fascinated by history and trying to recreate the stories of the past, to reconstruct the world as it used to be. It requires imagination, logic and quite a bit of detective work. It sounds mesmerizing to me. There’s a character in UNWRITTEN, Jane, who used to be an archeologist before arriving in the Zweeshen. I had lots of fun working on her backstory.

Any recent fictional crushes?

No, not lately. It’s a question I’ve been working on from a writing perspective. What makes a character dreamy? Why do we fall in love with him or her? Especially for male supporting characters, how do we create a love interest that is attractive and strong in his own right, while being respectful; masculine without having to save the damsel or become too overbearing? As a mom of a son, finding that answer matters to me.

Favorite childhood book?

Anne of Green Gables. I admire Anne’s positivity, lack of fear or self consciousness. The willingness to be herself at all times regardless of what anyone thought. Plus, she loved stories and ended up a writer, so a kindred spirit.

SP: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Alicia! We are eagerly anticipating your book!
Be sure to connect with Alicia!–

www.alicianovo.com

Instagram: @authoraliciajnovo

Twitter: @aliciajnovo

facebook: alicianovoauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20323098.Alicia_J_Novo

Signing off, NOVA MCBEE Author of Calculated and 2020 PitchWars Mentor