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The Rebellion Blog Tour – Interview with Livy Jarmusch

Tracey Dyck 10 Comments

Hey, remember last November when I talked about five regal books on my shelf as part of the Regal Reads Blog Tour? Livy Jarmusch had just released a book then, and guess what–she’s come out with another this month! The Rebellion, book 2 in the Tales of Tarsurella series, released on May 8.

So to celebrate, I’m interviewing Livy about reading, writing, and indie publishing. But first, here’s a little bit about the book:

Something is brewing. Like the far off rumble of a train in the distance, a rebellion is stirring. A cry for change arises in the midst of a traditional monarchy, where King Addison has inherited the throne. Who are the underground troublemakers? What is stirring their defiant banner and demand for change? Find out in The Rebellion! (The Tales of Tarsurella #2)

Vanessa Bennett lands her dream job working at the Palace in Tarsurella. She struggles to balance everything on her plate: life in a new country, stressful deadlines, crabby co-workers, college classes at the local University, and blossoming feelings of romantic adoration toward her boss–King Addison. Keeping up with her To-Do list, while trying to earn respect in Addison’s male-dominated administration, presents its challenges. Nevertheless, she can’t help but fight a reoccurring thought and the excitement rising with it: is Addison interested in her?

Addison is adjusting to his new role as King. Rumors of a rebellious uprising among the youth in Tarsurella intensifies, as acts of violence and protest break out across the city. Addison is determined to uncover the hidden instigator who fearlessly blogs democracy-driven ideals with a secretive pen name. Will Addison discover and expose the fiery rebellion leader? Or will his efforts fail to stop the rebellious thoughts spreading like wildfire, causing a heartbreaking rift in his divided nation?


* * *

What does your typical day of writing look like?

Livy: Well, my writing schedule looks different depending on what season of life I’m in. If I have a certain project I’m zeroed in on, and can write the entire day, for several weeks, that’s always a huge blessing. But if I’m in the middle of a book launch or have other projects going on, then I just write a little bit here and there. Typically, my goal is to write 5 pages a day, that way I make sure I’m at least getting words out on a consistent, daily basis.

What’s something about indie publishing that surprised you?

Livy: Hmm…I think I was a little surprised by the stigma that indie publishing is somehow less professional than traditional. I mean, I can understand how that bias got started, and where people are coming from when they state such things. I’m sure we’ve all read indie books that probably wouldn’t have ever made it onto the bookshelves of Barnes and Noble. But at the same time, traditionally has a pretty narrow, cookie-cutter approach to what they publish and don’t publish, so just because an author doesn’t fit within that format, doesn’t make them any less professional or talented. I have some AMAZING indie-author friends who are doing spectacular things in the industry, and are working really hard to show readers and aspiring authors alike, that the indie-route is just as professional, excellent, impact, and rewarding, as printing with traditional.

Which of your characters is most like you and why?

Livy: In The Rebellion, readers will get to meet a new character, Jane Akerly. She’s kinda a cameo, and doesn’t have a massive role in the story, but she is still very dear to my heart. She’s a young, aspiring author, who has a problem with getting lost in her daydreams. I relate to her so much, so I think she’s my favorite! We have a lot in common.

What’s the best book you’ve read in 2018 so far?

Livy: To be completely honest, I don’t read a lot of fiction. In fact…I don’t think I’ve even bought a new book yet this year! I spend too much time writing, haha!

Which do you prefer: rereading old favorites or discovering new books?

Livy: I do enjoy going back to some old favorites. Pride and Prejudice is always fun to return to. 😉

Libraries or bookstores?

Livy: Both!

If you were plopped into The Rebellion as one of the characters, how would you react? What would you do first? Who would you go to?

Livy: Oh wow. Well, first of all, I’d be super excited! Spending a day in Tarsurella would be such a blast! My experience would definitely differ depending on which character I was. As much as I love Jane, I can’t say I would want to be her…she’s in somewhat of a stressful situation. I think I would enjoy being Vanessa Bennett. She’s the American visiting this classy, sophisticated, European nation, so it’s fun to see the story through her eyes, since she’s not a member of the Royal Family. I would definitely hang out in The Queen’s Library for several hours, and then go eat a gourmet meal fixed by Clark, one of Tarsurella’s finest chefs. So yeah, I think I would pretty much eat and read all day! 😀 

What do you do to refill your creative tank?

Livy: My number one way to get refilled and refreshed is to spend time with my Creator! All of my inspiration and creativity comes from Him. If I’m ever feeling drained, I know He is a well of endless inspiration.

Best writing advice you’ve been given?

Livy: The rough draft is as bad as your book is ever going to be. If you can keep that in mind, you’ll have the freedom to produce a rough draft that is indeed rough, and then not beat yourself up over it. You can keep editing and improving, and know that you’re only getting better and better with each re-write. 🙂

What are you working on next?

Livy: The next book to be released will be Regal Hearts Season 2! Regal Hearts is a series I’m working on, that is written in an eposodical TV show style, format. The first season had ten “episodes”, which was initially released just digitally, and readers asked for it to be in paperback. So now we’re doing the same for Season 2! If you’re interested in reading the first episode for free, I give it away to all my email subscribers! 🙂 You can check it out here: http://livylynnblog.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=52a89184eecb2e965d9ddfa27&id=4e615b60ba
* * *
Thanks for stopping, by Livy! It was great to have you here on Adventure Awaits. Everyone, you can check her blog tour schedule RIGHT HERE to see everyone else’s posts, enter a giveaway, and find out more about The Rebellion!

Livy Jarmusch is a twenty-something author, singer, and songwriter. She enjoys crafting YA fiction that is pure, lovely, inspirational, and of course, entertaining! When she’s not writing, you can usually find her playing guitar, blogging, drinking peppermint tea, connecting with new friends, planning her next trip to Disney, or pinning images of Europe and Golden Retriever Puppies.

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Interview with Kate Marie – The Bubblegum Rebellion

Tracey Dyck 33 Comments
[Via Unsplash]
Guess who I’m featuring on Adventure Awaits today, questers??? It’s Kate Marie, who’s basically a ray of sunshine disguised as a human!* She’s here to talk about BOOKS (surprise, surprise) and answer some questions about the Bubblegum Rebellion, the blog she launched in January. In her words, this rebellion involves sharing stories about “beauty, wonder, hope, freedom, healing, and starting over.” Sounds like a much-needed focus if you ask me!

*(Shush, you didn’t see the title already. Be surprised.)

ABOUT KATE:
As a four-year-old, Kate regularly yelled long, enraged monologues to the nonplussed white wall of her bedroom when she got sent there as punishment. Her penchant for the dramatic was born then and it continued to grow and flourish as Kate matured. In recent years, the realization dawned on her – she was never happier than when she was acting. Her passion is to bring stories to life – whether it is on a stage or in front of a camera – and her hope is that those stories will change people. When she isn’t at rehearsals, she loves writing dark, heavy books that usually include explosions, a big family, and lots of ethnic culture, drawing creepy things that are either burning or bleeding with her art pencils, and reveling in the haunting wistfulness of the trees when she takes long hikes in a nearby park.

But I don’t want to steal her thunder. She has a lot more details to share with you. Give it up for Kate!

*insert thunderous applause*

What inspired you to launch The Bubblegum Rebellion?

Kate: I think this is something that has been growing in my heart for a long time, slowly evolving into the full-fledged thing that it is now.

The first step was thinking ahead to my years at college – I’m a senior in high school right now – and how that means, in many ways, a new beginning for me. Or at the very least, a whole new chapter of my life. I’m heading away to college, so I won’t know anyone, I won’t have a reputation or a certain set of expectations that I have to fulfill.

Then I watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube – it’s basically a TV show styled as a blog – and I thought, “This is so engaging and fun. I WANT TO DO THAT.” And I suppose the nail in the coffin was talking to my friend Kenzie and deciding that this passion of mine was really an aesthetic, a lifestyle. It isn’t just about me and what is happening in my life – it’s something I want for everyone.

She came up with the name too, by the way.

Who is the Rebellion aimed at?

Kate: I’d say kids in their teens and twenties because that’s where I’m at right now. But this isn’t an exclusive sort of thing – anyone can join because I firmly believe that anyone can have a fresh start. I don’t care how old or how young you are, we all need to find our way back to the wide-eyed wonder of childhood and that’s what this is about.

I wholeheartedly agree! So what can people expect from the Rebellion?

Kate: A big part of this project, for me, is that we as the next generation have so much potential. So much energy and talent and passion. We can do great things. I’d like to build on that bedrock. So The Bubblegum Rebellion is a place where JUST PLAIN GOOD indie art is made and where beauty is celebrated. Photography, film, and writing are three major tools I hope to use.
I realize that I’m dreaming big, but I’d love work on short films and travel documentaries throughout my college career. But even if that stays out of reach, I’ll be doing the vlogs and posting poetry on the blog.

This might be an impossible question, but what was the best book you read in 2017? Or a few of the best?

Kate: Wow, Tracey. Way to send me scrambling to Goodreads.

Well, I’m going to cheat. (Surprise!) Instead of just one book, I’m going to say that most glorious adventure I went on through the pages of a book in 2017 was The Lunar Chronicles.

So many characters to love. So many ships to ship. So many friendships to laugh and cry over. Just wow. I have feels, guys.
YESSSS, a fellow Lunartic! That series completely captured my heart. Okay, now what’s on your TBR (to-be read) pile?
Kate: Ooooooh. Are you sure you wanna go here?
Well, I won’t burden you with the whole length of it, but the Harry Potter series resides at the top of the prestigious pile, with The Scarlet Pimpernel and the Ilyon Chronicles nestling right underneath. I also have a fat stack of classics that WILL get read someday.

What are you writing these days?

Kate: I’m glad you asked!

Sunshine is sort of a “for-fun” novel for me. Not that I’m not passionate about it or don’t love the story and characters… I do. But I intentionally threw some very weird ingredients in the blender with this one. One of my weaknesses is writing overly dark and foreboding stories that lack humor and fun. So I called this one Sunshine, made my main character a maniacally upbeat ray of pure happiness, and tried for a lighter tone. I also struggle with my novels being too short so I expanded the cast – there are nine main characters and a dozen or so others that make up the supporting cast. I split the point-of-view up for the first time as well – nine people are sharing it and one of them is, in fact, a dragon. And, just in case things were not interesting enough, I thought it would be fun to mix things up by making the book unrealistically diverse – every single character has a different country of origin.

If the fact that it has made me laugh out loud and get teary-eyed is any indication, I think it’s going really well.

Sounds really fun, Kate! Now this question gets a bit more serious: Readers and writers alike have differing views on fiction. To some, it’s an escape. To others, it’s self-expression. To still others, it’s a form of worship or a calling. For some, it’s all that and more. So what does fiction mean to you?

Kate: I’ve thought long and hard about this and I’m still not sure that I have a good answer.

Escapism has always felt wrong to me. But now that I’m a writer, reading is a part of my job. I guess that makes me feel better about how much time I spent lost in the pages of a book? Maybe.

I just recently went to a coffeeshop for the first time in my life. It was a lovely experience and the atmosphere was my favorite part. They were hosting a music night and it had the vibe of a family hanging out, laughing, talking. The guy performing used a quote I had never heard before and it changed the way I think about fiction and escapes. He said that “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” I like that.

Fiction has done so much for me. Broadened my horizons, educated me, taught me to think for myself, gave me a passion for telling my own stories.

But I do try to remember that moment in the first Hobbit movie when Gandalf tells Bilbo “the world is OUT THERE, not in your books.” My thirst for adventure is strong, but sometimes I need that extra push to prioritize – I should ALWAYS choose a hike in the park with my dad or a long talk about whatever with my little brother over more time reading. Every time. Make the right decision, Kate.

[via Pinterest]

(Sorry, did I take that too deep?)

Not at all. I loved your answer! It’s so true that the world is out there, beyond our beloved books. What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given?

Kate: Um.

Write.

That’s the best advice because it always works. It isn’t something that’s different for everyone or only works some of the time. There is no writing malady that cannot be solved with more writing. The more you write, the better you get. It’s as simple as that. You get out exactly what you put and you certainly have to exercise some patience – one cannot become a veteran overnight, after all – but I find it immensely encouraging to know that I will get better with time. There is no other option.

Who are your heroes?

Kate: William Wilberforce and Gianna Jessen.

Those two are the most important. But Tolkien is my writing-hero and C. S. Lewis is my Christian-hero and Louisa May Alcott is my womanhood-hero and my dad is my dad-hero and Johnny Depp is my acting-hero and Adam Young is my introvert-hero and there are probably some others I’m forgetting.

“Introvert-hero.” *laughs* Love it! Okay, here’s the last question(s) to wrap it up . . . Tea or coffee? Pizza or brownies? Narnia or Middle Earth? Marvel or DC? Pen or pencil? (These are important questions, okay? *winks*)

Kate: THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF ALL AND IF YOU SAY OTHERWISE I WILL… give you… chocolate??? (Nice save, Kate. Very smooth.)
Anyway.
Tea.
Brownies.

Middle Earth. Sorry, Narnia-fans. The nostalgia is definitely there for me too, because The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe was one of the first books I remember my dad reading aloud to me, but when I revisited the series as an adult… I couldn’t see past the sloppy writing and weak worldbuilding. Yes, I know they are for kids – much The Hobbit. But it’s not for me. The books got better as he continued to write them but in the end, there is no way that Middle Earth can’t win this fight. Tolkien is too brilliant.

Marvel. I haven’t watched many of the films – three Marvel and only one DC – but I’ve done enough research to consider myself something of a nerd and while DC’s aesthetic and soundtracking is better, Marvel’s acting and stories appeal to me more. I think it’s the large cast and the variety of dynamics. Natasha’s friendship with Tony is different than her friendship with Clint which is different than her relationship with Steve. I love that. But I do love Superman. And the kid playing the Flash in Justice League. And I’ve heard some good things about Wonder Woman. So…?

Pen. Pencils smudge and scratch and need sharpened. Not a fan. Writing in pen is confident and permanent.

Thank you so much for having me, Tracey! It was a pleasure.

Thank you, Kate! It was so much fun interviewing you and hearing more about the Bubblegum Rebellion! If you guys are looking for a place to rebelliously joyful, go check out her blog! I believe she has some exciting things in the works, so be sure to follow her so you don’t miss a thing. And if you have any questions, leave them here in the comments!

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The Steadfast Pen Blog Launch & Interview!

Tracey Dyck 25 Comments

In my last post I promised a special guest was coming. Well, joining us today is my younger brother, Josiah! He just launched his blog, called The Steadfast Pen, this week. To celebrate his splashdown into the blogosphere, I’m interviewing him about his perspective on creativity and life, two of my main topics here at Adventure Awaits.

You may remember him from Four Elements of a Successful Villain, a guest post he did here over a year ago. Or you may recall that he and I shared college adventures recently. You may also be unable to forget that, ahem, darling picture of him and I dressed as Mario and Princess Peach (featured in S&S May 2017) .

Josiah neglected to give me an official bio for this post, leaving his introduction in my very capable hands. (I’ve known the guy for nineteen years, so I’d like to think I’m an expert at this sort of thing.) Josiah is the creatively inclined, fastidiously detailed, uproariously funny person responsible for many a brainstorming session or Marvel fest in my household. Stories were what paved the way from our squabbling phase of siblinghood to the friendship phase we enjoy now. He’s got a quirky sense of humor, an affinity for puns, and a boatload of patience developed by the trials of having three sisters.

Without further ado, please welcome Josiah Dyck to the stage!



Tracey: Art and life have a way of intersecting. How does your life
influence your art, and how does art influence your life?

Josiah: Interesting question! I think that my life influences my
art—or, more specifically, my writing—in a host of different ways. When I
struggle in life, I can work those struggles into my writing. My story The Tournament of Convicts is a good
example of this. The main character fights against the feeling of never seeing
his dreams come to pass. This is something I’ve had to fight as well, and that
makes it more poignant in the story. Another scenario is for my first book in
The Portal Chronicles. One of my characters, Mark, tries to prove himself
because he wants his parents to be proud of him. I can relate to this, which
strengthens the story’s emotion.

If there are things I’ve wondered and want to work out,
stories are good places to do that. For example, Of Beauties and Beasts toys with the concept of actions and
consequences, especially when said actions were bad, but the intentions were
good. Darkened Slumber deals a lot
with honor and asks if someone can be honorable when they’ve killed someone
else. Maelstrom is going to be
focused on grace versus judgement, especially when people don’t deserve grace.
Being able to figure these things out on the pages of a novel is always a joy
to do in the end.

Through this answer, I think I’ve also partially answered the
second part of this question. By working through the struggles and questions I
have, my art influences my life when I find the answers. Also, when one is a
writer, one pays attention to different things than most people would. I
sometimes try to remember how someone looks so I can incorporate part of them
into a character. I’ll notice quirks, habits, and mannerisms—all worth noting
should I someday want to use them. I could go on, but I think I’ve rambled on
long enough for this question, seeing it’s only the first one.

Tracey: You write, but you also engage in a number of other creative
outlets—both as creator and as an audience member. What creative art forms
influence your writing?


Josiah: ALL OF THEM. Well, I should specify that every art form I
engage in has an impact on my writing. That includes books, movies/TV shows,
music, video games . . . There are art forms (e.g. dance, theater,
painting/drawing) that either don’t have any influence, or only a bit, but
maybe that’s because I don’t participate in these outlets. I couldn’t tell you
which one has the most power in my writing, but what I do know is that my
writing is indeed impact by the major forms of art I engage in.

Tracey: Soundtracks are a big favorite of yours, and I know that
asking you to pick a favorite is cruel of me . . . but tell us. What’s your
favorite soundtrack? (You can stab thank me later.)

Josiah: Ha. Ha. Ha. You just had to pull this one, did ya? I can’t
pick one favorite, because I’ll think of another and think to myself, “Oh yeah,
there’s that one, and that one, and that one . . .” Pretty soon, I’ll be saying
all of my soundtracks are my favorite.
But whenever I’m asked this question, one soundtrack often
comes to mind, so I’ll just use that one. If someone were to ask me what you
just did, I might be tempted to say that the Mad Max: Fury Road soundtrack (the
extended version of it) is my favorite. “Why?” you might be asking. Because
Junkie XL is a phenomenal composer, that’s why. You start off with lots of
intense or suspenseful sequences, filled with scratchy strings, pounding drums, and
eerie sounds I can’t properly describe. Then, out of the blue, an emotional
theme appears in the music. You’re hit with tracks that seem to be influenced
by classical music. Suddenly, this soundtrack is very different than what you
initially thought. It’s just so amazing! Hans Zimmer himself describes the
soundtrack as being “absolutely phenomenal and mind-blowingly brilliant.” Which
should tell you something about the Fury Road score.

Tracey: If you had a theme song that played whenever you walked into
a room, what would it be?
Josiah: I have legitimately thought about this beforehand, and all
my answers are goofy ones. Like, if I walked into a room and the Imperial March
started playing, or the Black Rider theme, I’d find that absolutely hilarious. But
if I were to seriously consider a theme, maybe Rohan’s theme? Or perhaps Ballad
of the Goddess from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Ooh, there’s also the
LEGO Ninjago overture! So many to choose from, and I don’t which I’d pick. I would
probably change it . . . a lot.

Tracey: Who are some of your fictional heroes, and why?

Josiah: Obviously, the first one on this list is Captain America.
He’s such a patriotic hero who upholds his morals, and when he’s made a
decision, he’s determined to stick with it. He was one of the first superheroes
I saw in a movie, and I couldn’t help but love his character. I just don’t
understand people who think he’s lame. Obviously, such people don’t know a
great hero when they see one.
Another hero would be the Flash—as in, Grant Gustin’s
version. He strives to be a noble hero, but at the same time, he’s also very
human. He makes mistakes and doesn’t always admit it right away. He wrestles
with the punches life keeps throwing his way. I love the combination of
hero/human, because then I look up to him and identify with him. He’s a
relatable character, and that makes him awesome.
Finally, Charlie West from Andrew Klavan’s Homelanders
series is one of my heroes. He’s fiercely loyal to his country and will go
great lengths in his fight for it. He’s also got a family, friends, and a
girlfriend who he loves and wants to protect. I cheered for him throughout the
whole series. He has to be one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve read in
a book series. (I don’t know about you, but I’m detecting a theme here.)
Captain America // The Flash // Charlie West featured on the cover of The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

Tracey: If you could spend a day with any character, yours or
someone else’s, who would it be? And what would your day together look like?

Josiah: Gah, this is so hard. I think I’m going to cheat and say I’d
love to hang out with the three main characters from my Portal Chronicles
books: Mark, David, and Warren. They would be so much fun to spend a day with!
We would probably do things like go watch a movie in theaters and then rave or
rant about it afterward; we’d play video games and probably do it loudly; we
would go to a cozy café, sit down with beverages, and just talk about life. Now
you’re making me wish I could actually do this. You wouldn’t happen to know how
to make book characters come to life, would you?

Tracey: You’re a very detailed movie-watcher. What things do you
look for or notice first in a movie?

I’ve never really thought about this. I guess one of the
things I notice is the music. Because I love soundtrack and am always on the
lookout for something new to listen to, I’ll pay attention to the movie’s
score. This, however, doesn’t happen all the time. There usually has to be
something that triggers it. One case of this is in Big Hero 6. During the chase
scene in San Fransokyo, the music changes from orchestral to electronic with
electric guitar. My ears perked up, and I decided to give the soundtrack a
listen.
San Fransokyo

There are other things I look for, such as an opening that
catches my attention, characters that I can feel emotional about, a gripping
plot, cool camera angles, realistic sets, et cetera. Like I said, I haven’t
even thought about this before. I suppose I’ll be paying more attention to that
now.

Tracey: You don’t hesitate to follow the advice, “Kill your
darlings.” Talk to us about character deaths—what is their value, how do you go
about it, what to avoid, etc.

Josiah: Ah, yes, I do tend to kill off a number of my characters. I
think they’re valuable because they heighten the emotion of the story, and
that’s our number one goal as writers: to give the readers an emotional
experience. Plus, there are other reasons for killing off a character.
Sometimes you need to raise the stakes and show the danger of what the
protagonists are doing. Other times, a villain’s demise is just satisfying.

The way I do deaths, if I want the readers to care, is to give
them plenty of reasons to become attached to said character. When readers love
characters, the scene of their death will be so much more powerful. There are
some character deaths where I do it “at a bad time,” if you will. If the
protagonists are at the crux of the plot, when things are getting darker and
hard, kill one of them off. Make things even more difficult for the others.

Another idea to do it is when there should be satisfaction,
like when a final battle has been won. Mortally wounding a character just at
the end increases the emotion. Or perhaps things are finally looking up for
your character; kill them, and your readers will become frustrated—in a good
way, of course. I’ll even give the villains a bit of humanity to spark even a
little bit of emotion from the readers.

However, here is my major precaution in character deaths: if
they’re supposed to matter, do not do
them just because. See, when it’s a minor character, you can kill them off
easier because they don’t matter as much. But when it comes to major
protagonists, or even antagonists, tread carefully. Killing them off
willy-nilly doesn’t incite emotion in the reader if there’s no reason behind
it. I have to remind myself of that too sometimes. Whenever you’re debating
removing a character permanently, always ask yourself, “Do I have a sufficient
reason for doing this?”

I could give more advice, but this answer’s getting pretty
long. I guess I’ll just have to do a whole post on it sometime.

Tracey: If you couldn’t write, what would you do?

Josiah: I’d probably be a filmmaker. I would save up and get a nice
camera, establish a small crew, and make all sorts of movies. Even now, though
I am a writer, I wish I could pick it up as a smaller hobby. I think it’d be a
lot of fun to do.

Tracey: Quick—sort yourself! Which faction from Divergent?
Which race from Lord of the Rings? How soon would you die in The
Hunger Games? Which Pevensie are you most like from The Chronicles of
Narnia? (I’d ask you which Harry Potter house you’re in, but neither of us
has read it. #behindthetimes) (I took a quiz once, and I’m apparently
Gryffindor?)

Amity faction
Josiah: According to a test, I’m part of the Amity faction, but I
might prefer to choose Dauntless. I’d either be an Elf or a Skin-Changer. I’d
like to think I would win, but realistically, I’d probably die somewhere in the
middle. Eh, probably Edmund, after he’s done the whole betrayal thing. (I did
the HP house quiz, and I’m fairly equal in all the houses, which means I can
choose my own. Yay . . .?)

Well, thanks for allowing me on your blog, Tracey! I had a
lot of fun with this interview.

Tracey: So did I! Thanks for stopping by, bro! To all my fellow adventurers, head on over to The Steadfast Pen to read Josiah’s very first post. Hint: if you like pizza, you’ll get along just fine. Feel free to leave him some comments, here or there (or both!). I think I can persuade him to loiter around my comment section and chat with y’all. 😉
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Guest Post: Interview with Christine Smith

Tracey Dyck 42 Comments

I’m super-de-duper excited to welcome a special friend to Adventure Awaits today: Christine Smith from Musings of an Elf! I’ve been blessed to know her for a couple years now, and she is such an encouraging ray of sunshine everywhere she goes. Enthusiastic, kind, perceptive, and an awesome writer to boot, she brightens her corner of the internet . . . and a whole lot of other people’s corners, too. I’ve had the privilege of beta reading one of her books (in novella form and as a full-length novel), and she’s returned the favor for me.

So it’s really about time I feature her here on my blog, and what better topic to discuss than her writing life? Ladies and gentlemen, I now give Christine the floor!

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Christine Smith is a twenty-something,
homeschool graduate who still believes in fairies and has every intention of
owning a pet dragon someday. One day she thought it’d be fun to write a book.
Fifteen years and much caffeine later, she’s still writing. Stories are her
life—reading, writing, watching, whatever it may be. She writes primarily YA
novels, and refuses to stop, no matter how old she gets. She loves tales grand
and epic and whimsical and beautiful. But her greatest love is her Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Her favorite adventure of all is letting Him sweep her
off on His beautiful plan for her life. You can find Christine at her
blog musingsofanelf.blogspot.com,
where she muses on those many peculiar things writers think about.


1. How long have you been writing? Was there
a certain point in your writing life when you decided to pursue it as a career?
Can you share a little excerpt of your work-in-progress? (We’ve got to start
off with a bang and cover all the basics!)



I’ve been writing for 15 years, since I
was 9 years old. I always loved reading and just stories in general, but it
never occurred to me to try writing my own until I discovered a contest to
write a short story involving a horse in some way. It sounded fun, so I
couldn’t help but try it. Well, what was supposed to be a short story, turned
into a full novel, and I completely abandoned the whole contest thing and
instead happily became a novelist writer for fun.


The thought of publishing had always been
in my mind from the very beginning. But I never really…did anything about it.
I just dreamed and hoped. I called myself a writer, but I really only wrote
occasionally and never once read books on writing or learned the craft too
much. But then NaNoWriMo happened. I participated in my first NaNo in 2010 when
I was 18, and, oh, what a magical experience. I lived and breathed my NaNo
novel for 30 days, and managed to finish it soon after NaNo ended. Before, it
took me yeeears to finish a novel. But this one I wrote completely in under 3
months. I was in awe that I was capable of such a thing. And LOVED it. NaNo
taught me I could finish books, AND that writing was absolutely what I
wanted to do with the rest of my life.

After that NaNo, the thought of
publishing wasn’t a dream, but a tangible goal. I started following writing
blogs, making writing friends, reading articles on the craft, writing more
books and more and more. My books before this were cringe worthy, but
slowly and surely I saw improvement. I still have a long ways to go, but now,
yes, I definitely am pursuing it as a career. Writing is my world.

My current work-in-progress, Burning
Thorns, is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and the book I hope to start
pursuing publishing with first. Here’s an excerpt:

“Palms still spread out in front of
him, chest heaving, and blood pounding in her ears, Rose looked into his face.
“Dragon?”

He blinked, over and over, face scrunched
as if a war wrought inside his mind. Slowly, the untamed gleam in his eye
faded. For the first time since he attacked, he looked at her. He saw her.

She took a shuddering breath. A thousand
words she longed to say stormed in her throat, but only one broke free.
“Please.”

His charred lips parted, trembled, like
speaking pained him. His eyes roved over every inch of her face. They gazed
deep, piercing, hungry. Searching for something. She could see him now. Not the
dragon, but the man hidden underneath, so desperately trying to claw his way
out.


2. What does a typical writing session look like for you?

I really don’t do anything specific or special. I work best with goals, so if I
set out to write, I usually give myself a word limit I have to write before I
can stop. 500 words, 1k, 2k—something like that. Otherwise I’d just write like
100 words before quitting. If I don’t have a goal, laziness always wins. But if
I do have a goal, I obsess over it and have to make it. (I guess
that’s a good thing…?)

Once I sit down to write, I usually put on the playlist I made specifically for
the book, open the story and outline if I have one (some books I pants, some
books I plan, it just depends), and just write. I always have a beverage
by me, whether it be water, coffee, tea, coke. Just something to keep me
hydrated. I also have to be alone to write. If people are around, I get too
distracted and can’t immerse myself in my story. So pretty much always I write
in my room by myself. Well, except for Navi—my poodle/writing buddy. 😉 I tend
to get most of my writing done during the afternoons. Though I think my best
scenes come from when I write at night.

3. If you can manage to choose, what’s your favorite part of the writing
process—first draft, editing, etc.?

Does finishing a first draft count? Because that’s my absolute
favorite feeling. There’s just nothing like realizing that story that’s been
roaming your brain for months or even years is finally on paper. All those
hours and hours of work done. And, to me, the first draft is the most special.
Because with any other draft, you’re working with what’s already there, no
matter how much you rewrite it. But the first draft came about from an entirely
blank slate. And isn’t that a magical feeling? Making something utterly new
from nothing.

So yes, finishing a first draft is without a doubt my favorite part of the
writing process.

As far as editing vs. drafting. I think I’ve decided I enjoy them about
equally. They both have their pros and cons, though I may lean toward first
drafting a smidge.

4. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your writing journey.

Well, I guess I already did, talking about my first NaNoWriMo. So I’ll tell
you about my most recent turning point.


I just finished doing the first round of edits for Burning Thorns and having my amazing beta-readers (one of which is our very own Tracey here!) go through it. I’ve never before had a whole group of people read a full novel by me. It was an entirely new experience, and one of the best I’ve ever had. Ever since, I’ve had a huge support system, encouragement, so much great advice, and people helping me reach my goal of publishing. Publishing has always been a terrifying, overwhelming idea. But suddenly, with people supporting me and pushing me forward, it feels real and doable and exciting.


Moral of the story is: Find writing buddies! They’re the best things in the world.

5. As a reader, do you prefer series or standalones? How about as a writer?


This is a tricky question. Once upon a time, I was alllll about them series. I
hardly even touched standalones. I wanted a huge, epic plot and to be immersed
in it for long amounts of time. BUT, back in the day, I didn’t actually have a
whole lot of reading material. *gasp* I know, craziness! Used to, if I found a
series, I was ecstatic because it’d assure I’d have lots of books to read for a
while.

Then I got older and discovered magical things like GoodReads.com and thrift
stores and library sales and made writing/reading buddies who gave me 3892348
recommendations of books to read.

Now, I’m drowning in books. Which is the best thing EVER. Obviously. But…it
also means I have a TBR stack the size of Mount Everest and not nearly enough
time to read it all. And thus series are more daunting because it’s a
commitment, when I could just go through a bunch of standalones quickly
and lessen my to-be-read stack a bit.

BUT, whenever I do take on a series, my long-time love for series
returns and I wonder why I ever put off reading them. Disappearing inside one
storyworld for a long time is my favorite. It’s like I get to spend weeks in an
exciting place with dear friends, and I love it.

SO. Loooong story short, I think I like series best because I do prefer much
bigger, complex plots. But for some reason I procrastinate reading them.

Now then, as a writer. I pretty much only have experience writing series.
*sheepish grin* Technically Burning Thorns was supposed to be a
standalone, and still absolutely can be, but I also have a whole line of
fairytale retellings set in the same world floating through my brain. Whenever
I TRY to write something short, it becomes this monstrous, complicated series.
It’s a problem. >.> But, I kind of like it, too.

Basically, I just like long, epic plots—to read or write.

6. What’s a struggle you’re facing as a writer right now?

Self doubt has always been a huge one. But, again, my writing friends
are working on stomping away that self doubt because they’re the sweetest
things in the world.

As far as actual writing problems, worldbuilding has never been a strong suit.
I can come up with a thousand million plot ideas, but actual interesting worlds
to put them in? Nada. My worldbuilding always ends up sooo boring and/or
cliché. My brain just refuses to come up with fun, clever things. *glares at
useless brain* So that’s definitely something I want to strive to improve on.

Also, if you can’t tell by my ridiculously long answers, I’m not always good at
summing things up quickly. Eheheh.

7. What are you really excited about in your current writing life?

That the first round of edits for Burning Thorns is FINISHED. But
even more than that, that I’m not scared of editing anymore and actually ENJOY
it.

See, I’ve spent basically my entire life completely petrified of editing. Thus
I write a dozen first drafts, but never…actually…edit anything. Which is
like the biggest part of being a writer. Heh. But I finally took the
plunge and edited Burning Thorns, and all my fears were for naught.
Because I liked it. I LIKED EDITING. It was the most shocking and
wonderful writing revelation I’ve ever had.


8. What are some pieces of writing advice that have stuck with you?

Oh goodness, so many! Basically everything I’ve ever read on
the Go Teen Writers
blog. When I
started reading that blog was when my writing really started to improve.
The Go Teen Writers book is also my go-to for all things writerly.

Let’s see…

One day I stumbled upon this quote on Pinterest and it has never left my brain
since.

“The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don’t write
about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying on the
road. You pick the smallest manageable part of the big thing, and you work off
the resonance.” -Richard Price

It’s such a simple but powerful, story changing thought. One of my most
favorite writing quotes, without a doubt.

9. If one of your existing characters had to show up in every single
story you ever write, who would you choose and why?

Bwahahaha! I love this question! XD

It’s really hard for me to not have all my characters in every single
story. They become such a special piece of my heart, it’s hard ever saying
goodbye. Which is probably why I love series so much, now that I think of it!

But, shockingly, I actually know exactly who I’d choose. Cael.

Cael is a sometimes villain/sometimes antihero/sometimes who-even-knows-what
from my Colors of a Dragon Scale series, a high fantasy, dragon rider
story. Cael wasn’t even supposed to exist. But one day he popped in my head and
completely took over everything. As in, the whole plot ended up
centering around him pretty much. Even though he didn’t appear until the 5th
book. O_O Only Cael can manage that, let me tell you.

He looks young (but looks can be deceiving *wink, wink*), has white hair
(because, ya know, white hair is awesome (though there is a reason, I
promise)), and somehow manages to be both the villain and best friend to one of
my protagonists.

The thing about Cael is he’s honestly NICE. Not your usual dark, brooding
villain/antihero type. Sure, he causes sooo much trouble, but he’s quite polite
about it and does actually care about people. He’s charismatic and fun
and nice and complex and, honestly, the character I’ve had the most fun writing
out of all my many, many beloved characters. (Sh, don’t tell the others.) I
actually feel comforted whenever he’s around. Even though, ya know, HE’S
TRYING TO DESTROY EVERYTHING. It makes no sense. >.> But that’s Cael for
you. He’s a walking conundrum.

So yes, I’d have so much fun putting him in all my stories. Even though he’d
steal the show in every single one and probably cause all sorts of horrible
disasters…

10. One of the things you really excel at is characters—making them deep and
relatable. You make me feel strongly in one way or another about each one!
What’s your secret?

*blushes and flails* TRACEY. The things you say! I don’t know about all that.
Goodness. I don’t think I have a secret! o.o

Um… It may have something to do with my personality type…? I’m super in
tune to people and just…get them. I understand people and what they
feel and why they feel things or do something. I’m not book smart AT.
ALL. But I guess you could say I’m people smart. It just comes naturally. Also
it’s one of my favorite subjects. I get absolutely obsessed with studying
personalities and just PEOPLE. (Reading about the Myers-Briggs personality
types is one of my favorite activities. #nerd) So I guess that could be it. I
just understand people, and it shows through in my writing.

Thank you so much for having me over at Adventure Awaits, Tracey! This was a
BLAST.

<><><><><>

Thanks for such awesome answers, Christine! I loved getting this window into your writing life, and I’m sure all you questers did as well. (That quote in #9 . . . wow. Just wow.) Be sure to leave a comment here for Christine, because she’s taking over the blog for the next while! She’ll respond to comments (but who am I kidding, I won’t be able to resist piping up too), and answer any questions you may have. So ask and comment away!

Also, on Monday the 19th, she’ll be featuring me on Musings of an Elf, so stay tuned for that as well. It’s going to be fun!

UPDATE: Here’s the link to that interview in which I chat about my writing process, a few of my favorite characters, and what my dream guest list would be for a seriously epic, authorly tea party!

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