Diurna Times

↳The Story Behind the Story ~ pseudonymLove

Written by: mminecraftbees

Hey there, welcome to the interview column! If you're a new reader, my name is MB and my job is to get the inside story on all of Wattpad's favourite celebrities and rising stars. Today we're chatting with Autumn [@pseudonymLove], who only this year released her most popular teen novel, The Good Girl's Secrets, which follows the story of two high schoolers navigating a new romance whilst healing from the scars of their lives. Read on for our talks on her side of the story!

Why did you choose Wattpad to publish on, and what led you to set up an account?

I love to read, that goes without saying. I was trying to find some non-traditional reads by authors that weren't so well-known, so I just searched online and found Wattpad. I set up an account because I like to be organised and I wanted to keep the hundreds of books in some kind of order. Once I found all of these amazing stories I kept reading and enjoyed so many I just kept the account, and eventually realised I could share my own as well.

What inspired The Good Girl's Secrets?

To be honest, I just had the idea pop into my head one day in the car; I wanted to explore how these very specific characters got into their situations.

Are any of the characters and their personalities inspired by real life people? (Not Jeff, I'd hope!)

Definitely NOT Jeff. My characters aren't really based on people I know in real life, but they do have some likes and dislikes that are similar. Like Josephine loves cinnamon and hot cocoa and Nutella-filled croissants, which are both my favourite little treat to have sometimes.

Throughout the story Josephine often finds refuge in the bookstore, where she helps out and spends her free time reading anything she can get her hands on. What's your relationship with reading, and how have your favourite books influenced your writing?

Reading has always been my favourite thing to do. I'm a quiet person that likes her alone time and I just love imagining the places people think up and wonder if I see it the way they did when they wrote it. I started off reading YA, but soon found thrillers and dark romances which I never thought I would like until I signed up to be an ARC reader for Willow Winters (author of steamy romances such as the Merciless series).

I think reading so many different genres you get the feel for what people like, what works, and really you're able to hear the different voices of the characters. It helps to give a more realistic perspective when coming up with your own story.

How did it feel to publish TGGS?

Publishing on Wattpad was a little scary. I had written a lot of things but never shared anything with anyone, not even my family. Nobody likes to have their work scrutinised, especially when they put so much thought into it. So it was a little nerve wracking, but also fun; I really liked the feedback from everyone. I've had nothing but a good response.

If there's one thing that every reader should take away from reading TGGS, what is it and why?

I'm never entirely sure how to answer this question, but I would have to say that my characters were dealt really raw deals. They go through pretty rough situations. I would hope that if someone can relate to any part of this story, even a little, that they can see that there are many different paths life can take you down, but there are always ways to carve a new path. You will meet new people along the way and some may even surprise you. Don't give up, even if things may seem dark - there's always light if you just look up.

And, of course, there is now an ongoing sequel to Jo's and Hunter's first story, entitled The Good Girl's Bad Boy. Without giving too much away, tell us about how their relationship evolves and where the newest novel takes them.

Honestly, I don't have an entire plan for this book yet. I'm the kind of writer that lets her characters take control - at least, that's how I write for now, who knows if that will change. This book will see some harsh realities, making up, struggling, and a whole lot of tears. I know vaguely where I want the story to go, but then if I say too much there won't be any surprises.

The newest publication on your account is Deliver Me. This was released with very little context other than it's another romance on its way soon. Could you give us a sneak teaser on what this one will be all about?

Essentially this is a romance, and will be more mature than my first book. Whether that's expected or not, I'm hoping to do this genre justice. I've had this story in my head for a while now so I wanted to start on it, but publishing my first book took priority for the time being.

The story itself is about two young characters, neither really settled in life, but far past high-school first loves. It's full of surprises - I mean, even the characters don't expect some of them - and if you like good-looking, possessive, rich businessmen characters, then this is a book you may want to keep an eye out for.

And finally, what are your tips for getting your voice heard on Wattpad?

I'm not so great at offering tips, but just from what I've done, I just wanted to connect with my readers as well as explore other people's work. I became close with a few people that I now talk to on a regular basis and I love those girls to pieces. Being an active part of the community, sharing and promoting other's work, asking for advice and being unafraid to share your work is all key to getting your message out there. There will always be someone that will enjoy hearing your stories just as much as (or even more than) you enjoyed telling them.

Thanks for sharing!

You can check out TGGS and other novels by Autumn on her profile, pseudonymLove, and keep up to date with her works on her Instagram @short_cake17 . If you want to be featured in this column don't hesitate to apply in the 'Interviews Column' chapter and make sure you vote on this chapter if you enjoyed reading!