Name of Author: Jesse Sprague
Title of Book: Spider's Game
Favorite Authors:
I'm eclectic when it comes to what I read. I'd say anyone writing in the colonial era when I feel like working for enjoyment, Tanith Lee for inspiration, Neil Gaiman when I need a smile and Patricia McKillip when I just need something beautiful...and don't even get me started on the authors on Wattpad!
Bio:
I'm a proud mother of an almost four-year-old boy. His is my biggest inspiration in life and also the reason I rarely have time or energy to act on my inspiration. I live with my little man and my wonderful husband in the gloomy Seattle area. For those who've never been here, that means some of the most beautiful views nature can offer- mountain ranges, lakes, forests. And these views are typically to the backdrop of cloudy skies. Which is just a perfect environment for both reading and writing paranormal stories.
Spider's Game
https://www.wattpad.com/story/32022459-spider%27s-game-book-one-wattys2015
Can you explain what your book is all about?
Spider's Game is the story of Halis and the enigmatic Silvia, who have been enslaved since childhood. Their quest for freedom and vengeance is complicated by Halis' hunger for human flesh and penchant for turning into a man-sized spider. As they struggle for freedom, they ensnare the family of the planet's police chief in their plot. The story is a tug of war between good and evil, where the lines between good and evil are never clear.
Who is your target audience - and why?
Adults... which I know slims the audience on Wattpad. At the least a sixteen and up crowd, there are a few nasty moments. I don't play nice with my characters and one of the major themes is regret, which I think will resonate more with a little older crowd.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
I'd say that would be the giant shape-shifting spiders and the mystical hive-mind that connects them to their ancestors.
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
There is definitely a sci-fi setting, since it does involve space travel and moon-colonies and the like. And when you have sorceresses throwing spells around there is a decided fantasy element. But that's all window dressing because at the heart of it the story is about defeating/discovering this human-spider race.
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story?
I'd say every story has its own 'soul' and requires its own process. I try with the novels to have at least 50% drafted when I start posting, that way I have a gap between writing and editing the chapter to post. Some of the short stories are more feverish than that. I write them and throw them up... but others of the shorts I actually do a whole critique process on Critique Circle before posting.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
There are always challenges. Normally my first method to push past is to change medium. If I'm writing on the computer I switch to pen and paper and vice versa. That's actually how I came on Wattpad in the first place. I had two novels I couldn't finish for the life of me... and I knew if I had an audience waiting for the ending I'd write it. Spider's Game was one of those novels... and it worked. As soon as I started posting, I found the words to keep going.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
I think it just dictates a starting place and ending place- like home plate in baseball. A benchmark, no more. The real beauty is in how you get there. Meeting a basic requirement doesn't mean you've succeeded. But I do think it's a good way to ground yourself as a writer when you get caught up in all the other things. It's an idea to find your way back to when you get lost.
