Author: Lindsey E. Lippincott (Linna1029)
Title of book: Shadow's Edge (First in Shadows Saga)
Favorite Authors: Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas
Bio:
A senior in Journalism and Public Relations. A student by day, employee by night, and writer by...well, whenever I have a few spare moments between. A person torn into multiple pieces both in my head and in reality, with my head and heart in Iowa, but a new sometimes home in Florida. I'm satisfied when I have a book in my hand and some time to get my own story on paper.
Can you explain what your book is all about?
Shadow's Edge is the story of self-discovery. Our main character, Mara, believes she's just a regular girl (don't they all. Ha). In actuality, she's a witch, just one whose magic bloomed years later than it was supposed to. She must learn how to control this new magic, or her emotions will continue to control them which so far has caused nothing but destruction. Not wanting to hurt anyone, she chooses the magical world where people will help her gain control and grow her powers. Not everything in this world is good, and the darker parts of it are after Mara.
Who is your target audience - and why?
This series is aimed for young adults, or those who like to read the YA genre. It's full of self-discovery, some romance, some teenage antics, and a roller coaster full of ups and downs.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
Shadow's Edge is supernatural in the characters and what they are. Mara is a witch, her friends are werewolves and fae, royal nonetheless, and her cat talks. What could be more paranormal than that?
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
Shadow's Edge also contains fantasy, as I see those two genres sort of going hand-in-hand.
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story?
My writing process is really different from story to story. Some of them I sit on longer, and some I just go for. Shadow's Edge was my first story, and I don't just mean on Wattpad...I mean it was my first story ever. I was excited to start going, and I only got going after my roommate told me about Wattpad. I wrote three chapters, and then I just started posting them up. I didn't do much else to them besides write and post. Sometimes my stories are still like that, doing a little once over before I start posting them. Sometimes I sit back on them a little more. It depends on the story and what I'm trying to accomplish with it. Some of the ideas I come up with need more development, and the chapter parts need more attention than others.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
I didn't encounter challenges in writing Shadow's Edge really. It was probably the smoothest journey for me. The first round of overhauling wasn't the easiest, but my biggest challenge with the series is going on right now, and that's figuring out what I'm trying to do and how I need to get to that finale that I have in mind. It has sort of halted the creative process a bit for me. Something I'm still trying to fix within myself.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
Ah yes, writing well. It can mean so many different things. To me it doesn't just mean grammar and sentence structure. It means the words you choose, and making sure they convey exactly what you're wanting them to. That everything flows naturally, and it creates a seamless story for the reader. Hoping they don't have to go over a section multiple times to get what you were trying to say. It means to show what is happening instead of telling the reader what is happening. You want them to feel it. You don't want to just tell them that the character is in agony, you want to paint that picture of agony. You want them to know what it looks like, and what it feels like deep within the soul. When you're doing all of that, then you are writing well.
One final question, this being the Paranormal genre: Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
I've had plenty of those over my 22 years. I used to live in a house that displayed paranormal activity quite often, and my dad had a house that we believe was haunted. In my house, the doorbell would ring on its own, and I would constantly feel someone watching me. I would hear something run up the stairs, but as often as it was my dog, there were times that it wasn't anything. At my dad's house we things would disappear only to be right where we left them...they would only come back after we didn't need them anymore. We would see people that weren't there, or people who were in a different part of the house or out back.
Quite interesting stuff. Sadly though, I've yet to encounter witch like magic. That will definitely be one I would like to see.
