Chats With Charlie!

#6 - Charlie Chats with... MichiganWriter182!

Hey guys, it's @charlieq2014 here and I'm back with another special guest! Joining me this time is @MichiganWriter182! Welcome to the interview and thanks for agreeing to do this! So first of all, tell us a bit about yourself for the readers who haven't come across your work before.

My name is Kelli and I'm 26. I've recently graduated in December with a bachelor's degree in English Writing.

I've been writing seriously since 7th grade. I mostly write either young adult or new adult fiction, with a focus on paranormal and thriller aspects or magical realism.

'The Dating Experiment' is actually my first real attempt at contemporary romance. I wanted to try something new because I have so many stories in my head that I don't like to limit myself to one genre.

What's it about?

It's about a girl named Ella and her older sister Ava. Ava enrols them in a dating experiment where the daters must wear masks to keep their true identity a secret, so as not to base their first impressions on looks.

It's meant to be a way for people to get to know each other on a deeper level first because our society has become so accustomed to the swipe left or right mentality of finding a partner.

Along the way, Ella meets a guy she might actually see a future with, and Ava meets someone she least expects to find. Both women have their ups and downs, a good amount of sisterly bonding, and grow in ways they hadn't expected. All because of this experiment that seemed almost like a silly gimmick in the beginning.

Sounds interesting! So is this your favourite work so far because it's so far out of your comfort zone?

Yes! Surprisingly. Lol. I think it's actually my strongest too. It's more mature than most of my previous works, being that it falls into New Adult, and that shows in the writing itself as well.

So has it changed the way you write now? Do you have a routine or are you more of a spontaneous writer?

I think so. I've realized that maybe this is something I should try more of. I really like how it came out, even if it's not my usual style.

Super spontaneous. I wish I could have a routine, but I've tried and can't stick to one it seems.

Nah me neither. Motivation can come and go in my experience.

Exactly. 

What advice would you give to any writers that struggle with actually getting their ideas out?

Keep trying. But take a break and come back to it later of you get frustrated. Sometimes taking a step back gives you a new perspective when you return. Taking a break from your writing/current project doesn't mean you're failing.

And tell us a bit about your other projects!

Well, there are two other stories I have posted.

One is a novella called 'The Sun Shines Brightest in June'. It's about two girls who grow up together while on vacation with their families every summer and they fall in love. Its

It's an unconventional story written like journal entries and has a positive outlook on what would otherwise seem like a not so happy ending.

The other is a paranormal story about a new girl at a high school who learns there's something special about her and her friends that can change everything about the life she knows.

I wrote that one in about a week, several years back. I love the concept, but it's not my strongest.

I'm currently writing a book about a post-grad who takes a job as a caretaker for a wealthy family. But things aren't the way she expects them to be when it comes to Janey, the girls she's to care for, and there's a lot of darkness lurking in the household.

And which of these has been the most enjoyable for you to write?

'The Dating Experiment', because it was so unusual for me, and like myself, my MC is full of sass. 

And where did the inspiration for the book come from?

Partly Jane Eyre, interestingly enough. And partly my own experience with trying to date in today's world. Online sites and phone apps don't work for me. I need to be able to connect with someone on a real level, not just because we both found each other attractive enough.

Jane Eyre vs. Online Dating - sounds good!

And on the flipside, which of your books was the hardest to write? Or the least enjoyable to write?

'The Sun Shines Brightest in June' was the hardest. Mostly because of the journal aspect. It was hard to make it feel real, while still making sure it flowed well as a story.

I'm not sure I've ever had a story I could say was least enjoyable to write though. Sometimes I like the challenge.

Do you think you'd ever use that format again for another book then perhaps?

Maybe. I haven't put much thought into to, in all honesty. I'm always moving on to the next experimental thing I can try.

So what are your plans for your Wattpad? What comes next for you now?

I just want to keep sharing what I love with the other Wattpad users. I hope to grow a bigger fanbase down the line. As I am relatively new here.

There have been some hard times recently that have prevented me from writing as much as I'd like to, and as much as I normally would, but I hope to push past that pretty soon. There's a story I'm currently working on that I'd love to delve into deeper.

Ooh, nice! Any chance of a sneak peek?

There is one chapter up already actually! It's called 'The Whitacre Child', and I hope to have more soon!

And what do you hope readers get from it?

A thrill, mostly. I hope those looking for something a little on the creepier side will enjoy it. It's going back to my roots of paranormal/thriller/suspense writing.

I look forward to reading it! Right, I think that's covered everything so before we wrap up is there anything you want to add or anything you want to ask me?

Not that I can think of. I feel you did a very good job covering all the good stuff. :)

Thanks very much! I hope you got what you wanted from it! You can find Kelli's book, 'The Dating Experiment' as part of the accompanying reading list to this book -'Featured Authors' - on my profile as well as a range of works from other authors!

Join me next time for another author interview!