Meet The Authors Showcase Edition #2 (2 of 3)

A showcase with @Liz_Lane, author of Chains made of Stars

1 What inspired the idea of your story? 

A starry summer night and a desire for a wild journey/adventure (my exams were going on then so I was in no mood for anything mundane) were honestly what drove me to write Chains Made Of Stars! Another thing that really inspired me was this book on constellations that my mum had got (she loves stargazing). I remember flipping through it and becoming absolutely entranced by those mysterious patterns in the sky. I found myself wondering what would happen if they were real, and one thing led to another lol 

2 What was something you struggled with for your story? 

Planning and continuity! I had writer's block frequently, and it was difficult to pull myself out of that sort of writing slump and progress with the story. Some days I wasn't even sure of where I wanted the story to go, and I certainly didn't have the time to sit down and hash everything out chapter-by-chapter. Now I've got a plan, which is why CMoS is on hiatus, and I'm actually taking the time to work out the deets. 

3 What has been the overall response to your story from your readers? 

Super encouraging! I couldn't have written as much as I did without the support of this lovely community! I loved interacting with the readers, and their responses were incredible.

4  What did you enjoy writing most of your story?

 Oh, I simply loved writing the descriptions of the Ark. It was hands down my favourite part of the writing process. I knew exactly what I wanted to say and what I wanted the readers to feel about the vast expanses of sky, the countless stars, and the weird, wonderful creatures within. Writing the conversations between the main characters was fun too, because I based some of them off insane conversations I'd actually had with my friends.

5 Is your story a stand alone novel or a piece of a series?

 Standalone! I do love long, drawn out series with lots of worldbuilding but there's something so nice about finishing a standalone with a perfectly satisfying ending (which I hope to have in my own story!) 

6 What would you like your readers to take away from your story? 

I would love them to leave my story with a sense of wonder and a dash of wanderlust ;) The messages at the heart of it are friendship (there's not a jot of romance in the book, in case anyone was wondering!) and an appreciation for the weirdness of life and the world, two things which I really hope to bring out! 

7 What's a piece of advice you would provide to another writer, when it comes to focusing on their story? 

I'm such a newbie that I don't think it's my place at all to advise anyone else, but if there's one thing I have learnt it's that you should be yourself! Drawing from your own experiences can make a story a lot more authentic, after all. Don't be afraid of doing unconventional, different things and be sure to read a ton!

8  Does your main character share any similarities to yourself? Yep! Mith's no-nonsense attitude often clashes with her inner dreamer, which is similar (but not the same!) to conflicts I've faced before. However, she is much braver and more hot tempered than I ever was or will be! 

9 What's something you believe would draw in new readers? 

The promise of something different, I hope! I think the highest praise for me is when a reader says they've never read anything like my story before. Also, the adventure unfurls right at the beginning, and I like to think that the antics of certain characters are enough to draw a reader in! 

10 Do you have any future projects? 

One in the works right now, which I hope to have up in a week or so! It's the zany adventures of a cantankerous old man, his godson, said godson's best friend and their quest to take down a cult hellbent on warping reality for good!