_reichii is the winner of the "Best Potential" category in my Padauk Mini Awards, a difficult category to win in as it had more participants and was a very high-in-demand category, so that goes to show this story is dang good. Let's give a warm welcome to Rei! I'm very excited to be doing this interview as Rei is a kind, passionate person I've always had nothing but respect for, so you better check out Calathea after this!

Bold will be me, italics will be Rei. There will be labels, too.

Raven: Hi Rei, good to see you! I'm so happy I get the chance to interview you! I like to start interviews with general questions so readers, both yours and new readers, can get a general look at you and what your book is, so do you mind giving us a general rundown of how Calathea came to be and maybe even share a bit about your writing journey?

Rei: Hello, Raven! It's my pleasure, and I'm so excited to do this interview too! Just a heads up that you may find me occasionally digressing in my responses because I tend to blabber a lot in writing! I don't really say more than a hundred words a day in real life, so I make up for it in written stuff, lol. See? Already blabbing, so anyway, on to the question...

I think the idea to make the story first hit me after reading the manhwa (Korean comics), "At the End of the Road." I consider reading that work a guilty pleasure because despite its glaring flaws, which even the author acknowledged since it was their first-ever story project, I just couldn't help but love it for its very unique premise. It made me want to read more stories, whether webcomics or novels, with the same concept, but alas, I could barely find anything at all.

And I guess here entered Toni Morrison's quote that "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

I didn't immediately start writing it though, because at that time, I think it was around 3 or 4 years ago, I hadn't really come back to writing yet, so I just spent a lot of days daydreaming about it. And even after I picked up my notebook and pen (or laptop) again, it still took me some time to begin planning the story.

The title I thought for it first was "Overtime," and I also considered other names like "One More Time," "Second Chance," "A New Dawn," and "Reborn," but none of them really made me satisfied because I felt like something was missing from all these titles. Like they didn't have that much of a punch or something?

Then one time, while reading the manhua (Chinese comics) "Heaven Officials Blessing," a particular scene there made me think, "Ah, I want to write a story about the language of flowers again." I've always loved the concept of floriography, you see. In fact, my first fanfiction one-shot and a few of my other short stories have that theme. It was then that I had that eureka moment, I guess. Maybe this was the last vital piece I needed to make the story my own. Thus, the birth of Calathea.

In summary, Calathea was inspired by "At the End of the Road," "Heaven Officials Blessing," and also a bit of another Chinese series, "The Untamed."

Raven: Well, you're in luck because I ramble a lot in writing too, but then never say anything in real life. There's just something about having a keyboard that suddenly makes us type a lot more than we'd ever speak...

Oooh Toni Morrison, now that's a name I haven't heard since high school. Good to know her impact is still present to this day, and I think that quote is something all of us should follow as writers. We have the ability to write such beautiful stories, after all. And I really love that you first got the story idea from manhwa. Who doesn't love a good manhwa that makes you stay up until 4 a.m. to read it and then groan at school/work the next day since you didn't sleep?

I think I understand what you mean. While there's nothing wrong with those titles, especially A New Dawn, Calathea was definitely the right choice, and I can't imagine it with any other title. It just... fits, y'know?

Thank you for giving us your backstory on Calathea! And while on the topic of Calathea, which is the esteemed book that won in one of the biggest categories in the Padauk Awards, one of the things that stood out to me right away was just how trippy it was, and a lot of that is due to the themes of mental health and how mental health can really impact you. Before I ask some questions specific to you as a writer and Calathea, can you tell me if there were ever any times while writing Calathea that you were getting so into the scene that you felt like you really were in it? And, if you don't mind as this may be a little more personal, would you mind sharing the research process of this story and how you were able to depict mental illnesses so accurately?

Rei: No, I don't really mind, but let me preface it by saying I've been feeling better these recent years, so people won't have to worry about me once they read my answers to these questions.

I'm not sure if "getting into the scene that I felt like I was really in it" are the right words to describe it when, from the start, I was already putting myself in those scenes every time I wrote them. Instead of "feeling I was really in it," it was more like "remembering the feelings" because most of the emotions I was placing in those particular parts that portray mental health came from a personal experience. That might have also been the reason I was able to depict them so accurately. As for the research, nothing particular for the story. Or, at least, nothing that I can remember. I know I already searched about the subject before, but it was for a personal reason, that is, to understand myself better and other people who've been experiencing it. Perhaps the closest thing to research I did for the story was to reread the stuff I wrote when I was in those dark chapters of my life.

Again, I've been better, and writing has been one of the things helping me with it.

Raven: *salutes* Gotcha, we shall not worry... probably!

Ah, remembering the feelings, I get what you mean. It's therapeutic to write a story that reflects the personal struggles we go through. It's like an outlet that brings us peace. Maybe not full peace, but at least solace in knowing our voices got heard, even if it's just by one reader. Thank you for sharing, especially something so personal.

One question I like to do is a mini game-like question: the "what-if" question, where I ask you a hypothetical scenario about your book. So Calathea obviously has a lot going on that makes it stand out, as I said in the previous question. What if Calathea had a studio approach it, giving you a crap ton of money to put it in a different format, like a movie, or a TV show/miniseries, or a poem, or a musical, etc., which format would you choose and why?

Rei: Oh, it's definitely webtoon or anime! I like drawing too, though I'm not very good at it, but I once dreamed of being a part of an animation project. I also love reading those Asian webcomics (manga/manhwa/manhua), and I thought it would be cool if our country had something like those too. I see a lot of amazing local artists online, but creatives just aren't given the appreciation and support they deserve by our society. And I've actually had those thoughts that if only I were rich, I'd no doubt commission my favorite local artists to make comics for my stories.

Raven: I think it'd work amazingly as a webtoon or anime. Hey, I'm sending redhead luck your way. We have amazing luck (depending on the day...), so bam! You'll be rich and get those artists to make comics for you! I believe!

Moving back into the serious side of things, I'd like to zoom out of Calathea for a moment and focus on you as a writer, if you don't mind. Calathea is just one of the books in your portfolio, but you have quite a few more on your profile. Would you mind sharing which book of yours was/is your personal favorite to write, and maybe, just maybe, could you give a sneak peek into what you're working on next, if anything? Maybe a new poem or book we get to feast our eyes on?

Rei: Of all the stories I've posted here in Wattpad, I acknowledge that "Their Parallel Universe" is the one that needs the most improvement (it was my first big story project, after all), but it's never going to change the truth that it was also the story I loved writing the most. Probably because making that story didn't really feel like "writing" so much as it was only "telling a story" for me, if that makes sense. The characters I created for "Their Parallel Universe" and its sort-of sequel book "Their Connected Worlds" are what I call my comfort characters, and every time I feel like I'm in a creative slump, I always love to go back to writing them because, when it comes to their story, I don't worry so much about whether my prose makes sense or if my grammar is sh*t. I just genuinely enjoy writing that story, no matter how raw the chapters always turn out.

As for my future works, I have one in mind that I'd love to write next if I get enough time. But with the way things are going with my life right now, it may have to wait until 2025 or even 2026, lol. It's going to be a story about a P-pop (Philippine Pop or Pinoy Pop) idol and a fan. It's an original story, not a fanfiction, but it's inspired by my stan P-pop group, SB19, and my favorite song from their discography, "Ilaw" ("Light" in English).

And yes, Raven, I'm shamelessly promoting these men and their music in this interview, lmao. But, I mean, I may be a bit obsessed with the leader/songwriter of this group (he was the one who inspired me to go back to writing) as much as you are with Jimin, so I'm pretty sure you'll understand me. :P

Okay, back to the topic before I unleash my inner fan girl. The story will depict an idol who just wants to have a break from being an "idol" for a while because the "spotlight" is starting to blind and overwhelm him, and a fan who once felt like his life had been "stagnant" until he stumbled upon the group and their music. It's a story about people, whether they are famous celebrities or not, who just want to be heard and seen for who they really are, even just for once. So, yep, this may be going to touch on the subject of mental health once again, although not as heavily as it is in Calathea. It's gonna be more lighthearted, as I want it to be more of a romantic comedy.

Another thing, since some of the characters are music artists, I plan to write a song lyric for the story. If everything goes well for the book, I also wish to expand it into a series and write stories for all the members of the group. (I already have a name for the group, as well as the members' real and stage names for some time).

In the meantime, while Calathea is still ongoing, I may try to work on smaller projects like one-shots or a novelette. I've gotten a few ideas. One is about "a love potion that enchanted everyone, but the MC's crush," and another is about "a bet to ask that popular lone wolf to go out." Then again, things have been rough this year, so I'm not sure if I'd find the chance to write them. Guess I'll just daydream about them again for now, lol.

Raven: That's always the best feeling, having a comfort book and group of comfort characters to go back to. I'm glad you have that, it's really therapeutic and brings the joy in writing back whenever it's lost.

Oh, please, continue to promote them. I'm never gonna judge. You're right about the Jimin part: I bark for him even though he lives 7,000+ miles away from me and doesn't even know I exist, so promote as much as you'd like, I'm in no position to judge. Especially good music. I don't think anyone would complain about getting new music recs!

Ah, I like how you said the spotlight is starting to blind him. I love the idea of getting voices heard regardless of who someone is. Everyone should have an outlet to express their voices, so I think that's a very interesting and positive message I can't wait to see come to light (pun intended), and I can't wait to see the song lyric!

Wow, that love potion one sounds awesome, I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before. I hope more of your daydreams become stories soon!

Going back in on Calathea, I have a question that may be a bit strange, but it's something I noticed while reading: there's a huge attention to detail when it comes to colors. The colors of the scenery are almost always present, you take the time to say what kind of eyes people have in interesting detail (like seaweed-green eyes), you show what colors objects have, etc. I have two questions for you related to that. One is if you could maybe give some insight on why you think colors are important and how you choose the colors you choose (are they there to reflect what a character is feeling, perhaps?). The second is a little lighter: if you had to choose one or two colors to represent Calathea, like it's atmosphere, what color(s) would you choose and why?

Rei: I don't really find the question strange, but I have to admit it surprised me because, like what I mentioned in your review shop before, even I didn't realize I was putting heavy emphasis on the colors. As you've probably noticed, I tend to write a lot of descriptions for Calathea, and I just find colors one of the easiest descriptive words to use. It may also have to do with my poor visual imagination. Whenever I try to think about something, the images that form in my head are often abstract, and the only thing I can picture clearly are the colors. Most of the time, the colors I use are random, but yep, there are also parts in the story where I did give significant attention to them. For example, the things in Florence's room and his hair highlight are different shades of green to show that the character is fond of green. Another is Isaac's office having darker colors because I just don't see him being into bright and glittery colors.

As for "sea-green," honestly, it was just a word an old anime fandom used to describe the eyes of our favorite character. I just love it, so I use it here too. No other deep meaning :P

And if I had to use a color to represent Calathea, it would be green. Not only for the obvious reason that Calathea is literally colored green, lol, but also because, for me, green is the color of hope. And whenever I write about serious topics like mental health, I always wish my stories could give readers even just a li'l bit of hope after reading them.

Raven: Colors are super beautiful, so I can't blame you. I relate, I find it difficult to visually imagine anything concrete, especially when I'm reading stories. Sometimes no matter how well-written they are, I just can't picture it in my head. But hey, I think the colors work well since they're so pretty and fit in with the overall language and story idea within Calathea, so it works out!

I love that green is the color of hope, and how you chose it for Calathea due to that reason. That's really wholesome and uplifting, and it warms my heart to see that. Gosh I'm such a Cancer, I'm gonna tear up over this-

Anywho, before I sob like a baby, let's move into the final main question. We're right about at the end of the mini interview, but before I give you a chance to give some concluding thoughts, let's do one more question! From what I can tell based on your profile and Calathea, you write a lot of speculative and theme-driven narratives meant to evoke a reaction within the audience. I personally really love speculative fiction and really like it when writers try to give readers a message to take away from the story, or at least make them trip out for a while, almost like Denis Villeneuve movies. That was one of the things I loved most about Calathea: it had something to say. And I mean it really had something to say. All of this is to ask what brought you into speculative fiction, and what do you think makes for a good speculative fiction novel?

Rei: I'm glad you loved it. Honestly, I'm still having a hard time processing all these appreciations for the story because I'm not very good with compliments, haha.

So what brought me to speculative fiction? Nothing special really; it might have just been a coincidence that a couple of my current works fall under it. I enjoyed the little supernatural elements in my stories, but I've always loved incorporating realistic issues based on our modern society too. Honestly, I've always had a hard time tagging these stories because I feel like they don't have enough magical elements for them to become "fantasy," but at the same time, they aren't completely realistic for some people to consider them "contemporary fiction." That's why I just place them under speculative, lol. That said, I don't really have a particular standard for a good speculative fiction novel.

Raven: That's relatable, me too 💀💀💀 We're in this together.

That's fair. I think one of the funniest parts about being an author is having a genre soup story where we either juuuust qualify for a genre or juuuuust don't qualify for it, and it makes for a tic tac toe game of choosing where to put our stories. I feel like that's pretty amusing, tbh, haha.

Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today, but I loved getting a chance to talk to you about this story! Before we go, do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share? Maybe some advice for beginner writers?

Rei: Thank you! I had a fun time with this interview too. As for writing advice for beginner writers, I'd say write the stories you actually like to write. Don't just write based on what's popular and because you feel like you're going to miss out if you don't join the trend. At the same time, don't stop writing a story you badly want to share just because people told you it's an overdone trope. Take those things people call "cliché," twist them, spin them, until they become your own.

And this may sound cheesy, but at the end of the day, the most important thing is still for you to have fun. You won't be able to write a good story that even you don't enjoy.

It may sound simple to say, but yeah, you're right: write what you like. Of course it's good to experiment, but if you're forcing yourself to write something you don't want, that might lead to more writer's blocks and demotivation, so write what you want! Write for your enjoyment! And I agree with the tropes, too. I've always said that cliches are not inherently a bad thing, and there are plenty of ways to take them and make them super interesting.

Yes, have fun and find enjoyment in your craft. That's extremely important, even if it sounds cheesy. Though, to me, it doesn't sound cheesy, it sounds true!

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! All your answers were very insightful, and I appreciate you answering in such detail and giving us such a personal look at you as a writer and your stories as a whole!

~Fin~

Thank you for reading this interview! I hope you enjoyed it, and everyone, give one last round of applause to _reichii! I hope you guys check out Calathea, cause it's a dang good story!

I'll have more interviews out soon! I certainly have quite a few I'm working on now that I'm catching up on prizes, so look out for more!

See you in the next one!

Bye-bye!

*Also a reminder that my next awards, the WHO Mini Awards, will be out on October 13th, 12:00 a.m. EST!