Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have axgirl13 with us, the author of the book, Till Death Do Us Part.

I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_), and I have interviewed Kamila, a.k.a, axgirl13.

Axgirl13 - Kamila - is an author of speculative fiction. She won the Watty award in the fantasy category in 2021 (Till Death Do Us Part) and was the Grand Winner in ONC in 2023 (The Gifted). Privately a huge nerd with a love of everything magical and an unhealthy habit of buying more books than she could possibly read.

At what age did you realize that you have a special place for writing? Are you currently or do you ever dream of one day being in the writing industry?

>>I have written snippets of stories in little notebooks since I was a kid. But I never managed to write a whole story until a couple of years ago, when I decided maybe it is worth giving this writing thing a shot.

Of course, I would love to one day publish a book and to be able to make writing my day job, but unfortunately, it's not an easy thing to achieve.

Did any story, on or off Wattpad, inspire you ever and help you carve your interest towards writing books?

>>I loved books my whole life. As a kid, I read my favourite books many times, and with every reread, I added my own characters in my head while reading. So, I don't think there was just one book that inspired me and made me want to write my own stories. It was more the love for storytelling in general.

What is the genre(s) in which you mostly write your books? Do you think you are able to create brilliant plots when you write in that specific genre(s)?

>>I mostly write speculative fiction, so anything fantasy, sci-fi or paranormal. The reason is simple - those are the kind of stories I like reading the most. I'm not a fan of romance, or slice-of-life books, because I mostly find them boring. And so, the same with writing, I go for exciting stories, full of magic or things you can't find in the real world.

What advice would you like to give to authors who are writing in the same genre(s) as yours?

>>Don't focus too much on labels and categorising your stories. I often heard lengthy discussions about elements specific to sci-fi or fantasy and if they could be included in the story with a specific setting. Speculative fiction is such a broad spectrum, that you can do anything. Don't let conventions limit you, and don't listen to people saying for example: you can't have guns in your fantasy story, because it's no longer fantasy. Well, yes you can. If you weave it into your word building and it makes sense to have the guns there, go for it!

Do you have any favourite quote or quotes from your book?

>>I don't have a favourite quote, but I have favourite scenes in most of my stories. Which are mostly the climax scenes.

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

>>I'm not a fan of this kind of questions, because I rarely plan so far ahead. I do hope I will still be writing stories and people will still enjoy reading them.

Now let us talk about your book. How would you describe your story in five words? Could you please give us a brief summary of what your book is about? What makes your book different from other books in the same genre(s)?

>>Fast-paced, exciting, character-focused, intriguing, easy-to-read.

The story is based on the contract marriage trope. Many books I've read with this theme usually involve one strong dominating character and another playing the role of helpless victim at the start. I chose to make both protagonists strong and full of character because it was far more interesting to see how they clash and eventually learn to live with each other. I also ensured that their relationship was slowly changing throughout the story, so the changes in their attitudes and feelings felt natural and realistic.

Which character or characters of your story do you relate to most? And why?

>>Funnily enough, I relate to both Skylar and Gawyn. I gave them both traits that are familiar to me. For example, Skylar is a very hands-on task kind of person, she gets things done and doesn't like politics, conveniences and such. I'm very much the same. Conversely, we have Gawyn with a very analytical mind who is strongly driven by logic, just like me.

How did you come up with such a fascinating plot? Were there any inspirations?

>>The whole thing started with the idea of a contract marriage. I read this trope in a book and I was thinking: I would use this trope completely differently. I thought about two strong and driven characters forced to wed as a duty. From this point, the story slowly evolved into a more comprehensive plot.

How did you discover Wattpad? And what engendered you to begin writing on this platform? What do you like best about this application?

>>When I decided to publish my stories for people to read I was looking for a place where I could get some feedback from readers. Just to see if what I write makes any sense and if it's something that anyone besides me would enjoy. What I like about Wattpad the most is the instant feedback you get from readers. It is also very motivating when people keep reading your stories. It gives me a kick to write regularly and finish the stories.

When did you start writing on Wattpad? How has your writing journey been ever since then?

>>I started posting around 2020 amid the pandemic. It was my way out of harsh reality. I first published fanfiction, and only later got enough courage to post an original story (Till Death Do Us Part). After winning Wattys, I got a huge confidence boost and motivation to write more and since then I published four more novels and a novella.

What is your writing process and how do you cope when writers' block hits you?

>>I try to write regularly, though it's not easy lately, as I got back to working full time, so I mostly write on weekends. I find that good prep, like having a clean story outline, helps me push forward and write more chapters.

If I have writer's block, it usually means pushing myself too hard and writing becomes a chore. So I take breaks and focus on something else until I feel a need to get back to the story. Sometimes is just a case of me being stuck in a specific part of the story - then I just sit down and try to map what all possible outcomes could be and what I can change in the outline to make sure the story makes sense and I want to keep writing it.

Are you a pantser or a plotter? During which time of the day do you usually write?

>>I'm a bit of both. I need to have a skeletal outline to write. I can't only pants - I tried it once and the story died after like 6 chapters because I didn't know what I wanted to do with it.

But I also don't plan with too many details. I usually have a beginning, a couple of the most important story points and an ending. And everything in between I make up as I go.

What would be your advice to young and budding authors, who are just beginning their journey on Wattpad and are quite new to the writing world?

>>Write the story you'd love to read. Don't get tempted by popular tropes if you don't feel them. If you believe in your story and are excited to tell it, the readers will sense it too.

Is there any author(s) on Wattpad whom you look up to as an amazing writer?

>>There are so many! SuVida777 creates beautiful worlds with so many amazing details (and arts), HeideHunt is marvellous at world-building, TakiZyn writes wonderful stories and can make them read like most beautiful poetry.

Could we please have two or more Wattpad story recommendations? What do you like most about these stories?

>>Daracka by HeideHunt - an amazing epic fantasy with fabulous worldbuilding.

Out of Evenfall by Birdpaw  - dark fantasy with amazing world building.

Rhodoreef by SuVida777 - little mermaid retelling with beautiful illustrations, creative world-building and gothic pastel mermaid.

Quit Bugging Me by sandydragon1 - bingable middle-grade story, very creative and heartwarming.

What would be the three words to describe yourself as an author?

>>Imaginative, relatable, engaging. 

Thank you so much! It was an honour to have you here for the interview conducted by Kalon Community. We wish you lots of success on your writing journey and may you flourish more. Thank you once again!