Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have with us BritishGravity, the author of the book, In Love and Diplomacy.

I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_) and I have interviewed Hallie Claire, a.k.a, BritishGravity.

Hallie Claire is a reader, writer, and crazy cat lady. She's written two books and is hard at work on her third, covering a range of genres (but always with a little bit of romance)! Her first, In Love and Diplomacy, is an action-romance tale of political dreams, bad luck, and an adorable dog named Rolo. Her most recently completed book, To Steal a Weeping Widow, is a mystery-romance of stolen art, old money, grand museums, and subtle secrets. Her newest book, Amalfi, will be a story of romance and fantasy set on the Ancient Amalfi Coast. Featuring nymphs and monsters, Amalfi will be Hallie's most exciting challenge yet!

Hallie is honored to be interviewed and loves interacting with her readers. She hopes to professionally publish a book one day, and is trying new ideas and practicing her skills to hopefully one day reach that dream! She would love to support fellow writers and readers as a long time Wattpad user and book lover.

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 always loved books! One of my earliest memories is telling my parents I wanted to write a book. The motivation may have ebbed and flowed over the years, but the desire stayed the same. I would love to professionally publish a book one day. That's still the dream!

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

>>I'm not sure there was ever one specific book, because it was all of them. Every book that drew me in, made me gasp and cry, every novel I secretly read under my desk at school—they all inspired me! Every book I loved had a way of loving me back.

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'm currently trying to write each new book in a different main genre, but they all have a subplot of romance. I think I'm a romantic at heart. I've tried writing action, mystery, and now fantasy. It's always a new challenge, but I hope to challenge myself until I'm ready to write a book I can try to publish.

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

>>My advice to all writers is just to write. Just get something down. You need to start before you can improve! Write without trying to stay in a box of genres. Just write. And if you are writing mystery, don't negate the obvious!

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

>>I tend to be unaware of any impactful quotes in my books, and usually have to have them pointed out by readers. I love when that happens! It's so interesting to see the different interpretations. I don't have any favorite quotes that stick to mind, but I do sometimes find ones I didn't appreciate as much when I wrote it as I do now.

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

>>Hopefully, I see myself submitting a manuscript to a publisher! I'm trying to hone my skills to get to that point. 

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)?

>>In Love and Diplomacy is action, romance, mystery, realizations, and discovery. I think what makes my book different is it isn't as straightforward as other books in the genre. I like to bend perception or question preconceived notions. 

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

>>I relate to Avery, the main character of ILAD, for her overthinking and doubts. I also relate to her determination to figure it out, however she has to.

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

>>I tend to make a plan, map out the plot, then almost entirely ignore that while writing. I definitely get grabbed by the collar by my books and taken along for the journey. Or, a random hammer of inspiration will knock me on the head at the most random times—especially when I'm driving or showering!

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

>>Oh my, I first started using Wattpad in my early teen years. It was well over a decade ago, so I have no idea how I found it! I was on and off for a few years, and I had a few different accounts, but I was definitely an early Wattpad user. I like how many options there are on Wattpad, there truly is a book for everyone. 

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

>>I only started seriously writing and posting a few years ago. Before that, I was entirely a reader. It was a very sudden "I'm just going to do it and see what happens" mentality that snowballed from there. I had always wanted to, but it took me a very long time to actually start writing and feel comfortable sharing it. 

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

>>My writing process is: plan—change the plan—throw away the plan—new plan? I tend to get strokes of inspiration in the middle of the night that get hastily typed in my notes app (and don't always make a ton of sense). They tend to be ideas that completely change the direction of the book, but they are the right answer. I definitely do my best writing at night! When writer's block hits, I step away. I'm never productive when I try to force myself to write. Instead, I have to give myself space for the inspiration to find me. As I said before, it's unfortunately usually when I'm driving or in the middle of an important meeting!

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

>>I'm a plotter-turned-pantser when it comes to writing. I try to plan, I really do. There's always a plan... it's just a question of if I will follow the plan! I'm usually writing in the middle of the night or the middle of the workday.

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?

>>My advice is to write. Don't worry about comparisons, or word counts, or genres. Just write and figure out the rest later. Don't put all your weight on one book, or think success is immediate. Writers are evolving creatures, we cannot only tread water. Your swimming will change, but you at least have to get in the water first! 

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

>>So many. I'm not sure how many are active anymore, but I've made so many great friends and found so many role models on Wattpad. We're all in this together!

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

>>I love a good romance. Blur the Line by joafterdark is a favorite. Another favorite is the Warrior's Heart series by Minahepsen. Both are books I stayed up all night to read and didn't have an ounce of regret the next morning!

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

>>Three words I would use to describe myself as an author are poetic, experimental, and romantic. 

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! 

>>Thank you so much for the interview! I am so honored and I cannot thank you enough for your patience and kindness.