Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have EvelynHail with us, author of the book, Gaslight Trials.

I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_), and I have interviewed Evelyn Hail, a.k.a, EvelynHail.

Evelyn Hail (she/her) is a Wattpad Creator, aspiring writer and a holder of a PhD in English Literature and a PhD in Latin American Literature.
She hails from Serbia but has called Spain home for the past 15 years.
Evelyn writes in English yet she also speaks Serbian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Greek and Latin.
Having always been passionate about worldbuilding and storytelling, she is a curious writer who loves exploring different themes and motifs.
When she is not lecturing university students, she dabbles in illustrating and cover making.
While creating, Evelyn immerses herself in her projects and diving headfirst into the research, production, and fine-tuning of the stories she feels are the most worthy of telling.
As an author, Evelyn has forged works based on contemporary romance, young adult romance, fantasy and science fiction. She does not shy away from high fantasy, urban fantasy and literary fiction with a dash of magical realism, either.
Having emigrated from former Yugoslavia, Evelyn is passionate about weaving Slavic mythology elements into her fantasy works whenever possible.
Her contemporary romance novel MIND THE GAP won the OpenNovellaContest2020, and its version in German was shortlisted in Wattys2022 and Wattys2023 Award. At the same time, her fantasy romance THE PROPHECY OF WATER, and her steampunk science fiction, THE GASLIGHT TRIALS, shortlisted in Wattys2018 and Wattys2023 Award on Wattpad, respectively.

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?

>>It was quite late, actually! I was 32 years old and I got inspired to write my first high fantasy book due to the fact I was enamored with Brandon Sanderson's "Stormlight Archives" series. I am not in the writing industry per se at the moment, besides posting my work on Wattpad, but I have to admit I do dream of my work being acquired by a small traditional publisher some time in the future.

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

>>Yes! Whoops, just realized I kind of partially answered that question above. It was the first book in the "Stormlight Archives" series, "The Way of the Kings," that inspired me to write "The Prophecy of Water," my first book ever, in 2017. It gave me such joy to see it on Wattys2018 shortlist. Apart from Brandon Sanderson's work, the books that followed in the time period between 2017 and 2023 aka the present timeline were inspired by these SFF gems I read and adored: "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, "Coraline," by Neil Gaiman, "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher...What else? Oh yes, "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan, "Beauty and the Beast" for a retelling I recently wrote, and "Hunger Games" by Susan Collins which inspired "Gaslight Trials."

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)?

>>Everything. Like, I literally tried out every genre. Actually, scratch that, rewind: only three that I've never done so far are historical fiction and horror, as well as cozy mystery. I want to try them out too! So far I have taken a stab at contemporary romance, young adult romance, fantasy and science fiction. I don't shy away from high fantasy, urban fantasy and literary fiction with a dash of magical realism, either, and not to mention micro narratives and poems.
My readers and my fellow writer friends have told me, nonetheless, that their favorite works of mine are fantasy and science fiction books I crafted, since they loved the worlds that I created.

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

>>Since I'm a branch-out disaster and I've written in almost all genres, being unable to create a niche genre for myself...To better answer this question I am actually going to narrow it all down, and focus on the science fiction genre that is "Gaslight Trials." Let's give away a quick recipe on how to write a good SFF novel.
The three secret ingredients would be:
I: include memorable plot points full of tension, conflicts and personal stakes that will keep the reader invested. The solving of central conflict must always be presented so that it is crucial for the character arc development.
II: craft life-like main and side-tagonists (do not forget to include realistic character flaws and past scars or traumas!)
III: create a rich-in-details, unique world.

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

>>I do! My favourite quote appears at the end of the final chapter, "A Flight of a Firebird."

"To be a master of a game of life means to keep living the present moment with an unrelenting fervor, time after time. Pressing forth through the cycles of ash and fire, dying in sadness and being reborn in joy."

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

>>This frequently asked question (FAQ) is always an opportunity for me to answer it with two witty comics!

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4D12AQFFcBJzRWqJFw/article-inline_image-shrink_400_744/0/1520191195531?e=1701907200&v=beta&t=CtPlkBR7Eo3nbjqjuOKS7ppuWbOyacqySXid5dDYH64

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2FXxuk2bFEBLMLwRSA6rxcujroyE9ylqZz1Nk2sfv-3wE.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3Da232ac5e706b2db8906403e3310f03aa1b0fa324

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)?

>>Less gooo! The five words I would use to describe "Gaslight Trials" would be the five "Ds":
1.Deep: (because of the philosophical quotes and wacky, one-of-the-kind life messages sprinkled through it)
2.Devastating: (there is this humongous wave of grief that washes upon the reader in the last chapter) and
3.Discordant: (due to the unconventional blend of genres that do not even clash; they work surprisingly well when put together. The result is out-of-the-box, yet truly cutting edge.)
4. Daring: (the protagonists fight boldly with their weapons and armor, oftentimes almost dying in the arena when facing each other, so they are quite brave.)
5. Dynamic: (there is almost non-stop action and the plot is quite fast paced.)

Here is a brief summary of what Gaslight Trials is about: the central focus of the novel is on the Trials themselves. This is a combat panem-et-circenses event that the Grand Duke of Lighthaven has organized to unite the citizens of the floating city, Lighthaven and its seedy, oppressed underbelly, Fumedge.
Eight champions/inventors fight one on one in the Arena, Mortal Kombat style, using all the gadgetry at their disposal. The prizes for victory are a mansion in Lighthaven and an aeroship.

Our protagonist is Veda Igglesden who takes her Pa's place in the Trials, since he is quite old and his lungs are failing. As the book progresses and she advances through the combat rounds, Veda learns quite a bit about the politics and societal norms of Lighthaven, the true reason behind the Duke's organization of the Trials, and... *gasp* her secret origins. What makes it different is probably the underlying steampunk layer. Anything can happen in this eccentric steampunk world. Keep an eye out for augmented, tattooed courtesans, automaton horses, peacocks being walked on the leash, winged armor, shocking parentage revelations and gruesome deaths. Oh, it's a kaleidoscope of bizarre on the surface, but when you scratch the brass patina, a very human essence lurks underneath it all.

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

>>Oh, here, the answer has to be Veda, absolutely.
She is basically me, from her red-hairy wiry physical appearance through her Irish-like accent, and all the way to the facets of her personality.

Just like Veda, I am act-first-think-later lass, foul-mouthed and incredibly stubborn and persistent. We are both like chocolate coulant too: hardened shell of exterior display combines with a melted heart lurking deep within.

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

>>The creation of such a fascinating plot owes its existence to my recently discovered and I am sure, undying love for the following books: "Hunger Games," by Suzanne Collins and "Cinder," first book in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. These also inspired me: the movies "Alita, "Freejack," and TV show "Arcane."

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

>>A dear friend recommended it to me! I remember like it was yesterday, I was just telling her that I would love to find a platform where I could post my first draft of "Prophecy of Water" on, and she fired: "Wattpad" without hesitation. It was she who engendered me to begin writing on this platform. What I like best about this application is its sandbox-y quality. Wattpad is perfect for all kinds of writing experiments! It's like a bike with training wheels, it's impossible to fall. You can try out everything you like, and you will eventually discover both your voice and your genre niche.
The comment section is an incredible feature that helps you gather opinions of everyone who might be reading your piece. I wonder what authors did in the past, without the internet.
Writing must have been such a lonesome hobby, without anyone to share your thoughts with, and only being able to see the critiques and reviews once your work was published in paperback.

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

>>Since July 2017, my Wattpad journey has been absolutely fantastic! This is such a welcoming platform that allows you to dive head into your hobby and commence to hone it without fear. Throughout these six years I have been here, I have tested the waters of so many genres that my head is positively spinning! As a newbie writer, I wanted to try everything, and also, to get a feel of what my readers would think, which voice and genre suits me most. So I wrote and wrote heaps: micro fiction, poems, short stories, literary fiction, science fiction, romance, young adult romance, young adult steampunk, high fantasy, middle grade fantasy, mythology (stawps to take a breath)... Talking about writing being lonesome in terms of comments, and how Wattpad successfully remedies this, I want to tie the concept to my favorite moment on the platform. Writing can also be lonesome in terms of creation - usually we have this one author/one book kind of rule. On Wattpad, you can participate in a book collaboration and this is what I did! It was the most beautiful experience to be sure, and it is precisely this book, "Mind the Gap," born out of collaboration with my amazing co writer RainerSalt that has triumphed the most on the platform. It won an Open Novella Contest in 2020 and it has amassed over 500 000 reads. Its German version has also been shortlisted in the Wattys2022 and Wattys2023! If you have never collaborated on a manuscript with someone, you should give it a go. This was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We plotted the chapters and forged the characters. We drafted and reviewed chapters, back and forth. We fought, bickered and laughed over words, jokes and ideas. My Achilles heel is the narrative structure, word choice, overwriting and a lousy copy editing over all but my strength lies in character arcs and dialogues. So we complemented each other wonderfully well. It was quite a ride, how we chased after sparks cast by our vivid, beautiful imaginations.

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

>>There is a pre-writing stage in which I heavily rely on the Scrivener App. (I really recommend this writing tool for all of you organized plotters out there, and those who wish to become more organized.) In Scrivener, I create two documents, one called "Character Arcs" and the other one called "Plot Outline."

In the first one I list all the characters, main and side-tagonists that will appear in my book, their qualities, flaws, and obstacles they might have to overcome. For physical appearance I normally use headshots from Unsplash so I can also visualize them. In the second one, I outline the plot of all the book chapters from first to last. One sentence of what happens in that particular chapter is usually enough and that brings me to the second part of your question: I never get hit by writers' block because I always know what is going to happen next. I do not sit down to write chapter 1 before all the chapters of the book are meticulously planned plot-wise and scene-wise.

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

>>An absolute plotter, a hundred percent. Like I just mentioned above in question number 12, plotting is a must-do part of my writing process. I tend to write in my comfy gamer chair, on a very nice, cute and colorful Logitech keyboard (white, yellow, purple and forest-green). My white blue-eyed cat Neo is never far away either. Being a night owl, I can only concentrate one hundred percent when writing in the evening hours, or even at the break of dawn. Classical piano music is also a must while I work on my chapters.

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?

>>As to my advice to young and budding authors, who wish to be seen and noticed on Wattpad by talent scouts and Wattpad HQ, I recommend them to do two things.

The first would be to reconcile two sides of the coin: absolutely,
a) writing what they love (what they would love to read themselves, even if it is not yet written) and,
b) writing the kind of stories Wattpad HQ is currently looking for.
They have recently published these two links for everyone to see, which talk about Immediate, Engaging and Commercial books, as well as about Vertical Framework Tropes.

https://creators.wattpad.com/creators-101/wattpad-writing-essentials/immediate-engaging-commercial/

https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/14619046050196-Vertical-Framework

So do try to blend the two, your unique writing style and voice, with the genres and tropes that are now being scouted for now, on the platform, which I know is not always easy.

The second piece of advice is to find your people, find your tribe. Mingle with other authors and make steadfast friendships.

How to do that? There are two amazing ways:

a) Join the yearly Open Novella Contest! It starts in February each year and you can meet over 1000 amazing authors on the platform and truly sense that community spirit.
b) Join a book club! After having written your story or, after having written a good chunk of it, do find a good book club where you can interact with critique partners and copy edit and developmental edit, polish everything you have produced. This will greatly improve your writing craft. Do be open minded to enhancing your writing samples, and hear out the critique. Adopt the advice if it works for you, and if it does not, keep your original paragraphs as they were.
Oh and I almost forgot: another two things you could do to get seen by Wattpad HQ are to participate in monthly 8 chapter challenges which will be revised by HQ scouts, and apply for the Watty Awards every year. I have been applying for six years in a row now and just now, in autumn 2023, I was shortlisted! Just be persistent and keep crafting, and one year will be yours <3.

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

>>Absolutely, my co writer RainerSalt; he has the smartest, most analytical mind ever. In his own works, he has an incredible overview of the organization of the plot. The placement of scenes, the placement of chapters, where exactly the line should lie to achieve the desired effect, the rational metering. I've also never met a better world builder and describer on Wattpad. He raises civilizations from nothing with concise, measured formulations. That's quite a talent. He never overwrites but gets the word effect to land "just right" to smack dab the reader in the face.

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

>>As for two Wattpad story recommendations, I am going to single out "The Egg at Dumstreet" and "Bunker Bird."

The first one is my absolute favorite on the platform: it is a cozy mystery which starts with a broken egg but as the reader approaches the ending, this turns into a story of sweet, romantic love and finding yourself again, hidden beneath the surface of a murder case.

"Bunker Bird" comes close second. This is a lovely scifi-romance with stunning worldbuilding, which encapsulates both humanity's striving to find sunshine and the powerful emotional, intellectual and sexual bond that forms between the two protagonists, Tim and Amy.
Here is a blurb, to whet your appetite.
"Tim is one of those who shovel the shit and clean away the waste. Life in the dirt of others is all he knows.
When his father gets arrested, he flees and ends up in the deepest tunnels of the shelter. There, he finds Amy--a stubborn, smelly, and fierce redhead with a punch, an attitude, and dreams of a better world. She scorns him, and he fears her. But together they climb in a quest to free his father and to find sunshine."

I hope you enjoy these! :)

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

>>Love this question for the end: brief and sweet!

So without further ado, the three words I would use to describe myself as an author are the following:

Crazy-creative, Plottery, Scatterbrained.

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 <3 The honor was all mine, to reply to the questions that were so carefully crafted and cleverly posed.