@stephsaige
Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have with us stephsaige, the author of the book, The Lost Queen.
I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_) and I have interviewed Stephanie Saige, a.k.a, stephsaige.
Stephanie Saige is the author of multiple books ranging from fantasy to science fiction to college romance. The one thing they all have in common? Dragons. See if you can spot them all. She has been writing online for well over a decade and has garnered more than a million reads across various platforms.
When not writing and being bossed around by cats, she can be found hiking or playing entirely too many hours of video games. And much like her beloved dragons, she loves hoarding pretty books. Just don't ask how many of them she's actually read.
At what age did you realise 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 started writing when I was about 12 years old. I'd always been a voracious reader and loved when school assignments involved telling stories, but it wasn't until this age that I realised being an author was an actual career that I could choose for myself.
I count writing on Wattpad as being in the writing industry. However, I do dream of holding a physical copy of my book, so I am working toward self-publishing my first title soon.
Did any story, on or off Wattpad, inspire you ever and help you carve your interest towards writing books?
>>The first book that inspired me to write was one I read well before Wattpad existed, and it was Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith. It's a Young Adult Fantasy book featuring a girl trying to save her kingdom. I loved every part of it and wanted to read more stories like it. Then I realised I could create those stories myself (and have been doing so basically ever since).
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 mainly write in Fantasy because it is also my favorite genre to read. I'm not sure I've created brilliant plots, but I've certainly had fun doing it (and to me that's the most important thing).
What advice would you like to give to authors who are writing in the same genre(s) as yours?
>>Read as much as you can in your genre so you know what readers will expect when they pick up your book, but also read outside your genre, so you can learn and incorporate new ideas into your work.
Do you have any favourite quote or quotes from your book?
>>Seraiah tucked a loose strand of hair behind Sterling's ear. "You are my sister in all the ways that count. We may not be related by blood, but that doesn't mean we aren't family. Your family is whoever you want them to be. They are the people who love you no matter what, and who will do anything for you," Seraiah said fiercely. "You will always be my family. I will always be your sister. No matter what happens, I will come for you. Do you understand? No matter what."
-From The Lost Queen (I adore the found family trope.)
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
>>Hopefully, with lots of new books written and published.
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)?
>>A girl on a quest. (Whew, that was harder than I thought it would be.)
A very brief summary of The Lost Queen would be:
A human seer and an Elven prince must work together to rescue their kidnapped sister from forces intent on using her magic to wreak havoc on both of their worlds.
I'm not sure my book is very different from other books in the genre. I would say it's like my love letter to young adult fantasy. I tried to include all of my favorite things about the genre, from the magic system to mythical creatures to a large cast of characters with multiple POVs.
Which character or characters of your story do you relate to most? And why?
>>That's a hard one because I think there is a piece of me in every character. I think I'll go with Sterling from The Lost Queen. She has a love of stories, in particular, fairytales, and her favorite story features two dragons.
How did you come up with such a fascinating plot? Were there any inspirations?
>>I would say my inspiration was all my favorite young adult fantasy books. I really tried to include all my favorite things about fantasy in The Lost Queen.
How did you discover Wattpad? And what engendered you to begin writing on this platform? What do you like best about this application?
>>I first heard about Wattpad way back in the day when it was in beta (yes, I am a dinosaur). At the time, I was writing on Fictionpress and wasn't very interested in moving to a different platform. I ended up taking a break from writing when I was in college and when I came back to it, I decided to see how Wattpad was doing. The community seemed great, so I signed up and here we are.
I would say the best part of Wattpad has been the community. I've made so many writer friends from all around the world and gotten to read so many great stories.
When did you start writing on Wattpad? How has your writing journey been ever since then?
>>I started writing on Wattpad in 2016. I think I posted maybe two chapters and promptly forgot about it until late 2017 (oops) which is when I actually started regularly posting the first draft of The Lost Queen. Since then I was invited to the Stars program, Paid Stories (now Wattpad Originals) and the Creators program. I'm also about to self-publish my first book, which I'm so excited about.
What is your writing process and how do you cope when writers' block hits you?
>>I think I'm still figuring out my writing process. So far, it seems to have changed with every new project I work on.
Writer's block is the worst. For me, it's usually because of one of two reasons: either I'm burnt out and need a break, or I've written something that doesn't make sense for that character/the story. The first one is fairly easy to fix. All I have to do is take some time away from the book and do something else for a bit. The second one is harder. It usually requires deleting a bunch of words and that is so painful. However, once I figure out where I went wrong and get rid of the part I don't need, it is smooth sailing again.
Are you a pantser or a plotter? During which time of the day do you usually write?
>>I like to call myself a plantser. I started off as a pantser, but I have since evolved and do a small bit of plotting before I start writing. Usually, I'll know 2 or 3 of the major plot points, and then I make up everything else along the way.
I typically write in the afternoon, but my ideal writing time would be first thing in the morning.
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?
>>Take advantage of the community and make as many writer friends as you can. They are the only ones who will understand how much work it is to write a book and how writer's block is the worst. Your fellow writers are not your competition, they are your biggest supporters.
Is there any author(s) on Wattpad whom you look up to as an amazing writer?
>>So many. Here's a few of them:
To no one's surprise, they've all written something in the fantasy genre, and I want to live in their worlds (once the evil is vanquished, of course).
Could we please have two or more Wattpad story recommendations? What do you like most about these stories?
>>I could name so many, but I'll limit myself to four.
Here's two complete books:
Paragon by Azimodo (The series is technically still ongoing at the time of writing this but the first book is complete) If you love multi POV fantasy books with morally grey characters, you'll enjoy this one.
The Crossing by Azoelyn (Again this is an ongoing series but first book is complete) This is multi-pov portal fantasy which I adore.
Here's two ongoing books (at the time of writing this):
Black Avatare by Su Vida (SuVida777) I love everything about this world. For me, it is the perfect blend of fantasy, science fiction, and horror with a sprinkle of romance. The action scenes have me stressed in the best way.
The Other Bill Shakespeare by LEGlazebrook. This one is not a fantasy book, but rather a historical taking place in 1970s Australia. Even though it does cover heavy topics, it's a fun read, and I love the characters.
What would be the three words to describe yourself as an author?
>>Dragons, Dragons, Dragons
I'm kidding.
Magical, romantic, expansive
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!
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