Happy Holidays, Stormers! Hope you're having a wonderful day whether you're celebrating a holiday or just chillin' in your PJs, or sending hugs to those who are working today. Hopefully this will brighten your day. <3 And I know this book recommendation will for sure.

I want to talk about ROGER, by LittleVee, Wattpad Star, Watty Winner, Self-Published Author, and most importantly, my Draco-loving friend. I first came across her gem of a story back when I was in the Rebel Book Club over at Rebel_Town, and helped out judging the Rebel Awards. I started reading ROGER and then got zero work done for the following three days because I was binging TF out of it.

After that I started to consume everything Vee wrote, including her published book To Be Obscure, a paranormal romance featuring a sexy vampire and some wholly unique vamp lore that is a really cool standout gem amongst vampire fiction. AND if I'm allowed to brag for a moment, I totally grabbed a paperback of ROGER while it was still available and it's 100% one of my prized possessions on my bookshelf, haha. I hope hard copies of both ROGER and its sequel CODES will grace shelves again so that you lovely people can grab them too!

ISN'T IT PRETTY?!

Anyway. I'll stop rambling and get to the meat of this.

ROGER is a fun and interesting sci-fi romp set in the not-too-distant future, centering around artificial intelligence and technology and what it means to humanity. Clara, our plucky protagonist, lives in a world that is technologically advanced enough that everyone can get a Virtual Friend (VF for short) which is a personal assistant and, well, a virtual friend.

Roger is that friend, and their bond grows into a friendship for the ages. Together with Clara's human bestie, Xerxes, and his own VF, she discovers what the government really means to use the implanted AI friends for and what that will do to humanity as she knows it.

I don't want to spoil things, my dudes, because the arcs in this book are so enthralling. I'm a sci-fi fan, hard and soft alike, and this book hits all of the best beats, while also crafting interesting characters with real drive and emotional growth. Vee doesn't pull any punches with the tough stuff, and the story delves into difficult questions of what is morally right and wrong while also exploring the classic ghost in the machine theory.

All of these things together craft an addictive and worthwhile read, that is not only wholly entertaining but leaves you asking important questions. Some that may or may not have answers, which to me is one of the best parts of reading speculative fiction.

SO! Without further ado, I present to you, the lovely Vee Lozada, feel free to shower her in Tom Felton gifs (and me too, really, we love to drown in them).

Emily: Let's start with you telling me about yourself and your writing journey!

Vee: Art has always been in me! I grew up in a very musical family and it was kind of put on me to be the same -- music! But growing up, I knew it wasn't for me. I wasn't the best singer in choir (probably one of the worst, aha) and I can't play a piano with two hands -- it's either left, or right, or fight me... But in the midst of trying to discover the art I can do, I found writing. I draw, too, but writing became my life.

I used to enter Young Author's fairs when I was a kid. Then in my teens, I wrote horror. Eventually got really deep into fanfiction and did that for a looooooong time. It wasn't until I reached adulthood and I tried to weigh my interests to see what I'd pursue in life -- drawing had returned for a moment but wouldn't stick. Writing returned full force, without the fanfiction, and I told myself the only thing stopping me from writing a book was... me. And I had to overcome my fear of sharing my real stories with the world.

One Facebook group turned into a Wattpad discovery. And the Wattpad community helped me realize I have nothing to fear. Write what I want. What I feel. And be true to myself.

I've since written seven full length novels, three short stories, and have so many projects just waiting to be finished.

Emily: That's so cool that you were writing so young! What kind of horror stories did you write?

Vee: Ah, anything with blood! The more, the better. I wrote a lot lf zombie stories (I've been a Resident Evil fan since PS1) and I wrote bloody, murder tales. Technically I still write horror, but that's something my Hubs and I do together. We're hoping to have something done next year!

Emily: Gah that's so exciting! And great that you and your husband share a love of writing. Can't wait to see your collabs! So I think I know the answer to this one, but what fandoms did you write in when you started the foray into fanfic?

Vee: I started writing Resident Evil and Silent Hill fanfics before I fell heavily into the Final Fantasy fandom, writing fics for FFVIII and FFX. It wasn't until I came across a beautifully written Dramione story that I fell head over heels in love with Draco and Hermione being a couple. I ship them so hard it hurts. So, I started writing my own, too.

Emily: I feel that so hard! XD Also that's so exciting you wrote FF fanfic too! I definitely had a few FF7 and 8 fics on my hard drive in my teen years, maybe one or two FFX ones. What were your favourite ships? I consumed Seifer/Quistis like I was dying of thirst lol. I think that's why I'm so obsessed with Dramione... when I ship characters it's always the villain with an unlikely female heroine. Enemies to lovers and all that jazz.

Vee: Ugh, Dramione has such a big part of my fangirl heart. I'll fight to the death for them, lol! ♡

Emily: Right?? Me too!

Vee: Favorite final fantasy ships! I follow the canon ships for the most part. So of course there's Squall with Rinoa. I did ship Zell with Selphie (I don't remember why, were they a thing?) Seifer and Quistis are perfect for each other. I mean, Seifer was just a little misunderstood! Quistis would've been perfect to just help in the right direction.

FFX... Tidus and Yuna, of course ♡. I shipped Jecht with Lulu.... I mean, Wakka was cool and all, but it took one fic to change my mind. And... okay, Auron and Rikku. I found a fic in my teens with them as main characters. And it wasn't a lemon/lime fic. It was more of a strong bond. But the way it was written was like yooooo. Then you remember Rikku is like... 17? And Auron is like, 30s? But dead?

Point of all the random ships -- it just takes one REALLY good fic.

Emily: It really does! Rikku and Auron are my faves from FFX too, so opposite it works so well! So when you dove back in to original fiction, what genre did you start out in and why?

Vee: When I started writing original fiction I wrote Paranormal Romances. Fun fact -- the idea for my book To Be Obscure had originally started as a FFVIII vampire fic between Squall and Rinoa when I was like 13. But then I got older, I wanted to really use the idea, and just removed the whole "we're teen vamps school thing" and let it fly! And I think I wrote Paranormal Romances because it was primarily what I read. Vampires are sexy, can't deny that ♡.

Emily: Gah I love TBO and that is so cool that it started out as FF8 fanfic! I feel so much closer to it now haha. It's also such an interesting take on the genre, with unique lore that I don't see in a lot of other PNR. So what sparked you to leap to sci-fi?

Vee: Oh, sci-fi. So, I love science fiction (though, funny how I HATED science class, ahhh). But I love the mysteries of our universe, the questions of our existence compared to other beings out there (because we know they're there, just where??). I'm also obsessed with the idea of advancing technology and how it will inevitably shape our future (considering the millions of possibilities, it's both fascinating and terrifying). I also love science fiction movies! Fifth Element, Terminator, Alien -- love it all!

So, ROGER was my first sci-fi story. The idea didn't start as much. I had thought of it after I had seen the movie HER. Then I sat there and thought, "Oh, what if I had a device in my head?" ROGER was supposed to be just a fun project and instead... I became obsessed and found a new calling with my writing.

Emily: Omg Fifth Element is one of my favourite movies of all time! Definitely get HER vibes from ROGER! But with your own unique twist (which I'm not gonna spoil because it's gotta be experienced). I'm so glad that what started as a side project came into such large fruition!

I like that ROGER asks a lot of important questions about humanity and what it means to be human. You also manage to pack an intense love story in there too while staying true to all of the nitty gritty speculative things that make sci fi so much fun.

So give me an overview of your current projects, what do you have available on your bookshelf and what are your plans going forward?

Vee: Thank you! ♡ My current projects are a bit scattered, more editing than writing. I usually crash after November's Nanowrimo and find myself taking my sweet time the months that follow. As of right now, I'm writing CODES, the sequel to ROGER. It's fun and challenging as this sequel is allowing me to venture deep into the world I created. No spoilers, but there are a lot of questions about humanity in this one, too.

I'm also working on the sequel to To Be Obscure, another plot taking me further than I'd originally anticipated. I'm editing Coffee Shop and other projects as well! (If I went into each one, I'd be here forever, lol. I like having 5 or more projects going on at once).

While I'm currently re-reading ROGER and Human Code (because I fangirl over my characters... a lot, lol annnd anyone can too since about 90% of my work is available free to read on Wattpad ♡), my own personal bookshelf is... well it's there. I recently found a book in it I don't remember owning, but I'm intrigued. Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen & Bruce Coville.

Plans going forward? I'm awful at planning. Even if I do plan, I won't follow it. Just going by day by day with everything ♡.

Emily: Exciting that you have so many projects on the go. And no shame on the fangirling over your own characters, if you can't then the readers won't either! And damn do I love me some ROGER.

Speaking of reading, you've got a pretty prolific book club going on on Wattpad, . Want to tell me about all the stuff that goes on on that profile?

Vee: Oh, yes! PrettyInPunk is a welcoming community! We strive to deliver feedback to one another and support each other, whether its books, contests, or anything personal in our lives! We also host little monthly contests, as well as an annual one. There's also an interview book where we can get to know writers in and out of our community, too! ♡ I like to think of PrettyInPunk as more than just a book club community; we're a family. (Shout out to @BrittaSwann for everything she does ♡ and all of the admins and members we have ~ I appreciate everyone ♡).

Emily: That's fantastic! It's awesome to see writers communing over a love of reading and writing and supporting each other.

Speaking of supporting, I was SO excited when I saw you'd become a Wattpad Star! Congratulations again and I'm hoping to see ways to throw monetary appreciation for your work your way in the future. Do you have any books in the works or currently for sale somewhere so that fans can support you doing what you love?

Vee: Ah thank you so much! ☆ Getting a Star was a big moment for me and I'm very proud of it! ♡

I appreciate all support, thank you! ♡♡♡ Currently, the only book I have for sale is my paranormal romance, To Be Obscure. It's currently an ebook for just .99 cents! Paperback returning soon (still trying to change the cover). The sequel will be ready and available Summer 2021! ♡

But if sci-fi is more up your alley, those stories are currently available on Wattpad ♡. That may change, who knows ;).

Emily: I can't wait to have the paperback of TBO!

Okay a few rapid-fire fun questions:

What's your favourite food?

Do you have any pets and who are they?

What's a move you've watched so many times you have it memorized?

Vee: Favorite food? Potatoes! I can survive on potatoes, I love them. (Bonus -- my favorite snacks are takis ;]~ )

I do have a pet! We have a fluffy, orange tabby cat named Charlie AKA Charlie Wop AKA Baby AKA Loaf of Bread AKA Hashbrown. He's going to be 8 years old in February ♡.

I know all the songs and most of the lines to Moulin Rouge ♡. I've had someone randomly say "Roxannneee" and I slid in on my socks with a "WHYYYYYY DOES MY HEARTTTTTT CRYYYYYYYY" (I like musicals lol)

Emily: I love that your favourite food is potatoes and you nicknamed your cat Hashbrown that makes my heart happy! Also musicals are lifffeeee! I love Moulin Rouge too, though I'd have to say my very favourite is Cry-Baby.

Okay one more: What are some of your favourite Wattpad books and authors? Shout 'em out!

Vee: Shout out time! ♡ These are my favorite Wattpad authors♡ AuthorishNicole StephRose1201 KatKeenan SarahBeth9009 Hubrism amayhh darlenerwrites brittaswann eshurricane coconichole poppisiede

I can't pick and choose my favorite books, but I do have a reading list with some of my favorites! ♡

Emily: Awesome! Thank you so much for chatting with me, it was so much fun!

[Dec 25th note:] As of the interview, the Wattys hadn't yet wrapped up, and now we know that Vee WON for her story Human Code! Huge huge congrats to you, Vee, it was an honour to be able to watch the livestream with our friends and cheer you on! A well-deserved win!

If you want to check out Vee's library of awesomeness, head on over to her profile LittleVee, and check out her reading lists for awesome recommendations! And if you want to support her, I'll drop a link to the Amazon listing for To Be Obscure in the comments below. Merry Christmas!