1 what inspired the idea of your story?

A friend of mine suffers from Maeva's (the main character) condition. Having noticed how daunting it is to get diagnosed with such a common disease at a young age, I wanted to talk about it in my own way, incorporating Romance with a sprinkle of humor to ease the atmosphere.

2 what is something you struggled constructing with your story?

The teasing was torture for my romance addict's heart. Although I am the puppeteer making the characters go through waves of drama, it was also hard for me to see them so torn. How I would have loved for Maeva to jump in her LI's arms right from chapter one because I knew how awesome he was. I had to refrain though because neither she nor the readers were ready for that leap. As I revisit my babies (characters) every other time, I remember the long hours I put into their relationship, and can't help but smile at the outcome.

3 what did you enjoy writing most of your story?

The humorous parts. I'm a sucker for humor and having a 100k-words novel gorged with witty comments and silly situations made me feel like a kid in Chocolate land.

4 what's the overall response of your story from your readers?

I'm so lucky to have gathered amazing readers. Although they are often complaining about the teasing that I don't seem to get enough of, they're always laughing or swooning in the comment section which makes my day each and every time my phone beeps, marking a new notification. Another common theme is relatability. I was surprised to find so many readers relating to situations I never thought to be so common.

5 is your story a stand alone novel or a piece of a series ?

Although I did leave room for a potential sequel (little hint at the end of the last chapter), I'm not planning one at the moment. I'm pretty sure though that the romance freak in me will wake me up one day, and push me to ditch whatever plans I have so that I craft part two of Mea again.

6 what would you like your readers to take away from your story?

Life isn't all sweet and pleasant, but family and friends are sure to tone its bitterness down. I want my lovely readers to swoon at a great romance, while also laughing their hearts out at the silliness of the protagonist, despite all the drama going on between her and her neighbor.

7 what advice would you provide to fellow writers, when it comes to focusing on their own story?

Write something you would want to read. Forget about the trends or whatever subjects people seem to be captivated by at the moment. Trends come and go, but a genuine story lovingly crafted will definitely stand the test of time. Your audience might not be the largest, but you'll have the opportunity to form a group of friends with similar interests as you savor each and every single read, comment or vote.

8 does your main character share any similarities to yourself?

I mostly write in the female's POV, which inevitably leads me to pouring some of my personality and experiences into the protagonist's development. One thing I've noticed, though, is that each and every character has taken one or more of my own traits. One got my sarcasm, the other my short temper, and another my extreme introversion; which actually explains the slightly crazy aspect of the story.

9 what is something about your story you believe would draw in new readers?

The writing style and character development are by far the major factors that make one want to keep on reading (be it Mea again or any other story for that matter). Maeva's bickering with her conscience and the weird thoughts she keeps getting are nothing short of entertaining and are sure to tickle the curiosity of readers. Crafting the characters' voice and distinct personality were a little challenging, I must confess, but they're the "je ne sais quoi" that makes the readers want to come back, in my opinion.

10 do you have any future projects?

To say that I have plans would do no justice to the hurdle of ideas and drafts I'm planning. One story I've begun writing though is Human Botany 101, another romantic comedy, of course. The focus this time is on the protagonist's ethnic background.