Hello, everyone! Today we have another mythical and amazing author, laurendoubleu, the author of Turning Tides.

About the Author: Lauren has always enjoyed writing, but it wasn't until later in life that she decided to focus on documenting the characters and worlds of her daydreams. With her background in engineering, these stories tend to include hints of science, and she always loves to have representation for her fellow members in the LGBTQ+ community. Aside from writing, she also enjoys petting cats, photography, and trying out new foods.

About 'Turning Tides':"When Malia set out to sea, she expected to make a life-changing discovery; instead, she received a life-ending doom.

But death isn't her end, and she's granted another chance by the very ocean that she died in. That's according to Beatrice, a thousand-year-old water spirit that shows her the ways of their kind. After all, Malia isn't the first to be reborn, and countless souls lost at sea still live underwater, tasked with saving mortals from the same fate. It's a tough job, but if Malia does it right, she can win back her life on land.

However, vengeful souls lurk in the waters, determined to destroy the mortals above them. These ghouls were the ones that killed Malia, but if she wants to return to the surface, she'll have to face them in a fight for her mortal life or eternal death.

About other Myth & Legend Related Books: Out of my current stories, Turning Tides is the only one that references real-life mythology and legends—so far! In this novella, fabled mermaids and sirens are meant to be exaggerated tales of actual water spirits and ghouls. These beings are former mortals who died at sea and were deemed worthy by the water to survive. While water spirits use their newfound abilities to help those in need, ghouls abuse their power and are more intent on causing harm than doing good.

Another story of mine, Ultima Ratio, starts off with a fictional legend about a "goddess" who has a grudge against the story's villain. While the mythology isn't real, the way that legends grow and spread in the story are similar to what happens in our world. Additionally, the fictional country of Concordia uses legendary lands as the names for their cities—such as Eden, Avalon, El Dorado, Aaru, Mahoroba, and Penglai—to symbolize their perception of themselves and the rest of the world.

1. What made you start writing on Wattpad? What has been your favorite moment so far on the orange app?

I first joined Wattpad in 2012 with the intention to read, and I never thought I'd write a story worth sharing on this platform. While I had drifted away from the app after that, when I finally did write an original story years later, I thought about sharing it with others. After I remembered Wattpad and their supportive community of readers and writers—along with their amazing comments—I decided to share my stories here! This may count as more than one favorite moment, but I loved getting to befriend so many amazing people! Whether it be through their comments on my stories or my comments on theirs, or maybe running into fellow readers in another story's comment section, I've met so many cool people in this community, and I can't wait to meet more!

2. Which mythology and/or legends influenced your story? Why did you choose those?

The water spirits and ghouls in Turning Tides were inspired by legends of mermaids and sirens. I've always loved the water, having grown up swimming, paddling, and surfing. At the same time, the ocean can be dangerous and terrifying, and it's comforting to imagine that there are souls in the sea looking out for us. While it's very unlikely that these underwater superheroes exist, it's still reassuring to think about, especially with all of the naval tragedies that happen throughout history.

3. Tell us about the main character of one of your stories. What inspired their creation?

Malia, the main character in Turning Tides, is a scientist working at a university. At the beginning of the story, she's driven by professional success, thanks to her family pushing her to believe that money and fame are more important than happiness. She's also very realistic and logical, and she initially struggles to use the magic of water spirits. But with time, determination, and the help of her guide Beatrice, Malia manages to apply her knowledge of physics to the practice of magic, all while learning to love life and herself in the process. Like a lot of my characters, Malia has several characteristics and experiences that were inspired by my own. While she's a lot more driven than I am, her fear of failure and harsh self-criticism are things she and I have in common, and I had hoped that we could both overcome these obstacles by the end of this story.

4. What were some challenges you experienced while writing the story?

I'd say my biggest challenge came from before I began writing this story! It was just before the Open Novella Contest's 2023 prompts were released, and not only had I never participated in ONC before, but I had never written for a contest before. For the months prior, I worried about having no ideas for a plot, then about not being able to write a novella within the deadlines. Even after the prompts were released, I stressed for a couple days over not having any plans magically come to mind. But when inspiration finally hit, I hit the ground running, and I managed to complete the first draft in twenty days!

5.Do you have a song playlist for writing? Can you share one with us?

While I usually find it hard to listen to anything but silence while writing, I've recently discovered that rain noises and jazz instrumentals don't distract me too much. My go-to source for sounds is the CalmedByNature channel on YouTube! Eight hours of non-stop music without ads? I'm in! I admittedly listen to the Christmas videos more often than you would expect, even if it's the middle of June, but here's an autumn café ambience that I also love!

6. What is your favorite myth or legend? Why?

Growing up in Hawaii, one of the legends I would recall the most was the story of the naupaka, a small white flower that appears to only have petals on one side. The version I was told was that two lovers were split apart, with one going to the ocean while the other went to the mountains. They were both transformed into halves of flowers—naupaka kahakai at the beach, and naupaka kuahiwi in the mountains—waiting for someone to reunite them. I would typically see the former the most, and while I felt sorry for the legendary couple, I wasn't willing to risk picking a flower if I wasn't sure I would see their other half anytime soon. Maybe one day I'll dedicate some time to reuniting these flowers at last!

7. What is your favorite mythical creature? Why?

The lions portrayed in Chinese lion dances were definitely my favorite mythical creatures when I was growing up! I had always loved watching them perform to the loud beat of drums and gongs, and the knowledge that they brought good luck made them even more amazing. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of feeding them dollar bills...and I may still be a little hesitant, despite knowing they won't actually bite my hand off!

8.If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?

While this isn't the power of one particular being, I've always been intrigued by characters in myths and legends who would aid lost travelers. It could be because I grew up on an island, and since traveling was necessary to come and go, it was comforting to imagine those with supernatural powers looking out for us. Like I mentioned earlier, this influenced part of Turning Tides, where the water spirits are tasked to guide seafarers safely back to land. If I had such gifts, I would love the chance to help others find their way back home, or at least out of danger. Of course, I hope I won't have to endure a traumatic event to come by those powers, like the characters in Turning Tides and traditional mythology have to go through!

9.What is your advice other writers who want to use mythology in their story?

There are typically multiple variations of mythology, some more well known than others. If you're searching for inspiration, it might help to look into the lesser known aspects. You never know what you might find!

That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about Lauren W (laurendoubleu). You can check their stories featured in our reading list as well as their other works.

Until next time!