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JEON JUNGKOOK INTERVIEW

delulu_alex, otherwise known as Alex, is the First Place and Most Liked Winner of the Jeon Jungkook category in The Trivia Awards 24-25. Her book, "Hot-Hearted" captured the hearts of many, allowing her to achieve these goals all due to her amazing writing skills. I would like to present to you the lovely winner!

DIA: Welcome, Alex! First off, thank you for accepting this interview and congratulations on your amazing wins! How does it feel to achieve this kind of recognition for your work?

ALEX: Oh wow, thank you so much for having me! It feels kind of unreal, to be honest. Should I channel my inner Snoop Dogg and start thanking me now? I mean, it is fitting, right?

DIA: Two awards for one book in one category. What an accomplishment. How do you feel winning the Most Liked and First Place award? How does Most Liked and First Place differ to you?

ALEX: I honestly didn't expect to win, let alone win both awards! I'm still buzzing with excitement. Having so many people vote for my book and getting high scores from the judges? That's a next-level feeling. I spent the whole day cheesing like a kid who just found out they're getting a puppy for Christmas. And of course, I spent way too long gushing about it to my mom and bestie—like, "Look! I'm a winner!"

DIA: As a First Place winner, it's evident your story was able to leave a very positive effect on your readers and judges. You have certainly done a commendable job. What has inspired you to write such a well-crafted piece such as "Hot-Hearted"?

ALEX: You know, I wanted to write a book I'd be proud of. Something with an interesting, complex plot, characters that feel like real people, and well-placed commas. I'm a huge fan of mystery books and the classic enemies-to-lovers trope, so naturally, I had to combine those!

DIA: The characters in your story really come alive to the reader and portray themselves realistically. Your readers are able to fully grasp the context of the story because of these magnificent characters. How are you able to adjust them when it comes to character development as the story flows? Is there a complication when doing so?

ALEX: Character development was always going to be a big part of Hot-Hearted. Before I even started on the plot, I sat down and got to know my main characters—what makes them tick, their backstories, their hobbies, even their quirks and past trauma. I wanted their actions to feel authentic and keep the story moving. I swear, sometimes I feel like Vienna and Jungkook are real people, and I'm just lucky enough to be telling their story. I love them so much!

DIA: Hot-Hearted is really the book that has made you grow as an author, keeping your fellow readers anticipating the new chapters. Have you faced any challenges while writing this book? Has there been a moment in which you've wanted to give up? Or perhaps a moment in which writing has become too much? If so, how do you overcome these challenges?

ALEX: Writing Hot-Hearted is always a lot of work. And I'm not exaggerating when I say I can feel my brain melt a little when I try to keep all the details in mind and give just enough to keep the readers engaged, but not too much so they figure everything out too early. For a mystery book, that would be a disaster! Actually, right now I feel a bit stuck with the plot of the next two days of the story. I decided to deviate from my original plan and make things more interesting, but I'm struggling. The problem is, I don't want any plot twists that come out of nowhere, that are unrealistic or never explained—those are really cheap moves that bring the quality of a book down. So, I guess I have quite a bit of brainstorming to do!

DIA: It happens to everyone! I completely understand. Here's a small question dedicated to your lovely readers. Aside from this wonderful mystery book, will we be seeing another thriller/mystery book from yours in the future? Are there any new projects in the works?

ALEX: I do have a couple of future projects in mind! One is a mix of mystery and fantasy. But I promised myself I won't get distracted by shiny new ideas until Hot-Hearted is at least halfway done. So, yes, more to come, but that's definitely a distant-future kind of thing.

DIA: Now that you've also opened your own awards, do you think your motive on wattpad has changed from when you first joined? What are your thoughts on expanding your writing and activities on the app?

ALEX: I first joined just to read other fanfics. Then, a couple of weeks in, I thought, "Hey! I can totally do this!" And that's how my writing career on Wattpad began. A few months later, I started thinking about other activities like a book club or an award show, but I wasn't sure I had enough followers to pull it off. Fast forward, and here we are, with my very own awards! I really like the community I've become a part of, and I would love to continue with different projects for both writers and readers.

DIA: Focusing back to your award-winning book, the review for your score included some sections I would like to discuss in this next portion of the interview. Would you be fine with sharing these sections with the audience reading this interview?

ALEX: Of course!

DIA: Perfect! The main section I would like to focus on is the "PLOT" score. Woah, a striking 18/20 from the first judge with a perfect 20/20 from the rejudging. From the review written by me, I would like to share this section that states, "I was immediately intrigued as soon as I read the blurb and the prologue. The first line had a subtle comedic touch even as the tension of the arrest scene unfolded which is not easy to properly execute. However, you've done an excellent job with it, allowing the reader to grasp the tone of your story and engage with it right from the very beginning. The bold statement from the female lead toward the end in which she advises him to exercise his right to remain silent was also a powerful and memorable way to start the story, immediately setting the tone for her character as well." After reading this, how did it make you feel regarding your blurb and prologue? Your prologue has certainly won Best Prologue and Blurb in previous awards, so this must not be a shocker to you.

ALEX: Thank you! I'm really proud of my prologue. Honestly, when I wrote it, I only had a very general idea of the plot and the main characters. But I was so happy with how it turned out that I knew right then and there I had to keep working on the story. It was like love at first draft!

DIA: Now, I would like to focus on the female lead of your story, Vienna Song. Gosh, how much I love that name. Your review states, "The female lead's character was a refreshing shift from what many stories claim out of their leads. Often, stories portray their female lead as powerful and confident, but fail to deliver on these important character traits. However, your female lead does not disappoint. Her confidence, intelligence, and decisive actions remain consistent throughout the story while solving what seems to be an unsolvable case. She is truly a compelling protagonist with the dedication and skills needed to tackle these cases. What mainly sets her apart from any other typical lead is her boldness mixed with her competence to solve a crime. Many stories are unable to balance properly between both, which ends up creating an unstable lead." While forming the character of Vienna Song, what qualities were you thinking of giving her at first hand? Did her character ever give you any challenges to properly execute?

ALEX: You would not believe how much time I spent agonizing over Vienna's name! Naming a character is no joke—it's like naming a baby, except the baby is fictional and way more stubborn. As for her character, I've always been a fan of strong female leads. The challenge was making Vienna feel human by giving her flaws and a relatable backstory. She's smart and competent, sure, but she can also be a little too serious, and her past trauma makes her quick to judge Jungkook's character—maybe too harshly at times. Writing her scenes, though, is always a pleasure because she's basically my role model. She's who I wish I could be, flaws and all. So, while I have my fair share of struggles with the book, developing Vienna isn't one of them.

DIA: Seriously, naming a character is no joke! I understand completely. Truly Vienna is a main lead to adore. Following from this, the characters aren't the only thing to comment from your book. The scenes, descriptions, etc., are all very well thought out. As I mentioned in the review, "The interrogation scenes were very gripping, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out if the suspects were being truthful. Seems like the author has done thorough research within the Criminology context, as the descriptions of homicides, disappearances, etc. felt authentic and highly interesting." Seriously I just have to ask, how much of Criminology do you know? The descriptions through the dialogues are on-point and very engaging. Are you a Criminology student or have you done research on the topic for this book?

ALEX: Being realistic and authentic with the investigation is one of my main goals for Hot-Hearted. Now, I didn't study Criminology in college, but I'm a die-hard fan of mystery novels and whodunnits. My knowledge comes from binge-reading authors like Jean-Christophe Grangé, Mike Omer, and Donato Carrisi, and, of course, watching every single episode of Criminal Minds—twice! I also did a lot of research on police procedures and forensics because the last thing I wanted was a giant plot hole. No pressure, right?

DIA: Gotta go rewatch Criminal Minds now that you've mentioned it! The dedication is really admirable and impressive. I would like to move on to the "SENSE" score of your review. Another perfect score from both your assigned judge and the rejudge! Your review states, "As a murder mystery type of story, it's natural for some things to not make sense at first glance. However, that's part of the thrill—the genre's appeal. Something that leaves you pondering, piecing the clues together, and anticipating answers. You've done a fantastic job when delivering this theme to the readers, tying everything together and explaining the unexplained. The way things are wrapped up, leaving the reader with chills is a very important factor of this genre, and you've mastered it to perfection. Excellent work." From author to author, I've never been able to properly write a book with such elements before. However, you've mastered this with "Hot-Hearted". I think we would all love to know how your mind comes up with this.

ALEX: The process is slow and agonizing—seriously, I spend hours racking my brains over the plot, trying to make sure the mystery is intriguing but not too predictable. There are moments when I swear my head's about to explode from juggling all the details! But at the end of the day, the key is to think everything through before you even start writing. Easier said than done, though—I think every writer out there can relate to that.

DIA: Your book truly has everything. Even a perfect cover for its theme. As I mentioned in the review, the symbolic intent behind the bold red letters was perfect to (reinforce the mood and theme of the story as we usually associate "Hot-Hearted" or "Hot" with burning/red). Additionally, (the characters are portrayed exactly as they are described in the book, so props to that. For some, it may be challenging to bring written descriptions of characters to life visually, but you've done a commendable job. Same with the blurb. I was absolutely engaged with the storyline right off the bat. It's detailed enough to get the reader hooked while leaving just enough to the imagination, sparking curiosity to know more about it). Did you have any trouble coming up with the blurb or designing the cover?

ALEX: Creating the cover was a journey in itself, but by then, I already knew my main characters so well that I had a solid vision for it. A very talented artist, @Janefanfics_, brought it to life and somehow didn't lose her patience with my endless tweaks and corrections. As for the blurb? Oh, that was a battle. It took me at least fifteen rewrites to land on the current version, and I'm still not 100% satisfied. But hey, I've got bigger fish to fry with the book itself, so it'll do. For now.

DIA: Now that we have gone through the major sections of the review, I would like to ask you some final questions before we wrap up. Is there a specific theme or message you would like to send or convey to the readers through your book "Hot-Hearted"?

ALEX: Even though Hot-Hearted is a mystery book, the main message is about healing, overcoming weaknesses, and redemption. I want readers to feel inspired by Vienna and Jungkook's journey and believe that they, too, can find happiness, no matter what. But I'll stop there—don't want to spoil the story!

DIA: What a beautiful message! What would you like your readers, or perhaps those reading this interview, to know about you as a person/writer or your winning book?

ALEX: I've talked about this on my message board before, but I struggle with a pretty nasty case of imposter syndrome and anxiety. Publishing my writing and participating in awards is terrifying. But I do it anyway. I hope that can inspire others who are thinking about sharing their work. It's scary and makes you vulnerable to criticism, but it also opens the door for growth and improvement. And honestly, isn't that what life is all about?

DIA: You're right! Finally, now that I'm letting you go, can you tell us what was your experience participating in this awards and, at last, winning these two prizes?

ALEX: Participating in the Trivia Awards was such a highlight for me! You did such an amazing job organizing it—I have to give you major props for that. I'm already looking forward to taking part in your future awards. Thank you, Dia!

DIA: That's wonderful. Thank you for participating! Truly a magnificent writer. Do you have any advice to aspiring writers who look up to you and want to start their own journey in the writing community?

ALEX: One piece of advice I'd give to other writers is to show, don't tell. It's something I only really started paying attention to last year, but it makes a world of difference. When you're writing a scene, focus on your characters' body language, facial expressions, and inner thoughts to reveal what they're feeling and thinking, instead of just stating it outright. A little exposition is fine, but when it takes over, it turns into an info-dump—and nobody wants to read that. Keep it engaging, keep it real!

DIA: Such inspiring words! Thank you so much for joining me today in this interview. Hoping to see more creations by you! Thank you for your time, and once again, congratulations on your well-deserved awards!

ALEX: Thank you so much for having me! I had an absolute blast taking part in your awards show and chatting with you!

QUESTIONS — (💎)

~ shooketha ~