Interview: Tanya Lisle

Today we’re joined by Tanya Lisle. Tanya is a phenomenal author who writes mainly supernatural YA fiction. She has a number of books available and is currently hard at work on a couple series. She loves the horror genre and there’s brushes of that in most of her work. It’s clear she’s an incredibly passionate artist who loves the written word, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I tell stories, largely with a supernatural bent (Urban fantasy, superheroes, general supernatural elements) and with a horror edge to it, usually with some queer content as well.

Currently I’m working on two sequels to White Noise, which is an older YA series, and The Looking Glass Saga, which started as middle grade, but has gotten older as the characters age. I’m also looking at writing one more book for Tales from the Twisted Eden Sector, which is for an older audience, as well as the next book in Cloned Evil, which is more in the New Adult range.

What inspires you?

A lot of things inspire me. I tend to get the majority of my ideas when my mind wanders during stressful periods of my life looking for that escape. Coming up with interesting concepts to explore always seems to happen when I’m neck-deep in the middle of another project, so I end up jotting the ideas down and come back to them later when I have more time to flesh them out.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I have been writing since I was little. Originally, it was asking teachers if I could write an essay or do a project as a story instead, or adding a narrative to the project in a way that still got the requirements across. When I got into high school, a friend of mine wanted to do a comic with a bunch of us in it and asked me for a backstory for my character, which she ended up really liking. After that, I just kept writing stories without needing the excuse of doing it for I have been writing since I was little. Originally, it was asking teachers if I could write an essay or do a project as a story instead, or adding a narrative to the project in a way that still got the requirements across. When I got into high school, a friend of mine wanted to do a comic with a bunch of us in it and asked me for a backstory for my character, which she ended up really liking. After that, I just kept writing stories without needing the excuse of doing it for homework!

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

It doesn’t always make it into the final version, but every draft has a scene where a fridge is thrown. It’s a long standing joke and, if you know me, you know that I cannot let a joke die. And sometimes it ends up being necessary to the plot, so it’s not all bad! A little ridiculous, admittedly…

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

There’s already been a lot of great advice, so I’ll stick with this one: Know why you’re doing it and what success means to you. Your success might look different from other people’s and you don’t need to compare yourself to other people in order to determine if you’re on the right track for your artistic journey.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m asexual aromantic. It took me a very long time (Until I was 26!) to figure out that was even an option, but once I did I was so happy I found something that fit!

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

It’s less prejudiced than it is a lack of representation. Like in other places, some people don’t think of it as legitimate, but I’ve also heard that it’s boring to have a story without romance. I’ve seen more books with asexual characters, but less on the aromantic side. There’s a sense that without that romantic subplot, a book won’t sell and therefore you must include some romance.

I’ve admittedly fallen into this trap as well. More recently, now that I’m getting more comfortable talking about my own asexuality, I’m starting to make it more of a point to make various character’s sexualities more explicit and to not walk so carefully around it in fear of not gaining that larger audience. The Looking Glass Saga is a series with an aro/ace lead that I’m going to be making more explicit, and I’m working to include more characters on the spectrum in upcoming projects.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

It’s either that I just haven’t find the right man yet (Because really you’re straight dontcha know?) or that it’s just that I don’t like sex.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

It’s okay to not know exactly what words fit you, and sometimes it takes a while to figure those out. It’s a spectrum and you might not fall neatly into one box or another. And, of course, you may find out later that one word doesn’t fit you as well as you thought it did, and that’s fine too!

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

You can check out this link, which has all my books and will redirect you to the store of your preference: https://www.books2read.com/ap/nlzBXx/Tanya-Lisle

And if you would like a sampler of books, you can check out the mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/506eec46f344/get-your-free-book-now

And, of course, the blog and social media links:

http://tanyalisle.com/
https://twitter.com/TanyaLisle
https://www.facebook.com/ScrapPaperEntertainment
https://www.instagram.com/tanyalisle/
http://tanyalisle.tumblr.com/

Thank you, Tanya, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Frankie Onye

Today we’re joined by Frankie Onye. Frankie is a wonderful aspiring author who hopes to publish their work one day. They’re currently working on a number of novels, mostly queer fiction and fantasy. A fellow Poe fan, Frankie takes inspiration from a number of different places. It’s clear they’re a dedicated and enthusiastic author, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Well I’m a writer, first and foremost. I write queer fiction and mostly slice-of-life fantasy. It’s my favorite genre and it’s a lot of work, what with coming up with magic systems that make some sense, filling in plot holes, trying to fix my horrible sleeping pattern, but it gives me a sense of comfort when I write and my dream to get published one day keeps me going.

What inspires you?

Anything and everything. Mostly works by artist, Pascal Campion, Studio Ghibli, Black Panther, Leigh Bardugo and a friend of mine that got me into fantasy again. She goes by Zuko on Wattpad usually and she has inspired me and supported me in so many ways. She’s ace as well and one of the best writers I know.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

To be honest, it would be the story of King Arthur that got me interested in actually writing. Morgana had been my favorite and the world with magic like that had always interested me. Before that, I was a kid that wrote random declarations of war on the wall with my name signed underneath, reading works of Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe and Tolkien before resuming to give my older brother hell. Frankly, I was a weird kid.

I’ve always wanted to write or draw, but i had the kind of parents that told me it was a waste of time and should get a well-paying job that could keep me afloat for myself and my “hobbies”.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

Nothing I can think of. Sorry, mates.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Practice, practice and learn. Don’t be afraid to take constructive criticism. Even if it’s something you don’t agree with, say thanks and move on. As art is subjective, there are going to always be people that think your work is crap, and sometimes, you might be one of those people. Don’t let that get you down, okay? Nobody can get better if they don’t listen and take correction but you also can’t get better if you give up just because of some nasty comments and thoughts. You gots this.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m as ace as it gets, mates!

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I’ve been told that being ace doesn’t mean I’m LGBT or queer, that me being non-binary is the reason I’m LGBT. To be perfectly queer, I’m still not sure about this debate. I know I’m ace and that’s pretty much it for me.

Another thing is being told that I am just too young and I have no idea what I’m talking about and that it’ll change when I “fall in love”. Which I mean, is point blank ridiculous. It’s not an on and off switch, Karen! I’m 18, sure, that’s young, but I’m pretty sure at this stage I know when my motor ain’t running that way. How do I deal with this? I ignore the ignorance like it’s the buzzing fly that it is. Life’s too short to scream at cement walls.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

That it’ll all change when I found “the one”.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Own it, live it, and love yourself as you are. I’ve been struggling with this since I was a short little thing in Nigeria (though some might argue I’m still a small fry). Felt like a freak honestly and even worse when the issue about my gender was added on top. You are who you are and that’s all anyone can be.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I’m a bit everywhere, or I try to be.

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/ivebeenbamboozled
Tapas: https://m.tapas.io/onyefrankie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankieonye/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frankieonye
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/frankieonye.

Thank you, Frankie, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Oliver

Today we’re joined by Oliver. Oliver is a wonderful up and coming writer. They’re working toward publication and have written a fascinating sounding queer mystery novel. Oliver is admirably dedicated to the craft of writing, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I write historical fiction mostly along with some fantasy. My current project is a queer mystery novel that is finished and under revision. It follows a detective’s faith in humanity as his professional and private life begin to unravel.

What inspires you?

I draw much of my inspiration the books that I enjoy reading and my own experiences. I grew up absolutely in love with the stories of Holmes, Poirot, Marple, and Dupin just to name a few. As I grew older, I started to look at these characters that I had adored so much and think about how much better they could have been if the traits that they and many others had been coded with were clearly written about. I wanted stories about diverse characters that were allowed to be imperfect and weren’t forced into awkward romances by their writers. While all of the detectives that had guided me through my childhood came the closest to that, there were still so many things that I would have changed about the stories. Finally, I realized that what I needed to do was just write my own stories the way that I wanted them to be told.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve been writing since I was very young. It was mostly just short stories that I could fit on one sheet of paper. It was just a fun way to pass the time, but as I got older I began to realize that it was one of the few things that I was truly passionate. Because of that, I decided to go to college to study English and creative writing.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

My work sounds dark, but I actually refuse to bury my gays or have sad endings. There’s just too much of that right now. I also write characters with established queer identities as opposed to coming out stories. Coming out stories were very important to me when I was starting to accept myself as being ace, gay, and nonbinary. Yet as I grew older, I found that what I wanted wasn’t stories based around accepting oneself and more things along the line of “You’re bi? Neat! I’m trans, she’s aro, let’s go on an adventure.” So that’s what I write.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Any kind of art takes practice. It doesn’t matter if you think you write silly stories, draw poorly, sing off key, etc. If you enjoy it, keep doing it. Eventually, you’ll come to realize that you’ve come a long way from where you started. Don’t give up on something you love just because you don’t think that you’re good at it. Putting art in the world is a beautiful thing whether you’re an artist that’s a household name or you just like making things for yourself.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m asexual, still a bit unsure of where I fit romantically, but I’m in no rush to figure it out.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I’ve been lucky that all of the beta readers that I’ve worked with have been very respectful of who I am and my choice to have ace and ace spectrum characters. Being ace isn’t something that people always understand, but there are also plenty of kind people who, while they may empathize, will still be positive, respectful, and supportive. If anybody tries to give me guff about my ace characters, they’re more than welcome to go read something else. Ace people deserve to see themselves well represented and I intend to add more books about ace people to the world.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

The two misconceptions that I run into the most are that asexuality just doesn’t exist or that aces are all innocent and naive. I’m honestly not sure what to say about the first one other than that I’m concerned about how close minded those people must be. Given how many people have found and come to use the label of asexual in the past years, it’s clearly a thing. But being a trans person, I hear people talking about how that’s not a thing either so I guess if people don’t like something they just like to pretend it doesn’t exist. Ace stereotypes are difficult sometimes because I am a very stereotypical ace. I’m mentally ill, childish, introverted, etc. Even my friends who are very accepting of aces and have taken some time to read about the ace spectrum often associate being ace with the stereotypical traits about it and that’s highly frustrating. There’s so many aces who don’t fit that model and if we view asexuality in one dimension it just makes it even more difficult for aces who don’t fit the stereotypes to come to accept themselves.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

It’s okay to take your time. Not having an exact word or words for who you are is absolutely fine. What matters is that you’re comfortable. If that means that you want to call yourself asexual even if you’re not totally sure if that label works for you, go for it. If it means that you think you’re asexual but don’t want to call yourself ace or be out, go for it. No matter what, you’re not alone and who you are is natural, good, and wonderful.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

To be honest, it’s probably going to be quite a while before I publish anything. I have a short story with an aro ace protagonist on my aro ace Tumblr (at aroacepositivityplace) along with some artwork of ace headcanons on my art Tumblr (at olihaspencils). Messages on either blog are always welcome. I love talking about all things ace with people. Once I get published, I probably will create a Tumblr specific to my books.

Thank you, Oliver, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.