Linnae interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Hi! I'm Linnae, or Linnaeus as I'm known on Twitter. I am a Christian who writes YA and middle grade fantasy. I currently work as an editorial assistant for Our Daily Bread Publishers and I do a bit of freelance editing for speculative fiction on the side. I am bilingual (hablo español). When I have free time, I draw, paint, or play instruments.

When did your love of books begin?

When I was in elementary school. I loved how whole worlds, characters, and stories can be created with just a few words.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

In 5th grade. I didn't like the endings in some of the books I read, so I wrote my own. Then that turned into me writing my own stories and finding that I loved doing that even more!

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It's certainly not easy. Writing and editing consumes many hours of time...and time can be hard to come by. Querying can also get tiring and disheartening. I've learned a lot, though, from both my work in the publishing world and from my own journeys publishing short pieces and writing for my home magazine.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Surround yourself with encouragers and writers! The life of an author is more often than not a life filled with rejection (unfortunately), so it's super helpful to have that ring of supporters who cheer you up and are struggling right alongside you. It's also very important to not give up--the people who get published are the people who persevered all the way to the end, no matter how long it took.

Tell us about your book/books:

I have two book projects in the works right now! One is a middle grade fantasy book called Twindlewood. It was originally published in a series of chapters (chapter per issue) for the kids' section in Hudsonville Living Magazine, and now I'm looking to publish it in book form. The story follows Cody and Emma who stumble across a powerful wand and a magical land called Lumina that is being terrorized by the evil Wolf King.

The other project is a YA fantasy book called Flight that will be the first book in The Land of Green and Gold Trilogy. This story follows Max, an enslaved magic-user, who escapes slavery when magic returns to the world and has to find a way to get back to his little sister whom he had to leave behind--all the while battling severe trauma and the racial stereotypes that come with being a dark magic user.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love how supportive writers and readers are in online communities! I've had several authors encourage me and give me advice, which is greatly appreciated.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

For readers who want to support their favorite authors: review, review, review. Posting reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, etc. is extremely helpful to authors, almost as much as actual book sales. Not only does it help an author gain visibility, it also boosts their confidence and reminds them why they began writing in the first place. And if you have some constructive feedback to give, that's totally fine! Just be gentle and understanding in the way you say it.

Where can people connect with you?

You can connect with me on Twitter (@Linnaeus_Sky) or Instagram (@linnae_writer). I'm also occasionally on Wattpad (@Linnaeus_Sky) and I do have a website where I post short pieces you can read for free and links to published works, but I haven't been updating it much recently due to being swamped with work (linnaekconkel.wixsitecom/the-writing-venture). Feel free to reach out! I love connecting with fellow readers and writers.