Catherine Hellens orders a chai latte and sits down in the corner of Writeblrcafé. She writes poetry and a book. Her favourite genres include fantasy, fiction, science-fiction and speculative fiction. We start chatting about her writing.
What got you into writing?
Being exposed to really excellent authors as a child and realizing that writing stories was something I could do! I was filling notebooks and tapping out on my mom’s computer from such an early age. I’ve always had ideas inside me, and as a kid inspiration came to me very easily and frequently.
What inspires you to write?
I get inspired by visuals, music, nature, and dreams, predominantly. Also, reading other excellent writers’ books encourages me to keep going.
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
Oh boy—themes are actually something I never set out to write specifically, but they do crop up in my works. The biggest and most common one is devotion—specifically, how much will you do for love. I’m a romantic at heart, and nearly all of my works have a love story or a variant of one at the heart. Questions of identity also arise from time to time. Who we are, who we’re perceived to be, who we become. But they are always unique to the characters and never intended to be messages.
How would you describe your writing style?
Romantic. Prosey. Lush, as overused as that word is now. I’ve had it described as vivid and cinematic; I like to paint pictures and I love love love details. Setting is incredibly important to me and one of the first things I think of when I begin writing or conceiving ideas, so it has a large feature.
How do you deal with writer's block?
I just have to trudge through it, really. Even if when I sit down to write, I only write a few hundred words or fewer, it’s still something, and eventually I’ll create the groove again. Going on walks and mulling everything over also helps a lot.
Do you have a wip? Tell us about it:
My current wip is a queer standalone adult speculative fiction novel called The Great Glavenisean Theater. It’s about a man named Morgan who comes to the City of Spires and ends up working at the titular theatre as a seamster, where there is an interdimensional portal in the belly of the stage that moves the shows through multiple planes during the performances. But there are weirder things going on in the theatre, and as Morgan investigates them, he begins to suspect the prima donna Ariel of the attempted sabotages of the portal, and suspects that maybe they aren’t like the rest of them. I’m currently doing minor edits on the first draft and will be looking for betas during the month of April!
Tell us more interesting stuff about you:
I live in New England with my queer platonic partner, whose writing I love more than anyone else’s in the universe. We have two stupid rag doll kitties named Eurydice and Napoleon, and I collect crystals and special editions of certain books I love. I have patience with temperamental printers and put up tapestries across ceilings, and I’ll be building a sofa soon when it arrives. I’m also a classically trained mezzo-soprano who misses singing in a choir and contents myself with my car instead. Also, I’m a Capricorn.
Thank you for the good talk and keep writing!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form by clicking on the link below. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Welcome to our digital interview! Thanks for trusting us. By filling in this form, you are allowing us to post all information as an intervi
The doorbell announces the next interview guest entering Writeblrcafé. It's writer J. Lynnell, who orders a chai latte. They write poetry, fanfiction and a book. Their favourite genres include fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, poetry, mystery, science fiction, historical fiction and paranormal.
What got you into writing?
It started when I was about 14 and I started writing Twilight and LoZ fanfiction in a notebook. Then I moved on to anime with Naruto and Inuyasha once I found FanFic (dot) net. For poetry I had my 10th grade English teacher who made us all submit poems into this contest and she told me that I had potential and that my imagery was vivid for poems.
What inspires you to write?
I'd love to say spite. Spite inspires me but so does my over active imagination. I usually write based off emotions and writing got me through some dark times my last two years of high school and the following years, so now I feel that writing is a safe way for my to sort through my emotions and process everything I have going on. I did not actually start writing full on original novels until about ten years ago with an idea that really didn't have an fruition for another five years, taking the leap from fanfiction to original novels came during a bad depressive episode and a bad relationship divorce where I hadn't read in a year and hadn't written for even longer, I just needed something comfortable and familiar. I had already devoured the ACOTAR series and the year after the novella had come out I needed more and read it over while reading ToG. I had read Heir of Fire and reread ACOMAF at the same time, and found myself crying from some of the scenes because it's refreshing to see characters work through their depression. It was at that point I decided that I wanted someone to read my work and think the same thing. That they picked up my book during an emotional time and it became the thing they latched on to. So I sat down and reintroduced myself to characters I hadn't thought of writing about for years.
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
I don't preset any themes but a lot of them show up as I write. Life and death are a big one along with found family. Loyalty and betrayal, good vs evil. Fate vs free will slash destiny are another big ones that I love to incorporate into most of my works. Loneliness was one but as I got older it switched from needing to find someone to now understanding the difference between being alone vs loneliness.
How would you describe your writing style?
I'd like to say it's very descriptive and heavy on narration. I try to evoke the senses to the best of my abilities and make readers feel along with my characters.
How do you deal with writer's block?
I am bad with writer's block, I usually take walks or showers when it impacts me in all areas of creativity. Though when it's just with one project I move to a different WIP that I have floating around. My way of dealing with writer's block is more than likely why I have so many projects.
Have you already published your writing?
I have I have three poems published in a horror zine.
Do you have a wip? Tell us about it:
I have five projects that I am actively working on, one has two parts which go together: This Dark And Divine Place and Children of Ruin. TDADP is about the underlying tension of war between the Fae born Hunters and Vampyres. (read more under the cut)
Rashka who's the younger sister of the empress of the last Vampyre empire and Bahram a merc hired to protect her as all the Vampyre clans are called to gather after the murder of an entire clan. On the way to the summit she is kidnapped and Bahram has to go after her, for his own reasons he would be inclined to leave the Vampyre but with his life tied to her own if harm befalls her then he's doomed too. What was supposed to be an easy mission for the banished Fae ends up a life or death situation between them both. CoR is the sequel series, where as TDADP isn't supposed to be a will they or won't them because Rashka and Bahram's relationship is by design of the Gods. CoR follows their five children who have to deal with the aftermath of not only the Gods cursing their parents but also the oncoming end of the world. CoR was started as the project I had for many years but then along the way I decided that I wanted to tell the parents' story first. Both are Dark Fantasy. Project "Two" is From Ashes and Dust it centers around Alexia a super soldier in hiding who gets mixed up in the investigation of a grisly string of murders from former soldiers, her plans to stay on the downlow and just work for hire as a black market merc are ruined when Leon and his partner Jade catch her breaking into a suppressant bank and question her. FAAD is a wonderful mix of dystopian and cyberpunk. Project "Three" is Laws Of The Songbirds where Savina Starling the sole surviving member of the Starling family forces the 6 other families to gather so she can find why her family was slaughtered. What the other families come to find out is that her family was sacrificed to summon a devil and that devil has grown very attached to the young woman who bound herself to him. LotS is a dark urban fantasy. "Four" is The Vanity Of Ghosts it centers around three characters Evelynn, Reyes, and Hector as a historical paranormal romance thriller. Evie is a clairvoyant detective employed by the local police and she has to investigate a murder at the opera, her new partner Reyes is back from bereavement leave after the death of his younger brother. Both only have Hector as their lead, the costar and on stage love interest of the murdered woman. This work does have a poly relationship (as will CoR). The "fifth" and final project is Wicker Hearts which is an Anastasia inspired retelling with monsters where Brooke Rivers, after living in banishment for a few years when his uncle exiled him after the death of his family, decided that instead of taking over the throne when his uncle dies he's going to convince the heir of the family his own parents overthrew to rule. In order to find this family he employs a little rag tag crew and runs into a young woman, Julian, who has lived all her life outside the city in the forest of the old gods and their monsters. This project is leaning more towards Dark Fantasy too.
You can tell us more interesting stuff about you here:
I am a queer nonbinary writer of color who lives in the middle of nowhere Midwest where we are known for having the largest rail yard in the world. I was a miracle baby born at 27 weeks and spite has kept me going for nearly 3 decades now. I cook and bake in some of my off time but mainly work on digital art, perform one person musicals in my bedroom, and collect pins, pressed leaves, special edition books, and tarot decks. I have a morkie named Feyre who has adopted my mom and her dog Addy. Along with being an Aries and working an ungodly amount of customer service jobs.
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form by clicking on the link below. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Welcome to our digital interview! Thanks for trusting us. By filling in this form, you are allowing us to post all information as an intervi
Lucifer orders a tea and sits down in the corner of Writeblrcafé. They write poetry and poetic prose. Their genres include fantasy and nonfiction. We start chatting about their writing.
What got you into writing?
I liked to write poems as a kid, but school ruined that for me. then I flopped into a community of artist over on tapas and it kinda rekindled my love for writing.
What inspires you to write?
I really don't know. Things that I saw, random thoughts that I had, writing prompts.
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
Incoherent introspection, sometimes fantasy.
How would you describe your writing style?
Dependent on my mood, mostly free verse but not exclusively.
How do you deal with writer's block?
Do twenty squats or something of the sort, and maybe write a haiku. Haikus are short and considering their rules they get me into the right head spaces for the future. They also get me over that itch to write when I'm not able to. And a small workout just feels great.
Do you have a wip? Tell us about it:
Lucifer declined to answer this.
Have you already published your writing? Include a link to your published work so we can share it.
One of my poems got published in a small magazine: https://wildlitmag.wordpress.com/cant-go-mad-twice-by-nikola-druzeta/ and I have an E-book: https://poetrycorner.creator-spring.com/listing/things-i-think-and-do?product=1227
You can tell us more interesting stuff about you here:
I graduated from university last year with a degree in IT. I have a black belt in Judo. I live on a farm, and I love folk metal.
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form by clicking on the link below. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Welcome to our digital interview! Thanks for trusting us. By filling in this form, you are allowing us to post all information as an intervi
Digital interview with Arista Holmes @author-a-holmes
Arista Holmes comes into Writeblrcafé and orders a coffee. With a hot mug of coffee in hand, they sit down on a bench. We start talking about their writing journey. They are currently writing a book and sometimes flash fiction in their favourite genres fantasy and fiction.
What got you into writing?
Honestly, I don't truly know. I've been telling stories since my earliest memories, so around the age of 2, where I'd pull out old second hand toys and use them as characters. The first time I remember actually writing down one of my stories, I was about 7 or 8, and wrote a story for class called "Rosie the Rabbit Goes On An Adventure".
What inspires you to write?
I get my inspiration from all over the place. Observing the world. An interesting character trait. Overheard snippets of conversation. But what usually starts an idea is something that makes me wonder: "What if... XYZ happened?"
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
Slow burn romance, found family, and protagonists getting into more trouble than they know how to handle alone!
How would you describe your writing style?
Oooh, that's a tough one. I know how I hope my style comes across; clear, fun, whimsical, realistic. But whether I successfully pull that off? I think that's up to the readers to decide.
How do you deal with writer's block?
Depends on the source of the block. The first thing I usually try is stepping away from the manuscript for a couple of days in case it's the start of burn out. If I recover quickly, that's usually what it was, and I can get back to work. If I'm still feeling blocked a couple of days later, that tells me there's something wrong with the manuscript. I've gone wrong somewhere, and need to tweak something. I'll usually read back over the current chapter, or if I'm near the start of the previous chapter, and see if I can spot where I went off the tracks. As a last resort, I'll rewrite the previous chapter from another point of view. More often than not, this trick solves my block, either because it's given me a different perspective on the scene, or because it's just managed to get the words flowing for me again.
Do you have a wip? Tell us about it:
I do! My current work in progress is called 'Darkling' and it's book two of my debut series, The Fey Touched Trilogy. Book one launched last month, and is available at all the major stores e-book stores, and as a paperback and hard cover via Amazon.
Have you already published your writing?
Changeling (book 1 of the Fey touched trilogy)
You can tell us more interesting stuff about you here:
I'm an English writer living in the south-east of England. When I'm not cuddling my demon cat, or drinking coffee, I'm usually writing, reading, or playing computer games to relax.
Thank you for the good talk and keep writing!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form by clicking on the link below. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Welcome to our digital interview! Thanks for trusting us. By filling in this form, you are allowing us to post all information as an intervi
Charlie sits down at a table in Writeblr Café and orders a cup of coffee. After a few sips, we start chatting about their writing. They like to write prose, fanfiction, short stories and flash fiction. Charlie's favourite genres include fiction, fantasy, romance and historical fiction.
Their current historical wip is titled "The soldier has boobs". It is about Phillipa "Pipa" Shaw, the daughter of King Rowan and Queen Christine and the heir to the throne of the Tchuvoman Kingdom. She dresses up as a boy, her secret identity is Phillip - the kitchen help. She stumbles upon a retired soldier who teaches her how to duel and sword-fight, thinking she is a boy ... eventually Pipa and this mysterious soldier fall in love!
What got you into writing?
I started as a kid. I had and still have a very vivid imagination and like to daydream.
What inspires you to write?
Words. And how a person can make them sound so beautiful. Also escapism. It's my coping mechanism.
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
A tragedy of dead parents/orphans. The angst of lovers.
How would you describe your writing style?
I aim for emotions. I want people to feel what I felt while writing it.
How do you deal with writer's block?
I try not to force myself.
Thank you for this wonderful interview!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form by clicking on the link below. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Welcome to our digital interview! Thanks for trusting us. By filling in this form, you are allowing us to post all information as an intervi
A. sits down at a table in Writeblr Café and orders a beer. We start talking about their writing. They write poetry, prose and any thoughts or feelings that linger in them. They also write fantasy and romance!
What got you into writing?
"It's such a hard to believe story, but one of my friends gifted me a beautiful diary and it was through that diary I inculcated the habit of writing everything down. With time, I developed a love for writing on any possible thing."
What inspires you to write?
"My heart, the constant state of living makes us go through so much and that so much is what makes us feel, think, act and I just pen that all down."
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
"My writing majorly reflects the depth and dimensions of emotions, feelings and our thoughts which gives it a theme of depth.“
How would you describe your writing style?
"I write what I feel so for me my writing is half my heart being described in the beauty of words, but the style I write in always has a deeper meaning to it, which further resonates with people like me who are lost, healing, trying and living.“
How do you deal with writer's block?
"I write mostly when I feel a lot or just to say when I'm falling apart. I frequently post on my Tumblr blog and whatever I post resonates with some people in the Tumblr community."
Have you already published your writing? Include a link to your published work so we can share it.
“No.” But you can read more of their work by checking out their blog!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
RM sits down at a table in Writeblr Café and orders a tea. We start talking about her writing. She writes poetry and prose, and writes a lot of romance!
What got you into writing?
"The noises in my head. Writing for me started as a way of unraveling the chaos created by my mind."
What inspires you to write?
" Everything and nothing at all."
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
"Love.“
How would you describe your writing style?
" Amateur, flowing.“
How do you deal with writer's block?
"I read and read and read. Also music helps."
Have you already published your writing? Include a link to your published work so we can share it.
"No." But you can find their work on their page!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
Madame L. sits down at a table in Writeblr Café and orders a chai latte. We start talking about her writing. She writes poetry, fan fiction, short stories and a book! Her writing includes many genres, including from fantasy, romance, thriller, crime, mystery, paranormal and realitic fiction.
What got you into writing?
When I was in 6th grade, one of my teachers created an assignment where we would have to choose a poem to memorize. She had a box full of poetry books and allowed us to sift through them. I chose a book of poems by Edgar A. Poe, and was immediately captivated by his use of metaphor and imagery. His words transported me directly into the heart of his emotions, and I couldn't tear myself away. I learned and memorized all 3 1/2 pages of The Raven for the assignment, and I realized in the process of doing so that writing was calling to me in a form it never had before. I answered the call and I have been writing ever since, never forgetting the author who started it all. I try to pay little tributes to him throughout a lot of my horror/thriller pieces.
What inspires you to write?
The simplest answer is the truest in this case: my emotions. I can't properly put words to paper (or screen, in most instances these days) without some kind of emotional investment in what I am penning. What I am feeling at the time decides which genre I take hold of, and it often decides which character I decide to focus more deeply on for the time being. It also can help decide what part of a story I write; for example, if I am feeling down and I know that my character is going to feel the same way at some point in the story, I use that state of being to encompass that character's pain in a more raw and evocative way. Even if I haven't reached that part of the story yet in my continuity writing, I may skip ahead to write that scene and then put it to the side until I am ready to insert it into the full context of the plot.
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
Loneliness is a big one, as well as a desire to be understood. I feel these emotions very strongly in my life, so they often appear in my characters in one way or another. Strength of self is another very important characteristic that tends to show up in my stories, as well as the not-so-graceful intensity that comes with such a strong energy.
How would you describe your writing style?
I feel as though my writing style leans towards narrative pretty often. I go into detail about the descriptors of a person and place and situation more than anything else. You'll usually find little dialogue, but a lot of metaphor and chroniclization.
Have you already published your writing?
Sadly, I have not. However, I am currently working on a novella that I hope to publish upon completion!
Tell us more interesting stuff about you!
Interesting stuff? Wow, you're really making me think now. The most basic knowledge about me is my ridiculously intense love of Halloween, fall, and anything cosy. I am a bona fide coffee addict (there is a crazy story behind this well-earned title, but I believe it's a bit too long to tell here), I am single (against my will), and I have two cats. I am pretty much the little eccentric cat lady down the street that makes hot chocolate for everyone when it's cold out. I am more sarcastic than is good for me -- if you had not already discerned that much from... Well, everything above, and I am a redhead, which I feel like pretty much just explains my whole personality in a better way than I could with descriptors. Thank you for creating this survey and opening it up to all writers! I genuinely enjoyed going through these questions and talking about what I feel makes me a writer, and I'm sure others will feel the same!
Get interviewed by Writeblr Café!
Any writer can participate. Just fill in this form. Maybe we will host interviews in an audio format if you are more interested in listening to an interview than reading it.
