I haven't had a chance to read this beautiful book yet, but I'm excited to. Brand new author, Janilise Lloyd is here to chat today, and her story, The Whisperer's Wish, looks absolutely wonderful. So, sit down and stay a few minutes to get to know Janilise and her new story. Janilise, congrats on your first book release! You say you never thought you'd end up an author, so what changed your plans? What first encouraged you to pursue writing? As a kid and teenager, writing was never something I considered doing for fun. As far as I knew, it was just something I used for classes in school. But I have always loved to read, and though I didn’t recognize it when I was young, I also loved storytelling. I used to make up little stories when I was cleaning or on long road trips with my family. When I was in my early twenties, my husband had a different work schedule than me, so I often had evenings to myself. A story idea came to mind and I decide—purely for the fun of it—I’d try writing it down. That’s when my foray into the writing world began. That story grew and changed. I began to see writing as a hobby and then something I sincerely wanted to pursue. My love for it has only grown since then. Your enthusiasm for helping young people write is beautiful. What is your best tip for younger people hoping to write? My best tip is to give yourself quiet time to be alone with your own thoughts. In today’s world, the options for consuming other people’s creations are endless. But you’ll never truly create something of your own until you give yourself the time to be with your own imagination. While other people’s creations can serve as a spring board or inspiration for your own ideas, don’t let them crowd out the time you can take to develop your own. While in the beginning stages of writing, you have to let your own creative self take control. Write what you think makes a great story and forget about all the other pressures and distractions. Of all the genres you could have chosen to write, you chose fantasy. What made you lean toward that niche? I love writing fantasy because there’s so much freedom in it. I can create absolutely anything I want. I’m not bound by the laws and rules of this world, and for me, that embodies a lot of what reading is all about. It’s an escape into the impossible. I love creating worlds that readers want to get lost in. What was the hardest part of creating your own world in your book? It takes me a lot of time to develop a world. I’m very much a discovery writer when it comes to world building. I usually start with a basic premise of an idea and it grows and blossoms as I go. So the hardest part is knowing just how much writing I’m going to end up throwing away through drafts and revisions. Is one of your characters more like you than any of the others? In what way? There are similarities between myself and the female main character, Laurelin. The biggest similarity is that we’re both motivated by family. She’s desperate to save her dying little brother and goes to extraordinary lengths to try and help him. In the same way, there’s not much I wouldn’t do to help one of my own family members who need me. But we’re also very different. Laurelin is braver and better at speaking her mind than I am. That’s a common trend I’ve found in my own writing. I tend to write my female leads with some of the characteristics I wish I had. You say you're a big fan of sweets (I am too). Do you have a favorite or a go-to you crave more often than others? I love ALL the sweets, so it’s hard to choose. But I do think I can narrow it down to three favorites: cinnamon rolls, banana bread, and sugar cookies. And now I need to get up and find myself a snack. Last, but not least, can you leave us with something about yourself that very few people know? Whenever I’m asked this question, I’m forced to confront how incredibly boring I really am. Haha So don’t count on any life-altering secrets being revealed, but here are a few tidbits. Despite my short height of five-foot-two, I played volleyball in high school, I enjoy running half marathons, and I can wiggle my ears. And finally—this can’t fly under the radar for too much longer anyway—I am pregnant with my second baby, due early September. Yay! Wow! I'm thrilled to be one of the ones you choose to share that news with first! Sounds like lots of excitement in your future. Thanks for stopping by to chat with us. And for you readers, keep going to find out more about her story as well as how to keep up with Janilise. The Whisperer's Wish For sixteen years, Laurelin Moore has been keeping a secret. She is a whisperer, and she knows that to reveal her gift now is a dangerous risk. Past whisperers have been exploited for their power. But Ausland’s queen is dead and acknowledging her magic is her only chance at becoming a Rook in the Pentax—a competition that will decide the kingdom’s next ruler. Laurelin isn’t in it for the crown, though. She’s after the wish that will be granted to the victor. A wish that would save her dying brother, Pippin. But there are dangerous undercurrents to the competition, and Laurelin finds herself at the center of it. She begins to search for answers and discovers a secret with the potential to shatter the entire kingdom. Janilise Lloyd is a former junior high school teacher who lives in Northern Utah with her husband and toddler. She balances a love for running with a love for all things dessert. Her family likes to be on the go, so you will often catch them at the zoo, the park, or skipping rocks by the river. Janilise is the coordinator for the ScrivKids writing community for student writers and is a member of the Storymakers Guild. You can find her on Instagram or Facebook @janiliselloyd or on her website, janiliselloyd.com.
Links: Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon. com/dp/B0BV92BBTV Website: https://janiliselloyd.com/ BookBub: https://www.bookbub. com/authors/janilise-lloyd Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/author/ janiliselloyd Goodreads: https://www. goodreads.com/author/show/ 18965277.Janilise_Lloyd?ref= nav_profile_l Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/janiliselloyd/ Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/janiliselloyd/
1 Comment
4/3/2023 09:16:49 am
So exciting! Oh, and the book sounds good, too. Just kidding. I plan to share this with friends who love fantasy books. I love that you emphasize the importance of family. Best wishes all around!
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