Let's start off with something simple. Who are you?
I'm aspiring author, Demitria Lunetta. I'm represented by Katherine Boyle of Veritas Literary and we'll be submitting my first manuscript to publishers as soon as I finish my line edit.
Could you tell us a little bit about your work in progress?
My current WIP is In the After, a YA Dystopian novel. The hook line from my query sums up the premise pretty well:
Amy has not spoken in three years. Not since They arrived; creatures with incredible hearing, amazing swiftness, and a taste for human flesh. They hunt by sound and Amy has learned to survive in a world of silence.
What is the first story you remember writing? What was it about?
We had to write a story in fourth grade about a wish. I decided my MC would wish for green hair (because that was secretly my wish). I had so much fun writing that story, I got a bit carried away with the plot. By the end, my poor MC was kicked out of school, grounded, and completely miserable.
Are you more of a “plotter” or a “pantser”?
Both. I always have a skeleton of what I want from a manuscript, but I've discovered that my characters sometimes have other plans.
All writers need encouragement. Who first encouraged you to write, and who is it that encourages you today?
I've been very lucky to have extremely supportive family and friends. It always helps when someone believes in you, even when you don't believe in yourself.
Which authors have had a significant influence on your writing?
I love Margaret Atwood. I read The Handmaid's Tale in fifth grade and was amazed at the world Atwood created. It seemed so real. I also love Garth Nix, Nancy Farmer, and China Mieville.
What music, if any, do you enjoy listening to while you write?
I don't listen to music while I write, but I usually have the T.V. on for background noise.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses as a writer?
I think my greatest strength is my imagination and how vividly I can picture characters and places. My greatest weakness is writing romantic scenes. They always come out soap opera-y at first.
What do you hope to achieve with your writing?
I want to write. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do. Being published and well-known would be nice, but I really just want to be respected as a writer.
What was once traditionally a print medium is now rapidly branching out into many digital formats. What do you think of this trend?
I think it's great. I prefer "real" books, but I'll get behind anything that gets people excited about reading. I love the fact that you can grab your e-reader (or phone) and read almost any book available.
What was the last sentence that you had to re-read over and over again because of its awesomeness? What struck you about it?
I'm more of a big picture kind of girl and I tend to reflect on themes rather than individual sentences. I just finished reading Epitaph Road where almost all of the human male population has been wiped out by a deadly virus. It has a lot to do with human nature and our need to destroy, but also our want to create.
What book(s) have you recently read that you would recommend to the readers of this blog?
So many...and they're all YA sci-fi/fantasy. I just read Paranormalcy and loved it. Epitaph Road was great. Shipbreaker, Ash, and The Sky Inside, all very good.
What advice do you have for other aspiring authors out there?
Don't give up. It's as simple as that.
An apocalypse destroys the entirety of human literature, apart from the work of three authors that you can magically save with your wizardry – what do you save from imminent destruction?
Think I mentioned them above...but Margaret Atwood, Garth Nix, and Nancy Farmer. Sorry China...if only I could save four!
Our time is at an end. For our curious readers, how can we follow your progress?
My blog is demitrialunetta.blogspot.com and I post Mon, Wed, Fri, though you can find me lurking around the blogosphere on almost any day.
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