Meet The Authors Showcase Edition #2 (2 of 3)

A showcase with @LBellBooks, author of Entangled

1 what inspired the idea of your story? 

Entangled is the epitome of an awesome dream turned book. Though I've written several books based on dreams, this dream was, by far, the most shocking dream I have ever had. It was like watching a movie from start to finish. 

 It felt like a mundane dream throughout, but then something happened at the end that had my subconscious jaw literally on the floor (Okay, so a subconscious jaw can't 'literally' be on the floor, but work with me here ;) ). I was beyond shocked, and when I woke up, I knew that I had a really fantastic story on my hands. I also thanked God, because I knew there was no way my mind came up with that dream. I felt he had given me a little present.  

2 what was something you struggled with for your story?

The struggle was, part of what made the dream so incredible was that I had no clue something incredible was coming. So I wanted to stay true to that set-up. I want the reader to truck along, believing they are reading a somewhat normal book (there are strange things throughout, but nothing like what happens in the final two chapters), and then to have their minds completely blown, as mine had been, because they can not believe how it all turns out. 

 3 what has been the overall response to your story from your readers?

I have passed this book through several beta readers' hands and the response has been fantastic. One sent me a full-page email, expressing how grateful they were to have the chance to read it as it was far better than any binge-watching they'd been doing as of late. "A highly entertaining read!" "Twisted!" and, "I did NOT see the ending coming!" have been some of the exact responses. The fun thing about the book is, I've had 16-year-olds read it all the way up to 85-year-olds, and each found it highly entertaining, so it is a book that men and women, old and young, have all found highly entertaining (a first for me as I usually write for a younger female audience.) 

 4 what did you enjoy writing most of your story?

I absolutely loved, loved, loved writing this story. I loved the twisted, strange characters Easter and Earl. I loved delving into the dysfunctional relationship of their downstairs neighbors Chrissy and Matt. I love that there are no black and white, good and bad characters (aside from Matt. We can all agree he just needs to go! Maybe not the way he did. But he was just horrible). But mostly, the characters are multifaceted, and you can understand what drives them, even when they make choices that are obviously wrong. But it will forever be the ending of this story that had me so eager to write it, complete it, and give it my all. Just as it was in my dream, the ending of Entangled it is so twisted, completely unexpected, and fun *by fun read 'jaw-dropping, sick, and shocking' ;)*

 5 is your story a stand alone novel or a piece of a series?

It is a standalone novella. Although Entangled is complete at 90 pages, it packs a real punch. I don't like to play (write) by rules -- I don't like to stretch writing out to meet a specific word count. I write the story as it should be told and let the word/page count lie where it lies at the end of it all. 

 6 what would you like your readers to take away from your story? 

I would like them to be completely floored, to have their minds blown, and to just feel super entertained by the end of it all, as I was.

7 what advice would you provide to fellow writers, when it comes to focusing on their one story?

I do get ideas for other books while I'm in the middle of writing sometimes, and it's hard not to get pulled away. I have a separate google doc, where I write down those ideas to store away for another time. I also find it helps me to have an end goal always in sight for my WIP. I like to have an outline for my books and try to write a chapter by chapter summary outline for my books before I start the writing process. I know how I want the story to end, and I keep my eye on achieving that ultimate end goal. I think it's easy to not complete a story and just flit from one idea to the next if you don't have a somewhat solid idea of the beginning, middle, and end to your WIP. 

 8 does main character of your story share any similarities to yourself? 

Oh man, with how twisted the characters in Entangled are, I sure hope not. Haha! Unfortunately, Matt and Chrissy's unhealthy relationship was inspired by an actual couple that I know. It was hard to watch that type of relationship unfold in real life, and writing it was somewhat daunting because I know women do go through what Chrissy goes through; I've seen it firsthand.  

9 what's something about your story, you believe would draw in new readers? 

At first, Entangled might seem like an average, run of the mill story in some respects. But the promise that there is something lurking beneath, something that will, in the end, shock you, possibly traumatize you (as I felt after my dream), and definitely leave you wondering what. just. happened!?  

10 do you have any future projects?

Yes! I actually have a four-book romance series (SAVING JANE) that I plan to get up on Wattpad soon. I have another romance/slow-burn thriller, ESCAPE, currently in progress on Wattpad, and I have one more book, a sci-fi (yes, the ideas all came from dreams lol), that I have the rough draft written and just need to edit that I can't wait to get put up on the site. Once those are all set and finished, I have several more books ideas in my trusty google doc folder that I'm super excited to sink my teeth into -- one being fanfic for Twilight; an extension of Jacob and Renesme's relationship now that she's getting older...see what I did there -- 'sink my teeth into'...Twilight...get it?? Okay, I'm officially a dork. lol