BrittneyDennis is the author of our June Book of the Month - Flutter by, Butterfly.

Diana: Hello and welcome. Thank you for being here. Today's interview will be mostly about your story "Flutter by, Butterfly" but before we'll get to writing and your story, tell us about yourself. Anything you are comfortable sharing.

Brittney: Hi. :) Very humbled to be here. I am a married mother of three. Always was the creative type. Always was a day dreamer. I suppose you could blame it on ADD. I don't really like that it's considered a "disorder." I think society at large is guilty of putting everyone is a cookie cutter shape, rather than accepting we all have our unique gifts and talents to offer. To daydream can be a wonderful thing when it is properly honed.

Diana: I couldn't agree more. How do you juggle family life and writing? 

Brittney: Some days are more difficult than others, that's for sure. Motherhood is a full-time gig that lasts a lifetime. Wouldn't change it for the world. But writing and the whole creative process is a part of my soul. Hard to explain, but you find balance and work it out. You really have to prioritize and say "this is more important and this can wait," and that list may change from day to day, and that's okay. I've learned to roll with the storms rather than flay against them.

Diana: What made you start writing in the first place?

Brittney: I got tired of all these unwritten stories just sitting in my head. Been a Wattpad reader before I began writing. Admitted back in my early 20's to my parents I was thinking about doing something like this. I was told just because so and so wrote a book and never got anything out of it, "What makes you think you will be able to do anything?" I hope anyone reading this, and going through the same thing I did, follows this example and takes the wheel in your own hands. You don't need anyone else's approval to shine. And even if nothing comes out of it, I challenge you to "sail my vessel, til the river runs dry." One of my favorite songs for my kids to listen to. I hope they take that with them in adulthood.

Diana: Talking about Wattpad. How did you find out about it and how's your Wattpad experience so far?

Brittney: I got bored one day and felt like reading. Didn't have the cash to buy, didn't have the gas to leave either. Found several free reading sites, but I kept gravitating back to Wattpad. I very much enjoyed the interaction with people. The community itself just encourages you to sit back and relax a little in a fast-paced world.

Diana: Do you have a favorite writer, on Wattpad? If not, who inspires you?

Brittney: I have several writers I admire and follow. Managed to make some friends with some very talented ladies from the chic lit nest, and already read several of their books. Currently reading the story, "Bae Boy." If somebody took these ideas and brought them to fruit, it would be life-changing.  

But my first completed tale from Wattpad ever, was "A Different Virus-Heartfire," by CrystalScherer.  I had so much fun reading this story. Diane was so sassy. And I had even more fun with the sequel told through young Laura's eyes. We would react the scenes with the kids, and I had a very good knack for playing the part when Laura's mother turned. Apparently a little too well. All the kids, mine, my nieces, the girl down the street, the boy across town, apparently they will do very well in a zombie apocalypse, as I learned from that day they have the capability to run off without a sound and pack themselves into very small spaces. I did not even know that our closet was capable of holding that many people in there. 

 I'm also an Aaron_Ledgers fan. I've read quite a bit of her works. I admire her dedication to this craft, even as she battles ill health, and even more ill memories of past abuse. I hope things go well for her.

Diana: As do I. What inspired you to write about The Monarch Project topic?

Brittney: My husband enjoys a good conspiracy story. He was watching one of those random videos on youtube. I'm certain that these videos had stated here and there that they were based for entertainment purposes only for a reason, but it had celebrities and news anchors that were very well known shown as different examples of the Monarch Project. 

 There were "sex kittens," where a pop star in the middle of an interview, got this seductive smile from a flash of light, and then began to take off her shirt right there in front of the audience and show host. 

 The news anchor, he heard a key phrase from another reporter, and he just blanked out for a very long time. This was an example used for "libraries," people that would be put in a trance, and then hold key information without even being aware of it, and then being put in a trance at any time to extract that information. 

 There was also a story of a woman that came from a rough family growing up, and not a very good father. Ended up marrying a man just like him, whom she later divorced and joined the military. She was, according to this story, one of the first volunteers of the Monarch Project. It was observed that this machine gave her an altered personality, one that was eventually trained to become a very highly efficient assassin. It was not until after she retired that her altered memories slowly began to surface. 

 I later had a dream of Alejandro and Jani, and decided to roll with it.

Diana: The story contains some very difficult subjects, I imagine the research took you quite some time. What was the most interesting thing you've learned while exploring all those dark themes?

Brittney: Yes, I suppose it did take some time. A lot of these things were based on facts that I found interesting and my mind had collected over a period of many years. I suppose that's just how the subconscious works. 

 Some of the things that I thought about from this story, was from the movie Sybil: a young woman diagnosed with a personality disorder, and raised by a neglectful father and a schizophrenic mother. She lived in a time period where her behavior was written off as "a typical woman," and it was a female psychiatric doctor that was able to diagnose her. She was also the only one that paid attention enough to notice the difference. When Sybil died, several paintings in very unique styles were found. It was deduced that they were made by several different artists.....with the same hand.

Diana: Fascinating. I love very much the "Flutter by, Butterfly" play of words. I didn't pay attention to the title much until the words were first said in the story. Their impact on me was much stronger than I anticipated. How did you come up with this code? And all the other key sentences for the project for that matter?

Brittney: That's a very good question. But when you think about it, when anyone thinks about a butterfly, we automatically think of their wings. Wings were made to flutter and fly, and symbolize freedom; but their beauty works against them, causing others to want to possess them. "Fun in the sun," I'm sure we have all heard that at one time or another, and know exactly what that implies.

Diana: Certainly. In your story, Jani grows up in luxury. Though she can have everything, she craves the one thing the money can't buy, human connection. I loved that about the story. Was it a conscious decision to put her in the golden cage of misery? 

Brittney: Well, given that this story was all based on a dream, I would have to say no. But I have always believed that "gold is cold," so to speak, and the "hearts of gold" are the real treasures of the world. People tend to forget that. Maybe because the majority find it too heavy to carry in their own chest. Gold is indeed heavy, and easily cut, being one of the softest metals of the world; but it's also a metal that never tarnishes, even when left alone and unpolished, it shines.

Diana: That's a beautiful comparison. I asked that way because you've told me while I bombarded you with my questions that you often leave your characters to do their thing. How much of the story was planned and how much was just your characters living their lives?

Brittney: Oh it was definitely a play by play of them doing their thing. There were so many twists and turns, that not even I saw many of them coming, and I even dreamed it before I wrote it! And you didn't "bombard" me. :) I enjoyed the interaction.

Diana: I'm happy to hear that :) Who was your favorite character to write and why?

Brittney: Jani and Alejandro are a given, but I very much enjoyed writing about Maria. I kept imagining a lovely woman I know personally. She's had her own rough moments, but much stronger than people will ever know.  

Diana: Many writers put some part of themselves into their characters. Is there anything you and Jani have in common? Or is there another character in your story you can relate to? 

Brittney: I find myself a lot in Jani, in prioritizing relationships over material things, and finding more joy in my own company or a select few, rather than surround myself with people that pretend to. Alejandro I believe, is an anomaly that stems from my Cherokee roots. There is a saying among Cherokee men, that "A mans highest calling is to protect the woman, and see to it that she walks this Earth unharmed." A man that cannot even protect a woman from himself is not a man at all. He's not even considered human. There needs to be more men like that.

Diana: Amen to that! What kind of stories do you like to read?

Brittney: EVERYTHING! I've read some real-life classics: Huckleberry Fin, The Old Man and the Sea, Robin Hood, Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Sea Wolf, The Mountains of Allah, Frankenstein, The Lost Horizon. Read some sci-fi stories that were given to me by my Uncle. Read "Tales from Arabian Nights," and got to read all about Sin Bad the sailor and his adventures. Have several Bibles I've read through just to note if there were any differences. When I get my hands on books of other religions, I'll look forward to reading them. I also read quite a few romance novels back when I was single and didn't have any romance of my own. 

 On Wattpad....Oh, good grief. My library is so full and I have already gone through so much, even after making a point not to add any more. I am still needing to take the time off to finish reading "The Divine Comedy." Same old song, "Not enough hours in the day." In all honesty, though, I don't think I'll ever be able to stick with just one thing for too long. I enjoy variety. I don't even like having to cook the same thing if I don't have to.

Diana: I know what you mean :) monotony is tiring. Thank you again for your time. Lastly, is there anything you would like to tell our readers?

Brittney: Thank you for reading. Thank you for being here, and never stop dreaming.

https://youtu.be/9bAoq7k3tZ0

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This review was written by Rasha007. Should you have any questions, please tag her.