This turn, we are meeting with one of the authors in the Relay who is also the graphic artist of the project...

Here is a teaser of the cover, though a work in progress, this is something for you to start picturing those characters you will meet along the story...

(credit: EvelynHail )

So, without further ado, let's meet Evelyn!

Writers' Relay:
It is a pleasure, Evelyn, to have you participating to the Writers' Relay event, and doubly as you are not only one of the authors collaborating but also a talented graphic artist!

Let's take this moment to learn a bit more about you, your writing journey, and your thoughts on Wattpad and the Writer's Relay event.

And here we start with some warm up questions:

What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad, and what do you like most about the platform?

Evelyn:
Andreas Seppi, the Italian tennis player!

What the heck, Evelyn, ye will say. What does an Italian tennis player have to do with Wattpad? Is there a juicy fanfic about him on the platform or something?

Nope, that's not it.

An eejit dared me to compose a 14 tennis matches betting ticket. We invested 100 euros and the potential win was 17000 euros.

17000 euros!
I can hear ye exclaim.

Yep, that's right. Not a cent mo, or a cent less.

13 tennis matches passed just as I predicted they would.

Stupid Andreas Seppi, my 14th match,i won the first set. He was winning the second set: 4:1. Ye can guess what happened.
The other lad turned it around to 7:4, and won the next three sets, making our betting ticket a FAIL *grrs*

I thought about that cashi for a month!

Then luckily "Dance of Dragons" came out, by G.R.R Martin, to distract me. What a timing too, dang ​​it, his books don't come out all that often :P

After completing the masterpiece, I thought: Holy shite this is good. Imma write a fanfiction about it.

Someone told me to post it on Wattpad.

But then I found a forum of A Song of Ice and Fire and instead of dedicating me time to registering on Wattpad, I registered on that forum.

End of story!

Erm, ye say, but didn't you just tell us that Andreas Seppi prompted you to start writing on Wattpad, Evelyn?

Oh yeah. In 2017, I saw the man again. It was on TV, by total accident. All of a sudden, all that rage from 2011 came back, and memories flooded me. I remembered how, six years ago, I was about to register on Wattpad and didn't.

Then I told meself: it's never too late!

Thanks Andreas Seppi! (Arsehole)

WR:
Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.

Evelyn:
Comping!

Nope, it does not mean computing aka sitting at me iMac. Although that can help quite a bit and make my harebrained brain focus :P.

It means: planning big comps for me booklets.

I mostly never try to write a book if I am not sure it's both my voice/style AND similar to something big in the genre that's already published.

Maybe Imma coward but I'm kind of "riding the wave" of pre-established marketability :(

So I love doing comping before I do the outline and character sheet.

I go like: Okay. If people loved... You Have Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, they would love Gappy!

Orrr if they loved Percy Jackson and Shadow and Bone, they would love Dana.

This kind of helps me stay motivated and keep creating.

I get that feeling that the book would have a big audience if ever published, because it would be stealing the fans from the previous bombastic franchises. :P

A fan Thieflyn, I am.

WR:
Which author has influenced your writing the most?

Evelynn:
Holy mackerel! That is a hard one. *grrs, hisses*

There have been so many. But I did notice a pattern in my reading likes.

I tend to adore trad-published middle grade and YA authors who create witty, humorous books full of action and adventure, with a dash of fantasy, magical realism or mythology.

Having read them all has certainly helped them set the tone, creativity and worldbuilding for my booklets.

They are a fearsome trio (not to be confused with a fearsome threesome :P) in no particular order:

*mini drumrollet, pls*

Dun, dun, duuunnnn!

Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, Sir Terry Pratchett!

WR:
Where, would you say, do you stand in your writing journey?

Evelyn:
I started writing super super late, but I think I've achieved a lot in the past five years, honestly.

In terms of Wattpad as a platform I managed to co-win an Open Novella Contest, shortlist in the Wattys twice, and just recently I was invited to Wattpad Creators Programme. It's the pinnacle of me writing success!

Truth be told, my dream is and still remains, traditional publishing. I am thrilled that I have received a lot of full manuscript requests for some of my books.

So far, no bites, sadly, but I hope an agent fish will swallow my hook one day :P *evil grin*

Oh and: what I love about my writing journey is that I am a fast drafter. I can write a first draft super speedily and I think this is a useful skill to have!

Of course I repetitively make a bazillion copy edit and developmental edit mistakes.

That is why, there is the editing stage, and all. But to edit, you need to have yer first draft already erected (like a tent :P)!

Recently I discovered that I also enjoy translating my work. At times it feels like a completely different beast!

WR:
Which of your own stories is closest to your heart?

Evelyn:
Gappy! <3

Of course. Duh!

What kind of question is that? Written by meself and my absolutely amazing co-writer Rainy (RainerSalt), it even has a cuddly preferential nickname, dontcha see? <3

Tis onna Germy Wattys2022 Shortlist and I am crossing me earlets, fingers, and hairs and all crossable body parts (I wish I was a contortionist) to see it WINNNN!

WR:
Share two Wattpad story recommendations. Include the usernames of the authors and why you enjoyed the stories.

Evelyn:
My absolute favorite book on the platform is The Egg at Dumstreet by a fantastic writer RainerSalt.

A must-read if you love mystery/thriller novels! <3

A genius mathematician, albeit a wallflower, Arthur Sharp is our hero. He is slowly turning into a Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz just as someone murders the egg on the stairs of a building where he lives in. You guessed right: Dumstreet!

Throughout the book, he braves the dreadful weather and awkward social situations to solve the murder and get close to his very own source of warmth. This is a story of love and finding your way back to yourself again, hidden beneath the surface of a murder case. <3

Rainy is a master plotweaver, worldbuilder, and a metaphor genius like no other I have ever read. Every afternoon before I make me cuppa of an Oirish tea cum milch, I take a look at the water-covered teabag and think how he, in this very book called it a sad, soaked toad <3

I also want to recommend a short story that has a beautisul cover "Save the Butterfly," by Jinnis!

The blurb says it all: "Working the night shift in the chocolate factory paid for my studies. But the old building kept a tragic secret... When I met the ghost haunting the production halls, I had no idea how much my life would change."

I identify so much with the last sentence she wrote: "Each spring, when the first flowers open their buds to the sun and butterflies flutter from blossom to blossom, I experience the pristine bliss of a lost soul given a second chance. And the child spirit hiding behind my eyes and I marvel together at the precious beauty of this world."

Once you start reading Jinni's books, ye shall never stawp!

WR:
What would be the perfect recipe for the next greatest novel of all time?

Evelyn:
-A mighty opening

-Satisfying, fitting style

-Powerful description

-Balanced showing and telling

-Diverse and developed protagonists

-Effective dialogue that characterizes each speaker well

-Own voice element

-Powerful, trendy theme

-Strong internal story logic

-A good balance of tension and release aka conflict and conflict resolution.

-Thorough editing process

-High marketability of the logline/concept the novel relies upon

-Heavy social network promotion

-Quite a bit of luck in reaching the agent/the audience

Wow, I guess I was really in a seriouslyn mode while I was answering this one xD Hu would have thunk it I had it in me?

WR:
What was your first thought when seeing the Writers' Relay call for participants, did you apply straight away or did you take time?

Evelyn:
Thought? Whas' a thought?

(Whas' fainting?)

I applied like 8 seconds after the call for participants was published!

I was a Speedy Gonzalez!
Quick Straw McGraw!

My mini formula one fingerlets dashed across my steampunk clacky keyboard!

WR:
hat do you hope to gain from collaborating with other writers on this Writers Relay initiative?

Evelyn:
Fun!

"When the working day is done

Girls

Just wanna have fuuunnnn

Oh girls

Just wanna haveee..."

Oh and self promotion :P There is an interesting cameo in chappy 6 which I am in charge of... Ye'll see...

*snickers evilly*

Some of my chappy parts occur in a cave in Serbia, so I am trying to force the innocent readers to go and visit it, and leave their hard earned cashi in me homeland xD

WR:
hat is your instrument in this philharmonic, and what kind of symphony will come out?

Evelyn:
Mine? Be ready to be amazed and fall on yer arse in surprise.

I'm dressed to impress.

An unheard of, rare and multicolored mythological bird who exists and does not at the same time.

A Schrödingerlyn.

Multiple girls in one, so it is only fitting that I can fulfill any role that is required of me.

Write!
Edit!
Illustrate!

Ye name it: I got it.

This is why I am this awesome steampunkish instrument no one has ever heard of: Wintergatan Marble Machine!
Imma winterborn lass afterall, plus, I tend to lose marbles along the way :P

Take a look at this alabaster beaut:

Just listen to me go:

https://youtu.be/IvUU8joBb1Q

This is a hand-cranked music box loaded with instruments including a circuit of 2,000 cascading steel marbles. As the device cycles it activates... Bazillion other instruments.

A vibraphone, bass, kick drum, cymbal etc, that play a score programmed into a 32 bar loop composed of LEGO technic parts.

The marbles are moved internally through the machine using funnels, pulleys, and tubes.

I'm like my own mini symphonic orchestra, and quite chameleonic. I assume the color of the rainbow that I need to assume.

I guess I am choranaptyxic: I grow or shrink in order to fit available space! Like the Occamy creature from Harry Potter.