Hello everyone and welcome to the first of what we hope to be many Author Spotlight! The riddle Chronicles is off to a great start and with the first round over, we have our first winner, Celandine. So, without further adu, the interview:

Ariana in blue
Tegs in Red

Ari:
hi

Tegs
'lo

Ari
ok, so congrats on winning round one eh?

Tegs
well cheers

Ari
So interview right. Um, first question; what made you want to write?

Tegs
for the competition or in general?

Ari
competition.

Tegs
Well I saw how much effort was being put into organizing it, and I was sort of procrastinating doing SS homework so I kind of thought, why not?

Ari
why not indeed, you did a great job on it

Tegs
teehee that's good to hear considering I didn't actually intend to enter. Procrastination FTW!

Ari
haha all our best works comes from procrastination. Have you been writing for long? Do you have anything written on SS?

Tegs
Well, yeah I've been writing my entire life. Quite literally. The first thing I ever wrote was a free-form poem when I was six and was supposed to be drawing a halloween picture. I picked up my crayons and went nuts. As for having anything written on SS, I don't actually. I originally joined because I was interested in fanfiction but then I got sucked into the RP in a big way. I do write for the school RPG yearbook though, and I have several pieces I'm contemplating posting up but so far it hasn't happened.

Ari
Wow, all your life? That's interesting, you got talent girl. You should definitely write something on SS, I know people will love it.

Tegs
Cheers

Ari
Are there any influences in your life that help you write? People, places etc.

Tegs
Everything and everyone. I think I could get inspiration from a dark room even. There is sooooo much to stimulate the imagination if you just lose yourself in it once in a while. Of course, reading a whole bunch helps too. I read more than I eat because my brain is more important to feed than my body is

Ari
That's very true. What books do you read most often?

Tegs
Firstly, I work in a bookstore, so I'll pick up pretty much anything and stick my nose in it. But I'm a complete fangirl for sci fi and fantasy. Fantasy in particular; Robin Hobb, David Gemmell, David Eddings, Valery Leith, Cecilia Dart Thornton, Joe Abercrombie, Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare... and I read my books on repeat. I'll lend them out, but I will CRY if they are returned dog eared or with the spine damaged in any way.

Ari
That's awesome, I'm jealous now. I'd love to work in a book store! Have you met any famous authors?

Tegs
YES! *relives the moment* John Marsden! He wrote the Tomorrow Series and I saw him on my birthday when the 7th book was released and he signed all my copies and it says 'HAVE AN EPIC BIRTHDAY!' He was so nice and interesting and it was pretty inspirational to hear him talk.

Ari
OMG go you! I love his work!

Tegs
I know! *fangirls*

Ari
*fansgirls with you*

Have you ever thought of getting some of your writing published?

Tegs
For sure, it is kind of my life goal. I'm not in any hurry, I'd like to be a career writer and student, I'd love to study etymology as well as anything else that can contribute to my writing even in the tiniest of ways. Yeah. Just sorta enroll in a bunch of random papers and live in my own fantasy world of writing, reading, learning and eating noodles.

Ari
What would you say is the hardest part of writing?

Tegs
The hardest part about writing is remembering to make time for Real life to happen. Eating noodles, sleeping, working for money, socialising, getting some sunshine. Yeah. Real life needs a pause button so I can write to my hearts content during the 'commercial breaks'.

Ari
I so know what you mean. We need at least 30 hours in a day now

Tegs
minimum. i'm thinking more like 94

Ari
ha! Which Harry Potter character do you love to write about the most?

Tegs
Ooooh. That's a hard one. I don't tend to write anything about the trio, unless it is in relation to one of the less developed characters. I generally go for Luna or Neville, Draco or Pansy or Blaise or Daphne, basically the ones that we get enough of in the books to see their personality flicker through. One of my favourite writing prompts is to choose a page in one of the books at random, write down all the characters in the scene, and rewrite it from the perspective of someone unexpected I guess I don't have a favourite exactly, I just like to challenge myself.

Ari
That's a good idea for a writing prompt, should try that one day. And it would make for an interesting competition for the FF forum.

Tegs
feel free to sponge off my brain goo anytime.

Ari
heehee will do Any aspects of the HP books you like, don't like? What would you change if you had the chance?

Tegs
Hmm. I really like her plot and character development, I think that is what makes the series come alive. And all that background she has created is just such a rich tapestry to work from, it's almost like she intended to create a world for RPers and Fanfic writers to play in. As for what I don't like, I'm not a huge fan of Harry, though he grows on me a bit toward the end of the series. I don't like the way we miss so much because of what he doesn't see or notice or think of as significant. But in saying that, I wouldn't really change anything and that's because both the reasons I like and dislike the series are the exact reasons it makes such a great back drop for us to imagine our own stories.

Ari
Very nice way of thinking. If you could ask JK Rowling one question, what would it be?

Tegs
I'd ask her if she ever got stuck with her writing, and if she did, how did she overcome it?

Ari
Nice one, I'd like to know that too.

Have you read any bad books that made you want to scream?

Tegs
As in badly written? *eyes the rabid fangirls and lifts chin in challenge* The twilight series. I have people coming in to my work and asking for it every day and I try soooo hard to get them to go for Cassandra Clare or Melissa Marr instead. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the concept of the Twilight series, but the execution is terrible. It's propaganda and its commercialised and it makes me want to do more than scream I tell you.

Ari
Don't worry I won't say anything, it's your opinion everyone should respect that

Tegs
LOL well, I'd happily debate the finer points with anyone who wishes to take issue with my opinion

Ari
LOL Do you keep a journal for ideas at work or when you're outside enjoying the sunshine?

Tegs
I have a problem with journals. I buy pretty ones all the time and never want to use them. So I tend to use scrap paper and a clearfile folder instead. There is one neat thing about using scrap paper, each piece tells its own story about how and where and when I wrote on it, sometimes that can help me build the idea even more.

Ari
sprap papers are very useful. Do you keep them in alphabetical order or random?

Tegs
I keep them ordered chronologically just like my dvd and cd collection.

Ari
Awesome. Well, that's all the questions I have for today, thanks for being such a good sport

Tegs
okie dokie. Anything else and just jab me on repeat, but no sporks, flaming or otherwise mmkay?

Ari
Oh one more; Any words of encouragment for our writers on SS?

Tegs
YES. I secretly fangirl soooo many of you guys, for realsies! Just keep writing (so I can keep reading) And READ as much as you can.

Ari
Great, thanks so much again . The interview should be up soon once we're all finished everything. So stay tuned

Tegs
alrighty