Ask the Author: Leena Maria
Answered Questions (13)
Leena Maria
About 30 Egyptology books were on my summer reading list in preparation for my MA in Egyptology studies
Leena Maria
The world of the Earthsea (Ursula Le Guin). I'd love to sail there from island to island and see the different kingdoms.
Leena Maria
I opened the covers of the book I had waited for months to read. The pages were blank.
Leena Maria
That would have to be how I find the time to write all the books... As it is I am planning Nephilim Quest 3, preparing a lecture on ancient Egypt, writing and illustrating yet another children's book about ancient Egypt (publisher asked me if I could - and the deadline is in October...), publishing a prequel of Nephilim Quest to my reader team, and working on the final stages of my Space Witches book that comes out as soon as the cover is made. Oh, and then I will be writing Space Witches nr 2, and also I am working on a bit of a darker fantasy novel. But when one learns to steal 15 minutes here and 20 minutes there... It all adds up. (Did I mention I have a full time job too which means I do all this in the evenings and weekends?)
Leena Maria
Hi, Tim!
Oh yes - in the next book of the Nephilim Quest series a cat has an important role in forming the history of the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Moon Daughter is just about ready - I am doing the fifth and final read-through with my editor at the moment to catch any hiccups and then, finally, I can send the book to my reader team. After that it will be available in ebook stores - yay!
Oh, and a cat also has a role in my Mummific books. "How I Became a Mummy" that was published last October. And the next book where Mr Mummific travels the underworld to reach the afterlife is coming out this fall. Written and illustrated by yours truly.
Leena :)
Oh yes - in the next book of the Nephilim Quest series a cat has an important role in forming the history of the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Moon Daughter is just about ready - I am doing the fifth and final read-through with my editor at the moment to catch any hiccups and then, finally, I can send the book to my reader team. After that it will be available in ebook stores - yay!
Oh, and a cat also has a role in my Mummific books. "How I Became a Mummy" that was published last October. And the next book where Mr Mummific travels the underworld to reach the afterlife is coming out this fall. Written and illustrated by yours truly.
Leena :)
Leena Maria
Hi! Apologies for not noticing your question sooner - I was off to a little vacation, when I was busy with... Yes, finishing Nephilim Quest 2. I wrote the last words to the first draft a week ago, and am now going through the text with my editor daily. I hope to have it finished by the end of the year, it all depends on the schedules of my editor and book cover designer.
If you wish to receive a free copy of Nephilim Quest 2 before it is published (in return for a review on the publication date), go to my blog https://leenamaria.com/ and sign up for my email list. (Look to the upper right hand corner of the blog to find the place to sign up). If you have already signed up, I shall automatically send you the download link as soon as the editing is done. (And I never give away those email addresses, nor spam anyone. I only send emails about the writing process)
Leena :)
If you wish to receive a free copy of Nephilim Quest 2 before it is published (in return for a review on the publication date), go to my blog https://leenamaria.com/ and sign up for my email list. (Look to the upper right hand corner of the blog to find the place to sign up). If you have already signed up, I shall automatically send you the download link as soon as the editing is done. (And I never give away those email addresses, nor spam anyone. I only send emails about the writing process)
Leena :)
Leena Maria
Hiya! You mean ancient Egypt? Well, probably the fact that I studied Egyptology for five years at the University of Manchester. It is a passion of mine, and as they say you should write what you know and are passionate about... :) Somehow everything I write seems to be about ancient Egypt.
I just have a new book out with ancient Egypt as the theme ("How I Became a Mummy" by the American University Press in Cairo). Which reminds me... Have to get it added here on Goodreads...
And while my brains need a break from writing Nephilim Quest 2, I've been typing another story (pantsing it, no planning beforehand as it is quite interesting to see where the story wants to go) which is kind of dystopian, YA, but with humor, and happens both in space and on Earth. And yes - is tied to ancient Egypt again. Can't help myself...
Leena :)
I just have a new book out with ancient Egypt as the theme ("How I Became a Mummy" by the American University Press in Cairo). Which reminds me... Have to get it added here on Goodreads...
And while my brains need a break from writing Nephilim Quest 2, I've been typing another story (pantsing it, no planning beforehand as it is quite interesting to see where the story wants to go) which is kind of dystopian, YA, but with humor, and happens both in space and on Earth. And yes - is tied to ancient Egypt again. Can't help myself...
Leena :)
Leena Maria
Like I mentioned before: I don't over-analyse the story while I write the first draft. It is much easier, when you give yourself permission to write the clunky first version. It doesn't need to be perfect by any standard. Because it won't be. No one else ever needs to see it. To me that helps.
Oh, and planning the writing times in your calendar. Just start writing at a planned time an keep at it. The inspiration comes if the story is worth telling. Write whatever comes to mind at first, if your story refuses to continue where you last left it.
And plan your plot beforehand. When you have a plan in your hand, it is that much easier to start writing. Plan your chapters from the first to the last. What the chapter is about. What are the major scenes. Then start writing, tweak the plan if the story surprises you (and it usually does, unexpected characters pop up or the story turns to the left from a crossroads when you had planned on going to the right).
And having said that: give yourself days when you won't write a thing. Gives your brains time to develop the story without you interrupting.
Oh, and planning the writing times in your calendar. Just start writing at a planned time an keep at it. The inspiration comes if the story is worth telling. Write whatever comes to mind at first, if your story refuses to continue where you last left it.
And plan your plot beforehand. When you have a plan in your hand, it is that much easier to start writing. Plan your chapters from the first to the last. What the chapter is about. What are the major scenes. Then start writing, tweak the plan if the story surprises you (and it usually does, unexpected characters pop up or the story turns to the left from a crossroads when you had planned on going to the right).
And having said that: give yourself days when you won't write a thing. Gives your brains time to develop the story without you interrupting.
Leena Maria
It is simply something I love to do. I cannot explain it logically. And the best thing is when you have that first draft in your hand, and you start "fattening it up". The story begins to live a life of its own, it is like you are having a dialogue with it. It tells you what it needs and you do your best to comply. (And then your editor tells you what the story REALLY needs, and you go through a phase that is comparable to medieval torture, but eventually it is SO worth it).
Leena Maria
Just write. And don't edit your text until you have the first draft ready. Over-analyzing kills your creativity (I should know - that was the very thing that caused my previous stories die a quiet death - I got tired of them because the writing process was so slow when I was constantly tweaking what I had already written). Some author once said that you simply need to "write that shitty first draft", no matter how horrible it is. You will make it better later.
Leena Maria
The second part of the Nephilim Quest. Now the story moves to ancient Egypt for real - the 18th Dynasty, the times of Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Tutankhamon. I'm writing down all the details from the first book now, to be certain I remember all the nuances and habits and history of the different creatures - Nephilm, shadows, vampires.
And I have an illustrated children's book in the works as well.
Oh, and lets not forget a traditional story that happens in ancient Egypt as well. Not a fantasy story, Won't reveal much yet.
After five years of Egyptology studies one would expect to know what is needed to write a story that happens ancient Egypt, but just you try to write a novel on the subject... The first scene (of the first chapter) of this book has taken me a week's worth of research already... What temples existed in the area, what did they look like at the time? What did people eat, how did they make their food? How did people worship their household gods? What was the weather like? How did people move? How long did it take them to move certain distances by boat / donkey? Hundreds of little details that I have to make right.
And I have an illustrated children's book in the works as well.
Oh, and lets not forget a traditional story that happens in ancient Egypt as well. Not a fantasy story, Won't reveal much yet.
After five years of Egyptology studies one would expect to know what is needed to write a story that happens ancient Egypt, but just you try to write a novel on the subject... The first scene (of the first chapter) of this book has taken me a week's worth of research already... What temples existed in the area, what did they look like at the time? What did people eat, how did they make their food? How did people worship their household gods? What was the weather like? How did people move? How long did it take them to move certain distances by boat / donkey? Hundreds of little details that I have to make right.
Leena Maria
I cannot really just wait for inspiration. I sit down by the computer and start writing and the writing itself inspires me. After the few awkward sentences the story usually takes over and I get into the "zone" pretty quickly - sometimes so much so it is like observing the computer screen and being almost surprised at what comes out.
Leena Maria
I have always loved fantasy books as well as history. I know it may sound odd to have five years of academic Egyptology studies under my belt and then write a fantasy book that ties to ancient Egypt, but anyone who knows me is not surprised at the mix....
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