Ask the Author: Elle Jacklee
Answered Questions (7)
Elle Jacklee
In my family tree, there is a point where names were changed (on my mother's side AND on my father's side ) so it makes it impossible to trace my roots beyond that point. I can't help but wonder why the names were changed, and nobody in my family knows (or will say ;) So needless to say, my imagination spawns all sorts of scenarios for what might have driven my ancestors to make such a drastic and impactful change. What secrets were they hiding? Who or what might they have been trying to escape? And why? There's surely an intriguing story in there somewhere...
Elle Jacklee
It’s really gratifying to create a whole new world from essentially nothing but a thought or idea. And then somewhere along the line, the characters start to take over. It’s almost as if they’re driving and you’re just along for the ride. The story starts to write itself. It really is like magic ;)
Elle Jacklee
It’s been said before (a lot!) but it’s the most important advice I can give: write, write, write! If you’re committed to writing, then you have to honor that commitment by making that time mandatory, like any other job. It's non-negotiable. Even if it’s an hour a week, it’s a start. Every journey begins with one step (Confucius said that, I think ;) And the more you do it, the better your writing will be.
Elle Jacklee
So far, I haven’t had that problem. With my current schedule, I always run out of writing time long before I run out of material.
Elle Jacklee
My current work-in-progress is the second book in my Wunderwood series, The Triad of the Tree. I’m really looking forward to sharing the opportunity for readers to get to know the characters better and also meet a few new ones. There's more of Wunderwood's history to be revealed, and there's, of course, more mystery to keep readers guessing!
Elle Jacklee
I'm always inspired to write. That's never a problem. Great classic works that have stood the test of time and new works by talented writers who are just starting out inspire me. Nature inspires me. My kids inspire me. One of the most inspiring things is hearing from readers who've made a connection with my characters. There's nothing like that.
Elle Jacklee
I was home with a migraine one Autumn day around Halloween. I looked out my window to see the wind whipping a pile of leaves around on my patio. It was a bit dark even though it was morning, and that made me remember how much I loved the eeriness and mysteriousness of Halloween when I was a kid (still do). After resting a little and recovering from my headache, I woke up with the idea for a story revolving around a young girl with a vivid imagination who loved Halloween. That day, I fleshed out a rough outline and a cast of characters. That was the one and only time I was grateful for a headache!
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