My target audience is anyone who likes science fiction, young adult, dystopia, pop culture references, or really bad puns. That being said, I found an audience in an unexpected place…
Lucy Mihajlich – 21 February 2017
The Back Flap
It’s 2048, and Big Brother is binge watching.
The future always seemed bright, but it turns out that was just global warming. Meals don’t come in pills, shoes don’t lace themselves, and there are flying cars, but the gas mileage sucks. There is one difference. People have always searched the internet for answers. Now they actually worship it.
Pen Nowen’s father was the founder of Interface, a computer company so big and powerful that people began praying to it. Especially when his death almost tanked the economy.
Seven years later, Pen’s just finished her junior year of high school. For their summer vacations, all of her friends are going to Disneyland, Tijuana, or Disneyland Tijuana, but Pen’s going on a pilgrimage to pray for what’s left of her family. She’s on her way to the Interface flagship store when she gets kidnapped.
It’s the second time this year. She’s about to begin the ransom negotiations when the kidnapper says that he doesn’t want money. He wants something else from her. Before Pen can text 911, he says something even creepier.
He knows the truth about her dad’s death.
About the book
What is the book about?
Interface is a young adult science fiction novel set in 2048. Not much has changed, except that people worship a computer company called Interface. Pen Nowen is the founder’s daughter. She’s a perfectly normal rich, famous, teenage girl until she gets kidnapped by hacktivists.
When did you start writing the book?
I began writing the Interface Series right after my senior year of college.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me five years to complete all three books.
Where did you get the idea from?
I love books like The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, but I always wanted to know how we let things get that bad. Interface is the bridge between real life and dystopian fiction. It’s set in a world where we still have a democratic republic, but the president is elected by winning a reality TV show.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with world-building, because it meant keeping up with current and emerging technologies, pop culture, and politics. At one point, I had to rewrite a scene because Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar.
What came easily?
Research came easily for me. I ended up writing a book series that involved neurosurgery, IP spoofing, and the future of chocolate. I knew nothing about any of these things, but one of the reason I love stories is because they can be educational for the writer just as much as they can be educational for the reader.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Interface is a dystopia, so there’s one character in the later books who might be a little bit inspired by Donald Trump.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
My favorite authors are Oscar Wilde, Mary Shelley, Terry Pratchett, Ernest Cline, Cory Doctorow, Andy Weir, and approximately three thousand and eighty-two others.
Do you have a target reader?
My target audience is anyone who likes science fiction, young adult, dystopia, pop culture references, or really bad puns. That being said, I found an audience in an unexpected place.
Interface has an asexual protagonist. When I started marketing my book, the response from the asexual community was overwhelming. There’s very little asexual representation in modern literature, including young adult fiction. It’s hard enough for LGBTQA kids to come to terms with their sexual identity when they’ve actually heard of it, but most adults don’t even know what asexuality is (people who aren’t interested in sex).
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Kelly Sue DeConnick, who writes the Hulk for Marvel, came to speak at a comic book class I took during my senior year of college. She said she likes to write in the morning, before her inner editor has a chance to wake up. I wrote most of Interface between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Another class I took in college was screenwriting. The professor described the writing process in terms of the Tree Method (detailed outline) or the Forest Method (wing it). I use the Leaf Method. I have glossaries, outlines, revision notes, setting floorplans, character guides, and color-coded timelines.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I wait until I’m finished or I would never finish.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I hired the incredible David Brookes of St. Paul’s Literary Service to edit Interface. He’s a writer too, so he’s been on both sides of the Google Doc.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Lyrics distract me, so I listen to either classical instrumental music or screamo.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I originally planned to publish Interface traditionally. I was a first-time author, so I didn’t expect much when I began querying agents, but after a few months, I received an offer of representation from an international literary agency.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
My agent asked me to make Interface a romance, because she said it was “crucial to the plot.” When I refused, the offer was withdrawn. I decided to try my luck on Kickstarter.
I came to Kickstarter as a first-time author, without any platform, audience, or clue. I was lucky enough to publish an article about asexuality in Portland’s Bitch Magazine. A lot of people found my Kickstarter through the article, and Interface was 122% funded.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I had delusions of grandeur and queried John Holcroft about his commission prices. He’s done work for the BBC and the New York Times, so I should have known he was out of my league, but I’ve always loved his art, and he was generous enough to offer me a piece for my cover.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Winging, but more like crashing and burning.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Stay out of my way (just kidding).
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Astoria, Oregon, and moved to New York for college.
Where do you live now?
Portland, Oregon.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Nothing. I have to maintain my air of mystery.
What are you working on now?
Editing the second and third books of the Interface Series.
End of Interview:
For more from Lucy visit her website.
I’m so happy to find another YA book that isn’t about vampires and princesses. Interface sounds so intriguing! John Holcroft, as usual, did a great job with the cover too. Thanks for the fabulous interview!