Hello everyone and thank you for your patience - because it's that time again! I'm so happy to announce that I've found our Featured Author's for September and October!
For those who are unfamiliar, I have a monthly contest - one that includes the opportunity for all of my readers, both new and old, to be featured on my website, and multiple social media accounts!
Now, with great pleasure, I am pleased to announce our featured author for September, Maxwell Dark (Maxwell-Dark)!
For those who don't know, Maxwell is an author who joined Wattpad just over a month ago, and has made quite the impression during her time online!
Since posting on Wattpad, he's written 1 book, that being the first installment in his Blades of Fate trilogy, King of Solace. This impeccable debut follows character wrought in turmoil as their land is being destroyed by an ancient god. As the citizens of Solestia struggle with their impending fate, one princess sets out to save the world; and will hopefully do so! Reading what I have so far of this incredible novel, I can say I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen next!
One of the coolest things about Maxwell is his way of looking at not only his new adventure on Wattpad and writing online, but his portrayal of fantasy as a genre. Having started on Wattpad as a reader, and having started writing as young as he was, I don't think he could have gone about his online writing journey any better. Though King of Solace is the first we've seen from him, I have a feeling that there are quite a few other worlds that he has yet to introduce to us. Maxwell looks as fantasy as a compilation of every genre put into one, and has artfully displayed that in his most recent work. Seeing a world of fantasy venture off into a self-discovery type adventure thus far, I'm more than excited to see what other genre's he's woven into his novel. Be on the lookout to see what's he's got next - you'll be wanting more the second you catch up on the most recent chapter!
I would like to give a personal congratulations to this amazing author! You will be featured both here, and on my Wattpad!
For anyone that would like to get to know Maxwell better, check out the interview on my Wattpad, or down below!
SS: How long have you been on Wattpad?
MD: I've just started Wattpad not so long go on the 11th of August so it has been about a month. I did have an account before but it was just as a reader then and when I came back it was to write.(There's no major philosophical reason as to why I had to use a new account for writing or anything, I just lost details to my previous one. hihi)
SS: How long have you been writing?
MD: I've been writing ever since I was an annoying angsty wii' teenager who loved arguing with his English teacher on things like why the sad story about a boy losing his dog had to suddenly have infinite barreled guns and alien invasions. (Shout-out to her, if not for her, I wouldn't be writing.) So it's been about five years since then.
SS: When did you first realize you wanted to write?
MD: Okay, time for a little cute story that I can only remember vaguely as this was a long time ago. There was a little Venda folktale collection book at our house and when I was no more than five, I drew and tore it up into odd pieces and in her frustration, my mother read to me it’s still intact stories to show me what a beautiful thing I had destroyed. From what she tells me I cried (Cannot validate that as I can not remember any crying. In fact, I'm pretty sure she made that part up, must have.) But ever since then I had fallen in love with storytelling and eventually writing as well.
SS: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
MD: Well, when I'm not writing it's usually because I need to study. currently finishing off my undergraduate Genetics studies which leaves me with little time to do much else. When I do take some stubborn me time, I read predominantly high fantasy books and binge on anime. Yes, I do consider myself an otaku at times and when in the right company, a serious weeb
SS: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say when you do?
MD: The book, being currently new the platform has not yet gained a lot of traction. though I have gone through the endless list of comments from @silentlyseafoam who's thankfully agreed to edit it. (most of those comments are along the lines of; "you've missed a comma there." ,"Pretty descent world-building, that line needs a period." )
SS: What do you think makes a good story?
MD: Even though I am a huge sucker for complex plots and good old thrilling suspense, I think that good relatable characters make the story really hit home and those alone can sometimes make the most basic of stories with basic story-lines resonate with the readers.
SS: How do you go about writing a chapter?
MD: So I have a kind of complex little way I go about it. First I make sure I have me complete draft of the story down, this includes confusing web diagrams and timelines and basically just looks like a whole lot of scratched and scribbled up nonsense usually on a scrunched up looking piece of paper. I then denote more or less equal sections in my timeline where a single small arc or an event happens to completion and those become my chapters which I then write out in full detail.
SS: What gives you inspiration?
MD: I get inspired by almost everything around me. I'll see a beautiful girl walk past me and think; wouldn't she make an amazing princess of some tribe and bam, my mind is already creating several fully functional kingdoms within itself. Most times I'll read a book or watch something that raises emotions within me I could not imagine a simple story raising and will yearn to do that to someone else and write something that can hopefully recreate those emotions or feel even better. Once I was chased by a chicken, that inspired me to write a rather fascinating story. Hehe
SS: Who influences your writing?
MD: The most influential people have to be the authors I read, namely Brandon Sanderson, Tim Bowler, Robin Hobb, Christopher Paolini and many many others. I'm also greatly influenced by my friends whose odd characteristics often bleed out onto the characters I write about.
SS: How would you describe yourself as a writer?
MD: Now that's a hard one. Am I allowed to call myself amazing? *chuckles. I'd say , as a writer I've still got a long ways to go. I yearn to change other people's lives or just open them up to new points of view in life and thus I spend time being the creepy guy studying how people behave by actively watching them go about their daily lives and also learning how they think, what makes them think like that and why those thoughts or feelings are so different with individuals.
SS: What's your favorite genre to write under?
MD: Fantasy, good old fantasy. I find fantasy includes almost all other genres within itself and gives me a lot of freedom as it basically gives me the ability to have every single thing I want be part of my story.
SS: What's one of your favorite stories on Wattpad?
MD: The story Sienna by @Zoe_Blessing . Her Forestfolk series is currently on the top of my personal Wattpad favourites list.
SS: And finally, what's one of your favorite stories you've written on Wattpad?
MD: So on my previous reading account, I had posted a few of the stories that I'd written in my spare time and in my short story collection i had included the story "Unusual Birthdays." in which the main character sang happy birthday to a pair of panties. What makes me crack up with laughter whenever I see this story, regardless of how dumb and utterly stupid everything about it is, is the fact that it's a true story. *doubles down in laughter.* And I do plan on returning those stories to this Wattpad account so just you wait.
There you have it - our fantastic featured author for September 2018! Head back over to the main Featured Page to check out the up and coming Featured List as well! Our fall list went up on August 13th!
And if you would like to enter, check out the contests book on my Wattpad profile for more information! The next featured author could be you...