Fantasy Authors Interview

Meet Ari Wilde

                               Interviewer: mikaelkrownm

Our next fantasy author is ariwilde, the author of The Winter Family. 

We have reached the time of the year where the days are getting shorter and colder, but that's no reason to retreat from the world. The writer Ari Wilde actually sees this as a transformative time. Here's their interview below.

What's your name and tell us a little about yourself?

My full name is Ari Wilde. It's not my birth name, but a pen name I chose for myself. However, this is the name I use for most of my projects. Wilde, obviously, is a tribute to the author Oscar Wilde. I enjoy writing, reading, and singing in my spare time. I write song lyrics for other artists, but I would like to learn how to play too so that one day I can release music of my own. I am also interested in acting, and I would like to be an actor full time, other than an author of course.

What's your writing process?

When writing a book, my writing process is, like poet Allen Ginsberg says, "first thought best thought". Basically, it means that I write spontaneously from my experience, even when I write fantasy books. The things I write must be things I relate to, that comes from my feelings and my thoughts. I often keep the first version I came up with when it comes to plots and characters, but sometimes I edit the whole book and I come up with new ways of telling the same story. I ask myself, is there something that I can change, to make the book feel more true to myself and to the message I'd like to give to my readers?

How long have you been writing?

I've been writing since I was ten years old. My first book was a series of four short books that basically were my own version of Harry Potter, where the main character was a fearless red-headed girl called Emily. I kept those books, and sometimes I read them. They only have about one hundred pages, and there are many mistakes in them, but to this day I'm still proud of how they turned out. I'm actually considering re-writing the whole thing and make it part of the Enchanters Chronicles, the fantasy saga I'm working on right now.

What's your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is, also by Allen Ginsberg, "Follow your inner moonlight. Don't hide the madness". I think all of us should not be afraid to show ourselves for who we are. We all are a little weird, and we should embrace it.

Define Fantasy in your own words?

Fantasy is an escape from the real world. I think the reason why I enjoy writing and reading fantasy books is that it allows me to live adventures that I could never live in the world I'm living in. One thing I'd like to say about fantasy, though. To me, it's not just an escape. Sometimes, it's a mirror of the real world. The plots and the characterization in my books are always inspired by real events that happened to me. Writing fantasy is a powerful tool -- it allows you to turn real life into a fairy tale.

Who's your OTP?

My OTP is WangXian (Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian from the chinese novel Mo Dao Zu Shi and from the TV show The Untamed). Maybe because I see myself a little in Wei Wuxian, but they are two characters that I love and that I think are perfect for each other. I loved how the author built up their relationship in the novel. I'd like to be able to write something like that in my books too.

Who's your favorite fantasy writer?

My favorite fantasy writer is Rick Riordan, even though I love Cassandra Clare as well. I'd have to choose Rick Riordan because he wrote my favorite fantasy series of all time, Percy Jackson. Those books are one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to my own writing. I also admire Rick for writing about topics some people can relate to, especially since it was the first book I ever read where the main character had ADHD.

Favorite food?

I'm going to be cliché on this one and say pizza. But I also love Asian food -- be it Indian, Chinese or Japanese.

How do you relax after a long day?

Sometimes the most relaxing part of the day is when I'm writing my books. I always write after I'm done with work. However, when I'm just too tired for it, I watch a movie.

Favorite social media?

My favorite social media, other than Wattpad, is Instagram. I love how it's a social network that's about sharing some small moments of your life. Whereas other social networks, like Twitter, are too stressful at times, I can check out my Instagram and know I'll see something interesting that a friend has just posted.

Romance or Mystery?

That's a tough question. I mostly read YA, fantasy and adventure. I find myself more drawn to mystery than romance. In fact, I don't think I've ever read a romance novel, one that had no other genres other than romance, and truly found it to my liking. I do enjoy fantasy novels where romance is one of the main subplots, though. Especially if it's between two main characters and it's integrated well in the storyline.

Pop or R&B?

Though I generally like rock, pop punk or indie rock, I'd have to choose pop. I love Taylor Swift, for example, who is generally considered a pop singer (even though her last two albums are more rock oriented).

Read the book or watch the movie?

I am usually a fan of the rule "read the book before you watch the movie". I don't think I've ever seen a movie that was inspired from a book and was actually better than the main source! I do love movies that come from books, though. One I particularly liked was The Perks Of Being a Wallflower. I equally like both the movie and the book. Of course, it might be because Stephen Chbosky, who is the author of the book, is the writer and director of the movie as well.

Thank you so much ariwilde for your time spent on this interview.