Hello and welcome back! 

Please give a warm welcome to the brilliant zero-infinity. Emily, in addition to being an amazing graphic designer, is the talented author of Dark Queen and Fallen Swords. Dark Queen won The Fae Folk's 2017 November Book of the Month; it's a captivating read that will leave you on the edge of your seats!

Today, we'll be taking a look at Dark Queen, which currently has 48.2K reads and over 4K votes.

Here's a quick look at Dark Queen:

Zora was only a little girl when her mother raked out her left eye. A mauled princess, she is alive only because of her political marriage potential. In a world where misogyny reigns, there is little she can do about her situation. When Zora comes of age, she decides to take matters into her own hands, and plots the murders of her father and his proclaimed heir.

Jurauk likes to eat people. His favorite part is the neck. Sadly, humans are getting a little scarce. Being the second heir of the mythical race of Nefari, it's his job to find the tastiest morsel and bring it back home on a silver platter. His only problem? His intended prey is willing to put up a hell of a battle.

Before we begin, we'd like to thank zero-infinity for agreeing to this interview. If you guys have not checked out Emily's works yet, do yourselves a favor and go check out her excellent stories! We're also trying something a bit new here with the music at the top, we figured a character as epic as Zora deserved equally epic music (composed by Adrian von Ziegler), so click play, kick back, and enjoy!

Without further ado...

1. What sort of elements of your day to day life do you incorporate into your stories, if any?

I think the biggest element I have in my story is that in real life when faced with a problem, I don't run away. I tackle it because there's no other way to overcome it. If I had made Zora, my MC, a crybaby who killed herself right after she was thrown out, then where would my story go? Instead, she makes the best of things.

2. How do you pace your book? Which scenes do you give more time to?

I put so much effort into the very beginning, which is most definitely my slowest paced section. My priority is world-building and character introduction and plot presentation. The first part of the book is so important because it engages your readers and keeps them hooked. Surprisingly, my dialogue scenes are one of the most lengthy, mainly because that's where I pour all of my characters' personalities into text so the reader can understand them more. Action scenes, not so much, as they are meant to be fleeting and fast-paced.

3. What do you struggle the most with when writing (this could include the actual planning process or a specific element of writing such as dialogue)?

I probably struggle most with "building bridges". For example, I have two main plot points that I have a great deal of knowledge about. However, I have difficulty knowing how to get from one point to the other. I'm unsure of what to put so that they're simple, but readers won't get bored.

4. If you could retell any myth, legend, folktale, or older piece of literature, what would you choose and why?

My retelling would be Mulan. It's always been a story that resonated with me (mainly because I grew up listening to it as part of my culture). It's packed with character personalities. Everyone has a fault and a strong point. I love expanding on characters, so I would have a lot to work with. Mulan is also set in historical China, which I'm a sucker for.

5. What sort of environment is the best for you to write in?

My desk is where I live, eat, and sleep. It's where my laptop and monitor reside, and I spend more time in my chair than on my bed. When I start writing, I don't stop until I finish an entire chapter: all 1,500 words. Usually, I have quiet music playing in the background, like mano-pop or classical.

6. What carries your stories more, plot or characters?

My characters for sure. After all, their thoughts and dialogue are what make up my story. The plot is only a medium for me to show how they respond to certain situations.

7. If you could go back in time, to when you first began writing on Wattpad, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself to plan out more. As I look back at some of my previous chapters, I realize that I put random scenes in between chapters that may or may not have put plot holes in my story. This is mainly because I write on the fly; I never plan anything. Although it's not a bad way to get stuff done, I think it would be better to have a plan that I can follow.

Again, we want to thank zero-infinity for allowing us to interview her and we highly encourage everyone to go check out her wonderful stories and give her plenty of love. Make sure you vote and comment if you enjoy her stories, and give her a follow to stay updated with her works.

Also, if you have any questions that you'd like to ask your favorite authors, check our chapter, Ask Your Favorite Authors Questions, and leave some questions in the comment section.

Until next time, good luck with your writing endeavors and we'll see you all soon!