Lizzy Bequin Sit for an Author Interview

Lizzy Bequin Author Interview

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Gina: Why did you become an author?

Lizzy: I’ve always loved telling stories ever since I was very young. One of the things I remember most clearly is making up funny ghost stories at a sleepover. But it’s only been recently that I decided to take the plunge and start publishing. I think it was just a matter of finally getting enough confidence to put my stories out there.

Gina: What genre of books do you like to write?

Lizzy: I write science fiction romance. My current series Primal Alphas is an omegaverse story, but it’s a slightly different twist on that genre. For my next series, I’m going to delve into alien warrior romance with a slightly dark edge to it. I’m super excited to get started on that series.

Gina: What is your inspiration for the current book or series you are writing?

Lizzy: Oh, this is funny! So, the first two books in this series take place concurrently. For the third book I knew that I wanted to do something that took place years later. And I also knew that I wanted it to involve a young woman whose origins have been hidden from her by her parents, and all of that past comes to light when she encounters an alpha male. But when I first started writing the story, it was going in a totally different direction from how the finished book turned out.

At first, for some reason the story wasn’t quite clicking. Then one night, I had this very frightening dream that I was being chased by these men in suits who were assassins. It was scary, but after I woke up, it was also kind of exciting. It was one of those dreams that just sticks with you very clearly after you wake up. And so after that, I backed way up, started the story again with the gruff and aggressive but also oddly protective alpha male as a kidnapper, and the story just flowed from there.

Gina: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Lizzy: My natural tendency is to plot, but recently I’ve been trying to write by the seat of my pants. Obviously a lot of writers are very successful as plotters, but personally I think it sometimes held me back. Often I would outline a story but then struggle to muster the interest to write the darn thing. For me, it feels like whenever I put something into writing on the page, whether it’s notes, outlining, or the actual story itself, it becomes calcified, and I get locked into one way of thinking about the story. So I like the flexibility and also the excitement that pantsing allows me. It’s frightening but also exciting not knowing exactly what’s coming around the bend.

Gina: Do you have any quirks or habits when you’re writing?

Lizzy: Well, I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but I’ve got to have my can of La Croix sparkling water to sip on while I write. By the end of the day I always have a nice little pyramid of empty cans going. Tangerine is my fave, but I like to mix it up.

Gina: Have you had any setbacks becoming an author yourself?

Lizzy: You know, I haven’t really had any external setbacks. All of my setbacks have come from myself. The author Dean Wesley Smith talks a lot about that critical voice inside every writer’s head that tries to stop you from writing. I listened to that voice too much, and it either kept me from writing or it kept me from publishing what I had written.

Gina: What advice would you give to someone who would like to become a writer?

Lizzy: To me, the biggest thing is silencing that critical voice we were just talking about. These days I picture my critical voice as a creepy little Gollum creature--seriously, I literally do this--and whenever it starts creeping into my mind, telling me that my book is dumb, that people are going to hate it, that I’m not as good a writer as so-and-so, that’s when I take out my imaginary barbed-wire baseball bat like Negan from The Walking Dead and beat that stupid critical voice into submission until it slinks away again. (Please don’t tell my therapist about any of that!). Seriously though, I think that’s the number one thing when it comes to any creative endeavor that involves putting yourself out there and putting your ego at risk. You have to be absolutely brutal when it comes to fighting that critical voice, otherwise it will silence you. Don’t let that happen.

Gina: What is some of the best advice or inspiration you have received from another author?

Lizzy: So I heard this from many different authors, but it took me a long time to finally listen. The advice was to go to bed early, wake up early, and start writing first thing in the morning. My natural inclination is to be a night owl, and left to my own devices, I would stay up until the sun comes up with my nose in my Kindle. But now I force myself to go to bed at nine and get up at five. As hard as it is sometimes, my brain loves me for it. So my advice to all the night owl writers out there: just consider giving it a try for a few weeks.

Gina: What goals have you set for yourself in the future?

Lizzy: Well, writing is still a part-time gig for me--or maybe it’s better to say that it’s my second full-time gig! I still have a day job with an education technology company. I like my day job, but I love writing, so my goal is to be able to do it truly full time within the near future.

Gina: How do you want readers to see your work?

Lizzy: Well, personally I read novels to feel something, you know? I guess that’s why people do just about everything, whether it’s drinking or playing sports or listening to music or whatever. I love to read all kinds of books, not just romance but also horror, thrillers, all kinds of stuff. So ultimately I want to make my readers feel intense emotions. I want them to feel excited, nervous, scared, and happy along with the characters. And I hope my books make my readers feel just a teensy bit uncomfortable, (but in a good way).

Gina: What should a reader expect to see from your next novel?

Lizzy: For this third book, Primal Needs, I took everything from the first two books--lots and lots of steam and lots of action and adventure--and just turned it up to eleven. This book is quite a bit longer than the first two, a little bit darker, and it’s got even more twists and turns along the way as the main characters go from a very antagonistic relationship to finally falling in love and becoming mates.

Gina: Is there anything you would like to share with your readers?

Lizzy: A great big thank you! Without readers, there would be no reason to write, you know? I’ve gotten a lot of awesome feedback from readers, and it’s just really gratifying. I love to hear from my readers too, so don’t be afraid to shoot me an email at lizzybequinauthor@gmail.com. 

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