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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, author L. R. W. Lee shares the story of her new book, Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3, and what inspired her to write it.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed L. R. W. Lee about her life and career, what inspired her to write her new book, Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3, and her creative writing process.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I’m USA Today Bestselling author L. R. W. Lee (aka Linda Lee) and I have written 20 fantasy novels and counting. I I write genre-bending stories in vivid worlds with sweet romance and stunning plot twists that do more than just allow you to escape, but actually help you live better.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
When I was 8 years old. I well remember reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. I was fascinated by Lewis’s multi-layered approach to telling stories. He wrote of 1) then-current day London, 2) the magical fantasy world of Narnia and coupled it with a 3) significant meaning layer under girding the whole. I remember thinking, when I grow up I want to write a book like that.
When did you take a step to start writing?
In 2012 after selling the company I had co-founded and grown. It was then that I had the first opportunity to pursue a different career. At the time, I thought I’d write my first book while I tried to figure out what I wanted to do next. Little did I know, that would be my next career. LOL.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
It took me 12 months. I knew nothing about publishing, much less writing and there was a steep learning curve but I overcame it and here we are 20 books later.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
It took me 4 months to write Marked, the third book in the Morningstar Academy series, after creating a detailed outline.
Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3?
Marked is the third in a series so it’s the continuation of that, but I chose to write the Morningstar Academy series which is a retelling of the little known but frequently referred to book of Revelations (notions like the mark of the beast, 666, Armegeddon and more) because I observe that many people are anxious as they watch the news and see the collision of so many opposing forces and at rates never before seen in the history of the world—wars, earthquakes, volcanoes, rising prices, the value of national currency decreasing, unelected elites pushing a global world order, and more. They want to know if we are hurdling toward the end of the world as we know it. It is my hope that if you subscribe to this narrative, that it can be a “fun” way to understand the events predicted and be able to anticipate in order to gain some measure of peace.
What were your biggest challenges with writing Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3?
Revelations is a mysterious kind of book. My biggest challenge was understanding the causes of the various calamities predicted. These disasters include earthquakes, war, famine, plague/pandemics and more but Revelations doesn’t say what causes these specific events. So I had to invent causes which is where fantasy came in handy.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
I’m a story engineer so knowing how the plot of my Revelations retelling had to unfold I thought about the types of characters that could create that. For example, pairing a character who is protective with someone who is more of a free spirit can create conflict which moves the action forward. So, Gladriel a free-spirited character was born from a need for her to defend good in the world despite the opposition of evil.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
Lucifer is the antagonist and I think we all understand who he is, so he didn’t require me to create him.
What is the inciting incident of Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3?
Gladriel and her squad of celestial warriors go on a routine call to rescue humans trapped in a landslide. In the process, Glad accidently kills a demon, a once an eon occurrence (usually demons wink out of sight to go regenerate, they don’t die) and other demons vow to get revenge.
What is the main conflict of Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3?
The main conflict of the book/series is the age old battle of good vs evil, or in this case, Lucifer against the Almighty. Who wins in the end?
Did you plot Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3 in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
I am a plotter rather than a pantser so I create a detailed outline for each book before I begin writing. One pet peeve of mine is tossing writing so plotting avoids that for the most part. As well, it ensures each chapter has a purpose in the overall story arc and readers can see progress toward an outcome. That said, sometimes my characters surprise me as I’m writing—they get ornery at times—and refuse to go the way I envisioned. When that happens I give them some leeway and explore so they feel like they have some input into their stories. I’m no tyrant lol.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did Marked, Morningstar Academy Book 3 need?
I have a team of beta readers who go through my book after I’ve done a first pass of edits. After incorporating their suggestions, I hand it off to a professional editor to line edit every book. My book didn’t need much editing beyond grammar.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
Know WHY you want to write your story. This is what produces passion that’s so critical when you hit hard times like when a plot doesn’t want to come together or when characters don’t do what you want them to. Personally, I write to produce meaning for myself which is to help readers not just escape for a few minutes but to actually live better so I focus on that when I back myself into a plot corner or just don’t feel like sitting and writing on a given day.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
Well, there will be a book 4 to the Morningstar Academy series so there’s more to look forward to.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Yes, I’m proud of my accomplishment of writing 20 books, as well as becoming a USA Today bestselling author.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Apple Audiobook: https://apple.co/3ULOzxv
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4bGnulW
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bEyjoz
Audible Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3wD3H86
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/l-r-w-lee
https://www.facebook.com/lrwlee
https://www.instagram.com/lrwlee
https://www.pinterest.com/lindarwlee
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7047233.L_R_W_Lee
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