Teen Writers’ Nook’s Imagine Anthology Blog Tour: Featuring Author Linyang Zhang

Phew, this has been a lot of posts back to back. *wipes forehead* If you’re new to Teen Writers’ Nook (first I wanna say hello *waves), I can promise you that this is not our normal posting schedule. We hardly get in a post every two weeks. XD So what’s been the cause of a lot of posts lately? Why do you keep seeing news posts in your inbox from bloggers all talking about Imagine? WHAT IS IMAGINE?????

I’m glad you asked. Imagine is an upcoming anthology that releases in like TWO DAYS!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???? I still cannot. Anyway, fourteen of TWN’s readers have written some superb short stories and poems and we have edited and complied them together in one awesome anthology. THAT RELEASES THIS TUESDAY! In celebration, we’re hosting a blog tour that runs until the 28th! And for today, TWN has the honor to have author Linyang Zhang join us!!! Alaine Darkwood (author of Love, Lilly, graphic to the left) supplied the questions for the interview. Linyang is the author of Visionaries, a short story featured in our anthology, and I’ve gotta say that story… aaaahhh, it’s one you will definitely wanna check out when it releases!!! I think if there was one story that just so perfectly displayed the theme we were aiming for, it’d be Linyang’s story! I believe the title itself says it all! I am just so stoked for y’all to read this!!!!!!! Now before we jump in, I wanna let y’all in on something pretty awesome. If you’re as excited as I am for Imagine, then you might want to click here to read a free sample of Imagine before it releases! Now I’ll jump out and let Linyang take over. *pulls back curtains, dim the lights, and passes out popcorn and candy*

Hello, and a big thanks to Issabelle, Katherine, and Alana for holding this wonderful opportunity! I’m honored to be featured on TWN!

#1. Was this the first time you’ve ever written a short story/poem? If so, what was something you learned through the process?

I’ve written a lot of short stories over the years, actually. Seems like they’re the only thing I can finish. But they’re very fun to write, and good practice, too!

#2. Where did you get the inspiration for your short story? Was it a particular song, book, or something else?

Visionaries was based off of a Chinese song called 正义积分 (Justice Points), actually! The feeling it brought to me at the end made me want to write a story based off of it. You can find the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqbcIYZWqEo Other sources of inspiration have been Pinterest, Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and S.I.U.’s Tower of God.

#3. What has been one thing you’ve learned after going through the process to be published in the Imagine Anthology?

So. Many. Edits. Editing is perhaps my arch-nemesis in writing, but I’m glad that TWN helped me through the process!

#4. Can you give us a fun fact of something that happened during the writing and/or editing process? Hilarious typo? Weird fact you had to search? Best edit you received?

I remember when I was coming up with character names I couldn’t decide which first name to be paired with which surname. I knew I wanted the guy to be called Avier and the girl to be called Roen, but I couldn’t decide on who to name Qin and who to name Li. So I asked my sister, and she made the final decision for me. As she usually does.

#5. When did you start writing? What do you think you’ve learned so far through your writing journey?

I started writing when I was around twelve. I think I’ve definitely learned a lot about people and emotions and events and thoughts, as well as time and commitment. But it was all worth the pain.

#6. What author/books inspire you?

Naoki Urasawa, Ray Bradbury, John Steinbeck, and so many others I could name! I take inspiration from almost everything.

#7. What’s the best advice about writing you’ve read/gotten?

Probably not to worry about what others will think about your writing. You’ll constrain and confine yourself that way.

#8. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Studying. (I’m kidding.) No, I like making music, playing piano, watching anime…

#9. What are you currently working on right now? Any plans for the future?

Currently working on a lot of things! (Alas, I have no time for them.) I’m serializing a work called Those Who Were Given Another Yesterday on Tapas, and I’m always working on a ton of short stories as well as longer works.

#10. Do you have any words of inspiration for other young authors?

Just dive right in! Don’t worry about messing up. Just do it. It’s all going to turn out fine.

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Ay, and here’s a character interview with the two main characters of Visionaries, Roen Qin and Avier Li, just to give you a taste of what they’re like!

What’s one thing that scares you?

Roen: …scared? I don’t scared easily. But probably oblivion.

Avier: I don’t find anything scary. Well, maybe frogs. And what she said.

If you were given three wishes, what would you pick?

Roen: To have my eye back, to grow up in a normal family, and probably

for a healthy body.

Avier: For Roen to have good health, for me to be in a sunny, grassy

field, and probably for a ton of money.

Do you look up to anyone? And if so, who?

Roen: My dad.

Avier: Roen.

Which do you value most; beauty, intelligence, or wealth?

Roen: Intelligence. You can’t hold a proper conversation otherwise.

Avier: I don’t value anything, but probably wealth. You can do a lot of

things with money.

Are you more likely to ask permission or forgiveness?

Roen: I don’t need to ask for permission or forgiveness. But if I were to

ask for one, it’d be for permission.

Avier: I’d ask Roen’s forgiveness, and no one’s permission.

And that’s all I have for you today, folks! Please order Imagine when it comes out! I, and all the authors featured in it, would gladly appreciate it!