Answer - My name is Gianna Emiko Barnes and "Fallen" was the first book I wrote in a 3 book series. The story started out as a creative writing outlet during my Doctoral Dissertation but it ended up turning into so much more and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to share my stories with everyone.
2. When did you get the thoughts of writing this book? i read the book and i loved it, your writing style is commendable. You are amazing.
Answer - I got the storyline for this book from my past experiences. Although it is fiction, a majority of the characters and a handful of the experiences did inspire what is written. A lot of the choices and encounters you'll see the main character faced with, despite it being dramatized for the purpose of the "story," were things I did experience in my own life and I elaborated on those experiences in my writing by mapping out the "what if's" of my life.
3. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
Answer - I didn't do any research prior to writing "Fallen." Again, this was just a creative writing outlet for me to give me a break from the real world during the start of the pandemic and since it was based on real people and places I've been, the "research" was already done through my personal experiences.
4. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
Answer - The most surprising thing I found in creating my books was how easily the story kinda flowed from me once I began writing. It's like all these thoughts were jumbled in my head and once I began typing, everything came out and made sense. I also found it surprising that people were actually interested and enjoyed the story and it made me happy to see that my words could give people hope and inspiration in their own lives.
5. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Answer - So "Fallen" is just book 1 in a 3 part series that I've already finished writing. Due to this, each book does build off of the last and I purposely left book 1 and book 2 with cliffhangers at the end to persuade the reader to want to find out what happens next. "Fallen" establishes the background and foundation for the rest of the story. In Book 2 "Shattered" you'll see the main character face and overcome countless difficulties that push her to the breaking point. Finally in Book 3 "Healed" you'll see twists and turns that will throw readers for a loop before any possibility of a happy ending. Aside from the storyline, you can see the character development and relationship development between characters grow and progress as you move through the books.
6. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
Answer - Yes, I learned from a young age that language has power. My mother is actually a teacher and she taught me how powerful my words are and can be, especially if I learn to articulate them well. Then in high school, I was lucky to have amazing English teachers who helped me find my writing style and built upon that passion for writing and reading.
7. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Answer - So far, only family and friends who have ordered the book have shared their thoughts and so far, it's all been positive. I know that I won't be able to please every reader; however, I am just appreciative to have had the opportunity in general to publish a story that I loved writing.
8. How would you express your journey as an Author?
Answer - One word to express my journey as an author would be "whirlwind." Like I said earlier, these stories started as a creative writing outlet just for me to escape from the real world and acted as "brain breaks" for me while I was writing my Doctoral Dissertation. When I finished writing them, I was going to just trash it and write another piece. However, my cousin who knew I was writing it told me at least let her read it first so I didn't just write everything and it goes to waste. She fell in love with the story and inspired me to send it off to publishing companies just to see what would happen. Then suddenly, I was signing a contract to publish all 3 books with Fulton Books.
9. What other things do you love than this writing?
Answer - Aside from writing, I love my family. They are the center of my world and I was lucky enough to grow up in a very tight knit family where we are all very close. We may fight and have our disagreements, but when it comes down to it I know I can rely on them to be there to support and love me through everything without question. Another thing I love is education. Growing up with a teacher for a parent instilled the importance of education in me and I strongly believe that we are never too old to learn something new. We can learn everyday if we are open to it.
10. And last, What advice do you have for writers?
Answer - My best piece of advice for writers is to follow your instincts and believe in yourself. If you have a passion for a story, write it. Don't be afraid to let people into your mind because whatever you share, there will always be at least one person out there who will relate, appreciate it and not feel so alone in what they may be going through.
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