Today, I've had the privilege of interviewing an author many of you don't know, but many soon will. I've started reading her book, With Eyes of Blue, and I can say she is an amazing story teller. However, don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself on this episode of Crystal Clear Interviews!
Man, making this interview was actually pretty fun. However, this is only the start of an amazing adventure for her and her books. God has amazing plans for her, just like he does for you. But she needs help. So far, her email list isn't quite big enough to catch an agent's eye, and that's where you come in. It would help her out a lot if you simply follow this link (https://author-3.eo.page/f4bw9) and sign up. You don't even have to read them (Although, definitely read them. They're amazing.)
Also, her co-blog is kind of cool too: https://twofriendsonepen.wixsite.com/twofriendsonepen
And that's a wrap!
(You can find the script for the interview down below ⬇)
Timothy: Hello, and welcome to Crystal Clear Interviews, where we go behind the scenes of little known but amazing young authors. Today, I have the privilege of interviewing an author most of you don't know, but some of the staff at YWW know well. Welcome Erin Highlands!
*plays upbeat news music
Erin: Thank you so much, Timothy, for being willing to help me out and get word out about me and my books.
Timothy: Erin, how is it that you've written 15 works when you're only 17 going on 18?
Erin: [People ask this a lot! In my personal experience, if the Lord has called me to do something, I will throw myself into it and do it to the best of my abilities. For example, for years I had a crochet business. While I did not actually share the Gospel with people, I prayed for the people I sold items to and gave them my business card, which had Psalm 139:13-14 on it.
So, the Lord has called me to be a writer. He has gifted me the ability to write, and He is the One who helps me when I am burned out. I write for His glory, not my own, which I think is something that helps keep me writing. When I was just writing for myself at age 14, I gave up too quickly. It is only because of Him that I can do what I do today.
Now, most of those fifteen books may never see the light of day—I mean, several are plotted and simmering in my head, but a couple are books I wrote when I was younger that I have plans to rewrite eventually.]
Timothy: That's amazing. Honestly, I have pretty much the same story, but I started writing for Christ at age 15. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems you write more Middle-Grade fantasy.
Erin: [Yes and no. I write Christian fantasy. Now, don’t get me wrong—I know saying “Christian” fantasy might turn some of you off. But have you ever read a fantasy book where the plot is horrible because of the blatant dark magic, or the book has a bad ending in the sense that there is no happy ending, or the book has questionable content? I get that. So when I say “Christian,” yes, I will have Christian themes. But that does not mean explicitly Christian. I believe that the Lord has called me to write this genre to help increase the number of good, pure, edifying fiction out there.
You might be wondering why, then, I have a historical fiction and contemporary fiction book indie published. That is because I also love those genres. I am currently writing both a historical fantasy novel and a contemporary fantasy novel. Both those genres can be interwoven with fantasy.
But as to whether I write middle grade fantasy, I write both middle grade and young adult. Young adult is my passion, but I do love a good middle grade book.]
Timothy: That's a really great goal. Erin, people who have become completely captivated by this interview probably want to know what book you're currently working on.
Erin: [I am currently working on my NaNoWriMo novel. Title is undisclosed right now, but it is about a girl who is forced to be a siren and use her voice to commit atrocities, a boy who is a deaf sailor and watched his friends drown, and a mermaid who is resentful and wanting more from life. This is the first book in a trilogy, and this is the series I am hoping to traditionally publish one day.]
Timothy: Ohh... A mystery and a tragedy! I like it! They say (actually, Brett mostly says) that starting young and sticking with it is the key to success in writing. When did you start writing?
Erin: [When I was seven years old! I wrote a book called The Super Princesses Book (which I have since then rewritten countless times). I remember my dad showing me books kids had written and published, and I was excited. But by the time I was fourteen, I didn’t believe I could ever be an author anymore. It was a futile dream. I stopped writing for almost three years. That was when young author Cari Legere (author of Mystery of the Missing Boat) invited me to do a writing competition with her, and I discovered through that that my words were not worthless!]
Timothy: Erin, that, was, beautiful. I thought I was young when I started at eight! And what do you consider your greatest piece you've written?
Erin: [You might think this a little amateur, but my favorite work is a fanfiction I wrote on the Disney movie Encanto, called All of You. I felt I did a good job with making the characters in the movie feel real, and I think I showed rather than told.
But if you’re talking a story that’s published, I loved Daughter of the King, which is to be published in Who You Say I Am on January 14. This is a sort of fairy tale retelling of Snow White, but no magic, just poison. It’s about a girl struggling with her identity, a girl who thought she was a daughter of a king until her father was killed by his brother. The Lord brought this story into my head close to midnight a couple months ago, so I scribbled down the first few paragraphs then spent days writing it. It is my all-time favorite short story I’ve written. Like I said before, it’s going to be published in an anthology in January, so stay tuned for that!]
Timothy: Honestly, that did surprise me. Although the first book C.S. Lewis published after becoming a Christian you could say was fanfiction. And do you have any good reviews on your books?
Erin: [Actually, yes! Quite a few. With Eyes of Blue has the most. But honestly, I actually prefer the negative reviews!
That sounds weird, doesn’t it. But those who leave reviews are normally on my street team, and they leave five star reviews full of praise. I have read my books and, being a critical writer, see all the flaws in it. So I cheer anytime I see a new, more critical review.]
Timothy: Alright! So anyone who's read her book, go give her some critical reviews! Point out all her flaws! Anyway, as some of our listeners/readers may have noticed, a few of the YWW lesson teachers have your book, With Eyes of Blue, on their bookcases in the background, which in my book means your already famous. What are your thoughts on this?
Erin: Okay, that surprised me a little. I am in no way famous, but if the Lord wants my books to reach people, He will allow it to happen. So hearing that my book is on their bookcases in the background means it’s starting to happen. The Lord is using me in ways I had never even dreamed possible.
Timothy: alright, now that we have a captive audience, why don't you tell me some things about yourself? Let's start with something embarrassing about yourself that you're willing to share.
Erin: [*side glance* What do you mean?
Just kidding, I know what you mean. I am not a super crazy person, but I have an embarrassing thing where I wake up every morning looking like Anna from Frozen. It’s bad if I can’t find a hair brush and my family sees me!]
*Plays clip from Frozen
Timothy: Sorry. Couldn't resist. What are some interesting (and bizarre) things you’ve done?
Erin: [I have driven halfway across the country. That was terrifying, but in a good way, because it allowed me to get my license, which allowed me to get a job, which allowed me to further my writing career.
Another interesting yet bizarre thing that I’ve done… Actually, this is a hard question. I haven’t done many bizarre things in my life. I’m a normally pretty sane person—but if you read my plot twists you might think otherwise.]
Timothy: Well, don't worry. you'll have a great plot twist sometime in the future that rivals anything you could write. What are some fun facts about With Eyes of Blue?
Erin: [Some interesting facts? Well, the idea for the book came from a handwriting assignment I did when I was thirteen, where I copied facts about pyramids. That caused me to wonder what would happen if someone were trapped in a pyramid, and that was where the original concept came from. However, the book took me four years to write.]
Timothy: Interesting. Have you ever broken into private property?
Erin: Of course not!
Timothy: Not like you could actually tell me if you have. How about jumping out of airplanes, diffusing bombs?
Erin: *sarcastic* Totally. Absolutely.
Timothy: Wait, really? ... That was sarcastic, wasn't it. You must have at least spied on someone. I mean, you did write two middle-grade spy stories.
Erin: I’m a teenager! Of course I’ve spied. How else do I figure things out before everyone else? I have superb hearing… okay, actually, I don’t. I just am good at eavesdropping.
Timothy: Moving on. So, Erin, How is self publishing working for you?
Erin: [I have been fairly successful self publishing! In fact, I am in the process of developing an indie publishing company with authors Adeline Charlotte and Rachel M. Adams. Any questions about this you can direct to skillfulpenpress@gmail.com.
However, I have plans to traditionally publish. My goal is to have three novels written by July of next year so I can go to Realmmakers (the biggest Christian fantasy writer conference) so I can pitch to Enclave, my dream publisher.]
Timothy: Three novels. Wow, that's ambitious. How can we find you? Not like, "Where do you live so we can find you if you accidentally include us in your books." You know what, forget I even said that. Is there any social media platform or other means readers can use to contact you?
Erin: [Hmmm… how do I know I can trust you? *laughs* Just kidding. You can find me on my blog, Two Friends, One Pen, which I share with Cari Legere. Unfortunately the link is too long for me to read. And then the bog isn’t super active anyway, so you’ll get responses much faster if you subscribe to my email list (I’m also not going to give that link here because it’s too long to read) or email me at erinhylandsauthor@gmail.com.]
Timothy: Great, and thanks so much for being here, even though this whole thing was really recorded in parts and neither of us actually met the other.
Erin: And thank you, Timothy, for this! This was such an amazing adventure, and I’m sure that this is just the beginning of something grand, something big for the Lord.
*news music outro
For at one time, you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
Headin' over to check out With Eyes of Blue, definitely!!
Super job interviewing, Timothy!
Thanks! Honestly, the drama is still in the works, and there's a section missing. So the script is probably better. Man, this post has gotten the most comments out of all my other ones!
This was so much fun to read! (I read the transcript) Timothy, you are a great interviewer.
What! Noah, I just published it!
That's so cool!