Today I am interviewing Issabelle Perry, author and one of the brains behind the anthology, Imagine. Issabelle is also co-founder of the site, Teen Writers Nook.
ABOUT ISSABELLE
Issabelle Perry is a proud Jesus follower, an extroverted writer of historical fiction, and a homeschool graduate. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, jamming to Skillet, or envisioning herself wielding a magnificent sword (but due to her clumsiness, let’s hope that never happens). This self-proclaimed exclamation mark enthusiast can be found hanging at Teen Writers’ Nook, a community of teen authors Issabelle co-founded in 2020. Issabelle is the co-editor for the anthologies Imagine and Tell Me You Love Me and had a short story featured in Owl Hollow Press’ Change the World anthology. What she’s probably doing right now is fangirling about her favorite books to random people or scanning the pantries for chocolate.
ABOUT IMAGINE
It’s time to imagine…
Imagination.
Such a small word for such a huge impact it has. Every great story begins here—at that moment after the idea but before the story is completed. The spark. The vision. The idea that will expand into a story that clings to readers’ hearts for a lifetime. An author’s story is limited only by his imagination, and how far he is willing to go to breathe life into characters. To build the foundations of another world. To see the struggles and envision the victories. To search for the magic burning in the darkness.
Teen Writers’ Nook presents a collection of short stories and poems from talented young authors that will take you beyond the boundaries of your mind. From snarky protagonists to the tear-jerking sacrifice. From mystical fantasy worlds to indescribable sci-fi stories. Thrilling adventures, daring choices, inspiring messages, heartfelt romances, and everything beyond. Maybe—just maybe—these tales will have you journey past reality and to the depths of your imagination. Will you take the risk and embark through the pages of this book?
THE INTERROGATION INTERVIEW
What is your go-to space for writing?
Probably the dining room table at my house. I’m trying to get my desk to be my writing space, but the chair at the table is better than my desk, so that’s where I go for now. ;P
What is your favorite genre to read?
Ah, this is so hard because I love so many genres! But if I have to narrow it down probably suspense/thriller, historical fiction, and fantasy. I seem to read those grenes the most. 🙂
Words of wisdom for those who are just starting out on the writing path?
My word of wisdom is to not give up. Writing isn’t easy. It takes a lot of time, effort, work, and patience to finish a novel, much less edit and publish one! But continue to push through, even on the hard writing nights and even when the millionth rejection makes you want to give up, because it’s worth it. Moments like those make us stronger authors because they challenge us to question why we’re doing this and if it’s worth persevering in. If you say yes, guess what! You’re a real author because that is what published authors did to get where they are and that’s what they have to do every. single. day. To keep writing even when it’s easier to quit. You’re not a quitter. You had the courage to say yes to this book idea or this attempt to publish, and that makes you awesome!
What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
Probably the editing.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Probably the editing. (I’m serious, y’all. I have a love/hate relationship with editing. I LOVE being able to take this rambling first draft of crazy ideas into something awesome and readable, but man, does it take a lot of brain power!) I also love the discovery part of first drafts, the interesting experience of research, and the fun of marketing.
Do you focus on one project at a time or do you have multiple projects going simultaneously?
I used to balance up to five projects simultaneously, but since this year, I’ve been battling with some mental health problems and so for the foreseeable future, I’ve had to bring myself to focus on one (at most two) projects at a time.
What project(s) are you currently working on?
My main focus right now is to wrap up edits on my WIP known as Project: Defender until I reveal the title. This is a Christian historical fiction novel about World War 1, the Russian Revolution, and the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. Lord willing, I should begin querying by the end of the year. 🙂
How do you select the names of your characters?
Ah, great question! It depends on the book. If I’m writing one in a contemporary American setting, I usually use common names found in my mom’s baby name book. When I wrote fantasy before changing genres, I just placed random letters together, which was how I came up with a name like Jutrucil. For historical fiction, I try to find names I like that work for the setting or culture. So for Project Defender, my names had to all be Russian, and that narrowed the search down quite a bit.
Has there been one particular person who has been a major source of influence for one of your characters?
Besides myself, lol. Hmm *thinks* I don’t know of anyone in particular, outside of historical figures. Sometimes I will base a character around a problem someone has brought to my attention. For instance, when I was like in middle school, Katherine one time complained about a stereotype made in something she watched about tough girls not liking pink or Barbie dolls or something. This hurt Katherine because she’s an obsessor of the color pink. (I’m not kidding you.) That became the inspiration for a character of mine who was a strong woman but also such a girly girl. I’m talkin’ pink, sparkles, frill, and utter girlishness. The whole deal. She was the most fun character I have ever written to date that it was really sad when I moved onto another project.
Tea or coffee?
Tea, but it must be sweet tea. #southerngirlforlife
Mountains or ocean?
Can I say both? I love both the mountains and the ocean, but if I must pick one, it would probably be the mountains. I’ve always been drawn to them!
How do you get inspiration to write?
Hmm I honestly haven’t got a clue! I kinda just force myself to sit down, whether because of self-imposed deadlines, a burning desire to write a certain scene, or because I have joined some writing challenge that my competitive side will not let me rest until I have written all my brain can mentally handle. (Which is how I managed to write 55K in a week once!)
What inspired this series and the characters?
If we’re talking about Imagine, the inspiration came to compose an anthology featuring work from my website’s readers when (1) we had surpassed 100 followers and were coming upon our one-year blogiversary and we had zero idea how to celebrate and (2) I had been published in an anthology and it was SUCH a great experience, I knew I needed to bring it to my readers!
On average, how long does it take you to write the first draft of a book?
Somewhere between 1-3 months. I try to write fast first drafts. Project: Defender’s first draft took a month and a half, and that was also during a time I had major college assignments due, a vacation, and getting close to a dance recital. I’m still trying to figure out how I managed to do all of that.
How do you incorporate your faith into your writing?
Ooo I love this question! Because I just recently decided to write in the Christian genre, I’m still learning how to do this, but as of now, my passion is to write real, meaningful stories. When my father unexpectedly passed away last year, I became dissatisfied with the books I was writing (and a lot of the ones I was reading). I couldn’t understand why all these characters had perfectly happy endings and I couldn’t. Why could they endure struggles better than I could? Everything I was reading and writing just felt… fake. This craving caused me to completely change my writing style 180 degrees! I went from YA fantasy for the general market to adult Christian historical fiction. We would be here forever if I shared even a portion of what God’s been teaching me through this trial but, to sum up how I incorporate my faith, I write stories about flawed, broken people. And they have dark thoughts, low moments, and honestly, sometimes there’s just some ugliness in it all. BUT (and this is the most important part) God is good even when life isn’t. God is light even in the darkest moments. God is healing even in the pain. God is redemption even to the dirtiest sinner. That’s how I incorporate my faith. I write a character, I let him tell his story and reveal all his scars and brokenness, and then I pray and write what side of God he needs to see. Love? Healing? Forgiveness? Most often, I’m drawing from what I need to learn or what God is teaching me in the moment. I could go on about this for hours, but I will stop there. 🙂
What first inspired or gave you the “spark” to write? What books and/or authors have influenced your writing?
Well, when I wrote my first novel, I was 12 and was utterly bored. Needless to say, I gave up that dream like two days after the book was finished. It wasn’t until I was 15 when I was reading a book on writing from one of my favorite authors during high school that everything changed. I was reading her tips and thought, hey I might can actually do this writing thing. It was crazy to think that I could write not only a book, but a good book. And from there, the rest is history. My writing voice is heavily influenced by the authors I was obsessing over when I began writing. That’s why the voice and style is a bit of a cross between Ally Carter and Jennifer A. Nielsen. Though I don’t read from those authors as much today and they don’t inspire the types of stories I write now, my voice still heavily favors their style.
Every writer has a message they want to impart to their readers. What is yours?
If I had to sum up my rambling thoughts into one (preferably coherent) sentence it would probably be this: God is greater than your past. Your failures, mistakes, the ugly thoughts you try to hide. He’s seen it all. He knows the monsters you battle, the past sin you can’t forget, the fears that hold you captive, and He hasn’t left. He loves you more than anyone on this earth ever could. And He is ready to heal you. Just turn to Him and offer your heart—your broken, fragile, wounded heart—to Him. And be amazed at what He’s going to do. Remember, it wasn’t the priests and religious leaders God chose in the Bible. It was adulterers (David) and murders (Paul), the uneducated (the disciples), and the young people (Jeremiah and Timothy). It was everyone the leaders of the day determined as inadequate for the job. Sinners and failures. But they had a God bigger than themselves who they leaned on. And that’s all you need. A big God. He loves doing impossible things through unlikely people.
What is your favorite, underappreciated novel/series?
Everything I read pretty much. XD I have a love for underappreciated and little-known books, so that’s most of what I read.
What book of the Bible is your favorite? What makes this particular book your favorite?
Oh, man this is hard. Can I say everything? I can’t? Okay, okay. How about Psalms, James, the Gospel of John, and Nehemiah? I love the Psalms because I believe they show so much of the heartbeat of God and can be a great source of comfort through hard times. James is awesome because I believe there’s SO much in this book that many Christians miss. John is one of the best Gospels of them all! Matthew, Mark, and Luke have more in common story-wise than John, but John presents a unique perspective of Jesus. And then Nehemiah has always been a character I have looked up to. He had this crazy, great dream and God did something awesome with it!
Who is your favorite Biblical character?
Probably David. He inspires me so much. The only thing I wish to be remembered as is a girl who was after God’s own heart, exactly like how David was a man after God’s own heart.
If you could meet one historical figure, who would that be?
Hands down Alexei Romanov, the last tsarevich of Russia. (If you can’t tell, Russian history is one of my many strange interests. It’s intriguing, y’all.)
If you could tell your younger writing self one thing, what would it be?
Just because you wrote a book, that doesn’t put you on level with like Tolkien. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. XD Mostly. *awkward cough* Okay, but in all seriousness, I’d tell my younger writing self that yes, writing is hard. Yes, you’re going to lose your mental sanity in the process. Yes, you’ll eventually need to try coffee just to see what the whole craze is about. BUT it’s worth it. Every moment of the journey to where I am now, and every moment of what is to come, has been worth it. ASo sit back and enjoy the ride. Because it’s passing quickly, and once you release your debut novel, you can’t go back. Don’t rush, enjoy every step of the writing process, and trust God to lead you where He wants you to go. It’s far better than what you’ve got in mind, Li’l Izzy.
How did you come to be a writer? Was this something that you always knew you were destined to be or did you arrive at this point via another path?
I grew up wanting to be a pastor (and before that a weather woman… it’s complicated) so definitely no. I didn’t find writing, writing found me. And I’ve argued with God every step of the way, but He really does know what He’s doing. My mother and sister were writers, so you could say that was where the idea of becoming a writer began. But I wasn’t serious until 15. And it really was mostly because I was bored. But no one ever thought to warn me that once you start… there is no turning back. Young authors, you have been warned. XD
Thank you so much, Issabelle, for joining me!
Readers, what is your favorite book of the Bible? (We’re currently going through John in church.) And do any of you wear glasses? If so, Glasses Wearers unite! (I myself have been bespectacled for fifteen years…that makes me sound so old.) What’s your favorite historical age? I personally prefer anything American from 1620-1945 with heavy emphasis on Western history and the War of Independence/Civil War. Have you read Imagine? What’s your favorite Skillet song? I’m partial to Valley of Death myself. The message is spot-on, helped me determine a character’s arc, and yeah. It has personal meaning for me.
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