The Bibliophagist: I truly love books that are written in various points of view. It allows readers to really get an idea of how each character feels and reacts to different situations. Characters become very personal to an author as well and I feel writing from their point of view deepens that bond. Is there a specific character point of view you loved writing more than others? Why? Is there one you really struggled with?
Liz: I’m glad to hear that! I think my favorite chapters to write were from Haben’s POV because he had the most gray area to work with as a character. It was fun to figure out when and how to unfurl those emotional reveals. He’s a special guy and I cared about him being cared about. That being said, Seycia’s journey was probably the most exciting to write because she’s always on the move, always plotting the next insane suicide mission. I didn’t struggle with any of the POVs really, but General Simeon’s needed a little extra attention because taking his side definitely requires some mental gymnastics!
The Bibliophagist: You wrote a captivating novel with amazing world building but that is not all you do, you write screenplays as well. What are some of the major differences in writing a novel versus writing a screenplay? Is one more difficult than the other? Do you find that you prefer one over the other?
Liz: Wow, thank you so much! Actually one of the reasons I was attracted to this story was because it felt super cinematic to me. I’m a hugely visual writer and I always approach a story via dramatic moments and set-piece sequences. Not every novel is like this though; one day I’d love to challenge myself by writing something quieter and more character-driven. Screenplays and novels are both challenging in their own weird ways. With a screenplay, you only have 120 pages or so to tell your story, so the goal is to enter scenes late and exit them as fast as you can. It’s so economical. But that structure can also really help you if you’re stuck. With novels, you can stretch your legs a little! You have more space to explore your characters. But then, of course, you always run the risk of writing something that doesn’t move fast enough. I don’t prefer one over the other, I enjoy the process on both sides!
The Bibliophagist: Though some might picture writers spending all day at a desk writing, we know that isn’t the case. You enjoy singing to Broadway tunes among other things. What are some of your favorite Broadway songs? Have you seen many shows on Broadway? If so, which ones did you love most?
Liz: Oh yes, I was such a big musical theatre nerd growing up and I performed all the time! I thought for sure I was going to pursue theatre in college but I couldn’t dance AT ALL, and I soon discovered how much more I enjoyed writing. But I still love to sing and see theatre as often as I can. Some of my Broadway faves over the past several years have been Hedwig with Neil Patrick Harris, Fun Home at Circle in the Square (the most incredible sob-fest that will stay with me forever), and the original Broadway cast of Hamilton (I planned a last minute NY visit for two days because I had a friend who offered me a ticket! Crazy? You bet. Worth it? Obviously). I think my favorite show tune to sing is “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent, doing Maureen’s part. Will come to crash your musical theatre karaoke night anytime, anywhere.
The Bibliophagist: You chose Inkshares publishing to get your book into the world. From what I understand, they do things a little differently than a ‘typical’ publisher. Can you tell us a little about that and why you chose them? Do you have any advice about choosing a publisher for those who are at that phase of their writing?
Liz: When I first finished the MS 6 years ago, I did what everyone does – lots and lots of traditional querying. PitchWars and PitMad weren’t quite as prominent back then (or if they were, I was out of the loop). I had so many false starts with this book after that. A lot of people responded to it and I was working with an agent for a hot second. But then things didn’t really happen, and I shelved the book when my screenwriting career took off. In 2016, I decided on a whim to submit the MS to this cool competition The Tracking Board does, where they collaborate with film studios to find the best-unpublished books that could also be great Film/TV properties. I made the shortlist for that, and Inkshares was the publishing sponsor. I decided to pursue that avenue and fulfill the pre-order goal because I liked the way they selected books democratically. I wanted to try something new. Inkshares was great because even though they publish based on reader interest and pre-orders, they have a rigorous editing process and put a lot of careful thought into design/marketing. Aside from how production is funded, their timeline and process are comparable to traditional publishers.
For those who are choosing a publisher and/or querying agents, I always remind people that my publishing journey zig-zagged a lot and was NOT linear. I found my current agent through my Film/TV reps, only AFTER my first publishing deal. It’s not always Query—> Agent —> Book Deal. There are all sorts of new and exciting ways to get your work in front of an audience these days! YouTube and Netflix forced the TV industry to stand up and take notice, and I think these audience-driven publishers will eventually make the same impact.
Thanks so much for having me, Cassandra! Such fun questions!
The Bibliophagist: The pleasure was all mine! It was a joy talking with you.
About Liz Kerin
Liz Kerin is an author, screenwriter, and playwright currently living in sunny southern California. The Phantom Forest is her debut novel and was shortlisted for the 2016 Launchpad Manuscript Competition. A graduate of the Department of Dramatic Writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Liz is also developing a number of Film/TV projects, adapting a YA series to screen, and workshopping her award-winning play, “Stop-Motion.” She is represented by Verve for both books and Film/TV.
She is also the proud co-parent of two unruly small dogs, both of whom you can meet if you follow along on social media.
Every tree in the sacred Forest of Laida houses a soul. Though each of those souls will return to the mortal world for many future lives, not all of them deserve to.
Seycia’s father told her this story as a child — a story of the most holy place in the Underworld, The Forest of Laida, where all souls go to rest before embarking on a new life. But Seycia’s father is dead now, and his killer has put a target on her back.
After being chosen for her village’s human sacrifice ritual, Seycia is transported to the Underworld and must join forces with Haben, the demon to whom she was sacrificed, to protect the family she left behind from beyond the grave. In this story of love, survival, and what it means to be human, Seycia and Haben discover that the Underworld is riddled with secrets that can only be unlocked through complete trust and devotion, not only to their mission, but also to one another.
Thank you again, Liz, for taking the time from her crazy busy schedule. Her book is something that I am really happy to have had a chance to read and I know you’ll love it too. Pick up your copy today and fall into this amazing world she has created.
**Again, If you are an author interested in being hosted on Saturday Spotlight contact me! I would love to help support you and your work.**
Disclaimer: This Post may contain affiliate links.
