Today, I welcome Dutch Young Adult author and Wattpad sensation, M.C. Julien!



What is the biggest thing you have learned since starting this journey as a writer and now published author? 

First of all, I'm very glad you asked me to do this for your blog. It's nice to look back on what I've accomplished till now. Starting my journey as a writer was very difficult for me. I never actually thought of myself as a 'writer'. It came very sudden really, the urge to write and the fun that came with it. Then I was fifteen, now I am eighteen and I have learned SO many new things over the past years. You ask me for one, but I can give you a hundred valid things! The most important one for me is that writing is something you do for fun and it's something that you have to improve over the years you practice. I've made so many big leaps since the first book I've written. It's unbelievable! So don't take those nasty comments people might give you! You write because you want to and it makes you happy! Rome wasn't built in a day, you know? It takes time to accomplish your goal, which may include your own published book someday.


You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?

Definitely a cool blue. I'm a fun person to talk with, especially when you take me out to dinner. I can be serious when needed and have this weird crazy unicorn-like vibe surrounding me. Why did I say blue again? Most likely because I hate pink. It's just so bright, like yellow. I'm a crayon, I can't think. Help me get out of this box!


What is something you want to accomplish before you turn 30?

I want to date more, explore the world some more - probably make a long backpacking trip to travel the world, especially the USA, Iceland, Australia and India - but most of all I just want to improve my self-image and self-assurance. At the moment I struggle to see myself as a powerful woman, with a bright future in front of me. I'm scared like a mouse! I have no idea what to do. Before I turn 30, I want to feel confident and decisive, but most of all I want to have a loving family, one of my own. At the moment I'll just stick with fictional characters. I can fall in love with them whenever I want to, right? Oh! That's one other thing I want to do before I turn 30. I want to say 'I love you' to the one person in the world that means most to me in that moment. I haven't found 'the one' yet - no, seriously, I haven't dated anyone in 18 years, what's wrong with me?! - but that's not the most important thing in life. Happiness will find me.. probably.. hopefully.. what was the question again? 


Let's travel back in time, what’s your favorite jam of all time?

Oeh, this one is hard! Damn it! I love all music styles, especially classical music because I play the piano and love doing it. If I had to choose one Jam I'd go with Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. The song is so beautiful and every time it comes on the radio I know all the lyrics. It's a strong song and it reminds me of that I don't have to do things on my own. I have people around me that love me and care for me and that's the most important thing for me. I can't see someone being happy without being loved. By friends, family and maybe your lover or husband. Jesus, I'm rambling again haha


What is your Spirit Animal/Guide? 

I'm a serious whale. Not only because I love Herman Melville's Moby Dick, but also because a whale isn't perfect. It's quite fat - Yeah! I've said it now! - and I'm not thin at all myself. But I'll just keep swimming! (Yes, I did that thing. The thing where you know the sentence and have to think about Finding Nemo hihi)


Are you currently working on a new project, if so can you tell us a little about it? 

Yes! I've just finished my second book in a new series. In Dutch, it is called: Een Canvas Vol Liefde, which, translated, means A canvas full of love. It's this cute romantic story between Lena and Jared. Lena studies at the UVAK, which translated to English means the University of Art, something in that direction. Lena studies Art, which is the ONE thing in her life she's good at. It makes her happy! Her parents don't understand that though. They own a lawyers company, the one most important thing in THEIR life. Her parents think she still studies law at the local University in The Hague where she lives, but that ship sailed a long time ago. In her second year, she meets the new exchange student Jared. He's a Spanish artist from Madrid. They have a connection almost immediately. The book is about finding yourself and making difficult decisions about your future. Family problems, LGBTQ issues, self-expression. All of it in one book! I'm very excited for its release in early November.


What or who is your biggest inspiration as an author? 

Probably Cassandra Clare. I wanted to choose JK Rowling, but no. I think it's absolutely amazing how Cassandra created this whole new world! I've loved all of her books and they are so very inspiring! I loved the infernal devices, which until this very day, is still my favourite series! Her words move me and every time I've finished one of her books I need chocolate and Netflix and a cosy bed to process my book grief. (And ice cream, I forgot that... preferably Ben and Jerry's)


If you could tell your Wattpad followers and readers one thing, what would it be?

That no matter what anybody tells you, you are beautiful! Nobody is perfect, not their looks or their writing, even though it may seem like that. If something or someone makes you feel bad? Just fuck them! You are You and you should be proud of yourself, no matter the mistakes you've made. 

Today I was lucky enough to be able to interview the amazing young adult author of Killer Potential, AftenBrook Szymanski! 


What is the biggest thing you have learned since starting this journey as a young Adult author? 

That it’s ok to be an absolute dork. I was invited to join the Storymakers committee while on an outing late at night with several ladies on the committee and a man began harassing them. I thought I could calm the guy down by acknowledging him nicely. Saying, “have a nice evening, Sir.”
It did not ease his aggressive manner—he busted over to me, in my face and proceeded to gesture while hollering about how angry he is.
I figured there were 20 ladies behind me, so I stayed calm thinking “20 to 1, we got this.” And continued to try to talk him down. I eventually turned around to discover everyone else was much smarter and wiser and goner...
By the next day rumor had spread that I brawl with aggressive homeless dudes in defense of others honor, which wasn’t completely accurate.
I’m simply too ‘country’ to know the guy didn’t want to know he was ‘heard’ that night.
I’m a dork and somehow live through it. 😂💕 I guess my stupidity is endearing.

You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why? 

My favorite color is yellow. But, I can’t wear yellow well with my winter coloring. I’d be called Jadis—the Silver-Blue queen of frosted ice color. Because I rule Narnia with a frozen fist—I’m so freakin' cold all the time.

What do you think about when you’re alone in your car? 

I usually think about how funny I am and why don’t I have a stand-up routine yet?


Let's travel back in time, what’s your favorite jam of all time?

My husband played a song by Bright Eyes for me when we were dating called ‘First Day of My Life’ and I love it forever.
I like Mika and Led Zeplin and Weezer and Black Keys and Gorillas most alternative rock. Major Hamilton fan and ‘Momma Said’ by Lucas Graham.


What is your Spirit Animal/Guide? 

A potbelly pigmy goat—because that guy knows how to get through life with a stacked deck.


If you put yourself in your book, Killer Potential who would you be? 

I’m Kate or Kathy. The prudish Kate, highlighting her favorite words in textbooks or Kathy running nude through the psych unit because I do personality in extreme.


Are you currently working on a new project, if so can you tell us a little about it? 

Cheat Code comes out in 2018. It’s sci-fi, based inside a game designed for terminal patients to donate their brain waves, or intelligence, in order to supply artificial intelligence with a human source. The process of transplanting human thought to computer circuitry goes terribly askew.


What or who is our biggest inspiration as an author?  

Ruta Sepetys. She’s brilliant. She even does an entire edit phase based on how each syllable of the story sounds. I’m not that brilliant or patient, but I love everything Ruta ever wrote.
I want to be that cool someday.


Thanks for joining us today! Be sure to stay tuned for my review on her novel, Killer Potential!

 October 22, 2017- Murray State University student, H.L. Roberts, 22, is a winner of The Wattys, the world’s largest online writing competition hosted by Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories. Roberts’ story, Burning Westchester, was selected from among over 280,000 entries to win the 2017 Wattys Award. 

H.L. Roberts will receive premium exposure to Wattpad’s community of 60 million people and her work will be recognized as one of the most-loved Wattpad stories from the millions posted every year. It will also be featured alongside other 2017 Watty award winners through a promoted Wattpad reading list and official Wattys story cover badge.

This year, nearly 195,000 writers entered The Wattys by tagging their original work with #Wattys2017 on the Wattpad App or on the website. Millions of people in the community read, voted, and shared their favourite stories online to help Wattpad select the 2017 list of winners. Overall, people spent over 2.25 billion minutes engaged with Wattys content this year, including Roberts’ story, Burning Westchester - an adult crime thriller about a 25-year-old rogue government agent who goes on an undercover mission to destroy the lives of Blarrison Corp. in Westchester who conspired together to frame her father and kill her mother when she was 15 years old. 

The Wattys highlight the love the community has shown for the most popular genres on Wattpad, and recognizes the effort of writers in the international community. Numerous Wattys winners have worked with top brands like Mondelez, Paramount Pictures, and Kraft through Wattpad’s Brand Stories native ad program. Some have even seen their work produced for film, print, television, and digital platforms through Wattpad Studios.

H.L. Roberts’ award winning story is available on Wattpad here:
https://www.wattpad.com/story/113706487-burning-westchester-probable-cause-1 

For more information on the Wattpad app and community, visit: www.wattpad.com/press.

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About Wattpad:
Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. The global multiplatform entertainment company uses the power of community and technology to enable the creation and distribution of content across a variety of formats. Its flagship app, Wattpad, is home to a community of more than 60 million people who spend over 15 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories. Tap by Wattpad, the company’s second storytelling product, offers short, chat-based stories in over a dozen languages. Widely recognized as the leader in social storytelling, the company established Wattpad Labs, an innovation lab for those passionate about the future of entertainment to develop the next breakthrough storytelling product alongside Wattpad. Wattpad Studios co-produces stories for film, television, digital and print, together with industry partners. Wattpad Brand Solutions offers a full suite of advertising products to help brands build deep engagement with Millennial and Gen Z consumers. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at: www.wattpad.com/about  

About H.L. Roberts: 
H.L. Roberts is a writer from a small Kentucky town. She comes from a big family, and often finds herself sitting with them around the TV watching movies, and just staying close, which is how she believes a family should be.

Reading is one of her passions, and so is advocating for mental illnesses, as well as epilepsy. She wants to bring awareness to the invisible illnesses-the ones people know so little about. Using her other passion-writing-she does that and more.

She is working toward her degree in Marketing and English Literature, and hopes to finish that soon. When she does, she'll have even more time to fall into a good book, whether she's writing it, or reading it.

You can follow her and her writing ventures: 
www.facebook.com/hlrobertsofficial
www.instagram.com/hlrobertsofficial 
www.twitter.com/hlrobertsauthor 
www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693585.H_L_Roberts