7 Questions from The Serrulata Saga Desk: Athena Lynn

Pen Name: Athena Lynn
Pronouns: she/her
Book Series/Latest Book Published: Strangers in the Stars 

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment?

The main character from Strangers in the Stars, Cole. My wife likes to joke that all of my main characters are just me, but Cole is probably the most direct example of this. She and I share a lot of insecurities, she has a challenging relationship with her family that mirrors my own pretty directly, and I’ve been thinking of her story since I was still in high school – She’s been with me for a very long time, as a result.

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain? 

I don’t know that I find either harder to write, per se. At the end of the day, almost everyone thinks they’re right – regardless of whether they’d fall into the hero or villain category. Exploring what makes that character think they’re correct is always, to me, interesting, as is challenging their beliefs.

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?

Cole and I are most likely talking about our biological families: shitty fathers, enabling mothers, distant siblings, the works. I would probably ask her what it’s like to have the powers she does and another person riding around in her mind with her, outside of what I imagine it to be like.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? How do you conquer it?

Moderation! I’ll get an idea in my head and then go – and I’ll write like 8,000 words a day for a week straight and, regardless of how much my hands hurt, I’ll keep writing until the motivation has left me. 

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?)

Several of my friends are very talented writers with deeply interesting stories to tell! Fae’Rynn released Sundered Moon in February and has plans for the future, and I would love to work with her at some point!

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?

I would hesitate to say that there is any kind of purpose to creativity, to storytelling. To the extent that creativity requires a reason, though, storytelling is all about communicating ideas and meanings to others where only speaking might otherwise fail you. I often struggle to get my meaning across in conversation with someone else, but through writing and a good story, I find I can communicate much more clearly.

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

I became a writer because I loved reading as a child, because fiction was always kinder to me than the real world. Especially when I was young, I was almost routinely denied a sense of community and connection with other people. As a result, I often write about people who don’t think they deserve any kind of connection and find it anyway, learning about self-worth and growing to accept that they’re as deserving of love as anyone else. 

Where to find Athena:

Website: Athena Lynn Writes Books via Patreon​
Twitter: @Stargayzer1998