Wednesdays with….L.E. Fred

Not only is it Wednesday today, but we have a special occasion here at Wednesdays with. Today we help author L.E. Fred celebrate the  one year anniversary of her novel,  Lucid! If you love fantasy, science fiction and a little bit of romance, I’ve got a book for you. And in honor of Lucid’s one year anniversary, L.E. is giving away one copy to a commenter. Winner will be determined by random.org. Take a look at the beguiling cover, read the blurb and then we’ll chat with L.E.

 


 

 

 

 

Devon Alexander is a 15 year-old teenager coping with the monotonous reality of his average life. His life receives an interesting reprieve as he has his first realistic dream of a spaceship. The strangest thing about the dream is that he seems to be the only one on board who isn’t in a dream-like trance. Before he can figure out anything about the dream or his strange shipmates, he manages to wake up. The next day, Devon catches a news story about inexplicable comas taking place all over the world. Devon’s life becomes increasingly interesting as he recognizes some of the victims from his spaceship trip.

Devon and an unlikely group of other teens start devising a plan to find out who is behind the strange dreams and the comas. Their plan is not only successful but immerses them in to the fantastical world that only resides in dreams. While in the dream world, the teens learn about the power of teamwork, a new world of culture, and their hidden potential to be heroes.

Suspenseful, funny at the worst times, and just a hint of teenage romance, Lucid takes a group of young adults and throws them into a fantasy world that they only thought could exist in their dreams. In a sense, they’re right.

 

CL:   What inspired the idea for for Lucid?

LE:    Funny enough, a dream inspired Lucid and Devon’s world. For as long as I can remember, I’ve suffered from sleep paralysis on and off. It’s the scariest feeling in the world to wake up in between dreaming and reality unable to move. After a while, it didn’t scare me so much, but the idea of why it happens sparked a “what if?” moment. What if the dream world was another world entirely? What would happen if some humans were aware of this? Before I knew it, I had my protagonist formed and he was on his way to finding out the answers to my questions!

CL:   Tell us a little bit about your writing process. Do you outline before you begin to write or are you a pantster?

LE:   Haha, pantster? That’s the first time I’ve heard of that word! I am definitely half-and-half. I usually start off pantsing my way through a story since I want to develop my characters by letting them interact and make decisions without an outline. Eventually, this free-for-all plot starts growing too large for my liking, so I have to narrow it down with an outline. It’s usually a very loose outline, but it keeps the story flowing and the characters in check. I think the sequel to Lucid (Reverie, which is in pre-pre-edits right now!) is the first story I actually mapped out. It even has a backstory!

CL:   What was the most difficult part of writing Lucid?

LE:   The hardest part of writing is simply doing it. It’s like starting an exercise program. You know you need to do it, and you know it will make you better in the end, but the hardest part is getting yourself to the gym. I really need to keep myself to a strict writing plan (2,000 words in the morning and night) to reach my goals. Things like NaNoWriMo are great for writers who have trouble getting their words onto the page. Sometimes we get so carried away dreaming up our worlds that we need a reminder to actually formulate them into readable stories!

CL:   Tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming a published author.

LE:    I actually jumped into the publishing world on a whim. After college, I had minimal job opportunities and grad school was not a desirable path for me to take. Luckily, I am blessed with patient parents who allowed me to live at home while I sorted out what I wanted to do. During that time, I buckled down and finished writing Lucid (which was started in college.) Before I knew it, I was finished and beta testing it with close friends. One friend passed it to an already published author who suggested I look to publishing. I got some books, and figured it was doable, and landed a contract with an excellent publishing company. Like my parents, my publisher has been so patient with my clueless self and has not only brought my story to readers but taught me lessons about publishing along the way!

CL:   What advice would you offer aspiring writers on the writing business?

LE:    As cliche as it sounds, never stop writing! If you have a story, no matter how small, get it on paper. Write something every day! Inspiration can come in all forms, so also get out there and try new things. You’ll never know what story wants you to tell it!

CL:   Any special tips for writers who are juggling writing with raising a family, working a day job or just life in general?

LE:   This is a good one for me, as I am currently juggling living abroad, teaching full-time, writing, and promoting my published book. You really just need to set aside daily time to work on your writings. Even if some days only get 5 minutes, that’s a few minutes more dedicated to writing than you’d normally have! While the inspiration comes and goes at random times, actually writing is something you can plan into your schedule. Trust me, you’ll feel much better after those few words are jotted down!

 

L. E. Fred is a perpetual dreamer who writes about worlds both within and without this realm. With a degree in psychology, L. E. Fred tends to get lost in the mind, the greatest adventure of all. L. E. Fred is currently traveling the world, finding more adventures to inspire new tales of dreams and beyond.

Readers can connect with L.E. at:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/only.but.a.dream

Blog: http://marsjaws.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/marsjaws

Wattpad:  http://www.wattpad.com/56318026-lucid-by-l-e-fred

 

You can purchase Lucid from these retailers:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lucid-L-E-Fred-ebook/dp/B00L96KPNQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1403629450&sr=1-3&keywords=Lucid

BN.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucid-l-e-fred/1119860362?ean=294014978117

 Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451564

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lucid-11         

 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lucid/id893420559?mt=11

 

CONGRATULATIONS on Lucid’s first anniversary, L.E.! We’re honored you’re celebrating with us here at Wednesdays with…

 

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