Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be introducing you to some amazing young adults who will be releasing a short story anthology in the next month or two.

Today, I am very excited to introduce you to Lilly Brown, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last 7 months. She has been working hard to finish her short story, The Spark, which will be included in an anthology being publish within the next couple of months. I promise to keep you posted on the publication details as we have them.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Lilly Brown, author of The Spark.

What name do you write under and is it a pen name?
I write under the name Lilly Brown and no it is not a pen name.

What or who inspired you to start writing?
I don’t really have a specific inspiration as much as I’ve just always wanted to write a book. However, another author and my former writing coach, Amanda Porter, was the one who gave me the opportunity to write.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing tiny little stories probably since I could write, but I’ve been seriously writing for about three and a half years.

What is the name of your most recent story and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say?
My latest story is call The Spark and I would describe it as a group of moody teens who don’t want to do what they’ve been told to do.

Is the above story part of a series or anthology?
It is in an anthology called a Door to Our Minds, which includes my story and four other stories. However, The Spark is also the first book in a series that I’m planning to continue with now that the anthology is getting ready to be published.

What or who inspired you to start writing?
I don’t really have a specific inspiration as much as I’ve just always wanted to write a book. However, another author and my former writing coach, Amanda Porter, was the one who gave me the opportunity to write.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing tiny little stories probably since I could write, but I’ve been seriously writing for about three and a half years.

How did you come up with the cover design idea/concept?
The basic idea came from one of my favorite scenes in the book but my cover artist, Amanda Orneck took it and made it so much better.

Did you listen to any particular songs while writing your story?
I listened to a lot of Broadway soundtracks. I listened to many video game scores and plenty of Star Wars as well.

How did you come up with the title for your story?
My main character is firey and I like to think of this book as the beginning of the story so I thought “The Spark” was fitting.

As a reader, do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audio books?
Hardcovers all the way. I kind of hoard them but they’re just so beautiful that I can’t help it.

Have you ever read and book more than once? And if so what is it?
Yes I have read a book more than once–seven times, I’m pretty sure and it the Warriors Super Edition, Crookedstar’s Promise.

Have you ever read a book based on its cover?
No. I don’t trust covers alone. There have been so many times where I see a cool cover and then I read the blurb and it sounds super boring so I always double-check books.

What is your favorite film based on a book?
The Phantom of the Opera is definitely my favorite film based on a book, as well as musical.

What is your favorite book genre at the moment?
Fantasy. It’s my favorite right now and I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t.

What books have made it onto your wish list recently? And why?
Bright Burns the Night by Sara B Larson is at the top right now. I found the first book in her series at a used bookstore and I loved everything about it, especially how she explained the lore of the fantasy world.

What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I’m reading Part of Your World by Liz Braswell and it’s a hardcover.

If you could invite and four (4) authors (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?
This may sound totally basic but the first would be J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter is one of my favorite book series and I have always admired Rowling for the way she wove every part of each book together. The second would be Erin Hunter. Even though Erin Hunter is a pen name for the group of authors behind the Warriors, Survivors, and Seekers series, I’m still going to use them as my second author. I’d love to find out how they are able to write and publish so many books and keep every character and timeline in order. The third person I would invite is, Liz Braswell. She’s is one of the two authors of Disney’s Twisted Tales series and I admire her ability to take classic stories and rewrite them. The fourth author I would invite is Leigh Bardugo, the author of the Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows Duology. I love the way she connected these two series and I really admired her world-building skills.

What’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
To not edit as I go. I would end up editing things out that I really liked but I would get rid of it because I thought I didn’t need it. I finally learned to let my editor edit.

What authors inspire you?
The list is very long but I’ll cut it down to just a few. Obviously, the four I would invite to a dinner party inspire me. Also on this list is: Kendare Blake, Ashley Chappell, Stephanie Garber, Marissa Meyer, Amanda Porter, Nina Soden and Tui T. Sutherland.

If you are interested in reading The Spark and purchasing your own copy of a Door to Our Minds, fill out the information form below and I’ll be sure to email you more information as soon as the anthology is released.