Today’s post is particularly special since I have the pleasure of interviewing my dear friend, Ariel Avelar! Her imagination and heart for writing are an inspiration, but before we get into the details, here’s an introduction to Ariel and her novella Influent.
About Ariel Avelar
Ariel Avelar is an avid storyteller and artist with a boundless imagination that never sleeps. She specializes in fantasy and science fiction adventures and uses the backdrop of fantastical worlds and high-stakes conflicts to vividly explore the depths of human struggles and desires.
Beginning with co-authored stories with friends in early high school, Ariel has always had one or more writing projects in process, while dozens of unwritten ideas reinvent themselves in the back of her mind, awaiting their turn to be put to pen and paper. She has created a thousand worlds, lived a thousand lives, and vanquished a thousand enemies—with many more to come.
Ariel studied English and Creative Writing in college and received an Outstanding Senior in English Award. Along with the occasional poem or short story, she has authored eight unpublished novel manuscripts and co-authored twelve. Influent, a young adult sci-fi adventure novella, is her first published full-length story.
Influent
How do you escape a lie that you want to believe?
Nysha has inherited a strange ability from her father: her voice can influence people to do and believe whatever she tells them. Because of it, she and her brother and sister are on the run from a government agency, with soldiers closing in and nowhere to hide. Their only chance of escape rests in her hands—but can she turn an enemy into an ally using a power she barely knows how to control?
Jace just wants to keep his sisters safe—and avoid returning to the government facility. Nysha has the power of influence, not him, but after convincing the scientists that he’s the one they’re after, he’s committed to protecting his sister and keeping her powers a secret. But when he’s forced to rely on her unpredictable ability to defend them from the soldiers, he and his sisters find themselves trapped with a guardian who may be their only chance of survival—or their deadliest enemy.
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The fast-paced action coupled with relentless internal and external tension make Influent a compelling read. While the siblings are trying to escape those who would exploit them, they’re also struggling with how to keep their family together after their parents’ death and whether they can open their hearts to trust again. As a result, this story has great heart in addition to a page-turning plot. The characters are incredibly relatable in the moral dilemmas that pit their needs against their respect for others. Add in interplanetary travel and crash-landing on an unfamiliar planet, and you have a novella with a nice sci-fi flavor, an addictive plot, and an abundance of beautiful heartwarming moments.
Find Influent on Amazon (affiliate link)
Interview with Ariel Avelar
Now Ariel provides a fascinating look into how she comes up with her unique ideas and what inspires her to share her stories.
1.) What do you love about Influent that made you want to share this book with the world?
It’s a story about family and perseverance. Even though the characters are in a danger they never thought possible and have no idea how to escape, Nysha and Jace continue to fight and push themselves to endure for each other’s sakes and for their little sister. The strong bond between the siblings produces a beautiful strength that I think many of us never experienced with our own families. I also enjoy writing unusual “what if” scenarios, and I like pulling the reader into the tension that Nysha’s abilities create with her pursuers.
2.) What fuels your passion to write?
On a daily basis, my imagination will latch onto anything I see or hear, from an image to a sound to a misheard phrase, and immediately turn it into a “what if” story concept. Those stories would happily exist only in my head (or excitedly explained to anyone in close proximity), but if I want to enjoy them again and again and be able to give them to others, I have to write them down. It’s the thrill of the story itself that excites me, and writing is the medium of expression. I believe my stories have the power to entertain the reader but also to teach, inspire, and bring healing to broken hearts, as they’ve done for me many times while writing them, so it’s worth the effort to translate them from my head into something others can see and experience.
3.) What was your path to publication like? (Did you pursue an agent, go direct to a publisher, or decide to indie publish? Why?)
I’ve explored the pros and cons of every option and ultimately decided to go indie because it’s important to me to retain control over my books. I value the expertise that a publishing team could offer, but I’m concerned with how many things they could change once under contract, including the cover and title of the book. I also like writing on my own timetable and working for myself, rather than meeting someone else’s deadlines on my creativity and getting minimal profit in return. For Influent, I utilized the skills of people I already knew for the editing, designed the cover myself (as a graphic artist), and used Amazon KDP to keep the process simple and low-cost. With future books, I will need to research and invest in several editors who specialize in my genre, and the process will likely change with each book as I learn and new online options become available. Indie publishing puts the control and the pressure entirely on the author, so there’s a learning curve without a traditional publisher laying out the steps for you, but it seems to be a good fit for this phase of my writing.
4.) What hobbies do you have besides writing?
I love everything artistic and anything that brings more elements of fantasy into real life. I dabble in digital art, photography and photo manipulation, costume design, archery, crafting of every kind, piano and song writing, and backpacking in the Rocky Mountains. I sing in my church’s choir, serve as a church greeter, and lead/host a monthly women’s worship and prayer night.
5.) How do your personal beliefs/faith system shape your writing?
God is a master storyteller, both in the literary masterpiece of Scripture and the complexity of global, national, and individual stories woven throughout history. Part of the way I was made in his image is in my skill and desire for storytelling, and I love having this in common with him and connecting more intimately because of it. He’s shown me that he enjoys and loves my stories and characters as much as I do and wants to be involved in the process to whatever degree I’m willing to welcome and trust him. I’ve asked for his help in adding his truth into my stories, and he gives me ideas when I need to understand a character better or a plot needs to turn in a different direction. It’s been my heart’s desire for years to partner with him in writing (as with every area of life), and it’s been wonderful to grow in that with him and see how my writing has improved in quality and potency as a result.
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Thanks to Ariel Avelar for her thoughtful and inspiring answers! It’s wonderful to get a glimpse into a writer’s heart. You can learn even more about Ariel at arielavelar.com and check out her clean young adult sci-fi book Influent (affiliate link).
This concludes our author interview series (for now!), so if you missed them, be sure to go back and check out the interviews with Carrie Anne Noble (The Mermaid’s Sister) and Tara Grayce (Lost in Averell)!
What did you find most interesting in this interview? Share in the comments!
Author Interview Series:
Carrie Anne Noble, The Mermaid’s Sister
Tara Grayce, Lost in Averell
Ariel Avelar, Influent
H.L. Burke, Ashen
Constance Lopez, Of Stormlarks and Silence
E.J. Kitchens, Wrought of Silver and Ravens
Ashley Bustamante, Vivid
L.A. Thornhill, The Prophetess of Arden
Sharon Hinck, Hidden Current
Emily Golus, Escape to Vindor
Kyrie Wang, The Thief’s Keeper
E.A. Hendryx, Suspended in the Stars
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