Team Lindsey FAQ: On Writing The Ending Series

As most of you Ending Series readers are aware, The Ending Series proper has come to a close. Yes, there will be small writing projects here and there, specifically World Before and World After that will be getting some more buzz later this year. But what we'll call The Ending Series origin novels are complete. Finito. Closed. Finished. Done forever.

Now, some of you Endingers have been with us from the beginning, reading our stories and growing with our characters alongside us. Other readers are new to the Ending Series--to Harper's waggling eyebrows, Jason's smoldering stone-faced expressions (yes, somehow he manages to do both at once), and Dani and Zoe's silly banter and unwavering friendship--and those of you newest to the world of The Ending might have a few (or many) questions about, well, all of it: the series, how it started, questions about questions about us...

That being said, we wanted to share a little bit about all of that with you through a series of short blog posts.

To start, here are FAQ's that you may or may not be wondering yourselves. Get out the libations and popcorn, it's sort of a long one. Happy Reading!

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1. What inspired The Ending series?

 

LP (Lindsey Pogue): We were both working at a bookstore a few years ago, and we were on our way home from a tradeshow in Oakland. I think we were high from the smell of new books or something because we were giddy and started chatting about writing and stories and it bloomed from there. We started brainstorming characters and story arcs, and before we knew it, we had Zoe and Dani outlined and a title for our project.

 

LF (Lindsey Fairleigh): Yeah, we had the entire premise set up by the time we parted ways that evening.

 

2. What motivated you to write a post-apocalyptic romance series? Have you always been science fiction fans?

 

LP: Romance fan, yes! Science fiction…not so much. My dad was a sci-fi reader when I was growing up, so I was surrounded by books with spaceships and laser guns on the cover. I assumed that was all the science fiction genre consisted of. Clearly, I was wrong. When LF and I first started The Ending project, I wanted to write and embrace my creativity. Our collaboration was going to be that outlet for me so I committed myself, not caring what the genre was. Since then, I’ve started to read more dystopian novels, and I am fascinated with the intricacy of some of the more epic science fiction storylines.

 

LF: I, on the other hand, have always been a fantasy and science fiction fan. My love of romantic themes didn’t develop until later, but now I find myself losing interest in a book if it doesn’t include at least a little romance or sexual tension. As for our motivation to write a new adult post-apocalyptic romance series—we both love YA books like Divergent, Shatter Me, and Hunger Games, and wanted to create something similar, just with more adult themes.

 

3. How much of the series is realistic?

LP: Although our book is fiction, we tried to make it as realistic as possible. We did as much research as we could before taking our own creative licenses and adding things into our post-apocalyptic world that might not have been there otherwise. Overall, we try to keep the reader engaged and constantly thinking “what if”. 

LF: There were a few “real world” things that we tweaked for the sake of the storyline, possibly the most obvious being that the internet stays up for a few weeks after almost everyone is dead, but we stuck with it because of the way the project originated. In the beginning, the entire thing was epistolary--it was all written in the form of emails between Dani and Zoe. We changed that, thankfully, but felt the need to retain the email communications because they were the original heart of the story--everything else formed around them.

 

4. How would you describe Dani?

 

LF: Dani is definitely someone who proves that first impressions can be misleading. She’s a tiny redhead with a feisty personality to match her fiery hair, and if you don’t spend much time getting to know her, she seems silly and a little flighty. But, as we learn throughout After The Ending and Into The Fire, this is simply a disguise she’s been wearing since childhood. She fears that if people get to know the real her—the intelligent, thoughtful, independent, and deeply caring person she really is—they’ll reject her. Of course, she doesn’t wear this
emotional mask around her best bud, Zoe…and therefore not around Zoe’s older brother, Jason, either…making them some of the few people who know the real Dani.

 

5. How would you describe Zoe? 

LP: Zoe is…complicated. She’s in her own head a lot, stands in her own way, and is loyal to a fault when it comes to Dani—the one consistent person she’s ever had in her life—so she clings to their friendship above all else. But on the flipside, she’s also extremely passionate and determined, which in the end, will help her rediscover herself in the new world of The Ending. We see her growing a bit stronger in book two, Into The Fire, but it’s book three where the readers will really get to know Zoe Cartwright and book four, well...I LOVED writing her chapters in Before The Dawn. She's come so far!!! :)

 

6. Do you have any advice for writers?

 

LP: Go with your gut and keep in mind that you will NEVER please everyone—the latter is something I’m finally coming to terms with.

 

LF: Put your manuscript aside for a month or two—like lock it away in a safe and don’t peek at it even once—and then when you look at it again, you’ll have all these new ideas for improving it. I know a ton of people have already said it, like Steven King, but there’s a reason--they’re right!

 

7. What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

 

LP: Not everyone writes the same, has the same imagination, or shares the same work habits. Find what works for you and embrace it. Try not to compare yourself to other authors because it's exhausting and your quirks are what make you unique.

 

LF: Write for you...the only way you’ll know if other people like (or hate) your words is if you write them down. And yes, no matter what, some people will hate them.

 

8. What made you first decide to become a writer?

 

LP: It has always been easier for me to write down how I feel as opposed to communicating it to someone aloud. I started writing in journals at a very young age and inevitably my ideas, dreams, and life experiences starting turning into more than that. Little bits and pieces of my observations and of my life turned into storylines, and soon fictional characters and plots began to develop until I had so many story ideas that I had to invest in cases of floppy disks (yes, real plastic floppy disks) to save all my stories onto. I’ve been writing so long that as I go back now and read through some of my stories from fifteen years ago, I can’t help but laugh because they are so horrible and surprising at the same time. 

 

LF: I think it goes back to the fact that I tend to spend half of my life in some other, completely fictitious world. I loved the worlds and characters that other people created so much that they almost seemed real to me. And, without meaning to, I started to create my own imaginary worlds and my own imaginary people...but they only lived in my mind. To make them more “real” I needed to write their stories, to describe their worlds on paper. Once I started, it was like everything slipped into place. Writing just feels...right.

 

9. What is one thing you hope readers will take away from this series?

 

LP: I’d like the readers to consider this our interpretation of the humanistic side of things. I think we provide a pretty realistic picture of what life would be like after The Ending (maybe minus all the hot guys running around). Yes, Zoe and Dani are in their twenties, but that’s young and they’re alone, and the world as they know it is ripped out from under them. There is so much for them to process, and they are scared and grasping for any sense of normalcy they can find. For them, sometimes that means crying too much, distracting themselves with men, and making poor or rash decisions. Are they acting immature? Maybe, but unrealistic would actually be having them pick up a rifle and start blasting people without a second thought. Our heroines have a lot of maturing to do throughout the series, so partially I think we wanted to show Dani and Zoe as they were prior to The Ending, and as the series progresses, how they grow.

 

LF: Hmmm...maybe that the apocalypse doesn’t have to be entirely about death and sadness. That’s not to say that those things aren’t present throughout the books--I think Dani and Zoe have emotional and mental breakdowns nearly every other chapter--but we really wanted to highlight the undeniable power of hope, love, and friendship. For Dani and Zoe, a life without those things would have been only a half-life.

 

10. When will The Ending Series be made into a movie?

 

LP: I think I speak on behalf of both of us when I say that as much as we would LOVE to have The Ending Series turned into a movie or show, it's not something that's necessarily up to us. It's been our experience that producers approach authors, not the other way around. And we aren't out there pitching a screenplay to anyone at this point in time. Plus, there's always the fear that once the rights to your work are sold to someone, you have no control over what they will do with those rights. Many books get picked up by movie studios but nothing ever comes of it, so you've sold the rights to your book that you might never get back. BUT, even with all of that being said, we would love the see the world of The Ending on screen, to see it more developed and explored and our characters in action. The idea of having the series turned into an AMC or HBO series would be our dream come true. We wouldn't scoff at a movie, either, but there's just so much that can be done with the story, a TV show or mini-series would be able to dive in more and would be our ideal choice. We shall see what happens...

LF: What she said! All of it is dead on, which makes sense because this is something we talk about with each other A LOT. I mean, how could we not? What author wouldn't love to see their creation come to life? I'd be ecstatic to have the chance to see how someone else interprets our world and characters, but...I'd also be scared. Because, you know, what if it's all wrong?! That being said, I'd be way more ecstatic and excited than I would be scared, so, yeah. :)

 

11. What projects, if any, are you both going to work on together? Will they be in the world of The Ending?

 

LF: LP and I have three Ending projects planned down the pipeline - two that are much more immediate and one that's definitely a several-years-out project, as we'd like to develop our other, separate projects and grow individually as writers and creators. The two more immediate projects are titled The Ending Series: World Before and The Ending Series: World After, and both are story collections featuring our favorite Ending Series characters, but not focused solely on Dani and Zoe.

 

LP: The stories in World Before will take place prior to the Virus outbreak--five, ten, maybe even twenty years before in some cases. The stories in World After will be continuation stories that take place after The Ending Series book four. Depending on the characters we choose to write about, their stories could take place months or maybe even years after Before The Dawn. As for the third project, that will be a ways out, as LF mentioned, but we've left the world of The Ending open for many possibilities. :)

Coming 2017

...After The Ending is FREE!...

That's right, we said FREE!

Team Lindsey sat down and had a serious discussion about the merits of trying out After The Ending as a "permafree" book. Setting the first book in a series to free is all the rage with indie authors right now, so we decided to be followers in the best way and test the permafree waters over the holidays.

Our thinking: what better way could there be to introduce more people to Dani and Zoe's end o' the world adventures than making that first step into their world as easy as possible?

That means more popularity for the series, more Endingers for you to discuss the books with, and more possibility that someone behind a camera will take notice and bring the series to life on the big (or little--we'd totally settle for little) screen! I mean, really, could you imagine it?!? That would be insane!

So, if you love the series and want to help it grow, please, please, please share the exciting news:

AFTER THE ENDING is FREE!

FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

After The Ending can be downloaded for FREE all these awesome places:

Amazon

iTunes

Kobo

Wattpad (censored version)

Happy Holidays, and as always, HAPPY READING!

...Book 3 Release!...

Available in ebook and paperback

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks

Hope brought them together, but it's now fear that drives them...

...and threatens to tear them apart.

Zoe and her companions succeeded in rescuing Dani from the Colony. But not without sacrifice. Beaten and broken, they head west, determined to leave behind the torment and horrors they experienced in Colorado.

As Dani and Zoe make the perilous trek home to Bodega Bay, they learn that danger can take many forms--other survivors, their friends, even themselves--and that things are rarely what they seem. Zoe is desperate to become the woman she sees in others' memories, while Dani struggles to conceal damaging secrets, risking losing herself--her humanity--completely. Together, they must rediscover the true meaning of friendship, love, and trust, and learn just how hard they're willing to fight for what remains of their shattered world.

As relationships are put to the test, second chances are given, and new life emerges, death lurks in the most unlikely of places. To survive, Dani and Zoe must accept that sometimes hope alone isn't enough.

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks

...Month of July Recap...

Greetings, All! I know this is a little late, but despite being in the midst of day jobs and prepping for the Out Of The Ashes release on August 23rd, I didn't want to miss my July recap! There's a lot for me to be grateful and proud of this month! Here's a VERY quick recap...

First of all, LF and I had a blast at my annual 4th of July party. Sorry, no pics to share, but it was fun, take my word for it :) I was supposed to go skydiving the next day, so being that I'm petrified to jump out of an airplane at 13,000 feet, there was a small, dark cloud of my own celebration. But then skydiving was cancelled the next morning, so I was stressing for nothing. Great.

A day on the lake made up for it though! I love the sunshine and had an AMAZING day out with good friends and my Mr. Right. Sun, a couple of drinks, tubing, laughing, music...it was a wonderful day and the perfect way to start off my July...and celebrate life.

I tried to be a bad-ass but failed miserably. After a day of skeet shooting, I was left with rubbery arms a bruise the size of Texas on my shoulder. That last part may be a slight exaggeration, but it was physical proof of how pathetic I truly am.

On the work front, LF and I released our second book, Into The Fire, as an audiobook. Woot! Woot! A special thanks to Natalie Duke for putting up with us...again.

I released my final novella in The Ending Beginnings prequel novellas, Jake & Clara, and LF and I released a compilation of all 6 novellas as an omnibus as well.

 

There's probably tons more, but it's back to revising I go. Until next time!

...Month of May Recap...

Howdy, All! 

So, I was just thinking...a dangerous past time, I know.

2014 is already HALF OVER! There's been so much going on--so much I feel like I'm not appreciating and taking in--and I need to stop and smell the roses. So, I figured, why not do so and share it all with you at the same time?

So, I've decided that at the end of every month, I will post a brief-ish recap of some of what's going on. I'll try not to make it too terribly boring.

My May Recap...

Coming off of a mad writing marathon month with Lindsey Fairleigh, I was finally able to focus on some other things, like...

I caught up on some CRAZY Game of Thrones episodes that almost made me pee my pants. Every episode is a surprise, and I LOVE IT! Where is it all going? I have my hopes and speculations, but then again, just when I think I know what's going to happen - BLAM! All my theories turn to dust.
                           
                            


I listened to a wonderful audiobook rendition of Jennifer Ashley's,  The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (book 3 in the series). I LOVED everything about this book! The story, the characters--who were witty, swoon-worthy, intelligent, intriguing, and not overly dramatic--and the narrator was also 100% right for the job. If you love historical fiction and unique story lines in your romances, you'll like this!
    

On the Ending Series book front, After The Ending went live on Audible! And now, onto the production of Into The Fire! Thanks Natalie Duke for being so awesome!
 

I published The Ending Beginnings: Clara, my second solo novella for The Ending Series, which was so very fun to write. It's probably a really different spin on Miss Clara's villainous ways than most Ending fans would expect...but that's the thrilling part of it all. I just hope everyone enjoys it! It's currently free in many places, but only for a limited time.

My dad was visiting from Hawaii. Yes, the beautiful Big Island. We had a great time with the family, and my grandma made her famous fried chicken and dumplings that we only get once a year when my dad is visiting :) At least I got my fix! Woot! Woot!

I'm still recovering from 3 days at the Napa Valley BottleRock festival this year. Although I did have fun and hung out with some great friends, I also had aching feet, too much sun, and too much dust in my nose by Sunday night at 10:00 (not to mention a little too much to drink, but...). Needless to say, despite hearing some great groups (Smashmouth, The Fray, The Cure, Heart, and more), I'm exhausted and glad it's over.

I think that's enough to reflect on and be thankful for, for now. I wouldn't want to bore you with silly cat stories and my excitement about finally having time to clean my house, do some yard work, and all that jazz, so I'll stop while I'm ahead.

If you want more information about all The Ending Beginnings novellas, would like to learn more about The Ending Series in general, or if you'd like to catch up on some Team Lindsey Q & A, feel free to visit my website!

Until next month!

Linds

...On co-authoring...

Co-authoring – The best decision I ever made and why aspiring authors should consider it.

By: Lindsey Pogue, co-author of Bestselling Sci-Fi Romance saga, The Ending Series

Although I’m not new to writing per se, I’m a newcomer to the indie, self-publishing world. And let me tell you, there is a lot to learn, and it’s constantly evolving. And if I’m being completely honest, although I’ve been writing most of my life, I wouldn’t have had the gumption to tackle publishing if it wasn’t for my co-author and partner in crime, Lindsey Fairleigh (LF). Yes, we’re co-authors and both of our names are Lindsey, spelled the same way and everything.

Oh, to be so inspired…and petrified. I always wanted to be a writer. In fact, I wrote my first YA manuscript in high school. But it wasn’t until 2011 that I decided to take that leap from aspiring to published author. Has self-publishing made it easier to reach my dreams? Yes! Is it a lot of hard work? Definitely! Am I afraid of failure? I was, but then I asked myself what would be worse: never trying and always wondering? Or taking the leap and being able to say, regardless of the outcome, “I did it”? And guess what, the sleepless nights, the fear of rejection, the brain farts and time crunches are all totally worth it! I have to work for someone anyway, so why not work for myself and take a chance on something that I love doing? LF and I were at a point in our lives where it just felt right and we had each other, so we went for it—110%. As a result of our dedication and belief in one another, we’ve created a bestselling series that we couldn’t be more proud of.

               That glazed-over feeling that hits you when you step into the ever-changing, self-publishing world


Our long story short. So, LF and I have known each other for a few years now, but when we first started writing—aside from our love of reading and watching True Blood—we didn’t know all that much about one another. So, co-authoring was really a leap of faith for both us. After bouncing ideas off of one another, we decided to embark on a fun side-project together, which has since blossomed into an amazing adventure. What was originally meant to be a blog, turned into a four book series, the first two are out now, After The Ending and Into The Fire.

Co-authoring, really? It’s definitely not for everyone. Writing with another person means there will be different and sometimes conflicting opinions, approaches, strengths and weakness. But partnerships also provide more ideas, different perspectives, someone to share the load and lean on when you’re feeling the woes of authorship. For me, co-authorship is exactly what I needed to get my butt in gear and stop sitting around wishing I could be a writer. Would I be as happy as I am now had I co-written with someone else? No, I doubt it, because LF and me just seem to mesh well. For whatever reason, we did have a connection—we do—and we listened to it. Look where we are now. It’s truly a wonderfully amazing gift to be able to embark on a project like this with someone else you trust.


Having a co-author helps me in more ways than one.

Accountability. I am one of those writers who has a hundred story ideas bobbing around in my head all day every day, so I struggle to stay focused on one story at a time. Only once, before The Ending Series, did I complete an entire manuscript. If you’re like me, sometimes it helps having another person in the mix, holding you accountable, who will help keep you focused. LF doesn’t babysit me, don’t get me wrong. You don’t want to let them down so you work your butt off as much as you can. A co-author helps to keep me motivated, holding me to my own standards and goals. If I know LF is waiting on my work, I get it done one time. If I know that she’s going to critique it, I try to write something to the best of my ability. With a co-author, a writer has to stay focused. I hate letting people down so it’s additional motivation.

Two heads, two perspectives. Let’s be honest, working with someone else is generally more motivating no matter the setting—talking things out and getting ideas out of my head is crucial in plotting. When you’re working with someone, one of you will find a plot hole while another comes up with the most awesome twist neither of you ever saw coming. Having a brainstorming buddy is one of the most important aspects of writing, especially when that brainstorming buddy is as equally invested in the project as you are.

A sense of security. Who doesn’t want someone around who is equally invested in the success of your project? It’s easier to take chances when someone is there by your side. I’m not talking about a supportive, significant other (although that is definitely important), but someone who feels as connected and accountable for your project as you do. The great thing about having a co-author is that there is someone to take the punches with you, someone to laugh or rejoice with when an occasion calls for it. There’s someone to talk to who knows exactly what you’re talking about and feels the way you do—someone who can relate to you. In working with LF, I have a partner to share failures and successes with, all of which are intimidating, especially for a first time author.

                                     That happy moment when you can celebrate your successes with someone


The “dark side”. Although I’ve been fortunate to have a great experience working with LF, I can see how things could get messy for some co-authors. As with anything, co-authoring isn’t always going to be furry puppy dogs and sunshine, so before you embark on a writing project with someone, you really need to consider the personality traits you share and what you foresee your differences being. There are also your different ways of writing that you need to consider, which gets tricky. LF is one of the writers that can get everything from her head down onto paper and it’s nearly a finished draft. I’m lucky if I can get most of my thoughts out fast enough, so for me, I need to revisit a chapter multiple times before I can say, this is the best it can be. So, working at different paces definitely proves challenging for me. You need to make sure you’re open and honest when it comes to feedback too, but if you don’t have thick skin, or at least aren’t working toward it, working together may be difficult to stomach. Keep in mind, you’re co-author should want the story to be the best it possibly can, so honesty WHILE practicing kindness is key.

                                                                                         How I feel when we're editing


Be the most creative you. Don’t let co-authoring define who you are as an author, but let it help you get to that place you want to be—use it to your advantage. Learn from your experience—from each other—and together you can create something more amazing than you probably thought possible. If you don’t feel like that’s the case for you, get out of your project and start your own. The last thing you want is to publish something with your name on it that you’re less than proud of. You’ll regret it, guaranteed.

Again, I know co-authoring isn’t for everyone, but it was the best decision I ever made…for my writing and for my life. I’m 100% happier now that I can write and follow my dream. So, whether it’s writing a blog or a book together, collaboration can sometimes bring out the best in a person, and can show us what our potential truly is.

While I still have to work a part-time day job in order to fund my passion for writing, it’s my hope that one day, this hair-brained decision LF and I had a few years ago will turn into something more and allow me to continue pursuing my dream and writing another adventure. Thanks, LF, for all your hard work, and for helping to make the last three years of our writing career absolutely amazing. I probably never would’ve had the guts to follow my dreams without you.

...Into The Fire, Book Two of The Ending Series Cover Reveal...

The Virus changed them, but that was only the beginning…

…death…mutation…insanity…corruption…terror…

…all that remains is hope.

In the wake of destruction left behind by the Virus, it took Dani and Zoe months to find each other. But their reunion was short-lived. Dani has been taken, and though little distance separates them, they might as well be worlds apart.

From the moment she hears Dani’s scream, Zoe’s only goal is to save her best friend. She and her companions scramble to come up with a rescue plan, but when a ghost from Jake’s past reappears, lines are blurred, decisions become harder, and secrets are revealed…and some secrets are best left buried. To keep heartache and fear from consuming her, Zoe must cling to her determination. She will see Dani again.

Dani awakens inside the final hold-out of civilization: the Colony. Remnants of the former world surround her—electricity, safety, social order—but all is not what it seems. As she faces her most manipulative adversary yet, she loses sight of who she is and who she can trust. Friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and allies will betray her. Dani will have to decide what she’s willing to do and whose lives she’s willing to risk if she is to have any chance of breaking free.

...Get to know the Lindseys...

What is your favorite quality about yourself?

LF: That I’m obsessive. When I find something that I love, like a book series or show, I put so much energy into finding out everything I can about it, from the characters to the creators. I know it’s probably not something that other people, like my mom or husband, would say is their favorite thing about me, but I love it. Besides, I think it makes me a better writer...when I’m immersed in a project, it’s all I think about. Sometimes I even forget to eat, and I love food!


LP: I’m passionate about a lot of things--movies, reading, writing, laughing, eating, learning, traveling--I don’t get bored very often.

What is your least favorite quality about yourself?

LF: Definitely my insanely awesome ability to procrastinate. It’s really not so helpful if I’m having a tough writing day…or need to schedule an appointment at the dentist. With the latter, I usually end up going about a year late. I feel sorry for my teeth.

LP: I get sidetracked easily. I’d like to think it is the creative part of my brain, but I think it’s just impatience and lack of focus more times than not. Oh, and I worry too much.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?

LF: “I didn’t jump. I took a tiny step, and there conclusions were.” Why? Because it’s Buffy and Joss is a genius, and that’s the only reason I’ll ever need to love that line.

LP: That’s really hard for me...it would have to be “Yippee Ki-yay mother*BLEEP*“ by Bruce Willis or “It’s not a tumor!” by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Most cheesy one-liners make me smile.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

LF: I’d have to say writing and publishing After The Ending independently…with LP, of course! It’s a ginormous, never-ending learning process, but it is so worth it.

LP: Ditto

What is your favorite color?

LF: Green.

LP: Green

LF: Jinx.

What is your favorite food?

LF: Cheese, bacon, or tomatoes. It depends on the day.

LP: Breakfast food...and Mexican if I had to choose something else.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

LF: Favorite place I’ve ever been…Tuscany. Favorite place I’ve never been…Egypt. I studied Mediterranean archaeology in college and worked on a dig in Italy. It was the craziest, most amazing experience I’ve ever had. There’s nothing like being the first person to touch a piece of pottery in 2,000 years--it’s like there’s a connection between you and someone who’s been gone for millennia.

LP: While I love traveling around the world and learning about different cultures, there’s something to be said for the serenity of nature and being comfortable in your surroundings. That being said, I love The Ranch. It’s my grandparents’ home located in the hills of Northern California. The Ranch has always inspired me and brought me peace of mind.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing?
LF: For me, I’d have to say that because my parents encouraged me to be a bookworm, I gained a passion for fiction early on. It started with Matilda and The Witches. Then, my mom suggested I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I read all seven books at least a dozen times. That was my springboard into all of the amazing worlds that can be found in fantasy and science fiction books. Because of that, I eat, sleep, breathe—and write—within those genres.

LP: While reading is a pastime I’ve only embraced in the last five years or so, I’ve always been passionate about writing. Whether it’s a story idea, journal entry, a research piece for the newspaper, or my master’s thesis, I have always had something to write. My family has always encouraged me to do what makes me happy and has supported me in all that I do, allowing me to find what it is that makes me truly happy.

How long have you been writing?

LP: All my life.

LF: I’ve been keeping journals since elementary school, but I’ve only been writing fiction for about six years.

When did you first know you could be a writer?

LP: Honestly, I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but never felt it was possible until I met LF. We sort of clicked and started brainstorming and one thing led to another. It’s really exciting and encouraging to have someone who feels the way I do about writing--who has the passion and the drive. I don’t know if I would’ve ever gotten this far if we hadn’t met.

LF: Awww...thanks friend! I feel the same way. As for when I first knew I could be a writer...it was a conversation I had with one of my professors when I was an undergrad at the University of Washington. For some reason, I had been under the impression that I wasn’t a very good writer, and his was one of the courses that would earn me a writing credit without actually being a dedicated “writing” class. He called me in for a meeting to discuss one of my papers and ended up convincing me that I really could write. Several years later, I started working on my first manuscript.

What inspired you to write your first book?

LP: Aside from my partnership with LF spurring forward my passion for writing, I have to give the credit to my grandfather. All my life I’ve escaped to The Ranch, spending my summer having some new adventure, writing about it and hovering over my notebook or my computer. My grandpa would always asked me if I was finished yet and when he could read it. He passed away last year right when LF and I started this project. I wish he was here so that I could show him that I finally finished something and that it’s an actual book.

LF: Family is really the thing that inspired me as well, though sort of in an inverse way. I was dealing with some personal and family issues when I started my first manuscript, and writing was the only thing that made me feel any better. It was like therapy...except free. And once I started, I couldn’t stop.

Who or what influenced your writing over the years?

LP: Throughout my life, I’ve journaled everything that’s happened to me--dreams, heartbreaks, family drama--but, I’ve always been horrible with grammar and it detoured me from enjoying writing anything for other people to read. I had red lines through my essay papers in high school and was struggling to keep good grades in my English classes. When I entered my Junior year, a very passionate, wonderful teacher showed me the power of writing and the fun of reading, and I’ve been writing stories and taking creative writing classes ever since.

LF: For me, I’d say there are two things that have always influenced my writing--my super vivid dreams and the thousands of science fiction and fantasy books I’ve read.

What made you want to be a writer?

LP: I just love it. It feels right.

LF: Same for me. Once I started writing, I felt like I’d finally realized who I really was. Everything else felt forced, but like LP said, writing just feels right.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

LP: I find it difficult to control my impatience. When I’m brainstorming, I get too many ideas that I consider “good stuff” and then I can’t stick with one story. I have so many unfinished stories it’s sort of embarrassing. I think, other than After The Ending, I’ve only ever completed one draft of an entire story. There are always too many ideas floating around in my head, and I become impatient to get to the “good stuff” down. That makes it difficult to stick with one project at a time. I like working on The Ending series with LF because it holds me accountable and I stay focused. I need deadlines.

LF: It’s so funny, because this is probably where we differ the most. I focus on one project so intently that I want to keep revising and reworking...pretty much endlessly. I have to force myself to take a step back and work on something else. But then, the process starts all over again with the new manuscript...

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it?
LP: It has taught me more about myself, what goes into publishing a book, and the writing process itself. I can’t even begin to explain. I think I’m still absorbing it all. But the one thing that I keep coming back to is...I can do it. I’ve always wanted to publishing a book and we did it! I’ve taken the plunge and it feels...indescribable.

LF: Writing and publishing After The Ending has taught me that sometimes the best things are also the most terrifying. I mean, we created this world, these characters--this story is like our child--and now people we don’t know are reading it...and enjoying it. I just read a review this morning where the reader said she felt like she was a member of the group in the book, and that she didn’t want it to end. Hearing someone say that about our book is absolutely amazing.

Do you intend to make writing a career?

LP: I hope so because that would be absolutely wonderful.

LF: Absolutely yes. I’m all in.

Can you tell us about your main character?

LP: Like most people, Zoe gets in her own way a lot. She over thinks things, which is probably a personification of me, but our similarities end there. She is strong, but she doesn’t realize how strong, at least not yet. She’s always felt disconnected from her family for a reason she doesn't understand, and her internal conflicts have jaded her--that’s why she cherishes Dani’s friendship so much. Dani provides the balance Zoe needs to be happy and feel normal--Dani makes her laugh, live and gives her something to look forward to as she struggles to uncover and understand the family secrets that have loomed over her for as long as she can remember.

LF: Dani is a petite redhead with a quirky personality. She’s passionate, silly, and willing to give up everything to help the people she loves. For all of her life, she’s felt survivor’s guilt over the death of her mother--she died in childbirth--which is only compounded during the events of The Ending. She draws strength from Zoe, who has always looked out for her, and considers her to be more of a sister than simply a friend.

Who designed the cover?

LP: We came up with the concept together, wanting to have a cover that was different, simple and that left people curious as to what the book was about. Once we agreed on the images and the overall concept, LF did the formatting and made an amazing cover that I am so very proud of.

LF: It was a lot of work--a lot of learning--but I’m really happy with the end product. That being said, I make no claims of being a cover designer, and I have immense respect for the truly talented cover designers out there.

Who is your publisher?
LP: Wanting to retain as much creative licensing as possible, we started our own publishing company, L2 Books, that we run out of my house. So, not only am I a new homeowner, but we’re new business owners as well. I think it’s safe to say we’re grown-ups now.

LF: I don’t know if I’d go that far, LP. Grown-ups is quite a claim...

Will you write others in this same genre?

LP: We plan to write four books in this series and who knows what we will tackle together after that. I have some Sci-fi story ideas I’d like to work on personally, but typically Sci-fi isn’t my preferred reading genre--it’s not my comfort zone--so it will be interesting to see where my next, individual project takes me. Probably somewhere in the contemporary romance genre.

LF: Yes, absolutely. The science fiction and fantasy genres are a part of me. For me, writing in another genre would be like writing in a foreign language.

How much of the book is realistic?
LP: Although our book is fiction, we tried to make it as realistic as possible. We did as much research as we could before taking our own creative licenses and adding things into our post-apocalyptic world that might not have been there otherwise. Overall, we did try to keep the reader engaged and constantly thinking “what if?”.

LF: There were a few “real world” things that we tweaked for the sake of the storyline, possibly the most obvious being that the internet stays up for several weeks after almost everyone is dead, but we stuck with it because of the way the project originated. In the beginning, the entire thing was epistolary--it was all written in the form of emails between Dani and Zoe. We changed that, thankfully, but felt the need to retain the email communications because they were the original heart of the story--everything else formed around them.

How important do you think villains are in a story?

LP: They are very important. Without the villains, my characters would remain static. The villains definitely help drive the story.

LF: Beyond that, I think it’s important that some of the villains are hard to distinguish...and that some of the good guys might really be villains in disguise. It’s the gray characters who make things really interesting.

What are your goals as a writer?

LP: I would love nothing more than to be able to write for a living, but only if I could write something I’m passionate about, that I feel connected to, and something that brings me joy.

LF: I want to write science fiction and fantasy novels that transport people to another world, or another version of our world. I want people to feel like they’ve been to my worlds, met my characters, and been touched by their struggles and successes. If I can do that with my writing, I’ll be happy.

Have you started another book yet?
LP: When I’m not working part time for a non-profit organization, I am working on my chapters for book two, Into The Fire.

LF: Along with Into The Fire, I’m just putting the finishing touches on Echo Prophecy, the first book in my debut solo series. It’s a paranormal romance slash time travel novel with strong mythological connections to Ancient Egypt. It follows a young archaeologist, Lex, as she uncovers a historical mystery, a terrifying prophecy, and an ancient, powerful species that has been hiding among humans for millennia. I’m aiming to release it in late summer.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

LP: Writing full time and enjoying life. Hopefully I’ll have the time to get back into horseback riding again as well. I miss it, a lot.

LF: Writing, globe-trotting with my husband, and spending a lot of time in my garden.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment?
LP: My guilty pleasure is reading J.R. Ward’s, Black Dagger Brotherhood. I’m catching up on her latest books in the series, anxiously waiting for the Blay/Quinn story to come out.

LF: I’m totally addicted to George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. I also just started The Iron King, by Julie Kagawa and am loving it.

Are there any new authors that helped inspire you?

LP: We’ve met Tahereh Mafi a couple times and she’s so quirky and fun. I think in a lot of ways she reminds us of...us. Watching her grow and succeed as an author has definitely been inspirational. We loved Shatter Me and can’t wait to see where the rest of her series leads us.

LF: Good answer. Ditto.

What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out?

LP: I just discovered Scrivener and I love it! It keeps me organized and I need that to stay focused.

LF: Yeah, I’m on board with Scrivener too. Also, post-its are the greatest outlining and plotting tool ever invented.

Do you have any advice for writers?

LP: Go with your gut and keep in mind that you will NEVER please everyone--that latter is something I’m coming to terms with during this process.

LF: Put your manuscript aside for several months--like lock it away in a safe and don’t peek at it even once--and then when you look at it again, you’ll have all these new ideas for improving it. I know a ton of people have already said it, but there’s a reason--they’re right!

What do you do to unwind and relax?

LP: I love curling up and watching movies with my man or drinking wine and laughing with my friends.

LF: I spend a lot of time cooking--like several hours a day--and I listen to an audiobook while I’m doing it. It’s akin to meditation for me. Also, gardening, walking, and running...also while listening to an audiobook. Haha, I’m totally an audible.com junkie.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

LP: That I am capable of achieving my dreams.

LF: Writing something that other people can connect to...a story and characters that make them feel something. Even though it’s what we were trying to do, I’m still astonished. It feels amazing.


When you wish to end your career, stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?
LP: I did everything I wanted to and have no regrets. I want to have enjoyed the path I chose, my life.

LF: I would like to think that my work, my writing, meant something to somebody else. That would make all of the time and effort worth it.