Author Interview: Mattie May

First: would you like to introduce yourself to the readers?

Okay, Hello, I’m Mattie May, a Christian teen author. I live in California with my family. I enjoy reading, writing and hanging out with my dogs. I also enjoy playing harp and piano. I published my debut novel Everlasting Gold in April 2020.

Can you tell us more about your novel and what it was like to write it?

My novel is a Historical fiction that takes place in the US the year prior to the Civil War. It follows a young girl, Angie and her family as they deal with issues like slavery, and loving one’s brother.

It was rather stressful to write it, I did it as a part of a class that taught me a way of planning a novel (which I had never done before) and drafting a novel as a part of NaNoWriMo. The class was stressful, but it gave me deadlines which I need in order to get things done, but it was a great learning experiance and it was enjoyable to write something that long.

What made you choose historical fiction as your genre? And for that matter, why did you choose that specific era for your setting?

I read primarily HisFic, so I know it pretty well. I have some issues with most of the other genres like Fantasy, and Sci-Fi for example. I find writing in the real world makes it easier to address the things that we as Christians and humans have. I love to incorporate the gospel into my writing and I can’t do that in a fantasy world.

I also love history. For me, it’s the key to understanding the past. People who lived houndreds of years ago still had the same problems and struggles we have today.

I didn’t originally plan Everlasting Gold to take place then, it was going to be a tale from the Gold Rush days, because I live in an old gold minning town and I wanted to learn local history. But as I plotted and planned I moved it up a few years because it added more depth, conflict, and plot lines to go off of. It also had more recorded history.

How has writing (and publishing) this book changed your life for better or worse?

I have such a great admiration for authors, especially HisFic authors because of the amount of research. It’s changed my life for the better because, not only did I learn about writing, I learned about me. I also learned a lot about history and life back then. I also know how to do a decent cover and upload a novel to Amazon. For the worse, I’m having trouble getting out of editor mode for Everlasting Gold. I’ve been reading over it recently and I keep seeing things I could fix or make better. I just hope that for NaNo this year I can ignore the editor in me.

Speaking of NaNo, what are your plans for this November?

For this November I’m working on a Historical Fiction that takes place during The Great War. I have several exciting plot lines; one of them I’ve had in the back of my mind for a few years.

Sounds exciting! Do you have any idea when you want to have your first draft completed?

I’m hoping I’ll finish it during NaNo, but that’s subject to change as I seem to have too many ideas. LOL

I know how you feel. XD I can never finish anything before I get another shiny new idea. Do you have a placement title yet?

My working title is On The Field, but that’s subject to change as I’m not completely happy with it.

One last thing before we finish. Do you have any advice you’d like to share?

My advice would be to surround yourself with other writers and friends who can encourage and push you, who can do word war after word war till you hit your daily writing goal. Don’t write alone. Above all, honor God in your writing. He’s the one who gave you the ability to write and we’re to do all to the glory of God.