Yes, you read that right!! I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo this year! This is very exciting for me because although I’ve participated in two Camp NaNoWriMo’s, I’ve never taken part in the NaNoWriMo.

And I’ve also never written 50,000 words in one month #eek

honestly i don’t know why i put myself through this stress

What is Beautiful Books?

From Paper Fury: Just like every year, we’re giving our monthly link up “Beautiful People” a small rest so we can focus on “Beautiful Books”. Sky and I host Beautiful Books so we can focus on  our NaNoWriMo projects. The format is the same as Beautiful People. We’ll post 10 questions to answer about your WiP — aka your beautiful book. 

I’m so excited and nervous to be answering these questions about my NaNoWriMo book. I’ve begun outlining (and I mean heavy outlining – if I am to actually win NaNo, I want to be prepared) but I still don’t know a lot about my book.

Hopefully this will help me out a bit! And by the way, this NaNoWriMo book is completely new, it’s not the same book I was working on during Camp NaNoWriMo. Just wanted to make sure that was clear before I began.

What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

I literally came up with this idea specifically for NaNoWriMo. I knew I wanted a contemporary and (of course) wanted it to be diverse and that’s about it. I held a few polls on Twitter asking people to help me decide what the race of my MC should be, whether she should have a mental illness or a physical disability, etc.

Describe what your novel is about!

It’s a contemporary and it follows Naira. She’s Native American and was adopted by her parents at the age of six. She has PTSD from something that happened in her past (not 100% sure what it is yet – I’m still trying to decide between two things) and it weighs her down. The book chronicles her dealing with her PTSD and trying to overcome the challenges such as her mysterious childhood before being adopted as well as trying to fit into the rich white community her parents raised her into.

What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

I honestly haven’t gotten this far yet, but I’ll go onto Pinterest now and make an aesthetic! Honestly this should’ve been done already.

Introduce us to each of your characters!

Naira Leigh – She’s a native american teenager that struggles with PTSD and feeling like she belongs. Her name means “woman with wide eyes”, which is a reference to the trauma she’s seen and experienced when she was younger before being adopted. She used to do gymnastics and loves poetry.

Jocelyn – Naira’s nanny. She practically raised her since she was adopted by her parents. She’s Puerto Rican and cares for Naira like she’s her own child.

Evelyn Leigh – Naira’s adoptive mother. She’s a real estate agent and cares for her daughter but doesn’t understand her and is always busy.

Franklin Leigh – Naira’s adoptive father. He’s a surgeon and is always stressed. Gets home for dinner but leaves for work early so he’s barely home at all.

Eric Jacobson – Naira’s neighbor and best friend. He’s popular at school and is the heartthrob of the school. Naira has a crush on him (of course) 

but don’t get the wrong idea, romance isn’t the focal point or even really part of this book

How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

Outline and tear my hair out 🙂

But really, I’m outlining like crazy for this thing. I’m writing down everything I want to happen in every chapter, how I want it to happen, ALL OF IT! So that when November rolls around, I’ll be as prepared as possible.

What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

Writing about a Native American character! There aren’t much YA books with a protagonist that is 1) Native American 2) adopted and 3) suffers from PTSD, so I think that this book will (hopefully) makes those that fit in one, two, or even all three of those categories feel represented somewhat.

List 3 things about your novel’s setting.

1. Oceanside
2. Rich people
3. California

does rich people even count??

heck, they’ll count there are like rich people communities and stuff

What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way?

I haven’t really thought of that yet (oops) but ultimately, I would like her to be able to overcome her PTSD and get help because at the beginning of the novel she doesn’t know that she actually has a mental illness and is suffering in silence. So basically by the end of the novel I’d like her to be more confident in herself and overcome PTSD (or at least see a therapist).

How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

Well that would a) be spoiler-y and b) I don’t even know that yet! Though, throughout the book there will be poems that are from her future self… so the poems hint at how she’s doing in the future (not particularly the end of the book, but more in the future, like a few years after or something like that).

What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?

Coming-of-age and overcoming hardships. I want the readers to feel emotionally drained but happy and fulfilled by the end. I want to be able to fit everything that I’m hoping to fit in it and wrap it up nicely by the end. I don’t want there to be any loose ends and I want readers to want more, but not need more, if you get what I’m saying.

Let me know if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo as well! Thank you for reading!

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