Where do you live? What is the one lesson that the city has taught you?
I currently live in San Diego, California. I moved here during High School, from Texas. Spending my formative years here has taught me the value of community. I am a huge believer in community, friendship, and just human relations in general, and I believe it's the richness of the friendships I’ve found here that have instilled that value in me.
As a teenager, what were you obsessed with?
Boys! Haha kidding, well sorta. Probably surfing. I don’t know, growing up in Southern California, I did the whole beach, bonfire, surfing, outdoor lifestyle thing. There was a huge group of us and we’d all get out of school at noon and go to the beach until dark, it was a lifestyle for us.
How did you stumble upon writing for publication?
I always knew I wanted to be a writer, I just never believed that anyone would care about what I had to say. I stumbled into publication at a writing conference. I accidentally pitched a rep from Harper Collins in the elevator, and the rest is history.
What fears did you have while publishing your first novel?
People reading my work. Hah In fact I still have those fears, 8 books in. There’s something so completely vulnerable about putting yourself out there and I still suffer from this giant belief that I’m somehow incapable of fully expressing myself through writing. I still strongly discourage my friends and family or anyone who knows me really, from reading my work.
Do you have a specific routine for writing that you follow? Or do you prefer to like whenever and wherever?
I actually am very organized now. In the beginning, 2015, I wasn’t. But now, I have a dedicated time (I’m a morning writer) and I write complete scenes for the novel I’m working on. Then I’ll move on to marketing, or editorials, or passion projects.
How do you ensure to keep your readers wanting for more at the end of each book?
I don’t worry about that during the writing process, actually. I’ve learned to write from my heart, and am only thinking of the characters and the authenticity with which they’re coming across on the page. It’s not until probably my 4th or 5th draft when I’m editing for identified “holes” in my writing that I ensure my characters weren’t given easy outs. That whatever the conclusion to their story, it was hard earned and satisfying, not simply ended because I ran out of things to say or hit a wall. So I guess the short answer is, I write each character with as much honesty and vulnerability as I can. I challenge their internal fortitude and the ending that’s arrived at is hopefully as fulfilling for the reader as it is for my character.
What's one thing about "Niahla Hope" that you would like to tell your readers?
Niahla Hope is a story of redemption. It’s about a young girl, disadvantaged at every turn, who finds the inner reserves to build a meaningful life. I believe she’s a character with these super humble traits that all stack up into something pretty remarkable. What I’m saying is, I really like her, Niahla, the books namesake.
Niahla Hope is a very powerful woman character. What details do you pay attention to while creating these characters?
I pay attention to honesty. I think the best characters are broken, and vulnerable, and blind to their strengths. I think they’re hard on themselves, and want to do better but genuinely have no clue how to. I like to see them completely fail. I guess what I’m saying is, they’re just human. I pay strong attention to not making them too good. I also stay away from character tropes, well as much as possible. But often in the writing process it feels like the characters come through me, I’m not necessarily overthinking them. I’m actually trying to stand back and let them tell me who they are on the page. So I’m more paying attention to getting out of the way than shaping them.
What's one advice you would like to give to Niahla Hope?
Surrender. Certainty is her strongest value. While it's the thing that saves her, it’s also the thing that keeps her in a small and unfulfilled life. I think sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn as humans, and Niahla especially, is to be okay with not knowing, with not having it all figured out. For letting life surprise us and trusting that if we put one foot in front of the other and keep our hearts tethered to our desires but not clinging to a specific outcome of them, life will work itself out in pretty magical ways. This is what Niahla is learning, how to just let go of the very things she wants most; how to settle inside uncertainty. She’s not a fan, in fact if she could talk to me directly, in the beginning of the book, I think she hates me. Hah!
Is there have been a moment in your life where you felt like your world is coming crashing down? How did you find the courage to follow your visions?
Often actually. I am a lot like Niahla in some ways. A little girl raised in chaos, who valued certainty so much because it gave her life a sense of order. It became a coping mechanism of sorts, and then it became the very thing that was a stranglehold on my dreams. Because if you’re clinging to known outcomes, then that huge massive dream you want to accomplish, there’s just not enough space for it to be made a reality, you know? Like if I need to know everything will be okay before I attempt something great, I’ll never have enough courage, or enough faith to make the leap necessary. I learned how to make the leap, because I held on to certainty, and when everything came crashing down, I realized I could finally breathe. That I was going to be completely okay even when everything totally sucked. In reality, I learned the lesson of how to let go and make the leap, through failure. It was the clawing my way out of the rubble that instilled in me I have the strength to face anything, from that point on, I always took the unknown path. I guess I just never feared uncertain outcomes anymore.
What all activities do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I LOVE everything. Haha. I can get so busy. But some of my favorite hobbies: Surfing, Rockclimbing, Lyra Hoop, Yoga, Meditation, reading/consuming information (I’m a voracious reader like 5 books a week). Also I just really love hanging out with my friends and family.
What is the one most important thing you are trying to achieve by your writing?
It’s funny. I could probably come up with an answer in hindsight, but if I answered this question honestly— there is no goal. I’m not sitting down and thinking hmmmm how do I wow the crowd, or how do I speak this specific truth. I just get filled with this energy/inspiration that my fingers translate into words. There usually ends up being a point or some nugget of truth, but it’s not pre-meditated. So I guess the short answer is, I’m just trying to put the feeling in my heart, down on paper. Full stop.
Have you ever considered writing under a pen name? If so, what would your pen name be?
I do write under a pen name. Analei is actually my pen name. My real name is Chelsa. In fact I have many pen names, one for each new genre I write in.
How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?
Billions. My next book I’m actively writing is Non-fiction. This will be the first time I’ve traversed over out of fiction or poetry. It’s called “What The F**ck Is Self Love”. It’s the journey of finding the core of oneself in a world where there seems to be a lot of mirages. I think a lot of people point to happiness in defined ways, but when we’re not in tune with what happiness means to us, and we take other people's path, we find ourselves in lives that just don’t quite fit. This book is a culmination of some really hard learned lessons on finding the courage to forge ones own path, beginning with self love.
How long have you been associated with AllAuthor? How has your experience been?
Since I was interviewed for Surfer Girl. 2015? I’ve always loved these interviews best. The way they ask about my books but seem to highlight pieces of my soul too. I feel most seen through the questions. And also, of course the team is amazing. It’s truly a pleasure collaborating with them.
