Today I’m very happy to welcome L.E. Fred to my blog. L.E. is a writer, traveler, and “perpetual dreamer.”
Linda Covella: Welcome, L.E., and congratulations on your new release Lucid. How long have you been a writer?
L.E. Fred: I have been writing since middle school. After being converted to an avid reader at a young age, I started creating worlds of my own. My first completed writing project was a short story for my 6th grade English class. I was only supposed to write 3 pages, but mine ended up being 14!
LC: You certainly caught the writing bug at a young age. Do you write in one particular genre or a variety?
LE: I tend to write in the YA genre, but my stories vary from being sci-fi to teenage romance. I’d like to break into the non-fiction travel genre after my travels in Japan.
LC: From where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
LE: This is a loaded question for me. Inspiration comes in many shapes and forms when it comes to my writing. A flower on a branch may shape a new protagonist for a future story or a dream I had may guide my current project into a different, more meaningful, plot twist. I hope to have many more interesting experiences that pave the way for future stories!
LC: What is your writing process? How much or often do you write?
LE: Thankfully, I am not currently on any deadline, so I can write whenever inspiration strikes. Though I don’t have a set schedule, I do try to write every day. The first step to my writing process is developing my characters. I even draw them to get a better feel of how each character will be and how they interact with others in the story. When starting a story, I make a rough outline of important plot points, and then I let my characters take it from there.
LC: Drawing your characters is such a fun and interesting approach—and the first time I’ve heard that from an author! Do you have writing partners to critique your story before publication? If so, why is it important?
LE: I am fortunate enough to have some very close friends who also write. We are a great support system for each other when it comes to writing and critiquing our work. I think it is very important to have some beta readers of your story. Writers are too close to their own projects, and it really helps for someone on the outside to give you constructive criticism and feedback. I also encourage writers to test their works with their target audience. For example, if you’re writing for middle schoolers, ask a local school if you can let the kids from the book club read your book as extra credit.
LC: How long have you actively been pursuing publication?
LE: I have been looking for publication for about 2 years now. The querying process is rough for a first timer!
LC: Yes, I can attest to that! Do you have an agent?
LE: Though I searched and searched for one, I currently do not have an agent. I think that when my next project is ready for publication, I will definitely have an agent first. Though I lucked out with my understanding publishing company, the publishing process is very tricky and more time consuming than most new authors would think. Having an agent really helps break one into the publishing world and helps a ton with marketing and promoting books.
LC: Tell us a bit about your new release Lucid and its series.
LE: Lucid is a tale about a teenage boy Devon, his annoying brother Kyle, and the almost too perfect college student Mitch and their journey into a fantastical realm that resides within our dreams. The first book starts with Devon dreaming of being on a space ship with other people. Though he realizes it’s a dream, the other people do not. Before anything can happen, Devon wakes up. The next day, his brother shows him a story about inexplicable comas happening throughout the country. Devon is shocked to find that he recognizes the victims from his dreams. He must then figure out why the comas are taking place and who is responsible for it. As he gets closer to the truth, he is thrown into a world of magic, monsters, and he ultimately finds his true self.
LC: Are you self published?
LE: I am not self published. I was fortunate enough to find a great, small house e-publishing company. The publishing company has been great with helping me out, but it is a new learning experience full of challenges. Prior to publishing, I had no marketing experience. I sure had to learn quickly! Though self-publishing seems to be a popular thing to do nowadays, I’d advise new authors to go with a publisher for their first time, in order to make the learning experience a little easier.
LC: Do you have a day job?
LE: Yes, I am a teacher. Currently, I am teaching abroad in Japan. It has been an experience! Though I would love to ultimately be a full-time writer, I love teaching. Watching kids grow, learn new things, and master challenges is very rewarding and I couldn’t imagine being anything else!
LC: What’s up next for L. E. Fred?
LE: This next year abroad, I’ll be focusing on promoting Lucid and teaching in Japan. Next fall, I hope to have the sequel, Reverie ready to be edited and queried for publication. Maybe you’ll be able to buy Reverie in Spring of 2016!!
LC: I’ll look forward to that! Anything you would like to add?
LE: Just to tell all of you aspiring writers to never give up! The world needs great stories!
LC: Thank you, L.E. It was a pleasure having you on my blog. Best of luck with your writing, teaching, and travels.
Readers, learn more about L.E. Fred and Lucid:
L.E. Fred is a perpetual dreamer who writes about worlds both within and without this realm. With a degree in psychology, L. E. Fred tends to get lost in the mind, the greatest adventure of all. L. E. Fred is currently traveling the world, finding more adventures to inspire new tales of dreams and beyond.
http://facebook.com/only.but.a.dream
Buy Links:
BN.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lucid-l-e-fred/1119860362?ean=2940149781171
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451564
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lucid-11
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/56318026-lucid-by-l-e-fred
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lucid/id893420559?mt=11
Linda Covella, Author 
What a great interview! Congratulations, L.E. Fred on your new release. Lucid looks like a great read!
Thanks for stopping by, Ariella!
I hear you about the query process — takes patience and lots of work. Another great interview, Linda.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Silvia!
Nice post. The book looks good. And I agree with the author–get your target audience to read it. As a teacher of primary, I have previewed several books for children authors.
Thanks, Aubrey. I’ve enjoyed reading some of your reviews on your blog!