Interview with Ariel Ceylan

Today we're talking with author Ariel Ceylan about her series, THE TALES OF WHITHITH.

Welcome to We Do Write, Ariel. Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been writing?

I've been telling stories since I was playing with barbies, but I started actively writing when I was thirteen. That was seven years ago.

Tell us about THE TALES OF WHITHITH series. What is the story about?

The Tales of Whithith series is about an unwilling heroine who is trying to save the worlds from ultimate destruction because her conscience would not allow her to sit idly by while everything goes up in flames. That's Zili's story. Zephyr's story is the story of a good boy who learns that everything that he has ever known is not exactly true about the world. 

How did the idea of the story come to you?The idea came to me in class in sixth grade. I had a writing prompt about this "gang" from Whithith. I put the idea aside and when I was cleaning out my room over the summer, I came across the piece again. Then I came to wondering, who's in the gang? Where do they come from? Why are they chasing an amulet? 


Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?My beta readers are my brother and my mother. If my brother is not entertained, then I have a ton of plot editing to do. If my mother gets mad, then I have a ton of grammatical editing to do. 


Are you a planner or a pantser?I'm a little bit of a planner and a little bit of a pantster. I plan out my characters' identities. I know who they are and their flaws intimately. There are some crucial events that must occur for the story to progress, but ultimately, how the characters get there is up to them. I give birth to people, but they choose the lives they live. 

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?The hardest part of writing is editing. Everything makes sense to me! I just can't understand why no one else gets it. 

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?When I write, I absolutely must have a pen and a composition notebook. I don't like spiral-ring notebooks or memo pads. It must be a composition book. (Weird, I know.) 

If you could have any super power, what would it be?If I could have any superpower, it would be invisibility. That way I could get research done undetected. (heh heh heh) 

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?The weirdest thing I've ever googled is Lady Gaga's meat dress. 

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: suspenders, ulterior motive, and 
bubbles.

I stared into his brown orbs, I knew that he had an ulterior motive as he pulled up his suspenders and murmured, "bubbles".


LOL, oh dear, the weird images that just went through my head!Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Thanks to my brother and mother for being there for the infancy of my writing! Thanks to my bff for being excited for me as I worked on my childhood dreams!


And finally, where can people find you and your books online?


People can find my books online on Amazon (both physical and digital copies).

Thanks for stopping by the blog, Ariel. And good luck with your books!