I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Lim, the author of Spin the Dawn. She’s written a fantastic story about a young woman who dreams of becoming a master tailor. Unfortunately for Maia, her gender prevents her from doing so. However, when the opportunity arises for her to save her family from ruin by competing for a job offered by the king, she makes the ultimate decision: masquerade as a young man and potentially save her family. It’s a story with intrigue, romance, and woven together with vibrant characters that will stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
Read on to see what Elizabeth has to say and you can also check out our Spin The Dawn review!
Tell us a little about yourself!
I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and my dream for the longest time was to become a film composer. I studied piano and composition from a very young age and even went to grad school for music, but I was always reading and writing. When I was in middle school, I became obsessed with writing Sailor Moon and Star Wars fanfics, and I think that’s how my love for writing began, though it took me a long time to realize I wanted to become an author! Now I live in New York City with my husband and daughter.
Every author’s journey to publishing is unique, could you tell us about your journey into the world of writing and getting published?
My journey was long and windy; I experienced a lot of rejection while trying to a published author, both from agents and from editors, and I started out writing women’s fiction before I realized I wanted to write young adult fantasy. I probably wrote and polished at least seven different manuscripts before selling REFLECTION and SPIN THE DAWN.
While writing Spin the Dawn, which character was the hardest to write?
The villain(s), but they’re always a lot of fun, too.
Fashion design inspires a great deal of this story; is there a particular designer or era in fashion that inspired you while writing Maia’s journey?
Yes, I absolutely adore Guo Pei’s fashions. Her designs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2016 exhibit China Through the Looking Glass inspired many of the dresses in Spin the Dawn. I also looked to the Tang and Ming Dynasty’s fashions for historical inspiration.
Could you talk about some of the myth and folklore in the book?
My father used to read me fairytales and legends from all around the world when I was a child, and many have stayed with me into adulthood. When I began creating the world of Spin the Dawn, I knew I wanted its foundation to be rooted in the tales I grew up with. The three that most influenced Spin the Dawn were the Chinese legend The Cowherd and the Weaver, the French story Donkeyskin, and the Norwegian tale East of the Sun.
During your writing process, did you ever find yourself struggling, and if so, how did you push through it?
Yes, though, to be frank, I am always struggling! I used to think writing would get easier with every new manuscript, but that hasn’t been the case at all. I struggle the most in the beginning of a new project because I absolutely detest drafting, so I just try to get it done as quickly as possible. I don’t have that many tips on how to push through it (it’s hard for me too!) but I generally set little goals for myself, like writing 500, 1000, 2000 words a day, and work towards completing my book one step at a time.
If you could sit down with any of the characters in your book, who would it be?
I usually say Maia, but you know, today I think a conversation with Edan would be pretty fun. He’s got a sly sense of humor and plenty of tricks up his sleeve, so I’m sure he would make for a fun lunch partner!
Some of my favorite parts of the book were Maia and Edan’s conversations. If you could sort them into their Hogwarts house, where would they end up? (I hope this is okay to ask, totally fine if you don’t want to answer it!)
For sure! I’d either sort Maia into Hufflepuff and Edan into Ravenclaw…or put them both in Slytherin :p
Can you tell us about any future projects you’re working on?
I’m working on Unravel the Dusk, the sequel to Spin the Dawn! Also a project that I’m hoping will be announced soon…
Do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Yes, I’d recommend Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan, For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig, and The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf.
We’ve reached out to The Nerd Daily readers who have a few questions of their own as well!
How many times will you revise your drafts before you feel they’re ready?
(from @noctis_and_noctua on Instagram)
I honestly don’t really keep track! If I were to guess, I’d say I revise about five times before I send a draft to my agent, then we probably revise two or three more times before we feel it’s ready. Knowing when something is ready is tricky, but for me, it’s helped to have critique partners or readers that can offer constructive feedback.
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
(from Kelsey on Facebook)
Read as much as you can, but listen too. A good ear can improve one’s writing immeasurably. Give yourself goals, not a timeline. Don’t let rejections get you down. Persistence is key.
Where did your idea for Spin The Dawn come from?
(from Nerd Daily contributor Elise)
I started out by writing what I wanted to read as a kid. There wasn’t much Chinese-inspired fantasy on shelves when I was growing up, and that was something I’d dearly wanted, so I began there. I’ve also always loved fairytales, and much of Spin the Dawn drew from the fairytales my father used to tell me as a child, such as Perrault’s Donkeyskin, the Norweigian fairytale, East of the Sun, and the Chinese legend, The Cowherd and the Weaver.
You can find Elizabeth at her website and on Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads!
