Exciting news today, as our guest on the blog is Clara Alves, a Brazilian author, whose novella, The Mermaid’s Prophecy, was translated into English just last year. So, if you’re looking for something to read outside of the usual (US/UK) market(s), you should absolutely check it out!
And in the meantime, read this interview, and follow Clara on twitter.
Let’s start at the beginning. How did you first get into writing?
When I took my first breath? Haha I was always into reading—since I was a little kid, my mom used to read for me, and later on, before I even learnt it in school, my cousin taught me to read. Probably because of it, my imagination was always wide. But it was after reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when I was 8, that I decided to write it down my ideas. I wrote a bunch of children’s short stories, in which me and my school friends were the main characters, and so it began. I’ve never stopped after that.
What are your favourite genres to read and write, and are there any genres or tropes you wouldn’t write?
Well, I’m really into love stories, so, no matter what genre I write, there’ll always be a love plot in it. I usually go from romcom to drama, but there was always a tickle inside me for fantasy, I was just too afraid of give it a try. A couple of years ago I decided to take a chance and write a short story—that’s how The Mermaid’s Prophecy was born. And a year ago, I wrote a fantasy novella as well. Maybe we’ll have a fantasy novel soon…
I like trying on different things, but I probably wouldn’t write thrillers—I’m terrible at charades and such, so if I did it wouldn’t be a good one, haha!
How do you get inspiration for your books and what’s your writing process? At what point do you let other people read your drafts and who are they?
Inspiration usually comes from ordinary things. A situation I’ve been through, or someone I know, or even a story someone tells me. Watching people at street, walking by, living their lives. It comes in a snap. I could be at the bus and see something, and it makes me thing: oh, what if… And that’s it. My mind starts working. So I take this main thing and start asking questions. Who are these characters? What are their stories? How will they meet? How is the story going to unroll? After I have a summary, I think about what’s going to happen in the first 5 chapters and start the writing process. Once I finish them, I send it to my agent and think about the next 5 ones. And it goes on, until I finish.
Part of my agent’s job is helping me editing the draft before it goes to publishing houses, so she always read it while I’m writing. Also, my writing career started online, publishing stories on websites and then in Wattpad, so I’m not very protective about my drafts. If a friend wants to read it while I’m writing, I don’t mind. I actually love having people pointing out things I wouldn’t think by myself—and making me realize that the story is good, so I don’t freak out.
Which three authors would you say influenced your writing the most?
Definitely, Meg Cabot and a Brazilian author named Thalita Rebouças (she’s kind of a Brazilian Meg Cabot). They were the ones who showed me I could write for teens, that YA stories were as important as adult ones. And there’s You-Know-Who, because her books were the reason I started writing in the first place and I can’t erase the influence she had on my career, despite everything.
And for something that is also very important to us & what we put a lot of emphasis on when blogging. What does ownvoices LGBT representation mean to you?
The first LGBT novel I wrote was also the one that set me free. I started realizing I was bisexual in 2013. By that time, I was dating a guy, so I tried to push my thoughts aside, it was not important, right? I used that excuse to not deal with my sexuality for a long time. But in 2018, my relationship was sinking, and there was so much going on inside me. This story kept talking to me, asking me to be writing. So I wrote. It was about a girl with a fake avatar on a MMORPG, who was lying about her identity so she wouldn’t suffer sexism from other gamers. Until she met a girl and fell in love with her. The problem was: the other girl didn’t know she was also a girl. The story is all about finding who you are and realizing this is an important part of yourself and having the courage to live up to your truly self.
It spoke to me—it was like a slap on my face. And after that, I came out for my family and started being more honest with me. It’s not always easy, but every time it feels too much, I write about it. So, my LGBT stories has always, since the beginning, been important to me. To help me understand who I am and who I want to be. And, after I’ve published it, I realize it would also be important for others who’ve been going through the same things I did.
LGBT representation means showing the world they’re not alone—nor am I.
What’s one piece of advice you would like to give your younger self?
Listen to your heart (when it’s calling for you). It sounds tacky, but I wish I had trusted more in my instincts. I was a quiet teenager and had a tendency to hide my feelings under the rug. If I had listened to them instead, I probably wouldn’t have put myself into some bad situations in life.
Summarise your most recent/next book in up to 5 words and a meme.
Ok, so 5 words: Girls love, troubled families, royalty.
A meme:
Female Lead 1: I hate London.
*Female Lead 2 exists*
Female Lead 1: London is GREAT.
If (when!) your books were to be made into movies, who would you like to direct them?
Alice Wu.
If you could have dinner with one member of the LGBT community, dead or alive, who would it be?
Uhh, this is so hard! But I think I’d go with Freddie Mercury.
Which of your characters would you most want to fight a zombie apocalypse with?
Lila, from The Mermaid’s Prophecy, I think. A mermaid against a zombie, who would win?
Is there a famous franchise or simply a movie/TV show you’d like to be able to write for?
I’m kdrama stan, so I would really love to write something for Arthdal Chronicles‘ second season (and probably add some LGBT characters as well, haha). It would also be great to be part of Pachinko adaptation.
Do you have any secret non canon ships in your books you wish people would write fics for?
The Mermaid’s Prophecy is about the mermaid Lila finding her human soulmate, Joana. But I confess: after I finished, my heart was shipping Lila and her best friend, Daisy, the witch. I have a weak for second leads.
Rec us some great LGBT books you’ve read recently!
This Is How You Lose the Time War, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, You Should See Me in a Crown, Red, White & Royal Blue. There’s been so many! Luckily for us ☺
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Clara Alves is a writer and freelance editor. She was 8 years old when she wrote her first book, but it was only at 14–after being introduced to the wonderful world of online forums–that she started taking her dream seriously. For her, being a writer is more than just a job: it’s her passion. She has won the 2016 Wattys in the New Voices category with her novel Como reconquistar um amor perdido (loosely translated, How to Win Back a Lost Love), and the 2019 Wattys in the Romance category with Romance Real (Royal Romance). In 2019, Brazilian publisher Seguinte Publishing House released Conectadas (Connected), a sapphic YA novel. She’s also the author of Loucuras de Carnaval (Carnaval Madness) and Princesa da magia (Princess of Magic).
Follow on Goodreads | Buy Clara’s books
