Under the sheer weight of LGBT releases for June and July, you might be forgiven for having missed out on Lauren Melissa Ellzey’s latest, StreamLine. But fear not! We are here to remind you about it, with our latest interview. You can find links to purchase StreamLine as well as all of Lauren Melissa’s other books here.
And don’t forget, you can also keep up with Lauren on instagram.
Have you always known you wanted to be a writer? How old were you when you wrote your first story?
From the time I knew how to write, I was absolutely enamored with creating stories. I wrote my first stories in the first or second grade. One I wrote alone; it was about a mermaid. I wrote another with my sister; it was a three-paged graphic novel about a princess and a vampire. From then on, I was fascinated with fairy tales and wrote Grimms and Legend of Zelda inspired stories. I made my first attempt at a novel in the sixth grade, and it was probably more of a short story in length than a novel. My second novel, which I called Tida Forest, was a project I took on when I was 14 years old. Many of my friends were waiting for chapter updates at school! It was very encouraging to have my friends’ and family’s support for my writing.
What pieces of media would you say were formative for you? Do you see any of their features in your own writing?
I am autistic, and one thing that I always hold dear and near to my heart are my autistic special interests. These passions are the greatest source of inspiration for me in my writing. My special interests are both connected to media: a type of Japanese rock music called visual kei and faerie worlds. My debut novel, Boy at the Window, was influenced by music and Peter Pan’s Neverland. Gimmicks and Glamour is all about faeries. My third novel, StreamLine, was influenced by my favorite musicians in terms of characterization as well, and the video game that the characters play incorporates faerie elements. Also, in all my stories, there is a central focus on queerness and neurodivergence. For me neurodivergence is directly connected to the media, since social media is the primary way in which I connect with fellow autistic and neurodivergent folks.
If you wanted to learn about craft, which three authors would you suggest reading?
When I was first honing my writing technique, I drew greatly from Francesca Lia Block’s magical realism novels. Block is truly an artist when it comes to building romantic imagery that is both alluring and precise. For crafting a tale full of fantasy, action, and romance, I highly recommend Holly Black’s young adult novels. Lastly, Banana Yoshimoto’s novelettes are pure magic when it comes to writing slice of life.
When you’re building your world, what do you focus on? How do you try to make it come to life?
The first thing that I focus on is character voice. I want to hear my main character’s loud and clear. What do they care about most? What makes them angry? What are their dreams? From there, I can build out the world around them – their supporters, their antagonists, their environments. Interestingly, something that helps me bring a story to life is to create a playlist of songs that embody the characters’ voices. Whenever I listen to that playlist, I can imagine the scenes very rapidly.
What projects are you currently working on? Can you share any details yet?
I am currently focused on promoting my newest novel, StreamLine, which released this July. This story is close to my heart, as it features my first openly autistic protagonist, so I want to take my time and treasure these next few months of connecting with the autistic community through the novel. Be that as it may, I am always imagining stories and writing. In fact, I am slowly laying the foundation for a high fantasy/dystopian novel!
Three pictures that capture the aesthetic of your book?
Three songs you would put in your book’s soundtrack?
“Pixel Affection” by yeule. “Spiritstalker” by HANA. “My Little Dark Paradise” by Madmans Esprit.
What would be your dream project?
My dream project would be to create a multimedia exhibit in collaboration with artists, dancers, and musicians that would be themed around my novels. One can only dream!
Which of your characters would you most want to fight a zombie apocalypse with?
I would fight the zombie apocalypse with Ashly from Gimmicks and Glamour, hands down. She is fierce! From StreamLine I would request aid from Nocht’s video game avatar. She can literally do anything, from dark magic to sword-fighting to healing. Jiwon from Boy at the Window is a super fast runner and a level-headed problem solver. I think if we all banded together, we would stand a decent chance of surviving.
You’re stuck on a desert island and you’re allowed only three (LGBT) books. What are you taking?
Wow! Only three? Then, I would bring Heaven Official’s Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, We Are Okay by Nina LaCour, and A Separate Peace by John Knowles.
You can collaborate on anything with anyone in the LGBT community: who would it be and why?
I would love to collaborate non-binary electronic singer-songwriter yeule to create audio-visual versions of any of my novels! Their music videos, fashion, and origins in video game OSTs are ideal in terms of aesthetics for a young adult fiction visual narrative.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Melissa Ellzey (she/her), or Autienelle, is an autistic self-advocate, social justice influencer, and fiction author. Through writing and presenting, she seeks to cultivate acceptance for the neurodivergent community. Even more, she engages across lines of difference, highlighting the inequitable systems that oppress queer, BIPOC, and disabled folks. In all, she hopes to co-create a society where autistics nurture autistics as we strive toward true inclusion.
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