Vacen Taylor is an author, writer, storyteller, occasional artist, and amateur photographer. She describes her writing as a basic prose style with the occasional splash of creative penning. She collects comics and loves superheroes, anime, and science. Her Starchild series has been incredibly popular with young readers, but there’s lots more in store from this incredibly talented author and screenplay writer.
What drew you to base the elemental themes in the Starchild series on the seven chakras?
I have always been interested in energy. But what type of energy, right? I am referring to the energy found in the body. In the back of the Starchild books I’ve listed the powers of the nations, which are divided into seven types from a particular source spot on the body. This is based loosely on the chakra or energy points or nodes in the body. Forming the powers from this source inspired me to write the story. This type of concept blends comfortably with a fantasy genre. I gave each place a power, but with that, I realised I would be dividing the nations. It’s something like how the world of today is divided into countries and the country’s people. Which also inspired me to bring children of different nations together and along with that a mysterious child attached to a prophecy.
Do you find your characters and setting of your books are based upon your own life experiences?
If I am to believe in friendship, courage, change and doing what is necessary to help each other out in difficult situations, then yes, there’s a little of my understanding of lived experiences. By the end of the third book, Long has changed a great deal and so has Akra. But don’t we all change? As we grow and experience life, it’s hard not to change. We are not the same at age five and then at age thirteen, right? Our body changes. Our brain is growing. Our understanding of life also changing. Yes, sometimes our characters are based on little splashes of real life.
What adventures can we expect your characters to take in future books?
Lots of challenges and sometimes defeats but always finding a way to bounce back. Resilience.
What is your biggest motivation for writing?
To provide a series that has great world-building but doesn’t have a massive page count. For those more reluctant readers who want to read fantasy but don’t want a War and Peace version.
How many books have you written?
Four books in total, with one book remaining to complete the Starchild series.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?
Writing any book is an accomplishment. Let’s remember just how much goes into writing any book. Time. Energy. Creativity. Research. Actual writing. Editing. More editing. Revisions. Submissions. Rejections. More submissions. Success! And that’s just one book being accepted by a publisher. Then the real work begins!
What advice would you give a young writer trying to get published?
1. Have a passion for the genre you are writing.
2. Learn how the industry works.
3. Don’t expect to be an overnight success. If it happens that’s great. If it doesn’t keep writing.
4. Find a good editor and don’t expect to pay them nothing for their services. Editing is a job.
5. Get your book professionally edited.
6. Take feedback as a learning tool.
7. Be nice to people. People in this industry want to work with people who are pleasant.
8. Remember, everyone knows everyone or knows someone that knows of you. The world isn’t as big as you think.
What inspires you when you hit writer’s block?
Music. Observations. The great outdoors.
Describe your writing style in three words.
My unique voice.
Follow Vacen
Website: www.vacentaylor.com ; www.starchildseries.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Vacen-Taylor-Author-233611656699562/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vacentaylor
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vacentaylor/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6946325.Vacen_Taylor
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/vacen-taylor
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Vacen-Taylor/e/B00BQ70QXM
These books for children are so timely in that they explore the dimensions and the power of thought and soul and the energy that has the potential to link us in positive ways. They help to give children ways to think about their lives, to understand better what they can and cannot control, especially as the books explore real problems and challenges faced by them. Somehow it makes me think of the efforts to introduce meditation and yoga to children in some schools in the US.