Another Writer Hits Silver Pen: Asteria Gonzalez

Asteria, of Austin, Texas, has been a HUGE asset to the Mighty Pens team since the start. She’s running some of our official sprints, and is wonderfully encouraging and warm to every single team member. You may have noticed that she was also our first Gold Pen!! Learn more about Asteria below!

And also, please reach out to congratulate Asteria on her monumental accomplishments. You can find her on twitter, at her NaNo profile, and/or leave her some congrats on her Malala page.

Amazing, amazing job Asteria. We’re so glad you’re part of the team. <3

What is your favorite book and/or author, and what draws you to them?

There are several books that have earned a place on the shelf of favorites. To keep this short, I’ll just talk about one: Windwitch by Susan Dennard. The character growth in that book is woven into every word, and the power of it has stayed with me from the first time I read it. Characters have the ability to draw me back to a creative work again and again. For instance, I am on my third play-through of Dragon Age: Inquisition due to the characters.

Is this your first book? If not, what was the first book you ever finished writing? Tell us a little about it.

The NaNoWriMo2017 project is not my first book. Across two fantasy series, I have seven books and three collections of novellas and short stories completed. The first book I finished is entitled Dragon. In it, the four main characters—a thief, an assassin, an archer, and a warrior—are sent on a quest by a king, and they must deal with their own issues—distrust, pride, prejudice—that build throughout the book before they can succeed. I wrote it in a style that is reminiscent of quests in Skyrim.

What’s the working title of your NaNoWriMo17 project?

Currently, I am working on two projects right now with working titles of Iron and Winter, a YA fantasy, and The Voice in the Night, a YA contemporary with ghosts. In the past, I have often changed the title of a project as the story evolves.

Give us an elevator pitch of your project.

Iron and Winter stems from the question: what happens when the hero doesn’t want to be the hero anymore? In a land that is constantly in a state of winter, the ice is the only thing keeping the monsters below the surface. When the ice begins the thaw, Winter’s Warrior must be awoken to battle the monsters and repair the ice. If she fails, the land falls. If she succeeds, the land is frozen once more. Both result in death.

The Voice in the Night is still in its beginning stages, but it will adopt a high intensity with ghosts, high-school drama, and video games.

Share your favorite line/short paragraph from your book so far.

From Iron and Winter:
Anger rushing through my veins, ice stretching towards him, I replied, “I cannot save everyone.”

From The Voice in the Night:
Cold gripped my throat, and my pulse quickened. I lunged for the ribbon around her throat, the only line of color left. Silk slid through my fingers, then I tightened my grip and pulled.
The ribbon slipped free.

How did you hear about the Mighty Pens?

Susan Dennard’s bimonthly newsletters are always filled with insights and information. The October 13th edition was no different. When I read about the Mighty Pens in that newsletter, I instantly knew that I wanted to participate. As a result, I also decided to join NaNoWriMo for the first time.

What inspired you to join the Mighty Pens?

The Mighty Pens are raising money for an amazing cause, the Malala Fund. I believe that education should be available to everyone, and the Malala Fund is working to make that happen for girls, empowering them to be the leaders of tomorrow.

TWO NaNoWriMo projects (a challenge that may or may not be Kat’s fault). How awesome is that? Great job, Asteria. And thanks again for being such a wonderful part of the Mighty Pens team!