Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an independent author who has just released her debut novel ‘Nightmare Zoo’, and hopes to publish many more YA and adult books in the future.. I have had short fiction stories published in the online literary journals Riverbabble and Haggard and Haloo, but enjoy writing full length novels the most. I have written and am at work on several other manuscripts that range from YA to adult, but sinister undertones and character-driven plots are a staple of my writing no matter what age group or genre I target.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Nightmare Zoo was inspired by the G20 summit and protests that took place in Toronto in 2010. I was in University at the time and was intrigued by the outpouring of young protestors rising up to fight for what they believed in. The class warfare that headlined the papers was great fodder for the setting of my book and the struggles between characters of different economic backgrounds.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to make character maps to form detailed pictures of my protagonists that I can reference during my writing. This sometimes results in celebrities or unwitting stock photo models being used as inspiration for my characters.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The books that have influenced me the most are the Gormenghast Books by Mervyn Peake, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, and the Harry Potter Series (No book list is complete without these!)
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on several young adult books of different styles. The one I’m focusing on the most is set in a more realistic world than Nightmare Zoo, and focuses more on character and self discovery.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am a big fan of GoodReads and have been using the site for several years to track my reading and flag books that I want to read. They have a great author program that allows you to promote your work in the GoodReads Community.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I can give to new authors is to edit your book until you never want to read it again. Then edit it some more.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard is from David Mitchell (author of Cloud Atlas). He recommended moving on immediately after submitting a novel to a few publishers/agents. This means that you’re not sitting around pinning all your hopes on one book, but that you’re moving on to your next project. I think this piece of advice is great for saving sanity. Those wait times can get reallllllllllllllly long.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading The Couple Next Door, by Shari Lapena, and have just picked up The Binding, by Nicholas Wolff. I’m obviously on a bit of a creepy trajectory.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to move on from ‘Independent author’ to being published by a reputable agency one day, but in the meantime I’m enjoying working on my own writing projects and honing my skills as a writer.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I could bring 3 books with me, I would definitely choose The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, SAS Survival Guide, and a gigantic crossword puzzle book (Does that count?)
Author Websites and Profiles
Lila Evans Website
Lila Evans Amazon Profile
Lila Evans’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account