With the Writer Spotlight Series, we create a positive image for young readers to refer to by having conversations with different writers and illustrators. This month we have been doing Q&As with many writers, to get to know more about them and their work. Here, we are showcasing all the questions we have asked author Nathanael Lessore. We discuss her new book, What Happens Online.
What inspired you to write What Happens Online? Was it based on real experiences or entirely fictional?
The inspiration to write this book was based around my own enjoyment of video games, and the fact that on all the school visits I do, students are always quoting games, or TikTok’s or songs that they’ve seen online. The main narrative was mostly fictional, but lots of the scenes in the book are based on lived experiences and real people.
authentic representation in your teen characters?
Authentic representation changes lives. I always say that kids who don’t see themselves in books will stop reading, and I was one of them. Reading as a teenager improves future earnings, encourages curiosity, and teaches empathy. And I think every kid deserves that.
I stopped reading in my teens, due to lack of authentic representation in the books around me. Reading only became “cool” for a brief spell when Malorie Blackman released the Noughts and Crosses series. After that, I didn’t take reading seriously again until I went to uni in my early twenties.
What message do you hope readers take away from What happens Online?
I hope they can take a message of self-love, and the courage to be themselves. I also hope that they can have open discussions about their relationships with the online world. And that families are imperfect, but relationships can grow with ongoing TLC.
By writing honestly. I think my stories are only humorous because my life is humorous. But serious issues are also a part of living in the real world. My editor does a lot of work on the emotional beats of the story.
own stories?
You are interesting enough, and your stories are interesting enough to be told. Remember the fundamentals (show, don’t tell, use of the 5 senses, narrative structure), and just put the time in. Anyone who wants to be a writer can be a writer, and that very much includes young people. Also, don’t take negative feedback personally, and especially don’t let it put you off writing. But it starts with acknowledgement that your story is worth telling, no matter your race, gender, or economic background.
Quick Fire Round
Favourite video game?
Red Dead Redemption 2 or Pokemon Fire Red
Marketing random products for medium sized companies