IDENTITY BLOG TOUR - Interview with Upcoming Author, Annabelle Batie!

Mermaids? Wild adventure? Suspense? Powerful themes? I'm so excited to be a part of the launch tour for the release of Identity by Annabelle Batie! I know you'll love hearing from her, so read on for our conversation and to learn more about the book!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maria Brooks is just a plain orphan girl with a mysterious past. On the day of Maria’s sixteenth birthday, everything seems normal. From being required to do chores at the orphanage to being bullied by girls at school, nothing seems to be amiss. But when Maria goes swimming at the beach the next day, she discovers a secret about herself she didn’t even know: she’s a mermaid.

As Maria explores her newfound ability to change from mermaid to human, she finds herself in the midst of an underwater war that contains the secret to her past. In the midst of all this, she finds new friendship, but with friendship comes trust, and with trust comes risk. Will she be able to stand strong as the tidal waves of doubt crash against her?

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THE INTERVIEW

Hello, Annabelle! I’m SO thrilled to have you here and to talk about the release of your debut novel, Identity! To start, would you mind sharing a bit about yourself and your upcoming novel?

Hi there, everyone! My name is Annabelle, and I'm a 14-year-old writer. I have a blog called Pen & Ink where I share writing tips for other young authors like me, and I'm the author of the Daughters of the Sea series. The first book of my series, Identity, has recently been published, and you can order it here.

Identity is really special to me because it's the only novel I've ever seen through to completion. It has really been a journey, and it has changed so much since I first started writing it (about three years ago.) Identity is also my way of showing God's light in a world of brokenness. I won't give away any more because of spoilers, but my goal with Identity is for others to be encouraged in Jesus' love for them.

What is the inspiration behind Identity, and what prompted you to write it?

Well, to be honest, when I originally started writing Identity, I was completely copying another story I had read online. But don't worry, that was when I first started writing it three years ago; the novel has changed a lot since then, and it's definitely not the same story it was before.

I also feel like the Lord prompted me to write this novel, too... although I didn't recognize that at first. I realize now that He was calling me to write something to spread his hope and truth in the world. This is His way of working through me.

What is the most valuable thing writing and publishing Identity has taught you?

That's a hard question because honestly, I have learned a lot through the process of writing/publishing this book. I think the main thing I have realized is that you can't just publish a book overnight. It takes some serious work and determination to first finish a draft of the book, then edit it, then go through all the difficulties of publishing it. I used to think that all I had to do was write a first draft of the book and then submit it and it would be published... and maybe that's possible... but if you want to produce quality work, no matter how good a writer you are, you're going to need to do a lot more than just the first draft.

How long have you been writing? What first inspired you to begin doing so?

Well, I originally started writing little poems and short stories when I was six and seven. I wrote my first chapter book (although it was really only 10 pages) when I was about eight years old. I never really considered writing as a career until I started Identity. I began taking writing classes and learning more about the writing craft as I went along.

I was inspired to write mostly because it was my way of spreading God's light in the world (as I mentioned above). I wanted people to be touched by my stories and find Jesus through them.

What do you want your readers to take away from this story?

As I mentioned above, I want readers to feel the light, hope, and love of Jesus Christ. I want them to know that they can be forgiven and find rest in Him.

Which character do you resonate with the most, and why?

This is such a difficult question! I think the character that resonates with me most is Maria, the main character (who is half mermaid half human). She is an orphan, and she's bullied at school because of it. Over the course of the story, she learns to accept Jesus as her Savior and find forgiveness, as well as forgive those around her.

Although I'm not an orphan and don't have the same hardships as Maria does, her character is still important to me, and she has helped reinforce my ability to forgive and be forgiven.

What are some of your biggest aspirations as an author?

Well, for a long time, publishing Identity was my biggest aspiration. But now, I think one of my bigger aspirations is publishing the entire Daughters of the Sea series (which consists of four books in total). Publishing an entire series will take some time, but it will be worth it in the end.

What advice do you have for other young writers who dream of publishing one day?

My advice is to never give up. Even when things seem hard, even when you're tired of your book, even when you feel stuck — DON'T GIVE UP. If you want to go through with publishing, it's going to require dedication. So prepare yourself beforehand and know that if you want to publish, you have a lot of work ahead of you.

But also remember that there is a point when you have to get past perfectionism and publish your book, even with all its flaws. No, don't publish your book when it has a major plot hole in it--but know that your book is never going to be completely perfect, and be okay with that.

Thank you so much for joining me, Annabelle! I enjoyed getting to interview you and reading all of your lovely answers!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annabelle Batie is a teenage author and book enthusiast. She loves mermaids and all kinds of fantasy and thoroughly enjoys reading and/or writing a good book. She is very passionate about her Christian faith, and she wants to share that passion with others. You will typically find her at her desk writing, playing the piano, or hanging out with her friends. She lives in Traverse City, Michigan, where she homeschools with her three younger siblings and parents. You can visit her on her website, annabelle.batie.com.

TOUR SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 1

Annabelle Batie - Tour Kickoff

Thursday, March 2

Rhys-Marie Whitnell - Spotlight

Kaytlin Phillips - Review

Friday, March 3

Vanessa Hall - Spotlight

Ava Coulter - Interview

Break for the weekend…

Monday, March 6

Joy Calle Martinez - Spotlight

Lorelei Angelino (Pinterest) - Spotlight

Aletheianna Mercy - Spotlight

Tuesday, March 7

Mayim - Interview

Kylie Beevers - Interview

Wednesday, March 8

Grace A. Johnson - Spotlight

Micah Collier - Interview

Thursday, March 9

Adele H. (Newsletter) - Review

Rosie Rydell - Interview

Friday, March 10

Annabelle Batie - Tour Wrap-Up

LET'S TALK

What do you think? Do you love mermaids? Are you excited for Identity? ISN'T THE COVER STUNNING? Have you ever been to the ocean? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Now go change the world,

-Ava