Author Q&A: E.G. Runyan

Welcome to another Author Q&A! Today we have E.G. Runyan here with us. E.G. is a young author who loves Jesus and historical fantasy. Her debut novel, Loch Monster, releases March 10.

Me: Hi, E.G.! Tell me about yourself and what you write.

E.G.: I am a girl from the Great Plains with a passion for Jesus, storytelling, theology, and chocolate. I primarily write historical fantasy, but sometimes dabble in high fantasy or historical fiction stories for fun.

Me: So, E.G., a lot of writers complain of having "writer's block". What do those words mean to you?

E.G.: Great question! To me the words "writer's block" means an excuse for not writing. I don't believe writer's block, a mysterious force that is keeping you from writing, even exists. A better name for it would be procrastination: you simply refusing to take the pen to paper. While we definitely run out of inspiration and motivation sometimes, and while we should always rest and take breaks, I think we have the power to write whenever we want, no matter how we're feeling.

Me: That's a good reminder to keep writing and push through the feelings of "I don't want to". Let's chat about Loch Monster. Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why?

E.G.: Willum is my favorite character and the one I relate to the most. His humorous, sarcastic temperament is really similar to mine. But more than that, the main message of the story, and what Willum primarily has to work through with his knighthood, is a take on a question I myself had to work through with my writing.

Me: If you were to write a spin-off of Loch Monster about a side character, who would you pick and why?

E.G.: Oh, that's such a fun question. This may surprise you [once you've read the book], but Isaac the blacksmith's son is who I would write about. He's such an interesting character who basically wrote himself into the story. I wasn't planning on him saying or doing half the things he ended up saying and doing in the final drafts. He was by far one of my favorite characters to create, and he really surprised me.

Me: I got to read an early draft of Loch Monster, and I agree - Isaac would be an interesting character for a spin-off. What helped or hindered you the most while writing Loch Monster?

E.G.: Helped or hindered? In terms of help, the Young Writer's Workshop totally changed the trajectory of my novel with their lessons, instructors, and my writing community that encouraged me and read my work. In terms of hindered, probably discouragement is what stopped me the most. I have very little faith in my own abilities. I was sure my book was unredeemable trash after writing the first draft (in truth, it kind of was). Part of indie-publishing was a step of faith in letting go of perfectionism and letting something I knew was flawed and imperfect into the hands of others. It's been really humbling, but done more good for me than I can say.

Me: It's hard to let go of your projects and say "good enough". We'll end with two fun questions. First, what books did you grow up reading?

E.G.: Oh boy, hard question. The three childhood books that have influenced me the most (written in chronological order!) would be: The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. The novels of George MacDonald and Jonathan Auxier have also influenced me deeply.

Me: Little House was a favorite of mine as a child, and I also highly recommend Lord of the Rings and George MacDonald's short stories. Last question, E.G.! If you had to pick an animal to represent your personality as a writer, what animal would you choose and why?

E.G.: Haha! I love this question. A calico cat would be my answer to that one. Thanks for this interview! I was super blessed to be allowed to do it with you!

Me: Thank you so much for stopping by the blog, E.G.!

Loch Monster

A bitter nobleman. A discontented peasant. And a mysterious creature who isn’t supposed to exist.

When Bree, the daughter of a poor fisherman, and Willum Grant, the son of a clan chief, both discover a mysterious creature in Loch Ness, their paths unwittingly become entwined. As they search to discover answers regarding the strange beast, a friendship slowly begins to develop between them and between the creature they’ve discovered. But as Bree is faced with an arranged marriage and Willum is pressured and threatened by his own Father, they find their lives thrown into disarray. What do you do when something you love may be taken from you? What do you do when the person you love most may be the very one you lose?

Preorder this exciting YA historical fantasy here: https://www.amazon.com/Loch-Monster-G-Runyan-ebook/dp/B0CQJ545LZ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=e.+g.+runyan&qid=1705353578&sr=8-1