APIFantasy | Immortals of API Fantasy Anthology

Interview with flowersforleah

Hello, disciples!

This month, we have picked "Priestess of The Moon" by flowersforleah for our monthly interview. If you'd like to read this story, we encourage you to check it out.

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Logline:

Li Xiang, a priestess meant to be alone, is shown what freedom and love could be by Rui, and she is ready to defy her destiny, even if that very boy is the prince of their kingdom.

Blurb:

Tang Kindgom always has a priestess chosen by the moon and secluded in the palace to tell the fortune of the kingdom. Li Xiang, the Priestess, is nineteen when she meets a strange boy, Rui, who disguises himself as a messenger and wants to bring her to the outside world. After introducing her to his two friends, the daughter of a war general, Zhu Hua, and a scholar, Yang Jun, Li Xiang reluctantly accepts but soon she is mesmerized by the outside world. That summer she experiences true happiness—however, with the approach of winter, her world crashes.

There are rumors of the third prince who returned after being cast away, and that same person is Rui. Even worse, he is already engaged. Heartbroken, Li Xiang promises to not get into their way, but when she foretells Rui's assassination, she realizes she can longer pretend everything is fine. With Zhu Hua and Yang Jun, she leaves the palace and sails to an island to find the only priestess who escaped and has been living in a brothel.

Unfortunately Chae Rin, the escaped priestess, had the same vision. Hopeless, the three return to Tang Kingdom, which is in chaos after Li Xiang's disappearance. Although the emperor is furious with her, Rui reconciles with Li Xiang, who broke off the engagement. However, Li Xiang can no longer see prophecies and the kingdom no longer accepts her as their priestess. Chae Rin sacrifices herself by taking the position, and tells them to elope. 

About the Author:

Asian-American Leah Hua has been a writer on Wattpad for over seven years. As a history nerd she finds joy in writing books set is ancient Asia or Victorian England or France, usually with morally grey yet unique characters. She's a huge fan of art and enjoys going to museums whenever she travels, which is her joy in life, as well as her pets. 

Interview:

1. What is your writing process? Do you outline everything or write as things come to mind? Why?

I always behind my first ten to twenty chapters planned out, but there are times the story takes a hold over the author and you change the ending, epilogue, and et cetera. As I write many romances, I always wonder where is a good place to end it, and it's often not when they are at their peak happiness. I find it important to tie up loose ends as well as make characters overcome issues rather than directly run from it, which has made my writing more challenging. 

2. What are some things that influenced your story?

Priestess of the Moon was influenced by the Living Goddess Kumari of Nepal. Young girls are chosen, locked from society, and people worship them until they start to age. Li Xiang from my story is influenced by my imagination of how life for nineteen years like that is. She's bold and needed by the Emperor, but also cynical and wary of Rui who always brings her outside.

Similarly, the story The Bamboo Cutter's Child is about a young girl, Kaguya-hime, who lives as a human and ends up actually belonging to the moon and is a goddess. Li Xiang has is on the boundary of knowing she is human, but she inhabits the voice and the Moon, protects her by erasing her memories so she could stay away from Rui.