Episode 44: Lena S. May Author Interview

R
Hello cinnabar moths or any kind of moth you’d like to be. Welcome to the Writers Triangle, Cinnabar Moth’s podcast about all things publishing and books. Today we’re here with Lena S. May, author of The Signs We Missed. Lena, how’re you doing today?

L
I’m really fine. I’m excited to be talking to you. And yeah, I’m really good. How are you?

R
I’m doing well. Thanks for asking. I want to ask you, are you feeling excited about the release of The Signs We Missed coming out on Tuesday?

L
I am. Absolutely. So excited because this was like, literally my childhood dream ever since I could write I was dreaming about being published. And I’ve been working on this book for a very, very long time. So it’s been my dream like forever. Yes.

R
Well, it’s good to hear that you’re finally realizing a dream. You mentioned that it’s been a long time. How long ago did you start writing The Signs We Missed?

L
The characters, the characters from the story come from? When I was like 13, I guess. And some parts of stories that are actually still in the manuscript, which is really exciting to me, because it’s like, I wrote it in German. And some parts I just translated, and they’re still in there. And yeah, I don’t know. I wrote it at 13. And now it’s getting published, it’s really the same.

R
So this is something that you started during your young teenage years, has evolved into a full proper novel. And you started writing it in German, and then you transitioned to writing in English at some point.

L
Yes.

R
Okay. And so what was that process like for you?

L
Well, at first, I wrote some short stories that didn’t really, I mean, they weren’t really connected. But it was just like, things that came to my head. And by writing this, I got to know the characters really well, because I wasn’t sticking to some kind of plan. I just did what I felt like. And when I wrote those, my sister and my best friend also, I think, they used to read them when I was like 1617. And they really enjoyed them. And they started saying, Come on, write another one. And another one. And another one, was just really, really motivating to keep to keep going, even though I didn’t have said that another plan in my head yet.

R
So it’s something that you had this dream of being a novelist, but you weren’t necessarily thinking about turning these characters into the characters for a book.

L
Exactly. Yeah. And even when I did the story, I didn’t really I never got around to actually writing an ending, because I was never really satisfied with how the story worked. And the actual ending for the story. I think I wrote it only a few weeks before I actually started submitting it. So I worked quite some time.

R
Yeah, it sounds like you’re working right up to the very end of the process. Yeah. Are you say that process was painful for you at all? Or how did it feel going through the evolution of the story?

L
I, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the process as such was painful. At least well, I wrote – when I wrote, the most painful scene to me of this book, I cried for two days. But apart from that, I wouldn’t say that the process was painful. But I was as I was writing it processing, like, a lot of pain while the story was coming together over the years. So I think I transported some of that to the pages as a story, as it is now it’s probably to some degree, a record. I don’t know of my younger self dealing with emotional pain. But it was more. I didn’t know it was what the remedy is and actually painful to write it.

R
Okay, so this was more, the process was more, I guess, therapeutic in a sense.

L
Yeah.

R
And process, a lot of things you’re going through. Okay, so you said you were writing the story up to instead just a few days before you started submitting it. And you I imagine submitted its multiple places. How did you discover cinnabar moth publishing?

I’m actually under today, not quite convinced, because I was on submission for I don’t know, half a year or so. And I was participating in that pitching event on Twitter. I got a like from from Kisstopher I think. I immediately went checked out the account and the website had and wrote my email and everything. But in hindsight, I will start to realize that maybe Kisstopher wasn’t even participating. Just because it’s really weird. I’m not sure. But anyway, I wrote an email. Sorry. And I said, Hi, thanks for liking my pitch. And a few months later, I thought, maybe it just wasn’t intended to like my pitch. But anyway, it worked. So yeah, that’s how.

R
Okay, so you felt, you’re correct that Kisstopher is one who manages the Cinnabar Moth Twitter. And so you went through one of the Twitter pitches and got the like, and then contacted us that way?

L
Yeah.

R
Okay. And so after you got the like, and once you actually started getting in touch with with us, what made you decide ultimately, to publish with Cinnabar Moth?

L
The thing was that I had a few months earlier, I had received another offer. And I didn’t take it because the vibes were just, I don’t know, way off for me. And was sort of a must publishing it was, I read, I read the website. Then I had that email conversation with Christopher. And it was I don’t know it all aligned. I felt like yes, this, this is the home for my books, this is where I want to publish it. And these people really get where I’m going with this. And they really understand. I don’t know, submission of my book. And I felt really confident that it would turn out the way I was hoping it would turn out.

R
Okay, let’s that makes me happy to hear that you decided to publish with us because you felt like it was a good match. Yes, definitely. That’s great. And with publishing with us, and this entire process, what would you say has been the most surprising thing about publishing with us?

L
Well, while I was I still am actually really surprised that I had such a high amount of control and actually got so much of a say, and not only story and edits, but also the cover and everything. Because when, I mean, I said publishing has been my dream forever. And at some point, I wondered, if I got an offer? How far would I be willing to go? Which changes would I be willing to make, and so on. And I saw today that take quite a few steps to get an offer and to agree with quite a few things that I’m not actually comfortable with. And with you I didn’t, there was not one, not a single change that I wouldn’t wholeheartedly agree with, and not a single thing that was changed. That wasn’t an improvement to my mind. So yes, I guess to sum it up, it’s that I actually had so much. So much, I would say yeah, and how much effort everyone’s been putting in? Yeah. Okay.

R
That makes me happy to hear that you’ve felt very positively about the process of posting, yes, athletics been very positive for you overall. That’s one of the things that we do value very much as having our authors, you included, feel like you have a say in the direction your book is going. Because it is ultimately your book. It’s your, your work and the thing that you’ve been putting a lot of effort and yourself into? Yeah. So we’d like to give that respect and give our authors the opportunity to continue to feel like the book belongs to you, rather than just something that you wrote, that was yours. And then we took it and made it something else. Because that is something that we have heard happens to people, and we never wanted to do that. So I’m glad that you don’t feel that way. Now, we’re now at the publishing process overall, you said you’ve been wind polish for a while. So I imagine you know quite a bit about the publishing process. But would you say there is a thing that was surprising about publishing as a whole?

R
What surprised me is that there’s actually so I mean, if you’re looking for a place or for an agent, or anywhere to submit, it’s just such a huge I don’t know, such as such a huge amount of possibilities that you can submit to it. I wasn’t, I wasn’t really aware of it. And then I started connecting with people on Twitter and I was really surprised how big the community is. And how many, how many people are actually involved, both in publishing and in submitting? And that I don’t know, no matter where you’re, where you’re at, and where you’re trying to go, there’s always somebody else. If you’re just submitting, if you’re looking for an agent, if you’re looking for a publisher, I feel, I don’t know crying in a corner. It’s always there’s always somebody else was just right now doing the very same thing. And I don’t know, that’s very comforting to me. And another thing that surprised me a success. At some points, a lot of negativity. I think there’s, I mean, I don’t want to go into the details. But I’ve seen a lot of a lot of fights over values, both from publishers and agents. And I don’t know that the officers get involved as well. And so I didn’t, I didn’t expect to see that much fighting. But overall, it’s it’s a very supportive community, I think.

R
So the the more surprising thing, rather than the polishing process is more the matter of how many other people there are. And how connected it all is.

L
Yeah.

R
Okay. Yeah, that is something that surprised me as well, when I first got my exposure was just how large and how can we communicate of this community is both for the positive and the negative things, usually more positive than negative? But it is a very well connected community, which I guess makes sense, right? It’s a Twitter is a writing, you write things on to Twitter, and writers like to write. Going back to the signs we missed it is due to be released very, very soon. Do you plan on celebrating the release? And if you do, how do you plan on celebrating?

We’re going to have, I don’t want to call it a party because my apartment is way too small for a party. But some of my friends are coming over and my sister’s coming over and we’re just, I don’t know, have some food and be happy. So that made it.

R
Yeah a little. Oh, go ahead.

L
My sister and I are planning to maybe I live basically in the city center. So we are going to all the bookstores, said I got going to have a book because we’ve already visited them and ask them about it. So yeah, when it’s out or definitely goes out and just say hi.

R
Oh, it’ll be awesome. It’ll be able to see your book on the stands. Yeah. So you mentioned your sister several times. And I imagine that she’s very excited for the book’s release. How’s the rest of your family feel about the release? They’ve been excited as well?

L
Yeah, most of them, most of them have been excited. I mean, my, my parents have both started sharing it on all their social media. I mean, by all the social media, I mean, Facebook. And they’ve started getting calls by by friends and colleagues. And I don’t know, and everyone’s asking what’s, what’s a book you keep posting? But it’s not? I don’t know is that promotion is not really working. Because nobody have, I mean, none of their friends is really able to read in English. So they’re just going to have to wait for the translation, I guess.

R
So that’s, that’s nice that your family is so supportive. Yeah. And on top of this excitement from your family, and the celebration you’re having, how does it feel to know that your book will be listed in the US Library of Congress?

L
It’s before before I was told that it would be listed that I didn’t really I didn’t really have that much of a concept of that actually mean since then. I googled it. And I said, Well, that’s that’s an official thing. I mean, that’s a big a big thing. Somehow I didn’t I didn’t expect that to happen at all. And it’s like, I don’t know I’m thinking of it as a little reality check. When I started doubt that this is actually happening. I just look it up. Think okay. Yeah, it’s yeah, it’s official.

R
So it’s kind of a reminder, this is not a dream. Yeah. So with The Signs We missed coming out, and you’re going to have the celebration and everything afterwards. But what do you hope happens next after it becomes published?

L
Well, when it comes down to it, I’m actually I’m just very much hoping on my perspective for the book, My wish for the book is actually that somebody is going to, to find it who is just, and that’s in that place where it’s gonna be good for them to read it as they’re going to feel like, okay. Maybe they’re struggling with the same thing. So same topics, and it’s like, I’m, I’m not alone with that, or I can, it’s perfectly fine to reach out for help or something. So if one or two people would find it, and actually find it helpful, or comforting or whatever, then yeah, that’s kind of my biggest hope.

R
You want to have a positive impact on people going through similar problems.

L
Yeah. That’d be great.

R
Yeah, I think that would be wonderful if it happened. And you’ve mentioned before, that you have been thinking about getting published, and you’ve been dreaming about getting published, since you’re very young. But to follow up on that, do you want writing to be your career if you can make it?

L
I’ve been wanting to make it my career for like, a very long time. But by now, I think that, I mean, it would be great if writing would like pay the bills, but it’s the one to be doing some kind of day job. I mean, it doesn’t have to be five days a week, eight hours a day or something. But I think I need some kind, some kind of input, some kind of inspiration and getting in touch with people and everything. So it would be like really great if writing pads of birds, and then I could take whatever job I want, no matter how it gets paid, or how many hours I actually do. But I’d want I want to do some kind of thing.

R
So you would like writing to be a career possible. But even with that, you would choose to spend some of that other time to continue working and being involved with people in a way. Yeah. And following up on this idea of it becoming a career, you know, writing paying the bills. What if the signs you miss were to become a best seller? What would you do?

L
Well, if it became a best seller, I probably think, Wow, a lot of people liked my book, I should write another book. But if it doesn’t become a best seller, I probably think a few people like my book, I should probably write another book. So it’s, it’s not really about that. For me. It’s just, I mean, the chances that somebody who will actually benefit from reading it will find it of course, a higher if it’s a best seller. But I don’t think it has to be what that.

R
Okay, so even if it becomes a best seller, it doesn’t really change what you’d want to do or anything for you

Yeah, I just keep writing.

R
Okay. Now imagine it became a best seller, and it gains a lot of popularity, and it becomes a movie or a TV series. Now, would that change your perspective? A little bit?

L
Yeah, it would I mean, a movie or TV show that would? Yeah, that would be amazing. That’s kind of zoom. Dream of dreams? Yeah.

R
Do you, do you have a preference? Or do you imagine that The Signs We Missed would be a better fit for a movie or for a TV show?

I’d probably be fine with either. But I think it would be great as a TV show, actually, because it has these three points of view. And I think that’d be really, really great to make a show out of it.

R
If we imagine that this 90 minutes became a TV series, do you have any idea of the people that you might want to cast into certain roles?

I do, but Well, it’s just it’s just one person. But I have a friend of mine who’s an actor and has always dreamt of being an actress way I dreamt of being an officer. So that would actually be great to have him cast as a main character. I mean, he’s actually a little too tall to be loop but I think it would work.

R
We can always bend the rules a little bit for TV. Okay. And with the you have your friend that you’d want to cast and with it becoming a TV show, and we imagine this, would you want to what level of creative control Do you want to have over the transition of the science units from book to TV?

I would actually. I mean, in a dream world, I’d be like, Okay, if you, if you cast, my friend, then you can have all the creative control you want. That would be like, my one condition is I’d be fine, because I have no idea about making TV shows or anything. And I don’t really feel like getting into that. But yeah, that makes that a condition and then give up the creative control.

R
Okay, so you just want to support your friend, but everything else you’ll just leave to the professionals.

L
Yeah.

R
Okay. Instead, we imagine that it’s gone through this process, right? It’s gone. Best Seller gone on to be a TV show. And now it’s going to be premiered. Would you want to go to Premier? And if you did want to get a premier? Who do you think you would take with you?

L
Yeah, obviously, I’d, I definitely want to go. I mean, I probably wouldn’t have to take said friend, because he’d be there, I guess. Because but I would most definitely take take my sister. And actually, I think I would only take my sister it makes it like a really special thing, just between the two of us. And I don’t know as other people, they can watch it later.

R
Yeah, I noticed that your sister has been from my understanding. She’s been supportive and with you kind of the entire time.

L
Yeah. Absolutely.

R
I think that would be very nice to be able to spend that time with her. Yeah. And with this falling, this whole idea of the science of mercy coming really, really big. And with you gaining popularity. Have you ever imagined about becoming famous?

L
I mean, I have, but I don’t really, I don’t really have a concept of what it means to be famous as an author. I mean, you can look at the Twitter page of Stephen King or someone and see what they’re posting until many people are engaging and everything but I don’t really Oh, Neil Gaiman was on The Big Bang Theory, just taking off said that would be great, actually. But other than that? I don’t know. No, I don’t think it’s about being famous, honestly.

R
Okay, so you don’t really care about becoming famous or well known, like Stephen King, or Neil Gaiman.

L
I mean, I would love for my books to be well known. And that’s, I guess, probably kind of tied to me being well known. But it’s not the primary, the primary motivator to be well known as a person.

R
So would you care if you lost your anonymity like Stephen King, where people started to recognize you and would potentially see you on the street and be like, Oh, hey, I know, you wrote the sciency misc, for example? Or would you prefer not to have that level of fame?

L
I think that’s probably quite a fair price to pay. It’s hard to say because I can barely imagine it. But ya know, I would be fine with that. I guess.

R
You’d say it’s worth it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I think the that makes sense. You know, you, you have a lot of success. So a lot of people know you. Yeah. With the, I want to go back a bit and ask you a little bit more about the signs we missed, and kind of the overall process with that you’ve mentioned that it was sort of a, in a sense, a way for you to manage live, the thoughts that you went through, and the experience that you had over the years? And would you I want to ask you with that with that writing process, would you say that’s representative of your process in general, when it comes to writing the kind of sorting in a smaller sense, a bit more personal and then growing it from there?

L
No, actually, I don’t think it is it is, was the science we missed? It’s the only time I’ve actually done that. And those are the only characters that basically live in my head rent free ever since. But, no, it’s not. Usually I just have an idea and write it down and then think. I mean, I would see where it’s going as I go along, but not it’s probably not possible to, again spend like 12 years writing a single story. I don’t think that’s going to happen again. It’s just once in a lifetime.

R
Well, I think that this once in a lifetime event has been very wonderful. The signs you miss is a lovely story that we at cinnabar. Moth enjoy a lot. And we’d like to thank you for writing it.

L
Yeah, I mean, you’re very welcome. I thank you for publishing it and being such such a wonderful home for it.

R
And I’d like to also thank you, Lana, for talking with us today, talking with me today and being on the writers triangle. Yeah, thanks for having me. And I’d like to thank all of you, our beautiful moss for listening. Be sure to buy the signs, the myths, it will be coming out on August 2. And, Linda, why don’t you tell me and everybody where we can find you on social media?

L
Yeah, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter and Goodreads and it’s all laid out as me just wasn’t set in front of it. It’s always the same and

R
Consistency is wonderful and convenient. Now for all your listening, be sure to visit cinnabar moth.com. To check out the transcripts. We will also have the links to our social media. Thank you again, Lena for being on today. And it’s been a pleasure.

L
Thank you