Q&A Special [Part 2]

[Clown music resumes with a flourish]

AUTHOR

Welcome back, dear readers, for the second part of our crack Q&A session!

[Characters cheer again; Ryder rolls his eyes]

That was a really long 3-month commercial break, I know. But here we are! [sudden shift in ambience] Let us rejoice. Let us cheer. Let us wipe the sweat from our foreheads and blood from our weapons. We have done it. The landscape litters with bodies of the deceased, and the sky is red, reflecting the wreckage below. Let us hug one another, even if the Second End is nigh. Let us be glad for this short period of time, where we still have each other. Let. Us.

[resume clown music] And now... Questions for Mae!

MAE

Yay me! (whoops excitedly)

AUTHOR

Apparently, someone wants to be your friend because honestly your energy is 1000

MAE

[laughs] Obviously.

[doesn't elaborate on that]

AUTHOR

Alright, uh, here's a question for you: What's your top 3 favourite yaoi?

MAE

I've read a lot and 90% of them aren't suitable for the general public to know of. So I'll give the 'less hardcore' ones, I guess: 1.Given, 2.Unintentional Love Story, 3.Kizukanai!

AUTHOR

I read this one (1) yaoi - which had only two chapters last time I checked - and, man, it's smutty as hell. I don't know whether I enjoyed that or felt really uncomfortable (I think I'm somewhere in the middle.) Not saying that I hate smuts, though. Even as an asexual person, I am allowed to enjoy whatever I want.

Anyway, what are your top 3 anime too?

MAE

First, Given (yes, both the anime and manga). Secondly, Attack on Titan, because hot men and women! And third favourite? I can't choose between Cowboy Bebop, Hetalia, Mob Psycho, Yu Yu Hakusho, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventures. I think they fit into the 'Third Favourite' category anyway. No, wait, I think they all fit in the 'First Favourite'.

CONNOR

Attack on Titan women are DAMN HOT.

AUTHOR[OVERLAPPING]

In all honesty, I haven't watched/read AOT because of time constraints and limited attention span, so I've been listening to hella gay horror fiction audio drama podcasts instead (cough) The Magnus Archives (cough) Welcome to Night Vale (cough) the others I haven't listened to.

Enough about me, only Mae! What's your special interest and/or hobby?

MAE

[very excited] Anything from the 20th century, especially the 60s to the 90s! I love their fashion, magazines and slang! I collect lots of 70s movie posters, 80s magazines, and I even have an antique typewriter in my room! Also, I want to bring back 90s slang because they sound so rad. Though my fashion now is the remnants of my 7th grade goth/punk phase, my room tells a whole different story.

And my hobby? Can't really say much about it 'cause I'm in that hobbyless space in time for now, but last time, I was really into stamp collecting. (Also part of my special interest.) But I stopped after two and a half years, but not completely though. I still do it from time to time, but not as intensely as last time.

NATHAN

That's so cool! I was thinking of getting into crocheting cute hats for Kirk.

NICK

DOG HATS! Brilliant!

RYDER

[to Mae] Wait, you have movie posters? I want them.

MAE

[laughs] No.

AUTHOR

Here's another question: SINCE YOU'RE A STRANGE GIRL TELL ME WHAT'S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE!!

MAE

I'm a strange girl, alright (laughs) Hmm, weirdest thing? You mean existing as a weird girl? (laughs again)

CONNOR

Tell them about the pencils!

MAE

Oh, yeah, the pencils! That isn't the weirdest thing I've done, but it's pretty funny. So, Connor and I were doing homework in their room together. And I was super hyposensitive that time, I started eating Connor's pencils absentmindedly. (laughs) And Connor was like, "Dude, you good?" And I realised I was chewing on their pencil - and it was halfway bitten off - and I was like, "Oh. Yeah."

CONNOR

[laughing] You almost put the pencil back in my pen holder, and I was like, "Bro, you can keep it."

[Mae: HAHA YEAH]

RYDER

[confused] You ate a pencil?

MAE

Not my first one, though. I used to eat, like, a dozen wooden pencils when I was younger.

NICK

What does a pencil taste like?

MAE

[flatly]  Like graphite. Anyway, I didn't get lead poisoning or any shit 'cause it's graphite. Really harmless.

NATHAN

But why?

MAE

[defensively]  I told you, I was hyposensitive. But I have chew stim toys now so I won't be eating anyone's pencils soon [laughs]

Hold on, I remember another weird thing that happened to me: someone complimented and asked me where I got my combat boots and I blurted out that I stole them from a shop, and an hour later, my anxiety caught up to me, and I got so worked up over the fact that I saw that same person working at Hot Topic the week before, which was where and when I stole the boots. And that's how I ended up crying into my Big Mac alone in a booth.

NICK

Oof. Luckily you didn't get caught. That person's probably too old to remember now.

MAE

[upset]  It happened yesterday, and the person was a college kid.

[Connor: Damn]

RYDER

Oh shit. Now you should wear a new face and get a new name. And wear different clothes.

NATHAN

[thinks about Chapter 8] That's lame.

[Mae fistbumps Nathan]

RYDER

[shrugs] Better than getting caught, I dunno.

AUTHOR

Oh! I have a better idea! How about we move on?

[Ryder boos]

[ignores Ryder] Mae, do you run a blog? Coz I always picture you running some sort of blog.

MAE

Oh, nay-nay. Interesting visualisation, though, but no. Besides, I don't even know what to blog about.

NATHAN

The sun!

NICK

The moon!

CONNOR

The universe!

RYDER

Brainfart rants.

MAE

[to Ryder] Now that I like. Maybe I'll run a crackhead Tumblr blog like all the cool kids. Maybe become the next one-time-I-dreamt.

AUTHOR

[laughs] That is my favourite Tumblr page.

Anyway, What's your favourite music?

MAE

Uh, you expect me to choose?!

[Ryder: Thank god I didn't get that question]

I have a whole playlist that I listen on repeat and it's almost the only thing I listen to, so if you're being very vague like that, I'll just say the bands/artists I love: Queen, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo, The Front Bottoms, Beyoncé, Mother Mother, Twenty One Pilots, and Billie Eilish.

RYDER

[nods] I approve.

MAE

(laughs) I don't need your approval, bro. [whispering] Actually, I do, and I appreciate that.

AUTHOR

Lmao I only ever listen to the 'Emo Quartet' bands. Still slaps, though. (Of course.) Anyhoo! Next question! What's your favourite store to shop at?

MAE

Oh, uh... I actually can't choose 'cause I have a whole criteria for clothing stores: 1. The fabric; very important, because of sensory issues. 2. The price; also important, but fabric first. 3. Amount of 'nice clothes' by my fashion taste; I don't want to look like a 40-year-old mom with three kids on the honor roll.

So, in conclusion, I like to go to H&M and Hot Topic, and also I love thrifting. Very funky!

AUTHOR

I love Uniqlo and H&M, but, like, they're expensive as shit, yo.

MAE

Supplemental and unprompted, I hate Lush [shivers] it's a sensory nightmare.

NATHAN

I don't have sensory issues, but the Lush people are scary. I'd run out of the shop if any one of them approached me.

[Everyone agrees]

AUTHOR

Right? I mean the products are cool, but I'd like to be alone with my fancy soaps. [clears throat] Moving on, what's your pet peeve?

MAE

Clothes that I know look ultra-rad on me, but the fabric! Such a shame if the fabric sucks!

NICK

[raises hand] With all due respect, I don't get it.

MAE

Oh. The thing with most, if not all, autistic people is that any of our senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times - in my case for hypersensitivity, I can smell/hear things within a mile radius or my sense of touch is much more intense, and it can be overwhelming and uncomfortable and painful too. And it's a struggle to do things like taking a shower or brushing my hair.

So, yeah, I have a specific set of fabric I'm comfortable with, like soft fibers and fleece. Also, I like to layer my clothing so that it feels weighted.

NICK

Ooh, thanks. I get it now.

MAE

[finger guns] No problemo, amigo.

AUTHOR

Thanks for that, Mae. Uh, okay, this is gonna be interesting. WHAT'S THE BIGGEST PRANK YOU'VE PLAYED ON SOMEONE?!

MAE

[looks at Connor;claps excitedly] Ooh, where do we start?

CONNOR

[laughs] There's a lot.

MAE

[laughs] Yeah. But first, our Rules Of Pranking: 1. Confuse, not abuse, 2. Don't humiliate, and 3. Make sure you can run fast enough.

NATHAN

Does rule #2 apply to those who really deserve it?

CONNOR

I guess?

MAE

Also, the Greatest Prank happened in our junior year.

Connor and I pasted Nicolas Cage's face over almost every poster in our school that had a face on it. Then, we hired a mariachi band to play through the loudspeakers during the morning announcements, which then randomly walked through the hallways for half a day. And then, remember the Nic Cage printouts? While our principal was trying to get rid of the mariachi band, Connor and I snuck into his office and replaced his family picture with Nicolas Cage.

CONNOR

And basically everything else with Nicolas Cage.

MAE

And I wrote "Family? No. Nicolas Cage." on his desk with a red whiteboard marker. [shrugs] But we got caught in the end, because he hated Nic Cage and, I quote, "I want my family back."

NATHAN

So, where's his family?

MAE

[smug] On the school flag.

RYDER

But why?

CONNOR

We hate him. And he hates us. Anyway, it all ended with the mariachi band playing at the flagpole, blocking him from getting his family picture back. And also, I found a burrito on his desk and stuffed it with jalapeño-

NICK

Wait, how did you know you're gonna need jalapeño?

CONNOR

[it's big brain time] Rule #4 in Pranking: Always conveniently have some jalapeño with you.

AUTHOR

Wow, that's crazy. I can't even sneak out of school panicking.

MAE

Please, you should've been with us. It's actually more epic than it sounds!

AUTHOR

(whispering) Fourth wall, begone. So! Here's your last question, Madame Nguyen: would you rather be eaten by a vampire, zombie or werewolf?

MAE

[stretches; cracks knuckles; opens PowerPoint] I'm glad you asked.

Firstly, let's look at vampires. Pain? Maybe. But you'll either die, get serious bleeding and infection, or be Turned - which is basically being undead in a cool, bloodsucky way. Also, like what Nathan said about lactose intolerants and garlic-eating vamps, I'll probably be one.

Zombies. Oh hell naw, do I want my intestines slurped like a damn spaghetti? I'd die before getting brain-zonked by these DIY undead-ers. I also want my intestines intact [stage-whispers] for security reasons.

Werewolves. Ouch. It's like being eaten by a dog, literally. (Plus, I like cats better.) I mean, not to be anti-werewolf, but the transformation is just [makes an uncomfortable sound] bones cracking and fur growing in places it shouldn't be and your clothes getting ripped off. It's just... weird, I don't know.

So, I'll probably get eaten by a vampire instead. But, like, I'll suck on animals because human blood? E. [laughs] Or maybe I don't get eaten by anyone at all and die of old age and erectile dysfunction. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

RYDER

That was so in-depth - the vampire/zombie/werewolf thing, I mean.

MAE

[smiles] Thank you! I actually think about it a lot!

AUTHOR

Same. Alright! Thank you so much for your time! It was a very, uh, learning experience.

Up next, Connor!

[Connor gets up and runs around the room while making laser gun noises and T-posing]

[Nick gets up; follows them]

[Followed by Mae, Nathan, Ryder, and Author]

[Spinning ritual lasts for about 15 seconds, then everyone goes back to their seats]

CONNOR

Grand entrance check! [flexes nonexistent muscles]

RYDER

Boo, I can do better.

CONNOR

[to Ryder] Sure you can, emo Keith.

[Ryder grumbles]

AUTHOR

Hey, no provoking others - only I do that. Connor, here's a not-question statement from one of our readers: You like space.

CONNOR

[solemnly] I like space- wait, no. I love space. I don't know, it's been like that since I was a child. Everyone has their own stuff like music, art, cooking, and I have space! Isn't it cool how it's so vast and only a dust-speck of it is explored by humans?

MAE

If you go to space, I'd go too. Though all I would do is just carve my initials on the moon. Just imagine, looking through your telescope, and bam! MAN.

RYDER

'MAN'?

MAE

My full name is Mae Amanda Nguyen, so my initials are MAN.

NICK

(laughing) 'MAN'. Man, what a mood.

AUTHOR

[laughs] Same. That constitutes 90% of my daily sentences.

A curious reader asks, since I got this fearless badass vibe from you, what are you afraid of?

CONNOR

Vahn.

NATHAN

What do you mean? He's actually nice!

NICK

He is!

MAE

[overlapping] Bro, he's scary. Intense eye contact and intense silence and all.

RYDER

Pfft. That's just how he is. But he's pretty sweet to talk to. And, for fuck's sake, he's into Moomin! What's scary about that?

NATHAN

[grinning] I had a very enlightening conversation about Moomin with him.

CONNOR

[harrumph]  Well. But he's still sorta scary.

AUTHOR

Mmhmm, yeah. Anyway, uh, a reader wants your hand in marriage please.

CONNOR

[smiles] Ring size?

NICK

[sweating] I will kiss you on the mouth.

CONNOR

Too bad, you've used up all your daily kisses with Sin.

[Nick: Huh??]

(to an invisible audience) Kids, what's the golden rule?

NICK

Dicks before math?

NATHAN

No snitching?

AUTHOR

Sapphics rule the world?

RYDER

Sacrifice your firstborn to the dark thing who lives in your basement?

CONNOR/MAE

[in unison] A KISS A DAY KEEPS THE WEIRDOS AWAY!

NICK

That makes absolutely no sense.

RYDER

[to Connor and Mae] I denounce that.

[Connor: Pfft. Your loss.]

[Mae laughs]

AUTHOR

Hey, what up with the Ryder Slander Club?

Anyway, last question for Mx. Miller, do you prefer watching movies of books or just reading books?

CONNOR

Hm. It depends, though. Usually I'd read the book then the movie so I can bash the director for not following the goddamn book. But yeah, I'd rather read the book.

NATHAN

But movie soundtracks and general aesthetic are pretty neat too.

CONNOR

Ah, true that.

AUTHOR

This concludes your very short Q&A section! Thanks for your time, mate.

[They fistbump Connor]

So, what we have here are questions for the whole cast. And we'll be going down the group to answer them, so it's me, Connor, Mae, Nathan, Ryder, and finally Nick. Y'all got that?

[murmurs of assent]

Alright, question one: who's the tallest?

EVERYONE

Vahn.

AUTHOR

[mumbling, annoyed] Y'all didn't go down the group.

CONNOR

[blows raspberry] That's an easy one.

RYDER

[loudly] Next!

AUTHOR

Sheesh, cupcake, I'll go to the next question. What crimes will they commit? Remember folks, down the group. GO!

Arson, but I'm fucking scared of fire.

CONNOR

Space crimes. [makes laser sounds again]

MAE

Theft.

NATHAN

[laughing] Worm off the string, what crimes will he commit?

RYDER

Dunno, maybe vandalism? Draw dicks on people's mailboxes or whatever.

NICK

Being beautiful.

[silence]

CONNOR

Riiiiight... I don't think you'll ever commit that crime.

NICK

[offended gasp] Adding you to my Hate List now.

MAE

Nate didn't answer the question, though.

NATHAN

Yeah, but knowing me, I wouldn't commit one, right?

RYDER

Probably accidentally.

[Nathan: Right]

MAE

Come on, I smell a little bad boy in you.

[Nathan laughs]

NATHAN

Um, nope! Must be Ryder you're smelling.

NICK

Sexy. [howls]

AUTHOR

To be honest, you're sounding a lot like an NPC.

[Nick: Oi!]

[Mae agrees]

Okay, next question: who is most likely to survive an apocalypse?

Pfft, not me. Theoretically, I might survive a week.

CONNOR

Mae and I are sorta resourceful, so I vote for us. Plus, we'll look so badass when we go out guns blazing. Pew pew, die motherfucker! Get your zombie hands off me! Pew pew!

[Mae: Seconded]

NATHAN

I'll just hide in the basement and stock up on canned food. But! If someone finds me and kills me in my own basement, then, um, yeah. Poof.

RYDER

I'm incompetent with a gun or knife. So I'll hide with Nathan and cook food. [shrugs] I'll start a food truck in the middle of an apocalypse.

NICK

Not me, I'll either kill or be killed. And killing is against my morals, so that leaves me with... getting killed!

AUTHOR

Y'all, what if we team up and survive the apocalypse?

[murmurs of...? Agreement?]

RYDER

Pfft. We wouldn't survive.

AUTHOR

Yeah. [flatly] Why did I even ask.

Anyway, next: what are your fashion styles?

Pretty button-up shirts, chains, and Vans/Converse. Kinda androgynous.

CONNOR

Pretty much like our dear Author but I prefer mom jeans and Doc Martens. And I look better in them.

[Author: True]

MAE

Comfortable black clothing plus layering. And BOOTS!

NATHAN

Big sweaters! Comfy hoodies! Earthy colours!

RYDER

I just chuck on a shirt and pants and wear nice-ish shoes. Dark colours, mostly.

NICK

Classic hoodie and denim jacket combo. Or anything that gives off a very homey and carefree kind of stuff. Like trackies, or what you all call 'sweatpants'.

CONNOR

Australians call them trackie dacks.

RYDER

Dack.

NICK

Dak.

NATHAN

Dach.

MAE

Hey! This reminds me of the Zack/Zak/Zach and the backpack/pak/pach post lol

AUTHOR

Oh yeah! That seems so long ago and I can't find it anymore, sadly. [is sad]

Welp, it's the end of our short general questions! Thank y'all for your cooperation. Danke. 谢谢。Merci. Salamat. Terima kasih. Gracias.

[polite applause]

Questions for me! Yay! So, uh, right, let's get on it.

[Clears throat] Who is your favourite character?

Oh. Well. [distressed laugh] I don't have a favourite character.

[Nick wheeze-laughs]

RYDER

(scoffs) Yeah, and my third nipple is lactating. Tell us.

MAE[OVERLAPPING]

Bullshit, that's not a real answer!

RYDER

[to Mae] They are actively trying to ignore this question!

[Author makes small noises of frustration as they try to avoid the question]

NATHAN

[in the background] Ryder, please calm down.

[Pause]

[Ryder grunts as he sinks down his chair]

CONNOR

Why don't you tell us, sweet Author?

AUTHOR

(sigh) Okay, okay. Fine. (inhale) Ryder and Mae my favourite among all my favourites because I project on them the most! (exhale)

[Pause]

[Mae gives a sound of satisfaction]

RYDER

[quietly] That's why I'm so fucked up.

AUTHOR

No! No, no, no! I mean, just the internal monologues and-

[Chair falls back as Ryder lunges at Author]

[Clamoring]

[Nathan tries to calm Ryder down]

[Author screams]

[Nick and Mae laugh]

[Connor watches from a distance, drinking orange juice]

[CLICK]

_____________________

[CLICK]

AUTHOR

(clears throat) Hey, we're back, and... due to some, uh, technical difficulties, we have to cut the recording and, um...

[Ryder scoffs in the background]

Right. Questions.

[Papers shuffling] Uh... Favourite colour? Black and purple, because 1. I'm non-binary, 2. I'm asexual and 3. I mean, they are bad-ass colours, am I right?

Favourite food? [snorts] Well, I don't know if there are any Filipinos among y'all, but palabok and sinigang are the best, yo. But other than that, I also love pasta - any kind - and anything that's got to do with chicken breast.

RYDER

[reluctantly] I agree with all that you've said. They're really good.

[Author nods rather awkwardly]

AUTHOR

Favourite smell? Oh my god. [laughs] Damn. [laughs again]

[shouts into a megaphone] SUN-ROASTED LAUNDRY!

[Pause]

NICK

[Confused math lady meme] Huh?

AUTHOR

You know, laundry drying - roasting - under the sun, so it's kinda like a cheap, DIY, budget tumble dryer? And then you just stuff your face into warm clothes and breathe them in. Or something.

NATHAN

Oh! Yeah I get it now.

MAE

The dryer sheets my mom uses are HEAVENLY.

AUTHOR

Oof, can't relate. No dryer, my good mate, only the sun. Next, where did you get the idea of this book? [sigh; cracks knuckles] Well, let's start at the beginning:

As most of y'all know, I'm an artist. So I draw characters, right? And somewhere in June 2020, I drew a 'tough boy' - who is Ryder - and a 'nerdy introvert' with colour-changing eyes - Nathan - and I was like, what if 'tough boy' is secretly in love with 'nerdy introvert'? [laughs]

RYDER

[in the background] This is so weird.

AUTHOR[CONTD.]

But I didn't think about making a book until some 3 months later. I initially wanted to make a webcomic out of them - put it up on Webtoon - but that's too much effort. And I was like, hey, why don't I just write? That's easier, right? (News flash: it's not)

[snorts]

So I brainstormed the book's plot every night before I slept. My dearest best-friend-and-editor hyped me up about it and helped with the ideas and through some intense witchcraft and tons of sugar and days of broken backs and thorough editing, Honey and Spice was made! [claps]

[Pause]

NATHAN

I don't think you, um, answered the question.

AUTHOR

[almost unsure] I did? Well, I mean, I did. Y'all birthed from a drawing and 3 AM thoughts. I just over-explained, I guess.

Oh yeah, speaking of birth, If you were to bring any of your characters into reality, who would it be?

[distressed laughing] Oh my god, I have to choose again.

RYDER

(sighs) We know, you're gonna choose either me or Mae.

MAE[OVERLAPPING]

[almost hypnotic] You're gonna pick me, you're gonna pick me...

AUTHOR

No, no! It's not that. I can't choose one because (sighs) y'all come in either a pair or a trio, so if I have to choose between Ryder/Nathan and Connor/Nick/Mae, I (sigh) will choose the trio.

[The trio cheers]

Sorry, boyfriends, but I don't want to be a cockblock.

[Ryder hms, almost relieved]

MAE

Wait, wasn't I a cockblock too when I was with them?

AUTHOR

Well, not exactly, I guess. You just helped them get together, but never cockblock.

[Mae nods]

Voice reveal? Or act out Ryder and Nick? [laughs] No. Y'all shouldn't listen to my recorded voice, because that just ruins the astounding and sexy quality of it. My voice is kinda androgynous, I guess. Somewhat low usually, but sometimes it gets annoyingly high and I just, uh, lower it.

And [laughs] I'm not gonna act out Ryder or Nick, they mostly sound the same: low and sexy, whatever. Only Ryder's has an American accent. And man, I suck at British accents so Nick's probably some exaggerated and poorly done Cockney/RP accent.

NICK

[annoyed] I think my British accent is just fine! And it's a normal Londoner accent, you twit!

NATHAN

You do realise we're just mere words typed on a document and don't have actual voices unless someone acts them out, and our 'voices' are just accented monologues in the reader's head, right?

[Everyone laugh]

[The Grim Reaper laughs]

[The Sun laughs]

[The 4th wall collapses]

[Laughter gradually stops]

[Author sighs]

AUTHOR

[quietly] Right you are, Nathan, right you are.

[Pause]

What is LOVE for you? Oh, welp. That's a hard one. See y'all think I'm an expert on love just because I write romance shit but nein! Sadly, no.

But answering the question. What is love for me? Love is knowing that both of you are imperfect in your own ways and are two different people. But still, you love each other no matter what. It is the pure feeling of loving out of love itself, not materialistic ideals.

Love is patient, love is kind. Love reaches out and grabs you when you least expect it, and drags you down to unimaginable depths. Love, pale faced and wide eyed, follows you down the street, and every time you turn behind, there's nothing there. You start to question yourself and everything there is around you. You start to doubt. Love is what feasts on your cold dead corpse. Love is the subject of your nightmares. Love is.

[long silence]

In conclusion, love, to me, is pure and all-encompassing. End discussion.

RYDER

Damn, that took a weird and dark turn.

NICK

Sheesh, man.

CONNOR

Mmm, it's pretty solid in my opinion.

AUTHOR

[cheerily] END! DISCUSSION! Next question, folks. What would your next work be?

Actually, I have two new books that I'm currently working on. The first one is Road Trip to Space, a weirdly fun road trip adventure with our very own Mae, Connor, and Nick here. Coming out in the distant future!

Another one is The Falkwood Station. Now, this is an entirely different universe featuring a new character, Rain Murphy, a nonbinary gay radio host in a small town called Falkwood. Now, if some of y'all have heard of the podcast Welcome to Night Vale, well, this is kinda like it, but also different. Lots of weird people live in there, like a satyr who runs a bookstore or a man who emits static out of nowhere or a coven of witches who somehow runs the town! Plus, commercial breaks with weird slogans like 'McDonald's: I'm lovin' the scent of your rotting corpse'!

I'm still in the planning/random scenes stage of both of my new books, so you'll probably hear from them again maybe 2 or 3 years later? Let's see how it all goes.

MAE

I know I'm not allowed to leak but I have to say that Road Trip to Space will be hella cool.

NICK

I'm driving most of the time.

CONNOR

And I? Let's just say that love might be involved.

AUTHOR

Yep. Also, I'm really excited about it. I want to show y'all a sneak peak but everything I've written so far are awkward and reeks of half-written first-draft incompetence.

Right! Next question: Are you planning to make a career out of this? Yeah lmao. Dunno, I have to wait till I'm fully independent so I can sell queer books all around the world, because... eh, homophobic family, lack of monetary freedom, homophobic family, homophobic family etc.

CONNOR

Yeah, I feel you.

AUTHOR

Danke, mate. And because I feel that we're running out of time and space, I'll zoom through the next few questions.

Did you base characters on someone you know?? Did you base Ryder and Nathan on real people?? Who are they? Not really, I just projected my insecurities on my characters. Mae is loosely based on me though. Connor is kind of based on one of my irl friends, just the general vibe. Ryder and Nathan aren't based on anyone I know, and Nick's vibe is very loosely based on Shepard from the Simon Snow Trilogy.

I have a not-question statement: I love the diversity in your book! Why, thank you! I'm striving to add more BIPOC voices into my books because DIVERSITY WINS! As a POC myself, I want to see more diverse people in books that I love. Also, I'm going for diversity in different forms, like neurodiversity and the less-known/'popular' sexual orientation and gender identities, for example.

And last but not least, Any advice for writers? Simple! Read and write a whole lot! Practice and practice and learn lots of things as you go. Daydreaming or brainstorming about your plot also helps because you're working your brain in creative ways to produce a good story. Also, once you get an idea, WRITE IT DOWN! Don't be afraid to put down words once you get them, because you can still edit them later.

Alright, time is up, here comes the max limit for my word count. I hope y'all enjoyed this impromptu Q&A session we all pulled out of our asses.

NICK

Did you guys learn a little something from us? I sure hope you did.

MAE

You all are super stellar!

NATHAN

Bye!

CONNOR

Hey, if any of y'all still have questions, I'm just gonna ignore them and sleep with Mae.

RYDER

Okay, bye.

AUTHOR

And we all bid our farewell, dear readers. Toodles <3

[CLICK]

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You've reached the end of the Q&A session. Don't remove this book from your library just yet! Important announcements and extra content will still be produced from here. I wish y'all a pleasant day folks :))))