Yvonthia Merah Leland is a writer of incredibly fun and meaningful stories for teens and young adults. She writes books that feature essential social and historical themes, such as equality, justice and reform, social activism, family, and friendships. Her stories present smart and caring characters who are faced with challenges in their lives and who strive to overcome them. She aims to write characters who are good influences, especially for teenagers and young adults. Each book Yvonthia writes contains a beautiful romantic tale that represents the general idea of what happy and peaceful romantic relationships look like. In addition to romance, Yvonthia’s stories are infused with layers of fantasy, mystery, and adventure. As a literary artist, Yvonthia writes novels not only for entertainment but also for the purpose of informing readers on some crucial matters. She believes that story-crafting is undeniably an art form and strongly feels that art is essential not only for entertaining but also for communicating an important message that some may have not yet heard or that needs to be repeated so that others can be reminded. Those two motivations, entertainment and the conveyance of an important message, are what Yvonthia focuses on most when crafting her epic tales. So, in the midst of all the fun within her stories, Yvonthia also presents themes that are relatable to everyday life. Her first novel series, The Wrythe and the Reckoning, is a young adult romance with themes of freedom and social justice.
FAQs
Hello! I’m Yvonthia Meredith Leland (Ymerah Leland). I write stories of fantasy, mystery, adventure, and romance. The following are some questions and answers about me and my debut novel “The Wrythe and the Reckoning.”
Intro Q&A (A little information about Ymerah):
Home State (Where do you live?):
I grew up in Washington state, and I currently live in New York.
Personal Interests (What are your favorite hobbies?):
I enjoy writing, reading books (fiction and non-fiction), watching movies, spending time with friends and family, cooking and eating classic foods, road trips, and listening to music.
Education (What is your academic background?):
I graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. I majored in Sociology and minored in History.
Personality Traits (What sort of personality do you have?):
I’m mostly an introvert, but an extrovert when necessary. I love to have fun and enjoy life, and to help others do the same.
More Questions & Answers:
Q: Why did you decide to become a novelist?
A: Basically, I had some important things to say, and I wanted to say them in the form of a story.
Q: When did you begin writing novels?
A: I began seriously writing when I was in college. That’s when I started to develop story ideas for novels and to study narrative writing. By the time I graduated, I knew for sure that I wanted to be a novelist. I’ve been studying storytelling and working on novels ever since.
Q: What is your purpose for writing stories?
A: To entertain. I think that in a world with suffering and other troubles, entertainment is necessary. While entertaining, though, I also seek to nurture and enrich the minds of those who read my stories. I strive to write meaningful stories that are, for the most part, happy and exciting to read.
Q: What is the general audience for your novels?
A: I write for the Young Adult & New Adult genres, but the novels can be enjoyed and appreciated by readers of all ages, from teen to adult.
Q: What are your favorite story genres?
A: There are several, but overall I like fantasy, mystery, paranormal, and romance.
Q: What do you think makes a good story?
A: There are several characteristics that I find to be essential, but generally a story I can learn from, and characters who I can relate to is part of what I think makes a good story.
Q: What are your thoughts about writing style, and what’s your particular writing style?
A: I think we all have our own unique writing style. That’s something I’ve learned to appreciate when reading books and poetry from different authors. Some classic authors recommend writing books that you want to read or books that you feel need to be written. I believe it’s the same idea when it comes to writing prose. When reading, I mostly prefer sentences that challenge my thinking, instead of those that explain everything so minutely that each sentence is likely to remind me that I’m reading a fictional story. I think of myself as being a novelist who writes stories that are partly or mostly based on real-life occurrences and events. And I write the prose in the same way the narrator (protagonist) would tell an individual their personal story.
Also, there’s an added joy that I feel when I understand a deeper meaning behind a sentence, paragraph, etc. I consider that to be also one of the joys of reading poetry. However, I do appreciate the simplest of sentences too, because they add variety and pacing to prose. Not all readers may like a writing style, but we’re all unique individuals. What sounds correct in one person’s brain, may sound wrong in another’s. So, it’s generally not something I’m concerned with. In addition, I write in first- person narrative, because I tell personal stories. It can be more limiting than writing in third- person. So, I have to take those factors into consideration.
Writers design the sentences they write, and so what you read in a book it was placed there on purpose. Overall, though, if a sentence sounds correct in my mind and it flows in conjunction with the other sentences nearby, then I’m keeping it. As a writer of stories, you write prose that you love and then you keep moving forward. There’s no room for obsessive insecurities when making art because those insecurities can hold you back from moving forward on that project, from making that beautiful piece of artwork, such as writing an excellent story. As long as you love that artwork that you made, someone out there will love it too, and they’ll appreciate it.
Q: Recently, there’s been some backlash regarding the lack of diversity in some YA books. Do you think diversity is necessary in YA novels, or can we do without it?
A: I think several factors have to be considered in regards to showing diversity in stories, including the setting, context, audience whom the books are written for, and actual reality. Overall, I think stories should be as relatable as possible, even when they’re fantasy. In general, the world is a diverse place and so is the audience, but considering the setting and the context is also important.
Q: What are your thoughts about fanfiction? Some authors dislike the idea of it and think it shouldn’t be allowed.
A: I can understand their perspective, but generally I don’t have a problem with the idea of anyone writing fanfiction about my book. I just prefer to not read it, partly because I’m in the middle of writing a series and I don’t want my ideas to be influenced by a different story direction or another idea, but also because I would be horrified (lol) if I read about a character who is depicted as being far out of context in regards to their personality in the book. So, if any fans want to write a fanfic based on one of my novels, I very much prefer that they stay true to the identities of the characters and the overall themes of the story. Although, in regards to the villains thereof, turning some of them into a heroic character would likely be acceptable.
Also, with there being a myriad of side characters in stories, some of who play a small role in the novels, I think spinoffs are an acceptable and fun endeavor for fanfiction writers and readers. Then, it’s as though they’ve written an original story. Fanfiction doesn’t always have to be about the main characters. Why not venture off and make an entirely different story? Then, perhaps it would be a complimentary story to the original (maybe). Another idea is to write a “write into”, where a character disappears for a while and you write something that they did during that time when they were away. Even just writing an additional scene in the story, but staying true to the characters and the actual story, I don’t see the harm in that. Overall, though, in regards to my novels and fanfiction being written based on them, I say have fun! I just prefer that the writers or readers don’t send them to me and expect me to read them, because I can’t, at least not right now.
Q: What was the most challenging part about writing your first novel?
A: Dealing with anxiety and getting enough sleep. In regards to anxiety, it’s a disorder that I’ve developed in the past few years. Thankfully, since I’m sensitive to foods, I’ve been able to avoid certain foods that encourage it or make it worse and to also control it by eating adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. I’m not against medication though, and I feel that if anxiety is a major problem for writers or anyone else, and changing one’s diet doesn’t work, they have the right to get prescription medication and should. Anxiety can be inhibiting, and it causes even more stress which none of us need.
In regards to getting adequate amounts of sleep, I like for the scenes in my stories to be precisely how I want them to be, or for the overall message to be conveyed clearly enough for the reader to understand. Sometimes, that takes a while and it can result in going to sleep very late at night, even when I have to wake up early in the morning. Writing is very hard work, and I thank God for getting me through it all. I usually don’t function well on very little sleep, and actually, I don’t recommend depriving oneself of adequate sleep. However, I was dedicated to completing TWARE, and to the best of my ability. Writing is a fun activity, but it can be very difficult sometimes. Also, most of us writers have additional day to day responsibilities in our lives. We have to make time for writing, but in the end I think it’s worth it.
Q: If you could give one tip about writing, what would it be?
A: To care about your audience, the genuine potential readers of your books. For writers, or any other artists or entertainers, I think caring about the audience should be at the foundation of our art.
Q: What are your favorite snacks while writing?
A: Fruit (especially berries and melon, or a smoothie), potato chips, french fries, and iced tea (or warm tea if it’s very cold outside). I especially like herbal tea, such as Chamomile and Mint Medley.
Q: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
A: Read, study, practice, have some purpose as to why you’re writing, and keep writing if that’s what you truly want to do. It’s a learning experience.
TWARE Q&A (Some information about The Wrythe and the Reckoning):
{The Wrythe and the Reckoning is a duology novel series in the romance, fantasy, and historical genres. Though it’s a YA novel, The Wrythe and the Reckoning is compatible with readers of all ages, teen to adult.}
Q: What is one exciting characteristic about TWARE?
A: The plot. It’s an original epic story and a fantastic adventure.
Q: Why did you decide to publish Indie for TWARE, instead of through traditional publishing?
A: I wanted to have as much control over my story and promotional efforts as possible. Overall, I wanted more freedom as a literary artist.
Q: In TWARE you address some social concerns, one of them being school bullying. What are your thoughts about the topic?
A: I feel that school bullying is a major problem in our present-day society, and it is depicted briefly in the story. Speaking from my own experience of having been bullied in school, I strongly feel that there’s not enough being done about the problem. There should be adequate laws put into place to control and prevent it. For example, there should be a zero tolerance policy for bullying —perhaps a warning or two with detention, and then anything after that the bully should be expelled. I don’t understand the passiveness and leniency about it. It’s not rocket science. Laws can be made to deal with the issue, and they can also be enforced.
Q: The language in TWARE, it’s representative of the language spoken during that time period. Do you think some readers will have a difficult time grasping it?
A: I think it’s essential that the language and dialect in a story be as representative as possible to the setting, because language is part of culture. In regards to some readers having a difficult time grasping the language, it depends. The Wrythe and the Reckoning is not a book that can be skim-read to satisfaction. If a reader can’t imagine themselves in that particular time period and grasp the sophisticated language that was used, then they may have a problem reading much of the book, especially the dialog. Overall, for those readers, the language of the novel is likely to seem forced, and it won’t become easier for them unless they become more acquainted with historical books or even movies that have that same sort of language.
Really, the English dialect of that era and region is just a more sophisticated version of the modern-day English dialect. In Britain and some other European nations, the English dialect hasn’t changed all that much in the past several decades as it has in the United States. Readers who are familiar with reading books from various centuries in history, or even watching movies from earlier time periods (i.e. Pride and Prejudice, A Room with a View, Great Expectations, Little Women, Etc.), will likely have an easier reading experience of TWARE. Overall, I stayed as true and authentic as possible to the general speech and dialect of that era, with some considerations. The characters get their thoughts and opinions across intelligently, and they still manage to express their individual moods and attitudes throughout the story. In conclusion, it helps tremendously if the reader can imagine the characters in their setting, along with their unique personalities, the events, and also the culture of that region during that particular era. Because, otherwise, they miss out on a great story.
Q: There’s a 150 page chapter in TWARE, Book 1. Care to Explain?
A: Yes, the chapter is approximately 150 pages long. In fact, I may have possibly beaten the record for the longest chapter ever in a romantic novel, especially for YA and New Adult Romance. I don’t mind any backlash that may occur as a result of keeping the chapter at that length, because the fans who love the story very likely won’t mind reading it, and they’ll understand why I kept it that way. Overall, I decided to design the chapter in that way for specific reasons, and once my mind was made up I had no desire to change it. In general, I think of my writing as art, and every word and every part of my literary art is accurately designed and placed according to how I want it to be.
That particular chapter is really more like a mini-book, a novella. I considered breaking it up, but again and again I preferred that it stays at the word count that it is. I won’t say where the chapter is because doing so could be a spoiler for some readers, but I do think it’s worth the read. Also, before deciding indefinitely on whether or not to keep it that length, I researched and found that there are plenty of well-known novels that were written with very long chapters, and some novels actually have no chapter divisions at all. So, it’s really about the author’s preference in making their art, but it is also in consideration to the readers who read their books. The fans of those novels I found didn’t mind reading those long chapters (or having no chapters), because it’s all about the story. Anyway, I do hope everyone enjoys the read and also that they appreciate that chapter for what it is. The 150-page chapter, like the story of The Wrythe and the Reckoning, is fantastically beautiful and epic.
Q: TWARE is an epic-length novel. Were you concerned that it would be overwhelming for the readers?
A: I considered that it might be, but then I realized that it wouldn’t. TWARE is an epic novel, literally. The book spans several years, and quite a lot happens in the story. It’s not overwhelming to read, though. The entire story is a series in two books (a duology), and it’s broken up into individual parts. So, there’s a continuation. Overall, the reading experience itself is an adventure, one page at a time.
Q: In this era of romance novels, for YA and adults, are you concerned that some critics may misjudge The Wrythe and the Reckoning as simply a romance novel?
A: I think that romance novels do have their value. The Wrythe and the Reckoning isn’t a romance novel per se. It’s a romantic novel, but it conveys more than that. It’s also about oppression, corruption, greed, and other societal issues. Overall, The Wrythe and the Reckoning is an epic romantic story of love, family, friendship, triumph, and patriotism. But yes, it has romance and plenty of it.
Q: Romantic angst, it’s prevalent in TWARE. How is it that the novel is serious and yet it’s romantic?
A: In reality, life is serious and also romantic for most people. The novels I write depict that. The story is not so in-depth of the important topics that it provokes extreme sadness or anger, but it is informative and meaningful. And yes, it has romantic angst, but it’s not purple-prosy. The novel is written in a way that it can be read comfortably by both male and female readers. So, it’s not a romantic novel, but romance is included. Overall, TWARE is a fun read. It’s a romantic, mostly happy, adventurous and thought-provoking story.
