Fia Essen.

Today I'd like to welcome Fia Essen, author of  “Ariel” to The Thursday Interview. Before we get started, a quick intro! 

Fia Essen has been an expat since childhood. She grew up in the stables of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, surrounded by horses, philandering polo players, and bored expat housewives. Currently, she lives in Athens, Greece with her Yorkshire Terrier.

OK - HERE WE GO !!  

No.1  Would you break the law to save a loved one?

Absolutely. My family means the world to me. Nothing is more important to me than the people I love. If they were in danger, I wouldn’t think twice before breaking the law to save them. And I know they would do the same for me.

No.2  What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

Well, that depends on what you want out of life. For me, knowing what I want and putting my heart and soul into realizing my goals is the definition of “truly living.” For a long time, I had no goals or ambitions. I didn’t know what I wanted. I was drifting, without a purpose. I was alive but I wasn’t living my life. Now that I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to put everything I have into getting it, I’m truly living.

No.3  What motivates you to write?

Once I decided that I wanted to become a writer, finding the motivation to write was easy. Writing is my job so I sit down and do it. It’s as simple as that. In my case, it’s more about self-discipline than waiting around for inspiration or motivation to strike me like a bolt of lightning.

No.4  Why do humans want children?

That’s a good question. And you’re asking the wrong person here, I’m afraid. I don’t want children. I’ve never wanted to be a mother because I know I wouldn’t be a very good one. My only “child” is a 6 year-old Yorkshire Terrier. Having him in my life makes me a better person. No matter what is going on with me, I have to put his needs above my own. He needs me and I need to be needed. Taxi Driver (that’s his name) makes sure I don’t turn into a self-centered twit because with him around everything can’t be about me all the time.

No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "Ariel"?

Writing is easy. It’s fun and I enjoy it immensely. There is nothing else I’d rather do in terms of work. I mean, I get to make stuff up on the job. How cool is that? Having said this, I do work very hard to create stories I hope readers will enjoy. The biggest challenge for me isn’t creating the stories, it’s spreading the word about them. I am one among many thousands of authors and I’m working on finding a way to stand out from the crowd.

No.6  What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far? 

The most important thing I have learned so far is that failure is the only way to success. Fear of failure kept me from going after my goals for a long time. If you never try something, you’ll never fail but you’ll never succeed either. Failure is the stepping stone to success. So, if you have a goal or a mission to accomplish, push on through the fear and start failing now. It’s the only way forward.

No.7  How did you come up with the title "Ariel"?

Ariel is the name of the main character in my book. The story is all about her, the trials and tribulations of being Ariel. There wasn’t any other fitting title for the book.

No.8  How do you handle personal criticism?

With a healthy pinch of salt. What other people think of me is none of my business. It’s their problem, not mine. However, if I ask someone for advice, I will listen with an open mind. I appreciate constructive criticism. But I don’t respond to unsolicited personal criticism. It would be a waste of time and energy I could put to better use elsewhere.

No.9  Why should people read your book? 

Ariel is stuck in a rut, she’s at rock bottom and can’t see a way out. She has lost sight of who she is and what she wants. I’ve been there. That’s why I wrote the story. Writing Ariel helped me get out of my own rut. It reminded me that nothing is ever set in stone. As I sorted out Ariel’s fictional problems on the page, I began sorting out my own. When I gave Ariel the courage to chase her dreams, I rediscovered my own confidence. And that’s why people should read Ariel – to join her on a journey toward a better future.

No.10  Why is there something rather than nothing? 

I don’t know. To be honest, it’s not something I generally think about. What I do know is this – life is short. All any of us has is the here and now. No matter what you believe, no one knows for certain what happens when we die. It could be something or nothing. So enjoy the here and now.

Thank you Fia :)

For taking the time to answer my questions 

& the best of luck with your new book! 

Check out  “Ariel" on

GOODREADS & AMAZON 

Ariel Morton’s life was perfect… until it wasn’t. Now she’s stuck in a rut. At the age of thirty-four, she has a dead-end job, a rented hovel of a home, and a rising stack of unpaid bills to keep her company. Just when Ariel is starting to fear she will never get her life back on track, she’s contacted by the mysterious Muse Agency. Suddenly, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself and those around her. 

Who is Ariel? And what does she want? The truth is she can’t answer those questions. And finding the answers is the only way out of her rut.