Author Interview with Mina Chara

Author Interviews

October 1, 2016

Author Interview with Mina Chara

I’m interviewing Mina Chara, author of YA mystery romance “Hero High: The Figure in the Flames” on my blog today. Thanks for visiting!

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

It took a while. It’s still strange now, I consider myself more an artist than a riter, I paint every week, work on digital art, do drawings of characters, and it’s always been that way, I was drawing since before I can remember. I never attempted writing because I’m extremely dyslexic. One day, I went into a book store, each member of my family bought a book, save for me, because I didn’t read, my dyslexia made me scared of books. Then I passed by a very small YA book, that I’m sure no one’s ever heard of, but it reminded me of a movie I’d seen as a kid, only the protagonist was a girl. I’d never seen anything like it, not with a female lead, and I had to try and read it, so I did, in a day. And from there on, I loved reading, and for the first time, I wanted to write.

What inspired you to write Hero High?

So many things, but I think it came down to Japanese superheroes. Wait, wait, wait, let me explain.

Guys like superman weren’t always the angsty Henry Cavil types of today. At one point, the great Superman was played by Dean Cain, Brandon Ruth. The same goes for Batman. Superheroes have seriously changed, I could go on about why, but we don’t have the time for that. The point is, I sat down to watch Kamen Rider Fourze, which aired in 2012, and I was so surprised that people still made superheroes like him. It made me realized I wanted underpants wearing Superman back, and so, Hero High.

What is your editing process like?

In one word? Hectic, it really shouldn’t be, I’m a good little writer, I work on scene weaves before I start, move stuff around, make sure everything is where it needs to be, but I always end up changing a lot. So I guess you could say my editing process is the bulk of the work, it’s where I take the skeleton, and flesh it out. It’s where all the skill comes in for me, because you have to read the book, and look at it in a blunt, logical way, pointing out each problem, and then fixing it appropriately.

What was the most challenging thing about writing this book?

The most challenging thing? I think the most challenging thing is being satisfied with it. I kind of have two sides of me helping me write. One that just wants to make a book as good as it can be, and the other one’s a business woman tapping her watch at me. So I think the most challenging thing is learning to be satisfied, and just being willing to but yourself out there. Oh, and my super dyslexia, that makes things pretty stuff, heh.

Are you working on something now?

Yup, gotta get to work on the next Hero High book, I have that business woman tapping her watch at me. I’m working on the novellas for the book, and then finalizing the scene weave for the second in the series.

About the Book

Title: Hero High: The Figure in the Flames

Author: Mina Chara

Genre: YA Mystery Romance

Reality TV meets Superhero High School in this intriguing story about friendship, fame, and what it means to be a hero.

In Icon City superheroes save the day every day on the quarter hour. Lead by Captain Fantastic, scores of super celebrities do their best to train the next generation; seventeen year old Friday Fitzsimmons and Jake her childhood friend, are their latest starstruck recruits. When Doctor Dangerous returns from the dead and the Figure in Flames decimates the city, Captain Fantastic is betrayed by one of his own.

Torn between Jake, Ashley and her feelings for Doctor Dangerous, Friday must decide if her childhood friend is worth fighting for, and if the world’s most famous super-villain is worth saving, all while learning how to be a hero.

Author Bio

Mina Chara likes superheroes, chinese food and spending time with her dog. She dislikes dark, gritty superhero movies and tales of the dystopian future. Generally optimistic she writes stories that reflect her love of color (especially blue) as well as her sense of humor.

Born in London Mina enjoyed story telling as a child, but was diagnosed as severely dyslexic aged eight. Advised to stick to art and forget writing, Mina decided to do both and her paintings have so far been featured in two exhibitions. She still struggles with her dyslexia and finds writing a challenge, but refuses to be limited. Hero High: Figure in the Flames is the third book she has written, but the first to be published. Mina is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in creative writing.