Author Spotlight: Lillianna Joy

young Christian author Lillianna shares her heart behind her work

Today’s post, as the title suggests, is an author spotlight on Lillianna Joy. I’ve followed her writing journey for a few months now and have loved her enthusiasm, her big heart, and her wonderful way with words.

And so, I’m happy to introduce you to Lillianna Joy, writer and daughter of the King!

---

1. Hi Lillianna! Thank you for doing this interview. Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi, yes! Thank you so much for having me - I'm so excited to share a little bit about my love for storytelling and writing! As you've already said, my name is Lillianna Joy. I'm a writer, blogger, designer, and teacher... and travel enthusiast haha. Currently, I'm a student at The Author Conservatory and will be graduating this September, and am excited to see what the Lord has for me after I graduate - whether that looks like traveling the world, doing a publishing internship, or going to school in California or Hawaii... who knows! As a young woman over 6’2” in height, I have always known what it’s like to be afraid to stand up fully, especially after fighting a chronic illness throughout my childhood. So now, I write YA contemporary stories full of relatable romance and deep themes for girls who are finding their voice. Girls just like me. I want to encourage young women that their story matters—they matter—and inspire them to live courageously, despite the struggles we all face. Our voices are important and our dreams are worth chasing, and it's so important that we keep fighting. Outside of writing, I spend my time as a barista, playing with my countless little cousins, and making pancakes while playing board games with my siblings. I love the beach and the sand and the sun and talking to people about a shared love for writing and books and story.

2. You're getting published in the Author Conservatory’s sixth anthology, Stories of Whimsy and Warriors. What's your short story, “Dreamscape”, about?

My little short story, my baby haha, is about dreaming, no matter what the world tells you. And fighting for childhood, no matter your age. And chasing whimsy, hope, imagination, and glitter. What would you do if the world was pointing in one direction... and your heart the opposite way? GHRETA LANE is a painter, artist, and dreamer at heart. Yet in this world, dreams are often crushed. We grow out of fairytales and childhood tutus and paint-splattered overalls. We become "too old" for dreaming and imagination. But when Ghreta's younger foster sister, TRINITY, shows her that maybe you never are too old for imagination and dancing in the rain, she'll have to face the question: Is the beauty of life, the very whimsy of it, worth fighting for, even in a world full of grays?

3. What inspired you to write “Dreamscape”?

I LOVE children. I love little siblings and sister relationships and five year olds who ask crazy, out of pocket questions and three year olds just trying their hardest to tell you something... and you have no idea what they're saying, but you still love them. Children have such a beautiful view of this world. They have this innocent, wide-eyed wonder, this appreciation for beauty, this wild, vibrant imagination... and we LOSE that as we grow up. I found that I was losing my child-like wonder as I grew up. And I wanted to write a story that reminded me I never have to be too grown up for dreams. Or for imagination. Or for dancing in the rain and blowing glitter and paint-stained fingers and loud music and wind blowing through your hair. There are so many things we "aren't supposed" to do, or "shouldn't" do anymore, the older we get. We are told those dreams are silly. Childish. Don't keep fighting for something you loved when you were little. And I wanted to write a story about someone doing exactly the opposite - and because she didn't want her little sister to lose sight of her dreams, she wouldn't let go of her own. So I think children inspired me to write this story. The first line goes a little bit like this, "Some people either hate children, or love them. I am neither stereotype. Because I... I am jealous of them."

4. What project(s) are you currently working on? Can we expect longer works from you??

Oooh haha absolutely - I have too many projects haha! I am currently in the middle of four projects (because yes, I am crazy lol) and like to kind of keep that up - I'll be pitching one, editing one, drafting one, and plotting one. Which like obviously isn't every day, sometimes I won't edit at all for a month or won't pitch at all... but that's kind of what I've worked myself up to, and what I find works best for my very crazy brain that likes to think about a lot of crazy things. Currently, I'm editing a YA Contemporary novel about racing and the Air Force and second chance romance and letters... it's like The Notebook (but clean ;) meets Nothing Like The Movies, but with racing and pit crews and lots of big cities in Europe. The novel I'm starting to drafting is also YA Contemporary, a twist on rivals to lovers because it's friends to lovers... but everyone THINKS they're rivals. Lots of high school vibes and a play on fake dating thrown in there. Then the novel I'm PLOTTING is actually more YA Contemporary Fantasy, a twist on imaginary friends, letting go of grief, and ghosts!

5. What’s your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is Little Women (2019) because I can see myself in every single sister. And it's just... a beautifully done movie with so much heart and humor and it makes me cry every time.

6. Do you have a community for your writing?

I have an INCREDIBLE community through The Author Conservatory and The Young Writer's Workshop - so so thankful for every friend and relationship I've ben blessed by through those two communities!

7. Do you have an online presence?

Yes! I'm mainly active on Instagram @lillianna_joy_author and have an email list you can find under lilliannajoy.com. I love to post just like super fun aesthetics and silly trends and writing related things on Instagram, and my email list is mainly news and encouragement and fun little behind-the-scenes of my writing process.

8. And finally, what struggles in your early writing journey helped you become the person and author you are today? Are there any tip you would give to an aspiring author?

I think I struggled a lot with confidence and loneliness in middle school and high school. I moved churches right during Covid, all my friends went to a different high school and now different church, and we moved out of a neighborhood into the country... all wonderful, good things - but as a homeschooled freshman in high school who wasn't super confident and was kind of shy, I was SO lonely. I think that I had to be in that space though to gain the confidence and perspective I have right now. I had to grow up a lot, and grow into that confidence, and that had a HUGE impact on the stories I write and the people I write too. There were other things I had to learn - like, surprise, I have a lot to learn and my stories aren't as incredibly amazing as I thought they were haha. I had to learn a lot of humility and grace and perspective. I had to learn to take criticism and feedback and distance myself from my stories. But what truly punched me in the gut and made me the author and person I am today is little me. The girl who couldn't talk to new people without blushing. The girl who stressed CONSTANTLY about what other people thought of her or how loud her laugh was or what she wore. I still have those fears, of course, but I've learned to have courage despite the fears. So my tip to aspiring authors - write the stories you wish you could have had five years ago, or ten years ago. Write the stories YOU need. Write the stories that matter to you. Write the stories you would love because someone out there is going through the same things you're going through, and they will love it too. Maybe it will change their life. Maybe it will change YOURS.

---

If you would like to support Lillianna or are curious about her short story, check out this link. To get in touch with Lillianna, click here!

I hope you enjoyed today’s interview. I, for one, loved having Lillianna on Bibliophile’s and am so excited to watch her grow her audience and work! Perhaps you already know, but all profits from the sale of Stories of Whimsy and Warriors go towards helping Lillianna and her fellow authors attend writing conferences to network and make those connections that will jumpstart their larger careers. One of the best things to do if you want to support writers of the King is to purchase their work. You can pre-order a copy of Stories of Whimsy and Warriors here (official publish date: June 24th).

That’s it for today. 👋🏼 Thanks so much for reading! Don’t forget to ❤️ and comment below with your thoughts!

See you next week. 🤗