Meet the Author: Ella Pina

It’s been quite a while since I’ve hosted a young author interview. I’m thrilled to spotlight Ella Pina. I met her after she earned 20 “rewards” by sending new subscribers to my newsletter through my rewards program. Come to find out, she’s an author and has recently published her firsts book: The Heart of Stone Island. For fantasy fans (and non-fantasy fans alike), this is a fun story about three kids splashing into a new world and being immediately thrown into an adventure.

Enjoy the interview, and make sure you enter Ella’s giveaway to win a copy of her new book!

The Author: Ella Pina

The Book: The Heart of Stone Island

You can buy the book on Amazon!

• Print format ($7.49)
• Kindle format ($2.99)

The Interview

I love posting interviews with young authors. Each story is so different yet so interesting. Enjoy this time with Ella!

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✔️ What inspired you to write The Heart of Stone Island?

Back in late 2024, my family and I were going through the three movies of the Chronicles of Narnia. When we finished the second one, Prince Caspian, I was so inspired by the plots and setting, that a story started building in my mind. I wanted to create a story that was so moving like the movie was to me, also with similar settings. I thought finding the Narnia world through a wardrobe was interesting, so I took the idea and formed it into something totally my own. 

✔️ Wow, Ella. You’re an author after my own heart. I used to do the same thing, like with Baby Island (by Carol Ryrie Brink). I wrote my own book Castaway Island, when I was younger than you. So . . . what about your characters? What inspired them, like the bad guy?

One character in my book, Edgar, the antagonist, is strongly based off of King Miraz from Prince Caspian. When I read my own book, I can’t help but picture Edgar this way!

✔️ How long did it take you to complete this story?

I started planning the story in late 2024. There was a huge gap between putting it away and forgetting about it to actually finishing it. I officially published the book May 2026. So, it took me a year and a half to actually complete and publish this book.

✔️ That’s not bad at all. You would laugh if you know how long it took me to go from planning book to my published book: 10 years. 🫣 So, is The Heart of Stone Island your first published book?

Yes! This is my very first published book! I feel like we should emphasize the word published here because, let’s be honest, we writers have a few (if not a lot) of unfinished stories buried under piles of forgotten or unfinished stories. Ignoring the fact that I have probably half a dozen other stories begging to be finished, this is the first story that actually made it to the finish line . Fun fact: My sister, Savannah, and I both published our first books together! Her book is titled The Stone Adventure.

✔️ We sure do think alike, Ella! I too had at least a dozen unfinished manuscripts hanging out in my files. It makes it fun. Hmmm, which one shall I work on today? Right? But . . . let’s not dwell.

Moving on to . . . Who is your favorite character and why?

Ooh, yes! I love this question. I would have to say that my favorite character is Henry. Henry is a young boy who is adventurous with a little naivety mixed in. I love him so much because . . . well . . . I don’t want to spoil anything. Let’s just say there was a huge shift in him near the end that melted both my own and a friend’s hearts!

✔️ I sure don’t want you to spoil anything, and I’m a little surprised that Marie, the main character, is not your favorite. Very unique to have a secondary character (that is not the POV character) as your favorite. Did you expect him to be your favorite character right from the start?

No. Flat out no. For a while, Henry seemed to get in the way of the story. Sometimes I’d forget he was even there. Then I’d have to find a place for him and include him somehow. But I didn’t give up on him, and now he’s touched me in a beautiful way.

✔️ That is lovely, and it shows how writing our own stories can sometimes even surprise the author. Now that it’s finished, is there something you wish you could change about your story or the publishing process?

Unfortunately, yes. As you can probably guess, I used AI for the book’s cover. It does not feel the greatest having AI create it. I’m definitely feeling the hard work that didn’t go into making a cover myself or buying one. It’s something I may consider changing in the future, but for sure, if I ever publish another story, no AI! “No sirree!” (As Andi Carter would say). All original book text is from me and not AI.

✔️ That’s mighty honest of you. I actually like the cover, although I do like to see the characters’ faces/expressions more. And that stone looks mighty “heavy” to carry around. 🫣 I like AI as a tool, like the internet or Photoshop, but yes, there are some real obstacles to overcome if you want to create an engaging cover. There are many “hungry” illustrators out there who are quite reasonable (hint for next time or if you redo your current cover).

Okay, I got off on that. Here’s my next question. Did you ever feel like giving up on writing The Heart of Stone Island?

I wouldn’t say giving up exactly, but I did tire of it. I remember sitting down and writing literally two words before I put it away again. Though I did have this feeling of perseverance inside saying, “You will finish it. Eventually.” This was a book I for sure wanted to publish.

✔️ What kept you going during those times when you became “weary of writing”?

My mom signed me and my sister up for a writing program called “Kids Write Novels.” For the whole semester, the students were to write a a bunch of short stories to publish in a collection of their own. I decided not to write multiple short stories. I picked up The Heart of Stone Island and continued on with that during the program. In my case, a deadline kept me going. And prayer, of course. Prayer was always something I did when I felt stuck or tired.

✔️ Bravo, Ella! Great answer. Prayer is essential for writers who “become weary in well doing” (Galatians 6:9). I was so desperate (deadline from a real publisher!) that I started each writing time with a “Please, Lord, I need my 2,000 words of ‘manna’ today.” He came through, or you would not be reading some of my harder-to-write books now.

So, reading the opening in the first chapter, we see that the story is set in Prescott, Arizona. What made you choose this setting?

I chose this setting because it’s my hometown. It would be easier to write about because I am familiar with the weather and the area. Also, it’s a beautiful place.  Here is a photo of where I imagine Marie and her friends might have been camping.

✔️What do you hope readers will take from reading The Heart of Stone Island?

I hope readers will see that no matter someone’s age, whether young or old, they are an important part of our life’s story. They add color and flavor to life, and they are made in God’s image, so we should treat them accordingly. Their age shouldn’t determine whether we treat them with less significance than someone closer to your own.

✔️ Is this book the first of a series, or will it stay a stand-alone novel?

My plan is to write at least one more. And that is going to take a lot of work and diligence, so I need that to consider. I already had second-book ideas brewing when I wasn’t even done with the first. So I would think we can expect another. If the Lord wills. 

✔️ How do you feel now that you have published your first book, The Heart of Stone Island?

I feel very accomplished! It’s really is cool to have a book with my name stamped on it. Although many writers dream to create and publish a book, I didn’t really believe it was something I could or would do in my lifetime. So yes, I do feel great about it!

✔️God has blessed us to live in an age when truly anyone with determination (and some writing skills, of course!) can publish a book. It wasn’t so in years past. Be grateful! So, tell me. Does your book include faith themes?

As a Christian, I felt that it would be useless to publish a book that didn’t have faith intertwined in the story. I wanted to share my faith through this book and even share Jesus with any unbelievers who may come across my book. (The gospel is presented in the story by one of the characters!) So yes, there is prayer and mention of God in this book.

✔️ Excellent! Besides writing, what other hobbies interest you? 

Ooh! I really love horseback riding and sewing. I’ve picked up horseback riding lessons for a few months now, but I’ve had more experience in the past few years as well. Here I am riding bareback! We had a potluck at my teacher’s place. That was a fun time.

As for sewing, I have been doing that for two years now and I love it! I even have an online website Still Waters Sewing. You can see from the photos the sort of stuff I make.

✔️ Wow, Ella! You are a busy gal. And you homeschool in between all these hobbies–writing, sewing, horseback riding! Last question. Do you have any advice/encouragement to give to other young writers who wish to publish a book?

My book is a small book. It’s probably less than 100 pages long. But does that make it a bad book? No! I’ve struggled just a little with this. I thought that because my book is smaller than average, it wasn’t a good book. This is not true. I’ve had to remind myself that a book is a book. Big or small. So, a small book does not mean a bad book. If you want to publish a book, but are overwhelmed with page or word count, don’t be! Just do what feels right to you and what makes the story feel complete. What matters is that you tell a story worth telling.

And don’t give up! I know that many people will say that and we’re all thinking the same thing: “If only you knew…”  “It sounds easier than it looks…”

For me, what takes my stories forever to finish is that I write one paragraph and then I bog down on all the details and try to make that one paragraph perfect. I’ve found that this is very time consuming, and I never get many words in.

I’ve come to realize that when I focus on writing the story instead of editing the unfinished scenes or chapters, it feels so much better. I get more done, and when I am done, then I can edit. So, pray when you’re stuck, take a break, free write, and don’t focus too much on the smaller details of the story until after you’ve finished that specific scene or chapter. Or until you’ve finished the whole book. And remember, a small book is not a bad book. What matters is that you’ve created a story worth telling.

✔️ Thanks so much, Ella! I have the same problem. That’s why it takes me months to write my book. I’ll finish a chapter and instead of diving into the next one, I’ll go back and read and re-read, revise, edit. You name it. Anything to avoid having to put fresh words down on paper (on Word).

Now, for the fun part. The Heart of Stone Island can be yours! Enter today. Giveaway runs one week. U.S. and APO mailing addressed only. The book may only be 100 pages but that makes it super reasonable to buy. I read it, and the story “feels” like a novel, in spite of the shorter length. I think you’ll enjoy it!

Buy on Amazon: The Heart of Stone Island ($7.99) or Kindle ($2.99)

The Giveaway

P.S. You can ask Ella a question without entering the giveaway if you prefer: ASK ELLA.