1.
When did you first realize you
wanted to be a writer?
I had always thought it was a nice
idea, but resigned myself to thinking it was just that - an idea. Writing a
book is one of those things everyone wants to do before they die and we all
know hardly anyone actually gets round to it. But then the more I started
reading the more ideas I had, especially after the New Adult genre blasted onto
the market, so I thought, what the hell
- I'll give it a bash! I didn't tell anyone for ages because I was kind of
embarrassed. After all I didn't know if I'd be any good at it. Guess I still
don't. My books could well be a pile of rubbish haha! But hey, somebody's
reading them ;-)
2.
How long does it take you to write
a book?
It takes me about three months.
That's from taking my idea to writing 'The End'. Then I'd add another month or
two on for editing, last minute changes etc.
3.
What is your work schedule like
when you're writing?
My main job is being a mum to my
four children so my life is too hectic to have specific hours for working.
Therefore I write whenever I can -if the kids are out with nanna, they're
asleep, or I'm in bed etc. My main and most favourite time for writing is late
evening and often well into the small hours! It's the only real time that's
peaceful around here!
4.
What would you say is your
interesting writing quirk?
I need quiet!! Sometimes I try
listening to my favourite music, especially songs that have inspired certain
events in my story, but they always end up distracting me and I find myself
singing along rather than getting any actual writing done! When I'm writing I
have to 'hear' my characters. It's almost like a movie playing out in my head
and I can't do that if it's noisy.
5.
How do you plan to publish? (self
or publisher)
It would be a dream come true to
have a publisher approach me and say 'hey, you're fantastic we have to have
you!' But until then I'm really enjoying the process of self-publishing.
6.
Where do you get your information
or ideas for your books?
My wayward imagination mainly! But
I see and hear little snippets everyday that makes a lightbulb spring to life
in my head. It could be a scene from a movie, a line from a song, people
watching in the supermarket car park… I carry my phone with me at all times so
I can jot down ideas whenever they happen to burst into my head!
7.
When did you write your first book
and how old were you?
I wrote my first book about three
years ago when I was 25/26 but I didn't even consider publishing it. I knew in
my heart it wasn't good enough - not the plot necessarily but the actual
writing. I always read when I'm not writing and I could tell from other books
that my work was nowhere near their standard. But I kept going, writing book
after book until I thought 'hey, I think I've got this!'. That's when I felt
brave enough to publish Inevitable, shortly followed by Saving Amy which is
actually a re-write of an earlier, crappier version haha! Maybe one day I will
rewrite my very first story too!
8.
What do you like to do when you're
not writing?
Read! I'm telling you my life is a
non-stop party! It goes without saying being a mum is my favourite job in the
world and I love to do all the 'mumsie' things like baking and painting etc.
Then of course there's shopping… what girl doesn't like spending right? I
should also point out that in my spare time I have watched the Twilight Saga so
many times I could probably act out the script all by myself - Please don't
judge me!
9.
What does your family think of your
writing?
Believe it or not there is only one
person who shares my reading addiction in my entire family - my best friend and
sister in law Keeley. So she is the only one who's read any of them!! But of
course everyone is super proud and tells me what a fantastic job I'm doing!
10.
What was one of the most surprising
things you learned in creating your books?
That I can really write! I remember
starting my first ever book and it seemed to take me weeks just to write one
chapter. I knew what I wanted to say but I couldn't for the life of me figure
out how to say it while making it sound half-decent at the same time. I assumed
I just wasn't cut out to be an author and almost gave up. But as with
everything, practice makes perfect and the more I wrote the more I could write. Now it flows freely,
somehow making the perfect transition from my brain to the page.
11.
How many books have you written?
Which is your favorite?
I have written four books, two of
which are published. The other two might make it out there one day if I ever
get round to making them better! I am also half way through my next novel due
for release in October. Favourite? I couldn't possibly choose. It's like
picking between three of my children! However I can say I'm the most excited
about my upcoming novel Take My Hand because it's my first series and also
because I'm having a ball being involved in the writing world with all the fab
authors and bloggers and readers out there. It was all so daunting in the
beginning but I think I'm finally starting to find my feet :-)
12.
Do you have any suggestions to help
me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Number one - read! And I mean really read. I think before I started
considering writing my own book I took a very lighthearted approach to reading.
I might skim a few pages if it was boring me, or read here and there when there
was a ton of other things distracting me. But now I take everything in. How the
pages are laid out, how the dialogue is presented etc. When I really feel a character or a connection between
two of them I look hard to find out what made me feel like that. The use of
phrases, body language, build up etc. Then while I'm writing I re-read what
I've written and look to see if my own
characters make me feel like that. If not - I'm doing something wrong.
Number two - keep going! If you
think it's too hard, or that you're no good at it, keep going and you WILL get
better! Remember the three P's - Patience, Practice and Perseverance!
13.
Do you hear from your readers much?
What kinds of things do they say?
I have had some fantastic feedback from readers and
bloggers. I hear an awful lot how painful my stories are to read but also
beautiful. One Amazon reviewer told the world I write stories that will rip you
apart. You've no idea how good things like that make me feel! If I can make
people 'feel', be it sad, happy,
uncomfortable, giddy… whatever - if they're feeling,
then I'm doing my job right.
14.
Do you like to create books for
adults?
Definitely. It's all about the
angst, the heartache, the adult-humour and of course the hot sexiness for me in
a book! I don't think my warped mind would be able to come up with anything
suitable for a younger reader ;-)
15.
What do you think makes a good
story?
I have three things I LOVE in a
book, whether I'm reading or writing it. Number one is a broken character. I
love discovering someones darkest secrets and getting inside their heads. I
love the twists and the turns along the road to salvation. Second, it should be
the LAW that every book has to have a hot book boyfriend who'd do anything for
his gal (or me!). I am a self-confessed book slut and proud! I fall in love
several times a week and I wouldn't have it any other way! And third - a happy
ever after. I get so emotional sometimes when I'm reading and the only thing
that keeps me from having a full-blown psychological breakdown is the hope that
they will walk off into the sunset together! Yeah, I know… I'm a big softie ;-)
16.
As a child, what did you want to do
when you grew up?
I wanted to be an English teacher.
As cliche as it sounds I have genuinely LOVED reading and writing for as long
as I can remember. English was my favourite lesson at school and I was one of
the weirdos who got excited over a new essay we had to write! Only problem was,
English was the only lesson I liked
and more often than not the only one I'd show up for. I hated the school environment and as you can imagine, that put quite
a sizeable spanner in the works when it came to going into higher education!
I'm older and wiser now though (this is the part where anyone who knows me
starts laughing) and am giving the whole university dream another whirl, and am
currently studying towards my degree in English Literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment