Do you have a simple childhood memory that you could never forget? I think everyone has that one special memory they hold onto from childhood. Mine is traveling with my parents, grandparents and sister in my grandfather’s car. We drove from our home in the North East of England to Tenby in Wales. My grandfather’s car had a front bench seat, which was unusual. I sat in the front between my father and grandfather, because I suffered from travel sickness. We played eye-spy and sang songs all through the long journey. I remember the smell of leather and the feeling of excitement and happiness. I don’t even think I asked “Are we there yet? once."
Do you think it’s important for parents to read for their children? It’s very important and special. I read to my three sons every night, even when they were in their cribs and too young to understand. It was part of our nighttime routine for a very long time. One time, after I’d performed a reading from my novel, my middle son said it had brought back memories of our nighttime readings, which made me smile.
What got you interested in fantasy? I’m dyslexic, although growing up this wasn’t a recognized diagnosis. When I was 8 years old I developed a coping mechanism for being called upon to read aloud from my school library book. I would take out the same large Fairy Tale book each week. I learned the stories by heart so I no longer stumbled my way through a reading with my classmates laughing at me. Since then I’ve love books with magic in them.
What challenges did you face while publishing your first book? Learning to market the book is an ongoing challenge. If you publish with a small publishing house or self-publish you have to learn how to place you book in the hands of readers. It’s time consuming creating opportunities for your book, and there are a lot of scams out there you have to negotiate through.
How did you begin writing your book, The Virus of Beauty? I’d signed up for a short story class with the idea of a young wizard who hated magic and a virus causing witches to lose their magic and become beautiful. The instructor advised me that I was writing a novel. She was right.
What is the most ideal ambiance for you to write in? I have my desk in the basement with a good sound system and access to a patio. I love setting music for the scene I’m writing and when possible leaving the patio doors open.
What common mistakes do female writers make while writing male characters? I think it's giving male characters female traits. Women tend to dwell longer on emotional upsets than men. A male character shouldn’t endlessly keep revisiting an issue they wouldn’t in real life.
Who all are a part of your family? How critical are they of your writing? I’ve been married for over 30 years and have three adult sons and one grandson. They are all very supportive of my writing and are amongst my first readers. I listen to their comments, which are usually constructive.
Who inspired the character of Myra in "The Veil of Corruption”? Myra is an amalgamation of many different people. She's a seeker, which I think resonates with readers as she struggles through life trying to find out who she is and where she belongs. Sometimes I feel sorry for her when I load her up with another problem. In "The Veil of Corruption" her drug addiction becomes worse and she hooks-up with an emotional abusive boyfriend. But then I remember, deep down she one tough witch who will survive anything I throw at her.
How much amount of research, if any, was done while writing your first book? The books are set in Hong Kong and the Magical Realm. I started writing the The Virus of Beauty when we were living in Hong Kong and I felt I knew the territory better than any other at the time. With fantasy you have to world build, know how the magic works, what are the laws and restrictions within that world, then let your imagination loose and have fun.
What is the one advice you would like to give to young writers in the world? Enjoy the creativity of writing. Make sure you write everyday, even if it’s only one line. Don’t wait to be inspired.
Are you friends with other authors? If so, how have they helped you in your journey as a writer?
I have a number of author friends. This journey wouldn’t be possible without their encouragement and support. I attended classes at Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute. The class was small with five other remarkable authors. We all write in different genres, but we keep in touch at least once a week via FaceTime. We also still attend writing events together all on zoom at the present time. These authors are my beta readers. The ones I trust after I’ve written my second draft.
How do you maintain that equilibrium between writing what you want and what your readers want? I have the outline and beginning of a historical romance that I would love to complete, but at the present time I know readers are anxious waiting to know how the fantasy series ends. In this instance what my readers want matters the most. I’ll finish the end of the series first before starting another project.
What are your plans for the future as a writer? Are you working on anything new? I will continue to write in the fantasy genre, but first I would like to complete my historical romance set at the beginning of the 19th Century. I’m enjoying the research for this book.
When did you first come across the AllAuthor website and what were your expectations coming in? What are your thoughts now? A friend had entered the cover of the month competition and told me about it. I checked out the website and discovered the opportunities for creating promotions with the weekly banners. These have been amazing, and I’ve used them frequently in my promotions on FaceBook, Instagram and Twitter. I’ve also recommended the site to a number of other authors and will continue to use AllAuthors as part of my promotional strategy in future releases.
