Author interview: Carol Dobson

Hi, Carol!

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed.
Before we start, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
I have a B.A. in English, French and Russian, and I’m also a qualified teacher and librarian. I have had articles published in newspapers and magazines, such as The Guardian, The Lady, Here’s Health, The Western Morning News and others. I have translated French and Russian articles and written abstracts for a journal. I am also an artist and have sold at Art Fairs and to a national card company.
I travel a lot because my family lives in Belgium and the USA.
I have written an historical romance, ‘Storks in a Blue Sky’, which won the 2009 David St John Thomas Fiction Award, and also ‘Freedom’, a sci-fi short novel for teens, set in the robot-city of Albuquerque.

Wow! You’ve certainly achieved some big things!
So, what made you want to be an author?
I have always been involved with literature, or language, in various forms, and when my children left home, and I had more free time, it seemed a natural progression to research and write a novel.

Who has been your biggest supporter?
I would have to say that my two children have been my biggest supporter(s), and not just choose one. They have helped me greatly with the technical aspects of publishing. They are both Research Scientists, and not at all interested in literature, but have been invaluable for practical advice concerning computers or technology.

That’s very sweet!
What has been your favourite thing to write so far?
‘Storks in a Blue Sky’ has been my favorite novel to write so far. It tells the story of a beautiful, uneducated and illegitimate woman, who takes the place of her mistress, when she dies, as they are travelling across the wilds of Exmoor in 1764. Jean Luc de Delacroix arrives, en route to Alsace, and her life becomes a tangle of love, deception and fear.

Sounds interesting!
What advice would you give to other authors?
My advice to authors would be to always research everything thoroughly, or Sod’s Law will come into effect.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about your writing?
Sometimes it is very sad when you are researching the past to see how terrible it was to live then. For instance, I came across the tragedy of a young, 7-year-old girl, hanged in Nottingham in the eighteenth century for stealing a petticoat.

I can certainly see why that would be challenging.
May I ask, if you don’t mind, what are you currently working on?
I have just finished writing a sequel to ‘Storks in a Blue Sky’ and hope to publish it soon. Its synopsis is briefly: Oppression has caused three of the four main characters to flee their homeland. Armand de Delacroix because of the French Revolution; Esther Cerfbeer and Isabella, because of persecution towards Jews in Alsace and Portugal. Their lives coincide against a background of witchcraft and treachery in 1794, in North Devon, where young women are disappearing, and two men have been killed, their eyes pecked out.

I’ll look out for that! Thanks!
Finally, is there anything you want to say to your readers, or just in general?
I hope you will enjoy the sequel to ‘Storks in a Blue Sky’.

Brilliant. Thanks, Carol!

To find out more about the lovely Carol, please visit the following links:
Her Goodreads author profile
Her Amazon author profile

Author interview: Josh Cook

Hello, Josh! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.

Before we start, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a 41 year old IT Manager and writer, living in sometimes sunny Florida. Married, two wonderful and exhausting kids. One slightly deranged cat as well. 🙂

Brilliant. Thanks!
So, what made you want to become an author?
Growing up, I always had creative outlets. I used to do a fair amount of theater, and even had a full ride theater scholarship to go to college. I also did some art, lots of cooking (went to culinary school for a year as well) But as I got older, and got married, had kids, did the whole domestic thing, I found myself having drifted away from doing anything creative, and I wanted to reconnect to that part of myself. Having grown up an avid reader, I had often made up stories in my head, but never put them down on anything. Lots of ideas, but no action. When I realized I wanted to do something creative when I did have free time, usually at night after the kids and wife went to bed, writing would be a great outlet for that. I had many starts and stops, before I pushed out my first short Story, Oversee of One. In addtion my mother is a recently retired English Professor who taught creative writing, poetry and rhetoric, who makes a GREAT sounding board for books.

Interesting! You certainly sound like a very creative person!
Who has been your biggest supporter?
Easy, my wife. Honestly for anything I do she always is my biggest supporter.

That’s very sweet!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Finding time to write. With two young children it’s not easy to get all the time I may want. During the week I try to carve up 20 minute chunks each day to write. It’s not a lot of time, but it works for me, usually. I’m currently experimenting with voice dictation to do the rough drafts to get more “words on the page in the least amount of time.”

That’s an interesting idea!
What advice would you give to other authors?
At first I didn’t really pan out my stories, but as time has gone on, finding a story boarding method that works for me has been a mighty gift. My personal one is a bit of cross between mind mapping and a synopsis of each chapter, but it works for me. Don’t be afraid to find a method that works for you personally. Everyone writes differently, and each person approaches it differently. And.. of course… don’t give up. Sometimes even if you have it mapped out you hit a wall and it just does’t “flow”, it’s ok, it happens. Give it time.

Great advice!
When you’re writing a new story, where do you start? Beginning? Title? End? Middle?
I do my planning in a very sequential manner, start, middle, end. But in terms of actually writing, I do whatever hits me. Sometimes I have this great idea for part of the book and I go and do that part, because I know two days later I’ll lose it.

Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what you’re currently working on?
Right now, CANITUS. A.. IT based mystery 🙂 I also have a post apocalyptic book and a fantasy book I’m slightly working on. I have a kids book mapped out and the continuation of the Perception series of books mapped out. My goal is to get at least three of these out this year.

An IT based mystery? I’ll be looking out for that!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers, or just in general?
Not really. But to everyone who does read ebooks, and read self published authors, please always leave reviews and feedback, I’m guilty of it myself until I started writing and realized just how valuable those reviews can really be.

Brilliant. Thanks, Josh!

To learn more about Josh Cook, please visit the following links:
His website
His Twitter profile -@Grae500

Author Interview: David Hadley

Hello, David! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.
Before we start, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
Somehow I seem to have managed to arrive here at my mid-fifties without actually doing anything. By accident more than design I ended up spending most of my life as a stay at home dad, with three kids who seem to have survived my half-arsed attempt at parenting relatively unscathed.

Brilliant, thanks!
So, what made you become an author?
I remember sitting in a car park around my mid-twenties, reading Cement Garden by Ian McEwan and thinking I’d quite like to write something like that. By then I’d already failed to become the rock star I’d expected to be, so that seemed like the next thing to have a go at. One day I may even get there.

What has been your favourite thing to write?
So far it has to be my project currently in second draft – called In The Beginning – about a man with a universe in his shed.

Sounds interesting!
What advice would you give to other authors?
Don’t listen to me – I haven’t a clue what I’m doing.

Who is your biggest supporter?
My wife – she still puts up with me after far too many years.

When you begin writing, do you start with a book title or plot?
I rarely come up with good titles. Usually, it starts with one scene, which spawns another, then another, then I think about gluing them together in a way that makes some kind of sense, if only to me.

May I ask, if you don’t mind, What are you currently working on?
Ah. I usually have several things – at various stages – on the go at once.

Currently:
1st draft: Secret Affairs: a couple of reporters on a local free sheet investigating the disappearance of a local erotica writer and the odd financing of a local art gallery that no one visits (totally not in any way similar to The Public in West Bromwich).

2nd draft: In The Beginning. A man with a universe in his shed.

3rd and final draft: For once this one is not a (intentional) comedy: Dreamlands (needs a better title): A man keeps dreaming of a strange old Manor House. When he moves to a new cottage in a village he finds the house he has been dreaming of is there on the outskirts of that village and a woman he has also been dreaming of, steps out of his dreams and leads him into… well, another world.

They all sound interesting!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers or just in general?
To my readers – thank you, and I promise to do better next time.

Brilliant! Thanks, David!

To learn more about the great David Hadley, please visit the following links:
His Amazon author profile
His Goodreads author profile
His Facebook profile
His Blog

Author Interview: Darren Humphries

Hey, Darren! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed!
Before we start, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself
Tell you about my bits? I will NOT! This is a family blog… Oh hang on, these are the serious questions aren’t they. Sorry about that. There isn’t that much to tell. I am a father, worker and, occasionally, an indie writer of (hopefully) humorous fantasy (and some other stuff). I’ve been writing since, oh, forever, but it was the Kindle Direct Publishing platform that gave me a chance to put my books out there and find a few people who enjoyed them. That led to fame, fortune, yachts and loose women (erm, not).

Brilliant! Thanks.
So, what has been your favourite thing to write so far?
The next one. Sorry, I know that’s trite, but it is true. I always get excited when embarking on a new story. At that point, it’s full of possibilities and potential. It’s never fully planned or complete in my head, so I find a great many new ideas and things along the way and that is what makes the whole thing so much fun and, well, addictive. To answer the actual question asked, I guess that the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. universe is my most fun place to be since it is the only place that I’ve gone back to, and so many times. I love those characters, I love that world and it’s such an unlimited sandbox to play in. I’ve destroyed cities and even threatened to destroy the whole of everything, ever. How often do you get to do that in real life?

I recently read The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D – Frights and Fireworks. It was great and very funny! I will be carrying on with the series!
Do you have any regrets?
Regrets? I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention. ‘Regret’ infers that I had something to do with it, but all that I have done and not done have led me where I am and I’m pretty OK with where I am. The loss of my wife was obviously devastating and something that I wish hadn’t happened, but can I regret something over which I had no control? I do maybe regret the Rocky Horror Show outing, but there is no photographic evidence.

What advice would you give to other authors?
Write good books! Who am I to give other people advice? Oh, that’s why I’m here? OK, well if you insist. Chances are that you aren’t going to be the next JK Rowling. You might be, but the likelihood is small. Make peace with that early and you’ll be happier about writing. If you’re writing for the money, then be professional and follow the market. Thrillers and light romance(possibly involving sparkly vampires) seems to be where the money is at. If that’s not your driving force then write what you want, what comes to you, what makes it fun. If I was to try and write PENUMBRA – the story of a girl who is discovered and loved by an outcast wizard on the run from the Shadow Council because he wasn’t willing to be as dark as they were – then I would go mad. A story about a wisecracking secret agent taking on a bunch of mimes who threaten the security of the world? That’s more my thing (and I’m writing it right now, so no stealing the idea, OK). Writing what you want is fun. Writing what other people want you to is work. And hard work at that.

That sounds like good advice!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about your writing?
Finding the time. I consider a story like a train journey; I know the departure point and the destination and some of the main stations along the way, but the scenery outside the window comes along as I write and I discover it just as the reader does. That is a process that isn’t hard for me and I always seem to have more ideas than I can handle, but finding any time to get aside and write them down is a problem. I have the children locked away in cages to give me the time to write these answers. (Note to social services – that was a joke!)

Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what you’re currently working on?
At the moment I am working on The Silence Of The Mimes (an Agent Ward Short Story) telling of the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D.’s first case, but I’m also working on the second draft of London Dark, a sort of horror story, and the sixth Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. and the sequel to An Orc Not Like Others and… you remember what I said about having too many ideas and not enough time?

Great!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers, or in general?
Thank you. The greatest pleasure that I have is knowing that people are reading my books. I know, I need to get a girlfriend. Every time someone says something nice, leaves a good review or shows any interest, it is a big lift to me. I would write no matter what (my head would implode if I didn’t), but it is nice to know that others are finding it worthwhile as well.

Brilliant, thank you!

To learn more about the great Darren Humphries, please click the links below:
His Amazon Author Page
His Goodreads Author Page
His Website for the U.N.D.E.A.D series

Author Interview: Sarah Daltry

Hey, Sarah! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.
Before we get started, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
Short version – I’m a writer, nerd, gamer, feminist, and animal lover. I watch a ton of British TV, have a sarcastic response for most things, and tend to be extremely shy.

Brilliant! Thanks.
So, what inspired you to start writing?
When I was growing up, I was the only girl in my neighborhood for a long time, so once the boys realized it was weird to hang out with a girl, I didn’t have a lot of friends. My parents worked a lot and we didn’t have tons of money, so my entertainment consisted of books. When I ran out of stories to read, I started making up my own.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about being an author?
A few things, I guess. I have severe social anxiety, so I can’t even go to the grocery store. I want the words to be enough, but there are expectations that are hard for me. That includes things like doing signings, but also even posting photos of my life online. Lately, too, it feels like it’s even harder, because there’s a sense that authors SHOULD be giving all these details about themselves and I have a hard time with that.

Secondly, I also have severe depression and I’m never happy with anything I do. It can be extremely challenging as an author, because I hate everything I write. I go through a lot of ups and downs, trying to talk myself into fighting through it. I don’t think it’s unique to me. A lot of writers, I believe, have this issue and it’s hard, because you know that the second you put your work out there, it’s going to succeed for some people – and fail for others. So you have to find ways to determine where it’s good enough for YOU – and when you’re so hard on yourself… Well, I imagine you can see the dilemma!

Thank you for sharing that, Sarah.
What advice would you give to other authors?
Write the stories you want to write. These days, it’s all about marketing and it’s very easy to focus on that. When you do, though, you may sell a ton more books, but you won’t feel good about it. Pretend that you’re guaranteed to sell millions of copies or that it doesn’t matter if you sell any. Then write the book you would write if nothing but the story mattered.

That’s good advice!
Who has been your biggest supporter?
My friend, who also acts as my PA out of kindness (she won’t take money), Karen.

Aww, that’s sweet!
Do you have any regrets or things you wish that you had done differently?
I have a lot. First, I regret not writing what I wanted from the beginning. I regret that I gave into the talk of markets and I ruined characters I wanted to do justice to, but I learned and I started over for that reason.

I also regret trusting certain people – well, a lot of people – because things haven’t been easy and if I had never trusted them, a lot of my biggest problems in writing would never have happened.

Finally, I responded to a review and I wish I hadn’t. I wasn’t trying to argue or be mean, but the review was based on a small sample – not the full novel – and made statements that were condemning of my readers. You can hate me or my work. I don’t speak for everyone and diverse opinions and perspectives are important. But when my readers are treated like that, it upsets me. However, it’s on me as an author to write the story well and if people miss the point, I can’t fix it. So I wish I had just ignored it.

That last point seems to be a regret that many authors have. As a reviewer, I don’t mind authors contacting me about my reviews, as long as they are polite and respectful.
Now, may I ask, what are you currently working on?
My YA fantasy, Dust, will be released soon (November 7) and I have a contemporary YA/NA, No Such Thing as Perfect, that I’m deciding what to do with from here. Beyond that, I have a few WIPs, but I don’t know where they’ll go so I can’t say which one will be next.

I’m looking forward to reading Dust!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers or just in general?
I’m very grateful to my readers. I love talking to them and I appreciate their support, especially given how hard the last year has been.

Thanks, Sarah!

To learn more about the lovely Sarah Daltry, please visit the following links:
Her Blog
Her Facebook Profile
Her Twitter Profile
Her Goodreads Profile
Her Amazon author Profile

Author Interview: Rosie Morgan

Hello, Rosie!
Before we get started, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
In brief – because otherwise it would be boring – I’ve been a primary school teacher in a wide variety of schools from tiny two-class village schools to large city schools. Between you and me it was the village schools I loved best; it was like being part of a large family, and you get to know the kids so well. Now I paint (watercolours), illustrate, read, plant and go for wild walks. And perhaps the most important bit: I’ve got a great family with wonderful (of course!) mini-grandkids.

Brilliant, thanks!
So, what made you want to start writing?
If you’ve ever read to a room full of children you’ll understand the magic of realising that thirty-something young people are being transported by the written word. How wonderful to be able to create a little bit of that!

And then a decade ago I got a thing called M.E. or Chronic Fatigue, so I had several months off work. I couldn’t do much, but little by little a story started to develop, I would write a tiny bit whenever I had the energy. Then I went back to work for a while, but M.E. and teaching don’t mix so I had to stop altogether – and the writing grew.

I’m sorry to hear that.
What have you found particularly challenging about writing?
Um – honestly? It has to be the publicity. The actual writing is fabulous. Even the editing and re-editing is my sort of work.

I can understand that! It’s a fine line between marketing and spamming.
What would you advise other authors?
Make the people ‘real’; both their conversations and their reactions to the situations they find themselves in. Be open to constructive criticism – sometimes this is the hardest part! And be prepared to edit, re-edit and carry on editing.

Great advice!
so, who has been your biggest supporter?
That award has to go to my long-suffering husband! He’s the one who’s believed in me and kept me going when I’m sure that no one would want to read my books. He’s the one who said ‘I told you so!’ when I received my first five star review.

Aww, that’s sweet!
Is there anything you regret about becoming an author, or about publishing?
On the whole I’m thrilled that I’ve been given this opportunity and I do love writing but as I’ve said, I don’t like the self-publicity – it doesn’t sit easily with me. However, I bet I’m not alone on that one!

May I ask, if you don’t mind, what are you currently working on?
I’ve published two illustrated fantasies: ‘The Golden Sword’ and ‘The Time Smugglers’, books 1 and 2 in ‘The Camelot Inheritance’ series. Right now I’m about a third of the way through the next in the series, I’ve even finished a few of the illustrations!

Brilliant!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers, or just in general?
My dream with all of this is that people, mostly children, will lose themselves in my books. That they’ll like them enough to tell their friends about them and that maybe, somewhere, a teacher will pick up one of the books, open it, and start to read it to their pupils.

Thank you, Rosie!

To learn more about the lovely Rosie Morgan, please visit the following links:
Her Blog
Her Facebook profile
Her Twitter Profile
Her Goodreads Profile
Her Amazon Author Profile

Author Interview: Will Once

Hey, Will! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.

Before we get started, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
Do you remember that bit in Gladiator when the evil Roman Emperor asks Maximus what his name is?

Russell Crowe takes off his mask and says in his best gravelly voice: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

My version goes like this:

“My name is Will Once, resident of Godalming Surrey, by day a transport consultant, by night an aspiring writer. Father to a brilliant John, husband to a long-suffering Hilary. And I will do my best to make you laugh, whether with me or at me.”

Brillaint! Thanks.
So, what inspired you to start writing?
I grew up in the 1970s in a dismal town in Nottinghamshire called Worksop. This meant that (a) I had missed the party that was the sixties, (b) the fashions and music was pretty awful, (c) there was nothing much to do except watch the mining industry die and eat fish and chips and (d) the internet hadn’t yet been invented.

And that meant that the only entertainment until the discovery of girls was the local library. And when I had read all the science fiction I could lay my hands on, I started writing my own. It seemed a logical progression.

Interesting!
What has been your favourite thing to write so far?
That would have to be the text message that I sent to Hilary about 15 years ago. It simply said: WYMM?

Thankfully, she said yes.

By text! I think you were born a few years too early! haha
who has been your biggest supporter?
My 13 year old son, John. Hilary proof reads everything for spelling mistakes and editing. John proof reads to make sure that it’s funny and/or exciting.

Aww, that’s really sweet!
Is there anything you regret?

Ooh, lots of things. My first marriage. Purple flared jeans circa 1977. Supporting Nottingham Forest. Staying in a painful job when I should have had the courage to quit.

But nothing that keeps me awake at night. A regret is like breaking wind. We all do it (even the Queen), we wish we hadn’t, but as soon as it’s done it’s gone.

That’s certainly an interesting way of looking at it!
what is the best advice that you have ever received as an author?
There is a paragraph I copied from “Write, Publish, Repeat”. It sits on my desk, right next to the laptop screen:

“Do you know what truly honestly separates people who succeed from those who fail? It’s simple: People who do the work succeed. People who don’t fail.”

I like it!
Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what are you currently working on?
For a change, I’m writing a serious novel instead of a comedy. It’s a hybrid of science fiction and fantasy, but with none of the usual trappings of high technology or wizards and elves. A community is living inside an artificial domed world. They are governed by a set of laws that keep them safe but restrict what they can do. For example, an old person has to die for every baby that is born.

Do they accept these rules or do they rebel and insist on personal freedoms? That’s the tension.

I’ll be looking out for that! Sounds interesting!
Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your readers or in general?
To everyone who has read my writing and given me positive feedback, I’d like to say a big thank you. Every now and again someone says something like: “I really enjoyed your book” or “It brightened up my day” or “I didn’t want it to end.” And when an author reads something like that, it’s like a prose hug. You walk ten feet taller.

Thanks, Will! This has been brilliant.

Thank you.

To learn more about the great Will Once, please visit the following links:
His Website
His Goodreads author profile
His Amazon author profile
His Blog

Author Interview: A.L Butcher

Hey, Alexandra!
Hello and thanks for the interview.

Before we get started, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a British author of fantasy and fantasy romance. I was raised in Buckinghamshire but now live in the southwest. When I am not writing I like to read; mainly fantasy, history, and crime. I’m studying an online course on Roman Britain at the moment, it’s too early to comment on it beyond it looks fascinating. I’m also keen on science, nature, astronomy and gaming.

Brilliant. Thank you.
So, what inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always written. When I was a child it was usually me who provided the poem or short story for the class display. From that continued the poetry, short fan-fic style tales and horror and then adventures for roleplaying games. These graduated into the novels and short stories I have published.

Is there anything particularly challenging about your writing?
Time. I work full time so tend to struggle to manage writing time and I have various health issues, I can’t do a great deal if I am very tired or stressed and so often I only get a couple of good evenings a week. I’d love to be able to write full time, but alas there are bills to pay.

I know what you mean. A clock that stops time so we could get stuff done would be great!
Do you have any regrets, or things you wish that you’d done differently?
Everyone has regrets. I assume you mean writing-wise? I wish I’d done it sooner. I am quite shy and it took a lot of persuasion for me to publish. On the flip side – My first book appeared just before my mother died of cancer and I am so pleased she got to see it.

I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure she was really proud of you!
What advice would you give to other authors?
Keep writing; enjoy what you do; if you don’t feel like writing one day then don’t. A forced story will be just that forced. Someone won’t like the book. That is certain. Don’t comment on reviews, don’t get nasty. Move on, the next person will probably love it. People like and dislike such a variety of things you can’t please everyone.

That sounds like good advice!
What has been your favourite thing to write so far?
I love all my books, but I had a lot of fun working with fantasy author Diana Wicker on our shared story in Bellator. Bellator is a charity anthology of space and magic raising money for wounded soldiers and it was great to be involved. Co-authoring has its challenges but as it isn’t the first time Diana and I have worked together it was great to do so again.

Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what you’re currently working on?
Book III of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles is in progress. The first draft is done, so I am waiting for beta readers and then editing. I’ve a couple of short story projects in progress as well. One will be the second volume of Tales of Erana, and one is a co-authored project.

Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to your readers, or just in general?
Hope you enjoy the books ;). To me books are freedom, the chance to escape to another world and meet fantastic people. Storytelling is deeply ingrained in our culture and the chance to write is something wonderful, almost as wonderful as being able to read. Recently I read Reader of Acheron, by Walter Rhein, which is set in a world where books are forbidden and being able to read is a dangerous occupation. That, to me, is hell.

Brillaint, thanks!

To learn more about the lovely A.L Butcher, please visit the following links:
Her Blog
Her Twitter profile
Her Facebook profile
Her Amazon author profile

Author Interview: Marc Nash

Hey, Marc! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.
Before we start, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name’s Marc Nash, I live and work in London. I used to work in a record store for almost twenty years, but then I finally grew up and got a proper job in a human rights charity. I’m married and have twin boys.

Working in a record store sounds awesome!
So, what inspired you to start writing?
Well I started writing plays for the theatre when I was at university because I was desperate to do something creative amongst all that dry learning and also because there was a free theatre space for students to learn the craft as we went along without having the expense of any mistakes. I kept writing plays until my twin boys arrived in the world and I couldn’t spend nights out networking at theatres any more. So I started to write novels instead, in between bouts of feeding them at night. I’ve been writing for thirty years now between theatre and novels.

That’s interesting!
When you’re writing a new story, where do you start? Main text, Title, Start?
I always start with the central image or the theme of the piece and then I know it’s fully viable when I get the voice of the main character. Voice tells you such a lot, about their education, their values, how they see the world etc, all this is revealed in how they think and speak, how they use words.

Do you have any regrets or things you wish that you’d done differently?
I’m sure I’ve made a lot of mistakes in how to promote the books and myself as an author, but I don’t regret the decision to self-pub at all. It’s been fun, even with the mistakes.

What has been your favourite thing to write so far?
I wrote a flash fiction story and then collaborated with a video maker to make it come alive in video. The sense of achievement on that was the best feeling ever, seeing it up on a big screen in front of an audience. It also added layers to the original story by bringing out the collapse of the words into other words as letters changed. You can view it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6pFwk_NJaY

I love that! It’s really clever!
What advice would you give to other authors?
You will get loads of advice and some of it contradicts what you’ve already been told; how do you know which to follow? My advice is to stick to your own artistic vision, what made you want to be a writer in the first place. Stick with that and you can’t get bogged down in advice that seems confusing.

Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what are you currently working on?
Lots of things really. I’m looking to make another one of my flash stories into a video. I have a novella on the go and an exciting project which can only be read online as the reader will choose their own path through the ‘book’. And I have a graphic novel all ready to go if I can find an illustrator who wants to work on it.

I love books that let me choose a path! They’re really hard to find, though. I’ll definitely be looking out for yours! Thanks for telling us about it!
Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to your readers, or just in general?
Just if you like something a bit different in your reading, something that plays with language to show its limitations and something that looks to tell different type of stories that do a little more than tell a tale, then please check out my work.

Brilliant! Thanks, Marc!

To learn more about the awesome Marc Nash, please visit the following links:
His Amazon author profile
His Goodreads author profile
His website

Author Interview: M.A Comley

Hey, Mel! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed.
Before we start, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m an ex-pat living in beautiful France. I moved here in 2002 with the intention of taking early retirement. That’s a laugh, as I tend to work longer hours now than I ever did when I was working as a store manager for the Co op back in the UK.

That’s no good!! So, what inspired you to start writing?
To be honest, when we moved to France the only books I could find to read were old Mills and Boon romances. After reading a few of those, I announced to my family that I could do much better, they challenged me to get on and do it.

Do you have any regrets or things you wish that you had done differently?
Everyone has regrets, they’d be lying if they said otherwise. Starting out as an Indie I wish I had invested in the services of the wonderful editor I work with now.

Editors are certainly invaluable!
What advice would you give to other authors?
Carrying on from the previous question really, invest in employing a great editor and cover designer. It’ll be the best money you’ve ever spent if you wish to succeed in this business.

What is your favourite character that you have created?
Without a doubt the feisty DI Lorne Simpkins. Although my latest character creation Miranda Carr, is going to definitely give Lorne a run for her money.

Not Pete or Katy? Lorne is awesome, though!
Are there any books or authors that you feel have particularly influenced you?
James Patterson’s early books initially. But nowadays I tend to only read books written by Indie authors. All too often writers are told what to write in the publishing world, I enjoy the freedom I have since becoming an Indie author and more importantly, my fans enjoy that freedom too. As one of my American fans always says, ‘No one can ever say your books are filled with wasted words.’

Can I ask, if you don’t mind, what you’re currently working on?
I’m just about to release a standalone novel, Evil In Disguise, which is based on a true story based on actual events which happened to one of my dear fans in the States. It’s a hard-hitting story, far removed from anything I’ve written before. So, why did I write it? I hear you ask. Well, I just think it was a story that had to be told. I don’t want to say too much about it except that what Jenny Slater goes through in her sad life I know millions of women worldwide will relate to, unfortunately. My WIP is the first book in a new police procedural series centred around Miranda Carr a DI in the Met, who I referred to earlier.

Ooo, sounds like a must read!
Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to your readers, or just in general?
I’d just like to say thank you to all the readers who have supported me from day one of this incredible journey. Without them I would never have been able to stick my tongue out to the publishing houses who took pleasure in turning me down over the years. It’s satisfying to be able to taunt them with the fact that so many indie authors are accomplishing the title of New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, like myself. The question is do the publishing houses really represent what readers want in nowadays in the publishing world? I think not.

Brilliant, Mel! Thanks!

To learn more about the amazing M.A Comley, please visit the following links:
Her Facebook profile
Her Twitter profile
Her Blog
Her Goodreads author profile
Her Amazon author profile (UK / COM)