Away With Book Reviews Author Interview
We are pleased to share the lovely afternoon we spent with the amazing author,
Ellie is the youngest of four. Straight after high
school Ellie and her family moved to the south of England to start a new life.
Ellie planned to go to college that summer to study her first love ‘Performing
Arts’ but ended up joined the cabin crew of Condor Ferries at port Weymouth /
Dorset for a few years, then joined various jobs during winter seasons and being off the boats. Ellie is the
mother of a wonderful little boy, called Alex.
Alex has CP (Cerebral Palsy) which as you can imagine is a full-time job
in itself. But Ellie didn’t falter. From spring 2007, she decided to restart
her writing, an escape from the harsh reality she lived when caring for a sick
child, Ellie didn't go out because of Alex’s health and needs; she had become
prisoners in her own home. So she found her escape in old school work she found
inside a box in her attic, she found her old English Literature books and
folders. It sparked an idea: A Broken Paradise. Ellie started it at school
almost 20 years ago; it was an English lit paper for an exam. But of course
back then it was just 100 pages. Back when the first book was called "This
Way to Paradise" (which is now book 3). This is where it all began,
when one 100 page essay for English Literature turned into potentially a 6 book
series.
Of all
the books and stories you've written, which is your favorite?
I
mostly enjoyed The Alliance. It’s the second book to my A Broken Paradise
Series. Allot more going on in that book, but it was the nature and the
emotions it drags you through that I loved most about it. You see so many
characters grow before your eyes and you learn so much more about them, it’s a
real special part of the series and my
favourite.
Do you
have a favorite character?
I love
them all! But if I had to choose I’d have to say Sheriton. She’s so down to
earth, so funny, and she totally and utterly loves Awen to death. They’re so
close it’s a sister /sister thing. I’d like to go more into depth but it’s
giving the story away. Lol!
Please
share a quote from one of your characters
They
are such powerful words but they are says to all of Awen’s friends, it’s like
their official stamp, their welcome into The Alliance.
“You have been a long and loyal friend to her
and with this you chose your allegiance. In time, your services will be
acquired and you’ll question nothing, only questioned on what it is you have
been asked, not for reasons why? You have no level of understanding when you
come against the exigency of your co-operation over the next three years. These
three years only being one in my world, Bavola: a world you will not
comprehend. Do not try and understand these facts you will support, only
remember that you; as well as your race are part of something far more imperative
than you think. Your goal is to assist Awen in any way possible, to keep her
centred on getting home to us, in Bavola. Your dedication and success will be
rewarded, I can assure you.” Said by the Guardian Cualli
What
is your favorite genre to write?
Fantasy
& Romance.
Both
equally challenging to write and both equally hard not to love.
What
is your favorite genre to read?
I like
to read anything really. I read allot of paranormal, romance, horror,
thrillers. But I do love to broaden my horizons, I love Tom Clancy books which
are war related and I like to dabble in Historical, Society, Politics &
Philosophy, one of my favourite books Sophie’s World is
Philosophic, read it twice!
Who
are your favorite authors? Books? Movies?
William Shakespeare,
Stephen King, James Pattinson, Terry Pritchard, Tad Williams, Dan Brown, Tom
Clancy, H.G.Wells, J R Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, Sue Townsend, Janice Harrell, You
Lol , whoa I have loads Haha!
How long have you been
writing?
It’s always been a thing for me
since I was
a little girl around four or five years old. I used to make poems out of Disney
films Lol wrote my first story that was 50 pages when I was 8, after that I
ventured by writing my own plays so me and my cousins could act them out to our
family on Saturdays when we would all huddle up my grandparents’ house for the
day.
Who or what has been your
biggest literary influence?
Shakespeare.
My grandmother gave me my
first book when I was about 6 for my birthday, I didn’t read it until I was
about 8 but she gave me Macbeth. I love Shakespeare, I couldn’t in all honesty
understand it for years but I loved it, it was just the passion of his word and
his direction, his drive and his
centre that drew me in, he had immense intensity
with each of his characters, and they all had dark sides ya know, all of them.
But I always wanted to
write, he is just the one who gave me my ending goal in life, my biggest
accomplishment would be to retire as a screen play write or theatre play write,
that’s my final goal.
Would consider writing in
another genre?
Yes in fact I am, as we
speak. I’ve never written Erotic, and right now I’m working on one that crosses
over into the genre with Author Katie Mayo Jackson. I wanna try all genres; I
want to have allot of projects under my belt. Even if it’s just to say ‘I’ve
done that’.
Do you write anything
besides novels?
Poetry, you can find some
of my stuff on Poem Hunter. I have written Plays also and two movie scripts.
But I’m sort of sticking to the books for the moment!
How dear to your heart is
writing, and do you believe you'll continue to write for the rest of your life?
I hope too. I mean it’s not
the only thing I wanted to do in life, I was quite an ambitious person growing
up, always had things I could fall back on. But I love to write, I will
continue to do it even if it’s just for the comfort of me reading it!
Do you ever run dry? (How
would you feel if one day, you suddenly discovered you'd lost your ability to
write? how would it affect your life?)
I don’t run dry no, writers
block is none existent these days, its energy I fail to grasp! But life without
writing….It would be pretty dull but I’d still find something else to do! I’ve
lived a number of years in my life of limits and I don’t tend to do it forever.
In some cases people might think having endless amounts of ideas is a good
thing but there are plenty of downsides to it as well. If I were to lose this
one day I would hope it would be out of satisfaction, from myself. That one day
I’ll sit back and say those three words… ‘That will do”. As a writer (as you
know) you are never satisfied, you feel you’re not finish, it’s not finished, you’re
not finished, I would like to come to a closure on it all and sit back and
enjoy what I’ve done, but while you’re still writing, it’s hard to sit back and
take a look at it all because you’re still working on it.
How difficult is it for you
to come up with one of your marvelous plots?
It’s not difficult it just
takes me days in between the last brainstorm sometimes Lol I’ll have a good
roll for a few days then I’ll just stop thinking about it for a day or so and
then boom, there it goes again the roll continues Lol
How about characters? Are
they easily born and developed?
I’ll tell ya in my next
venture Lol these characters were already born before I wrote the series Haha!
They just came in one by one without thought, it was like they were real people
and they had always been in Awen’s life!
Do you ever find yourself a
struggling writer?
I’m always struggling Lol I
feel it’s all part of learning and growing as an author and as an individual.
It’s like anything, it’s not worth your time if it’s easy, and if it’s worth
your time it’ll be hard.
About how long does it take
for you to complete a novel, from concept to completion?
I give myself 1 month. If
in that 1 month I have complete, at least 150,000 words, I will consider that
as a good start, if I’ve aced that amount I’ll continue by starting from the
beginning and editing, adding detail and massage my storyline a little more Lol
I aim to always review and
redo my books at least 5 times before I’m satisfied which I normally add 2
weeks on the end of that month and then I have to give it to my sister to
approve and convince me it’s okay before I release it Lol
Do you have someone edit
your work before sending it to your agent or publisher or before self-publishing?
My sister Emma reads and
approves of everything. You wouldn’t believe how many times she’s read the
different versions of Chasing Fears!
Do you let your family or
anyone else read your work before it's finished?
Yep my sister Lol Emma :P
xoxo
Have you ever trashed a
novel or story before or after finishing it, feeling it wasn't turning out as
you had planned?
No, I trust that anything I
write it’s for a purpose. I keep it, store it and leave it until later. I trust
my brain; I know there is a reason to why and how? It always turns into
something, they are like puzzles sometimes and I’ll be writing and be all “Oh
yeah, now I know what that’s for!” Lol
Do you have a ritual
before, during and after finishing a book?
Nope, unless you count;
‘get on with the next one’ as a ritual Haha!
A special time or place to
write?
Nope whenever wherever
Any funny experiences or
quirks you'd like to share with your readers?
Most scenes or ideas are
fantasies or thoughts that had run through my mind. In book 2 (The Alliance) two
scenes in particular were personal experiences but I’m not going to say which
ones hehe!
If you could visit any
place in the world, where would it be?
Bora Bora, always wanted to
go
If your book becomes a
movie, what actors/actresses would play the lead roles?
Hell I don’t know! I think
I’d have to look around because Awen was based on me Haha! She’d have to be
perfect so I think I’d have to pick her and that would be
hard but awesome too.
Writers often spend almost
as much time researching a book as writing it. Do you visit specific locations
or google and youtube as many of us do?
I did so much research my
brain hurt! Yeah I used allot of Google and ask Jeeves. I’ve also used allot of
personal experience and knowledge, but mainly I read books.
What was it like to publish your first book?
I was both scared and
thrilled. I was so nervous and overwhelmed I made myself ill Haha! I had
terrible exhaustion, spent most of 3 weeks lying on my back because I was so
sick and dizzy. It was an experience I’ll give you that!
How do you find the time to
balance your creativity and family life?
I work on impulse, if I can
I will if I can’t I’ll try and make time if I can’t make time I won’t and I’ll
try again later Haha!
How much down-time do you
take between books?
I try not too unless I have
a complete memory block and in that type of situation it’s only happened once
and it lasted a month and a half but I try to continue on after the last so
it’s still fresh in my mind.
Besides writing, do you
enjoy any hobbies?
I like to read. I also just
got into Blogging! I don’t have allot of time so if I’m not writing I’m either
with my son and my family or I’m catching up on sleep!
What's your next literary
project?
Still got 3 and a half
books to write of my A Broken Paradise Series. I also started a collaboration
with a fellow Author (Katie Mayo-Jackson) which we’re hoping to get out by the
summer. I’m also working on another
project called the things we do in back-packer land, a feel good YA about two
teenage girls, straight out of high-school who go back-packing through Europe.
What advice would you give
to others who want to make writing their career?
Don’t give up! Keep going and
never falter. Things will always be hard and life is full of little set- backs.
Nothing easy is worth your time and anything worth your time isn’t going to
come easy, so keep ya chin up, work hard, play it cool and expect the
unexpected because at the end of it all you’ll be able to look back and say “I
did that”. So be proud of whom you are and all the little accomplishments
because they will pay off.
Is there anything you would
like to share about your writing and publishing experience that might inspire
and support new and struggling writers?
Anything
worth putting on paper is worth reading. Anyone willing to put effort into
something is worth it, words are words until you give them a meaning. There are
7 billion people in the world and I’m certain someone somewhere will like it,
in any case believe that what you’re doing is different and think about how we
need difference, we need change, we need new material, new passion, new
ventures, new authors of all genres who are hidden and shadowed by the current
to stand up and be noticed; given a chance. You are worthy of your dreams, so
go get them.
Thank you for spending this quality time with
Away with Book Reviews!
I don't know about anyone else, but I have a
lot of reading to do!
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- A Broken Paradise Series:
Book Two; The Alliance
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