I'm pleased to welcome another fab author to the blog today to chat about the how's, when's, and where's of the writing life! 

Check it out... 
​

The Interview...
​

Who are you and what do you write?

I’m Matthew O’Neil and I write sci-fi/horror with some pop-philosophy in between.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

Writing was something I always did. I started the way most bands or musicians start; you copy the work of those you admire and build your own from there. So it was copying Lord of the Rings when I was in junior high, taking creative writing courses in college and receiving a certificate in the art, and then writing my own serious work starting in 2012.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

I think I would summarize it as “there’s always room to learn.” A lot of it was patience with myself as I really made my work more intriguing to others and formatted in a way that was easier to grasp. Unfortunately I seem to have a tendency to ramble, so making my points more concise and understanding that there’s weight to every word was important for me. Part of it was also understanding, like music, you have to pay attention to why you like certain things. I had to go and read more authors, picking apart their work, to understand why it was appealing and how to apply it to my own work.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Sometimes I fall down a rabbit hole while researching different subjects. I get curious about dozens of seemingly insignificant things throughout any process, but when I start looking up things for my writing, I can get lost. So the struggle, for the most part, is remaining focused The most enjoyable part has been the authentic feedback from my publishing and editing team about my work. Even when I’m feeling fairly unsuccessful (which can happen a lot), reading the email exchanges between us helps me feel a lot better about the work I do. They’re great confidence builders!


Would you go back and change anything?

Based on the private feedback I’ve received from the first book, I think there might be some things I’d want to change. Ultimately, this book was filled with a lot of emotions tied to some dire personal circumstances I experienced between “Attrition” and “Cathatsis”. I would only have wished for a more consistent time frame, or even to have waited until the events had passed in their entirety before I had started writing. Ultimately, writing is what helped me through a lot of it, so I don’t think I would like anything to have been different during the creation of this story.


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

In five years, hopefully I’ll have finished the Transtemporal series and started on some other story lines I’ve been fleshing out in my notebooks. In ten, maybe I’ll have gone back and added a prequel trilogy to Transtemporal swearing its the end, while planning the true final three. I just hope I’m still writing. Truly, I will finish the series and start work on the ideas I feel are ready for work.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Write. Every day. Sign up for short story exercises, enter contests, give yourself any excuse to write. And when you’re not writing, you should be reading or taking classes on how to improve your writing. Most importantly, write for yourself. Don’t try to impress anyone except the you who fell in love with story telling. Impress yourself. Make yourself proud. Even if no one else ever reads your work, having that finished book on your shelf is often times reward enough and a powerful reminder of what you’re able to accomplish.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup
Night or Day? Night
Inside or Outside? Inside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs (pitbulls specifically)
Twitter or Facebook? Can I choose neither? No? Then Twitter.
ebook or Paperback? Nothing beats the feel of a physical book (but ebooks do my back a favor during moves)
Sun or Rain? Rain
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate covered chips

From the page to the stage, Michelle Macwhirter has always loved telling stories. When she’s not making up stories, you’ll catch her performing in plays or driving her two daughters to dancing. There is No Magic in This Book is her first picture book.

​

Who are you and what do you write?

Hello! Although I have been writing for many years, my first book is just coming out now. It’s a picture book called There Is No Magic In This Book and I am beyond thrilled to see it released into the world. Previously, I have also written plays as well as a few young adult manuscripts. I tend to like otherworldy stories that fall into sci-fi and fantasy genres (but not always!).

 
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

Right from childhood, I spent a great deal of time in my imagination. I would always wonder ‘what if’ and so I began to tell stories. I also loved acting and performing on stage. After school, I pursued a ‘proper’ career in marketing, but I kept up my creative pursuits on the side. About 15 years ago, I began taking a more serious interest in writing and started attending conferences and workshops.
​
 
How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Ahhh, it’s been long! I spent many years writing young adult manuscripts on and off (having babies kinda slowed that down.)Then conveniently, after several years of reading picture books to my daughters, the text for a picture book just plonked itself in my head. I submitted it to Catherine Drayton at Inkwell Management and she became my fabulous agent. The book sold to Walker Books and is coming out on 18 November.

 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part has been the rejection. There has been a LOT of it, even after getting a publishing contract. It is very disheartening and I have wanted to give up many times. But the stories keep coming to me and I still feel a strong urge to share them with the world, so I keep going! And that brings me to the most enjoyable part of writing. I love nothing better than to sit at my desk with no-one around, with a coffee, a candle burning and some focus music, and just smash out words and create stories. It’s like meditation for me. I pour it all out and then I feel great.

 
Would you go back and change anything?

I would stop worrying about the end result and just enjoy the process. I mean, yes, you do need to know your audience, but focusing on what some future editor and reader will think of your writing can be very limiting and silencing. It’s important to stay focussed on the spark that inspired you to write.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time?

I would love to publish at least three of my young adult novels and more picture books. I also have an idea for a TV series that I really want to write. I have way more ideas than time so I’d also love to shake off the day job and fully focus on writing. That’s the dream!

 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Resilience is key. Like I tell my daughters, with any rejection we just play Taylor Swift loudly, get our dance on and ‘shake it off’!

 
And most importantly...
 
Ketchup or Mayo? Mayo
Night or Day? Night
Inside or Outside? Inside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs. (I would have said cats, but then we got a dog, and she is the best.)
Twitter or Facebook? Facebook. 
e-book or Paperback? Paperback, definitely.
Sun or Rain? Sun for fun, rain for writing.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard. But I do love pretty stationary.
Comedy or Drama? Drama
Chips or Chocolate? Chips! Always!

Follow Monique here! 

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Website

​

​

The Interview...
​

Who are you and what do you write? 

​I’m Monique Mulligan and I’m currently writing contemporary women’s fiction (but I’ve also written short romances and picture books).


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? 

That’s a great question and one I asked many times early on, but more in that ‘Am I a writer?’ way. In a sense, my career path always involved writing of a sort – from writing training programs for the public service and educational curriculum to journalism and news editing. At times there was creative writing involved. But I didn’t start my book publishing journey until I was in my 40s. I kept putting it off, thinking I couldn’t possibly fit any more into a life jam-packed with the needs of four teenagers! The book How to Write Your Blockbuster by Fiona McIntosh gave me a kick up the butt and somehow, I managed to create space. I started with short stories. Since then that space has become more and more precious. I’m quite protective of it now!


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? 

All over the place! After writing a short story and placing in a comp, I found the confidence to write some short romances for anthologies. And then came the picture books, which were fun. But writing long-form has really stretched me. It’s what I want to write, but I’ve had to learn a great deal about the structure and conflict of novels. It’s all very well to “write beautifully” but there are essential ingredients that can’t be overlooked. And patience – I’ve had to learn a lot about that. Things don’t happen fast in the publishing world unless you skip steps, and that’s not for me. I want to learn about the craft and that makes it a slower process.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? 

“Breaking up” with my novel to restructure it was really tough. I wanted to pack it in so many times … but I got through it. Most enjoyable … I worked as a publisher for a few years and as part of that, I co-hosted a writing retreat in Ireland and attended the London Book Fair. The Book Fair was an incredible learning experience – I felt very much like a tadpole in a vast ocean.


Would you go back and change anything? 

No. You learn through experience, through life, through challenges.


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?
I want to write foodie fiction … and my husband thinks this is a great idea because he wants to be part of the research! So, in 5, 10, however many years, I hope I’ve managed to write a few. I’d also like to move away from the suburbs, to somewhere quieter with a vibrant arty community. And travel more. For research, obviously.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? 

Rather than comparing yourself to others, find your own path and enjoy your unique journey.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Mayo (rather partial to Kewpie)
Night or Day? Day
Inside or Outside? Inside
Dogs or Cats? Cats
Twitter or Facebook? I use both.
Ebook or Paperback? Paperback (though I tend to read on my iPad when travelling).
Walk or Drive? Walk
Sun or Rain? Rain
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Drama ... with a side of laughter.
Chips or Chocolate? Chips. Sometimes chocolate.

Grab your copy here! 
​

Who are you and what do you write?
 
I am the award-winning author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink and coauthor of the writing journal, You Should Be Writing. I coach creatives in writing and meditation, blog at Bum Glue, and publish the monthly email newsletter, Write Now Columbus. I live in central Ohio, USA with my husband, Ed, and our yellow Labrador retriever, Scarlet, who is also my running partner.

 
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
 
A voracious reader, I caught the writing bug young and longed to have my name on the cover of a book. In fifth grade, our teacher had us write a story and bind it into a book. Hence, I own the sole copy of my first book, Sheshak the Wild Stallion, a story stolen shamelessly from another book I was reading. I did not yet believe my own stories had merit.

 
How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?
 
How much time do you have? You might want to get a cup of coffee and a snack. Here goes.
 
After Sheshak was “published” I told my father I wanted to be a writer write. “Writing is a fabulous skill. It will help with whatever profession you choose.” I didn’t know any writers and I doubt he did either. To Dad, making a living was all that mattered. To me, at that time, what he thought was what mattered. Instead of creative writing, in college I studied the “practical” journalism then went to law school. Five years after I was admitted to the bar, I was a partner in a small firm.
 
At some point during the ten years I practiced law, I stumbled on Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones and began to use “writing practice” to draft legal documents. When depression, anxiety, and bipolar mania forced me out of the legal profession, I wrote a few magazine articles for large publications, but eventually began to write just for myself. And I flew to Taos, New Mexico to study with Ms. Goldberg in person.
 
In what was either a manic jag or a brilliant move, my husband and I relocated to Taos. In time, I became Natalie’s assistant. My husband and I moved back to my home state of Ohio three years later, but I continued studying and assisting Natalie. My ten years with her provided the foundation for my writing life. “Writing practice builds your spine,” she said. If writers need anything, it’s a strong spine.
 
I also discovered National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo,) the annual worldwide challenge to write 50,000 words of fiction during the 30 days of November. Most years I “rebel” by writing nonfiction. As a result, I have first drafts of several novels, several books of creative nonfiction, and several memoirs.
 
In 2006, I studied at Goddard College and in 2008 earned my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing through their low-residency program in Port Townsend, Washington. I rewrote and revised my first NaNoWriMo project, Memorial: Our Last Year on the Links, the still unpublished memoir about playing golf with my father the last year he was alive. I became my MFA thesis. After graduation, I began to shop it around. I’d already been teaching writing practice and meditation to adult learners and I used my memoir course to fulfill Goddard’s teaching practicum requirement.
 
But depression struck again, compounded by grief when many people and one cat I adored died, including my 24-year old niece, my father-in-law, and finally, my mother. And that’s also when running found me. I took up this simple activity of jogging with my dog and it turned me around. I drew on the writing practice I did during those years to form the first very ugly draft of my award-winning mental health and running memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink which Mango Publishing released in 2019.
 
Since I’ve been studying, blogging about, and teaching writing for nearly two decades, when my editor, the award-winning author and Mango Associate Publisher Brenda Knight, wanted a coauthor for her quotation-based writing journal, she asked me to help. What an honor! Mango released You Should Be writing: A Journal of Inspiration & Instruction to Keep Your Pen Moving this June.
 
I made publishing sound easy, but it wasn’t. I pitched that first book to a ton of agents and editors and entered a slew of contests. I’m forever grateful Brenda Knight and Mango picked it up.

 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
I love the way my hand, arm, and body feel moving a pen across paper. I love the sound of words, the feeling of them falling off my tongue and out of my fingers as I pound on the keyboard. I also love to revise. Shaping those awful first drafts into something intended to reach a reader provides unlimited rewards.
 
I also love to read which is essential for writers. I love the mystery of figuring out how an author made me feel a certain way or landed a surprise in just the right place and kept me turning the page. The language, the meaning of words, the sound and texture all lure me in.
 
And the smell of books. I write because I love the smell of books.
 
As for the hardest thing, it’s also what makes the rest of my life difficult. The opening line in Depression Hates a Moving Target "My mind was trying to kill me again" describes nearly anything I do, from making a sandwich to writing. Call it writer's block. Resistance. Inertia and terror and sloth all rolled up into a mind state that, if I allow it, drives me to my bed, or worse.
 
I've learned an intricate dance, creeping toward the page, sneaking up on it so my mind does not freak out. Sometimes that means picking up a pen or opening the document. Inch my way in. Prime the pump. Set a timer. Ten minutes, go! Other times it means sit still. Do nothing. Meditate and breathe. Or I might go for a run. Doodle. Research. Outline. Take a shower. Read poetry or a different book.
 
Gratefully, since I’ve been at this for decades, I know the block is temporary. It will pass, but only if I trust my process.

 
Would you go back and change anything?
 
I would spend more time with my mother. In the months before she died, I was too "busy" (and annoyed with her) to have lunch or tea or even much of a phone call. I’d made a vow to put writing above everything else. I wish I could have found a balance. She was a fierce, creative, complex person and is now gone forever. I miss her every day.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time? And 10?
 
First, I hope to be alive! And I hope to be more of an ally to marginalized people. I'm a middle-aged, middle-class white woman living in an affluent suburb of a Midwestern United States city. I need to do better.
 
As far as my writing life, I hope more of my books find their way into the world. You Should Be Writing, the writing journal I coauthored, was a gift project practically dropped in my lap and I’m so grateful. As it launches, the novels and memoirs and poetry and essays still in my drawer or still in my head clamber for attention. Every day I tell them, “Hush dears. You’ll each have your turn.” The project closest to my heart is a book of daily meditations about living in the moment I’ve been working on for nearly 25 years. Stay tuned! My journey surprises me all the time.

 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?
 
Take a long view and keep your day job. And if you can find a day job that's not related to writing, that's a bonus. Meanwhile, learn to love the work. Learn to love forming sentences. Learn to love the sound of words and the smell of books. but you probably already do or you wouldn't be here.

 
And most importantly . . .

Ketchup or Mayo? - Mustard on ham. Ketchup on burgers but if there's no ketchup then mayo and a tomato. Mix the ketchup with horseradish for cocktail sauce on fish.
Mayo in tuna salad and egg salad and chicken salad and potato salad. Can you tell I'm from the Midwest USA? On fries? Malt vinegar. Only ketchup on fries if vinegar is not available.
 
Night or Day? - Any moment above ground is a good one.
 
Inside or Outside? - I'm a marathoner. There is no inside or outside. There's only running. I've done 20 miles on an indoor track (205 laps) and 26.2 miles all in the same day outdoors three times. I'll take the fact that I'm upright and can run.
 
Dogs or cats? - I was a dog in a former life so dogs, but I love spending time with other people's cats. I'm just too needy. Most cats turn up their noses at my need for affection.
 
Twitter or Facebook? - I used to prefer Facebook, but as my Twitter following has developed, I've become more of a Twitter fan because you get perspectives from strangers. Plus, the Facebook algorithms make it nearly impossible to reach people on my author page. I just started a Facebook Group, The Writer’s Mind. That might be my new favorite.
 
Ebook or Paperback? - Remember the smell of books I love? Paperback.
 
Sun or rain? - There's nothing better than running in a light rain or standing on the porch and listening to a strong downpour. But give me the sun the other 80% of the time.
 
Keyboard or pencil & notebook? - Fast writing pen and notebook, you know, like the writing journal Brenda Knight and I just launched!
 
Comedy or drama? - Life is full of enough drama. Please make me laugh.
 
Chips or chocolate? - Chocolate covered chips. Dark chocolate of course. It's health food.

​Leslie Rush grew up near Philadelphia, spending much time at the Jersey Shore. She moved to El Paso and fell in love with the desert Southwest. Disguised as a history teacher, she spent years eavesdropping on her future readers. When she’s not in her classroom, Leslie can be found on the road with her husband, exploring the desert and the world of dreams.
​

The Interview...
​​

Who are you and what do you write?

I’m a History teacher, wife and mom, road-trip warrior, and for the last six years a YA Speculative fiction novelist.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
​
I wrote a great deal as a teenager but as adult life took over, I wrote less often. My friend Pamela Thompson, who writes an influential YA lit blog, invited me to review several books, and to beta-read her current manuscript. It was like unlocking the door of a room I’d forgotten about and finding treasure!


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

It’s been slooow. With a full-time teaching job and a family, it took me two years to draft Dreamwalkers, another year to edit what I thought was enough. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Having a great story wasn’t enough. But the Twitter #Writing Community has an infinity of resources and some utterly amazing writers and editors helped me dig into the writing craft. Being chosen as a mentee for the first Writementor Summer Program was the turning point for Dreamwalkers. Not long after, I had a contract with Champagne Books.

What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part is the WAITING, mostly for rejection. I’d heard about the glacial pace of publishing, but I had no idea. Waiting for three months only to be rejected is MUCH worse than three weeks, or three days. Some of those rejections were soul-crushing and made me question if it was worth doing. The most enjoyable part, besides seeing my cover and the copyright page---there it is, my name with COPYRIGHT 2020---there’s the satisfaction of beating down the oft-repeated wisdom that you’ll never sell your first book. To be honest, after all the editing, the book that I finally sold was probably three books’ worth of difference from what I originally queried. The second-most enjoyable part has been the online writing community, which I had no idea even existed until I’d already drafted the book!


Would you go back and change anything?

Oh, God. I would probably not query the ten biggest agents in New York right out of the gate---insert cringey GIF here---but I had the fearlessness of the uninitiated.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

I’d like to publish the rest of the Dreamwalkers series. I’m writing the prequel, Shadow Visions, which takes place in 1990 Sedona, Arizona. Notes and research have begun for the final book. After that, maybe I’ll put 30 years of teaching to use, and branch out to YA Historical Fiction?


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Don’t let your fears keep you from writing your story. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first book. It doesn’t matter if someone rejected you---or 100 someones. What matters is you have a story to tell, so TELL IT. Do the work. Do the research. Learn! But write it.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? --Both!
Night or Day? --Night in the summer, day in the winter. Hot desert climate guides my choices.
Inside or Outside? --Inside during the day, outside at night. I love the night sky!
Dogs or Cats? --Cats.
Twitter or Facebook? --Twitter is faster, but more addictive.
e-book or Paperback? --Paperback
Sun or Rain? --Rain is pretty rare around here. I’ll take it whenever I can get it.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? ---Notebook for planning, keyboard for writing the words.
Comedy or Drama? --Dramedy! Dramas with intensely funny moments.
Chips or Chocolate? --UNFAIR. That’s a question for Solomon.

​Sixteen-year-old Sabine Braxton and her identical twin, Blythe, don’t have much in common. When their father dies from an unexpected illness, each copes with the loss in her own way—Sabine by “poeting” (an uncontrollable quirk of bursting into poetry at inappropriate moments) and Blythe by obsessing over getting into MIT, their father’s alma mater. Neither can offer each other much support . . . at least not until their emotionally detached mother moves them into a ramshackle Bay Area mansion owned by a stranger named Charlie.

Soon the sisters are united in a mission to figure out who Charlie is and why he seems to know everything about them. Neither is prepared for the secret they uncover. Confronted with the truth, Sabine chooses to learn all she can about the father she never really knew—and ultimately she must decide if she can embrace the legacy he wanted but kept hidden from his children.

Pre-order your copy here! 
​

This is the story of a book
​but it’s really the story of a writing life.

Kath Rothschild
YA contemporary author of WIDER THAN THE SKY Soho / PRH


It’s so important for newer or younger writers to see that writing is a journey—and a long one. I’ve been writing my whole life. I wrote my first novels in tri-color ink on binder paper in Mr. Zedaker’s seventh grade biology classroom. If you’re curious, it was a teen camp romance—of course! And I kept writing from there.
 
I was accepted into UC Irvine’s undergraduate creative writing program, and studied with Michelle Latiolais and Geoffrey Wolf. At the end of the year, Geoff Wolf pulled me aside and said something like: “If you don’t continue writing, it will be a mistake. Go to grad school.” So, I did. I attended Saint Mary’s of California’s MFA program and studied with Lynn Freed, John Fleming, Rosemary Graham, and Lou Berney, who are all amazing teachers and award-winning writers.
 
But the most important thing I can say abou the writing life is that although I earned an MFA in Creative Writing in my twenties, I didn’t start to think of myself as “a writer” until I realized the kind of writer that I am—and that’s a children’s book author. For a long time after graduate school I tried to be something I’m not—an adult author. It was a frustrating time of incomplete manuscripts and terrible short stories. But in that same time, I became a wife and a mom—and that’s what brought me back to who I really am. It was when I was pregnant that I stopped trying to write adult fiction. I was working on a historical fiction for which I had to read these huge research texts, and I just couldn’t do it. I had preggy-brain in a big way. But I wanted to read and I wanted to write, and my dear friend Jennifer Chambliss Bertman of Book Scavenger fame said, well, I’ll send you some books.
 
She sent me Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever. And it changed my life. I was like: OH. This is the kind of book I want to write. And that’s okay. People can write books about tweens and teens and forget about adults.
 
From there, things got easier and harder. I spent a long time finishing a first draft, longer revising it, and just about the same amount of time waiting for publication (I sold my book almost a full three years before it will debut).
 
A writing life often goes something like this:
 
1.     Write a bunch of stuff but never finish a book.
2.     Finally finish a book!
3.     Realize it’s a huge mess.
4.     Spend years revising.
5.     Get a critique group and feedback.
6.     Think it’s done!
7.     Send it to agents.
8.     Rejections! Turns out it needs more revision.
9.     Do more revision. Then more.
10.  Get an agent finally, hallelujah!
11.  Revise (Still not published.)
12.  Sub-club, for what seems like a hundred years.
13.  Write another book.
14.  Maybe book one gets published, maybe it doesn’t!
15.  Maybe it does!
16.  Write another book.
 
At least, that’s approximately how it went for me. I detail both how to query a book (https://www.katherinerothschild.com/single-post/2013/12/04/Yellow-Fever) as well as how I got my agent ( https://www.katherinerothschild.com/single-post/2013/12/05/Todays-Outfit) on my blog.
 
But what I will say about the process is that it’s long and only for those who intend to spend their lives writing. The most important thing to remember is that it’s not about one book, or even two books, or three getting rejected or getting published. It’s about the writing. It’s about persistence in writing, about loving the reward of writing stories, and about not worrying about the publication process so much. It’s very hard not to worry sometimes, of course, but letting go of the worry to enjoy writing is really the whole point of writing.
 
So, even now when I get down about publishing, I go back to the writing to remember what I’m really doing here. And that’s being a writer.  

​
On 10th October 2020, people around the world will mark World Homeless Day in many varied ways in an effort to change the lives of homeless people in their community.
 
Keep them Close was inspired by a walk through my city centre one late November afternoon. I was devastated to see so many young homeless people sleeping out in the middle of the shopping centre on the cold pavements. On returning home I was determined to ask questions, not  able to let it be. I scoured the local papers, the internet, local charities, talked to family and friends; I was on a mission. On returning to the city centre the following week, the same faces were still their, pinched with cold and so very down caste.  I stood them a meal, and with those who wanted some company, I shared a table. Their stories were varied and at the same time, similar. Low wages, shame, family breakdown.
 
Inspired by their loneliness and vulnerability, Keep Them Close was born; a story of sadness and unexpected joy. The story is pure fiction- characters-situations, which I invented to embrace some of the present day issues which we, or our loved ones, can find ourselves in.  
 
My twenty plus years working as a registered mental health nurse opened me up to the troubles one can find oneself in when family support networks break down. I hope my story will entertain, but also prompt a challenge to question any personal and culturally acquired preconceptions. The fact that I’m now retired certainly  hasn’t dulled my need to help others.
 
Keep Them Close, an adult contemporary family saga/romance will hopefully break down in part the stigma of homelessness in the UK in 2020.
 
My second novel, Keep Them Close follows a family saga intertwined with a powerful love story between Irish born Robina, adored and protected, and Moses, of Jamaican descent who has a past steeped in rejection and betrayal. The story follows four generations, beginning in rural Ireland and moving on to Liverpool UK. It addresses the many challenges each generation encounters- from religion, immigration and racism to mental health, drug use and homelessness—whilst acknowledging the love and close family bonds that keep them together, and the cultural pressures and conflicts that drive them apart.
​

 Who are you and what do you write?
 
I’m a creative person, and love doing all forms of art. I enjoy video games, study the occult and mythology and am also an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction. Horror and Dark fantasy are my favorites for fiction, and Science and History for non-fiction. I write dark fantasy and horror, and from time to time I experiment with other genres. 


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
​
I’ve been writing since I was young. I won a few contests and awards then, and I just kept writing from there. I write for myself as much as for wanting to tell a good story; it’s my outlet for dealing with a lot of things I know I can’t control otherwise, and stress. I also do it for pleasure and getting to have my own world as well.


How has the journey to this point been? 
 
It’s been fun, exciting, stressful, depressing, elevating, soul-crushing, and so much more, but above all else worth it.

I’m publishing my second book The Wraith’s Memory, and it feels a lot like when I published Dragonborn. I’m nervous, excited, have no appetite and am ready for it to be out there. There’s a lot different about the two of them, though, as well as between the Between Gods and Mortals series, and my other works. Dragonborn was published under a company, and that gave me a lot of an insider perspective on the publishing world, both on the side of writing and on the side of business.

It’s motivated me to learn as much as I can from other writers, and people in other parts of the industry to improve myself in my own part in the book publishing process. I’ve had the privilege to have done both self-publishing and traditional(ish) publishing. I’ve learned a lot from each side, and what I do and don’t like about each side.

On the traditional side, I don’t like having to compromise on my creativity for marketability, however, having a team to go to and get advice from on how to handle marketing is nice.

On the self-publishing side, I love getting to put my creativity to work and have it come out like I want it to-there’s fewer compromises to make. The downside is, unless you hire them to do it yourself, it’s a bit of a chore to find the resources to get going after you’ve gotten all the writing parts done.
 
Both sides have taught me that the hard stuff begins after you hit save on the computer. Publishing is more than just writing, and it’s more than just marketing; it’s a mix that I learn something new from each time.

Last time, I learned better marketing. So far, I’ve been learning how to do some things on my own, and to know when to pay someone else with more experience. Time management in the book writing and publishing realm.
 
Deadlines don’t get any less worrisome though.

​What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
Deadlines, and knowing when to say “die”, have been both the hardest and most enjoyable parts

I’ve been running my entire publishing schedule this time around on making the deadline, and there have and continue to be some challenges to this. Challenges that have given me the opportunity to stretch my brain and do what I can to circumvent them and get myself back on track.
 
Knowing when to say die on the work, and let it speak for itself is something that I still have trouble with. Wanting the story to be as good as it can be is the objective, but I’ve found that it’s just as important to step away from it even at the last stages so I can come back refreshed and ready to make it that.
 

Would you go back and change anything?

I appreciate all the experiences I’ve had, for better or worse because I learned something from each one. So no, I wouldn’t change those. If possible, I think I would ask more questions on the journey to education on the publishing world though. Getting to know the marketing world is something I would focus more questions on for one.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? 
 
In five years I’d like to be finished writing the main story of Between Gods and Mortals, and working through another series I plan on getting more into soon. Plans for the future, I’d like to meet more of my success milestones. I already achieved having a character of mine being used (with my permission) in a tabletop campaign. That exceeded my personal success mile, so I’m excited to have a new success milestone for this book.

Sure I would like some renown and financial success but I mainly want to make a world that can be enjoyed by all and characters that can be loved hated, and related to all while keeping to a good story that invokes a range of emotions for all of it.
 

What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?
 
No one has heard your story until you tell it, don’t worry about how many other books are in the genre you’re writing in, and write your story.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup
 
Night or Day? Night, I like the night sounds and writing by reading light

Inside or Outside? Inside
 
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter usually gives me more conversation; Facebook gives me more characters to write

e-book or Paperback? I love the smell of a physical book-new or old. Not having to worry about the weight of carrying a book is nice too though

Sun or Rain? I prefer cloudy to both.

Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Pen and Notebook

Comedy or Drama? I love a good drama, especially with comedic points

Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate, I don’t handle salt well

​Three deaths, an invisible weapon and a deadly plot

Roumoult Cranston’s life is never boring. He either invites trouble, or it finds him. This time his best friend Dr. William Sterling is at the heart of investigating three suicides that he believes are ingenious murders. Everyone thinks he is crazy, including Roumoult. But when William disappears it triggers a frenzied search leading to a police investigation. Thus, begins the journey to find a ruthless predator.

Following a trail of bizarre clues Roumoult discovers they are all pawns in a deadly game. To his horror, one by one the pawns begin to tumble. Prime suspects turn into maniacs. The detectives are at the verge of cracking, and he barely escapes death. Nothing makes sense until he finds the secret game changer – The Ship Of The Dead.

But his victory sets off a deadly trap leading to a horrendous genocide in the heart of New York. He knows, this vicious murderer will spare no one, but if by some miracle he and his friends survived, this killer would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Grab your copy here! 
​

​Who are you and what do you write?

Hey, I am Harbeer, also known as H.G Ahedi. I am a researcher and a fictional author. I was born and brought up in India and moved to Australia a decade ago. I began writing crime thrillers, and I thought I would never write any other genre. But it turns out I can. Recently I have written two science fiction novels which are due to release in the next few months.
 

Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I love to read and grew up reading a lot of fiction. I just love stories. Then I dreamt a plot and shared it with a friend of mine. She loved it so much and said “Oh, why don’t you write the book and publish it?”

That was the start of it all. I wrote it, and then rewrote a few drafts and self-published it. I never thought I never thought about marketing it. It never sold a copy. I kept writing, just for fun and kept my books to myself.

 
How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Exciting, challenging and very confronting. I am a private person and as a writer sharing stories is something very ‘public’ I might say. I like to keep things to myself.
 
It has been exciting because it has taken me more than a decade to realize how valuable writing is to me. I did it for fun of course, but I feel that sharing the stories I have written gives me enormous joy and especially seeing people get excited about the plots and characters has a special place in my mind. Challenging because I had to figure out everything. From running a campaign to fund the book, to trying to find a good editor, cover designer and sorting out all everything about publishing a book. Although, Haunted was published only with KDP, now I have gone wide with my other books which are published or are on preorders. There have been bad days and good days, but I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t tried.

 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part for me was not the writing but editing. I have already got use to the process of publishing, and KDP is quiet straight forward. Editing becomes a challenge because I still have my writers’ hat on and that sometimes comes in the way. Like for instance, I might come across a scene which I love but may not have anything to do with the plot or the character. Now it’s easy for me to delete or reframe/rewrite the scene, but that was not always the case. With my fourth book coming out in a couple of weeks, I think it’s getting better.   


Would you go back and change anything?

Yes. Publish Haunted when I thought of the plot. That was in 2012 and not wait for so long to actually publish. On the other hand, I also knew I wasn’t ready for publishing until 2019. So, I would love to go back and start publishing earlier but I feel that if I had started, I would have given up, because I wasn’t ready for it. It’s a lot of work.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time? And 10?
 
I have published three books in the last 6-8 months, including Haunted. I would continue to write books on ideas that I have noted down for the past several years. In five years’ time I would love to see my books picked up and enjoyed by as many readers possible. I wish to turn my books into audio that so that they are available to people who like audio books. We will see how it goes!


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

If you are just starting a book, don’t think too much about it. Like for instance, obviously check out the methods of writing a book, but remember not everyone is the same. The methods are guidelines and there are no hard and fast rules. No one is going to see your first draft, so don’t fuss about it.
 
This is how I got about an idea. When I have an idea, I write it down on a notepad just in couple of sentences. Then I sit and write a small paragraph on the general idea/direction the book is going to go. Hint, if the idea gets till here… I am probably going to write the book. Then I write a synopsis, or you could call plot points which can be one page or two pages. I don’t worry about chapters, until now I know how many characters there would be and where the story would take place. Most of the time I will set the idea aside because I am working on something else or that idea is not scheduled for that year.
 
If it’s your first book, my advice you could use Stephen Kings method (write as you go- you should have a general idea of the book by now). He just starts writing. The second method you could use is the Snowflake method (check out the site). I used a few steps of this method and it really refined my work. I used some steps of this method to write Haunted and I could see the staggering difference. It forces you to think about almost all the things that you might need for your book. This might include research, character building, plot building etc. I don’t get into research until I don’t have a plot. There is a reason for that, I go down the rabbit hole and forget to write the book! So, I leave little notes in the first draft.
 
Most of all I have to be very honest, writing is hard job… and you have to be prepared to do it.
Hope this helps.
 

And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup
Night or Day? Night
Inside or Outside? Outside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter
e-book or Paperback? Paperback
Sun or Rain? Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? (hard to choose, can I pick both!)