Judgement of Souls
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Judgement-of-Souls-ebook/dp/B006QFPHJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328965289&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Judgement-of-Souls-ebook/dp/B006QFPHJC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337621475&sr=1-1#
Facebook Page :D
https://www.facebook.com/JudgementOfSouls3TheKissAtDawn
Book Trailer for Judgement of Souls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Zb8x9bSho&feature=youtu.be
The Psychic
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085MKCYE/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_ask_vatjD.0D5VFBY
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Psychic-ebook/dp/B0085MKCYE/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337957276&sr=8-1-fkmr1
Q: Tell us something about yourself, where you’re
based, and how you came to be a writer?
A:
I live in Cardiff Cardiff
Q: What genre do you generally write and have you
considered other genres?
A: Supernatural stories, they are fun and you
can let your imagination run riot. I
wrote a romantic story once as a screenplay.
I might re-write it as a novel one day, I liked the story.
Q: What have you had published to-date? Do you have a
favourite of your books or characters?
A: My first novel Judgement of Souls has just
been published as an eBook by www.bookstogonow.com
and is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Goodreads. I love Rachel, my main character – she’s
strong and independent, but I do admit to having a soft spot for Daniel, the
club owner. I had a few short stories
published in a few women’s magazines some years ago. I didn’t keep copies of
the magazines but I do have the stories saved.
I re-wrote one of them recently and sent it to BTGN as a short story.
Q: Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal
with them?
A:
Lots and lots. Before I met Jenni at Bookstogonow, I sent the novel off to
several agents in the UK
Q: Have you won or been shortlisted in any
competitions and do you think they help with a writer’s success?
A:
They do inspire confidence. I did come
runner-up in a script writing competition, but nothing came from it. But at least I’d been noticed!
Q: Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to
an author’s success?
A: I don’t have an agent; I am signed up at an
eBook agency which is just as good. Agents do promote your work which means you
don’t have to. I’ve just realised how
tough it is to promote your story, there are a lot of new writers out there!
Trouble is that agents are a bit selective right now so new writers don’t get a
look in which is a shame. I remember reading that JK Rowlings was rejected time
and time again. I bet those agents are kicking themselves now eh?
Q: Are your books available as eBooks? Were you
involved in that process at all? Do you have any plan to write any eBook-only
stories? And do you read eBooks?
A:
Yes my novel is available, but only as an eBook. For now I’m happy with that, it reaches a lot
more people and eBooks are the way forward.
That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t love to see my story as a paperback
some day, but for now I’m happy with this.
I didn’t have much to do with the epublishing process, I left the whole
process to BTGN, they knew what to do and I thought I just might mess it
up. I did a lot of editing before we
agreed with the finished product, I deleted almost ten thousand words, but the
story flows so much better and I couldn’t be happier. I do read eBooks. The last one I read was Journey in Time by
Chris Karlsen. I’ve just downloaded the
next story in the series.
Q: How much of the marketing do you do for your
published works or indeed for yourself as a ‘brand’?
A: I’m designing a website which should be ready
soon. I needed to have one that people
could link to my book with and once it’s done, I’m going to start making a book
promo. I’m not used to promoting myself
so it’s difficult, but I work for a marketing department and I’ve picked up a
few tips.
Q: Do you write under a pseudonym? Do you think they
make a difference to an author’s profile?
A:
No, I write under my own name. For now that is.
I think to each its own, if the writer wants to work under a different
name then that’s fine, confusing at times, but up to them.
Q: If any of your books were made into films, who
would you have as the leading actor/s?
A:
Well I have to admit that I did have pictures of who I would love as my leads
to help me write them better. For Max I
used Jared Leto, something about his eyes that just matched how I imagined
Max’s are perfectly. For Rachel, perhaps
someone who looks a little like Juliet Landau, I saw a picture she posted on my
Facebook page and she looked different to the character she played in Buffy.
And Daniel, well I used Aidan Turner. The people I write about at the club are
actual people! The club is real, albeit
named different, it has a credit at the start of the book, take a look. I used these actors to help me get a
perspective on my characters, but I haven’t a clue to who I would really use.
I’ve not thought of my novel going that far. But now you mention it….
Q: Did you have any say in the title / covers of your
book(s)? How important do you think they are?
A:
Very important. I loved the cover the
moment I saw it. I did have another idea
but I think that will fit nicely in book two.
I chose the title myself and didn’t want it changed.
Funnily
enough each book will be called Judgement of Souls. But it will have a smaller title after
it… The next is called Judgement of
Souls: The Call of the Righteous.
Q: What are you working on at the moment / next? Do
you manage to write every day?
A:
I’m writing book two of the Judgement of Souls trilogy. I’d like to write everyday but it’s not
always possible, I have a full-time job so I try and fit writing in when I can. I carry a Dictaphone so that if I get ideas I
can record them for later.
Q: What is your opinion of writer’s block? Do you ever
suffer from it?
A: Sometimes you do get to a point when there’s
too much in your head and nothing makes sense.
I listen to music - that inspires me with some ideas. And if not, I
leave everything alone for at least a week and then re-read what I’ve already
written, it helps.
Q: Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea
and run with it?
A:
I plot step by step. Each page has a
sub-line of what is meant to go on that page and then I just write that section
when I think about it. I have the
beginning written in the next novel, then a few blank pages, then more writing
etc etc. I even have what I’d like for
the end!
Q: Do you have a method for creating your characters,
their names and what do you think makes them believable?
A:
I form my characters on people I see almost everyday, but with a twist. The names, well I try not to make them too
romantic and unbelievable, I like names that are old but still used today. But I have made up a few.
Q: Do you write any non-fiction, poetry or short
stories?
A:
Fiction. Most short stories are around
seven thousand words long; I’ve written that in just the intro to the next
novel. But I will be doing a few shorts
very soon.
Q: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find that as
time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?
A:
I edit constantly. It’s a real pain because
I never think its good enough and I think the reason it takes me longer to
finish the book. I should just write and
let the editor do her job.
Q: Do you have to do much research?
A:
Oh yes. I like to use real places so I
need to know exactly where they are. And
as I write about supernatural beings, I like to get their history correct. In
Book 2 there’s a chapter set in Malta
Q: Some writers like quiet, others the noise of a
coffee shop etc., do you listen to music or have noise around you when you
write or do you need silence?
A:
I write better at home and usually at night.
I have the TV on or I listen to music, I need background noise.
Q:
What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third
person? Have you ever tried second person?
A: I write in the third person. Mind you, sometimes I get it mixed up so my
editor corrects me.
Q: Do you have pieces of work that you think will
never see light of day?
A:
I have at least ten stories that are still buried in my PC for another day. Some
will be written again and sent to BTGN in time.
Q: What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of
your writing life? Has anything surprised you?
A:
How hard it is. It’s not just sitting
down and writing. I had a hard hitting editor who returned my first draft and
made it look like a bloodbath! It was a
surprise. But the end result is
something you can’t possible imagine, you’ve brought these people to life and
you control their lives. I love it.
And
I think the worse is having that great idea and by the time you get to write it
down, forgetting it! And marketing.
I’ve never contacted so many people, websites and groups since the book
became LIVE on the 27th December 2011.
Q: What do you like to read?
A:
Anything supernatural. It has to grip me
in the first few pages, my time is precious and I don’t like to waste it, I’m
picky about what I read. If you write
about a certain object and take five pages to describe it, I’ll just close the
book and not pick it up again.
Q: If you could invite three people from any era to
dinner, who would you choose and what would you cook (or invite three people,
hiding the takeaway containers)?
A:
I would definitely invite Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and Anne Rice. Can you imagine what kind of conversation we
would have around the table? I’d be frightened
to go to sleep that night I can tell you.
But I bet I’d get a great story from it all. I love seafood and pasta,
so perhaps that and maybe some Sushi.
Q: Is there a word, phrase or quote you like?
A:
It’s a wrap. And perhaps, that was your final edit! I
did write a funny section in Judgement of Souls. I howled because I thought it
was funny – but my editor decided it didn’t suit the mood and cut the section
out!
Q: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any hobbies
or party tricks? :)
A:
I love taking pictures. When I’m not
doing that I also have three dogs and playtime is a twenty-four hour job. They
can play fetch all day!
Q: Are there any writing-related websites and/or books
that you find useful? (please include links where you can)
A:
I’ve bought so many books about writing.
The best test is just to write because each book has a different opinion
on what to do. I gave up reading them after
a while –I just wrote. If you intend to
go down the traditional book publishing/agent route, then I would recommend The
Artist and Writers Yearbook, if you need to look for Agents etc that’s your
book.
Q: Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so,
how valuable do you find them?
A:
I’m a Facebook addict. I’ve targeted
every Gothic / Vampire / Writers page on there, plus a few external Vampire /
Gothic websites that would be interested in the genre. I’m going to look up a
few Romantic websites and see if they’re interested in doing a Vampire Romance
review. I’ve signed on to Twitter
(@felicm60) but haven’t come to grips with it yet. I’m following around 107 people on it and I
have around 40 followers. I will get
around to doing a lot more on it soon, but right now I’m a Facebooker!
Q: What do you think the future holds for a writer?
A: I believe we’ll be more popular, we always
need new stories. I believe eBooks will
soon take a bigger market that traditional publishing.
Q: Where can we find out about you and your work?
A:
At the moment you can contact me via www.bookstogonow.com
I’m
in the middle of having a website made for me and I’m getting a Book Promo
done.
Q: Why did you decide to write a
trilogy and not a stand-alone novel?
A:
It wasn't my idea at the start. But as I got further into the story I realised that readers may want some background knowledge of my characters.
So I think book two will reflect the time from Rachel leaving the safety
of the vampire colony up until the start of the already written book 3, that
should span over 300 years. Then I will go back further, to the lives of
her parents, the Crusades, how her parents met, finding the Book of Cain, the
birth of Rachel and then Max's arrival, stealing the Book and Rachel’s parents
being banished.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
A:
This is a series of 3 books. I started at the end. There isn’t anyone who will
be able to tell me why I did that. When these three are finished, I’d like to
write some shorter stories about Daniel and Rachel and maybe their quest to
find supernatural occult items and somehow tie them in to working for The
Righteous. That should be interesting!
Q: What was the easiest part of writing
Judgement of Souls?
A:
The club sections, because I already attend a club that is very similar. I just
went along and observed everyone and got the atmosphere I needed to portray it in
the novel.
Q: Do you have any advice for other
writers?
A: Don't give up. If you have a story that is dying to be told, then work
hard to tell it. But make sure you are doing your best work and you get an
editor that can help you make the most of your manuscript.
Don’t
give up even though you may get rejection letters. If everyone thought like that there’d be no
books, no films. Keep writing, even if
its dribble! Then read, re-read and edit.
Try and write a little each day.
One hundred words a day is seven hundred a week, twenty-eight hundred a
month and one hundred words a day is so simple!
And
carry a Dictaphone or a notebook and pen!
.................................................................................................................................................................
More….
1)Who are you?
I live in Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff
I suppose it was inevitable that some
day I would write a novel. My
teachers at school used to limit me to no more than ten pages. When I left school, I wrote short
stories for magazines, and it paid my way through college. I am Gothic, I love the fashion, the
architecture and the music. The club in my novel is real. When I was writing
book one, I got all my club material and clientele from here, I wouldn’t have
finished that section without it.
2)What have you written?
My first full length novel is called
Judgement of Souls: The Kiss at Dawn.
It’s the last story in a trilogy.
I am currently writing story two, the prequel, and after that will be
the very first book in the series. I’ve
written short stories for magazines, one about a fake psychic, one about a
woman who after an accident is given blood and then starts to see grisly
murders in her dreams. And I have a TV
script, it’s a romantic story that needs a re-write, it needs to be much longer
and it needs to be made into a novel. It’s on my to-do list.
3)Why do you write?
I have stories that I hope will
entertain everyone. I can make up
stories about anything, they swirl around in my head and I can’t get them typed
quick enough. They just land in my lap and I look to the heavens and say ‘thank
you very much’.
4)Do you have a preferred genre?
Anything supernatural (except Zombies). I love Vampires, but that’s not to say that I
wouldn’t write about something else. I
don’t think I’m suited to say, romantic styles of stories. Although I did write
a screenplay that was a romantic story a long time back.
5)Are you a pantser or an plotter?
Definitely a plotter. I have to make notes on each page about what
will come next. I don’t always stick to
it but at least I know where the story should be at that point.
6) What do you like most about writing?
The adventure. You get to share the lives of the people you
create. You go to strange countries, you meet dashing men and you get to make
friends with them.
7) What challenges you the most about writing?
The research I do. If I’m going to write about an area of Rome
8)Who or what inspires you most?
Other writers who have been in the same
place that I am now. I’m new to all of
this; all their advice is valuable because you’ll never find your way in this
business without them and their help.
9)What are your plans for the future?
Once I’ve finished the trilogy I’m
hoping to write short stories about my main two characters. They will be occult treasure hunters or
archaeologists and will work for the organisation that features greatly in the
trilogy.
10)Do you have any suggestions for other writers?
Don't give up. If you have a story that
is dying to be told, then work hard to tell it. But make sure you are doing
your best work and you get an editor that can help you make the most of your
manuscript.
Don’t give up even though you may get rejection letters. If everyone thought like that there’d be no
books, no films. Keep writing, even if
its dribble! Then read, re-read and edit.
Try and write a little each day.
One hundred words a day is seven hundred a week, twenty-eight hundred a
month and one hundred words a day is so simple!
And carry a Dictaphone or a notebook and pen!
MORE…
Please tell me about your book.
I don't want to say too much, I'd much rather your readers found
it out. But to give you an idea, JUDGEMENT OF SOULS is a Gothic horror
in which a naïve pure-blood Vampire is tossed into the mortal world. Rachel
meets Daniel, a nightclub owner and his group of friends and after Daniel’s
best friend is murdered by Max, becomes embroiled in the search for an ancient
vampire book. Rachel tries to fight off her feelings for Daniel, even siding
with her Vampire friend Arun to think again about Daniel’s involvement, but
he’s her love and she’s going to protect him, no matter what.
When and why did you start writing?
I started writing in school. My teachers used to limit me
to ten pages per essay - it killed me to have a limit. After that I wrote
short stories for magazines, it gave me a little extra while at college.
But I've always had stories rolling around in my head. I can write about
anything and some days I just look up at the sky and say 'thank you very
much.'
What inspires you?
Other
writers who have been in the same place that I am now. I’m new to all of this; all their
advice is valuable because you’ll never find your way in this business without
them and their help.
Are you working on anything now?
I'm working on the prequel to Judgement of Souls. It spans
over 300 years so its quite a task. I'm doing a lot of research and I
have to get the date lines right or it'll read a bit odd.
Is there anything you do NOT like about being a writer?
How
hard it is. It’s not just
sitting down and writing. I had a hard hitting editor who returned my first
draft and made it look like a bloodbath! It was a surprise. But the end result is something you
can’t possible imagine, you’ve brought these people to life and you control
their lives. I love it. And I think the worse is having that great idea and by
the time you get to write it down, forgetting it! And marketing. I’ve never contacted so many people,
websites and groups since the book became LIVE on the 27th December 2011.
What do you think of the ebook revolution?
I think it’s brilliant. There are so many talented writers out there that miss out because traditional publishers won’t accept their work. I know it costs a lot of money to produce books these days, but really? Would it hurt to be a bit more flexible? Ebooks mean no more carrying heavy loads of them on holiday, we save trees, long may it reign.
How do you see your writing career in five years?
Once I’ve finished the trilogy I’m hoping to write short stories about my main two characters. They will be occult treasure hunters or archaeologists and will work for the organisation that features greatly in the trilogy
Is there anything you will NOT write about?
Zombies! Sorry to all my Zombie friends and authors out there. I hate them! Scare me silly! And perhaps anything biographical, I just don’t think I’d do that person any justice.
In what genre do you prefer to write? To read?
I love writing anything Supernatural. Vampires and demons, unknown realms where you can just let your mind wander through and go wild. I’ll read the same type of stories too.
Please tell us about any ups and downs in your writing career so far.
The downs are always the rejections. before I found the agency I'm with, I wrote and emailed agents and publishers in the
Do you have any suggestions to people who might be considering writing as a career?
Don't give up. If you have a
story that is dying to be told, then work hard to tell it. But make sure you
are doing your best work and you get an editor that can help you make the most
of your manuscript.
Don’t
give up even though you may get rejection letters. If everyone thought like that there’d
be no books, no films. Keep
writing, even if its dribble! Then read, re-read and edit. Try and write a little each day. One hundred words a day is seven
hundred a week, twenty-eight hundred a month and one hundred words a day is so
simple!
And carry a Dictaphone or a notebook and pen!
Anything else you want to add?
This is a series of 3 books. I
started at the end. There isn’t anyone who will be able to tell me why I did
that. When these three are finished, I’d like to write some shorter stories
about Daniel and Rachel and maybe their quest to find supernatural occult items
and somehow tie them in to working for The Righteous. That
should be interesting!
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