Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books discussion
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Bella Forrest
Author Interview of the Month
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Author Interview With Bella Forrest
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Haha, nice meeting you too E.C.!Yes, for me 1.30am is early morning! Actually, my favorite time is just before the sun rises, 4-5am. There's something beautiful about this time of day.
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Yes, for me 1.30am is early morning! Actually, my favorite time is just before the sun rises, 4-5am. There's something beautiful about this time of day."
I'm snoring at that time lol
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Love having you Hun EEEEEPPPPP
Sylvia (Heinzypop) wrote: "I'm snoring at that time lol"I don't blame you!
Great review Bella, yay for another Potter head!
Jeann wrote: "Great review Bella, yay for another Potter head!"Yay! :)
Wow. 1:30 AM. Yikes! But hey, if you keep chunking out great novels, more power to you!
Ah love waking up and reading about one of my favorite Authors And Internet friend Bella. No wonder you are always active online at 5 am! May you say.... I'm going to remember that ;)
A species/genre/setting will never be over-done as long as the author can make it their own; like you have done in the Shades. Love your books, Bella!
Love the interview and the books are on my TBR pile!Congratulations!
Thank you Gabriela and Meagan! Nova: during a book release my hours get even crazier!
Your book sound great can't wait to read them. They are defiantly going on my TBR list. Thanks for a great interview! I always wanted to be a writer maybe one day Ill write a book.~A
Allyson wrote: "Your book sound great can't wait to read them. They are defiantly going on my TBR list. Thanks for a great interview! I always wanted to be a writer maybe one day Ill write a book.~A"Thanks Allyson! I hope you do go ahead and write your book :)
I loved both your books and read the first one in one sitting then read the second one in one sitting loved them can't wait for book 3
Purpinkrose wrote: "I loved both your books and read the first one in one sitting then read the second one in one sitting loved them can't wait for book 3"Thank you! Book 3 will hopefully be out within a couple of months :)
Thanks Bella! I enjoy your books a lot & am looking forward to book 3!
hi, welcome. I have not read any of your books yet but now that you are on my radar, I will be reading them. Have a great time here. I am just getting ready for bed and it is 7:30 am here in NY. Good night or Good morning, Peace Angel
Thanks Angel, I hope you enjoy the books. Have a good rest!
Thanks for the great interview! You gave us so much great info! Sylvia and Erin both recommended your books and I can't wait to finally get to them, they are just sitting on my nook taunting me :)
I'm so thankful to Sylvia and Erin for spreading the word :)
Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books
Books mentioned in this topic
A Shade of Vampire (other topics)A Shade of Blood (other topics)
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always wanted to write. I was probably 5 when I started creating short illustrated books with my multi-colored wax crayons. Creative writing was my favorite subject when studying and I preferred writing to watching TV any day.
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
That’s a tough question because there’s more to this process than just physically sitting down to type. Also, for me, each book is different.
The story for A Shade of Vampire (http://www.amazon.com/A-Shade-Of-Vamp... ) was actually brewing and developing in my mind for several years before I typed it all out.
But *once* I sat down with my laptop, it took about a month I think.
The sequel to A Shade Of Vampire which was released on April 8th (2013) - A Shade Of Blood ( http://www.amazon.com/Shade-Of-Vampir... ) – took about 2-3 months since it’s a longer book.
3. What do you think makes a great story?
A great story is one that plays on my emotions and swirls around in my mind long after I have turned the last page.
I can read it over and over again without getting bored.
It’s one that has such an impact, I dream about it and wish I could stay in that world forever.
4. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Crazy.
The early hours of the morning are my favorite for writing. So I get out of bed at like 1.30am and work through until 9am.
The biggest chunks of my writing get done during this period.
Then I have a nap, and write some more during the day.
I’m typically in bed by 9pm. Yeah … I’m weird.
5. How do you balance family and writing?
I don’t really! Which is bad, I know. I’m terrible at multi-tasking.
I don’t have kids but the rest of my family and friends get almost entirely neglected when I am on a writing marathon.
6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Almost all ideas just pop out of my head. I’m blessed with a hyperactive imagination and most of the time, I don’t even know where my ideas originated from.
Of course, there are times when research is required - for example when describing a particular setting. In these cases I have a very helpful friend called Google. ☺
7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I was surprised by the extent to which I became absorbed in my story.
Often, eight hours would pass and I wouldn’t get up once to stretch my legs.
It felt almost as though an electric current was flowing from my mind down through my fingers, pinning me to the keyboard.
I was so wrapped up in the lives of my characters, I lost all sense of time, thirst and hunger.
(Which, for the record, I do not advocate as healthy.)
8. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have completed two books:
A Shade Of Vampire and its sequel: A Shade Of Blood.
A Shade Of Blood is my favorite because I made it longer and allowed myself to explore much deeper into my characters.
9. Are your characters based on anyone you know?
There are definitely personality traits in most of my characters that are drawn from people I have encountered at some point in my life.
10. Do you have a favorite place you love to write?
I have a favorite time but not really a favorite place.
To be honest, once I find my groove, I don’t notice where I am sitting as long as the chair is not slippery or spiky.
11. Tell us one thing we wouldn’t know already know about you.
I’m an unashamedly incurable Potterhead.
12. What do your family and friends think about your books?
Wow, they’re probably my biggest fans!
Or … they are just being polite. ☹
13. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Read! Whenever and wherever I can. But I don’t get nearly as much time to read as I’d like to any more.
14. Do you have any suggestions to help aspiring writers better themselves and their craft? If so, what are they?
a) Reading is one of the best things you can do. And make sure you also read outside your genre – often this will give you a fresh perspective.
b) If you can spare the time, study another language – French, German, Spanish – whatever tickles your fancy.
This may sound odd to some but believe me, when you learn the structure of another language from scratch, it broadens your knowledge of grammar and adds a whole new dimension of understanding to your own native language.
15. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I think deep down I always felt I wanted to be a writer.
That said, I did go through some intense phases of wanting to be an actress, a salsa dancer, a wax-crayon artist and a master chef.
16. What are your favorite books and which authors inspire you?
I have so many favorite books/authors, but I’ll list three here:
Harry Potter/JK Rowling (see 11. above for explanation).
Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen (*swoon* … need I say more?).
The Chronicles of Narnia/C.S. Lewis (my childhood favorite).
17. For an aspiring writer what do you feel are certain do's and don’ts for writing a successful book?
Do: write about what you know. This is an obvious one but some writers do make this mistake of jumping into genres purely because they are “popular”. Most readers can detect if a writer’s heart is not fully in it.
Do: try to write daily. Even if you have another job, get into the habit of fixing a certain period every day during which you must write.
Don’t: ever think a genre has been done to death IF this is a genre that comes naturally to you.
For example, so many people ask me why on earth I have chosen to write about vampires. Surely they’ve been squeezed dry by now?
But this question doesn’t actually make sense when you analyze it.
It’s the originality of your story and the world you create that counts. Not what “species” you choose to write about.
Otherwise you could argue, why write another book about human beings? Haven’t they been done to death already?
18. What are you working on now?
A Shade Of Vampire Book 3.
I expect to release it around the beginning of May.
I normally post my writing progress on my website: www.bellaforrest.net so readers can keep an eye on how many words I have left to write!