Saturday, February 2, 2013

Mandy White, Author



Welcome Mandy!

A talented writer/novelist, poet and much more, Mandy is the author of several spine-tingling novels that will be sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!....
Where are you in the world?
I am from the West coast of Canada. I live in a small logging community near Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. My first novel, Avenging Annabelle is set in the town where I live.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since I was old enough to write. As a child, I was always composing stories in my head. I created a cast of regular characters and I sent them on different adventures to entertain myself at bedtime while I was waiting to fall asleep. Writing is the ONLY thing I’ve ever wanted to do, but it wasn’t until I reached age 40 that I actually decided to do something with my writing.

What is your favorite genre?
I’m a die-hard horror fan. I’ve always had a fascination with the macabre. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s a way of conquering a fear of the unknown. Or maybe I’m just a twisted individual.

Who is your favorite author/writer?
It’s a toss-up between Stephen King and Dean Koontz. It was Stephen King who introduced me to the world of horror and got me hooked on it. Many of Dean Koontz’s stories are written in such a way that they are actually plausible. That, and his versatility are what attracts me to his books.

Where do you like to write?
It depends on the season. During the winter I am usually parked on the sofa with my laptop and the TV tuned into the comedy network in the background. In the summertime I like to take my laptop or a pen and notebook outside to a shady spot where I can enjoy the outdoors as I write. I also do a lot of writing in the bathtub. Ideas seem to come to me when I’m in a relaxed state.

How do you maintain thoughts and ideas?
I’m always making notes. I have dozens of spiral notebooks scattered throughout my house and always take one with me to the bathtub, the beach or doctor’s office. Inspiration hits at unusual times and it’s good to have a means of jotting down notes so I’ll remember the ideas later. I also use the memo function on my Blackberry to make notes for projects when I’m away from home.

What are you currently writing?
I’m currently working on my second novel, a thriller entitled The Feeder. It’s about a killer who goes on a bloody rampage to avenge the death of a twin sister. It’s currently in the final stages of revision before it goes to my editor. I’m aiming for mid-spring publication with this one. I’m also putting the final touches on a romance anthology called Passion’s Prisms. It’s the third charity anthology produced by WPaD, a writers’ group I belong to. It’s due for publication the first week of February.

What are you currently reading?
At the moment I’m reading Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice. It’s a murder mystery set in the New York fashion industry. I often read books outside of my usual genres while working on writing projects to avoid inadvertently plagiarizing something I’ve read that I think is a new idea.

Any advice for newbie writers?
Write, if that’s what you want to do and don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t. Go ahead and publish your work, but be wise and hire an editor and a cover artist to ensure you are putting out your very best. Go into it with realistic expectations – understand that publishing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. You may be a good writer, but there are always going to be plenty who are better. There are millions of authors out there and only a handful of them are household names. Each and every one of them is a ‘special snowflake’ just like you are. That said, it is possible to earn a living with your writing if you do it right. Doing it right means learning – sorry, but there are no shortcuts. You must learn. Seek out the people who are succeeding at what you want to do – that is, authors who are earning a living with their writing. LISTEN to what these people have to say and learn from them. You will learn things you didn’t even know you needed to learn. I’ve been learning about the publishing industry for several years and continue to learn more each day. And finally, read as many books as you can. The more you read, the better you will write.

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4 comments:

Ed said...

Great responses in the interview, Mandy. I must find time to read your work soon. While I'm not a horror genre fan, I've been known to take a walk through dark fiction from time to time. If its well written, genre is beside the point.

Christopher Blevins said...

Good tendencies from the website meet with, Mandy. I must uncover the perfect time to understand your job before long. Though Now i am an excellent horror kind admirer, Appears recognized by go for a walk as a result of black fictional works on occasion. In the event it is well written, kind is usually near the position.

RobertKY said...

I just love her ideas and creativity which has become inspiration for the readers. Being a writer it is tough job to write for people who are caring about us. Also here https://www.rephraser.net/how-to-paraphrase-a-poem/ you will see the services for best writing.

James said...

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