Today I interviewed a woman who just couldn’t say no to writing the book deep inside of her. After many attempts and learning curves she sat down to write. The words flowed out from deep within her imagination and now she has almost completed the first one of her creations. I present an interview with fantasy author Bex Pavia.
Q) So you are currently working on your first book, Bex. What is it called?
A) It’s called Marcus Ryan & The Sanctum of Souls, currently. As it’s the first book in a series, that may be open to slight alteration.
Q) So what drove you to write a book?
A) Well, like many authors, I’d dreamed of writing a book for as long as I could remember. However, also like many authors, I had put it off, quit after a couple of chapters (maximum), and generally never really committed to anything. Then, at the beginning of 2012, the idea for this story quite literally came to me in a flash of inspiration. It continued to grow and push its way into my mind, until ignoring it was no longer an option; the book just ‘had’ to be written.
Q) You felt that you had to give birth to your first work? How does it feel to have that feeling of growing “creativity” inside you?
A) Ha, yes ‘giving birth to it’ is a good way of putting it; it’s definitely my baby. It might sound a bit like a bad line from a cheesy movie, but it’s like something I’ve never experienced before, almost spiritual. It’s certainly changed the way I feel about a lot of things, including myself.
Q) I think a lot of writers would get how you feel. How can you best describe the changes for readers?
A) Cor blimey, talk about tricky questions! Well, to try to put it as simply as possible, it’s just a greater sense of self awareness I think, plus a huge dash of extra confidence thrown in. That’s how it feels to me, anyway.
Q) So are you a naturally confident person?
A) Hmm, some would say I am, though I think I’m just a good actress at times. Personally, I think I have a lot of self-doubt, which impairs any natural confidence I might have, if that makes sense.
Q) It does. So how do you personally feel about your work?
A) At times I love it, at times I dislike it a little bit. What can I say, I’m prone to mood swings.
Q) That’s the creativity whirling around! Do you consider writing as an art?
A) Absolutely!
Q) So how has the public taken to your work so far?
A) From the snippets I’ve shared, pretty favourably I think. The decision to set up a Facebook page as a way to garner some interest and pre-publishing has been a good one. People seem to like what they see. I can’t ask for more than that.
Q) I myself have read snippets and loved them! So what is Marcus Ryan & The Sanctum of Souls” about?
A) Now, here is where I may stumble over my words; I’m not great with summing this story up. Basically, it’s set in a fantasy world of a bygone era. In that world a young man, born with magic coursing through his veins, spends the majority of his life actively avoiding magic for reasons he can’t explain. He doesn’t take life particularly seriously until the day a stranger, with no emotions, introduces him to a past he never knew existed. Discovering even his own soul is unknown to him– he must take on the responsibility of saving an ancient race and ending the reign of a present evil.
Q) Sounds interesting– that really is a creative book. How long have you been working on it?
A) Thank you. I started planning, at least in my head, sometime around February last year. I didn’t actually start writing until June-July.
Q) How do you write? With music? Silence?
A) Depends a bit on the scene. I use music a LOT for inspiration, or to simply set the mood. Certain sections of the book have been much easier to write with epic music blaring into my ears from my over-sized headphones. At other times, I’ve only been able to complete a piece of writing in complete silence.
Q) Sounds like a wonderland of creativity. Who are your favourite authors? Do you try to write in their style or have you created a style of your own?
A) It is probably a terrible thing to admit, but I’m actually more of a movie-buff than a reader. That’s it, authors everywhere will be throwing their hands up in the air, reciting the mantra, ‘one must read lot to write better’! I DO love books though, and obviously I’ve read a few. I guess the authors I like range from my childhood favourites, Roald Dahl and Rudyard Kipling, to those I’ve read as an adult, such as James Herbert and of course, Tolkien. Does my style emulate any of theirs? No, probably not. If it’s like anyone’s, it’s a writer I’ve come to love very recently, David Gaider. He primarily writes for video games but his fantasy books (from said games) definitely inspired me a great deal. I’d like to think I can write as well as he does. Generally though, I do think my style is my own.
Q) So you’re a video games fan? Do you get time to play many?
A) I make time. Yes, I love RPG’s. Those are instant gratification for the fantasy writer, I believe.
Q) So how do you spend your spare time? Other than playing games and writing, do you have other hobbies?
A) With three children, too, that is about all I can fit in. I’m lucky to have very understanding kids.
Q) Indeed! So how do you find juggling being a mother and a writer?
A) As I said, they are very accepting of the writer in me. They aren’t babies anymore so they do a lot for themselves. However, I also home educate my eldest two, so that has to take precedence over my writing. We have a pretty easy-going set-up in our house, so I can’t complain.
Q) What comes next after Marcus Ryan & The Sanctum of Souls? Another book perhaps?
A) In theory. Sanctum if Souls is the first of a planned series. I have a general idea for the subsequent books, though how many there will be is uncertain at this stage. As for titles… not even contemplated.
Q) You’re planning to self publish, right? Did you turn away from publishing houses for a reason?
A) Yes, I am. I guess I just live by the motto that life is far too short. Originally, as a complete newcomer to the literary world, I’d insisted there was no way I’d consider self-publishing; I wanted a publishing house to acknowledge that my work was up to scratch. Then I researched the process as it stands these days and discovered that years can be spent even getting a manuscript looked at, let alone accepted, and that’s with an agent. I returned to focus on my dream, to simply have a published book, and decided that life IS far too short to waste years only to perhaps never get anywhere close. Self-publishing seemed the logical path to choose given what I wanted to achieve.
Q) Where can people keep up with your progress? I’m sure there are a lot of fantasy readers who will be excited to read your work.
A) The main place I share my progress with this book is on Facebook. I do also have a blog where I share other things I’ve written, poems, etc.
Q) Wonderful! Well thank you for your time, Bex! I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself during our interview!
A) Thank you, Nick, and yes, it wasn’t anywhere near as terrifying as I thought.
I sometimes wonder how terrifying I can be? I guess I just have a grizzly edge! However, I am glad that Bex Pavia enjoyed our interview because I enjoyed it, too! Follow this author guys! You won’t regret it!
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