My name is Bev Allen and I was born in London, but I now
live out in the country, in one of the English Shires.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want
to be?
I never really thought I could be a writer when I was
younger, it seemed an unattainable goal, a dream, nothing more. As to what I
wanted to be…I never did make up my mind.
When did you first consider yourself as a
"writer"?
It was when I got the commission from Big Finish to write an
original Dr. Who short story for one of
their anthologies
Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
A long time and a great many submissions.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to
summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My next book is
“Lucien and the Tattooed Tribes” 20 words.. eco-warriors, tattooed tribesmen,
tribal maidens, bad politicians, pearls, gold, drugs, forest, rivers, totem
hunts, battles, adventure, action, redemption and friendship.
Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
I am published by Taylor Street in San Francisco. They are a
rising Indie publisher and I am very proud to be a part of their stable of
authors.
Do you have a "lucky charm" or "lucky
routine" you follow when waiting for your book to be accepted by a
publisher?
LOL. No.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the
original idea to finishing writing it?
“Jabin” took a couple
of years, but “Lucien” was about a year. This does not include editing time,
just writing and rewriting.
Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the
others?
The first one, “Jabin” was probably the hardest to write
because I wanted to deal with some emotional baggage I was carrying as well as
write an entertaining adventure story.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a
different genre?
More of the same, YA
action/adventure with a scific feel to them. I am experimenting with a heroine
instead of a hero at the moment. It’s hard work, because a very appealing male
character who I had no intention of being anything but a secondary is trying to
muscle his way to the front.
What genre would you place your books into?
Scific action/adventure. Although one of my reviewers called
them “allegorical fiction” which I quite like, because the scific elements are
really only there so I can play in imaginary worlds of my own making.
Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written?
If so why is it your favourite?
Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why
are they your favourite?
I love my young heroes very much, but Colonel Mike is a firm
favourite. He is a totally decent man, a good soldier, a good father and an
honourable man.
Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your
inspiration?
I think like most
writers get ideas from reading. As you
read you start to wonder about what might have happened if the story had taken
place somewhere else, if a character had made a different decision and in no
time, you have created another world and that person becomes someone very
different there. Then you have to come
up with the reasons why and hey presto, an idea. I call it “What if…” as in
what if Prince Charming had taken one look at Sleeping Beauty and remembered
everything his mother had told him about not kissing strange girls without
asking first.
Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews
before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends,
reviewers you know?
I have a couple of alpha readers, both of whom feel they are
allowed to shout at me if they think my work is not up to standard.
Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it
was not all positive about your book/books?
Absolutely NOT. I
would be most offended if anyone questioned my right to my own opinion and I
certainly would never question another person’s right. I might grind my teeth a
bit, but I will do it very, very quietly.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose
the title?
I am utterly, totally and completely hopeless when it comes
to titles. I end up with dozens and dozens to increasingly dreadful ones and in
the end I have to be rescued by a saner head.
How do you come up with characters names and place names in
your books?
I cheat. I pick a minority European language and use that.
For “Jabin” it was Welsh and for “Lucien” it was Friesian.
Are character names and place names decided after there
creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
I can’t get a grip on
a character until they have the right name. And I don’t know what they name is
until it appears in my head. I find names define character.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy
girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
I have to know my people before I can write their story, so
yes, I have a good idea of what they are before I begin.
Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually
begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the
story?
I really admire people who sit down and carefully plan a
book chapter by chapter. I wish I was that disciplined, but I am afraid I know
how the book starts and I have a rough idea where it will end; there are a
couple of miles stones along the way, but the journey between is a bit of a
mystery. For me, that is half the fun.
How do you market/promote your books?
I put my short fiction on my Goodreads blog. I feel if
people can read some of my work for free, they will get an idea of my style and
be better able to decide if they want to read me when I have a bigger word pool
to splash around in.
What do you think makes a book a really good/bestseller?
How I wish I knew.
What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby?
I’m a quilter and
like most quilters I have a very bad fabric addiction. I can’t walk passed a
quilt shop without going in and once in I can’t leave empty handed, even if it
is just a fat quarter.
Have you ever based characters on people you know or based
events on things that have happened to you?
I’ve based characters on people I have met.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your
books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story
is..")
“And the moral of the story is…all children need to grow up
in a safe home knowing they are loved and wanted.”
Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or
paperback?
I don’t mind, each
has their place.
Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
I don’t think so. Not unless they can sort out the pictures.
I love illustrated books and I collect children’s ones. Until they can give me
beautiful big images on an e-reader I think there will always be a place for
“real” books.
Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you
tried to read but just couldn't finish?
Gibbon’s “Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire”. I fought my way grimly through volume one and wild
horses will not get me to read the others.
Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to
watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?
If you’ve not
discovered Ben Aaronovitch yet, you are in for a real treat.
What do you think about book trailers?
To be honest I’ve no
experience of them.
What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Read, read and then read some more.
Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
No, it took me a long
time to get here and I want people to know I made it.
If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who
would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
Terry Pratchett, George MacDonald Fraser and Will
Shakespeare.
No comments:
Post a Comment