Thursday 31 January 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - MARGARET BELLE


What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is Margaret Belle.  I was born in Syracuse, NY.  Although I have lived in a number of places, I currently live in a suburb of Syracuse.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
I do! I own a small advertising agency.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
In the past I published non-fiction through a professional press.  THE PROCEDURE, however, is my first piece of fiction – a self-published eBook for Kindle.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
My second book is also one of suspense, so maybe that’s what I will always write. I have 3 or 4 more books in mind that all seem to be in that genre. 

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
After I finish the one I’m working on now, I plan to write a sequel to THE PROCEDURE.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I’d have to choose Dr. Neumann because he is a villain with no redeeming characteristics whatsoever and Melanie because she has so many. Both were so much fun to write.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?
From my horribly overactive imagination. But also from current and past events.  Many things in THE PROCEDURE are actual events that captured my attention and I spun the story around them.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I don’t have a routine, but (and this is going to sound really odd) I find a picture that looks like the one I have in my mind of my main character.  For my female protagonists, I look through wig websites.  When I find the perfect one, I print it out and keep it taped where I can see it. I knew Melanie was going to be a redhead, so I looked through the photos of models wearing red wigs and I knew her as soon as I saw her. 

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I have been and I’m happy that the average floats between 3.9 and 4 stars on Amazon.com. But those few 1 or 2 stars – ouch – it’s like someone telling you that your baby is ugly.  However I realize that no one book is everyone’s cup of tea.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books? My son John put it together with me.  I really love the cover of THE PROCEDURE I think a great cover stops readers long enough to consider buying the book.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I chose THE PROCEDURE about half way through.  The book I’m working on now is untitled at the moment.

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 have a general idea but not an entire plot to get me from beginning to the end. I’m usually surprised at what happens – the characters seem to do what they want.  Once in a while I get stuck and I stop writing and let things go for a while – days or weeks.  Then for no reason at all, the right idea comes to me and I know where the story is going. It’s the best feeling!

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..") Not morals, but points I want to make.  In THE PROCEDURE the points are: 1) You can never really know the people around you, not even the ones closest to you.  2) Science is scary and always on the move.  You can’t stop a scientist with no ethics.  3) None of us choose the circumstances of our birth – not one person on this planet got to decide.  So make the best of things and don’t mope over what you don’t have.  Be glad you’re here at all.

Where can readers follow you?
I don’t blog, tweet, toot, or whistle.  My book's website is www.margaretbellebooks.com  People can listen to an audio segment by Melanie and can send me emails from there.

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