Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

1. Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Writing energizes me.

2. What is your writing Kryptonite?

I cannot think of any. I love writing. It helps my mental health and I can’t associate writing with anything negative.

3. Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

No, I have always wanted to write under my real name.

4. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

I don’t have any close friends who are authors, but it would be nice to develop friendships with some authors.

5. Do you want each book to stand alone, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

I have written several stand-alone books, but I am currently working on a sequel to debut YA novel, “Under the Zaboca Tree.” The working title of the sequel is “Poui Season”

6. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

The best money I’ve spent as a writer was hiring a good editor.

7. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

I used to have a lot of pen-pals when I was a kid. I was able to develop good friendships through writing. I even met a couple of my pen-pals during my travels through Europe. Writing allowed me to learn more about other cultures.

8. What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips

9. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

A Dog or an Elephant. They are my favourite animals.

10. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have at least three unfinished books and four books that are completed but unpublished. I am currently seeking a literary agent for two of the finished book. Two of them have already found homes. My second YA novel, “Black Beach” will be published by Inanna Publications in the fall of 2018. A third novel, “Barrel Girl,” is also forthcoming from Inanna Publications.

11. What does literary success look like to you?

Literary success means being able to support myself mostly by writing

12. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I do a lot of research online, but I also speak to experts. The amount of research depends on the information I am seeking.

13. How many hours a day/week do you write?

Lately, due to an ear injury I am writing only once or twice a week. But when I’m healthy I write at least ten hours a week. I sometimes write more depending on deadlines.

14. How do you select the names of your characters?

It depends. I sometimes just use names that come to me. Other times, I search baby books on line for suitable names.

15. What was your hardest scene to write?

There have been many hard scenes to write. But one that was particularly difficult involved writing about leatherback turtles in my soon to be published YA novel, “Black Beach.”. I had to do a lot of research and I hope I got it right.

16. Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?  If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

I write mostly YA novels. I didn’t set out to write YA books. It simply happened. I have one adult novel that I’m seeking a publisher for; I am currently making a few changes as requested by a literary agent who expressed an interest in reading the entire manuscript.

17. How long have you been writing?

I have been writing all of my life. I tried to write my first novel when I was about fourteen. It was a learning experience even though I don’t think it was very good.

18. What inspires you?  

Reading good books inspires me.

19. How do you find or make time to write?

I am very disciplined regarding my writing. I usually challenge myself to write a specified amount of words per week and stick to it.

20. What projects are you working on at the present?

I am editing an adult novel and also writing a sequel to my debut novel, “Under the Zaboca Tree.”

21. What do your plans for future projects include?

My plans for future project including writing two more YA novels that I am currently researching as well as another adult novel that I have already completed about seventy pages of.

22. Share a link to your author website.

glynis.guevara.com

Bio:

I was born in Barataria, Trinidad and I hold a Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) degree from the University of London, England. I am also  a graduate of Humber School for Writers creative writing program. In 2012, I was shortlisted for the Small Axe Literary short fiction prize and in 2014 my manuscript “Barrel Girl” was a finalist for the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean literature. “Under the Zaboca Tree” is my debut YA novel. I currently live in Toronto where I work as an adult literacy instructor.