With the change to autumn/fall, I begin to think about my little monster, Rumble, and thoughts of Halloween. With the current restrictions, I am unable to hold the annual Rumble’s First Scare colouring contest, which is such a shame. The entries are always so good. As you may (or may not) know this little monster, Rumble, is in his element on All Hallow’s Eve. After all he’s spent all spring and summer in his underground home.
I wanted to create a story about a monster that would not scare children, but in fact, make them love him. The illustrations by Matty McClatchie help with that goal. As you can see he is quite adorable and appeals to children as he is also slimy and has little pets in a bag. When I first published the picture book, I made (with the help of a sewing friend) a plush toy of Rumble for display purposes on my event/sales tables. He was very popular and many children asked if they could take him home. I always told them he was like Tigger – the only one! Several years later, I found online, a company that makes plush toys of your children’s drawings and thought Rumble would be perfect. As you can see the result was very good. Mine on the left, professional on the right. If you are interested this is the link:
You can purchase the book or e-book of Rumble’s First Scare here: It is a perfect gift for younger readers for Halloween or anytime of the year. It can probably dispel monster nightmares too.
As you can imagine I read Stephen King’s latest publication, Billy Summers, in record time. It is not horror, but a tale of a man trying to escape his profession as an assassin and encountering a wealth of people – good and bad – along the way. An unexpected relationship is thrown into the mix and adds to the overall tension and twists and turns in the narrative.
I am now reading: The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
What are you currently reading? Can you share your thoughts in it?
Authors and their books – Great reading suggestions!
Mandy Eve-Barnett
Mandy Eve-Barnett
What is your latest release and what genre is it?The Rython Kingdom – adult fantasy
Quick description: Set in medieval England a travelling troubdour is the unwitting pawn in an vengeful witch’s plan to escape her confinement and kill the king.
Brief biography:
A Canadian resident, Mandy Eve-Barnett has a wealth of experiences to draw from for her writing. She has lived in South Africa, England and Canada and the uniqueness of each continent left its essence within her. An avid reader her whole life, it wasn’t until she joined a local writing group, the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County, that the writing ‘bug’ gripped her. Now Mandy writes with an all-encompassing passion and is deeply involved with the foundation and its members. Writing in various genres, Mandy has been published in anthologies, on numerous web sites and in the local newspaper as well as regularly blogging about her writing journey. She has successfully completed three National Novel Writing Month challenges in 2009, 2010 and 2012 with the subsequent volume of work resulting in three novels. September 2011 saw the launch of her first children’s book, Rumble’s First Scare, and August 2012 her adult fantasy e-book, The Rython Kingdom was released on Smashwords, Amazon.ca & Amazon.co.uk., and is now available through Create Space as a print version. Currently, she is editing a magical/fantasy children’s book, Ockleberries to the Rescue and has completed a collaboration for a ‘how to’ write your memoir workbook, Your Lifetime of Stories.
What are you working on now?
My 2013 NaNoWriMo novel, Willow Tree Tears, which is a cowgirl romance & a children’s chapter book, Ockleberries to the Rescue.
Mandy’s reading recommendation:
I love all Stephen King’s novels and his non-fiction, On Writing, as well as The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.
Please welcome Holly, an author and an illustrator. Her images are delightful.
a) What do you enjoy most about writing?
It’s relaxing! It’s also a wonderful way to organize thoughts and push ideas. All this can be used to teach, motivate and share knowledge. Writing really does teach you a lot about yourself and lets you get in tune with where your ideas come from.
b) What age did you start writing stories/poems?
I actually started writing late in my career. I’ve been an illustrator for quite some time but enjoyed mingling text with my work. I decided to take it bit further and put out a book idea in 2008. After being published, I have continued to write articles, blogs and have contributed to several books.
c) Has your genre changed or stayed the same?
It has changed. I initially started writing about creativity, creative business and freelance advice. From there, it has led to me wanting to write children’s books. I illustrated my first children’s book that came out in the Spring so I think this would be a natural transition.
d) What genre are you currently reading?
Right now I am focusing on children’s publishing and young adult books. I still maintain my blogs and perhaps I will write a follow up to my first book.
e) Do you read for pleasure or research or both?
I definitely do both. When it gets busy, I try to read as many articles as I can. I set them in a file to read over the weekend. As far as books, I have been reading books on writing, creativity and of course children’s books to my youngest daughter. Books are a big part of my household.
f) Who is your best supporter/mentor/encourager?
My kids hands down. They are 24/7 idea generators with more creativity and energy rolled up together that is very inspiring. Working at home is all they have ever known so they are used to me working around them. It can be a delicate balance.
g) Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?
So far it’s a bat. It’s a work in progress but I do love the little guy and the positive ideas I am creating around his character.
h) Where is your favorite writing space?
I like a quiet comfy space but I do like the right music to go along with it. It’s a comfy Ikea chair that works well for me. If it’s winter and I’m cold I’ll write in bed with my bedside table.
i) Do you plan your stories, or are you a seat of the pants writer?
My ideas for stories are random. After that, I plan them out. I like to do the my ideas in point form or just snippets of thought. Lately I have been using my voice memo on my smartphone so I do not lose any ideas when I’m busy or out of the studio. Probably looks like I’m talking to myself at the bus stop but I really don’t want those ideas to slip away.
j) What inspires your ideas/stories?
My kids are great for this. Luckily, since I’m an illustrator too there is no end to the ideas. I had to start a notebook to catch it all. Most ideas come from things I read, music lyrics and from writing.
k) Do you belong to a writing group? If so which one?
Not yet. I plan on joining The Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP) to start with and then go from there with local writing groups.
l) Do you have a book published? If so, what is it called & where can readers purchase
I have also contributed to the 2009 Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market , 2012 Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market , Your Planet Needs You written by Jon Symes and Creatively Self-Employed Written by Kristen Fischer. Also, I’ve contributed articles to How Design & Zero2illo.
m) If you could meet one favorite author, who would it be and why?
Margaret Atwood for sure! Her book, Cat’s Eye made a had a huge impression on me. This compassionate retrospective about a women’s life felt familiar especially because it’s about an artist.
Yes I do. It’s been a work in progress for the past year. I have 2 children’s book I am working on plus a follow up book about illustration/creativity. I’m also working on a young adult book.
The title of the children’s book I illustrated is What’s Going On At The Time Tonight? published by Nimbus Publishing written by Gerald Mercer.
Modus Operandi – definition: a plan, or mode of operating or working.
Today’s interview is rather special as it is a joint interview with William L. Bozarth and Laura D. Jame, who worked together on a children’s story book – a perfect modus operandi..!
W = William L. Bozarth
L = Laura D. James
a) What do you enjoy most about writing?
L: I enjoy losing myself in writing and the “high” that it gives me. It’s amazing for me when I work on something and pretty much submerge myself in it then come back out later to the world around me feeling like I’ve been somewhere else.
W. Things that previously existed only in my imagination come to life. These squirrels have been living in my head for the better part of the last two years, so it’s nice to see them scurrying through these pages.
b) What age did you start writing stories/poems?
L. 5 years old, pretty much as soon as I learned how to read.
W. I started writing poetry for girlfriends when I was 11 or 12, but didn’t really take writing seriously until I was a junior in High School, so perhaps 16 or 17 years old. That’s when I started my first band, and I was the vocalist/lyricist. ‘Spooky Skwerl Stories’ is my second or third attempt at writing an actual story that isn’t in verse or screenplay form.
c) Has your genre changed or stayed the same?
L. I played around with fantasy/sci-fi when I was very young and have tried suspense/crime and literary (or just non-genre… mainstream?) here and there but I’ve always been enamored with the horror genre. The squirrel books were pretty much Will’s idea and I think this will be a lot of fun though I’m sure I have a lot to learn about writing spooky things for children.
W. I’ve always been a horror guy, so everything I’ve done could be categorized from personal horror to fictional horror.
d) What genre are you currently reading?
L. I haven’t been able to concentrate long enough to finish reading a book in a long time, I guess from being so obsessed with working on my own novel, and it bothers me since reading was always how I would relax. It’s pretty much always horror, though. I’ve got a few novels and anthologies that I pick up when I try to make myself read.
W. I wish I could say that I’m reading something, but I’m not.
e) Do you read for pleasure or research or both?
L. Mainly pleasure, sometimes research
W. I don’t read much, really. I used to read a lot when I was in elementary school, but the fun was kinda sucked out of it when they forced us to read gigantic novels in middle school. A twelve-year-older shouldn’t read ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’. It takes a bit for me to actually sit down and read something nowadays. The last book I read was Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’, and the ending disappointed me. Before that, it was Stephen King’s ‘Under the Dome’… and the ending disappointed me. Why take a month or more to read a large book, learn about all of these characters, cry for the loss of the characters, then have it all be explained by *spoiler removed* forces. So, I guess my answer is “research”. Since I don’t really get any pleasure out of it.
f) Who is your best supporter/mentor/encourager?
L. My father: he’s encouraged my love of reading and writing since I was very young. He paid a lot of money for me to go to a college in another state to major in creative writing. That didn’t really work out but he’s never made me feel guilty about it and he’s believed in my ability/potential as a writer even when I haven’t. He never demanded I try to do something practical or get “a real job” and has always been 100% supportive of me writing because it’s what makes me happy. Will is a close second because he’s the brains behind all the adventures, endeavors and chaos we’ve been through. He’s got a plan for pretty much everything and more dedication and energy than I could sum up on my own. I also have to mention Julie Castillo, a writing instructor whose class I took a year ago and will be taking again at the community college in my town. She was the only writing teacher I’ve ever had who was totally supportive of what students wanted to write instead of what they “should” write (aka literary stuff) and she was just so wonderful and dedicated to everyone’s individual works. I kept up with her through e-mail after class and she helped me with a lot of questions and gave me lots of advice.
W. My parents have always been very supportive. I’ve never had any instances of Laura being unsupportive, thankfully.
g) Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?
L. Probably a girl named Brigid who was a supporting character in the novel I just finished. She’s a timid young aspiring writer who goes through some crazy stuff with her friends. She’s a main character in the follow-up novel I’m planning and things just get crazier and scarier.
W. The combination of the squirrels in ‘Spooky Skwerl Stories’ since they’re characterizations of some of my personality traits.
h) Where is your favorite writing space?
L. My room, listening to some goth/doom metal
W. On a bus or train with my headphones on.
i) Do you plan your stories, or are you a seat of the pants writer?
L. I usually planned my short stories. When one of the stories turned into a novel I planned that thing out but it wound up going in a completely different direction and I’m glad. I’m planning other novels I want to write but they’re probably going to deviate from the plan, too, and it should be fun.
W. I have a beginning, middle, and end planned. It’s the getting from A to B to C that isn’t planned.
j) What inspires your ideas/stories?
L. Anything, really: anecdotes, places, snippets of things I hear on TV. Sometimes I’ll read/hear random details in stories that aren’t supposed to mean much of anything and they’ll just blossom into back-stories and plots in my mind.
W. Random thoughts.
k) Do you belong to a writing group? If so which one?
L. I’m on a message board called Absolute Write (http://absolutewrite.com/ ) where I’ve gotten lots of good advice.
W. Facebook groups “Horror Writers” and “Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators”.
l) Do you have a book published? If so, what is it called & where can readers purchase it?
L. Not traditionally published yet but I’ll have to keep you posted. I’m waiting to hear back from the publisher I submitted my novel to and if they don’t take it I’ve got a few others I’m interested in. If I don’t get published, we will go the same route as ‘Spooky Skwerl Stories’.
W. Both of my books are available on Amazon. Just search for “William L. Bozarth”, and they’ll pop up.
m) If you could meet one favorite author, who would it be and why?
L. I would say Richard Matheson but he is no longer with us, so I’ll go with Peter Straub because I don’t think any other author has mystified, enthralled and terrified me quite like he has with the way he writes.
W. I’ve already met them, so I’m ahead of the game. :). Stephen King, R.L. Stine, and Lois Lowry.
n) Where can readers find you and your blog?
L. I don’t have a blog but you can find me through the Spooky Skwerl Stories facebook
L. I’ve got one or two novels planned as a follow-up for the one I think I might be planning an unrelated haunted house novel. Will and I have more ideas for Spooky Skwerl Stories than we know what to do with but we’ll figure something out.
Subservient – definition: serving or acting in a subordinate capacity
Today the tables were turned – Kelly Samarah returned the favor and interviewed me! Take a look. And no, today’s word has no real connection to me (now-a-days anyway!) I found my way a while back. I emerged from a shy, quiet school girl into the independent woman I am today.
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 