It was something I never thought would happen to me. And that was to be asked if I wished to do an interview.
It was a month ago when I was asked via Dm on my Twitter page.
I had allowed readers 40 pages of my book to read free on Scribd, and a lovely lady called, Sezoni Whitfield, wrote saying how kind of me to do this, and then this was when I was approached.
It was a bit of a smack in the mouth for me. I mean, me? I'm not some celebrity plugging my 20th biography and had a million pounds thrown at me by a big publishing company. It was me, a nobody a woman who enjoys writing, and allowing people to view my work, comment if they wish, and if they have a spare dime, buy.
I was so overwhelmed, trust me on that.
But to me this could be the beginning. Okay, it was not a big magazine break, I didn't have my picture taken in a manor house in designer clothes and happy scrubbed up kids around me (my darlings are never clean, in fact, they come out the shower dirtier than when they went in.) nevertheless, just me, the lap top and no inteference from the world around. So I agreed. Arrrgghhh!!!
The day of the interview and I was scared. I had no idea what I was going to be asked, and that is pretty freaky to be honest.
"You'll be fine," Sezoni wrote, on more than one occasion whenever those doubts came into my head that I was going to fluff up and make an ass of myself.
And when three o'clock GMT time, the interview begin.
However, troubles began before I even begun. The computer froze, hubby came home earlier than expected and the phone rang.
My stomach was churning, Sezoni was emailing me, asking if everything was ok, and I was getting worried. But you know, apart from having to tweet my answers, and making a couple of spelling mistakes, and forgetting what I was asked in the process, it went pretty well, even remembering to put the #writerkaboodle in there too.
So, if you missed the interview, you are now lucky enough to be able to read it here today (did I hear a groan?) So here goes the first interview of moi, Victoria J Smith and Sezoni Whitfield and her Writers Kaboodle blog.
Thank you for joining us to talk about your book. What's Alison Benson about?
It is the story about how a young girl is suddenly involved in a battle, which is soon to begin in a kingdom that she has never heard of until one day at the Botanical Gardens a young man says that he is from a kingdom called Frinda, and that the queen is in need of her. There she meets a beautiful queen who states
that her evil brother Prince Amir is declaring war once more.
Where does your story take place? It takes us on a journey, where people are not what they truly perceive. We have a moody old teacher who is a good witch, loves a sherry or two and comes from a kingdom
called Onbrier another teacher who is a punk rocker and is a warrior for the realm, but also has a dark secret and so, each person she seems to interact with
is different. However, in the story takes place on earth, on kingdoms, and also
in gems and dreams.
What inspired this story? I have not got a clue. I know it was a hot summers day in 2009, I’d just bought
21st century breakdown, by a group called Green day, and it was listening to that album that I could see a young girl, an evil prince and a queen and before I know it, the story just poured out of me. Very strange feeling you know.
Most people want to know, is writing really all that hard? I am asked that a lot too. But I must be lucky, because if someone says write about, say, a bunch of keys, I have no problem writing about a set of keys. Yet, I know others would just stare at them and think for a while before even putting ink to paper. I wish I could think though, but I have so much swimming inside I have to get it out.
Have you ever had writers block and if so, how did you overcome it? I have. In this book, I did something, and the whole story went to pot, so I retraced my steps, took what was the problem out, and began again. I actually used that part near the end of the second book, which made the book extra special to me.
What’s better: Pen and paper, or laptop? I have to admit, laptop. It shows my spelling mistakes, and besides, my writing is unreadable I can never make out what I have read. I can never make out what I
have read. However, I do loads of notes on paper, which is easy for me.
Actually can read most people's chicken scratch. You won't read mine, I was always doing lines at school for untidy work. Haha
Haha!!! I can't read my own handwriting either! I think I should've been a Dr. the way I write..lol
Do you write according to the trends or from the heart? I really don't know, to be honest. I do
have punks in my story, so is that a trend? But I also have old people in there too , so is that from the heart? I think, maybe my own life is in there, I use names from kids I went to school with, rather than the newer names. And my book, even though set in today's environment, does come from a time that I felt happy in.
What projects are you currently working on? I completed book three of the Alison Benson series just before Christmas, not edited yet, because now need to write book four, and get them to work together. That is how I work. Book 2 follows book 1, book 2 is meaner and harsher because they begin their battle in Frinda. Book 3 concludes some parts of book 1 that I left for this book. I like to make my books work together rather than finish a book and begin a new adventure. I like to keep the readers on their feet. However, my main project is to get proofread, get them on kindle and hope that my dreams come true.
Where can we buy your book, Alison Benson? it can be purchased
at http://www.scribd.com/doc/113772693/Alison-Benson-and-the-Realm-of-Wonders-Union …
for 99cents. Not on kindle or nook though, but PC and android.
Thanks for joining us today. We enjoyed hearing about your book. Will you let us know
about new releases? Of course, I will. Thank you for spending the time to talk, not so nervy after all.
Speak to you soon.
And there we go, my first interview. Will it be my last though? I am hoping not, but I will never know that answer.
Thank you for stopping by. Back tomorrow, with what my family got up to over the weekend. Bit of a ewwie moment, but funny.
Regards
Victoria J Smith
It was a month ago when I was asked via Dm on my Twitter page.
I had allowed readers 40 pages of my book to read free on Scribd, and a lovely lady called, Sezoni Whitfield, wrote saying how kind of me to do this, and then this was when I was approached.
It was a bit of a smack in the mouth for me. I mean, me? I'm not some celebrity plugging my 20th biography and had a million pounds thrown at me by a big publishing company. It was me, a nobody a woman who enjoys writing, and allowing people to view my work, comment if they wish, and if they have a spare dime, buy.
I was so overwhelmed, trust me on that.
But to me this could be the beginning. Okay, it was not a big magazine break, I didn't have my picture taken in a manor house in designer clothes and happy scrubbed up kids around me (my darlings are never clean, in fact, they come out the shower dirtier than when they went in.) nevertheless, just me, the lap top and no inteference from the world around. So I agreed. Arrrgghhh!!!
The day of the interview and I was scared. I had no idea what I was going to be asked, and that is pretty freaky to be honest.
"You'll be fine," Sezoni wrote, on more than one occasion whenever those doubts came into my head that I was going to fluff up and make an ass of myself.
And when three o'clock GMT time, the interview begin.
However, troubles began before I even begun. The computer froze, hubby came home earlier than expected and the phone rang.
My stomach was churning, Sezoni was emailing me, asking if everything was ok, and I was getting worried. But you know, apart from having to tweet my answers, and making a couple of spelling mistakes, and forgetting what I was asked in the process, it went pretty well, even remembering to put the #writerkaboodle in there too.
So, if you missed the interview, you are now lucky enough to be able to read it here today (did I hear a groan?) So here goes the first interview of moi, Victoria J Smith and Sezoni Whitfield and her Writers Kaboodle blog.
Thank you for joining us to talk about your book. What's Alison Benson about?
It is the story about how a young girl is suddenly involved in a battle, which is soon to begin in a kingdom that she has never heard of until one day at the Botanical Gardens a young man says that he is from a kingdom called Frinda, and that the queen is in need of her. There she meets a beautiful queen who states
that her evil brother Prince Amir is declaring war once more.
Where does your story take place? It takes us on a journey, where people are not what they truly perceive. We have a moody old teacher who is a good witch, loves a sherry or two and comes from a kingdom
called Onbrier another teacher who is a punk rocker and is a warrior for the realm, but also has a dark secret and so, each person she seems to interact with
is different. However, in the story takes place on earth, on kingdoms, and also
in gems and dreams.
What inspired this story? I have not got a clue. I know it was a hot summers day in 2009, I’d just bought
21st century breakdown, by a group called Green day, and it was listening to that album that I could see a young girl, an evil prince and a queen and before I know it, the story just poured out of me. Very strange feeling you know.
Most people want to know, is writing really all that hard? I am asked that a lot too. But I must be lucky, because if someone says write about, say, a bunch of keys, I have no problem writing about a set of keys. Yet, I know others would just stare at them and think for a while before even putting ink to paper. I wish I could think though, but I have so much swimming inside I have to get it out.
Have you ever had writers block and if so, how did you overcome it? I have. In this book, I did something, and the whole story went to pot, so I retraced my steps, took what was the problem out, and began again. I actually used that part near the end of the second book, which made the book extra special to me.
What’s better: Pen and paper, or laptop? I have to admit, laptop. It shows my spelling mistakes, and besides, my writing is unreadable I can never make out what I have read. I can never make out what I
have read. However, I do loads of notes on paper, which is easy for me.
Actually can read most people's chicken scratch. You won't read mine, I was always doing lines at school for untidy work. Haha
Haha!!! I can't read my own handwriting either! I think I should've been a Dr. the way I write..lol
Do you write according to the trends or from the heart? I really don't know, to be honest. I do
have punks in my story, so is that a trend? But I also have old people in there too , so is that from the heart? I think, maybe my own life is in there, I use names from kids I went to school with, rather than the newer names. And my book, even though set in today's environment, does come from a time that I felt happy in.
What projects are you currently working on? I completed book three of the Alison Benson series just before Christmas, not edited yet, because now need to write book four, and get them to work together. That is how I work. Book 2 follows book 1, book 2 is meaner and harsher because they begin their battle in Frinda. Book 3 concludes some parts of book 1 that I left for this book. I like to make my books work together rather than finish a book and begin a new adventure. I like to keep the readers on their feet. However, my main project is to get proofread, get them on kindle and hope that my dreams come true.
Where can we buy your book, Alison Benson? it can be purchased
at http://www.scribd.com/doc/113772693/Alison-Benson-and-the-Realm-of-Wonders-Union …
for 99cents. Not on kindle or nook though, but PC and android.
Thanks for joining us today. We enjoyed hearing about your book. Will you let us know
about new releases? Of course, I will. Thank you for spending the time to talk, not so nervy after all.
Speak to you soon.
And there we go, my first interview. Will it be my last though? I am hoping not, but I will never know that answer.
Thank you for stopping by. Back tomorrow, with what my family got up to over the weekend. Bit of a ewwie moment, but funny.
Regards
Victoria J Smith
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