I'm hoping to mix up the blog this year with a mix of guest posts by other authors and marketing tips. I'm delighted to welcome Nadia Bashoo, author of The Hand of Destiny, reviewed as a great fantasy with fantastic characters, and a series akin to The Golden Compass.
Q:
What inspired you to become a writer?
A:
I’ve always loved to read and children’s fantasy was always
my preference. I had a go at writing other genres but they never worked. Then I
read an interview by an Author who said you should write what you read, and
I’ve never looked back.
Q:
Can you describe your recent novel in a couple of sentences?
A:
The Hand of Destiny is the story of three teenagers set on a
path to fight for their freedom and the personal demons they face along the
way. It’s a tale of friendship, loyalty, adventure and magic.
Q:
How much of your novels do you have planned beforehand?
A:
I’m terrible at planning. I’ve tried to plan a book out
beforehand and it always goes off on unforeseen tangents. Take Hand of Destiny,
for example. It started off as a stand-alone novel, was meant to become a
Trilogy but ended up becoming two books. I start off with a basic idea but then
I just let my imagination take over. Although I always know how a book will end
before I start. I think that’s important as it gives you something to work
towards.
Q:
Where do you write?
A:
I write in my bedroom mostly, but I’ve also been known to
write at work (not what I was being paid to do).
Q:
What’s your favourite book and why?
A:
That’s a difficult question to answer. I have so many. I
think I’ll say JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series as it has everything: magic,
adventure, humour, and above all, great characters.
Q:
Where do you find inspiration to write?
A:
It can come from anything: a dream, something I’ve read
about, a conversation with a friend. My inspiration for Hand of Destiny came
about because I thought fantasy was becoming a bit predictable and I wanted to
shake it up a bit. So we have a heroine who doesn’t get on with her mentor and
a hero who doesn’t fall in love with the heroine.
Q:
How important are readers’ reviews to you?
A:
As I see it, writing is my business and readers are my
customers. Customer satisfaction is important and so I always make a point of
reading my reviews. I do think you need to be true to yourself though. I
wouldn’t make an improvement if it didn’t feel write for the story. After all,
what one person hates, another person loves. You can’t please everybody.
Q:
Any future projects in the offing?
A:
Several. I had three completely different ideas last year
and none of them would leave me alone. I’ve nearly finished the first in a
Trilogy set in Camelot during and after King Arthur’s reign. I’ve also begun
work on a dystopian series where humans are infected with a disease which gives
them vampire-like characteristics and they are treated with suspicion and
hostility. Finally, I’m working on a fantasy set around the myth of Pandora’s
box.
Q:
What advice would you give to other Authors going down the
self-publishing route?
A:
Self-publishing literally means you’re on your own. There’s
no one in your corner, so marketing a book is up to you. Getting an audience is
hard. It requires patience and time. Also, you don’t need to pay through the
nose. Amazon and Smashwords offer free publishing and distribution services.
Links:
http://www.nadiabashoo.com/my-books/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nadia-Bashoo/213607815396564
https://mobile.twitter.com/nadiabashoo
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4599074.Nadia_Bashoo
Thanks Nadia!
