Author Interview - Denise Dowdell-Stent @valaoakley ~ The Reading Cat

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Author Interview - Denise Dowdell-Stent @valaoakley

7:00 AM Posted by Unknown Authors No comments

What inspires you to write and why?

I have a constant stream of ideas and stories in my head just bursting to be released! I also love the immersive, escapist element of creative writing which tends to keep the inspiration flowing. Also, once I start to develop a character, they seem to take on a life of their own and continue to evolve and find new adventures to pursue.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

Most definitely Young Adult Fantasy because I love magic and the paranormal and YA, because I am still 18 in my head and always will be! When I am writing, I am living vicariously through my female protagonist, feeling her emotions and thoughts. I believe this really helps create an authenticity and realism that would not otherwise be there.

What inspired you to write your first book?

The inspiration for Eternal originated from a game of Rory’s Story Cubes (see previous comment), and it was not until I started writing the short story that became the provenance of Eternal, that I realized I wanted to be an author. As it took on a life of its own, and I began to write, a continuous stream of ideas and plots flowed through my mind: Simultaneously the characters started to develop and come to life.

Who or what influenced your writing once you began?

The characters took on a life of their own as though they were trying to convey their story to me. My son was also very helpful in helping me develop certain ideas and plot twists.

Who or what influenced your writing over the years?

I have many favourite writers and books that have undoubtedly influenced me over the years. There are childhood favourites such as Maurice Sendak’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and ‘Outside Over There’ to the classic poetry of Tennyson (‘The Lady of Shalott’ is my all-time favourite), Byron, Shelley, Clare and Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (I have always been a romantic) and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (a story about the fae – what is there not to love?).

What made you want to be a writer?

I think that in my heart, I always wanted to be a writer, it just took me a long while and a lot of courage to figure out that I wanted to pursue it professionally.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

There are times when my mind gets too enmeshed in certain plot specifics and details, especially if I am struggling to satisfactorily resolve a situation in the story. There are also external stresses and challenges in my life which impact on my energy levels, confidence and creative flow. I find that the best way through is to either concentrate on a different scene, or just to continue writing; most of the time this is enough to get the creative juices flowing again!

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it?

How hard the editing process is, but more significantly, how challenging it is to garner adequate exposure and actually make a living as a writer.

Do you intend to make writing a career?

Yes. I cannot imagine doing anything else and will continue to do so for as long as I can draw breath.

Have you developed a specific writing style?

I am very descriptive as I am trying to paint a picture with words so the reader can fully experience the world(s) I am creating. I have also been told that I am a very evocative and poetic storyteller.

About the Author

Denise Dowdell-Stent is a YA Fantasy Fiction author but also writes scripts, poetry (published in various anthologies such as 'A Passage in Time' and 'Speaking of Love' by Forward Poetry), song lyrics, and maintains a blog at http://www.eternaluk.com.

She has just released her debut novel, Eternal as an ebook on Amazon, iBookstore, Kobo and Google Books (retail links on website). She lives in Cambridgeshire, UK with her husband and young son. Eternal is a YA Arthurian themed Fantasy, chock full of adventure, romance, suspense and intrigue.

Website: http://www.eternaluk.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eternaltrilogy

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/valaoakley

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRIOmPViSbI

Amazon (USA): http://amzn.to/1ecaVA8

Amazon (UK): http://amzn.to/1fU46yX