Please welcome Jess Mountifield for this week's Unread Interview! Jess is promoting her latest book With Proud Humility. We have a giveaway, aswell, so please, keep on reading, to the end, to find how to participate!
Unread Interview is a series where I feature authors whose books I couldn't accept for review because of time or logistics issues.
From Amazon: Marie's mother died protecting something, but what? Determined to find answers, Marie is prepared to go to any length to locate her mother’s legacy, even to pursue the man responsible for her death - Black Vane. No price is too dear to Marie, who gambles everything on a marriage of convenience to a ship's captain she knows she can’t trust, but who may be one ally she needs.
This is a historic story of romance and adventure, set on the Caribbean seas of the early 1800's, a tale of betrayal and sacrifice in pursuit of an unknown goal.
Tell us a bit about your book (s).
Currently I only have one ebook released, With Proud Humility. My first passion for writing is and always will be historical fiction. There is something I have always loved about tales of long ago and the history of places.
Have you ever wanted to be a writer? When did you start writing "seriously"?
I started writing when I was in my teens as a sort of therapy for some nightmares I was repeatedly having. I would write them down to work through them.
I didn't start writing stories I wished to share until about four years ago, however, but I knew almost as soon as I did that it was what I wished to do. It then took me another two years to get to the point I could actually give up the day job to be a full time writer.
My reading varies. I try to read whenever I can find the time. It probably averages about 20 books per year but my tbr pile is always growing.
I read all sorts of books except erotica and paranormal. My favourite genres are historical, sci-fi and fantasy but other genres have been known to catch and hold my attention. As long as I can relate to the characters I tend to enjoy the book.
What are your favorite or least favorite scenes to write?
My favourite scenes to write are usually the scenes I have in my head when I first get the story inspiration. Often they are the scene where certain characters meet but they can equally be action scenes. It's very rare for these to ever be where I actually start the story.
In With Proud Humility the scene I actually had in my head from the beginning was 3/4 of the way through the book where my heroine's life is in danger, she can't save herself and doesn't think anyone else will either.
My least favourite scenes are always the ones in chapter 1. I've always struggled to figure out how to link the initial scene in my head to a good starting point for a story. I have to back track and pretend I don't know my characters either.
Do you relate more to any of your characters? Why?
For the most part I don't relate to any particular character more than another at all. I've always done everything I can to avoid having too much of myself in my characters so it mostly prevents that from happening.
That has changed recently, however. I've begun working on a sci-fi series and my female supporting character in that has a very similar belief system to myself, which was needed for the story to work.
I've also been exploring an interesting moral situation and what I would do if I were forced to choose between two things that both go against my own morals, and the initial scene I have of this character is her in exactly that situation. I'm assuming her answer will be mine, when I finally get to writing that part.
Which genre do you feel it would be a challenge to write?
I would definitely find comedy hardest to write. I don't think I could cope under the pressure of having someone laugh often enough. I can occasionally have something funny in what I write but I know I'm just too serious to keep that up for long.
What inspires you? And how's your writing environment - music, place, etc.?
I'm inspired by quite a number of different things. Sometimes I can be out walking teh countryside near me and just have an idea pop straight into my head. Occasionally I wake up with a snippet of something. Every now and then someone will say something to me, I'll have a light bulb moment, and two previously unrelated things I've been dwelling on will connect themselves and spark an idea.
To write, though, I find I need to be sat somewhere comfortable, like my sofa or my local cafe with my familiar fountain pen and plenty of background noise, or music. I can't stand silence and I can't think straight if I don't write by hand first and then type up.
What would you say about the book - your words, no blurbs! - to convince someone to read your book?
With Proud Humility is a great book to read for anyone that's always wanted to go running off on some great big adventure at some point as a child. It's full of swashbuckling excitement, sea battles with pirates, rum, poker and a little romance thrown in for good measure.
What are your plans for the future, writing-wise? New books, sequels, publishing deals, etc.
Currently I'm working on the first draft of my second novel, also historical fiction, and editing two short fantasy pieces for a collaboration with two other authors.
I've also got the sci-fi series I mentioned above that I've just begun fleshing out.
Thank you Jess!
And now... For the giveaway!
Jess agreed to give you guys a digital copy of her book, With Proud Humility. I'm making this easy for you, just comment on this post, don't forget to leave your email adress, either on the indicated field or on the comment (if you use twitter or facebook to comment), so I can contact you if you win!
Thank you Jess!
And now... For the giveaway!
It will run from May 26th to June 16th, so you have plenty of time, and it is INTERNATIONAL!
**I have postponed the results to June 19th, due to personal issues**
