Interview – ‘Instinct’ Author J. A. Belfield

Yey! My first author interview. I am so excited. Meet author J.A. Belfield. She has authored 5 books, the latest is coming up in July. You remember I revealed the cover of Eternal?

 

 

Let’s talk to her.

Me: I love the introduction at your website-

“It all started with a daydream.
One of those daydreams where a character or scene pops into your head, and you start controlling the little people inside your imagination as though you are the puppet master and they your toys. Questions arise: What would happen if …? How would they react if ….? Who would they meet if …? And before you know it, a singular scene has become an entire movie. Those characters you control will begin to hold conversations. Their actions will reflect the personality you have bestowed upon them. Within no time, they have a life, an entire world in which they live, a lover, a foe, family … they have Become.
One day, I wrote my thoughts down. I’ve yet to stop.”

Me: When did this daydream start?

J.A.: The daydreams started at such an early time in my life I can scarcely remember or pinpoint the time—the night-dreams, too. I recall having very lucid, recurring dreams (or nightmares, depending on your point of view) from as young as age seven. However, I didn’t figure out how I could ‘use’ those dreams for purposes other than escaping mundanity until Spring of 2009 when I wrote my first ever novel based on one of said weird dreams.

Me: How often do these daydreams come to you?

J.A.: Daily … hourly … until they drive me to distraction. Sometimes they’re simply evolving details for scenes in whatever story I happen to be working on. Other times they’re new ideas. I usually play about with them inside my head, make whoever’s invading talk to a few folk I let in, try to get a feel for their personality. If I think the scene/character can be built on, I jot down the scene I’ve just conjured.

Me: How many daydreams are still in your mind waiting to be written down?

J.A.: None. If they’re decent enough that I allow them to stick around long enough to grab my attention, then (as mentioned above) I scribble them into a document with a working title (or the title if that appears with the scene), and then nudge it aside for more thoughts on it to formulate.

Me: Did you always wanted to be a writer?

J.A.: I don’t think it’s so much that I didn’t always want to be a writer but more that I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer. I had no direction as far as my life/career was concerned when I left school, and I didn’t figure it out until the ripe age of 36. The moment I did, it was like the pieces of a puzzle I’d spent my life trying to figure out suddenly slotted into place.

Me: If not a writer, what would you be?

J.A.: I spent 14 years working with adults with learning disabilities. Other than that, I have an aromatherapy qualification and my teaching assistant qualification … but my dream job outside of writing would probably be working in a library—that way I’d be able to infiltrate from the inside and stock their shelves with what I want to read.

Me: Is there anything you need in order to write? (a place, food item etc.)

J.A.: I used to be constantly uncomfortable whilst writing, until my best friend’s son donated his swivelly-ohsocushioned-highbacked chair on wheels. So now I can sit at the kitchen table for hours without my rear going dead, and so long as I have a drink to my right, and snacks that I really shouldn’t contemplate eating just out of reach to my left, I’m pretty much set to go.

Me: Are you working on something new?

J.A.: Always, LOL. I finished a 1st draft of the 3rd Holloway Pack Story in November and will be opening that back up soon to edit before sending it off to beta readers. I just finished up with the edits for Eternal, which is a novella (sequel to Instinct) due out in July. My latest WIP that requires full attention is a short story, titled Escort to Insanity, for an anthology. Once that’s complete, I’ll be moving on to novel #4 for the Holloway Pack, as well as a short YA Holloway Pack story I’ve scribbled the opening scene for, and (fingers crossed) I hope to write my first ever YA novel this year.

Me: How many books do you read a week/month?

J.A.: I’m a pretty avid reader. On a slow week: one; on a decent week: around three. But I call it research so I don’t feel guilty when I should be writing instead.

Me: What is the last book you read?

J.A.: Um … the last book I read was one called A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King, but I’m currently reading an ARC of The P.U.R.E. by Claire Gillian. After that will be Not An Angel by Dawn Chartier. 🙂

Me: What is one book you think everyone should read?

J.A.: If you’d have asked me in 2011, I’d have hedged the question. Now I’d have to say The Hunger Games. I finally caved and read it just before Christmas to discover what all the fuss was about. I thought it was a really refreshing read and am excited to see what they do with the movie.

Me: Which fictional character would you most like to meet?

J.A.: Oooh, lordy! Tripp Fox from Aimee Laine’s Hide & Seek—that guy just sets my burners aflame.
Actually, if I speak with my mind instead of my libido, it would probably have to be Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas. He’s inspirational.

Me: If you could go back in time and meet one author, who would it be and why?

J.A.: Probably Shakespeare. I visit his birthplace a fair bit; it’s only around 30 miles from my home. He’s also pretty worthy of awe considering the span of time his works have been performed and read over.

Me: What is your favorite quote?

J.A.: ‘Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.’ ~ Lao Tzu

Me: What do you do in your free time?

J.A.: I’m supposed to have free time? Why didn’t anybody tell me this?
Just kidding. I have family who lives on the west coast of Wales and we visit them a lot. That’s the only place Mr B can 100% pry me away from my laptop, but he has to offer something pretty spectacular in exchange. Coastal walks in Pembrokeshire are beautiful enough to hit the spot.

Me: Any books you are eagerly awaiting for in 2012?

J.A.: Don’t tell anyone but … Lover Reborn …. and Biting Cold … and a YA title called Crux by new author Julie Reece.

Me: Do you want to write in a genre other than what you write? What would it be?

J.A.: You mean write a story that didn’t involve werewolves or other supernatural creatures, or where magic wasn’t possible and … I think I might get bored, LOL.
More seriously, I LOVE reading crime thrillers but I doubt I could ever write one—I’d probably end up jailing the murderer based on circumstantial evidence. And I couldn’t even imagine myself sticking to the romance genre sans otherworldly goodness, even though I love reading a good chicklit.
I guess the long answer short here is: no, I don’t think I do—not currently, anyway. 🙂

Me: Night owl, or early bird?

J.A.: Neither. I’m more of a that-time-in-between kind of bird. I might get up at 7 daily for the sproggies to get to school but I don’t officially wake until around 10am, and I rarely stay up beyond 11pm—midnight if I’m feeling adventurous. I’m pretty strict on myself for having a decent sleep routine. My writing suffers otherwise.

Me: Thank you so much for the interview. 🙂

Don’t forget to check out her beautiful website: http://www.jabelfield.com

Her Blog: http://www.jabelfield.wordpress.com

Here’s some inside into Instinct: Werewolf Sean Holloway treats the village marketplace like a sexual buffet, though his charm does little to win over his latest entrée of choice. Whether because of Jem Stonehouse’s unique scent, her headstrong nonchalance, or the fact he is forbidden to see her by his pack’s rules, Sean wants her.

When Jem is nothing but flippant toward his advances, he pursues her with vigour, stealing moments alone with her without a libido-driven agenda.

The new and heady experience for him drives their relationship beyond romantic interest, and straight toward love.

That is, until Jem learns the truth about Sean’s heritage. Knowledge of the existence of werewolves leads to only one outcome: death.

In this prequel to Darkness & Light, we are taken back in time, to the very beginning of Jem and Sean’s love-across-the-centuries relationship.

Did it end there? Or did Sean defy his own pack to save the woman he loves?

Interested? Buy it on Amazon here – Instinct