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Interview – Mikaela Nicole

Interview

– When did you start writing, what moved you to start writing?

I started writing when I was eighteen. I’m not sure what exactly compelled me to sit down in front of the computer one day and start typing. I’d always created stories in my head, I guess I wanted the stories I’d spent so many hours creating to become a little more real in a sense.

– Tell us about your book, Shift.

Shift started out much different, not only the story but the settings as well. Initially the story was going to be from a young wolf’s point of view–my inspiration being Warriors by Erin Hunter(Amazon affiliate link). I scratched that version soon after I started it though I’m sure I have the few pages I wrote floating around on my computer. The planet in the book, Pandorma, was originally supposed to be just a well-hidden chunk of land on Earth instead of its own planet. The story took on a shape that I’d never imagined, in a way it kind of took on a life of its own and I’m proud of how it turned out.

– What is your all time favorite novel/book? What makes it special?

Currently I don’t have a favorite novel. I had several when I was younger, but I suppose my perspective changed with time. There are novels I have really enjoyed reading I just couldn’t single out a favorite.

– Tell us a bit about your writing process.

My writing process has changed over time, it used to be a lot easier eight or nine years ago! Basically, I would sit for hours just thinking, plotting. I would even take walks through our woods with my dog to do some plotting away from the screen. Writing a book where the main setting is the wild, being outdoors helped to get a better understanding of my character’s potential surroundings. These days, with a job occupying most of my time, my writing process tends to be less smooth. Because I’m not in my character’s head for hours I typically have to read what I’ve previously written to get me into my character’s mindset. I definitely don’t get to write as often as I’d like. I get some writing done here and there but I tend to do my best writing at night, I find I can focus best then. Actually, some of my best ideas have come to me when I’m in bed, trying to fall asleep. Without many late nights or even free days the amount of writing I do has significantly decreased but I write when I can.

– Tell us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.

I really don’t have many other hobbies–I generally don’t have much spare time! One of my hobbies used to be drawing but I lack skill and patience. Now the only drawing I typically do is a rough sketch here and there of a place or possibly a map for one of my books. Some of my passions would have to be roller coasters and travel. I’ll ride any roller coaster but the higher the drop the better. Traveling sparks my imagination, but it also helps relax my thoughts so that by the time I get home I feel refreshed and ready to write again. I don’t get to travel nearly as much as I’d like to, but that’s when the internet comes in handy. Just a picture of an incredible place is enough to get me thinking, and I always add it to my bucket list and hope one day I can go there in person.

– We have many followers who would like to start writing a book or are already writing their first book, any advice for these brave people?

The best advice I can think to give has probably been given hundreds of times, but it’s some of the best advice there is: don’t give up and if you haven’t already started writing, start! I’ve had days where writing can be daunting because I don’t know how to fill in the rest of a scene or I’m not sure how to wrap up and move on to the next scene and such, but it just takes time. Whenever I get stuck or discouraged, I take a break or turn to someone I know will lift me up. The nice thing about writing is that you can always come back to it, no matter how long it’s been.

– What are you reading at the moment?

At the moment I’m reading The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict(Amazon Affiliate link). It’s a historical fiction and for the last couple years I’ve mainly read books in this genre. I enjoy being transported back in time, the later the era the more fascinating I find it.

– How is it to be an author in your country? Do you have good support from the local public?

Well, I’m not sure what it’s like in other countries but to be an author in America I feel like it’s very crowded, to be honest. There are so many amazing authors and books out there it’s kind of like being a wildflower in a giant valley of flowers. It takes a lot of time and effort to get your book seen. As for support, I’ve been homeschooled since I was young, so my main support has always come from my family.

– A final message for circleofbooks.com readers.

Thank you to the Circle of Books team for the opportunity to get my book out to a wider audience and for the work they do to support authors. And thank you to the readers for braving to read my book, or even just peek at it. As a fellow reader I know it can be an investment to pick up a book by an author you’ve not read before!

Thank you Mikaela Nicole. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!

Click here to visit the author page here on Circle of Books.

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