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Interview – Natalie Hopkins
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Interview
– When did you start writing, what moved you to start writing?
Approximately 5 years ago I began attending a Spiritual Group meeting to help me cope with my recently diagnosed Clinical Anxiety and Depression which I felt was caused by the struggle in a stressful job dealing with other people’s problems. I had worked for Citizens Advice for 12 years and the constant threat of loss of funding compounded by helping clients’ at threat of losing their homes and dealing with bailiffs became too much. My physical and mental health deteriorated and as I started practicing meditation and reiki my mind and body felt clearer and freer, I began receiving messages that I needed to get out of my job. To relieve stress I began scribbling and put pen to paper or typed notes I’d made. I had daydreams of animals and saw certain animals in meditation and I began writing about them. I began to write and things just escalated from there.
– Tell us about your book. Why should everyone buy it?
I’m expressing my own pent up thoughts in the stories and using my humour to explain some forms of personal issues and discrimination and how people deal with it. It’s based around British Wildlife that live along the Countryside and riverbank of Caerleon, Bulmore and Kemys and deals with life from 2 squirrels points of view.
People should buy my book for the humour and satire that’s woven around the words and stories. I’ve attempted to intertwine folklore and whatever makes me smile into the story.
– What is your all time favorite novel/book? What makes it special?
My all time favourite book is The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton (<- Amazon affiliate link). It was one of the first books I read alone and introduced me to the genre of Fantasy and I’ve read the type of books ever since.
– Tell us a bit about your writing process.
My writing process is a mixed jumble a bit like my own thought processes, I get an idea, write that down and build from there.
– What author would you love to have dinner with?
I’d love to have dinner with Terry Pratchett (<- Amazon affiliate link) and be able to pick his brains and understand how his thought process worked.
– Tell us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.
My passions are reading, collecting watches, crystals and pens, plus trying assorted gins. My hobbies include reading goddess rune stones, scuba diving , backgammon and computer gaming. I love the sci-fi channel and Netflix.
– 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?
I’d just advise them to continue with their writing and don’t let anyone else tell them what to do. Have confidence in themselves and always stay positive and learn to manifest their dreams.
– How often do you write, daily, every other day or?
I attempt to write, read or edit at least every day to prevent lapsing into apathy and get writers block. Write even if it’s about a different story. I have more than one on the go at any given time but that’s just me, do what’s good for you. Just write every day no matter how many words you get down.
– What are you reading at the moment?
Leap of Perception, You are the Placebo, The Asbo Fairy Tales.(<-Amazon affiliate links)
– How is it to be an author in your country? Do you have good support from the local public?
As I live in Wales we are an extremely supportive Country but we are quiet about everything unless it’s Rugby. As I’m on the Waterstones list thanks to Olympia Publishers I took a copy of my book into local stores who were going to pass it to their buyers. Fingers crossed.
– Certainly you have had some interesting episodes as an author, fans related or others, share one of them with us.
I began writing my first attempt at a story called In Deep (still determining whether to put it into a Novel) on Archive of our Own and have acquired lots of readers who have since become friends. One reader, Claire Higgins now does my proofreading and her sister, Rebecca Higgins a Professional Artist designs my book covers. I have readers and now friends from around the globe.
Thank you Natalie Hopkins. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!
Click here to visit the author page here on Circle of Books.
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