Author Maria Bradley Shares Their Story
I have always wanted to be a writer but have never really had the confidence to do it before now. Not that I’m in any way confident now, it’s just that I’ve realised that time is running out and my children are of an age where they can look after themselves to a certain degree.
I have worked as a Finance Clerk, Merchandiser, Sales Assistant, and Carer; more recently I’ve worked with special needs children and young adults. I love them all and continue to volunteer, but my real passion is for writing.
Writing a story opens up a world which is entirely controlled by the writer; it can be happy or sad, down-to-earth or mystical, heart-warming or terrifying. It is the most exciting and captivating use of time and is full of possibilities. A good story consumes the reader absolutely and leaves them bereft when they get to the end. I have read many stories like this and I hope that one day my stories will have the same effect. That is when I will feel that I have succeeded as an Author.
Many writers take their characters with them wherever they go and I’m no exception. To explore their personalities and their reactions to certain situations I imagine them in various scenarios throughout my day. The more rounded the character, the more believable the person is within the story. Your characters must be as real to you as you want your reader to believe in them
Now that I have finally ‘bitten the bullet’ and dove into the writing world, I can’t see myself doing anything else. I would say to any aspiring Author, and in fact, to everybody who is too shy or lacks the confidence to try and achieve their dreams, ‘Go For it! Don’t waste any time worrying if you are good enough or worry about what anyone else thinks, just do it now, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!’
About the Author
I have always wanted to be a writer but have never really had the confidence to do it before now. Not that I’m in any way confident now, it’s just that I’ve realised that time is running out and my children are of an age where they can look after themselves to a certain degree.
I have worked as a Finance Clerk, Merchandiser, Sales Assistant, and Carer; more recently I’ve worked with special needs children and young adults. I love them all and continue to volunteer, but my real passion is for writing.
Writing a story opens up a world which is entirely controlled by the writer; it can be happy or sad, down-to-earth or mystical, heart-warming or terrifying. It is the most exciting and captivating use of time and is full of possibilities. A good story consumes the reader absolutely and leaves them bereft when they get to the end. I have read many stories like this and I hope that one day my stories will have the same effect. That is when I will feel that I have succeeded as an Author.
Many writers take their characters with them wherever they go and I’m no exception. To explore their personalities and their reactions to certain situations I imagine them in various scenarios throughout my day. The more rounded the character, the more believable the person is within the story. Your characters must be as real to you as you want your reader to believe in them
Now that I have finally ‘bitten the bullet’ and dove into the writing world, I can’t see myself doing anything else. I would say to any aspiring Author, and in fact, to everybody who is too shy or lacks the confidence to try and achieve their dreams, ‘Go For it! Don’t waste any time worrying if you are good enough or worry about what anyone else thinks, just do it now, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!’
What inspires you to write romance books?
There’s nothing that tugs at the heartstrings more than an unrequited or impossible love. I write in the young adult genre, whose lives are littered with passionate embraces, heartbreaking crushes, first loves, and soul-mates (at least mine was, a long, long, long time ago). Although my writing isn’t centred solely on this aspect of the human condition, I never-the-less realise its importance when creating a rounded, believable character. We all need love!
Courage, adventure, quests and murder mysteries aside, the icing on the cake for all of us is to find that one special person who understands us. Someone who shares our interests, who might not like everything we do, but loves us enough to overlook the disagreeable stuff, and rejoice in the good.
Tell us about how you write:
I’m an old fashioned writer and the words come easily to me if I write them on pen and paper before transferring them to the computer. I don’t know if that is unusual but this digital world wasn’t around when I was a girl (well at least not in my house) and I’m comfortable with my bit of paper and sturdy old papermate.
Sometimes I am a seat of your pants writer, when something in the outside world triggers an idea when I’m doing the shopping or something. I’l notice a person doing something in an offbeat or unusual way, and think ‘hmmm, that would fit in with this character’s personality’, or maybe ‘ that’s quirky, I’m having that!’.
When it’s a trilogy of books, I want to create a more in-depth character who remains believable, and grows throughout the series. Everything we experience in life molds our character into something slightly different than we were before, so I have learnt to adapt my heroine/heroes as they continue along their path.
Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
All the time! How do you think I got the idea for ‘Amica’ my heroine’s imaginary friend in Only Human. I know they are not real but part of me wishes they were, because at least in that part of my life, people do as they are told! Sorry kids! I’m getting the evil eye from my three children for writing that! No, I genuinely love my pretend people, and who’s to say what is real and not real? If I get something from imagining what they would say or how they would react in certain situations, and they are real to me, then they are real and that’s that! Aecia of Only Human agrees with me!
What advice would you give other writers?
Draw on your own experiences, and write honestly from the heart, then think of your own perfect romance, and the feelings it would evoke, because sadly real life does not always live up to the rose coloured, red hot passion we can easily imagine. Sometimes it does though, so write about those times. Mix it all up with a murder mystery, cheating vagabond or impossible union, and you have a story.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I wrote to various agents, and then spotted KDP and other opportunities to get my writing noticed.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think it is an exciting time for authors and readers alike. Authors because there are many more opportunities to get our work in front of interested readers, and readers because there are now so many more books available in different formats and genres, available to read.
What genres do you write?
Young adult, teen, vampire, fantasy, fiction,
What formats are your books in?
Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Author Home Page Link
Link To Author Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6867645.Maria_Bradley
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Maria-Bradley/213743912090998
https://twitter.com/mmhgrty
http://pinterest.com/mariammhgrty/go-back-to-reading-and-writing/
