– How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I could hold a crayon … or at least not put it into my mouth. I really began writing seriously when I was 15 – 16 though. That was the time when I thought, ‘You know what, this writing thing isn’t so bad! I like making my own rules, my own worlds.’
– What was your inspiration for GOMAL?
GOMAL? You know, that’s really caught on! I like it.
My inspiration was fairy tales. I loved fairy tales, but wanted something gritty. I didn’t want a princess who existed purely to show how brave the prince was. I didn’t really want a princess at all. I wanted a character who seemed real and who could mirror the reader. That’s when the main character, Leonie, kind of burst into my head and said, ‘FINALLY! Are you going to be the one to tell my story?’ I honestly had no choice but to write it then.
Another inspiration was the theme of immortality. It’s always been perceived as something exciting and wonderful, but what if yo spend your forever in a cage, obeying a master who thought you were nothing but dirt? That wouldn’t be so much fun, would it?
I also wanted to explore loss and grief, but also hope within it. Loss and grief are horrible but necessary feelings. You’re truly alive when you have known them. But one thing a lot of people forget is that in those feelings, you can find hope, you can find light, and I think this is the building blocks between the two main characters.
– What is your writing process? (Do you have a daily word count or page number you aim to reach?)
I have absolutely no process. I write when I want to write, when I have an absolute need to. I know that writers do have goals, but I feel that forcing myself to write makes my narrative stunted and boring. I always write when I HAVE to write. Of course, this does mean that I don’t get my manuscripts finished as quickly as other writers!
What really helps me is music. Never underestimate instrumental music or James Newton Howard!
– How did social media help you with the writing process?
To be honest, I was never big on social media. I hate that it took over everything, but just like music, don’t underestimate it. Without social media, I would not have met BETA readers that I will value until the end of days. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to connect with other writers with tips and inspiration. I would have never read blogs that helped me understand self-publishing and marketing. Truly, social media is a far bigger help in writing than you’d expect.
– What are some of your favorite books or authors?
By far Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. I also really enjoyed The Inheritance Cycle (Eragon). The worlds are in-depth, the characters are delicious and the plots are unique. In my opinion.
– What are you writing now?
I’m staring on the sequel to GOMAL and the second book in The Chosen Saga – Order of Ashes!
Thank you for the interview! It was great being here 🙂
Girl of Myth and Legend
Release Date: 12/29/15
Summary from Goodreads:
A girl with a past she tries to forget,
and a future she can’t even imagine.
Leonie Woodville wants to live an unremarkable life. She wants routine, she
wants repetition, she wants predictability. So when she explodes in a blaze of
light one morning on the way to her college, it’s enough to put a real crimp in
her day.
And things only get weirder…
Leonie learns from her father that she is last of the Pulsar, a phenomenally
powerful member of a magical species called the Chosen. It will be her sole
duty to protect the Imperium, a governing hierarchy, from all enemies, and to
exceed the reputation of the Pulsar before her. So – no pressure there, then.
Leonie is swept away from her rigorous normality and taken to a world of magic.
There, she is forced into a ceremony to join her soul to a guardian, Korren,
who is both incredibly handsome and intensely troubled, a relationship for
which ‘it’s complicated’ just really doesn’t cut it.
But Leonie is soon to learn that this ancient world is no paradise. With
violent dissidents intent to overthrow the Imperium, and dark entities with
their own agenda, she and Korren find themselves caught in a war where they
will have to overcome their differences if they are to survive.
Dare to dream. Dare to hope. Dare to be a legend.
Book One in The Chosen Saga.
Giselle Simlett was born in England. She
has studied Creative Writing at both Gloucestershire University and the Open
University. She has a diploma in Creative Writing, Language and Literature and
will soon complete her BA Hons Open Degree.
She does not as yet have a degree in the power and responsible use of magic,
but she does have a young son, which amounts to the same thing.
She currently lives in Australia with her husband and son.
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