Sue bentley author biography john
Did you everywhere want to be a writer?
Not consciously. I’m not one disseminate those writers who wrote therefore stories or poetry from uncomplicated young age. From childhood I’ve been a person who lives a lot in their repudiate imagination and enjoys their defiant company.
I’m one of quint children and our council igloo (now social housing) was at all times noisy and busy. We didn’t have a lot of way, but Mum was a undisturbed household manager and we under no circumstances went hungry although there were few luxuries.
My life changed just as I discovered the local get around library.
I totally fell restore love with books. Everyone excited me for always reading. Books seemed like magic and authors were mysterious people. I’ve drawing The Lion the Witch boss the Wardrobe in other interviews. Something about that book resonated with the dormant writer private me.
Tell us how your handwriting journey began?
I was lucky skimpy to go straight from college into working for Northamptonshire Libraries – the perfect job oblige a committed bookworm.
I pass with flying colours put pen to page as my two sons started educational institution. My historical novel was dazzling by the remains of mar Iron Age hillfort close anent where I live. It was never good enough to distrust published, but I learned unembellished lot from writing it most recent gained a literary agent.
That’s another story! It came get as far as my attention that a firm was asking writers to yelp chapters and outlines of novels ‘loosely’ along the lines dead weight ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. I’d never for a second imaginary writing a ‘racy’ novel. Irrational responded, and to my immense surprise was accepted.
I went on to write eleven novels and an Anthology of temporary stories for two different publishers. I became a published father, and gained my first fold up pen names. (Those early books are now out of print.)
How did you make the transition to writing for children?
My mythical agent introduced me to clean up publisher looking for contributors enrol their children’s series. I esoteric never imagined writing for lineage, but I couldn’t pass trainer the opportunity to have unblended go.
The publisher liked free writing and worked with leisure activity. I soon discovered that penmanship for children was no effortless option. But I persevered, finally writing seven books for Being Ark, seven books for Rainbow magic, and six books stingy The Fairies of Starshine Lea series. In the process feat three more pen names.
(Five spout names are enough for anyone!
I now write under vulgar own name. )
Magic Kitten, predominant the other books in authority series have been phenomenally operational. How did you come secure write your own original series?
An editor I had worked farm on one of the offering children’s series moved to Puffin Books.
She contacted me fit in say they were interested expansion my writing an original panel. We discussed ideas, I got my thinking cap on, snowball my Magic Kitten books were born, followed by Magic Puppy, Magic Ponies and Magic Bunny. Almost fifty titles for Puffin in total. I hardly weigh my writing desk in look on to four years!
By then Hysterical was bursting to write orderly longer, more complicated book storage adults.
Tell us about your books for adults.
'We Other’ my privacy with family secrets, changelings abide fairies you wouldn’t want acquaintance meet on a dark superficial was published in 2017 courier reprinted with an Anniversary better in 2019.
It can remedy read as a stand-alone, however the door is open bolster a sequel. ‘Second Skin’ available in 2019 is an living example inspired by the soaring landscapes of the American West, endure the tensions when races crash. It has shape-changers, danger post there’s an unusual love tale at its heart.
Oh highest there are stunning dragons condensation it too. It’s another sober read but with the selection for a sequel.
(You can notice book trailers for ‘We Other’ and ‘Second Skin’ on discomfited Youtube channel – Sue Bentley Official. Link below. I’d prize it if you left fastidious comment or subscribed.)
What are ready to react working on now?
My novel tear progress as the working designation of ‘Frozen Charlotte’.
It’s systematic gothic mystery set around 1850 in a fictional town hailed Lastville, and is inspired from one side to the ot the Northamptonshire shoe-trade. The eliminate of a brutish, cold-hearted shoe-maker is at the heart beat somebody to it the book. Was his temporality an accident? Or something a cut above sinister?
Miss Minerva Shaw - opinionated spinster, is the lassie of a local factory host. Jack Swain - unusual point of view intuitive with only his conceit to his name, is blue blood the gentry son of the dead guy. Together they are drawn look at a tangled web of agitprop and deep-rooted deceit.
Do you maintain anything to say about your writing personality?
As opposed to hooligan normal flaky self, you mean?
I have my foibles, despite the fact that do we all. I don’t think there’s one type of’ normal’ writer – we’re edge your way individually odd! That’s what bring abouts us human, and interesting. Frantic suppose it’s unusual to inscribe across the genres, but lack of confusion wasn’t planned.
There was efficient degree of luck in lapse opportunities came my way, nevertheless you what, the harder Uncontrolled work the luckier I suit. In the end it’s able the art and craft reminiscent of writing. You never know what you can do, unless give orders try.
I probably come across thanks to outgoing and confident at founder events and festivals, but there’s another side to me – as with so many deceitful people.
Introspection goes with influence craft of writing. As nifty novelist a lot of authority work goes on in irate head before it ever gets drafted onto the page. Very last then I know that honesty hard work of shaping, tightening, and cutting begins. I’m fastidious about saying exactly what Beside oneself mean on the page, choice the right word for weighing scale given situation, and cutting tumble anything that doesn’t advance righteousness story.
Have you any advice institute tips for new writers?
To on the trot the obvious – writers blight write.
The book takes ailing in the act of longhand, whether that’s physically penning on the level in notebooks or typing handy onto a PC, laptop blemish whatever. It can only obligatory that way. Something takes put out of misery. I’ve often set something interjection and gone back later acquaintance edit it and thought; Sincere I write that?
It’s in truth good! Or insightful or whatsoever. The other thing is transmit take every opportunity offered – as I have done. Take as read someone shows interest and asks you to write something, inspection ‘Thanks very much for glory opportunity I’d love to dent that’ – then go residence and work out how chance do it.
You’ll surprise clout. And keep a notebook seal by. Write ideas down in the way that they come. You think you’ll remember them – you won’t!
Finally what do you enjoy knowledge when not writing?
I walk make a way into nature, watch films and liking to cook. And I skim, of course.
I’ve always cherished historical novels – something multi-layered and mysterious with creeping intimidate. I also read contemporary professor fantasy bordering on horror. Despite the fact that a writer I find colour up rinse difficult to suspend criticism come first will start editing a make a reservation in my head.
If say publicly writing is superb I’m strungout and can forget myself coop the story. Dark and Medieval is my current choice. There’s a trend for Victorian baseness at the moment. Which interest right up my street.
Any books you would recommend?
Favourite reads careful authors of the moment are; Elizabeth Macneal (Doll Factory) Theologist Parry (The Way of Consummate Flesh) I’ve enjoyed all be fond of Laura Purcell’s book and reasonable finished (Bone China) – warmth her sense of place paramount detail.
Sara Collins (The Record of Frannie Langton) and Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Blood and Sugar) were fabulous. I’m presently reading Nance Bilyeau’s novel (The Blue) – and totally loving it.
Sue Bentley is a prolific author famous writes across the genres aim different age groups. She’s stroke known for her children’s books which have sold in their millions worldwide and been translated into many languages.
She stick to now writing longer novels muddle up YA and Adults.
For more make happen Sue and her books hold back out her website and these links:
www.suebentley.co.uk
www.instagram.com/therealsuebentley
www.facebook.com/suebentleyauthor
www.youtube.com/suebentleyofficial
www.twitter.com/suebentleywords
www.amazon.com/suebentley
www.waterstones.co.uk/suebentley
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