When The Charm was first released I was interviewed by Marlene Moss, writer, editor and blogger. The interview was first seen on her blog, On Writing and Riding, and can be seen below now.

Where/how did you come up with the idea for your story? Did it suddenly pop into your head or were you brainstorming?

The seed of the idea for The Charm kind of crept into my head after watching a mind magician on TV. The idea wasn’t really fully formed in my head at first. But it grew and developed over time, almost subconsciously, until I had a clear sense of the concept and was ready to start writing.

Did you start with the main character, the world or the overarching concept?

The concept came first and helped to shape the characters. Three of the main characters, Luca, Ella and Brain Lord all have the charm (the power to control minds), but how and why they use it is very different.

Panster or Plotter? Or in between?

I’m somewhere in between when it it comes to plotting. I did start by writing a synopsis with the main action points outlined but once I started writing some things ended up going in different directions.  I returned to the synopsis at the end and rewrote it to reflect what actually happened.

Are you a fan of writing contests?

Yes, I think competitions are a good way of potentially gaining publication and income. I’ve entered a few short story contests and, whilst I haven’t been successful, it certainly wasn’t a waste of time. Writing to a word count on a particular theme or in a different genre has been good practice in the craft of writing. And, even though the stories weren’t placed, they can be rewritten or edited for different markets in the future.

How did you find your agent? How many query letters did you send?

I don’t have an agent although I am looking for one for a picture book I have written.

What’s the best marketing tool you’ve found so far?

This is my first novella and it’s early days since the release to really tell what particular aspect of marketing has been the most effective. I was really lucky to have a promotions specialist from Musa Publishing who organised things like the cover reveal, release day blast and tour. I wouldn’t have known where to start with these things, or find the contacts, but I’ve really enjoyed the process. It’s been nice to engage with other writers and readers.

What do you like best about your main character?

I like that although Luca is good looking, he’s not vain and he’s actually quite shy around girls. He’s surprised to discover his best girl friend, Kane, likes him and he’s not sure how to react. I also like that he loves his cat. People who are kind to animals are good in my book (pardon the pun)!

What do you like best about your main antagonist?

Brain Lord may be misguided but he’s still smart. He uses brain over brawn for his cause.

Anything else you like to share about your journey ?

I feel like I have just started on my writing journey and I’ve found the writing community to be very supportive. I’ve had some really useful feedback and advice from more experienced writers. And I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received so far.

The Charm is available on Amazon here: http://hyperurl.co/2ad8h0

Don’t have a Kindle? If you have a smart phone or tablet you can still enjoy The Charm. The Kindle app is free in the apple and android stores.