Today I’d like to welcome C. Warner-Thompson to Off the Page chatting about her new book, The Mirage.
Hi Clemy! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tell us a bit about your writing – How long have you been writing? How many books have you written and in what genres?
I have been writing 9 years altogether, started a week before my 13th birthday and have never stopped. I’m currently working on my 6th book and once it’s finished I will start my next series. I love fantasy and each and every one of my projects will be fantasy based.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I loved books as a child. I loved to jump into the stories. I guess from then, I knew I wanted to make people feel the same.
Where is your favorite spot in which to write? Garden? Study? Kitchen table? In bed?
I always write in my little study. It has a big window which lets lots of light in. It is quite small and sometimes it get s a little cramped with all my notes and such, but now that I type, the PC is a must have!
How long does it take you to write the first rough draft of one of your books?
About 10 months… ish… maybe a bit longer. I used to take years. My first trilogy took me 7 years to write, plan, edit and then print. This second series I’m working on has only taken me almost 2 years
Do you ever get part way through writing a book and find the characters are leading the story off in a different direction to how you had envisaged? If so, what do you do about it?
Yes, all the time!! My plans never stay the same. If the story starts to verge off, I usually let it. As long as all the important points are kept within the story and main events still happen in the right order, I give my characters control. The ending is always the same. I know the ending as soon as is tart writing the book. That never changes.
Is there such a thing as an average writing day for you and if so what is it?
I wish. I try and write every day but some times, I just can’t manage it. I can write a couple of hundred in a day, sometimes I write a couple of thousand a day. It all depends on how I’ve slept or what I’m doing
How do you create the characters in your books?
Good question. Honestly, I have no idea. A name pops in my head randomly and then from there, my character is born. I just choose hair colour and eye colour, sometimes what magic they’re going to have, then I just get cracking. It’s simple sometimes complex other times.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Eragon by Christopher Paulini. Loved it.
What is your favorite film of all time?
Oooooo, that’s a difficult one. You can’t beat anything like The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. I watch films daily. I love the entire Marvel collection.
Biggest myth about being a writer?
People think being a writer is easy, they know nothing!
Advice to aspiring writers?
Don’t give up. No matter how tough it’s looking, or how confused you are, or even if you’re struggling with writer’s block, don’t ever give up.
What would you be if you weren’t a writer?
A shop assistant. I love working with the customers. I work in a shop now
Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
Is it bad if I say in the same place…? I have a job I enjoy, I write in my spare time- there’s nothing else I’d rather do. Of course, being published traditionally would be fabulous, but I’m not greedy!
Abbii can’t remember a time when Shadows weren’t chasing her.
Everywhere she goes they are there, hunting her down.
Since discovering the magical powers in her grasp, she has fought against members of the Forgotten- those pulled into Darkness willingly- and her friends have fallen into danger. Innocent people have lost their lives and the Shadows have spread. Abbii’s friends have fought to remain by her side, but something inside of her has changed.
She is filled with regret and pain of losing her best friend Jake, though she keeps it hidden well- not even Nate can see the damage. Her lack of emotion pushes him to leave and he is thrown into his own spiralling destiny.
Abbii has a choice- to stay by her friends’ sides and fight to protect their home, or leave the realm she knows and search for those that she has lost. Her heart is broken but her friends cannot help her. She has to choose between searching for Jake in the Dark, or whether to return to Nate’s side and keep the Light burning brightly.
The question is, will Light be able to save her from the Darkness within?
