Thanks go to Nettie Thomson for nominating me for this Blog Tour…I got asked when it was named My Writing Process, but I was too busy to take part, so this second chance is much appreciated! Go take a look at Nettie’s answers here, then see what I’m doing…
Writing © Lisa Shambrook
What are you working on?
Right now I’m editing ‘Beneath the Old Oak’ and I’m very appreciative of beta readers! Sometimes you can be too close to your story and your writing and only someone else can catch the little things – or maybe the big things…
‘Beneath the Old Oak’ is the sequel to my debut novel ‘Beneath the Rainbow’ and continues seven years later following Meg, Freya’s best friend. Meg is now fourteen and her life is in turmoil. This story is close to my heart. They say write what you know – many of both Meg’s and her mother’s problems are things I’ve fought and done myself. Depression and anxiety affect entire families, not just the sufferers, and it’s a subject I’ve enjoyed tackling. Those who know my writing will appreciate a tough subject, but dealt with in an uplifting way.
The tentative blurb for ‘Beneath the Old Oak’ is:
‘Meg’s mother is anxious, depressed and neglectful. Meg thinks her mum is broken and wonders if she’ll be next, or is she already broken too? Meg wants to escape, but her mum beats her to it. Solace is found in a huge, old oak tree and Meg begins to learn to grow…’
Prior to resuming my editing, I’ve been writing flash fiction and enjoying submitting to contests and anthologies: Audiomachine’s Phenomena: Epic Heroes Event, The Anthology Club’s Pirate Anthology, Dirty Goggles 2014 and J.A.Mes Press Rebirth Anthology to name a few, along with traditional flash challenges like Blues Buster and Five Sentence Fiction.
World Book Day © Lisa Shambrook
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
I write eclectic flash fiction and enjoy experimenting with genres!
‘Beneath the Rainbow’ is placed in contemporary fiction, but it’s been enjoyed by everyone from 9 to 99 years old. ‘Beneath the Old Oak’ will hit the market as YA contemporary fiction.
How does my work differ? My writing definitely has its own voice, vibrant, lyrical and emotional. I work with the senses, description and colour, and my imagery stands out. If you really want to ‘feel’ what you read, try mine…
Cobalt (my art and photography) © Lisa Shambrook (All Rights Reserved)
Why do you write/create what you do?
I write because it’s an urge I cannot deny. I’d go mad if I couldn’t lay down my thoughts on paper! I’m a creative soul, I need an outlet and it takes whatever forms my inspiration demand, from art to short stories, scrapbooking to photography, and craft to novels…
Notebooks everywhere © Lisa Shambrook
How does your writing/creative process work?
My heart is in control of my process, and I often have to rein it in, or nothing would get done!
I keep my inspirations jotted down, but generally only work on one big project at a time. Right now I will finish and release ‘Beneath the Old Oak’, and then work on the final book ‘Beneath the Distant Star’ which waits in its first draft form.
After that…who knows? I have a lovely children’s dragon adventure trilogy, and an epic dragon fantasy in the works…
I’m a planner. NaNoWriMo taught me discipline and that I need to plan! I pretty much work out a novel with a chapter-by-chapter plan, which will then spawn scenes and then writing. I also keep scrupulous notebooks of information eg: chronology, dates and times of sunsets/rises, flowers in season, character info, eye colour…it’s so easy to switch eye colour half way through a book, or a car model…been there!
My heart will determine my next work…
Fairywings Anemone © Lisa Shambrook
What I love about this Blog Tour is all creatives are catered for…and you need to look out for the following on the 26th when they take the baton for this tour:
Amanda Makepeace: www.amandamakepeace.com Her art is not to be missed!
Ruth Long: www.ruth-long.com Her words just blow me away!
Bekah Shambrook: www.bekahcat.wordpress.com If you want scary zombie make up, she’s your girl!
Website © Lisa Shambrook
You can also check out my website: www.lisashambrook.com
And find ‘Beneath the Rainbow’ on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
The Last Krystallos 