B Lloyd – An Author Interview

Please welcome B Lloyd! This author interview is a follow up to yesterday’s cover reveal post for her new book, Greenwood Tree.

When did you first discover the desire to write was so strong in you?

I’ve been scribbling and doodling since I could put pen to paper, and I think it is something that ran in the family on my mother’s side.

Do you usually write in the same genre you tend to prefer to read?

I think so – although, I have been experimenting with steampunk (well, my version of it!) which is not something I typically read.

When reading, do you prefer traditional printed books or ebooks?

I have long been intrigued by the idea of being able to carry huge library-worth’s of books around with me in one book-size piece of technology… I am now quite used to both, although it can be trickier to turn the pages back on an e-book!

Have you been influenced and/or inspired by another writer, or writers?

Surely lots – favourites include T. L. Peacock, Sheridan Le Fanu, M. James, D. L. Sayers, Dickens, Collins and many, many others…

Have you got both printed and digital books published?

Greenwood Tree will be available in both formats.

Do you try to write to satisfy what is fashionable, or do you write pieces that you would want to read?

I think mystery and detective fiction has never quite gone out of fashion (luckily, as these count among some of my favorite genres!) so again, a combination of writing the sort of book I would want to read, coupled with what could be marketable; although having said that, it is possible to market almost anything. As one sees everyday online…)

How do you fit writing into your life? Do you have set times for writing?

I have a notebook and pen always handy into which I can scribble whatever pops into my head, so writing/drawing are always present. (Laptops are not always so convenient, although my laptop comes a close second!)

One day, I might even have a room just for writing in… one day. A writer can always dream, can’t they? They have so much practice in dreaming, after all.

Do you keep every jotting of ideas, just in case they might be developed at some later date?

Yes! Far too many – all bundled away, on paper and hard drives… waste not, want not…

Do you write freeform or do you faithfully plan every piece meticulously before you start on a piece?

It tends to be a combination – some things write themselves (generally the shorter ones), while others I start planning in detail – and it grows into something else!

When writing, most authors now use a computer of some description. Which do you find more satisfying: writing using any means available, using a computer, using a typewriter or using a pen/pencil?

It does vary; if I have a laptop, when I can type straight in, then that is convenient – but then so is pen and paper: doodling can often kickstart the whole process!

Have you ever been somewhere and discovered a copy of a book that’s extremely difficult to find, and drooled over the discovery?

A late 19th century edition of the complete works of Beaumarchais; and I can think of a few others I should like to come across – some early editions of Peacock’s Nightmare Abbey, perhaps…

What is your greatest ambition in writing?

To entertain, and share some fun. There are of course always longer, greater tales waiting to be written – and who knows, one day, like that writing room…

Are there any future writing projects you can tell us about?

Certainly! At present, the sequel to Greenwood Tree is in progress, with a further two in planning stages. I have also been collaborating on a ghost anthology with fellow authors including V. R. Christensen, Ruth Barrett, Shalini Boland and Gev Sweeney, and I have a collection of tales with my publisher. And there are more projects waiting in the wings…

Where can readers find out more about your works?

Author links :

My blog is: lloydanon.wordpress.com

On Twitter: @AuthorsAnon