Author Interview (1)

Hello all of my wonderful, sweet readers!! I have my first author interview for you guys today! She is the author of the upcoming book called Masque of the Red Death. So without further interruption……

Me: I take a lot of interest in the covers of books. Were you pleased with the cover of Masque of the Red Death? How much say did you have in how it turned out?

Bethany: I didn't really have any say. It's definitely more girly than I would've gone for, but...that's why I'm not a cover artist. The final copy is gorgeous, it glows and has raised lettering, and deckled pages, just beautiful. And I do like girly covers, myself, I've been known to buy a few books just for their covers, but I was sort of expecting something more symbolic, and something that would maybe not appeal to boys, but not turn them off? So it did take me awhile to get used to the cover.

Me: Tell me more about the Debauchery Club.

Bethany:  Well, it was based on 19th century gentlemen's clubs. Here's an educational :) quote from the internet: The nineteenth century was the age of clubs, each with its own building resembling a stately mansion where gentlemen smoked, drank, ate, read (in libraries or news rooms), gambled, played billiards, and socialized among their peers. Members were elected (or not--that is, blackballed) and clubs members often had common political or recreational interests. (http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/england/london/clubsintro/intro.html). Honestly, when I first started brainstorming this book, before the historical setting seeped in, I imagined April and Araby going to a loud dance club. But the Debauchery Club, with it's sort of quiet, genteel debauchery worked so much more for me.

Me: Did you picture Araby as appearing anything like the girl on the cover of your book? What do you think some of Araby's best qualities are?

Bethany: Well, since you can't really see her face...I'd say that yes I did picture her as being very thin, and at least sometimes, elegant, like the girl on the cover. I think Araby's best quality is probably perseverance.

Me: What type of setting was Araby's surroundings before destruction took place?

Bethany: Good question. In a lot of ways, I pictured it as very Victorian, as far as the architecture, but buildings like the Akkadian towers would've been too tall to be realistic in that time period. The city had a bustling harbor and was obviously thriving, before, fashions and social conventions were very Victorian.

Me: Did you travel at all concerning this book, if so where?

Bethany: No, I actually didn't. The setting was completely and totally manufactured in my head.

Me: In your writing process how do you go about planning your character's next thoughts, moves, or actions?

Bethany: Wow, I'm not sure how to answer that exactly. In some ways you get a feel for who the character is, and of course you know the movement of the plot, so their thoughts and actions are dependent on how this character would react to each thing that happens, what they would do, so it isn't so much planning (though the plotting is planning) so much as intuiting how the characters would react to any given situation and making it work with the plot???

Me: Who is your favorite author and what is it that strikes you about their work?

Bethany: I actually think my favorite author is Stephen King, because he writes such fascinating characters, and I love his fantasy-ish books, like the Dark Tower series, The Talisman, and The Stand.

Me: Do you have any future projects planned?

Bethany: I just turned in the sequel to Masque, and I have started a new book, but it's just a few chapters long...

Wow! Thank you so much Bethany for agreeing to let me interview you and we are all anxiously awaiting the release of Masque of the Red Death, which is due to release tomorrow, April 24, 2012! Everyone please stop by Bethany’s Website and check it out!