Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy interviews A.E. Bennett
Author
to Author interview between Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy [@whatbladidnext] and A.E.
Bennett [@aebennettwrites]
1.
We’re meeting for this chat in your favourite
cafe/ bar/ pub/ restaurant/ hotel lobby. Where are we and why is this your
favourite? And what have you ordered for us?
I’m a fan of rooftop bars on warm summer evenings. I like good wine,
strong cheeses, and thick jam. (A side of olives wouldn’t hurt, either.)
2.
What name[s] do you write under?
A.E. Bennett
3.
When was the last time you wrote?
I try to get in a writing session at least once a week. I tend to
set aside a few hours on either a Thursday or Friday evening and write as much
as I can before my body starts to ache and my eyes start to close.
4.
What is your most recently published book or
current work in progress? Who is most likely to read it?
I published two books in 2021. Both are part of The Serrulata Saga.
“Gathering of the Four” is the first book in the series and is a SFF
action-adventure. “Yours and Mine” is a romance prequel (though it can be read
as a standalone).
I think anyone who’s looking for a sprawling epic adventure would
like “Gathering of the Four”.
Fans of high-heat, Regency romance would love “Yours and Mine”.
(I’ve been told by more than one fan it’s like Bridgerton in the future.)
Book Two of The Serrulata Saga is with beta readers right now. I’m
also working on the first draft of my second romance novella in the series.
5.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Myself! Sometimes I freak myself out before a writing session and
let that horrible Imposter Syndrome monster take over. I sometimes worry that
my books are nothing but DNFs and that I will never develop a fanbase. When I
get in my head like that, it can be challenging to then sit down and write,
even though I care deeply about my characters.
6.
What was the best money you ever spent as a
writer?
My cover artist, Sarah Waites, is really talented and rad to work
with. I’m so happy I found her!
7.
As a writer, what would you choose as your
mascot/avatar/spirit animal and why?
My profile picture on my social accounts is a cherry blossom (Prunus
serrulata). The cherry blossoms are popular in Washington, DC, which is where I
currently live and where some scenes from The Serrulata Saga take place. Cherry
blossom season is short, but incredibly beautiful, and the blooms inspire me
every year.
8.
What did you [or would you do] with your first
advance or payout from your first book?
Well, as an indie author, I will readily admit my payouts have been
minimal. If I do ever wind up making any money on my work, I’d probably put it
back into my hobby and explore more marketing. (I am very bad at marketing.)
9.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do
you have? Care to share the [working] titles with us?
At the moment, just my current WIP. I know many authors who have a
lot of irons in the fire, so to speak, but I struggle to focus on more than one
project at a time. It’s been a life-long dream to put The Serrulata Saga down
on paper and I’m very focused on that.
10.
Describe your perfect writing location/set-up?
I’ve always lived in small spaces, but I guess I’d love to have a
room dedicated to just writing someday. The space would be cozy and the walls
would be covered in books. Maybe it would be in Manhattan and my window would
look out over one of the busier streets, like 5th Avenue? Perhaps there’d be a
fireplace in this dream room, too, to warm me during cold winter nights. Ah,
it’s nice to dream!
11.
What is your actual writing location/set-up
like?
The master bedroom in our apartment doubles as my home office, so
it’s not exactly spacious, but I do have a comfy chair, a nice desk, a lamp
that works, and my trusty Mac – all I need, really!
12.
How long, on average, does it take you to write
a book?
Goodness… it took me years to write “Gathering of the Four” and
weeks to write “Yours and Mine”. It really depends on where my imagination
wants to go.
13.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Would you ever let someone else, say a reader name one?
The Four in “Gathering of the Four” have had the same names since I
first dreamed them up over two decades ago. Now when I create characters, I
think about their personality and how I want the audience to perceive them, and
then, honestly, I Google. Not sure I’d ever be comfortable giving that process
up - I think I’m too much of a control freak - and there are some names that I
have bad associations with, so I probably wouldn’t let anyone else in on this
process.
14.
What’s your favourite underappreciated book?
I don’t have any one book that comes to mind, but I read a lot of
romance and it shocks me that it’s still considered a “less than” genre by so many.
Romance has been such a great comfort to me during the past few years, I’m now
very defensive of it as a genre.
15.
Do you ever Google yourself or your books? If
so, what's the most surprising thing you’ve found?
Ha! I’m not at all known or famous, so I think right now this would
be a waste of time.
16.
What or who are you currently reading yourself?
I have a large list of indie reads on my Kindle. I try and review
every once (even if it’s just giving it a rating), since I know how important
reviews are to authors like me. (Shameless plug - I’m on Goodreads if you want
to find me and be pals!)
17.
What other books are in your ‘to be read’ pile?
I did just buy “The Dawn of Everything.” Trendy? Yes! But it sounded
really intriguing.
18.
Where and how can we all stalk you and your
great work from now on? Leave us all the links below!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aebennettwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aebennettwrites/
TikTok: @aebennettwrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21380380.A_E_Bennett
Website: https://www.booksbybennett.com
Please do follow both Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy @WhatBladidnext and A.E. Bennett @aebennettwrites
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