MVF Interviews Aida Brassington
MVF was very exited to be able to interview Aida Brassington, author of the very awesome paranormal romance novel Between Seasons. Check out Saluki’s book review here and then go buy the book! We promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Thank you so much for agreeing to chat with us about your new book, Between Seasons. It is always a pleasure to talk with new authors and we are delighted to be able to feature you on MVF.
No, no – thank YOU!
What inspired you to write Between Seasons?
I’ve lived in a couple of houses and apartments over the years that have ghosts in them (it’s okay: roll your eyes – even though most people believe in ghosts, most don’t publicly admit). How could you not wonder about who these people were and what being a ghost is like for them? That’s how the basic plot for Between Seasons was born.
Between Seasons ended in what seemed to be a potential cliffhanger and/or a leave-it-open-to-the-reader ending. Do you have any intentions or plans for a sequel?
Yes, that was definitely intentional. I just finished outlining the sequel for Between Seasons, and I’m starting the first draft. There are all sorts of questions yet to be answered about what exactly happened to Patrick (on a lot of levels). And as a teaser, I’ll say this: there are always consequences for getting what you want. I’d like to think it’ll take no more than a few months, but I can’t say with any certainty as to when it’ll be released.
Do you find that your characters shape the story or vice versa?
A little of both. I’m a great believer in outlining, but characters can change a story…or your story can change a character. In the first draft of Between Seasons, Julie – Sara’s sister – was a really nice, warm person. Until the end, and then she randomly morphed in my head into a manipulative jerk. That, of course, necessitated completely rewriting her in the rest of the novel.
Do you you visualize the scenes or do they come alive as you write them?
I’m a planner by nature, so scenes are pretty well fleshed out in my head before I start typing. Patrick’s house is so clear in my head that I could draw you a diagram right now, even though it’s been almost a year since I finished the first draft of the novel.
How often do you scrap an idea or concept before deciding it’s worth developing?
That’s a tricky question. I rarely start writing anything I’ve not decided is worth moving forward on, primarily because I’m an outliner. I have loads of half finished outlines that didn’t go anywhere, though. Sometimes you have to outline to realize something isn’t quite right. That said, I just finished the first draft of a YA horror novel (for National Novel Writing Month) that looked good in outline form, but I’m not 100% sure is worth revising into something finished.
Between Seasons is your first published novel. Tell us about your experience in finding an agent and pitching your book. Was it anything like what you expected or totally different?
Finding an agent is getting harder and harder. Agents are afraid of taking on anything unless they 100% KNOW they can sell it. Between Seasons is probably the most commercially viable novel I’ve written in that there’s already a proven audience for paranormal love stories, but I queried at a time when agents were overwhelmed with this kind of thing. I’m sure they’re still taking on books in that genre, but competition is very, very stiff.
I’m still querying agents on my other novels because a traditional publishing deal – being able to walk into a Barnes & Noble and buy my book off the shelf – is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid writing bad poetry. However, I have to admit that the state of the publishing industry is making me rethink my goals. Smaller but still reputable publishers don’t require you do have an agent to submit to them and they’re often able to provide you with better marketing support and distribution. Coffeehouse Press, for instance – they’re a fantastic operation who continuously produce fantastic novels . . . any you can buy them in a Barnes & Noble brick and mortar store.
As far as what I expected, well . . . it’s not any different than expected. It’s difficult and frustrating and some days the constant rejection stings like a bitch. But I know of best-selling books that were rejected by agents over 400 times until the writer found an agent willing to take a chance – so tenacity is the name of the game. Pitching an agent to his/her face is pretty daunting, but it’s also the ultimate rush when an agent asks you to send a manuscript. I’ve done it twice now, and both times resulted in a request.
Many of our readers are aspiring writers. What advice would you give regarding the publishing process?
Don’t give up. Seriously. Oh, and get a wide range of eyes on your work – beta readers, critique partners. And if you’re a writer from within the fandom, seek readers and crit partners from outside the fandom. Even if you have 10,000 reviews slobbering all over your fic, it doesn’t mean you’re a good writer. Getting feedback from someone who doesn’t know you, doesn’t care about you is the most important feedback you can ever get.
Also, I advise everyone to dream big. Polish your manuscript to sheen, and then shop it out to agents. Hundreds and hundreds, if you have to. But if no one signs you, explore other options – reputable small publishers and e-publishers. And geez, whatever you do, don’t go with an e-publisher who doesn’t have a good reputation just because they’re willing to offer you a contract — because it’ll only hurt you down the line.
Do you have a specific writing process? For instance, do you outline? Do you draw inspiration from music?
As I said, yes, I’m an outliner. A very big, anal compulsive outliner. I outline, I do exhaustive character sketches, I think and then think some more. I like to be prepared to write. When I do write, I’m almost always sitting on my couch with the computer in my lap. Sometimes I listen to music. It depends on the novel. For Between Seasons, I made a playlist and listened to it constantly as I wrote – music is a huge part of the novel, and there was a wide range of music that made sense: Patrick’s music from 1970 and the more contemporary music Sara would listen to.
How did your experience writing fan fiction help you write your novel? Do you think writing fan fiction is a helpful tool for aspiring authors?
I think I got most of my bad habits out of the way while writing fanfic. I do think it’s a helpful tool in that regard. Most people don’t come into writing fanfic with any sort of real knowledge about writing – and because the world is already built, it allows you to make short cuts in characterization and setting and even plot that you would never be able to get away with in original fiction (or at least not original fiction that anyone would want to read). A good measure of your growth is being able to look at things you wrote early on and cringe like hell…which I do.
What books are you currently reading?
I just finished German For Traveler’s by Norah Labiner, and I just started Sleight by Kirsten Kaschock.
Is there anything you would like to tell our readers about upcoming releases/projects?
Yeah, I’ve got nothing I haven’t already said!
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