Author interview with Ishbelle BeeAuthor bio: Ishbelle Bee writes horror and loves fairy-tales, the Victorian period (especially top hats!) and cake tents at village fêtes (she believes serial killers usually opt for the Victoria Sponge).
She currently lives in Edinburgh. She doesn’t own a rescue cat, but if she did his name would be Mr Pickles.
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Hi Ishbelle, welcome over at The Book Plank and for taking your time to
answer these few questions for us.
BP: First off could you give us a short introduction as to who Ishbelle
Bee is? What are you hobbies, likes and dislikes?
IB: I live in Edinburgh,
Scotland and I am half Scottish and half English ( I was born in London). I
write adult fairytales infused with horror elements and inspired by folklore
and mythology. My hobbies are reading and illustrating. I like cheesecake and I dislike thoughtless, rude people and tripe.
BP: Mirror
and Goliath was your debut. When and where you first decided to write your first
story?
IB: I have been writing since I was very young but
MIRROR & GOLIATH I began writing in 2012 while I was working fulltime and
it took a year to complete as I was trying to squeeze it in to my free time.
BP: What
gave you the idea/inspiration behind the The Peculiar Adventures of John
Loveheart?
IB: I
love the Victorian period and I was interested in writing a horror/ fairystory involving Jack the Ripper and exploring the
idea of ‘demonic’ possession. I am very interested in quirky characters who are
colourful and perplexing with their own little eccentricities and I wanted to
incorporate a lot of them into a strange imaginative Victorian London.
BP: Writing
a debut is a daunting task. How did you went about and plan writing Mirror and
Goliath?
IB:
Although I tend to write books fairly fast, MIRROR & GOLIATH was written in
tiny sections over the course of a year due to my job at the time. There was no
actual plan for the plot- I had an outline in my head, and scenarios I wanted
to pursue ( a coffin clock was a particular idea I had in mind). It was
frustrating writing the book in small sections but I slowly found my voice
whilst it was being created. I was rather self conscious at the beginning but
by the end of the book I felt comfortable and at ease with the style and flow
of the narrative.
BP: Mirror
and Goliath is being compared to big names writers such as Neil Gaimen, what
does that mean to you?
IB: I
am, of course very flattered by the comparison. Gaiman has a beautiful
imagination and I find his work wonderfully sensitive and poetic. My
favourite works of his are STARDUST, CORALINE and THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE. I also
love the SANDMAN series.
BP: The
second book, The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl, is out this August if you
would have to sell the book with a single sentence how would it go?
IB: Marc
Gascoigne the founder of Angry Robot
books pitched it perfectly - ALICE IN
WONDERLAND GOES TO HELL
BP: What
has been the biggest challenge you have faced when during the writing of the
series so far?
IB: The
increasing surge of enemies amassing against Mr Loveheart. He really annoys a
lot of demonic individuals.
BP: Did
you encounter any specific problems during your writing?
IB: The
counterbalance between insane characters and sane ones. There are more mad than
not, and I have to keep a check that there is a rational voice ( usually a
detective ) to keep the storytelling
sane from one perspective.
BP:
Besides the problems and difficulties, which chapter, scene or character did
you enjoy writing about the most?
IB: Mr
Loveheart is the most fun for me to write as I usually have no idea how he will
react to a situation ( I don’t think he has any idea). It’s great writing
really unpredictable characters because it keeps the storyline fresh and
lively.
BP: The
Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl is your second book in the series, have you
already mapped out how many volumes the series will run?
IB: I
have so far set out the series to run for 5 books with a Christmas special book
and possible sidesteps into other areas.
BP: Next
to the The Peculiar Adventures of John Loveheart series, do you have any other
projects that you wish to pursue in the near future?
IB: Oh
yes- I have several other fairytale
projects I am writing which are also set in the Victorian era/ Georgian period
and Medieval period.
BP: Everyone
enjoys fantasy in his or her own way. What do you like most about reading and
writing fantasy?
IB: The
freedom to create my own strange little world and decide the outcomes myself
for the characters. It’s especially satisfying with a villain – to make sure
they get their just desserts.
BP: If
you would have to give your top 5 favourite books, which would they be?
IB:
That’s a really difficult question as I have too many favourite books but I
will give it a go-
THE
NAME OF THE ROSE - Umberto Eco
MARTIAN TIME SLIP - Philip K Dick
THE BLOODY CHAMBER - Angela Carter
THROUGH
THE LOOKING GLASS – Lewis Carroll
THE
THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH – Philip K Dick
BP: And
just lastly, can you tell us a bit more of what might be in store for the
readers of The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl and a possible teaser of what’s
might to come?
IB: In book 2 Rufus Hazard gets to brandish a
machete and Mr Loveheart gifts Walnut a handgrenade which comes in use.
As for
what’s to come – Mr Loveheart will be visiting New York in a future book
BP: Thank
you for your time Ishbelle and good luck with your future writing!
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