This interview with Debra J.
Edwards was first published in June 2006. Debra J. Edwards is the author of
"Aggie
Lichen; Pilp Collector".
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Camberwell, South London, England.
What was it that first got you into writing and when did
you start writing?
I always felt I had a story in me but was never confident
in my writing ability – I’d left school at 15 with no qualifications. After
obtaining an O’level in English and consequently a teaching degree I began to
feel more at ease with writing and in January 2003 finally put pen to paper.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
J R R Tolkein. I just love his fantasy worlds.
Where do you stand on the nature v. nurture
debate? Were you born a writer, or were there factors in your environment that
enabled you to become a writer?
A bit of both here. I do believe that writing has always
been with me but it did need the right environment in which to mature.
There are a lot of courses teaching creative writing
nowadays, but do you think that good writing can be taught?
I think that good writers are naturally good writers but
sometimes work needs to be shaped and developed by other means. I used a
literary consultancy which helped me to see where things weren’t hanging
together quite right. Sometimes you can be a little to close to your work!
Have you entered writing competitions? If so, have
you won any prizes?
No, I don’t tend to enter competitions although being
self-published and competing against the big wigs is enough of a competition
for me!
What kind of things do you write?
I write novels – novel! Childrens’ fantasy stories.
What, for you, is the best piece of prose that you
have ever written?
Probably my first novel, "Aggie Lichen; Pilp Collector"
What are you working on now?
I am currently in the middle of writing the sequel to my
first book. So far I’ve written 34,000 words and still have a few thousand to
go. I’ve also got another novel on the go which is a bit darker but is still of
the fantasy genre.
What is your writing day like?
I think you mean my writing evening and Sunday – that’s
about all I get at the moment as I’m a full time teacher. I also spend most
Saturdays in one bookstore or another plugging my wares. I
tend to write a little each night and try to leave my characters in need of
‘rescuing’ so I have the urge to get back to the computer.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
I would like to be seen as a successful author, hopefully
with many more novels under my belt and a few prizes. It would also be
brilliant to have a book turned into a film – as long as I get to write the
script!
What’s the most exciting thing about writing for
you?
It’s the thrill of bringing characters to life and
inventing new worlds to show to readers. I also get a big kick out of the
feedback I receive from children who have read the book.
What’s the most frustrating thing about writing
for you?
Time! I spent so much time emailing people, ringing
newspapers to come and see me, phoning round shops to persuade them to take my
book and obviously working fulltime. It’s an exhausting schedule and takes me
away from my real love – writing!
What’s the best piece of feedback that you’ve had
from your audience?
Keep writing – and when’s the next one out!
Do you write for a particular audience, or is your
first priority to satisfy your own creativity?
I write for myself in many ways. I’m fulfilling my own
creative need first. It’s only after that I really think about the audience
although I think you always have an age group in the back of your mind,
regardless.
Do you have a homepage? If so, what’s the URL?
You can find out all about me and my book at www.purpleraypublishing.co.uk
