This weeks Guest Interview

This week’s guest author is Athena Brady.

Hope you enjoy,

Anita

I have wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl. However, life got in the way and there never seemed to be time. I picked my writing up and put it down throughout my life. When I was younger I didn’t have the confidence in myself. As I got older and had a family, I felt it was self-indulgent; I felt selfish for putting my own needs first and gradually I forgot about my writing.

It wasn’t till my family were grown and I moved in the countryside of West Wales UK; that I had the peace and tranquillity to write and think of myself and what I wanted from life. I decided to cut my job down to part-time and use the time to write. I ambled on like that for a couple of years, joining a writing site and submitting my articles. I got good feedback and earned a very small amount of money. This lifted me and made me think “Maybe I could be a writer after all” as I look back I think I was afraid of failure, of ruining my perfect dream. I wasn’t sure I could take the reality of not making it.

Then I thought I have always faced my fears, why not now? It was, I suppose, because there was so much attached to the outcome, for me emotionally. I decided that I didn’t want to be an old lady who regretted the chance she never took, in later life. One thing I have learnt from older people is that they do not regret the things they did but the things they did not do.

I find my inspiration from life, from what is important to me. This, my first book “Thoughts on Life” is a collection of short articles, about various issues we all face in life. The people who read my work inspired me saying I had helped them. Influenced them, helped them to understand things from a different perspective. Every time someone comments on something I have written, it lifts me and inspires me to reach deeper inside myself and share what I have found.

                               

I met a woman who opened her soul to me. She told me things she had never told another person. It was a precious gift, for her to give me her trust, as she had been hurt so much in the past. This lady wanted to make a difference, despite what had happened to her. She wanted to turn a negative experience into a positive one. She wanted to help others, who were on the same journey. Out of respect for her family she wants remain anonymous. Susan (the character) was healing and wanted them to heal also. This book will be out in early 2013 and is called “Broken”.

                            

We have put both our heart and souls into this book and have taken many years to write it. It is my gift to her and hers to other people on similar journeys. Here is a short synopsis of Susan’s story.

This is Susan’s story of her journey from despair to healing. Susan begins to experience a feeling that leads to childhood memories of sexual abuse in middle age. Memories she has no recollection of, that begin to haunt her in the present. She embarks on a journey of discovery, which challenges everything she thought about her life previously. There are times she thinks her dark night of the soul will destroy her and all her closest relationships. Once she has opened Pandora’s Box, it cannot be closed until she has come full circle. This book is a gripping, tense and sad narrative that you will not be able to put down, until you have finished it. A must read for those who dare to explore the grey and darker areas of life.

I have written these two books concurrently. My first one is “Thoughts on Life” is really a market tester and I plan to publish a series of three, alongside my third book. This series, are just articles from my blog put into an e book. I want to be able to reach as many readers as possible. I don’t want money to be a barrier to these “Thoughts on life” books. So I have told people they can see all these articles for free on my website. I have also added that I need funds to survive and those who can afford it to please buy the books. I believe in human nature and that people who do the right thing. Some people feel I am mad for doing this but I feel my readers will not let me down. Book three is the book I am writing now; it has a working title of “Prisoner of Love” it is about a woman who falls in love and her partner has an affair. It is about the emotions these three people go through and what they learn about themselves along the way. It is a book that will really stretch me as a writer as I tell the story from three different perspectives. It also will be released in 2013.

I live in a log cabin and I love to when I can, weather permitting, write on the porch. At other times I write in the lounge on the dining room table. When I need to think, I go a beach not far from me. I find it centres and grounds me.

I have a strong faith in God the universe whatever you prefer to call it. It has helped me through the rough times in my life. I can emphasise with a lot of things people struggle with as I have been through some of them myself.

I would like my readers to know that they are not alone; and that there are others going through what they are going through. If they find something new to think about or something that assists them in their journey through life, I will have done my job well. There is nothing better for a writer, than for their readers to enjoy their books.

As I mentioned previously my next book will be out in the very near future. “Broken” is being edited as we speak. This will be followed shortly after by book three the title is “Prisoner of Love” but that may change. I plan to follow my first book with “Thoughts on Life” two and three. This series is a gift to my readers as I mentioned previously I don’t want money to be a barrier for people. Everything can be viewed on my website for free. However, I am hoping that those who can afford to will pay for “Thoughts on Life” which is priced at £2.99 on Amazon. I also want to write a book on near death experiences and angelic assistance. So anyone out there who would like to be in the book please contact me. People can be quoted directly or remain anonymous it is their choice entirely.