Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

I am very pleased to welcome, Amanda Pillar, who is here to tell us about her first novel. Amanda was one of the editors on Damnation and Dames anthology by Ticonderoga Publications. She has edited a number of anthologies in recent years. Who knew she was secretly a writer!

Your new first novel is coming out, Graced. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Graced is an urban fantasy/paranormal story that follows the journey of four diverse characters: Elle, Dante, Clay and Anton. It features vampires, weres, humans and a new race called the Graced. The Graced have psychic abilities that are denoted by their eye colours: Green (telepathy), Gray (telekinesis) and Blue (empathy). Eye colours, in fact, are the key to determining what race someone belongs to in the Graced universe, as brown=humans, purple=vampires and yellow=werewolves. Although, Graceds are meant to be a secret race.

Amanda tell us a bit about yourself (where you live, how long you’ve been writing, previous publications etc)

Well, I live in the wonderful town of Melbourne with my husband and two cats (yes, I am a crazy cat lady). I’ve been writing since the ripe old age of 13, although it took a long time for me to produce anything worthy of publication. Recently, I’ve had two short stories published, as well as Graced. One story is in the wonderful Cranky Ladies of History (‘Hatshepsut’) anthology edited by Tehani Wessely and Tansy Rayner Roberts and follows the rise to power of the female king, Hatshepsut. The other was in the stunning Kisses by Clockwork (‘A Clockwork Heart’) anthology edited by Liz Grzyb, and is a steampunk romance. I am also currently editing Bloodlines, a horror anthology.

Amanda what do you find so attractive about the urban fantasy genre? In what ways do you find it fulfilling?

I think the fun with urban fantasy is that it can be contemporary, alternative reality, or set in an entirely new world. It allows writers and readers to look at the world through a new lens, to understand things on a level that may not be achievable with non-supernatural elements. It can make you think.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on Bloodlines, my next horror anthology. I also have hopes there will be another book set in the Graced universe, so you’ll get to see the characters again, but no publishing plans as yet.

What is your writing process? (planner, panster, write every day, write sporadically, writers block etc).

I’m a bit of both. When I begin to write, I know the start, the middle and the end. I work out the in-between parts as I go. I would love to write every day, but unfortunately my day job and life just tends to get in the way. So I tend to write in bursts when the time allows.

What do you prefer drafting the story or revising and reworking?

I much prefer revising and reworking to the first draft.

What part of writing do you find hardest?

The hardest part of writing for me is the first draft. It almost feels like a purging at times. But I can’t do the fun part until the draft is written, and so I knuckle down and get to it!

What do you plan to work on next?

I am hoping to work on another book for the Graced universe! Otherwise, I have some short story and novel ideas in the works!

You can find Amanda on her webpage

Graced is available from major ebook retailers and the Momentum Website.