Deborah A Stansil's Debut Author Spotlight Operation Awesome on the #AtoZChallenge Book Tour

Twisted Tales by Deborah A Stansil

1- Where did the idea for this book come from, other than the alphabet and the challenge?

Partly from observation of human nature, partly from my own twisted imagination ;)

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Just write. A first draft is just that. Let your words flow and go where your mind takes you without focusing on perfection. Perfection comes much later.

3- What ignited your passion for writing?

I’ve always enjoyed writing creatively and from being a child I always had this idea in the back of my head that one day, I’d love to write a book. I think it came from reading a lot as a young child (and that’s never changed).

4- Why did you take part in the A to Z Challenge the year that your book was "given life"?

I did it for the first time the year before and I loved it and I really wanted to get my fiction out there. Twisted Tales was my first book!

5- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My Twitter handle is @randommusings29 Writer friends are @JH_Moncrieff and @plynne_writes Both are great writers and really supportive.

6- Do you have any other books coming out soon? What other books do you have available?

I have a new novel coming out this year hopefully.
Twisted Tales 2, Twisted Tales 3, The Joker, The Mirror, The Asylum Tour, Lacey Patrick and the Wizard of Darkness, eBook Like a Boss, Start Your Blog Like a Boss, Optimise Your Blog Posts Like a Boss, Parodies and Piss Takes.


7- Please provide something from your book that is EXCLUSIVE to this tour:

Excerpt:
That piece of writing caused more trouble for me than I could ever imagine. It cost me my friends, most of my family and of course my freedom. They feed me the platitudes – “it’s for my own good” “they want to help me”. None of them make up for my freedom. I’m not in prison, at least not in the traditional sense. I’m in an institution for the criminally insane. It’s no different. How can it not be prison when I’m not allowed to leave? I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me take you back to how it all happened. After all, it’s not like I’m short on time.

8- What most motivates you to read a new book?

The cover

9- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

This is such a hard question to answer because I have so many favourite books. I’m going to go with a new one to my favourites list.
Author name:Adele Parks @adeleparks
Title: I Invited Her In
Love because: The characters feel so real, and they draw you into their lives effortlessly. The story is full of twists and turns and it will have you laughing one minute and raging the next.


10- What writing goal do you hope to accomplish this year?

I want to finish up the novel I'm currently working on and write a new short story collection. I'd also like to write at least one more non-fiction book and get started on another novel.

11- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?

I hope my book does two things; send a shiver down a reader’s spine, and makes them question what they would do in some of the situations. I hope all of the stories resonate with readers in their own ways.

12- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

No, not really. I’m not that into Instagram.

13- Why did you start blogging?

I wanted to get back into writing for an audience. It was only ever going to be a short term thing, but I fell in love with it, and here I am, four years later.

14- What is the most memorable trait or visual oddity of one of your characters?

The characters in the stories all share a twisted nature; one that causes them to do bad things. Maybe sometimes for good reasons, or maybe not. I’ll let my readers be the judges of that.

I think one of the more memorable characters is Karen, who is a mixture of cynical sarcasm, and yet is strangely naïve at the same time. I think this combination of personality traits make her pretty memorable.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

I think the Gone series by Michael Grant has such a good range of diverse characters. In particular, I loved Dekka.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I always enjoy the reviews by Jenni from Odd Socks and Lollipops. Her reviews never fail to make me want to read the books she is reviewing.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I chose to self-publish initially because I didn’t want to have to wait for a year or more to get my book in print through a traditional publisher. I enjoyed being in control of all of the elements of my book which is why I have stuck with self-publishing so far, but who knows what the future holds?

18- Why do you think readers should write book reviews?

I think writing a review is an excellent way to show support to writers whose work you enjoy. Such a simple thing can make such a difference to writers, especially newer writers who are hoping people will take a chance on their work.

19- What is one question or discussion topic which you would like the readers of this interview to answer or remark on in the comments?

What, as a reader, most sends a shiver down your spine?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Twisted Tales is a collection of twenty-seven short horror stories. Ranging from crazed stalkers, killers, dealing with the Devil and everything in between, this collection shows the darker side of human nature in all its black glory.
Journey through the twisted minds of the central characters as they make their choices, and watch their lives spiral out of control.
Hate them, empathise with them, and stay on your guard. There’s a dark streak in all of us just waiting to come out.


https://goo.gl/FrXC4V
https://www.myrandommusings.co.uk
@randommusings29 Twitter
@myrandommusingsblog Facebook
@debrandommusingsblog29 Instagram
@randommusings29 Pinterest
https://goo.gl/FrXC4V Amazon Author Page- UK
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thewritersdengroup



Twisted Tales by Deborah A Stansil
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H94D1MS