Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Maressa Mortimer and Lynsey Adams for author and book cover pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.
It is a great pleasure to welcome Maressa Mortimer back to Chandler’s Ford Today. Maressa and I are members of the Association of Christian Writers.
If you’ve been tempted to think you don’t have time to write, Maressa may encourage you to think again. She writes around her home life of four children, who are home schooled, a dog, and the demands of her husband’s job as a church minister.
So it is a question then of finding ways to use the time you do have, even if they’re only small amounts of time. They mount up. Maressa is living proof doing this consistently works. You will get things written!
Maressa is the author of the Elabi Chronicles. Her latest book in the series, Downstream, is now out. See the blurb below. Do also check our her biography and social media links at the end of the interview.
BLURB
Radio signals have been picked up that might reveal the location of Downstream. Macia longs to find her mother there and tries to persuade her friends Gax and Cecilia to join her in the search. But is it a dangerous mistake or a mission from God? Many difficulties await them and they will need to trust God as they encounter darkness and danger, reaching out with the Light.
Welcome back to Chandler’s Ford Today, Maressa.
When you wrote Walled City, the first book in the Elabi Chronicles, did you know this was going to become a series? Had you a series of books mapped out and it was then a question of sitting down and writing them up? Was Downstream part of your original plans here or has the series developed in ways you hadn’t expected? What was the inspiration behind Downstream in particular?
I didn’t know what would happen in the first Elabi book, I simply enjoyed the world building and the freedom it gives when writing a story. Once Beyond the Hills was written, I realised there would have to be a story set Downstream, as Macia would be looking for her mother.
It reminded me of the verse in Isaiah, where God’s love is greater than a mother’s love, and I just knew it would be the theme. I was inspired by a virtual tour of Bolivia as well as my younger sister who did a mudwalk in the Netherlands, getting from the mainland to an island with a guide.
Maressa, I swear by having a writing routine to help keep me focused and get things done, but how does such a thing work for you? I imagine you must have some sort of routine to get any writing done.
I don’t really have a routine. It’s the main reason this book has taken so long! It’s only when doing NaNoWriMo last November (National Novel Writing Month) I realised I could change the way I write, and do it in smaller blocks, rather than wait for a two hour free moment!
I often have a day where my children will be in a lesson or something like that, which then allows me to write. It’s my plan to get a better routine in September as their curriculum is changing a bit.
Which authors have inspired your own writing and why do you think this is? Have you found writing groups/the writing community supportive? (I know I have and continue to do so). If you could advise a new writer what to look out for in a writing group, what would you suggest?
I love the Association of Christian Writers, as they’re so supportive and helpful. I love our tiny local group, Cotswold Scribblers, as they are there for each other, making you want to write and share. I think small groups are wonderful for this, as you get personal support.
Larger organisations can feel overwhelming but a local group is more accessible. Look for a group that suits your writing journey, as there are different ones, say for poetry or children’s books etc. Also look online for this!
What writing advice have you found the most useful and why? What three tips would you share for someone who is thinking about writing a series?
The main point is to just write. Write what you like, how you like. It’s easy to give up because you’re worried it’s not good enough.
My three tips for writing a series is to make notes as you go along. Details like hair colour etc, as you’ll end up rereading your own books otherwise! Second one is to think if you want an overarching storyline included. That might involve planning more than you would normally do if you’re a pantser like I am… The third one is to be careful with extra characters, as they might keep popping up in each book, surprising you!
Confession time: do you have a favourite character of your own? Do you have a favourite character written by another writer? What do you look for in characters? What do you think the most important thing about characters is from a writing and reading viewpoint?
My favourite character is probably Macia. She’s impatient, then feels guilty for being too harsh, but she gets things done. Of all my books, it would be Jasira in Burrowed, as she’s fun and imaginative and straightforward, and she gave me a great time writing about her! When writing, I plot the characters a bit, often looking at pictures so I can imagine the scene and the people. I think characters must be a little flawed to make them interesting.
Downstream is published by Good Hope Publishing. How did you discover them? Can you tell us a little more about who they are and how they help authors such as yourself?
I set up my own publishing house, Good Hope Publishing, as it allows me to write how and what I want without outside pressure. I have wondered about expanding, but there are too many difficulties with that.
Now you’re having a book blog tour for Downstream, which includes this interview. What other launch plans do you have for the book? When it comes to physical or online book launches, which do you prefer and why? What would you say were the advantages to both of these launch types?
I did an online launch party which I always enjoy. Being busy with four kids and a puppy, doing an online launch is easier to schedule. Although it would be lovely to meet people in real life to talk about books and have cake and bubblies together! I’m also working on a press release, so hopefully I’ll find the courage to send it off once done.
With the Elabi Chronicles, you have set up your own world. How easy was that for you to do? Did you base your world building on what we know here? What three tips would you share for someone who is thinking of setting up their own fictional world for a series? With the world set up, did that make writing Downstream “easier” or were there other challenges for you to face here?
I loved the idea of world building and, again, it’s easy to allow fear and outside pressure to take over. I wanted Elabi to be in the southern hemisphere, just for fun, and I added things I liked to it. Downstream involved several other places, which made it tricky to remember the details and distances, but it also allowed me to imagine lots of new places and settings.
My tips would be: You have to be consistent and your world has to make sense for you. And make it as fun as you like, but make notes and have a map so you can see where your characters are.
Your characters are shown to have fears and doubts (fantastic stuff, it is always good to show characters have their weaknesses). How easy did you find that to write? Sometimes when I’ve written an “emotional” flash fiction piece, I find I am still caught up in the emotions of my characters after I’ve finished writing. (This is where it helps to get on with other writing and then come back to the piece to edit it later). Did you find that happened for you? Were there scenes which were difficult to write because of that? How did you overcome this?
Sometimes my characters annoy me a lot, often they surprise me and it’s something I love about writing. It’s also why I prefer writing in chapters, as it’s easier to stay in the moment and the atmosphere, rather than bringing back the same emotions later in the day to finish writing one scene.
I thoroughly enjoyed the bit near the end of Downstream, and managed to write it in relatively large chunks for NaNoWriMo. I usually write in the evening, and going to sleep after a tense chapter is a relief!
Last but not least, how do you hope to build on Downstream? What would you like readers to “get” from the book?
I have ideas and thoughts for book four, but am writing a Viking story just now. The thing I have loved from the Elabi Chronicles is God’s faithfulness, unlikely friendships between characters and the idea that life hardly ever goes according to our plans!
We sometimes have to find ways to get along with others, even if they are very different from us. It makes for enjoyable writing… As a reader, I love real struggles without glib answers, and I hope readers get that from my stories.
Conclusion
Many thanks for a fantastic interview, Maressa, and good luck with Downstream. Well done too for such successful world building. It isn’t easy to do for one book yet alone over a series but adds richness to stories when the author gets it right. To find out more about Maressa and her works, do check out her biography, website and social media links listed below.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Maressa grew up in the Netherlands, and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer, they live in a Cotswold village with their four children. She is a home-school mum, enjoying the time spent with her family, travelling, and reading. Turning life into stories, she wants to use her tales to show practical Christians living in a fallen world.
LINKS TO BUY
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Related Posts:-
Introducing Maressa Mortimer – Being an Indie Author – Part 1
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.
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