Bekki Pate Author Interview
I am delighted to welcome UK horror author Bekki Pate to my blog today, so we can find out more about this talented and driven lady...
I loved The Willow Tree, The Fragment Trilogy Book One, what can we expect from Book 2?
Thank you so much! It's lovely to hear you enjoyed book one – especially as you're a fellow writer! I do feel a bit nervous unleashing book two out into the world because book one was so well received – book two isn't as gory as book one and it switches to more of a love story with the story of a demonic possession – but I hope people enjoy this one as much as the second.
Congratulations on the new little addition to your family, how do you manage to get any writing done?!
Thank you! She's a well-behaved baby really – she's just learnt how to crawl and she's happy to sit and play with her toys. I write when she's sleeping mostly so when she has her naps or when she goes to bed – just whenever I can really!
I notice that one of the main characters in The Willow Tree is called Nick, as is your significant other, is this pure coincidence or did you base the character on the real Nick?
This is quite strange really because I've known my partner since I was at university (we were on the same course.) We didn't start dating until three years after university ended. I started The Willow Tree when I was 19 (I'm 27 now) and when choosing a name for my character, I thought – that Nick guy from Uni is nice, I'll call my character Nick – not knowing that three years later we'd be going out! It was a bit awkward when I first told him about my writing and that one of the main characters was called Nick :)
What are your writing habits/routines?
I snatch time when Ellie is sleeping – I am also about to start going to the library – Nick is really supportive of my writing so we've arranged time when I'll meet him from work and he will take Ellie and I'll go to the library for a few hours. Just little and often at the moment – although I do miss having day-long writing sessions where it's just me, my notebook and coffee.
Do you write every day? How many words do you write in one go?
It depends – some days I don't write anything – other days I probably write for an hour or so each day which is about all I can manage with Ellie – sometimes it's a toss up between writing and housework or writing and making myself some food – and writing tends to win :)
What are you biggest fears or difficulties when it comes to writing?
When The Willow Tree was released I suddenly panicked because there were a few dark and gory moments in it and I thought – Oh my god – my friends and family are going to read this and they'll think I'm a freak! But actually a lot of them really enjoyed it, so now my worry is that the second book won't give them what they liked in the first one – but it's just that it's a different story.
My other difficulty at the moment is motivation – when I've only had five hours sleep and Ellie has been keeping me busy, it's hard to muster up the strength to suddenly feel creative – but when I start I find I just lapse into it.
My biggest fear though I would have to say is that people won't like my work – I guess that's a fear for every writer.
What is the best piece of advice you could give aspiring writers?
Write for yourself – I know a few people who won't write anything sexual in their stories because they're worried their family will read it and think they're depraved – but I feel then that your creativity suffers if you don't write what you want to.
Oh – also – Stephen King's On Writing is an amazing book to read if you're thinking of writing your first book.
Like me you're published by Britain's Next Bestseller, what made you choose this radical new approach to publishing?
I was rather down when I kept getting rejection after rejection from publishers, and even more so when I'd take a trip to Waterstones and pick up the latest award-winning releases and think – I write better than this person, why are they published and not me? What's the secret?
So when I saw an advert for Britain's Next Bestseller I jumped at the chance – to just get my work out there, and if people didn't like it, then at least I could say I've tried. It was the best thing I ever did though because it's been wonderfully received – people who I didn't even know have messaged me in the past asking when book two was out etc, and it's that kind of thing that keeps a writer going – just a simple message to say how much they enjoyed it.
I also welcome people who say they didn't like the story – and a few people have commented certain negative points about the book that I actually agree with – but writers are always perfecting their craft, so everything is a lesson in writing better.
Your favourite book and why?
Oh! That's a tough one – I love Stephen King – but recently I've got more into Richard Laymon and I think he may be my new favourite – his writing is much more tight and concise whereas King can be a bit waffly.
In terms of books...I think The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (or The Historian) is an amazing read – the depths that Elizabeth's work goes to is so inspiring – even if I spent the next 20 years practising, I would never be as good a story teller as her.
Thank you so much for letting me answer these questions for you Georgia! I really had fun :)
If you like the sound of Bekki's work - and I would highly recommend it - you can get your copy of The Willow Tree here.
