Ask the Author: Maretha Botha
Answered Questions (6)
Maretha Botha
The Orphans' Plight - the third - in Fauna Park Tales is my most recent book. The working-dog hero in the story is now grown-up. So I felt I needed an adventure which would show that he still loves his job, but takes his responsibility to care for vulnerable, helpless ones very seriously. More than that I cannot tell you. The question is whether he and the other furry and feathered friends think that small humans also need looking after. Without giving away too much, they will be going on a risky, dangerous mission . . .
Maretha Botha
Inspiration is difficult to define. If I see something interesting or unusual, it could trigger inspiration for a specific scene or habit which needs refining in one of my stories. Thus I find inspiration by looking at birds, seeing a beautiful sunset or watching people, especially families doing the normal things in life.
Maretha Botha
I like to work on a few things at any given time, because what one experiences every day varies, providing information which could be useful to a few of one's works in progress. At present I have completed a non-fiction book with sketches, "How to learn about - The Secret Life of Ants". This is not just giving information about ants, but how to remember the details, which I hope, will be a new take on developing memory skills and recall.
I have two novels that are like large puzzles which need working on from time to time - depending on the weather - and my particular mood. The one is a contemporary, early 20th century murder mystery and the other juvenile fiction with a mountaineering/sibling rivalry plot.
Then of, course Fauna Park Tales is an ongoing project. Because of the strenuous work to do with illustrations - research and actual painting and photographing the pictures - I force myself to take a break once a manuscript reaches edit stage. At present the third book in the series called "The Orphans' Plight" - a thriller adventure - is ready for publication and will appear on Goodreads soon.
I have two novels that are like large puzzles which need working on from time to time - depending on the weather - and my particular mood. The one is a contemporary, early 20th century murder mystery and the other juvenile fiction with a mountaineering/sibling rivalry plot.
Then of, course Fauna Park Tales is an ongoing project. Because of the strenuous work to do with illustrations - research and actual painting and photographing the pictures - I force myself to take a break once a manuscript reaches edit stage. At present the third book in the series called "The Orphans' Plight" - a thriller adventure - is ready for publication and will appear on Goodreads soon.
Maretha Botha
If you as an aspiring writer has something to say, then say it first on paper. Always keep a notebook handy to scribble that one special thought down and don't neglect to look at it again, developing it into a scene or whatever comes to mind. Get to your PC as soon as possible. Then, develop the thought and paste it into a file which you've already prepared beforehand. From here you can cut and paste things to wherever they would be most useful. Doing this will keep you writing despite negativity - albeit your own, or coming from well-meaning folk, telling you not to waste your time. NEVER STOP WRITING!!
Maretha Botha
When I write, I'm in control of the world I've created. So, if I don't like what certain characters do, I can simply take them out - literally - or find some ingenious plot to take care of the situation.
Maretha Botha
I have not really suffered with writer's block, because there's so much to write about as far as Fauna Park Tales and its many adventures are concerned. For example, today I might see or read something amazing - a photo of a cat sitting on the back of his best friend, a horse - just what I need to complete the adventure of how a cat and a horse face a journey into the desert.
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