Ask the Author: Brenda Hasse
Answered Questions (8)
Brenda Hasse
I used to live in a farmhouse. Legend had it that two men had committed suicide on the property. I never felt comfortable in the house. There seemed to be unsettled spirits. When my family moved out of the house, the next owner experienced the tragedy of the death of their son, who hung himself in the barn. Was the property cursed?
Brenda Hasse
I have traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland in 2016 and 2019. It was like stepping back in time. I went on several tours, mostly ghost tours. Many mentioned the witch trials, the fountain on Edinburgh Castle's wall dedicated to those who were burned outside of it. A friend posted about the true story of Anna Stewart. I thought it was a great opening for a novel and used it for my novel, The Cursed Witch. A friend encouraged me to write about a witch, so I made her cursed by her birth order, another true superstition. The story wrote itself from there.
Brenda Hasse
Tough question. There are so many books in which to choose from. I do like historical fiction, so something along that genre. Outlander? Poldark? Harry Potter? I am also a Jane Austen fan. No matter which book I would choose, I would be a healer. An apothecary of some sort. I would use herbs, oils, crystals, and the guidance from above to do good and help others.
Brenda Hasse
Oh my. I don't get inspired to write. It haunts me to do so. The story pushes me to the keyboard. Perhaps I am just being chosen to tell the story.
Brenda Hasse
The best thing about being a writer is meeting people at book signings and inspiring others to follow their dreams to write a book. There are times, however, when others inspire me. I recall one woman who spoke to me during a signing. She thanked me for writing Wilkinshire. Her son is autistic and Wilkinshire was the first book he was able to read all by himself.
Brenda Hasse
I believe we all encounter writer's block at one time or another. I have discovered that my mind works best when it is bored. I can recall the story line for The Freelancer (publication September 2014) popping into my head while I sat at a professional baseball game. I read of a technique where you sit at your desk or wherever you write, set a clock for 30 minutes, and stare at the black page on your word doc. It may be worth a try, unless you wish to attend a baseball game. :)
Brenda Hasse
My advice to aspiring writers is to perfect your craft, use as many resources as you can find, and read a lot. Reading published books gives you an idea of the level of writing publishers are seeking. Keep writing and perfecting. Yes, 'edit' is a four letter word. Writing is work, rewriting is more work. Don't give up. Dream. Write. Edit. Rewrite. Edit. Rewrite. Edit......
Brenda Hasse
I am currently working on a YA/NA Historical Fiction - Romance titled The Freelancer. I have participated in NaNoWriMo for the past two years and The Freelancer is my first NaNoWriMo novel. I was success in reaching the 50,000 required words in 30 days. The novel is now over 70,300 words. I am working toward its publication sometime in September 2014.
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