Hi all!
Please help me welcome Author Harmony Kent
to my blog today!
Biography:
Harmony Kent
(b. 2013-United Kingdom)- the author in her that is, the woman herself is ...
err ... just a smidge older than that! Brisingamen is her first ever book, and
she had great fun writing this story, and another book (The Glade) is already
in progress - in fact it is going so well that Harmony has blisters on the ends
of her fingers. Like Brisingamen, The Glade will be a stand alone book - not
part of a series unless her readers ask for more on either of them. Harmony is
a single young middle aged writer, with no children - but has plenty of cute
gremlins who claim to be her nieces and nephews. She sincerely hopes you enjoy
reading her books.
My Author Interview with her:
What is your name? Do you use a pen name
(if so, why?)?
My name is Harmony
Kent. I do use a pen name, as this
allows me the freedom to write whatever I want to, without worrying about what
my family, old colleagues, etc might think!
(I used to be a Nun, and my writing definitely doesn’t fit into that
Genre!)
Tell me a bit about yourself:
I am 40 years old
(okay, if I’m being really honest, I am 40.96)!
I am single with no children, but have plenty of cute gremlins around me
who claim that they are my nieces and nephews.
When they get too much for me I throw them on the rebounder for an hour
(kidding). Six years ago I suffered a
major injury during routine surgery which led to a below knee amputation three
years ago. This is mostly why I am no
longer a Nun and have the luxury of being able to spend as much time as I want
to writing, reading, making cards, learning the piano – oh and occasionally
remembering to sleep.
What type of genre do you write?
My first book,
Brisingamen, is in the Genre of Fantasy Fiction. Whereas my current book in progress, The
Glade, is more in the area of supernatural thriller (I think)! I am playing with the idea of trying my hand
at YA next, as this is a Genre I particularly love to read.
What genre to you personally read?
I read fantasy,
fiction, action/adventure, crime thriller, young adult, paranormal – I enjoy a
broad range of books and am always ready to try something new. I don’t go for outright erotica, that is just
not for me.
Tell me about your latest?
My latest book is
called Brisingamen, and is in the genre of Fantasy Fiction. The idea for the book came after having read news reports online about
the finding of Britain’s “Atlantis”, which really sparked my imagination. Here is the blurb about the book:
Beneath
the north sea a land of magic lies undetected. The lives of many are drawn
inexorably closer together in a race against time, as both energy companies and
evil beings attempt to destroy the magic which is protecting not just this land
but all worlds. The unwitting protagonists have no idea of how suddenly and
irrevocably their lives are about to change. Are they up to the challenges they
now face?
Excerpt:
Matthias watched, appalled yet relieved, as Irina slaughtered the advancing
palefaces. She seemed to transform before his very eyes into some kind of white
demon, still exquisitely stunning – even in her terrible fury. He remained
frozen where he was as she turned her attention toward the dwarves, and Aart and
Else. A shudder ran through him as
he saw wolves bounding into the fracas. He crouched over Gemma as best he
could, she was unconscious again, he worried at how badly she may have hit her
head when she fell...He [knew] he had failed, he had not managed to protect any of them
What sparked your passion for books and the
art of a good story?
Since being a small
girl (really for as long as I can remember) I have had a love of reading and
making up stories. In school it came as
no surprise to anyone when I excelled in English studies …. We’ll stay quiet
about the maths marks though!
Is there a particular book that changed or
affected your life in a big way?
A heart as Wide as
the World by Sharon Salsberg – a book on Buddhism that really changed my life
hugely … after reading this I went on to spend 13 years in a Buddhist temple,
ten of those as an ordained nun! So I
guess we could say this little book had a big impact! This book really spoke to me. More recently, and in the realm of fiction, I
would have to say that the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and also the
Harry Potter books by J K Rowling have all caught my rather vivid imagination.
Is there a message in your book that you
want readers to grasp?
Not to be controlled
by our random thoughts, and that we can be in charge of our own lives. Things happen that are outside our
control, but only we can change how they
affect us. We have the choice.
What challenges have you faced in your
writing career?
By far the hardest
part is getting the book discovered, finding readers. The writing is easy and something I enjoy
immensely, but the marketing … yikes! I
am also having to get to grips with running a blog and being active in various
forums – as you can imagine, having spent 13 years out of circulation, this is
somewhat of a challenge for me.
What has been your best moment as a writer?
Seeing the book in
print and holding it in my hands … ooh, my first book!
Who is your author idol?
I don’t know that I
have one. There are so many author’s
that I respect and revere it would be unfair to try and single out any one of
them alone. Sometimes it can be one line
out of a whole book that just does it for me, you know?
Do you see yourself in any of your
characters?
Well, I would have to
say that some of Aart’s experiences after his accident are from my own personal
experience and absorbed into his world.
Dirck’s self-searching and inner learning are also quite close to some
of the things I have discovered for myself over the years.
Do you feel like your dream has come true
or is there much more to do?
My dream of writing a
book and publishing has been realised – my next ambition is to have it
read! As I enjoy writing so much, this
is what I will continue to do. Even if
only one person ever reads my work, if it enriches their life somehow then I
have done my work and am happy.
What does your workspace look like?
Most of the time it
is boringly neat, although there are times when there are bits of paper with
notes written on it strewn all over the place!
My computer faces the window onto the back garden, and I frequently stop
and gaze at the view.
Have you ever had a day when you just
wanted to quit?
Never – not with my
writing, it is just too much fun for me.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I read! I also make cards, listen to music, and am
learning to play the piano. These days I
am also to be found writing on my blog.
What are the most important attributes to
remaining sane as a writer?
Have fun! Take a break once in a while and RELAX.
Did you have a moment when you realized you
were meant to be a writer?
My first English
essay at school – much to my teacher’s dismay!
(She got more pages than she bargained for)…
What advice would you give to aspiring
authors?
Write for yourself –
don’t try and imagine what a prospective reader, your family, your boss, etc
might think about this that or the other – you will just strangle your writing
if you do this. Don’t try and force it
if the ideas dry up for a time, just relax and sit down to write when the story
starts flowing again. This will help you
to achieve a vibrant dynamism in your book and it will flow beautifully for the
reader.
After this book, what is next?
More books! I am currently writing my second book, The
Glade, which is based very loosely on the Forest of Dean – which I believe J K
Rowling based her Dark Forest on. It is
one of the few true, large forests left in the UK and Europe …. A tranquil
forest clearing that seems like a dream come true for the Wenstrops, but all
too soon strange things start happening.
Helen is arrested for the murder of her husband, but did she do it? What is really going on? What is more, her husband’s body goes
inexplicably missing whilst she is being held in custody. Keep an eye on my blog for upcoming sneek
peeks and giveaways.
Your website?
Your blog?
Other websites?
Where can your book be found?
The ebook has been
distributed to Sony, Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo – due to technical
issues it is not yet on Amazon, but hopefully will be soon!
The print book is
available through lulu, and is in the process of entering their distribution
system which will include sites such as Amazon, and B&N.
Many thanks Jodie for
offering me this author spot!
You are welcome! Please thank Harmony for
joining us today! Check out her links and buy her first book! We’ll look
forward to more from her!
Keep Writing!
Jodie Pierce
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