I had the chance to interview the wonderful author, Margaret A. Dyer about her books, her writing, and a few fun facts about her! Make sure to read on and follow her on social media! Check back for my review of her fantasy book, Forbidden Love for Fire.
When did you first start writing?
I first started writing during the Covid pandemic, I would just write little things here and there but when I quit my job in fear of losing it anyway because I worked in the Travel industry I had to put all my focus on finding another job, eventually after a while I found a job that was your usual 9-5 Monday to Friday, I had moved into my new flat so I got back to my writing that is when I started the series and haven’t stopped since.
Why did you start writing?
I have always loved creative writing, in school I was told I was never creative enough so I stopped for a long period of time because I believed her I was placed in all the bottom sets with the naughty kids and no one really cared about us, that’s why I failed all my exams fast forward to my third year of college when I was doing Level 2 Hairdressing I was also doing Level 2 English my teacher looked at me square in the eyes and told me how creative I was in my writing I may have failed the exam but my creative writing had the most marks I still remember the thrill from it, many years went by in those years my Epilepsy got worse, my depression and anxiety got the better of me if you get what I mean, I was in therapy I needed a hobby so I took to writing again I wanted to make a difference not just to myself but to others too.
What or who inspires your writing?
My love for it that’s all I have to say, my family and friends have been supportive as has my workplace.
Is writing a therapeutic process for you? How does your writing help you?
My writing helps me in more ways in one, the very first week of the year I was in hospital I managed to develop a new type of seizure called Dissociative Seizures, they are non-epileptic and brought on by emotions I had around 30 seizures that week but my mum knew that it wasn’t going to stop me from reading or writing so she brought me a new book (November 9th by Colleen Hoover) and my laptop I would sit there all day writing my book then lay there of an evening reading it helps keep my emotions in check and makes me feel like I have achieved something, I know my books won’t be for everyone but there will be people out there that will love it.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Writing the heartbreaking scenes, when I am writing the heartbreaking scenes I always feel what the character is feeling my heart breaks as well as theirs but that is what makes a good author and a good person when you are reading or writing a characters POV you need to feel what that character is feeling.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Pantser 100% - I tried the plot but new ideas just exploded in my head it could be 2am in the morning and all of a sudden a new idea would rise that’s it I was awake thinking how I could place that into my story line the series started off with 4 books then it turned into 6 all for the sake of character development.
What comes first for you – the plot of the characters – and why?
The characters personality, their background, their body type and their role within the series they could be one of the main characters like Gemma, Daniel and Jay or they could be a secondary character like Vang-Chi and Richard but I like to give my characters equal power, their own special talent *spoiler* for example Vang-Chi can transform into a dragon that is his strength he is the big bad boss of him, Dan Val Gule and Richard, he maybe a secondary character but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own story.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
On the spot decisions and middle of the night thoughts - like I explained in my last answer my plot was extending from book one every character has their own background people will want to know more about the secondary character’s that’s why after book 6 there will be side stories.
How do you use social media as an author?
I use TikTok and Instagram mainly as there is a strong reader audience out there that love a good Dark Fantasy Romance series, I do cover reveals, I keep up with TikTok trends and keep my followers up to date with the book process for example Making of a Mackenzie being out very soon which is exciting.
How do you handle writer’s block?
I welcome it, gives me a chance to scroll through TikTok or Instagram to see what others are reading, do a TikTok trend, focus on my health and wellbeing and read another book until inspiration strikes, once it strikes, I can’t stop.
How do you process and deal with a negative book review?
You’re not an Author if you haven’t had at least one negative book review, if you have had all four or five stars, I congratulate you and will 100% buy your book! But if you have had a rubbish review yeah it will get you down but it is one review out of the billions of reviewers out there that read books it will only get better I currently have a 3 star sitting on my goodreads but that is also followed by a 4 and a 5 star so yeah my books are for some but not others.
What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?
Keep going! If this is something you really want, keep trying, attend book fairs, read other Authors books, visit places for inspiration do whatever you can to get that book typed up and finished! Aim high but don’t get your hopes up.
What is your favorite part of publishing? What is your least favorite part?
Receiving the news that my submission is accepted and seeing my cover for the first time but to be honest my least favorite part is not only paying for it but waiting for it to hit the shelves I have only seen it on the self once but that on its own felt amazing and made the money worth it!
What do you think is the most important part of publishing after you finish writing your manuscript?
Believing in it! You have to believe in your book in order for it to succeed, if I didn’t believe in A Forbidden Love For Fire Series I wouldn’t be publishing it and working hard to get it on the self! It takes time, money and a lot of effort but it is all worth it in the end.
Did you choose to write romance or did it choose you?
I chose romance I have always loved a good romantic story plus being single it makes me feel better and I know what I want in a man.
Which book is your favorite that you have published so far?
Well at this current point in time, The Power of a Dragon is fully published but my favorite is yet to come which is Making of a Mackenzie, female empowerment and same sex relationships make me smile, a strong female and people being who they are it was a privilege to write.
Are any of your books part of a series or are they all standalones?
A Forbidden Love For Fire Series:
Published:
The Power of a Dragon
Making Of a Mackenzie
Not yet Published:
The Knight is Dark
Broken Barriers
The Return of Earth and Air
The Rise of the Karne Twins
There will be others but I’m still thinking of Series names
Do you base your characters on real people?
Guilty as charged, the character Gemma is based on me because she is the woman I want to be, powerful, talented and beautiful.
Which of your characters do you relate to the most and why?
Yes but because he is in one of the later books I cannot reveal but if I had to relate to one now it would be Gemma because I based her on myself.
How much research do you need for your books?
Not much, I just needed to check how many countries there were but thanks to my job description I know exactly what currencies they each take just in case I need to mention it.
What was the hardest scene to write, and why?
In one of the later books there is a suicide scene, it was from the fathers POV and it was one of the hardest scene’s I had to write because I have been there I have tried before I thought from my mum and dad POV that’s what made it heartbreaking for me, every tragic story in my series is my way for raising awareness to real world issues, that is why it is set in the real world.
If you could meet your characters, what would you say to them?
I would probably slap a few of them, avoid a few of them like the plague, hug a few of them and tell a few of them that they should embrace and love who they are.
What is your favorite quote from one of your books?
Never let history define the course of your future – Steve Karne
How long did it take you to write each book? If one book took longer to write, why?
Half a year or so, Th Power of a Dragon took the least amount of time Making of a Mackenzie took about 3-4 months that was with writing everyday but I know that The Rise of the Karne twins will take the longest.
How would you describe your book’s ideal reader?
Someone who loves a good Dark Fantasy Romance, good forbidden love stories, LBGTQ+ lovers, Dragon lovers, Wolf lovers, those that are into the likes of Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon and Avatar: The Last Air Bender (please note: A Forbidden Love For Fire is completely different in more ways than one than either of these)
Are your books wide or only in Amazon?
It is available on multiple book sites such as Waterstones as well as Amazon Kindle Unlimited and Paperback.
Tell us a little about each book or a little about a new release?
The Power Of a Dragon:
For years, the four nations have lived together in a fragile harmony: air, earth, fire, and water, united. Now, Great Britain has disrupted the balance and threatened the very stability of the four nations. The problem: Gemma. When Gemma is appointed the new Great British water nation general, the first woman to ever earn that title, she sets in motion a series of events that could bring destruction on her people. And it all begins with a dance. Daniel, the Great British fire nation general, still new to his role and trying to prove himself, is eager to make the acquaintance of his new colleague. But when he does, a spark is ignited. Their relationship, a forbidden union of fire and water, will make them question everything they know about their world, and their own pasts. They will quickly learn that uncovering the secrets of your own history can bring untold consequences...
Making of a Mackenzie:
After Gemma, a Water Manipulator, gives birth to twins Lucas and Lily (and survives), family tensions flare. Daniel’s family refuse to believe he could be the father. Afterall, he is a Fire Manipulator.
When the twins present as a Water and Fire Manipulator respectively, and a strange tattoo appears on Gemma, these tensions explode. Secrets are clawed out. This family is trapped between warring factions and history and nations.
Can this family survive it?
As the others aren’t yet published I cannot give you a blub but The Knight is Dark is about the return of Charles Knight so it will be a brutal one.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I need complete silence I cannot write around noise, I attempted to write in a library once and that really did not work out for me, I had to go home and continue writing there.
What is your favorite writing snack or drink?
Tea, hot chocolate or Pepsi it really depends what I’m feeling at the time, my usual go to is Milkyway Chocolate stars for a snack.
If you could spend a day with another author, whom would you choose and why?
Ana Hung, I have read the entire Twisted Series and the first book to the King of Sin series also pre-ordered King of Pride I have said more than once she has made me single for life I sure hope she enjoys my books as much as I enjoy hers.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
After sorting my book out I simply sit in front of the TV and watch my favorite episodes of Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon or the Big Bang Theory or I simply scroll through TikTok, look for holidays, I am very much an introvert – I think most Authors are, but I would love to meet more people like me.
What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
We shall see, there are a few risks I am taking but they are mainly part of the plot.
What has helped or hindered you the most when writing a book?
Inspiration, I live somewhere surrounded by countryside so it really helps get my imagination going also music, I’m not your ordinary girl that listens to One Direction, I listen to the Narnia, Game of Thrones and Harry Potter soundtrack to visualize my wars that I will be writing.
What advice would you give to help others create plotlines?
What type of movies/books or comics do you love, character names and backgrounds then figure out how those backgrounds are going to come together also keep the read on their toe’s create twists and turns.
How many hours a day do you write?
I intend on doing around two hours but when I am on a roll I lose track of time it could be 1pm one minute then I look at the time and its 7pm.
What are your favorite or most helpful author resources?
Google…. I literally google everything! The publisher I am with also has a Author hub which is helpful but one day I’m hoping to see A Forbidden Love For Fire on the big screen, LinkedIn is my only source for that as I don’t know where to start when it comes to that.
Make sure to follow Margaret on social media to find out all about her books and upcoming news!!!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Margaret_a_dyer
Website: www.margaretadyer.co.uk
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