About Jessica Rydill:
Jessica Rydill writes fantasy and collects Asian Ball Jointed Dolls, or BJD. Many are based on characters from her books. In her spare time she haunts National Trust properties and visits English parish churches in search of Green Men, Shelagh na Gigs and Misericords, and any traces of medieval art or sculpture.
Jessica’s novels inhabit a parallel world known as Mir, where shamans have considerable powers, and magic is a part of everyday life. Steam trains and Norman knights live in the same country, and Goddesses appear in person.
Kristell Ink Publishing, part of BFS Award-winning Grimbold Books, have reissued Jessica’s first three books, Children of the Shaman, The Glass Mountain and Malarat. The fourth, never-before-published Winterbloom debuted on February 25th. All four books have cover art by artist Daniele Serra.
What inspires you to write?
What inspires me to write is the imaginary worlds and characters that inhabit my head. Not literally! They have changed and developed over the years; some of them started life as Matchbox toy cars or dolls. But they have evolved into people.
Tell us about your writing process.
I sometimes write a rough synopsis before I begin, but I am a true pantser. I make things up as I go along. Sometimes, I get terribly stuck and have to wait for months to work out where to go next. I have nothing but admiration for those who use outlines or plan their work.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don't really talk to my characters exactly. I am their mouthpiece or ventriloquist. If I start inserting my own authorial voice too much, it can sound false. Incidentally, with my characters, if I tried to say anything I wouldn't get a word in edgeways. They're a noisy lot and they like arguing.
What advice would you give other writers?
Advice? Never give up. So long as it gives you pleasure. There are many different types of success. With writing, I know many people who would like to write, and could probably write very well. But you have to sit down and do it. It does require a certain amount of hard graft.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I suppose I always hoped I would be able to publish my books. It's a long story as I started writing seriously (whatever that means) when I was sixteen, and submitted my first novel when I was 18. I'm now nearly sixty and have been published by a trad publisher, a long time ago, self-published, and now published by a small press. I don't think new authors should rule anything out. But it is important to make sure that your book is as good as it can possibly be.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I am not sure I can see that far ahead. Change is the only constant these days. The publishing market is still in a dynamic but unstable phase. There are far more opportunities out there for any would-be writer. And new markets are opening up, especially for anglophone writers. It is exciting but a bit scary!
What do you use?: Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Science Fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Jessica Rydill Home Page Link
Link To Jessica Rydill Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Book Depository
Your Social Media Links
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
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