Interview With Author Mandy Webster
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in a very rural area of South Central Illinois where playing outside and reading books were really the only source of entertainment. In the great outdoors, I would develop elaborate stories and act them out with my siblings, cousins, and the daycare kids my mom took care of. Honestly, I’ve spent more time in my imagination than in the real world! I’ve been writing since I was a child, but it took me many years and a creative writing degree to learn how to finish writing a complete story. I have since written and published seven novels, and the ideas keep coming!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It Had to Happen. Everyone always wants to know what inspired my stories. I can remember the specifics of a couple of them, but not this one. I’m racking my brain now trying to think where this idea came from, but nothing comes to mind. Usually my stories come out of wondering, “what if?” It was probably something like that– some germ of a question that worked its way through my subconscious mind until it bubbled to the top, demanding to be written.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have the terrible habit of not being very consistent until I realize that if I don’t start my next book soon, I won’t have anything to publish next year. Then I throw away everything I have going on and block out every free second for several weeks and do nothing but write. I can usually write a solid first draft in about six to eight weeks. Then I set it aside and let it simmer for a couple of months before I start revising. I try to start on another project in the meantime, but like I said, I’m terribly inconsistent!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon series was a huge influence for me back in the day. Then I learned about her terrible past, and– ew. Some other influences from my younger years include The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and both The Lottery and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. More recently, after having spent many many years in school pursuing two separate masters degrees, I just want to read for the sheer pleasure of it. I tend to gravitate toward thriller/suspense novels by authors like Lisa Jewell and the occasional horror-ish novel (as long as there’s not *too much* gore).
What are you working on now?
I am currently outlining two novel projects. One is a thriller about a young woman whose wealthy father sends her off to find her missing brother at the cult compound where he was last seen. The other is more of an adult contemporary novel about a young woman who ends up on a long road trip with the mother she’s seen little of while growing up and the step-mother who raised her.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As much as I hate to admit it, meeting potential readers in person has thus far been my most successful way to promote my books. The more events I attend, the more I sell. I’ve also been branching out and networking with other authors to promote their books on my website in order to drive more traffic to my site. But honestly, my mom probably sells more books to her network of friends and acquaintances than I’ve ever sold through my own efforts!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just do it. Ignore the inner editor and write what you want. Also, learn to outline. I thought I was a pantser until I learned to outline. Now, I am so much more efficient than I ever was before.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t spit into the wind? Or did you mean writing advice? I don’t know. I’ve heard so much advice over the years, it all kind of blends together. I enjoyed Stephen King’s memoir, “On Writing” and remember it having good advice in it, but I couldn’t tell you anything specific. At this point, I’ve settled into what works for me, and that’s what counts.
What are you reading now?
I am about to start reading a novel called Sentient by Jay Vanlandingham. It’s not a typical read for me, but I met Jay at the Louisville Book Festival a while back, and he sold me on it. I’m excited to start reading it.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Write more books, hopefully. I’ve also been expanding my website and posting more often, so there’s a lot more content to read there. And I guess I’ll keep getting out and meeting people if that’s what I have to do to sell my books.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
What a terrible question. It would have to be books I’ve never read before because I can’t stand to re-read books. But then, what if I choose 3 or 4 terrible books? I would never forgive myself. I guess I’ll just pick a few from my TBR pile and hope for the best.
Author Websites and Profiles
Mandy Webster’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.