Interview With Author Marc Swift
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I’m Marc Swift, a British author, eco builder and beekeeper living in the mountains of central Portugal. I’m also known as The Beekeeper Writer. After many years managing large construction projects and various entrepreneurial endeavours, I decided to step away from that world to build a simpler, more creative life centred around family, storytelling and nature.
What began as bedtime stories for my daughter Leila has now grown into a four book children’s universe called Leila’s Light… a series of imaginative, eco conscious adventures that encourage children to think independently, laugh often, stay connected to the natural world and question everything.
So far, I’ve written four completed books in the Leila’s Light series, with several other story projects quietly taking shape in the background. Each story blends humour, emotion and moral curiosity with rich world building designed for both children and conscientious adults to enjoy together.
My mission is to show that art, imagination, creativity, nature and truth can live side by side, and to help inspire young storytellers to do the same.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Leila and the Whispering River, the third adventure in the Leila’s Light series. It continues directly from the ending of the second book, where certain choices set off a chain of events that ripple across time and reality. The story explores how actions and intentions create consequences, sometimes in ways the characters could never imagine.
It was inspired by the real landscapes around us here in the mountains of Portugal, the rivers, forests and quiet natural places where imagination feels alive. Many moments in the book draw from real experiences that my daughter Leila and I have shared, then weave into fantasy through her ideas and my storytelling.
Beneath the adventure, it is about curiosity, friendship and listening to the world around us, not just with our ears but with understanding. It also plays with ideas of time and cause and effect, how one small moment can echo far into the future. Leila and the Whispering River celebrates that delicate bridge between truth, nature and imagination.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If there is anything unusual about my writing habits, it is probably how closely they are tied to nature and daily life. I rarely sit at a desk for long. Most of my ideas come while walking by the river, tending the bees, or working outdoors. The rhythm of nature seems to bring the right words forward, and I often stop to make quick notes before they disappear again.
A lot of my ideas are bounced back and forth between me and my daughter Leila, and together they tend to grow organically, scene by scene, as if the characters themselves are alive. I often imagine them standing there, waiting for me to write the next part of their story. Sometimes it feels as if they already know what they are about to say and what they are going to do. I feel their energy, and, as strange as it may sound, it is almost as if the characters have a soul of their own. The dialogue often comes as feelings rather than words… The characters show me what to write, rather than me inventing it. I am not sure if that is normal, but it works for me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I wouldn’t say I have been strongly influenced by many authors, but I have certainly been inspired by a few good ones. One that comes to mind is Sara, Book 1 and 2 by Esther and Jerry Hicks. I first read them with my daughter Leila, and what struck me most was the way they explored the law of attraction and positive thinking through a simple and engaging story. The books spoke about friendship, morals, humour and self-discovery in a way that children could genuinely understand and apply to real life.
What I liked most was that they had real substance. They offered something useful, not just entertainment. Leila and I could read them together and come away having learned something meaningful about how thoughts, choices and perspective shape the world we experience, or choose to experience. Those books were among the very few I found that balanced imagination and genuine wisdom for children. They reminded me that a story for a child can still carry depth and purpose, and they became the catalyst for my creative energy to begin writing.
What are you working on now?
At the moment I am completing Book Four of the Leila’s Light series, and I am also working on a few other books. In fact, there are four new titles in development, but I will keep those a surprise for now. What I can say is that each story in the Leila’s Light series grows naturally from the last, while also standing on its own to explore new ideas, imagination, awareness and the choices we make. The stories are filled with mystery, humour and a deeper look at truth, and how truth can often be hidden in plain sight.
I am also preparing to launch The Young Storyteller Quest very soon. It is an international project inviting children aged seven to twelve to write their own stories for a chance to see their work completed, illustrated and published. It is an inspiring way to give children a creative voice and to show them that their imagination truly matters.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found that the most genuine way to promote my books is through connection rather than conventional advertising. I use my website, thebeekeeperwriter.com, as the heart of everything. It brings together my books, my eco projects and the story behind both. It gives readers a place to explore the worlds of Leila’s Light, discover the values behind Mel da Terra honey and follow new projects as they develop.
Social media has also played a helpful role, especially through Instagram and YouTube, where I can share creative videos that bring our parodies and projects to life. These platforms act as a visual bridge to show what The Beekeeper Writer is about and what our community is building together.
Connection and communication have been the most rewarding forms of promotion. Parents, teachers and readers who connect with the message of Leila’s Light often share it with others, and that kind of growth feels genuine and meaningful to be part of. I believe that if a story carries genuine meaning, it will find its audience naturally. My focus is always on quality, creativity and truth, rather than chasing numbers or following corporate trends
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m not sure I am the right person to ask, as I am still a new author myself, starting a new chapter in my life. Everyone has advice to give, and I am still learning every day. But from what I have discovered so far, my advice would be to write honestly and from a place of curiosity. Do not try to copy what is already successful or what you think people want to read. Write the story that only you can tell. The truth behind your words is what people will feel, even if they do not realise it.
Do not wait for the perfect moment or setting. Begin where you are, even if it is with a notebook on your knee or a few lines written before bed. The more you jot things down and make notes, the clearer your mind becomes, and sometimes stories, dialogue or even whole characters appear in dreams. The imagination has its own way of speaking if you give it the space to.
Publishing and success are wonderful, but they should never come before the joy of creating something meaningful. Believe in your story, even if nobody else does yet, and let it grow naturally in its own time.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is to live truthfully and create from that place. Someone once told me that when you do what you genuinely love, you stop chasing approval and start attracting purpose. It stayed with me because it applies to everything, including writing, beekeeping, building, and the way you treat people.
Another piece of advice that has guided me is simple. Do not wait until you think you are ready. None of us ever feel completely ready, and if we wait for the perfect moment, we may never begin. Every book I have written started with uncertainty, but once you take that first small step, the next one always appears.
I also believe strongly in karma, that the energy you give out, whether through kindness, honesty or creativity, always returns in some form. One of my mentors once said to me, just look at your end goal and put one step forward and then the other, and eventually you will get there. I use this as both a real life experience and a metaphor.
And perhaps most of all, learn to appreciate what you have, what you can do, and the people around you… Especially your loved ones, family and friends. Appreciation is the foundation.
What are you reading now?
At the moment I’m not reading as much as I would like to, as most of my time is spent writing and finishing the next book in the Leila’s Light series. When I do read, I tend to reach for books that help me think more deeply about creativity, energy and the way we see the world. I enjoy anything that encourages awareness and appreciation, whether it is fiction or not.
I also read a lot of practical material about nature, bees and sustainable living, which all find their way into my writing in one form or another.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My focus now is on completing the next chapters of the Leila’s Light universe and continuing to bring these stories to readers who care about imagination, awareness and kindness. I want each book to feel like a small world of its own, where children and adults can explore, laugh and think together.
Beyond the books, I am excited to see The Young Storyteller Quest come to life. It is something I feel deeply passionate about, helping children discover their voice and showing them that their imagination truly matters. I hope it will become an ongoing event that grows each year, creating a community of young writers from many different places.
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?
I could name many books and give a philosophical reason for each, but if I were to be truly stranded on a desert island, I would choose ones that could be of real use and meaning.
The first would be a thick notebook. It would give me the chance to write as much as I wanted in complete peace and quiet, with no distractions. I could record my thoughts, sketch ideas and perhaps even start another story surrounded by nature itself.
The second would be a survival guide specific to that region, something that teaches practical skills, what is safe to eat and how to forage in that particular area. I have always believed that knowledge is as important as creativity, especially when survival depends on it.
My third choice would be Sara, Book 1 by Esther Hicks, because it reminds me to stay focused on good thoughts, positivity and the energy we create through what we think and feel. In a place of isolation, I think that would be one of the most valuable lessons to keep… to remain calm, grateful and creative, no matter the circumstances.
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