Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for a long time and I’ve actually lost count of the books; in the early days I was writing historical romances under three different pseudonyms to cover the mortgage, and there were a lot of those. Since I switched over to fantasy and science fiction, um… twenty? I stopped writing for a few years and when I restarted, a couple of years ago, I went indie. So far I’ve released seven indie books and I have two more completed that are going through the cover and formatting processes.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A TAPESTRY OF FIRE. It’s the fourth in my “Applied Topology” fantasy series and I was inspired by wanting to add time travel to the topologist-mages’ experiences and by reading accounts of the London Blitz during World War II. And they also encounter the usual assortment of problems, from undercover snooping, to planning a wedding, to having colleagues turned into fish…
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No. I’m pretty boring.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’d like to have been influenced by A.S. Byatt, Jane Austen, Lois Bujold, Connie Willis, P.G. Wodehouse. I don’t know if I can point to any good influence they’ve had on my actual writing, though.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just started a new series which ties in to the Applied Topology one. This time the vehicle for magic is language, not mathematics. I have waited many years to cast a professor of linguistics as the ultimate villain; the first book is going to be very satisfying to write.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Umm. Well. I’m submitting this interview, aren’t I?
My general approach to book promotion is to snarl, “Hey. I wrote this book. You don’t have to read it.” I’m told my technique could stand some improvement.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write.
Then write some more.
Then, for a change of pace, write.
No one but you can read the book in your head.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My mother: “Never go anywhere without a book, and never pass up a clean bathroom.”
What are you reading now?
The Wallet of Kai Lung, for comfort reading. Janet Evanovich’s Notorious Nineteen, for a complete change of pace. And Adventures in Real Estate, by Jane Stites, for background on realtors’ experiences to use in the new series.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, I hope. The books are jumping up and down in the back of my head shouting, “Me first! Me first!” I hope to write all of the Language of Magic series first, and then tackle the Speech of Dragons books, but those two concepts are acting as if they want to merge. Then there’s the Regency mermaid fantasy that’s not connected to anything else and has been waiting too long for its turn.
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?
Can I cheat and bring a Kindle?
Oh, well. If physical survival isn’t going to be an issue, then I want books that are dense and rich. A complete Shakespeare, the King James Bible, Palgrave’s Golden Treasury.
If I’m going to have to chop down my own coconuts, then I want a couple of the survivalist manuals my son-in-law has, and The Admirable Crichton for inspiration.
Author Websites and Profiles
Margaret Ball Website
Margaret Ball Amazon Profile