Mandy is passionate about writing to the point of obsession and she succeeded in becoming a published author in record time. Mandy’s venture into freelance writing has been successful and she regularly contributes to Strathcona Connect, an e-zine and the Never Been Better page in the Sherwood Park newspaper as well as satisfying numerous clients. Her published works is constantly growing with numerous manuscripts pending and ideas flowing there is no end to her stories. Each tale has a base theme of love in all it forms. Mandy has a deep love of the natural world and a childlike wonder of the magical realm.
Hello Mandy, welcome to BrandEducation! What themes or messages do you hope readers will take away from your work?
Several years ago, I executed a deep dive into all of my books to find a core theme across the many stories. The exercise revealed that the common thread is love in its many forms – romantic, sibling, friendship, self, parental, environmental and more.
Can you share some insights into your creative process?
As a free flow writer, most of the time, there have been (and probably will be) times I have to plunge into planning more complex stories. The initial idea usually pops into my head. This can be a character, a scene, or a whole story. There are external forces at work for some, others it is a dream, an overheard conversation etc. I begin with viewing my characters world and mindset in my own mind and let them guide me through their story. To anyone who doesn’t write this may seem odd, but it is like a movie running in my head. While I write what mental images are showing me, I do not edit as this halts the process. There is plenty of time to go back and revise later, once the story is written down.
Are there any particular genres, or topics you enjoy writing about the most?
I write to story rather than genre, as I enjoy exploring the many genres and their specific requirements and reader expectations. Having said above love seems to be a focal point in my narratives. I also favour strong female protagonists, or women that find their strength.
Do you have any upcoming projects, or future writing plans?
Always! There are so many manuscripts on my backburner pile awaiting edits and revisions, but as many writers will know a new shiny idea will always arise and want your attention. To give you some idea this is my ‘current’ list: eight pending manuscripts (including a trilogy), a collaborative novel for a 2025 publishing date, a western romance publishing in July 2025, and the ‘new’ story I’m currently immersed in.
How has your writing evolved or changed over the course of your career?
From my first introduction into writing back in 2009, my writing has developed a thousand fold. I learnt the rules of writing with the help and mentorship of my local writing group and its members. Then practiced a lot! Initially with word or picture prompts, and then began to develop confidence in how I structured my narratives resulting in my style becoming more present.
Are there any books or authors that you revisit or re-read for inspiration or comfort?
I re-read a novel entitled Ferney by James Long. It holds a special place in my heart as it is the ultimate reincarnation story, it is like going back to family, I’ve read it so many times. I wrote my ode to reincarnation in my novel, The Twesome Loop. As for authors, I read multiple genres (due to writing many) but Stephen King is number one storyteller for me, his construction of character, setting and plot are superb. I do have other authors I enjoy and the list is very long, but include Kate Morton, M.J. Arlidge, and Felix de Palma.
How do you develop your characters? Do you draw inspiration from real people or experiences?
My characters tend to be a culmination of people I have met throughout my life. I do not use a person’s whole personality, but rather make a composition of several to make a totally new individual. I also draw from my own life experience and parts of my personality too.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
The glib answer is everywhere, which is truer than you would think. Maybe it is easier to give a couple of examples. My YA novella, Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria begun with the discovery of a large mullein plant discovered on the highway on a road trip in British Columbia. It stood around six feet high. This plant became an invading alien and was coupled with the small crustaceans my youngest loved to play with as a child, pill bugs, which became robotic protectors. My speculative fiction novel, Life in Slake Patch is set in a future matriarchal world. This was the result of a heated discussion on a ‘woman’s place’ – understandably I was riled up and wrote the initial chapters in a sprint. The Rython trilogy began as a standalone – The Rython Kingdom, based on my life in England and the many historical sites I visited and the history I learnt in school. The sequel, Rython Legacy was reader requested, but the prequel, Malgraf’s Dawning was purely because I felt the character in the other novellas really needed her story told and I enjoyed going into the mindset of an evil antagonist.
Do you have a favourite character from your own books? If so, who is it and why?
Although, many of my female characters are self assured for the most part, I think Owena from The Commodore’s Gift is a firm favourite. It is her inner strength in resisting the societal expectations of her time and how she proves herself as a competent, resourceful and able warrior. In short she’s a bad ass.
How do you choose the titles of your books?
I find the title comes to me either prior to the first stages of writing, or while I’m immersed in the narrative. I also make up names; hence Rython and Twesome and Toaria these are from my imagination. Some titles stay the same, while others change during the writing process as a character, or setting is better depicted by a revision. For example, Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria was initially Bubble the Grubble. For me a title should give some insight into the book’s genre and its content for the readers.
Find out more at: https://mandyevebarnett.com/