Welcome Monique Rockliffe
The books I've written and which
are published with Xlibris Publishing:
The Sword Bearers: Book 1
The Sword Bearer's: Journey Book
2
Works in progress:
The Sword Bearer's Lament: Book 3
(to be released this year)
The Sword Bearer's Ascension:
Book 4
The Door - A sci-fi short story
(to be published directly to Kindle through Amazon - this year)
Biography
Monique was born in Johannesburg,
South Africa,
where she currently resides with her husband. Always the avid reader, she spent every available moment since
childhood reading, which fuelled her already boundless imagination. She loved
watching as many fantasy, science fiction, and action films as possible, establishing
her love and passion for story telling.
She became a dancer at age five which turned into a successful
professional career, but she never lost her first passion. She began writing
seriously in 2009 when her dancing career came to an end and her husband and
greatest supporter urged her to finally make a start.
Book Review
Links
Interview
1. Please tell the readers a bit more
about you.
I live in
Johannesburg, South Africa. I was a professional
dancer for most of my life after attending the School of Art,
Ballet, Music and Drama, majoring in ballet. I danced in two ballet companies
and one contemporary dance company and had a very successful career. But I
lived inside books every spare moment I had. The Sword Bearers is my debut
novel which I began writing in 2009 when I decided to stop dancing and take up
a passion I’ve had since I could read. I’m a very good story teller and always
have been since I was a child, holding my audiences enraptured for hours on
end!
I still
teach ballet to teenagers and young adults during the week, and I write
everyday and blog and read other writers works as much as possible.
2. What types of books do you write?
I am
primarily a fantasy author, but in the future I will also be writing urban
fantasy, science fiction, and horror with a supernatural twist – both novels
and short stories.
3. Who's your main audience?
If I had
to put an age restriction on my stories I’d say they are suitable for young
adults (16) and above.
4. When it comes to writing- what are
your strong points? What are your weaknesses?
I pay a
lot of attention to detail and make sure my scenes are colourful and
descriptive – without getting long-winded about it – from the surroundings to
the characters. I’m good at drawing in the reader emotionally, especially when
it comes to dialogue, and my characters are as real as they can be within a
fantastical setting.
I believe
that I can always improve my craft on a daily basis and identify my shortcomings
by comparing my work to that of more experienced writers. If I have weaknesses
then it is simply that I have not yet learned everything!
5. What do you think of this term-
Writer's Block? How do you overcome it?
In one of
my recent blogs I stated that my understanding of writer’s block is no more
than losing trust in yourself, in your unconscious mind, or in your muse,
whatever it is you employ to create. Borrowing a term from Star Trek, I believe
writer’s block is moving ‘out of phase’ with yourself and it only requires a
shifting back; and that shifting back is relearning to trust in your writing
abilities, and most especially in yourself.
6. How many books have you written?
I have
written three books to date and one sci-fi short story.
7. How many are published?
Two novels
in my fantasy series of four have been published, with the third almost ready.
The short story I plan on publishing through Amazon Kindle.
8. Are you self published or
traditionally published?
I am
self-published.
9. What's the hardest part of the
writing process for you?
I suppose
it’s describing a scene accurately enough, with the right amount of emotion and
power and not too many adjectives and adverbs, so that the reader experiences
exactly what I want them to while not getting them bogged down with too many
words. I dread to think that they never ‘get it’, but I have to trust that they
do without too much help/verbosity from me!
10. What type of books do you enjoy
reading?
Everything
fantasy, most science fiction, horror, suspense, thrillers, adventure and even
a few classics. I’m about to read The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.
11. Who's your favorite Author?
I can’t
say there’s just one. Many changed my world and stirred my imagination into a
frenzy as a youth. These few influenced me to start writing seriously: Terry Brooks,
David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Cussler,
Melanie Rawn, Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, Tolkien – to name but a few!
12. What's your all time favorite book?
It is
extremely difficult to pick just one favourite. Yet, the one that does pop into
my head almost immediately is Raymond E. Feist’s ‘Magician’. That is just an
awesome trilogy.
13. How long does it take you to write a book?
Between 4
to 6 months depending on what life brings to interfere with the process.
14. Out of all of your characters, which is your favorite? Why?
It has to
be Khyri/KC, the main character. This heroine came to life when I was eight
years old and she has developed through the years into the character she is now
as The Sword Bearer, so I feel closest to her. In the beginning of the story
she is carefree and happy. Then for a long time she loses herself when
something very traumatic happens to her. Throughout the story – spanning four
books – she rediscovers who she used to be and learns to deal with the person
she has become. She overcomes so much adversity and triumphs over her enemies
and herself, and I admire her greatly for it!
15. What is one of the most surprising things you've learned as a writer?
The most
surprising thing is that there are no limits to my imagination, that whenever I
need the story to continue, and I don’t know how it is going to do so, a way always
presents itself without fail.
16. What does your family think of your writing?
They are
very supportive, although my husband despairs when I am willing to give up
meals just so that I can finish a chapter without losing the emotional ‘flow’!
He frequently wheels me away from the table still in my chair as I complain
bitterly at his lack of understanding! But, in truth, he does get it and
supports me completely.
17. What does your writing schedule look like?
I write anytime
of the day as long as I don’t need to teach or do chores. I try to get in at
least 3 hours minimum, and on a day I don’t teach I can write from morning to
early evening very easily (with the husband force feeding me every now and
then)!
18. Do you manage to write every day?
Unfortunately,
no. Life isn’t always that accommodating. But I do my best.
19. What's the latest news you'd like to share?
Book 3, The Sword Bearer's Awakening, is coming out soon and will be available on Amazon
and Barnes and Noble as paperback, hardback and Kindle/Nook, as are Books 1 and
2 right now. Book 4, the final installment in the series, is busy being written.
As I mentioned before I have a sci-fi short story that is in the final editing
process and I plan to publish through Amazon as soon as it’s ready.
I am also
in the process of building up a following with profiles on Twitter, Facebook,
Goodreads, and Amazon, wherever readers tend to hang out! I am pretty new to
social media networking and I am working hard to get noticed. This interview is
one awesome way to do that, so thank you, RaeBeth, for your generosity.
20. Do you have any advice for new writers?
Believe
that you are a unique individual with a unique story to tell in a unique way.
Read and write as much as you can and always be willing to learn from the more
experienced. Never think you’ve made it, even when it seems like you have.
Remain humble as a person but unmoving about the power and influence of your
work, believing that it has a voice and something really significant to say, no
matter what others may think of it. Trust in your abilities; they are what make
you uniquely you.
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