Pirate themes - Up Close & Personal with Author - Ben Galley - THE WRITTEN, Book 1 of the Emaneska Series

Where were you born and where do you call home? I was born in sunny Cambridge England, and now live in Guildford, near London

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say? My most recent book is entitled THE WRITTEN, Book 1 of the Emaneska Series. It's a brutal and thrilling adventure, cold, mysterious, full of dark places and dark people, Lord of the Rings meets Sin City.

Patti Says: oh i like dark!

If you gave some of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say? "Leave me alone"

Do you have plans for a new book?   Is this book part of a series? The sequel PALE KINGS is finished and in the editing stage. The Emaneska Series will likely span 4-5 books. Very exciting.

What or who inspired you to write?  And how long have you been writing? I've been writing ever since I could hold a pen, and originally it was the books of CS Lewis, Tolkien, and strangely enough the myths of Homer that inspired me. They will always remain my biggest inspiration!

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life? I think every character is a little slice of an author's mischievous mind. Mine I tried to keep as varied as possible, but occasionally a few of my own little idiosyncrasies managed to sneak out, especially into the witty retorts of Farden, the main character.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why? Recently I would have to say the inimitable Neil Gaiman and Ray Bradbury. They have an incredible way with flow and tempo that I have tried for years to copy, and they have a brilliant way of slipping a hint of insidious darkness underneath the lines of their stories, something that never fails to make the skin crawl.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet? JRR Tolkien, the legend that was.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? Nothing beats the smell of a good old fashioned book.

Where do you prefer to buy your books? I like to support little bookshops, but in a pinch there's always Amazon.

Are you a self published (Indie) Author? I am indeed. Homemade through and through.

Have you ever read a book more than once? About 13 times. It was the Coral Island by RM Ballantyne.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version? Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. The book was good but the film was even better.

Patti Says: Is that because you have a secret crush on Brad Pitt :)

What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)? Ray Bradbury's Illustrated Man in Paperback. Great album art too

Is there anything you would change in your last book and why? There are a few bits I would like to change, mainly because of the new ideas I've had whilst writing the sequel (and planning the third) that I wish I could have hinted at in the first. But what's done is done! Maybe one day I'll do a re-release.

Who designed the cover of your book? Myself and my partner Claudia, who is a superb artist.

Do you have a book trailer? I do indeed! Find it on Youtube - www.youtube.com/bengalley

What are your thoughts on book trailers? They can be very hit and miss depending on the budget. Mine is very homemade so I tried to keep it as simple as possible. Even so I think they are largely untested waters! 

Do you have any advice for other writers? Stick with it, whatever happens. Keep some inspiration nearby, don't force it, and edit. Again. And again. And again.

What is the best advice that you have ever been given when it comes to writing? As a tiny little self-publishing blog once told me: "Self-published books have a reputation for being full of errors and spelling mistakes. The only way we self-published authors can disband this myth is by making sure our novels are as close to perfect as we can make them." I'm as guilty as the next and completely agree. Editing is key to making your book approachable and professional :)

Do you write under a pen name? No, and I don't think I ever would.

Do you ever write in your PJ’s? I've been known to write in nothing but a top hat...

Patti Says: do you have a pic to prove it?

What are your pet peeves? As far as writing is concerned, and once again I'm as guilty as the next, the wanton misuse of apostrophes makes me want to claw my eyes out!

Cats or dogs? Cats

White wine or red? Red

Coffee or tea? I'm British, Tea of course :)

Favorite food? Indian

Patti says: Definitely English!

Vanilla or chocolate icecream? Vanilla

What are 4 things you never leave home without? Wallet, phone, and keys, and clothes.

Laptop or desktop for writing? Laptop

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing? In the morning, surrounded by music

One of your favorite quotes - "I am constantly bereft of genius, but the voices in my head seem to have plenty to go around."

List 3 of your all time favorite books? Lord of The Rings, American Gods, and the Book Thief

List 3 of your all time favorite movies? Fight Club, American Beauty, The Green Mile

An actor you have a crush on - Scarlett Johansson, if you're reading this, call me back.

Where can your readers stalk you? 

My blog: www.bengalley.com

My facebook page: www.facebook.com/bengalley

My Goodreads author page: www.goodreads.com/author/show/4522335.Ben_Galley

Twitter: @BenGalley

Smashwords: HERE

Other: www.bengalley.com

Is your book in Print, ebook or both? Everything!

About this author

Ben Galley was born in sunny England in 1987. Since then, he has written books, dreamt a great many dreams, and insistently become a nuisance. Those of you who frequent the sandy shores of the English isle might have seen the wanted posters. Fear not.
 
At 23, Ben is one of the youngest self-published authors in the UK, and has recently released his debut book, entitled The Written, the first in the eagerly awaited Emaneska Series. The sequel and second in the series, Pale Kings, is firmly in the editing stage, and is due for release in early 2012. You can find out all about Ben’s writing on the Books page of his website www.bengalley.com, along with a generous helping of his short stories, just for you.
 
Ben has been writing ever since he could hold a pencil and currently spends his time telling tall tales and daydreaming on park benches. He prides himself in being a downright nice chap, an upstanding English gentlemen, and an all-round closet hooligan. Worryingly for the rest of us, he still believes in dragons. He won’t tell you where they’re hiding, because that’s a secret, but he will tell you about them in great detail. Aside from writing, Ben dabbles in bass guitar, surfing, holds workshops and gives talks on self-publishing, and apparently owns an acre on the moon. Ben can be found being loquacious and witty on Twitter, or hiding in your garden shed.

Readers Comment:

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings
This book is an excellent read. It flows smoothly from scene to scene with interesting situations. You won't get bored or lost. Read more

Published 1 month ago by nottingharp

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow this was good!
I loved this book. I found this on one of the freebie emails Amazon sends for Kindle books and boy am I glad I downloaded this one. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Mercedes