Guest Author Interview - Bev Allen

This week we welcome Bev Allen for a guest author interview.

Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
My name is Bev Allen. I am married and the mother of two grown up children. When I’m not writing, I work as the administrator of a small charity which publishes articles on military history and as a military history researcher.

When did you first start writing?
I told stories from as early as I can remember, but I think I began writing them down about the age of twelve. I wrote quite a bit in my teenage years, fortunately none of it has survived

What about writing do you find most satisfying?
Allowing the people in my head out to tell their story/stories.

If you could give one piece of advice to new authors what would it be?
Edit, and then edit again. Then find a good editor and have them do it.

If you could meet one person from history who would it be?
What a question! There are so many people I would love a chance to meet. For sheer curiosity’s sake, I think Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II. I would hear her views Hugh De Spencer, what she saw in Mortimer and who she thought murdered her husband, if anyone did.

What is your favourite book and why?
I can’t possibly choose one book, or even one author, I have so may I love. But my current favourite author is Ben Aaronovitch. I am loving his “Rivers of London” books and I very much enjoyed the latest “Whispers Underground”.

What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve just finished another sci fic action/adventure story; it’s currently with the editor. It’s called “Lucien and the Tattooed Tribes” and has an eco-warrior theme. It is more light hearted than “Jabin” and Lucien is a completely different sort of hero. Hopefully it will be out by the end of the year.
I am currently working on a fantasy without magic, I can’t get to grips with magic, it feels like cheating. It will feature pipes and drums and flintlock muskets. I am enjoying the research enormously, especially the lovely smell of black powder.

Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
My latest work and first novel is “Jabin and the Space Pirates”. Despite the title, it is aimed at the older YA reader. It is the story of one kid’s search for a home and a chance of happiness, but it is set against a background of religious intolerance, violence and abuse. Fair warning, whilst I have avoided detailed descriptions of gore etc., I haven’t pulled any punches and if you are upset by the reality of inhumanity, this is not the book for you.
I have tried to deal with some of evils facing society today, drugs and sex trafficking and neglect, but to do it in the context of an action/adventure story, the sort of thing that used to be described as a “ripping yarn.”
You can find it on Amazon, both kindle and paperback here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabin-the-Space-Pirates-ebook/dp/B0087UYNI0/ref=pd_rhf_pe_p_t_1
And here
http://www.amazon.com/Jabin-the-Space-Pirates-ebook/dp/B0087UYNI0/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t#_

My thanks to Bev for sharing her time with us, next week Nick Wastnage will be joining us.