YA Story Teller: Blog tour (author interview): Tragic Silence by E.C.Hibbs

Book Details:

Tragic Silence by E.C. Hibbs
Publication date: November 19th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Suspense

Synopsis:

When tragedy strikes Bianka Farkas one night in her native Hungary, she loses more than a friend and her mobility. Some things are harder to understand. Waking up in a hospital, Bee struggles to remember exactly what happened the night she was attacked and witnessed a brutal murder. Memories of a mysterious figure plague her as well as bizarre and terrifying changes in her over the next few years. Facing this new horrifying reality with a surprising ally, Bee finally has the chance to take her revenge but at what cost?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18618544-tragic-silence?ac=1

Purchase:

-Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tragic-Silence-EC-Hibbs-ebook/dp/B00GQM0QLY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

E. C. Hibbs has lived all her life in Cheshire, north-west England. A lover of stories from an early age, she wrote her first ‘book’ when she was five, and throughout school was a frequent visitor to the younger classes to read her tales to the children.

Living so near the coast, she loves anything to do with the sea. She studied Animal Behaviour at university and longs to work with marine mammals in the future. As well as nature and animals, she also has a soft spot for history, and loves paying visits to castles, cathedrals and museums.

There are many things she could be without, but writing isn’t one of them. She carries a pen everywhere, in case an idea appears, and takes pride in still seeing the world as brimming with magic. Besides writing, she reads obsessively, her favourite genres being the classics and all kinds of fantasy. She also enjoys Disney and horror films, practising Shotokan karate, drawing, archery, and playing with her very cheeky kitten.

Author Links:

http://echibbs.blogspot.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/echibbs

https://twitter.com/echibbs

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571427.E_C_Hibbs

MY SPECIAL POST: An interview with E.C.Hibbs

Me: What experience of yours relates to a scene in your book?

I’ve been told that there is a lot of me in the main character of Tragic Silence, but the place where I can directly see a part of my own life is the vampirism itself. I wanted to show it, at least in part, as though it was a real photosensitive condition gone wild. When I was a teenager, I was diagnosed with two mild forms of light sensitivity in real life, which affects my eyes and skin. I had to start taking precautions around brightness and sunlight, and in the early days it was very frustrating, so I let it out by designing my own take on vampirism. I threw in a lot more paranormal aspects, but at base level, some parts of it are quite accurate!

Me: Oh wow! So you're almost a vampire then, huh? What's your greatest fear?

I know it’s really weird but I hate fungi and mould! I can’t stand it. If I’m outside in a forest then I’ll go and look at it, but I can never touch it, and eating mushrooms is out of the question! I have no idea where that phobia comes from!

Me: Fungi? That is weird! If you were given the chance to take the place of one Fairy Tale character, who would you choose?

This is a tough one! There are loads of fairytales I’d love to fall into! If I had the chance to be a mermaid then I’d definitely take it! But if I could only pick one, I think I’d say Gerda from The Snow Queen. I love how she goes on such a great adventure to find her friend.

Me: An acceptable answer. I liked Gerda too! So, let's talk a bit about your writing, shall we? What makes you feel inspired to write?

Anything and everything. I get a lot of inspiration from dreams, but also from history, fairytales, legends, music, or even something I might have covered in school or university! I always make sure I have a notepad and pen with me in case an idea springs up out of nowhere.

Me: Sounds about right. Creative minds can find ideas everywhere. What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I don’t have too many quirks, but I have a bit of a thing about titles. I like to be decided on the title before I start writing so I can really work it into the narrative. But I never name the manuscript files by that title until I’ve finished. I write all my stories in blocks of seven chapters, and save them by their initials, so the files for Tragic Silence were written under “TS”. It’s only at the end that I put it all together in one large file!

Me: All authors are advised to read and read a lot and often. How often do you visit the library? The book store?

If I’m at university and don’t have any lectures, then I’m usually somewhere in the library! I can happily spend a whole day in there. I sometimes go even if I don’t have any work to do, just to look at some of the stuff I wouldn’t usually get to read for my own course! As for bookshops, there aren’t many specialist ones near me, but every time I go into town, I can’t help paying a visit to Waterstones. One of my favourite shops ever!

Me: Your favorite book genres.

I read a lot of fantasy (all kinds!) and classic 19^thcentury literature. But I don’t have a lot of patience for romance novels, so I’ve never been able to get through a single Jane Austen book. I prefer classics which have a darker or gothic edge to them, like Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Oscar Wilde, and Bram Stoker.

Me: Bram Stoker, of course! Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Michelle Paver. She wrote my favourite series: The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, and I can never read her books without marvelling at the way she works. But the main reason why I’d love to meet her is because of the character of Wolf from that series. I honestly believe that the way she did him is the most accurate and well-written animal POV I’ve ever seen. I always read those sections and shake my head in amazement at how fluid and perfect they are. If I ever got the chance to speak to her, I think I’d burst!

Me: You collect...?

Old books. I keep my collection in my writing desk, because it’s Victorian and they all look great in that setting. Most of what I have are from the 1800s, I’ve also got some from the early 1900s; and I’ll happily take any kind of genre, though most of what I have are historical books and classic literature. Some of my favourites are copies of Charles Dickens books. But the jewel is a battered little one: The Works of Alexander Pope Esq., which was printed in 1764!

Me: You have to be kidding! 1764?!?!?! Lucky you! I'd like to wrap this interview with a couple of random questions. What are you wearing right at this moment?

A green t-shirt, dark blue fleecy top, blue skirt, and stripy fluffy socks!

Me: All writers seem to be in that particular attire when I ask. I should probably do a statistical analysis one of these days. :) If you could take a day off from your everyday life, where would you go?

Either the Greek Islands or Disney World! Or anywhere with a sea for me to swim in, because I love water.
Me: I love water too, but preferably fresh. Still, the mermaid in you must be really taking over :) Glad to have you at YA Story Teller today!