Chissick Chat, part six, with Maria Gibbs

Welcome to part six of the Chissick Chat Blog!

Hello, Maria Gibbs, a British author from London who writes wherever her stories take her. Welcome to my blog. Please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself and your books?

Hi I’m Maria Gibbs and I write anything that comes into my head. I don’t read or write in genres so find it hard to categorise them unless they are really obvious. For sales purposes though I have had to do that so here goes:

As Dreams are Made on is a Paranormal Romance/timeslip/Love/adult fairytale

A Lifetime or a Season is Contemporary Women’s Fiction with a smidgeon of romance

The Storm Creature is a Psychological Thriller

Coming soon is A Boy from the Streets which I think will be classified as an Urban Thriller/Crime.

I also have a two-part book which will be purely Love and a number of other books in various stages of progress.

About me: I love writing, reading, adrenalin speed activities like riding my motorbike, jet-ski (not mine!) horse riding but I also like more sedate activities like crafting. I like sewing, cross-stitch, working with wood and power tools. I like keeping my brain active, I can’t stand boredom.

What, or who, inspires you?

My first inspiration was Enid Blyton who taught me the love of the written word and how you can be transported to another world by the clever use of 26 letters. Later inspirations came in the guise of Sharon Penman, Barbara Erskine, Tom Clancy, Susan Howatch, M.M Kaye, Sergeanne Golon, Victoria Holt (in all three pseudonyms) & Philippa Gregory as well as many others.

Do you enjoy reading the same genre as the one you write in?

I read anything that shouts out “Read Me”

Has any of your research taken you to an unusual place?

Not physically no.

What are you working on at the moment?

‘A Boy from the Streets’ is having the red pen treatment by my editor and as soon as that is back I will be finishing ‘Is this Love?’ Written but needs another edit by me and the sequel ‘Illicit Love’ which is almost finished but need to do a bit more research and piece together what I already have. I also have a three quarters finished thriller and a half finished fantasy/time-slip and about 30 others in various stages. I have more ideas than time and money (editorial costs-although mine is really reasonable) unfortunately.

What are your future writing plans?

Just keep doing what I’m doing and finished that TBW (To be written) list.

Is there anything you don’t like about writing/being an author?

I hate doing blurbs, I struggle as it doesn’t come naturally to me as my writing does and marketing. I used to hate editing but have got used to that. With marketing I have no idea what I am doing and no time to learn what I should to be more successful. Having said that I have come a long way in the two years since I first self-published and feel proud of my achievements to date.

Quick Fire Questions …

Tea or coffee? Coffee (although cup of tea with breakfast)

Sweet snack or savoury snack? Both

Real book or ebook? Love real book but e-book is so much more practical

Cinema or DVD? Either (not too fussed on movies – take them or leave them)

Cat or dog? Dog

Weepie or action movie? Action

And to Finish, What is your favourite …

Food? My mum’s homemade rice meat loaf or homemade burgers

Drink? Pepsi if I’m naughty or water if I’m good (alcohol wine or brandy)

Movie? The Shawshank Redemption (love this one)

Book? Too many