Digital interview with Arista Holmes @author-a-holmes
Arista Holmes comes into Writeblrcafé and orders a coffee. With a hot mug of coffee in hand, they sit down on a bench. We start talking about their writing journey. They are currently writing a book and sometimes flash fiction in their favourite genres fantasy and fiction.
What got you into writing?
Honestly, I don't truly know. I've been telling stories since my earliest memories, so around the age of 2, where I'd pull out old second hand toys and use them as characters. The first time I remember actually writing down one of my stories, I was about 7 or 8, and wrote a story for class called "Rosie the Rabbit Goes On An Adventure".
What inspires you to write?
I get my inspiration from all over the place. Observing the world. An interesting character trait. Overheard snippets of conversation. But what usually starts an idea is something that makes me wonder: "What if... XYZ happened?"
Which are recurring themes in your writing?
Slow burn romance, found family, and protagonists getting into more trouble than they know how to handle alone!
How would you describe your writing style?
Oooh, that's a tough one. I know how I hope my style comes across; clear, fun, whimsical, realistic. But whether I successfully pull that off? I think that's up to the readers to decide.
How do you deal with writer's block?
Depends on the source of the block. The first thing I usually try is stepping away from the manuscript for a couple of days in case it's the start of burn out. If I recover quickly, that's usually what it was, and I can get back to work. If I'm still feeling blocked a couple of days later, that tells me there's something wrong with the manuscript. I've gone wrong somewhere, and need to tweak something. I'll usually read back over the current chapter, or if I'm near the start of the previous chapter, and see if I can spot where I went off the tracks. As a last resort, I'll rewrite the previous chapter from another point of view. More often than not, this trick solves my block, either because it's given me a different perspective on the scene, or because it's just managed to get the words flowing for me again.
Do you have a wip? Tell us about it:
I do! My current work in progress is called 'Darkling' and it's book two of my debut series, The Fey Touched Trilogy. Book one launched last month, and is available at all the major stores e-book stores, and as a paperback and hard cover via Amazon.
Have you already published your writing?
Changeling (book 1 of the Fey touched trilogy)
You can tell us more interesting stuff about you here:
I'm an English writer living in the south-east of England. When I'm not cuddling my demon cat, or drinking coffee, I'm usually writing, reading, or playing computer games to relax.
Thank you for the good talk and keep writing!
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