Welcome to Meet The Author! Today Wendy Steele has stopped
by to give us a little insight into her life and her books. So let’s get started.
Please
tell us a little about yourself.
I live with my partner Mike in Essex, England
with three children and three cats. I worked in the City, BC (Before Children),
but since 1999 have indulged my creative
side, training in natural therapies, belly dance and writing.
When did you start writing?
My first piece was a poem at age 10, after visiting the Tutankhamen
exhibition in London and, ever since, I've come home from new adventures and
committed my thoughts and experiences to paper. My first piece of published
(and paid!) writing was an article for the Dancing Times, after attending my
first day of belly dance workshops in London, eight years ago. As a child, I
read and wrote stories, losing myself in the lives of the characters; while in
my early twenties, I wrote children's stories and short stories but it was on a
two day writing course, nine years ago, that I believed I could be a writer. I
liked the character I created on the course and, over the following three
years, proceeded to write my first novel between school runs, children's clubs,
family domesticity, cleaning other
people's houses and stacking shelves in a supermarket. After attending Swanwick Writers Summer School for the second time and receiving great advice and help, I made the decision to take time away from teaching dance and complete the current novel I was working on and getting it published.
What projects have been published?
Destiny of Angels - First book in the Lilith Trilogy is my first novel and I also have two short story anthologies, Into the Flames and Turn Down the Heat available at this time. I have two more books launching on 1st December.
Tell us about Destiny of Angels.
Destiny of Angels is about Angel Parsons, who experiences two
traumatic events in her childhood. She
decides to revisit the scene of her childhood pain and, with the help of her
new 'family', offer the perpetrators of her distress the opportunity of
redemption, rather than exact revenge upon them. She offers them the choices and opportunities
to change their lives for the better but only they can choose.
Angel and her
partner Aidan, a landscape gardener and former stripper, enjoy a passionate,
strong relationship. The 'family'
Angel has brought together are Sophia, a slim, smart and sassy young woman who runs her own company, carrying on
the philanthropic work of her granddad; Maddy, a petite, doll-like young woman
who runs her own events company; Eli, a big, triathlon running hunk who adores
women and has a laid back approach to life; Zac, a broad, dark, quiet man who
runs his own fitness centre, and Jed, a rugby playing Adonis who runs a security
firm and helps Aidan expand his business into vertical gardens.
Angel also meets up
with her one childhood friend from school, Jenny, and she and her family play a
fundamental part in the story. Angel was welcomed into their family as a small
child and so, it is from this experience she bases her belief of what family
is.
The story unfolds
as Angel's 'family' present the childhood miscreants, Clare, Rob, Tiffany,
Justin, Danielle and Vincent,
with opportunities to improve their lives and the choices they make, as well as
Jenny and her brother Tim, moving forward with their lives. Angel too, with the help of Lilith, the dark goddess, learns about what really matters in her life and that all the money in the world won't bring you happiness if you don't have love.
How did you select the title of your novel?
With the main character being called Angel, I messed around with Angel's Choice and Angel's Destiny, but decided Destiny of Angels had a bit more oomph!
What was your inspiration?
I've always been interested in where people come from, their start in life and how this affects them as adults. Some people carry their past as a burden while others break free of the past and start their lives anew.
The knowledge that
Angel acquires during her childhood and young adulthood, gives her an unusual perspective
on life and with these powers at her disposal, she takes control of her own
destiny by deciding to close the chapter in her life that caused her so much
trauma.
I wanted to write a story about a different character, someone living her life from an unusual starting point, but still a story about everyday people that readers would recognize.
What are you currently working on?
The second book in the Trilogy,
Wrath of Angels.
What are you reading at the moment?
I've a few books on the go! I'm reading a new book for a friend as a first reader and the new book by Mark Barry,
The Ritual as well as
Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune, as I hone my research for
Wrath of Angels. I have to admit to
Mort by Terry Pratchett too, as when I need a book to just flow over me, I always turn to writing.
What do you like to do in your free time when you're not reading or writing?
I love to get out in the fresh air as much as I can, irrespective of the weather. Dancing is my passion, and my exercise! I dance ATS® belly dance and perform with Tribal Unity. We've performed at healing festivals and other events all over the country this year. I love to learn new things and ATS® really tests me both physically and emotionally.
Do you have any advice for other authors?
I'm not sure I can offer advice, but I believe the most important thing about writing is that you love it, can't live without it and have to write.
And finally, can you tell us some fun facts about yourself, such as crossed skydiving off my bucket list?
Nothing so daring as that! I learned to read music at the age of four when I learned to read words and I write most of my work with a fountain pen and black ink on lined A4 pads. I also have my fountain pen from my A levels filled with blue ink, ready for me to use for editing.
When can we find out more about Wendy Steele?
Blog:
www.wendysteele.com
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel
https://www.facebook.com/WendyWooBooks
Where can we purchase your books?
You can find all my books listed on my Amazon author pages
UK
US
You can also find me in the fabulous Indielit catalogue which you can download here
