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Welcome to the second interview I am highlighting on my blog. This was originally done on the Writing Dreams blog. You can find the original post here.
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Who is your favorite author? I have so many favorite authors. Those who are well known would be James Rollins, Edgar Allen Poe, and Stephen King.
How do you describe your writing style? My writing style is one where the readers feel my words. I strive to make my words as real as possible. I want the readers to be pulled into the story and be able to see it clearly within their minds. I write directly from my heart, therefore how I feel about what I am writing is clear within the words that are written.
Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book? The message is the overall importance with my books because of the touch with depression and self harm. I’m trying to bring more awareness to such a taboo subject.
Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself? Yes, as a matter of fact, Amber is modeled after me. A lot of what she endures within the series was what I endured within my own life.
If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why? This would be hard to answer because I personally know each character within the series. I based each one off of a person I personally know.
What books have most influenced your life? There has only been one…. my Bible.
If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why? Oh this is a tough one. But I would choose Nature Calls by Bonnie Bernard. There is one section within this book that really had me going and I’d love to base a story off of the one part.
Beatles or Monkees? Why? Neither. I’m really not familiar with either…. LOL
Who should play you in a film of your life? I would say Kate Hudson. I think she would do an amazing job. She’s my favorite actress and from some of the interviews I have watched, she and I are alike in many ways.
Today, RaeBeth McGee-Buda is stopping by to talk about her books and
tell us a little about herself. Enjoy learning about what drives her and
check out her work!
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: There are several things that have inspired me to write SILENCED.
First of all the lack of knowledge that I’m seeing when it comes to
depression and self harm. I’ve met so many people that had no clue self
harm existed. Second I suffer from depression and in the past did
cutting to help me feel I had control some where within my life. I felt
like the depression controlled me. In my opinion, it’s time that
depression and self harm become another issue people bring awareness to.
SILENCED
isn’t about having the perfect storyline or the perfect adventure. It’s
to help people understand. Thus inspiring me to try to help those
people understand.
Q: Your reviewers praised SILENCED
as an entertaining book – “I was instantly drawn in and hooked” – and
at the same time one that “put into words the feelings of
depression.” Do you write largely for entertainment, or do you also try
to deliver a message?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: I do both. SILENCED
is mainly to deliver the message that depression and self harm are
serious issues that need attention. The aspect of Amber and her love
with Landon tends to shadow the cutting but doesn’t make it go away.
Depression doesn’t just happen a few times a year. It’s all the time.
Depression doesn’t just sporadically show up one day and isn’t gone the
next.
Q: How much are you or people you know part of your book?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: There’s several people that I know wrapped
into Amber, which is the main character. Landon is based on a person
close to me. Other than this, all the other characters are there to help
the story along with very little based on real people.
Q: How do you engage your readers to care about your characters?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: I try to make the characters as close to
the “real” person they are based on. Each character acts like someone in
their own way that I either know or have seen. I try to engage the
readers by bringing them into the mind of the main character. SILENCED is in the first person point of view.
Q: How relevant is setting to your story? Could it be set anywhere?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: Yes, SILENCED can be set anywhere. When I was beginning the story of SILENCED
my Hubby was stationed in North Carolina while he was in the United
States Marines. This is why I based Amber’s hometown in North Carolina.
When I finished writing SILENCED, I was living in West Virginia. Therefore, this is the reason why it takes place in West Virginia.
Q: What is your favorite part of being a writer?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: I love hearing that someone enjoyed my
work. It gives me more of a drive to carry on with my writing. It helps
me see that there are people out there that can relate to my work. It’s
an amazing feeling.
Q: Are there heroes and villains in your story? How would you define them?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: As for SILENCED, no there aren’t any heroes or villains. So I suppose this question really doesn’t pertain to this particular story.
Q: When you’re not writing, what do you do? Hobbies? Sailing?
Knitting? Standup comedy? Favorite music? Favorite authors? Do you have
a muse?
RaeBeth McGee-Buda: When I’m not writing, I read and review
other books. I help other authors get the word out about their book. My
hobby is blogging. I own one called The Writing World, which I use to
post my reviews of the books I read, interview authors, and share the
word on books. I have many authors I would consider my favorite but if I
had to choose a famous author… it would be Edgar Allen Poe.
Amber Brown spent her entire existence believing Dave was her
father. When her mother reveals this is untrue, she goes through an
emotional spiral with depression. It’s hard for her to believe her
mother had lied to her all this time.
A move to a new home and town causes Amber to be consumed by her
“darkness” and reverts to cutting to free herself from her pain.
When Casey, her new friend enters her life, she introduces Amber to
parties, drugs, and Amber’s new boyfriend Landon. The secret of cutting
begins to take affect on Amber as she tries to hide it from her friends
and family. In the midst of everything, Amber has the desire to find out
who her biological father is.
Follow Amber through her trials of depression and cutting, along with the discovery of love.
Blurb: In life when one thing goes wrong, it can feel like everything
goes wrong. Secrets come to the surface while friendships twist out of
control, romantic relationships end, and even a dear loved one can die!
In Silenced: The Overtaking Amber’s life turns to chaos when she
finds out Sarah, her childhood friend dies suddenly, her stepfather
reveals another devastating family secret, and her boyfriend begins
pushing her away.
After all the truth comes out, Amber turns to her darkness for
comfort when her worst fear becomes reality. Her secret with cutting is
discovered when she loses control and ends up in the hospital. Amber’s
long journey to recovery begins with a battle. While she’s fighting her
way to freedom, she discovers the one love she’s been missing her entire
life.
Will Amber overtake her darkness of cutting or will the darkness overtake her?
So, over the past year... I have done several interviews on several different blogs. Well, I have found new readers along the way and I have been asked many questions over the past year. I came up with the idea of sharing more interview questions right here on my blog during the month of December. There will be a variety of questions in which I'll be answering.
So, join me in the Thirty Interviews in Thirty Days event, while getting to know more about me and what makes me tick.
If you have a question or a few, please feel free to send them to me and I'll add them into the interviews for the month.
This morning I woke up with another idea for a book, but this one I have to get to work on right now. I'm hoping I can have it done by Christmas, but I don't believe that will be possible. I'll be going on vacation for Thanksgiving for a week and there won't be time to write. Well, at least I don't think there will be time to write.
As for today, I am revealing the title to this book:
I know I haven't updated the blog in a while. I have been super busy. At this time, I am taking a small break from writing. Just a week or two. This way I can catch up on my book list that I have to read and review.
I do have several projects under way. I'm super excited about each one because a few are new genre's for me. The biggest project that I am working on has a title, but the cover is in the works. So, keep your eyes open for that. I will say it's a paranormal series about Witches, Wizards, and Demons.
Here's the title:
The next project I have going on is a bit more of a secret but I can share the title with you too, but I can't say much more than that... for now.
The last project has a title but this one I can't say anything about... yet.
Keep your eyes open here, on Facebook, or my website for more updates. Remember to check out my website for any and all giveaways. At this time there is an open giveaway going on right now, but in ends in about 14 hours. If you haven't entered but would like to... here's the link: http://raebethmcgee.weebly.com/giveaways.html
