Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Victoria Bastedo
Book Title: Moordym Downs
Released: 6/7/20
Genre: Mystery (with a touch of romance)
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Moordym Downs”?
Bastedo: I've always loved stories about the Moor, from The Secret Garden to the Hound of the Baskervilles. I haven't read Wuthering Heights, but, with a title like that and a main character named Heathcliff, the Moor still swept me away. That mysterious, delicious atmosphere, floating out of the books to me, I was courted. I loved writing my own story set in the Moor!
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process, or your book?
Bastedo: When I was young, I decided I was semi good at a lot of things, but not specifically talented for anything. I never thought I could write, but I read, voraciously, for decades. When I was forty, I finally gave myself permission to have a dream and follow it. I think artistic expression should be measured first by the joy it gives you. Even if I never sell another book, I'm very grateful that God gave me the gift. I'm blessed.
If "Moordym Downs" were adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Berkman: That's a tough question! I see my characters so clearly in my head, and I rarely encounter the person who could portray them. They'd not only have to look the way I think they should, they'd also need to embody the feeling I get, associated with the names I gave them.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Bastedo: Trust the gift inside myself. Give myself patience. Sometimes I need to weep, if I've bottled up my emotions, my creativity is stuck under the bottle cap too. And never settle. If those words aren't the right words for the story, then don't keep them. Wait until I figure out what the right words are.
What is your favorite book, genre, and/or author?
Bastedo: Fantasy, I guess. Although I love a good romance, adventure or mystery. It's like looking at a painting of a beautiful path, leading through a little village, out into the flowers, with the cloud-dappled sky calling to you. Books that give my imagination a ticket. C.S. Lewis, Tolkein, Austen, Mary Stewart and her romances.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Bastedo: First off, write. I'm a pantser all the way. For me, the best time to write my scene is when I'm first or most inspired by it. When I have that glow, I'm intrigued. Even if you're not ready to write the rest of the book, write down that scene. You may not keep it. But put it out there, a little piece of art, and paint in the colors, and express that mood music. Crack the joke. Tell off that IRRITATOR. Fall off the cliff.
What are you working on next?
Bastedo: Right now I have three different novels I could work on. One is a fairy tale romance, one is a fantasy, and one is a crossover of genres. The three stories are wrestling for it. I'm waiting to see who wins. https://victoriabastedo.wordpress.com/
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or on Kindle Unlimited:
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