Author Interview: Samantha Inman

Welcome to another author interview. I’m delighted to introduce you a writer who is new to the industry this year and a self-proclaimed “force of nature”, Samantha Inman!

Samantha’s links: Website Instagram Twitter Facebook

Hello Samantha! Thank you for offering to take part in this latest author interview. For anyone who isn’t already familiar, would you like to start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Sure, well, how to start without sounding conceited, that’s the rub, right? I have a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts, as an actor. That’s the career I had originally intended, but life has a way of throwing twists and turns so I turned a pet project into the full novel while I was on hiatus from acting, through circumstances out of my control. But I like to think of myself as a creative person, I’m also an amateur photographer as well. I guess, you could say I am still finding my niche but I love all three things because they are all ways to tell stories.

Could you tell us more about your first published work Tea Time?

Tea Time is a story that started as an idea. Really I was a little tired of the mystery/thriller genre not having a lot of female writers that write female perspectives. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I just would like to see more representation in stories, so I wrote my own.

How did you find the publishing process for your debut? Was there anything that you would do differently if you could go back?

I was really lucky in the way I connected with my publisher. I published with a private company that blends the traditional publishing with the self-publishing. I had a lot of control about publishing my books, but there is still a lot of work involved but I’m also available all over the world. So, it has its pros and cons but overall, I get to see my name on two different books, at the end of the day.

Your second publication was a collection of poems. Where did the inspiration for this work come from, and how different was the process to writing a novel?

Oh, it’s entirely different! Novel writing to me anyway is a lot of work. You have your first draft, which is a pain in and of itself, second and third drafts, edits, beta reader copies another round of edits and I guarantee things were missed. Poetry is raw and emotional, all the way through. It’s not heavily edited, or mine weren’t, its something deeply personal for a lot of people. For me, this collection is about my personal journey with my mental health and glimpses and moments from the emotions of my past. I wrote them over the years and as I was looking at them several months ago, I realised some of them connected in a way and thus Thoughts (At Random) was born.

How easy did you find the transition from photography to writing?

 I have always been fascinated with different perspectives and views on how to see the world. Photography for me in an extension to my artwork as well as my writing. My book of poetry was also a way to bring the two together in black and white. Learning how to use a Canon camera has been the most difficult thing out of it, because there are so many options! Photography is another avenue that’s creative that helps me see in a different light and get out of my head sometimes, versus writing all the time and not being able to take myself out of the writing. It’s a balance and photography is a different and possibly unexpected transition, but in reality I transitioned from Acting to writing, then to photography and again its all about being able to see a story from all angles, if you can.

Are there any characters in literature that you’ve absolutely fallen in love with?

There are so many wonderful characters to choose from and read over and over again. I honestly, don’t know that I have a character that I have fallen in love with. Stories yes, I love the Robert Langdon books by Dan Brown, magic of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter Saga, and the world of Tolkien, the words of Shakespeare as well as the vista of the Carpathians of Dracula or the highlands of Outlander. These are just a few of the stories that impacted me, because the story and the characters completed each other, you can’t imagine one without the other. The characters grew and changed and didn’t stagnate, I like the stories of substance and characters as unique as the story. But if I were forced to choose, maybe Hermione and Paulina of The Winter’s Tale by Shakespeare because without the strength of those female characters, I honestly think female characters would be written differently today.

I’m always curious to find out, but how have the recent world events impacted your writing? Do you find that you’re writing more, less?

Oh, most definitely! It’s devastating, really. I try really hard not to, but I have a dystopian book on the back burner that the idea showed up in November of last year, I cant bring myself to even open the file. Because if I do, I am afraid I’ll go down a rather dark rabbit hole that will only be intensified by our new reality. I actually have only recently come out a few months long writer’s block, so trying to write while I can think about the sequel to Tea Time. Having the time is entirely different that having the energy, I have found, to write. So, after a long while I have the energy again and I’m desperately trying to get through the first draft of the sequel before I switch to a different project. But I find I am actually, always writing poetry, that never seems to stop, though it’s always been sporadic.

Are there any fun facts we should know about Samantha Inman?

Fun facts, I don’t know really, I guess I love to travel and I have a dog named Lucky. I don’t know. There’s a lot that fits here and yet nothing really comes to mind.

And lastly, would you like to tease us with what to expect from you in the coming year?

I’m submitting to photography contests, globally, year-round, so maybe be on the look-out for that. Poetry submissions are also a thing for me as well, but the big one is the next book and it’s a little ways out but I hope to keep going and start the publication process sometime late this year or early next year, we shall have to wait and see.

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A massive thank you to Samantha for taking part in this author interview. It's an honour to get to talk to all manner of indie authors in this series.

Make sure you subscribe to my website as I have plenty more in store over the coming weeks.

Until next time, keep reading.

M.K.