Sunday 15 December 2013

Introducing you to .... Katrina Emgard


In our latest post introducing you to our Night Shade Volume I authors, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Katrina Emgard, author of the fascinating and sinister short story 'A Fairytale Ending'. Not only is Katrina an incredibly talented writer, but she is also a very talented graphic artist. It was our absolute privilege working with her and her various art forms. Be sure to check out her beautiful website to discover a whole host of interesting and innovative projects. 

Biography:
I’ve always had many stories to tell. They’ve been expressed in different ways but writing gave me the chance to place the characters of my imagination in the same room and let them tell me their stories – that’s how writing came into my life and why it stuck. Because it gave me time, time to get to know the characters and time to tell the vivid tales.
One of those stories grew until it expanded beyond the format of a comic or a short story, which I’ve usually written, and became a full scale novel -“In the realm of dreams – Walkers.”
In a near future, in a bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the ability to manufacture and control people’s dreams.  Kia, a young woman, struggling with reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on her psyche is searching for a way out of her own personal hell. A journey through the darkest corners of her subconscious, where some people help her and many more try to put an end to it.

Interview:
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: As the fog lifts in the morning it reveals: acres of fields, the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean, a bit of forest and in the middle of it all a sturdy, yellow, old house. If you peak through one of the gritty windows you’ll find me writing stories, drinking coffee and occasionally petting my constantly attention seeking dog.

Q:  When did you start writing seriously
A: About 5 years ago I started studying Creative Writing and writing a comic. I soon came to learn that I needed more space for my lyrics than the speech bubbles could offer, and so I moved on to short stories and now I’m working on a novel.

Q: What is the favourite thing you’ve ever written?
A: My next piece is my favorite thing. It’s always like that, lots of new ideas and stories pop up when you’re working. And you can’t wait to get started with them, and as soon as you have, it’s the same thing all over again.

Q:  Tell us a little about your book
A: The book takes place in a near future, in a bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the ability to manufacture and control people’s dreams.  Kia, a young woman, struggling with reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on her psyche is searching for a way out of her own personal hell. A journey through the darkest corners of her subconscious, where some people help her and many more try to put an end to it.
The book is currently in the making, check out www.emgaard.com for more updates.

Q: Who’s you inspiration?
A: Joss Whedon for his ability to write dialogue driven action. Jon Aijvide Lindquist for his bizarre imagination and of course Neil Gaiman, for his fairy tale-like, earthy atmosphere.

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions?
A: I want to write, to keep the characters in my head alive and well and hopefully reach out to people with my stories.

Q: What would be you advise to aspiring writers?
A: Don’t wait for inspiration to come to you. Keep writing and work on your stories. No matter what you think of them, just get them out, get them down on paper and finish them. Remember there is something great about every story.

Friday 6 December 2013

Introducing you to ... Petra Pavlikova

LBPH is really excited to announce  that the paperback edition of the 'Night Shade' anthology is now available in paperback and what better way to celebrate than by introducing you to the rest of the Night Shade authors.

Today it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Petra Pavlikova and her story 'Dark Saviour', a tale of twisted and sinister obsession that is so powerful it breaks all natural orders.

About ...

Petra Pavlíková is a Czech writer, student, and translator. Člověk Sofie v pustině (pub. 2010) is a collection of three pieces she wrote while studying creative writing at Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague.

“Dark Saviour” is her first story in English. She is currently working on another, an urban fantasy trilogy Hazel the Witch, which is set in Bath, England, but is inspired by folklore of many cultures. She is also rewriting and translating her gothic tale Tangerine from Czech into English.

In 2009 she attended International Summer School at the University of Cambridge. In 2011 she graduated from Anglo-American University in Prague with BA in Humanities, Society and Culture. She studies Romanticism (MA Romantic Studies) at Birkbeck, University of London.

Interview ...
Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m from Czech Republic, but now I live and study in England. I love animals and own way too many books. No, that’s not true, there’s no such thing as too many books.

When did you start writing ‘seriously’?

I think it started with studying creative writing at the Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague.

What is the favourite thing you have ever written? Tell us a little about it.

Tangerine. It’s a gothic tale with a family curse and a little bit of romance. But it also explores the way people follow (or not follow) their dreams and passions. Giving up on what we really want and conforming to society and its expectations can make us numb. But following our truth without thinking it through might be fatal as well.
I’m very lucky, because one of our family friends is an amazing Czech director, musician, and also writer, and he read it and suggested what I could change and what I could improve. It helped me a lot. It’s written in Czech, but now I’m reworking and rewriting it into English.

Tell us a little about your book / series?

“Dark Saviour” is a Victorian ghost story and also the first piece in English I’ve ever written. The characters cross lines which shouldn’t be crossed and show us the darker side of humanity. I enjoy reading stories like that. I think it’s important for us to read about the dark side of human soul, it helps us to acknowledge and deal with our own darkness. Yes, I like Jung a lot. J

Who is your inspiration?

There are many people I admire for different reasons: Carl Jung, Jane Austen, Anton Chekhov, Daphne du Maurier, J. K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman etc. But I also love mythology, folklore, and fairy-tales. I love literature and music. All these things are my inspiration. And to look around yourself and pay attention to what you see and not see is a great thing as well. J

What are your hopes and ambitions for the future?

I want to write in English more. It’s a challenge, but challenges are good for you.
Also, I want to do yoga more regularly.

What would be your advise to aspiring writers?

Read, write, and read. Believe in your dream. And brace yourself, because there are going to be many rejections. And learn to accept criticism.