Spotlight Saturday

Today we welcome fantasy and science fiction author, Freya Pickard. Enjoy!

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Excerpt from Book Two of The Future by Freya Pickard

So far, the girl had not spoken a word. A breathless hush filled the warehouse. Kam was aware of his men creeping outwards, towards the waiting soldiers. Ahead, in the dimly-lit area by the main door, he could see clusters of grey-uniformed men staring at Arin. Why hadn’t she said anything? Why hadn’t she invoked her authority? Was this a trap? Fear shot through Kam’s veins and he forced the released adrenalin to enable him to be aware. He had to trust Arin. He followed her slender frame across the floor, drawing near the waiting soldiers. Surely more than two minutes had passed. Suddenly Arin stopped, her body tense. Kam stood directly behind her and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

     “What’s wrong?”

     “Nothing. This is as far as I can go. They won’t believe me for much longer. Signal your men, Kam.”

     Without stopping to think, Kam pumped his right arm in the air. Immediately, his men opened fire, the soldiers on the outside of the cluster crumpling to the ground before they could reach for their weapons. Kam saw his four Rebels grabbing the soldiers’ stunguns and clipping them onto their belts. A movement in front of him drew his eyes back to Arin. A soldier with a badge on his shoulder stepped forward and raised his weapon. Kam took in the details in a matter of seconds. The weapon was a sharp-shooter, designed to kill, not stun. And the soldier was aiming it straight at Arin.

     With a cry, Kam stepped to Arin’s right side, raising both his stunguns, hoping to distract the soldier. At the same time, Arin flung her arms wide, preventing Kam from firing. He saw the soldier release the safety catch and watched, helpless as the man’s finger curled around the trigger. He could feel Arin’s body shaking but from excitement or fear, he could not tell. Then the soldier’s eyes rolled upwards and the gun slithered from his hand to hit the ground and skid away. It did not fire. The soldier sank to the floor, his eyes showing white. He lay motionless. At the same moment, the soldiers behind him and to either side began retching, clutching their heads and bellies. Anguished cries arose from them as they collapsed on the concrete floor. Abruptly the sound of stunguns ceased and silence descended. Kam had not fired a shot. He lowered his weapons and switched the safety locks on before clipping them on his belt. Then he looked at Arin.

     Her arms hung by her sides, her head drooped forwards, her short hair plastered with sweat clung to her scalp. She swayed on her feet and Kam caught her as she fell. He lay her on the ground, feeling for a pulse. Her heartbeat was faint but regular.

      Do you have a specific writing style?

No, I have several different styles for different genres. For instance, my Dracomagan stories are always flippant and tongue in cheek. My High Fantasy novels are serious with an element of humour in them. Science Fiction (see excerpt) tends to be staccato and harsh. The two Romance novels I have drafted are different again.

What book are you reading now?

I am currently reading D H Lawrence's “Lady Chatterley's Lover” which utilises beautiful language and imagery.

Who is your favourite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

JRR Tolkein. I have always loved the way he takes you into his world of Middle Earth. He pays attention to detail, which I know bores and frustrates some readers. But I love it. Everything ties up, there are no loose ends. You feel as if you are really there....

Who is your favourite character in your books and why?

My favourite character has to be Otta from The Kaerling series that I'm still drafting but Dracomagan is a close 2^nd! I love the way Otta looks – high cheekbones and pointy ears, but no, she isn't an elf! She goes through a lot of negative emotions and has to overcome many feelings and attitudes that we today would consider horrendous. I like to explore why people feel/think certain things even if I don't agree with them myself.

What books have most influenced your life most?

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein, That Hideous Strength by CS Lewis, Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin and A Year of Questions by Fiona Robyn.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

·         Always write something every single day even if it is only one line saying “I feel crap”.

·         Never stop believing in yourself and your talent.

·         Don't try to have too many friends – however nice they are, they will take you away from your writing.

·         Surround yourself with people who will encourage you without distracting you from your vocation.

·         Keep writing.

·         Keep writing.

·         Keep writing.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Reading, photography, gardening and dancing.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I have eleven completed novels to date but only one has been published so my favourite has to be Dragonscale Leggings.

What do you think makes a good story?

A definite beginning, middle and end, plenty of tears and laughter, a strong protagonist I can identify with in some way and a darn good plot that keeps me guessing right to the end.

Quick fire questions:

Favourite food:

Dark Chocolate 75% plus

Favourite music:

Muse

Favourite TV programme:

The Big Bang Theory (it makes me feel normal!)

Five things you like:

Robin song, seeds germinating, the scent of cut grass, the feel of crumbling compost in my hands, seeing tomatoes blush red.

Five things you dislike:

Spiders, Politicians, Slow Drivers, Ice on the roads, Being Obstructed.

Five words that describe you:

Socially inept, single-minded, Fitness Freak, Bread Making Fantatic, A Writer.

Freya Pickard is the author of Dragonscale Leggings http://dragonscaleclippings.wordpress.com/dragonscale-leggings/

She has two blogs at

http://dragonscaleclippings.wordpress.com/

and

http://purehaiku.wordpress.com/

She also produces a quarterly newsletter in which you can read as yet unpublished excerpts of her stories and find out what is going on in her life.

http://dragonscaleclippings.wordpress.com/fanzine/