Interview with Alexandra from “A. L. Butcher”

All about your BLOG:
Tell us about your lovely BLOG.

What is the name of your blog and how did you decide on your blog name? 

My blog is called The Library of Erana. How did I decide on the name? It’s named for my fantasy world – Erana. Erana is a world where the magic happens, despite the ruling elite’s best efforts to stamp it out. It’s a world of myth, legends, and bravery. Magic happens in books – and worlds are plenty. One can be free in a book and where do books live? In a library. Seemed an apt name for a writer’s blog.

What prompted you to start on this blogging journey?

The blog was born in 2013 – the year my second novel was published. I’d seen a few other writers’ blogs and become involved with a few groups on Facebook and Goodreads, and many of them suggesting blogging was a great way to gain followers, network and practice writing.  I’d been involved with online writing groups before – a couple of game forums, a Phantom of the Opera fan-site and other odds and ends so it was a natural progression.

To date, what blogging achievement/s are you most proud of?

I’ve run a few posts on accessibility for blind/partially sighted authors and readers, including a recent interview with a narrator who reads newspapers and magazines for the blind. I’d say most sighted folks have no idea what it could be like either experiencing or living with someone who had lost some or all of their sight. How DOES one ‘read’? How do authors with such limitations manage to work? What services, equipment or software is available. I know two authors with restricted vision who write and write often. They both have far more books out than I do, and both have active blogs. My father lost most of the sight in one eye when he was serving in the army, and he often struggled to read normal print books, but there is not a particularly wide choice of large print books.

These articles and interviews prompted a goodly number of comments, shares, and interest, and still, do. If I can spread the knowledge of what is available to others, then that is awesome. Reading is freedom – a light in the darkness as it were. Why should a person who cannot see be denied the pleasure of enjoying a book?

How would you describe your own blogging style?

A bit random😊, I don’t blog to set timescale, although I have tried and I promote other authors, so to an extent, it depends when the info comes back.

I review – although not every book I read, and I don’t review on request. I write articles which interest me, and of course, promote my own work. It’s an eclectic site – largely fantasy based but I’ve talked about text speak and the evolution of language, history, mythology, publishing advice, a commemoration of events (such as Armistice 100), books, occasionally films, accessibility for the blind, the origin of local legends and more. As in many libraries, there are various topics available….

What excites you most about blogging?

Blogging is a great way to learn. I do a fair bit of research for my books, and some of that ends up on the blog. It’s also good writing practice. I try to write SOMETHING every day but don’t always. Sometimes the stories are hiding, but I have an interest in, say a topic in a book I’ve read, or something I’ve seen. If I am interested, then I figure others will be.

Also, it’s a great way to meet people, at least in the way one does online. There are other author and bloggers I’ve forged friendships with, exchanged ideas and advice and had a laugh with.

What platform do you use and why?

I use Wordpress. It serves the purpose I need, I have looked at other platforms but I like Wordpress – it’s relatively easy to use.

What genre/topic/theme do you blog about? Do you ever deviate from that theme?   

See above. Mostly it’s myth/history or fantasy related but I digress (frequently) to other topics. I run interviews with authors, editors, narrators, readers and cover artists. I promote pretty much anything except religious or political books and I tend to attract spec fic and paranormal authors the most – but as I am also a tour host for a couple of blog tour sites I tend to end up with quite a bit of romance and erotica authors visiting.

How often do you blog per week or month?

I try and post at least once a week – but it’s often more and sometimes less.

Do you have any wisdom or tip/s regarding blogging to share with us? 

Write often, write well, be considerate. Not everyone will agree with your posts or views – that’s part of life. Don’t get snarky. What is on the internet stays on the internet – especially if you use your blog to promote your own work.

Proofread your posts…get a grammar/spell checker if you don’t have one built in. No one wants to read a post riddled with typos or awful grammar – especially on an author blog.

Do you participate in linkup parties? How do you feel about it? 

I blog tour host, but I am not sure what a ‘linkup party’ is….

All about YOU:
Tell us something about you, the real YOU.

I am author A L Butcher

What do you like to do other than blogging?

I write (in case you hadn’t guessed); read; walk my lovely doggy; play PC games; watch movies; like nature; learn new stuff; I read history and I spend far too much on Facebook.

Where do you reside?

I live in Bristol in the South West UK.

Are you an indoor or outdoor person? 

Indoor, mostly. I love nature but due to various health issues, I find it difficult to go far from home. I don’t drive and so it’s walking or public transport. Usually, I can’t walk as far as I’d like, and don’t ask about the dire public transport around here….

Do you still work, and if so, what is your trade/profession? 

I work in an office. I don’t much like it at present, but it pays the bills

Or are you retired? If so, what do you do besides blogging? 

N/A

Do you wish to be 20-something or the age you are now and why? 

I was a bit less broken then, and thinner… and less cynical, and probably more confident. But I think I have more wisdom now, and more experience.

What makes your day a good and happy one? 

My dog; a good book; time to write; my health issues not being bad; having a laugh with my other half.

Describe yourself in 3 words. 

Chaotic, empathic, clever.

Share with us 3 interesting facts about yourself. 

• I wanted to be a squirrel when I grew up
• Once out-debated the former leader of the Labour Party
• I worked on the touring show of Phantom of the Opera and cried at the end of every show for 8 weeks.

Do you have any other tidbits to share with us about yourself?

I like Opera, Classical and 80s rock… I used to be a Goth.

Last but not least:

Please share with us your social media links, in order for our readers to follow you!

Bio

British-born A. L. Butcher is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet, and a dreamer, a lover of science, natural history, history, and monkeys. Her prose has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as ‘evocative’.  She writes with a sure and sometimes erotic sensibility of things that might have been, never were, but could be.

Alex is the author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and the Tales of Erana lyrical fantasy series. She also has several short stories in the fantasy, fantasy romance genres with occasional forays into gothic style horror, including the Legacy of the Mask series. With a background in politics, classical studies, ancient history, and myth, her affinities bring an eclectic and unique flavor in her work, mixing reality and dream in alchemical proportions that bring her characters and worlds to life.

She also curates for a number of speculative fiction themed book bundles on BundleRabbit.

Her short novella Outside the Walls, co-written with Diana L. Wicker received a Chill with a Book Reader’s Award in 2017.

Alex is also proud to be a writer for Perseid Press where her work features in Heroika: Dragon Eaters; and Lovers in Hell – part of the acclaimed Heroes in Hell series. http://www.theperseidpress.com/

Website http://www.libraryoferana.co.uk/books.html
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