Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
No. If I see it as “my” spiritual practice, it will mean that I write for my own gratification, and I don’t. I do write for people. For example “Celestial Creatures” was written for young, teenage (maybe even pre-teen) girls, who had a heck of a life; who were abused, who suffered so much. This was written for them. Maybe it’s naïve of me to think that my book will help them to get past the horrors they went through, but I hope that my book will help them, help them to see themselves in a different light, push past self-loathing, hate, embarrassment.
I realise that I sound like a Don Quixote right now but I had to try
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
You mean “Easter eggs”? I do have a few, but it wasn’t intentional. I do very often run with a concept or idea, start interpret it, playing with it, and then I arrive at something intricate and hidden.
What is your favorite childhood book?
Not “childhood” per se, but when I was ten, a neighbour gave me her copy of “Three musketeers” by Dumas and instantly, I fell in love. I think I’ve read this book like twenty times!
How many hours a day do you write?
Every day when I don’t go to work, I come back from dropping my children at school and begin writing/plotting. Every single day when I’m not at work, I dedicate 5 hours to my writing/ plotting, book development. I find when writing a fantasy plotting and creation of the new worlds and creatures, takes the most of my time, as I want to keep my creatures & operational laws of my made-up worlds logical and consistent.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I guess the first books that I’ve read. I was astonished that a few words on a page were able to take me to 17th century France, or to Mars. And for me, books were my escapism as well.
Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I don’t know successful writers – I mean like big household names – so I don’t know how much of a part their egos played in a process of achieving as much as they achieve. But I don’t have a big ego (Or is everyone with a big ego says that their ego is of a “normal” size?)
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
Paris. I’m obsessed with French history and books that take place in France. Anything during the reign of Louis XIV, French Revolution, Napoleon… So when I went to Paris, I was able to put the streets, buildings and monuments to the locations in my favourite books and I loved it
About The Author - Olga Gibbs
Olga Gibbs lives in a leafy-green town, nestled amongst the green fields of West Sussex, England. She lives with her husband, their two daughters.
She was writing from the age of fifteen, mainly short stories and novellas and was a guest colunmist for a local newspaper. When she is not dreaming up new adventures for her imaginary friends, she does outreach work with teenagers.
She is currently writing the third book in the “Celestial creatures” series and another stand-alone psychological crime thriller book.
Please visit author website www.OlgaGibbs.com for more information on upcoming books.
How To Find Her
Universal link to purchase “Heavenward” on Amazom, Kobo, iTunes, Barnes&Noble, Scribd, Tolino, Playster:
https://books2read.com/u/bWzWlx
“Hallow” link:
https://www.books2read.com/u/m2vkw6
Goodreads link:
I was so happy to see this post in my WordPress Reader – Olga’s writing and her series should not be passed by. Your questions are fantastic!
Thank you! Olga is wonderful. I love her writing.