Last December 15-19, 2014 and January 12-16, 2015 the Bookish Diaries Books Tours organized the Philippine Blog Tour of The Light In The Wound and His Wounded Light, and today we are very lucky because we have an exclusive Q&A with Christine Brae! Of course, she talked about her books and her writing career plus a bonus special message (for her fans, and aspiring writers). We're really excited to share this with you, guys!
"Hi, TBD! Thank you for
having me on your blog today. I feel so honored to be able to chat with a Filipino based blog once again. I love
catching up with you guys!" - Christine Brae
Q: What inspired you to write The Light
in the Wound and His Wounded Light?
A: The Light in the Wound was
originally written as a tribute to my mom who passed away a few years ago.
While writing it, I realized that who I became was a result of the interesting
life that I lived and the two people who loved me. So I made up some characters
and the rest is history!
After the release of
TLITW, a Street Team was formed by a wonderful group of women who really
identified with the story. I wrote His Wounded Light for them and for Alex, Isa
and Jesse. They felt that I needed to follow the first book up with some sort
of resolution. After all, Isa was still struggling with some open issues at the
end of the first book.
Q: How did Isa, Alex, and Jesse come to
be?
A: Every story is to some
level, based on a writer’s reality. That’s all I will say J
Q: What was the journey like while
writing it?
A: Writing my first book was
probably the most cathartic experience I have ever had in my life. Let me tell
you that writing is a very lonely experience – you live in your mind and listen
to the characters speak to you all day long. And yet, it was the most
exhilarating journey I have ever taken.
First of all, it brought
out a creative streak in me that I never thought I would share with the world.
That part of the journey alone makes it so worthwhile. And then everything
becomes real when you see a part of you being pushed out in the open, when
you’re subject to praise and criticism, when you build new friendships and when
you begin to harbor a confidence that’s all yours. It’s a reality that allows you
to grow into your own skin and you embrace it.
Q: What is your favorite scene in the
book?
A: In TLITW, I think my
favorite scene is the one where Isa tells Alex about her night with Jesse. It
was such an emotional scene and a turning point for both of them.
In HWL, I cried buckets of
tears as I wrote the scene where Alex and Isa are in the library/den talking.
Q: Do you see your books turning into
movies in the future? (Who would play Isa, Alex, and Jesse?)
A: Ha! I wish. I’ve had a
massive crush on Paul Walker – all my trailers have him as Alex. Jesse can be played by any dark haired hunk but the
choice of Ian Somerhalder was perfect. He has the look of Jess. And Isa, I
think Kristin Kreuk is perfect.
Questions about me? I may
not be as interesting as my books!
Q: When did you start writing?
A: I have always loved to
write, but until 2 years ago, it was limited to letters, poems, short stories.
The Indie authors who are my friends had inspired me and encouraged me to
publish TLITW. The rest is history.
Will I be doing this
forever? That, I don’t know. I have a full time career that makes a twenty four
hour day pretty challenging as it is, but I guess as long as I have these crazy
thoughts in my head, I will keep on doing it.
Q: Who are your literary influences?
A: I grew up reading many
different genres written by many different authors. It’s funny, but when
looking for a book to read, I normally search on the authors that I like before
entertaining any other books by authors I don’t know. Of course, the Indie world
has changed all that now…I pick up books written by new authors, established
authors, aspiring authors.
My literary influences are
too many to name!
Q: What do you consider to be your
greatest accomplishment, so far, as a writer?
A: This may be a weird answer,
but to me, success as a writer has come in the form of the influence that my
words have had on the people who have read and loved my books. When people reach out to me out of the blue
to tell me how much they loved my books or the characters or the words that I
had written, that means the world to me. I think I still have so much to learn
about this business – I’m basically a newbie – so I like to think that
everything is still evolving.
Q: What advice can you give to aspiring
writers?
A: WRITE! Write what you
want, write what you feel, write for yourself and be proud of your words. Hone your skills, be willing to learn, be
open to criticism and stand for who you are. Be courageous – own what you write
because it is all yours. Don’t change your mind about the things that you feel
strongly about.
And be thankful each and
every day for the people who support you.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about
your next book In This Life?
A: I am so excited about this
book, I can’t contain myself! In This Life is a different love story between
two very unlikely people. Its storyline is also quite different and its theme
can be a little bit controversial. But I wrote it at a time in my life when I
needed answers to certain questions and I had to learn the hard way that there
is a time and a place for everything. Anna, Jude and Dante have really taken
over my heart and I can’t wait to share their story with you!
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