Today I am interviewing the fabutastic author and blogger, Maria Savva. Maria's creative and prolific writing career began way back in 1997 (yes, Maria, quite a few years ago). Since then, Maria has written many short stories and novels. She has also, regularly contributed to the UK Arts Directory's website blog. A whizzy woman of good taste and steadfast standards, Maria's interview will be a pleasure to own, on my website.
I bumped in to Maria, at her London home, as she listened to tracks from one of the very latest, exciting, new bands to surface in the music industry. Due to the ridiculous size of her headphones, Maria was unable to hear me enter the room, where she was working.
I bumped in to Maria, at her London home, as she listened to tracks from one of the very latest, exciting, new bands to surface in the music industry. Due to the ridiculous size of her headphones, Maria was unable to hear me enter the room, where she was working.
Sadly, my untimely entrance frightened her out of her wits, causing her to throw her arms up in the air and scream out loudly...
I managed to rescue Maria from the floor and plop her back onto her chair just before I then, stood on her hefty headphones.
I managed to rescue Maria from the floor and plop her back onto her chair just before I then, stood on her hefty headphones.
Obviously, this little accident will not bode well for the likelihood of further interviews in the future...
Clenching my fists, I tentatively began the interview...
Hello, Maria, thank you so much for joining me for this chinwag today.
Thanks for inviting me, Tara. I’m thrilled to be hanging out with you today :)
Hmm... 'hanging' - well you certainly were a moment ago and I guess you could now describe your headphones as 'hanging'.
Anyway, as with all of my chinwags, here is a really easy question to start us off.
1. What is the biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?
I have done a quick Google search which led me to Wikipedia and have now discovered another useless bit of information to add to many other useless bits of information in my brain :).
Hello, Maria, thank you so much for joining me for this chinwag today.
Thanks for inviting me, Tara. I’m thrilled to be hanging out with you today :)
Hmm... 'hanging' - well you certainly were a moment ago and I guess you could now describe your headphones as 'hanging'.
Anyway, as with all of my chinwags, here is a really easy question to start us off.
1. What is the biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter?
I have done a quick Google search which led me to Wikipedia and have now discovered another useless bit of information to add to many other useless bits of information in my brain :).
The answer is Ceres, a dwarf planet of about 950km in diameter. I could have asked my dad about this instead of doing a Google search and he would have known the answer. He knows everything about space and even claims to have come from a different planet.
Your dad is an alien, Maria? How interesting! Funnily enough, I can now see the resemblance.
Your dad is an alien, Maria? How interesting! Funnily enough, I can now see the resemblance.
2. Of all the books you have written or contributed to, which one is your favourite and why?
I can’t choose a favourite because then my other books would cry. Seriously, they are all special to me for different reasons, so I wouldn't be able to pick a favourite.
3. How do you find the time to be a solicitor (no doubt - involves lots of writing), write for the UK arts directory and write novels of varying lengths? Not to mention your presence on Twitter and support of indie-authors.
I’m not working as a solicitor at the moment. I haven’t been practising law since about 2010. I was specialising in conveyancing and the housing market crashed so I was basically left without a trade. At the moment, I’m working as an administrator for a university. The work doesn’t require much brain power, so I find that I can also do writing/editing/blogging in the evenings and at weekends. It’s still hard fitting it all in and involves a lot of late nights and coffee.
When I worked as a solicitor, I only ever managed to write short stories and that was mainly at the weekends or when I was on holiday. I doubt I’d be able to carry on writing novels if I went back to work as a solicitor. All my novels were written in times of unemployment or when I was working part-time. I’m not really looking to go back into practise at the moment as I’d prefer to concentrate on my writing.
I’m not working as a solicitor at the moment. I haven’t been practising law since about 2010. I was specialising in conveyancing and the housing market crashed so I was basically left without a trade. At the moment, I’m working as an administrator for a university. The work doesn’t require much brain power, so I find that I can also do writing/editing/blogging in the evenings and at weekends. It’s still hard fitting it all in and involves a lot of late nights and coffee.
When I worked as a solicitor, I only ever managed to write short stories and that was mainly at the weekends or when I was on holiday. I doubt I’d be able to carry on writing novels if I went back to work as a solicitor. All my novels were written in times of unemployment or when I was working part-time. I’m not really looking to go back into practise at the moment as I’d prefer to concentrate on my writing.
4. Should you ever get any spare time, what would you like to do with it?
Spare time for me is usually writing time. It’s rare. I don’t get much spare time. If I could invent a machine that would give me lots of extra spare time, I’d like to travel more and also spend more time with my nieces and nephew.
Here is a little something that I had designed, especially for you, Maria.
Spare time for me is usually writing time. It’s rare. I don’t get much spare time. If I could invent a machine that would give me lots of extra spare time, I’d like to travel more and also spend more time with my nieces and nephew.
Here is a little something that I had designed, especially for you, Maria.
5. Do you prefer writing short stories or full-length novels?
It’s not a matter of preference for me. A story will choose whether it wants to be a novel or a short story, I have found. Or rather, the characters will decide!
It’s not a matter of preference for me. A story will choose whether it wants to be a novel or a short story, I have found. Or rather, the characters will decide!
My new novel, which I’m currently editing, started off as a short story but then the characters were just too interesting and had more to say, so it’s now a novel. It was a lot of fun to write but now I’m in the editing stage so will soon be pulling my hair out.
I like how quickly a short story can be written and the editing is definitely much easier for a short story. I hate editing my novels because there are always so many inconsistencies that need fixing. My first drafts are never really planned and are consequently very, very, rough.
Hmm... yes, I've seen your bin, full of rough drafts, outside, Maria.
I like how quickly a short story can be written and the editing is definitely much easier for a short story. I hate editing my novels because there are always so many inconsistencies that need fixing. My first drafts are never really planned and are consequently very, very, rough.
Hmm... yes, I've seen your bin, full of rough drafts, outside, Maria.
6. If it paid well enough, would you consider being a writer full-time?
I don’t think a writer has a choice when it comes to writing. It’s more of a need. I’d say I am a full time writer now, even though I also have a day job. I get home from work and start writing/editing. I really would like to earn enough money to one day give up the day job, just for the sake of my sanity, really. It’s very hard working two jobs. Nobody sees writing as a job because they think it’s all fun. There is a lot of fun to be had, but much of it is tedious, involving reading the same piece of work 100 times and still finding typos in it! There was something posted on Facebook that struck a chord with me, which said something like “A writer is someone who has signed up to do homework every day for the rest of his/her life”. This, in my experience, is very true.
I don’t think a writer has a choice when it comes to writing. It’s more of a need. I’d say I am a full time writer now, even though I also have a day job. I get home from work and start writing/editing. I really would like to earn enough money to one day give up the day job, just for the sake of my sanity, really. It’s very hard working two jobs. Nobody sees writing as a job because they think it’s all fun. There is a lot of fun to be had, but much of it is tedious, involving reading the same piece of work 100 times and still finding typos in it! There was something posted on Facebook that struck a chord with me, which said something like “A writer is someone who has signed up to do homework every day for the rest of his/her life”. This, in my experience, is very true.
7. Where is your dream vacation and why?
I’d love to return to New York. I’ve only been there once but fell in love with it. There’s so much to see and last time I was only on a short break so didn’t get to see it all. Another dream vacation would be Australia because I have relatives there and am always hearing about how wonderful it is.
I’d love to return to New York. I’ve only been there once but fell in love with it. There’s so much to see and last time I was only on a short break so didn’t get to see it all. Another dream vacation would be Australia because I have relatives there and am always hearing about how wonderful it is.
8. You can invite 3 people (past or present) to your pyjama party, who would they be and why?
Darcia Helle because I’d love to meet her. We’ve been friends online for years and have so much in common but have never met.
Jimi Hendrix so that he could play guitar to entertain us.
Robin Williams, so he could make me laugh.
I can see that they are all ready and waiting, in their pyjamas, Maria.
Jimi Hendrix so that he could play guitar to entertain us.
Robin Williams, so he could make me laugh.
I can see that they are all ready and waiting, in their pyjamas, Maria.
9. What annoys you the most?
Quite a few things. As I get older, more and more things annoy me LOL... top of my list would be mornings. Especially Monday mornings. Also, people who have loud conversations on their mobiles on the bus. Oh, and smartphones in general, just the way people behave when they’re using them, oblivious to the world around them.
Quite a few things. As I get older, more and more things annoy me LOL... top of my list would be mornings. Especially Monday mornings. Also, people who have loud conversations on their mobiles on the bus. Oh, and smartphones in general, just the way people behave when they’re using them, oblivious to the world around them.
Hmm... I see what you...
Err, sorry - just texting my friend...
Anyway, yes Maria...
Sorry, just replying to my friend, be right back...
As I was saying, I see what you... ha, ha, ha... oops, sorry Maria, my friend just sent a funny picture to me...
Err, sorry - just texting my friend...
Anyway, yes Maria...
Sorry, just replying to my friend, be right back...
As I was saying, I see what you... ha, ha, ha... oops, sorry Maria, my friend just sent a funny picture to me...
10. Describe yourself in 6 words.
Moody. Intuitive. Sensitive. Romantic. Kind. Emotional.
Moody. Intuitive. Sensitive. Romantic. Kind. Emotional.
11. Could you tell us something about you that we may not know?
So much of our lives is on the Internet these days, especially as indie authors trying to promote our books. People probably know everything about me already. I’m really not that interesting. I always find it hard to answer this type of question because I’m a ‘what you see is what you get’ person, and there’s not much hidden.
Well I think you're very interesting, Maria. You could never be as boring as the most boring man on earth...
So much of our lives is on the Internet these days, especially as indie authors trying to promote our books. People probably know everything about me already. I’m really not that interesting. I always find it hard to answer this type of question because I’m a ‘what you see is what you get’ person, and there’s not much hidden.
Well I think you're very interesting, Maria. You could never be as boring as the most boring man on earth...
... unless, of course, you don't come from earth either!
After all, you did tell me that your dad comes from another planet...
After all, you did tell me that your dad comes from another planet...
Hmm... I see a strange look in your eyes, Maria. I have to say that it is a little unnerving...
So, finally the most important question of all…
12. What is the opposite of opposite?
That sentence makes my brain go funny, like it’s a mathematical equation or something!
According to the online thesaurus, it’s: agreeing, similar, compatible, or like. But I’m going to invent a new word: unopposite :)
I like it - wonder if it will catch on.
So, finally the most important question of all…
12. What is the opposite of opposite?
That sentence makes my brain go funny, like it’s a mathematical equation or something!
According to the online thesaurus, it’s: agreeing, similar, compatible, or like. But I’m going to invent a new word: unopposite :)
I like it - wonder if it will catch on.
Well that’s it. Thank you so much for taking the time to join me in this interview today, Maria. I wish you well for the future.
Thanks, Tara. It was fun! :)
You can find out more about Maria (maybe, even the name of the planet where her ancestors come from) at the links below or alternatively, here on the Author Showcase.
Maria's website
Maria's Goodreads page
Maria's Facebook page
Maria's Twitter
Thanks, Tara. It was fun! :)
You can find out more about Maria (maybe, even the name of the planet where her ancestors come from) at the links below or alternatively, here on the Author Showcase.
Maria's website
Maria's Goodreads page
Maria's Facebook page
Maria's Twitter