Words With An Author | Paul Mcavoy

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Today we will be talking to Paul Mcavoy, the author of the So I Met...Series, we're going to be discussing his latest book, So I Met A Demon!

1. How did you get into writing? When did you first start writing?

I used to read a lot as a kid, and always thought I would like to write my own stories as well. I used to tell stories as a boy and make up puppet shows for my sister Kathy. It was always something I enjoyed doing

2. Where did you come up with the idea for So I Met a Demon? Who/ what is your inspiration?

So… I Met a Demon is part of a series of books featuring different characters, kids in their mid teens who come across various beings of the supernatural. They are not part of a series in which you need to read them all, but ones you can read as and when. There is a mysterious Department of Paranormal Investigations – a government agency who do seem to pop up all the time in the books, however, including the enigmatic Bobby B.

3. Are any of your characters based on people you actually know, if so which ones?

No, all the characters from my imagination, at least consciously anyway!

4. Have you written anything before So I Met a Demon?

I have been writing mostly YA books recently, mainly my ‘So… I Met’ series. But I have had over 20 adult short stories published, some of which feature in my collection ‘Cold Skies’ which is available only in Kindle format at the moment. 

5. If you had to pick only five books from your bookshelf you could keep, what would they be?

Good question, I suppose I would have to pick five favourite authors, along with five of their best books.

Stephen King - The Stand (something epic)

Darren Shan – Lord Loss (something gory!)

JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azbaban (something magical)

Iain Banks – The Crow Road (something funny and poignant)

Suzanne Collins – The Hunger Games (something I have just started reading!)

6.  Who is your favorite character from any book and why?

Wow, what a toughy… one I think I might end up changing my mind with from time to time. Of all the books I have read…. Hmm… Maybe Red from The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King…

7. How long did the writing process take for So I Met a Demon? From conception of the story to final publication?

Roughly a year and a half from the time I had my first initial idea to when it was released.

8. Who are some of your favorite authors?

Stephen King, Darren Shan, Iain Banks, JK Rowling…

9. What actors/ actresses could you see playing the characters of your book?

I guess my books are for the young adult audience, so that is quite tough to choose…. Would love for Chloe Moretz to be in a film adaptation of one of my books… but not really sure which!

10. How did you come up with the title and cover of So I Met a Demon? Did they morph as you wrote the book, or were they constant?

Because it is part of a series, the so I met bit was easy. As for where it came from in the first place, not too sure.

11. Are you planning to write any other books?

I Have another So… I Met book on the go, ‘So… I Met a Vampire.’ Plus I am writing notes for a totally new series set in a dystopian alternate universe… which I am looking forward to writing.

12. What would your advice be to someone who's aspiring to be a writer?

Read a lot, write a lot, find your own style. Prepare to be rejected by publishers… A Lot! But don’t take it to heart if your work IS rejected. Keep on writing, and remember why you write in the first place… because you enjoy it, because you are compelled to do it.

13. Finally, just to wrap things up, what's your favorite color and why?

This is a tricky question. But I’ll have to say blue. It is the color of the sky on a nice day, the color of the ocean. Plus it is the color of my favourite football (soccer) team!

 Where To Find Him: 

Facebook

Blog

Amazon

Twitter: @paulmcavoy