Author In The Zone ~ Natasha Bennett

Next up in the Author In The Zone series is Canadian writer, Natasha Bennett.


Natasha is a writer based in Canada. She is the author of War of the Soulites, a science fiction/horror series on kindle. When Natasha is not writing she enjoys watching bad horror movies and playing video games.

Hi Natasha, welcome to Authors In The Zone.
Hi Noel, thank you for the interview!

How long have you been writing?
I have really been writing since grade five, but my first short story was published in 2007. My first novel, War of the Soulites, was published in 2009.


Tell us a little about your books, War of the Soulites and War of the Soulites 2: Ouroboros.
I wanted to write a book that was not a typical science fiction story. It was not going to be 'a ship goes somewhere and explores the galaxy'. Instead War of the Soulites is a dark, gritty story with unusual characters-for example, a Captain who spent most of his life as an accountant, a mass-murdering first officer, and a medical officer with trembling hands. These characters often have to make tough moral choices.



How long did they take to write?
The first one took about two years to write, and the sequel took roughly one year.


Tell us about your route to publication? Who, if anyone, helped you along the way?
I spent the first six months submitting my novel to agents, and then I decided to go straight for a publisher instead. I did some research and discovered that Lyrical Press had a great reputation and beautiful covers.
My family was a great help to me after writing my first novel. My mom, being a writer herself, spent a long time editing War of the Soulites, and my brother Campbell pointed out a few technical flaws.



How do you market your books?
I have sent both of my books to multiple review sites and I have participated in several interviews. I also like to spend my free time in chat rooms talking with fellow authors and readers. It's a great way to meet new people!


What are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on War of the Soulites 3, and I have a couple of horror novellas being considered for publication as well.



Tell us a little about your writing process?
With a full-time job my writing process is a little random. I generally write on weekends, and sometimes on weekdays. Sometimes if I'm lucky I will also write in the early hours of the morning.


What advice do you have for new writers?
I genuinely believe that anyone can be a successful writer, but it requires two things. One is the ability to accept that your writing is not perfect. No matter how good a novel is, another set of eyes will usually find a way to make it better. Secondly, a writer needs patience. Lots and lots of patience. Any work submitted can easily take six months to two years before a publisher will even look at it! And of course, the best way to pass the time is by more writing.


Thanks Natasha, and best of luck with the books.


Natasha's Blog.


Natasha on Twitter.


Natasha's Website.


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