Interview
So Decee, you’re current work is on a book called The Higher, tell me about how you came to write it?
The Higher came about..well simply because I had a dream. I dreamt of being in God’s presence when he was choosing the angels. I woke up and wrote it as a single scene.
Do you often record dreams?
If they’re vivid, yes! I can get some good stories from them. Especially when something really scares me. The more a dream lingers with me then the more likely I am to take some creative inspiration from it.
So how did this dream turn into a book?
I did some research on angel lore; particularly Christian and Islam angel lore, and built characters around the more famous archangels. The basic story is there. I focussed on the war of Heaven as revealed in Revelation and built that into a full story.
And you’re writing this as a trilogy…was that always the idea or did you find you couldn’t fit the story into one book?
Not at all. It was originally just meant to be one book but as I was going about my daily business I would get flashes of scenes and new ideas for development. I just kept incorporating them into the story and concluded that there was so much more I could do if I wrote it over a series of books rather than just one.
Why do you write the stories you do?
I have a huge love of fantasy. I love watching it and I love reading it! I have always had a fascination for angels and theology and that has culminated into a way of writing stories that is very personal to me.
When did you realise you could write? Was it always a gift or was it something you consciously decided to develop?
It was something more of a development. I still have a lot if learning to do even now. I certainly can’t run something of and have it perfect straight away. But I’ve always had a vivid imagination and writing stories has proved to be an effective outlet for me.
Do you have to be in a special mood to write?
No! I can just do it!!
What kind of environment is conducive to writing for you?
I like to have noise. Music especially. I tend to have a soundtrack! A particular set of songs or artist that I listen to as I write and that one playlist can be on throughout a whole book or a significant portion of one at least. I use the album for different points of the book. I write more intense scenes whilst listening to heavier songs and lighter scenes whilst listening to softer tracks.
What kind of genre would you say you fit in to?
I find it really difficult actually the put myself in a genre. All my stories seem to have a theological or spiritual undertone.
Tell us about other projects you’re working on? You write short stories as well is that correct?
Yes I’ve written 2. One called The Carrier which is basically about a young boy who is a carrier of the dead and the other is called The Stand which is tongue in cheek story about fear of spiders which is just a bit of humour. I’m working on one for competition at moment. A Christmas ghost story!
Are you scared of spiders?
Petrified! That is my fear coming through in the story!
Tell us about your first book?
My first book was called Morgan and is a modern take on the King Arthur story from the point of view of his half sister, Morgan Le Fae. It’s a more sympathetic viewpoint of her indicating that she’s not as bad as she was made out to be in the original stories and of course that Arthur wasn’t quite as flawless as we might think. It’s just another perspective
And how do you think you’ve progressed as a writer since then?
A lot! I think I could write Morgan a lot better than it is now. I’m considering writing it as a screenplay as I feel it could work better on screen that as text. I may still reattempt it as a book in the future. Who knows?!
Has your upbringing had any effect on your abilities? Were you exposed to literature as a child?
I was taught to read from a very early age. I was a very fast reader. My mum exposed me to fiction through storyteller tapes that came with magazines where you could listen as you read. All I ever did as a child was read!!
Did you know then that you wanted to write
No I wanted to be an actress!
Is there an author you aspire to be like?
I’ve been told I write a little like James Herbert but I think that’s because I’ve read so much of his work that I’ve adopted quite a few of his techniques….which isn’t a bad thing!!
A lot of your stories are fantasy based where you write the rules from the outset. Is writing about real life something that doesn’t appeal? i.e. Does staying within the realm of fantasy act as an escape for you?
It definitely does. Even if it’s not in a total fantasy world, All my work is an escape of some kind
What are your aspirations for the future?
I want to be published. That’s my first goal and then to continue to be successful… my biggest dream is to have one of my books on screen.
Do you have an idea for your next project?
Not at the moment. I’ve concentrating on The Higher.
Apart from writing, what else takes up your time?
I have a 11 year old daughter and I’m just starting a History and English degree at York.