Author Interview: Rosalind Smith-Nazilli

What can you tell me about your short story collection Fourteen Flashes of Fiction?

It really is just a random gathering of short and flash fiction from my files.  Although I have written for a great number of years I have never actually done anything with the results and thought if I was going to take the plunge then this was as good a way as any to test the water. There will be five collections in total bringing together new and old stories alike.

What inspired you to write it?


Taking up social networking on a much larger scale than I previously was gave me an almighty kick up the butt.  Suddenly I was interacting with people who were putting out ebooks on a par to what I knew I was capable of, and sadly, in some cases I observed some very inferior efforts that helped prompt me to give it a go.

What or who inspire you?


When the muse kicks in my inspiration is just there.  Give me a word or two and I will give you something back.  Quite often a sentence comes in to my head which I know will make a great opening line.

What are you reading at the moment?


Have had quite a lot on the go of late and have just finished 'A Scattering of Ashes' by Craig Douglas and 'Tollesbury Times Forever' by Stuart Ayris.  I have a list as long as my arm and next will be 'The Office of Lost and Found' by Vincent Holland-Keen.

Are you working on a new story or novel at the moment?


Currently I am collating further collections of FOURTEEN and at the same time working on a longer piece with the working title 'Tread Gently in my Blood'.  This basically is a tale of betrayal that results in kidnap and a not too pleasant outcome.

What do you most like about writing?


Well I love the expression it brings and the scope to use language that would never normally pass my lips.  I am very fond of dialogue and really enjoy creating characters who quite often don't need a physical description, you can picture them by what comes out of their mouths.

What do you dislike about writing?


I hate to feel pressured.  Deadlines are a pain (just missed an important one)  I don't really dislike anything about actually writing, but I do dislike interruptions when I am.

What is the best piece of writing craft advice you have been given?


Over the years I have scoured everywhere for advice, taken courses, followed blogs and so on.  At the end of the day I think the best advice came from a tutor who told me to always be true to myself.  To write what I wanted and not bow down to any conventional form if it didn't fit what I was trying to say.

Which author(s) would you say have most influenced your writing?


Oh where to start.  There are many that I aspire to, my all time favourite being Sidney Sheldon but I don't really think they greatly influence my style.  Thriller/Mystery/Psychological genres are the ones that do it for me but I am not naive enough to think I could ever emulate any of the greats.

What are your strengths as a writer? What do you feel you do well?


Dialogue and twist endings.  I do think I am able to take you down a path that doesn't lead where you expected it to.

What are your weaknesses? Where do you feel you could improve?


Grammar.  Every time.  Even when I know I have it right I still have to check it..

What is your opinion on the rise of the ebook and ebook publishers?


Now I know that some traditionally published authors find the concept a huge bug bear but for me, and the likes of me, it has opened a door that would never have been there without it.  Maybe in time readers will become over saturated with second class writing which is slipping through because there is of course, no net to catch it.  For now though it continues to be an exciting journey.

Describe for our readers the genre(s) you write in and why they appeal to you as a writer.


I am not totally sure I write in any one genre but I do enjoy an element of mystery in my stories and I really do aspire to becoming a great thriller writer.

If you were to suggest a soundtrack for your book what should people listen to whilst reading it?


OK.. No laughing.  I gave this a lot of thought over the past couple of days and the one soundtrack that keeps coming back to me is Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.  The reason being that it carries a lot of highs and lows, gentle and crashing rhythms that reflect the stories in FOURTEEN really well.

Where can my readers find you online?


My blog 'Nazilliville' is at this link -  http://rosiesmith-nazilliwrites.blogspot.com/  and my other work is scattered around cyber space.