Featured Author – Maggie Tideswell

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I’m a dreamer, always have my head in the clouds. This book writing thing is a difficult job, because I completely get drawn into the story I’m telling. It’s hard in the sense of reality creeping up on you and slapping you in the face when your attention in the here and now is demanded. But I cannot see myself not writing. It is a compulsion. I wake up thinking about my WIP or a completely new story.
I grew up, and still live, in South Africa, and my books are all set here, because this is the place I know and love. We have a diverse population to draw on, and a colorful – at times quite savage – history. So, where else would my complicated characters live? And, most importantly, we have our fair share of ghosts and paranormal activity.
I’m a simple person who loves my cats, a good plate of home cooked food, a good haircut, and a lovely chilled glass of white wine. I love a good South African summer shower, and do not do well in our – fortunately – short South African winters.
I don’t often write at night, because I scare myself too much. You know that sensation of seeing movement from the corner of your eye, and when you look, there is nothing there? Well, when you are writing ghost stories – paranormal romance – what can I say. Now I limit the ghosts to when I am well-tucked -in behind my husband’s back, the blanket on hand to quickly whip over my head – and write the details when the sun is bright. There are so many stories to be told, I’m beginning to fret about not having enough time to tell them all.

Favorite Books that I Wrote:

They are complex, spell-binding and scary. I want goosebumps, and if a reader dives under the blankets while reading one of my books, my job is done – until the next book! And a tear, or an honest to goodness laugh out loud, are the cherry on the cake.

Favorite Books by People who Aren’t Me.

I am not a lover of explicit sex, but I became quite obsessed with Christian Grey. The series had been quite severely criticized, but I found it a very well-developed story line, and Christian’s obsessions after his bad start in life very feasible.

I love Barbara Erskine’s work. It is paranormal, always with elements of ghosts or the past interfering with people in the present. Completely up my street.

Philippa Gregory writes about my most favorite part of the English history. My favorite English king was the beleaguered King Richard 111. Philippa has a book on his life, but I forget the title. In that era, witchcraft was rife, of course. Ghosts were a fact of life. I just love the period.

I love all Dan Brown’s works. Very well researched, stories well told, intriguing. Ken Follet is one of those authors who can really carry a story. You can completely loose yourself in the world he creates.

My reading is quite eclectic – it varies from paranormal to historical and anything in between. I do not read sci-fi at all, I do not do horror if it includes tentacles and many rows of teeth, and I am not fond of erotica, unless it has a very strong romance that drives it.

If you’d like to ask Maggie a question, feel free to leave a comment on this post, and we’ll make sure she sees it.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ON THESE LINKS:

 

 

 

 

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