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Interview with Alec John Bell during the BlogTour for “Forbidden Darkness”

 

Alec John Belle is an online high school student that resides in the state of Massachusetts. At the age of 16 he wrote his first novel, Before I Break. His hobbies include reading, writing, and obsessing over Pretty Little Liars. He writes about tough topics that many are too afraid to talk about like suicide, homosexuality, self harm, cyberbullying, anxiety disorders, addiction, among other teenage issues, and he often blends these ideas with the paranormal.Links 

 
 

 

 

What made you start writing books?
I
started writing book because of Goosebumps by R.L. Stine.  He was the very first
author I read books by and I thought the storytelling was great.  As a kid, he
was my favorite author and I wanted to be just like him.
 
What author/actor or musician do you ‘fangirl/fanboy’ over?
I
totally ‘fanboy’ over Keegan Allen from Pretty Little Liars.  He’s an amazing
actor and he’s on my favorite show.  Keegan genuinely seems like a good guy, and
I don’t have many guy friends.  If I ever met him, I probably wouldn’t scream
and freak out like his girl fans, but I would definitely be happy about it.  He
also has a photography book too, and does book signings.  I want to meet at one
of his signings some day.
 
What does your perfect writing day look like? Do you plan when and how long you
write, or does it happen without planning?
No
planning goes into when or how long I write.  I usually just sit at my computer
and see where it goes.
 
What genre is the most intimidating when you think about writing in it? Explain
why!
I’d
say paranormal YA because there’s so much of it. You have to make your story
unique, but it needs to be able to sell.  That is probably the most difficult
part.
 
What do you like to do when you are not writing? What do you think your
profession would be if you were not an author?
I
love reading and watching TV.  I love Pretty Little Liars, The Fosters, Chasing
Life, Switched at Birth, and Wayward Pines.  If I was not an author, I’d
probably be an actor.
 
In your opinion, what is the most important feature a book needs to have?
A
book needs to have good characters.  Even if it’s plot driven, your characters
need to be well written.
 
What is the most difficult part of writing a book, (including the preparations
and after-publication-process)?
I’d
say editing is the hardest part.  Getting rid of chunks that you thought were
great but turned out to be crap.  Rearranging scenes so they’re not confusing. 
Little things like rewording sentences to make them perfect is also a pain.
 
 
Name three characteristics of your writing style that are important yet
different from other authors.
In
all of my writing, I blend in realistic issues like teen suicide, self harm,
depression, homosexuality, anxiety, and more.  I believe these are important
topics that need to be talked about.  In The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles, I
have a few characters that deal with tough situations.  I put them in those
situations as a way to show people they’re not alone.  Realism is very important
to me, even in an unrealistic world.
 
Which of your characters seems to be the most independent, and has taken on a
life of their own?
Heather
Hawkins from The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles is very independent.  She’s doing
a lot of things I didn’t originally think she would.  She was never going to be
the main character, but ended up stepping to the forefront and said she wanted
to be heard.  So now Heather is the one telling the story, and it works out
perfectly.

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