Interview, Author Margaret Sarah Bechtel

I just recently read and reviewed Margaret's 2nd book Learning in the Dark, you can check out my review ~HERE~.
And couldn't help myself, I really needed some answers maybe not the spoiler-y type of answers but answers nontheless!

So before the interview let's have you know a bit more about this awesome author.


Taken from here.



Margaret lives in Virginia with her family and golden retriever, Potter.
She is 30 years old and In The Land Of Winter is her debut novel. She loves to read. Twilight, Clan Of The Cave Bear, and Lord Of Rings are some of her favorite books. 
Margaret also enjoys 80's tv shows such as 21 jump street and The Golden Girls. However she is a full time GLEEK, and wacthes Glee over and over.


So you can now see, why oh why! I had to make an interview with this amazing woman!

NOW ON TO THE REVIEW!

BP: First of all thank you so very much to agreeing on making this interview and WELCOME to BookPics!                                                                               MSB: It’s my pleasure to do this with you!

BP: I can't start without asking when or how did you find out you wanted to become a writer? 

MSB: I’ve written stories since I was young, but I wrote my first completed novel when I was twenty-nine.  I was in the medical field training to become a nurse, and though I love the profession and respect it, it was not where I found my joy.  I wake up in the morning and I want to tell stories!

BP: I’ve read your 2 published books already and loved them both, how did you come up with both their titles?

 MSB: Learning in the Dark and In The Land of Winter?  In The Land Of Winter came partly just from the setting of the book, Scotland is a beautiful but harsh place to live and the other part was from Kate, she was so damaged and cold. Learning In The Dark came from the character Lynn, she was blind and trying to learn how adjust to her new world but it was also all the characters

BP: Could you tell us in your own and shortly words what your 2 books are about? 

MSB: In The Land Of Winter is about redemption and healing.  Learning In The Dark is about forgiveness.

BP: Would you mind sharing with us a bit of the process you went through in order to write both books?

 MSB: The first book, In The Land Of Winter, I dreamed about.  I dreamed Kate was trying to swim to a lighthouse a night in the freezing water of the North sea.  She just popped inside my head and heart and would not leave.  I’m actually writing a 2^nd book with Kate, and I never planned on that all.  Learning In The Dark came from my own fear I guess, I always wondered how I handled it if I were to become blind.

BP: Are there any of the characters in your books that are based on real life people that you know?

 MSB: No…at least I don’t think they are. LoL

BP: After reading your second book I noticed some similar things between them, like how both female leading ladies are struggling with their past and learning to forgive, Did you ever thought you’ll be writing about this really hard topics on your books or was it something that just came to you one day? 

 MSB: The first book has some personal meaning to me.  The second book I just thought, what if the bad guys weren’t really bad?  What if you did something horrible but it was just a human mistake?  Could you still remain human in a sense and have a normal life?

BP: You, know that the one that got to me the most and even made me stop and think, look around me and even change my pov on some things was/is In the Land of Winter but Which was the hardest to write?

 MSB: In The Land of Winter or Learning in the Dark?  Learning In The Dark, there were four main characters, that had a lot of emotions and I wanted to give them their own chapters to get that across.  In The Land Of Winter was a darker book in many ways but it was easier to write from Kate’s POV because most of the most is just her and Lex stranded in that lighthouse, so their thoughts and feelings were more easely heard.

BP: Wich of all the characters from both books was the easiest to write and wich was the hardest?(I think I have an idea which was/is the hardest but no idea wich one would be the easiest since almost every character seems to be dealing with something, plus you can come up with some really sexy characters! ~sighs~Davis, Carter, and ~swoons~Lex) 

MSB: Kate felt like breathing to me, even though she is harder than I am. (In The Land Of Winter  Lex was just a warm ball of light, and the polar opposite of Kate, but their love gives me hope.)  Lynn was hard because I’m not blind but I had to write as if I were. Davis was just….hot, I don’t know where he came from,  (school giggles)  Carter was a sweetheart-  Sophie is the best friend everyone should have and I have to say I think she is my favorite in Learning In The Dark even though Lynn will probably be seen as the main heroine. *spoilery quote* Sophie and Davis together….WOW. *end of spoilery quote*

BP: Do you have any more books coming out soon? Can you share a bit about them/it or is it still TOP SECRET?  

MSB: I'm working on The Ten Kings Of Atlantis, it’s my first fantasy and based very loosely on a Greek Myth.  Confessions Of Lillian Maverick- is about a teenage girl who is dealing with the fact her mother is bipolar.  And Winters Return is the squeal to In The Land of Winter.  Kate and Lex are happy but soon the past comes back to haunt them.

BP: Do you read your books’ reviews either good or bad? And if you do how does it affect you? 

MSB: Well, a nice review is always great!  It always touches me when my words move someone, and they love my characters the way I do.  But a bad review, though they can hurt, and yes one for Learning In The Dark made me cry, isn’t really the end of the world.  It makes me want to do better and in the end I can’t please everyone.  I write novels because I love the story and I can only hope readers will like them too.  I try very hard not to take offense, because there are plenty of books I’ve read and didn’t like.

Now on to some fast facts.

BP: What was the last book you read?
 MSB: The Understory by Fisher Amelie


BP: Could you describe yourself in 3 words?
 MSB: Shy, loyal, and funny.  (At least that is what other people tell me.)

BP: Are you more of a coffee girl or a tea girl?
 MSB:Tea

BP: Is there a book in your currently-reading list?
 MSB: I’m reading Moby Dick, but I soon plan to read the percy Jackson series, and finish the Maximum Ride series.  I’ve read the first five.  I’m going to read The Ocean by Mia Castile for review very soon.  There are so many other books I have on my to-read list!  Like the Vampire Stalker and Laney, and Wisp! The List could go on and on!

BP: Favorite author/s?                                                                                                                                            MSB: J.R.R Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Jean. M. Auel, and Cosette Riggs.

BP: Who inspires you?                                                                                                                                            MSB: Books in general and other authors.  I know when I have read a good book; because I’m like ‘Why didn’t I think of that’? That’s how I feel about the Clade Letters by Cosette Riggs.

BP: Favorite Music?                                                                                                                                                            MSB: I like all kinds really.  But right now I’m into Lady Gaga and Adele.  Adele’s album 21 is just stunning; and some of her songs help me when I'm writing Kate for Winters Return.

BP: What’s the funniest thing a reader of yours has asked you?
 MSB: Sadly, I can’t think of any! 

BP: What do you think are your strongest and weakest points at writing?  
MSB: I think I can write hard things pretty well, I’m pretty blunt in my style.  But I always worry about not having enough detail.  I think sometimes I can be an impatient writer, because I’m an impatient reader; I always want to get to the good stuff.

BP: Finally, do you have any random fact of yours that most people don’t know and you want to share? 

MSB: I love mustard and put it on odd things like carrots.  lol

Wow!I definitely didn't see that last answer coming!

Thanks Margaret S.Bechtel for answering my really weird questions, it was amazing having you here over at BookPics! Can't wait for your next books. I'm sure you'll keep surprising us more and more.

Guys don't forget to check out both of Margaret's books and page.

-Her Facebook Page, Margaret Sarah Bechtel FB page

-In The Land of Winter find it over at -Amazon-

-Learning in the Dark ~wich is now going through revision but still can find some info of it over at -Amazon-