magic

Have you ever thought of something fantastic that inspired you to write, whether it was a sentence or an image or even a general idea? Marnie Cate has, and she wrote and published her first book based on it. In fact, it’s the first book in a series. Get inspired by Marnie, who turned a thought into a whole book!

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Is Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic your first book? How long did it take you to plan it before you began writing it?

Remember is my first book. It was really random how I started. Three years ago, these words came to mind: “A blinding light surged through me and I fell to my knees. Stumbling and confused, I found myself being led to safety by Gram. She told me to hide in a crevice in one of the old oak trees that had split.” I decided that day that I was going to write. I started writing without really knowing where I was going.

Do you plan your writing out with outlines, character development exercises, and other pre-writing activities? Or do you just write as it comes to you?

I just write as it comes to me. Typically, I will have an idea come to me that I want to include and it changes my original thought. In my second book, I have issues from the first book that need to be addressed. This has created a new way for me to think about writing but I am still finding that free writing leads to my best work.

Is this book part of a series? If so, when can we look forward to the next book being published?

This is planned to be a series. The second book, Exigency, has a solid start and the ideas that have come to me have confirmed that I do have more than one book inside me to be written.

Do you mostly write in this particular genre or do you dabble in other genres? If so, which ones?

I never really planned to write in any genre. I think my books will always have their “feet” planted in the world I know and wander into the world I dream.

What do you think makes your work stand apart from other works in your genre?

There are so many fantastic books in the fantasy genre. My thoughts on magic and its origin are different than anything I have read. The relationships that Mara has formed are the true story. I think relationships are universal but I would like to think that my characters are unique and ever changing.

Remember’s book blurb starts out with a quote from the main character’s great-grandmother that changes the MC’s life. Was this inspired by something that happened to you in real life? Or is it purely from your imagination?

“Hiding the truth from you is no longer protecting you. Sit and I will tell you what you need to know.” is spoken by Mara’s grandmother, Mae Veracor (Gram). Gram is the daughter of Genevieve Silver.

I can sadly say I was never told that my family were the protectors of magic. The reality of the story is that I do have a little sister that I adore and I was lucky to have the best grandmother in the world.

Tell us a little bit about the magic in your book, if it won’t spoil the plot. What is it like and how does it work? What’s original about it?

Without giving away too much, I can say that the magic in Remember is elemental magic. This encompasses the ability to call upon the elements (Air, Fire, Water, Earth). Many books talk about the elements and their use. In my book, there are not just the elements but the elementals that teach Mara to use her gift.

You’re a fan of Dame Judi Dench, so much so that it’s on your Amazon author profile. What do you love so much about her? Have you based any of your characters on her in Remember?

The character of Mae Veracor is a combination of my grandmother, Judi Dench and my imagination. There is something that can’t be named when I watch movies, television shows or interviews of Dame Judi. She has a spirit for life that is contagious.

What inspires you to write? Music? Other books? Real life events? Just an incredible imagination?

I fear it is my imagination that keeps me writing.

Are you part of any writers’ groups? If so, what do you like about them? How do they help you or inspire you? If not, why not?

I have connected with several writers’ groups: #IndieBooksBeSeen and #Awethors. Both groups have very supportive authors who are about encouraging and helping each other. It is a great way to see that I am not alone on the island of indie authors.

Did you do any research for this book, even by reading other fantasy books?

The only research I did was to make sure that the ingredients in the spells in the book would not hurt anyone if they decided to try it. I would never recommend trying something you read in a book.

Do you read the kinds of books you like to write? Do you watch movies similar to or the same genre as your writing?

When I decided to write, my book reading dropped. I cannot narrow down just one genre of books that I like to read. One thing I did allow myself was to keep up with two series that I had stared before I decided to write. Each is very different from my book. As far as movies, I love all kinds but I do not think there is a movie out there quite like my book. I would love to see my book on the big screen one day.

If you could write anywhere in the world – in a fictional or nonfiction place – where would you write?

Either a flat in London close to the theatre or in a cabin in the woods with no distractions.

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BIO

Marnie Cate was born and raised in Montana before adventuring to the warmer states of Arizona and California. Her love of Dame Judi Dench and dreams of caticorns and rainbows inspired her to chase her dreams. One great sentence came to mind and the world of elemental magic and the humans they lived amongst filled her mind. With Remember, the story has begun.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon: http://amzn.com/1508795320
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/520293
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remember-marnie-cate/1121537003?ean=9781508795322

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