Howdy folks.

We have yet another fantastic guest for you in the Author Interview Series tonight and I couldn’t be happier to be talking to author Beth Teliho about her superb novel (which just recently won a Gold Award in the Readers’ Favorite 2016 Book Award Contest in the Supernatural Fiction category, so very well done Beth!)

So without further ado, it’s time to start this interview, so here we go and a very pleasant evening to you all.

 

Hi there Beth, a real pleasure to be chatting with you today.

Let’s start with your novel “Order of Seven”. I remember you mentioning before that it spanned multiple genres and was very intrigued by the name of the book, along with the setting and characters. Can you give us some insight into the nature of your beast and what sort of challenges the heroine Devi Bennett is going to face across the course of the journey of her story?

What if you had a paranormal ability that you were forbidden to reveal and that you didn’t understand? That’s where we find eighteen-year-old Devi Bennett at the start of the book. She’s a highly-strung, sharp-tongued (at times) girl who yearns to understand her gift and to know others like her. She and her brother, Nodin, are adopted and in search of their birth parents in hopes of understanding who they are and where they fit in the world.

When Nodin’s friends, Ben and Baron, visit, she realizes they’ve been brought together for a purpose that’s more imperative than she ever thought imaginable. Suspenseful and sexy, philosophical and adventurous, Order of Seven delivers a story you won’t soon forget. Plus, taboo love. Need I say more?

If your novel was to be made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?

Imma tell you something wild. Since I very first started writing Order of Seven, I envisioned Devi as Saoirse Ronan as she looked in the movie Hannah. Fast forward four years when Order of Seven is finally published, and I’m looking up her name to answer this very question for an interview, and would you believe her image comes up associated with a Disney movie titled The Order of Seven that ended up getting shelved? HOW INSANELY COINCIDENTAL IS THAT?!?! Okay, so yeah. Devi played by Saoirse Ronan, obvs, because Saoirse deserves to fulfil her destiny. Other than Devi, I never really visualized the other characters played by certain actors, but I do have a Pinterest Board, “Order of Seven Inspiration”, (here’s the link: https://www.pinterest.com/bethteliho/order-of-seven-inspiration-board/) that has tons of photos of the characters and scenery as I picture them.

Do you work to an outline/plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

I’m a pantser (Nanowrimo lingo for ya there) who’s reluctantly learning to outline. I’m trying, I really am, but it feels unnatural. I love the organic nature of letting it all play out as I go, but I keep hearing how much rewriting time it’ll save if I start with an outline. We’ll see. At the very least, I’m learning something new, right? Wish me luck!

Who are some of the authors in general that inspire you?

GAH. So many. I get inspired every time I read a book. Stephen King was the author I grew up reading, so I feel compelled to mention him. I read so many genres that the list is endless, but a few well-known ones off the top of my head: George R.R. Martin, Diana Gabaldon, Gillian Flynn, Kate Morton, Madeleine L’Engle, John Green, Khaled Hosseini, Suzanne Collins, J.K. Rowling…I seriously could fill this page with authors!

What sort of research do you do to write your books?

Well, let’s just say Google and Wikipedia are my best buds since I love for my stories to be interwoven with factual elements. I mostly research physics, astronomy, and archaeology – since my stories are heavily steeped in those subjects. I take a lot of notes – like three notebooks full just for Order of Seven – and am a pathological post-it note user.

Why do you write? What inspired you to become a writer?

I believe in stories. Period. (Also, if I didn’t write, who would I tell about all this weird stuff in mah brain?)

What keeps you motivated during creative slumps? How do you deal with Writers Block?

Creative slumps happen for me for two reasons: Fear and clogs. Fear happens when I’m stewing in self-doubt, or when I want to write about something that I’m afraid of (which can happen for many reasons: fear I won’t do it justice, fear I’ll offend someone, etc. etc.). Clogs happen when I analyze something to death, or when it’s been far too long since I’ve left the computer. Sometimes I have to leave – take a walk or a drive or something to get perspective and process my thoughts.

If I learned anything from the journey of writing Order of Seven, I learned to trust my instincts. If the story isn’t coming…then I need to give it time and respect the creative process. Or drink wine. Lots and lots of wine.

How do you spend your free time when you are not writing?

What is this free time you speak of? Juuuust kidding. When I’m not writing, I’m reading. When I’m not reading I’m probably hanging out with my kiddos, or seeing a movie, or chillin’ with a margarita and good friends.

Tell us more about your upcoming projects. Are you working on anything specific or have plans in the pipeline? Can we expect to see sequels to “Order of Seven” or are you going to explore other directions?

I’m currently working on another book, which will be in the same vein as Order of Seven, but with a different story line and a new main character. Although, I will say the plot of this book intersects with a few of the Order of Seven gang, so you haven’t seen the last of them yet!

Finally, are there any nuggets of wisdom that you can impart to other aspiring writers?

The most valuable pieces of advice I can pass along are these:-

1. Believe your words matter.
2. The first draft of everything is shit.
3. Write drunk, edit sober (figuratively speaking. Probably).
4. In the words of the great Stephen King: “You can. You should. And if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”

And that’s a wrap! Thank you for being a very informative and entertaining guest.

Bio:-

BETH TELIHO is a multi award-winning author and artist who lives in Texas with her husband, two adventurous sons, and a veritable menagerie of pets. Restless in the mundane, she writes about the abnormal, paranormal and otherwise fantastical because that’s what quickens her heartbeat. She laughs at inappropriate jokes and prefers spicy food and margaritas to almost anything. One day, she hopes to live in a treehouse with at least seven cats.

You can contact Beth on the following social media platforms:-

Sign up to her newsletter here:- Secret Circle of Awesome Newsletter
Amazon Author Page:- Beth Teliho Amazon Author Page
Facebook:- Writer B is Me – Beth Teliho Author (FB)
Goodreads:- Beth Teliho – Goodreads Author
Instagram:- bethteliho (Instagram)
Pinterest:- Beth Teliho – Author (Pinterest)
Twitter:- Beth Teliho Author (Twitter)
Website:- The Website & Blog of Author Beth Teliho

You can buy her award winning book Order of Seven here:-

Canada:- Buy Order of Seven in Canada

UK/Europe:- Buy Order of Seven in UK/Europe

US/Rest of the World:- Buy Order of Seven in US/Rest of the World

If you too would like to be interviewed on my blog at TooFullToWrite and you have a book or a series of books that you would like us to chat about then fill out the Contact Me form here with your details and we can arrange a future interview slot.

Still want more? Well, in Beth’s book, the key themes are about the lead character Devi being forbidden to disclose her paranormal abilities and also love for her is forbidden too. For more articles relating to the prompt of ‘Forbidden’ then check out the links below:-

1. $5.00 for 15 minutes and leave the children behind – The Secret life of a Vagabond
2. When a Good Man Goes to War – Dreamer’s Paradise
3. Forbidden Doors – Luminous Feathers
4. Sound Mind Journey – love letter not sent: a haiku (and a prose)
5. My Mixed Blog – Forbidden No More
6. Bolognese’s Blog – Forbidden Layers
7. Hospitality Highway – Steve Grundy Photography
8. Sacrificial Chain Breaker – FORBIDDEN
9. A Texan’s View of Upstate New York – But Mom!!!
10. shame – Kiss
11. My Journey to Find Me
12. Let’s Blast Off with Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich – Success in Spry
13. Laurel Grove loves… – Guilty pleasures? A bird, a buggy and a balloon
14. Poem for July’s First 8 Days of Daily Prompt – Sascha Darlington’s Microcosm Explored
15. artifiswords – FORBIDDEN
16. Forbidden Darkness – Scott’s website
17. Don’t Understand – Sunken Thought
18. Forbidden – The Rantings of a Bookworm
19. MY ENDURING BONES – Prefontaine and Main
20. Petra Omoregie Caroline – Life drawing and painting
21. Forbidden paths – Sanch Writes
22. Forbidden – mindeology
23. Pretty Packed – Travelling within the restrictions
24. curiouslumiere – Forbidden Invitation
25. Dark Truth – Weaving Notions
26. Hopeful Mina – Day Eleven: Make a Prompt Personal
27. Following the Forbidden… – exploradors!!
28. Mainline_Matter – Forbidden Music
29. forbidden – guavarilla
30. Fordbidden – To bare my soul
31. Art or Crime – What should we allow? – Steve Grundy Photography
32. Forbidden to forget – Celebrating ART
33. LOVE WHAT YOU DO – Forbidden
34. theblackwallblog – 5 Reasons You Should Date a Married Man
35. The story behind it – Painted in words
36. do you still remember me ? – wordpresscom77971
37. Purposive Writer – Genesis 3
38. Was the Forbidden Fruit really an apple? – Word Exorcist
39. Magnanimous Word – In the Name of Brunette Lady
40. IDEALOGUE – Forbidden
41. Leanne Murphy – Ten words #7
42. they brighten up my day – my sweetpainteddreams
43. A Glimpse into My Journey – Forbidden fate
44. Forbidden (A Short Story Written in a Hypnagogic State – StrangeLander2015
45. The charm of the forbidden. – Abi&Stella
46. Miss Bones – Unforbiden Mind
47. Ottoman History 101: The Forbidden Monkey – ….ISTANBUL OH ISTANBUL….
48. Mr. Johnson’s Blog – Forbidden Truth
49. Brendon Ward – The IRD was a Pain in the Back
50. Brendon Ward – Beehive Sails
51. witchlike – Forbidden
52. DESIGN CRUNCH – Finding Herself
53. Forbidden – YOLOcruz
54. helen meikle’s scribblefest – Daily prompt: If only Adam and Eve had called it as it was!
55. The Forbidden Door – Karuchan
56. Forbidden Crossing…(A Poem) – stephentotheplate
57. Here I am !! – Forbidden
58. Ned Dibrof’s hatbox – ink and toast
59. Words to Live By – Mac’s World
60. Forbidden Love… – Mychoice360
61. Daily Prompt; Forbidden – tnkerr-Writing Prompts and Practice
62. Three Years – Yen Hoang
63. Forbidden Thoughts – Vivid Dreamer
64. Forbidden – Born to Challenge
65. Reflections for my Soul – Forbidden Zone
66. Forbidden – stopbyandmuseforawhile
67. Brendon Ward – Aspiration
68. Hide Them – A Short Conversation
69. Is That My Dress? – A lot from Lydia
70. The Folly of Legalism – Eagle’s Wing Ministries
71. Daily Prompt – Forbidden – Short Story – Brandon’s Rambling Writing
72. onthebarge – forbidden to be yourself?
73. Sascha Darlington’s Microcosm Explored – Fear
74. Love Endures Always – Grandpa’s Grapes
75. Le Drake Noir – Fence-crawlers
76. A Momma’s View – End It Finally! – A Sad Blast From The Past
77. Sandmanjazz – The Weather Meddler
78. LINES of SHADEAU – Forbidden Curiosity
79. This, On Purpose – How I Came To Love Horror
80. Cinema and Chewing Air – The Looking Glass
81. 83 Unsung Heroes – The Forbidden Experiment
82. Haiku-Don’t Fall – jotabouts
83. Forbidden – z a y n e e a . n e t
84. Somras – The Forbidden Elixir! – WazirNama
85. Forbidden Love – CreativeWritingBox
86. thelonerose – Money
87. Fluffy Pool – Forbidden
88. Writing Web – Daily Prompt – July 6, 2016
89. Shots Fired – Kiana Donae
90. World Wrighter – Ditched
91. FORBIDDEN… – The artville
92. Re: Tweets About Alton Sterling – Apparently I’m Funny
93. Hi, how are you? – Just me and us blog
94. The li’l things in life…an afterthought – pins & ashes
95. Forbidden – Image & Word
96. ~Time Out with Ju~ – My Forbidden Top 10
97. The Daily Post – Progressing into Solitude – Forbidden
98. Burning Books – Onto My Next 40 Years
99. Delicate Little Thang and Buffalo Gal – Flying on Forbidden Wings
100. The Attraction of Forbidden Things – Think, Dream, & Believe
101. Forbidden – Inside The Writer’s Closet
102. E. Denise Billups – Forbid Me Not
103. Forbidden Acts And Forgiveness – Emotional Fitness Training
104. Forbidden ~ Luminoscope – Word Adventures
105. Such As – blackfatfemmewrites
106. Forbidden door – Mr.Brb_blog
107. myfavouriite – Quatations about forbidden love
108. what I do for love, it seems. – lemonadeletter
109. myfavouriite – Forbidden love
110. The Gad About Town – How (Not) to Steal a Train
111. The vixen searches for her mate – Jane Dougherty Writes
112. American Born – short story – Writing Beyond Ordinary
113. Musings and My Two Cents – What’s Forbidden?
114. blackcattwriting – Forbidden Looks
115. The Forbidden Forest – Entertaining beautifully
116. The Sleeping Reading Beauty ~ book reviews – Don’t
117. thestoryoft – The simple things
118. Jibber Jabber with Sue – The Stubborn Side of Me
119. Daily Word Prompt: Forbidden – BlessedDaily
120. And you may find yourself…in another part of the world – Once in a Lifetime
121. Sidenotes and Soliloquies – family 101
122. five lines / perspective – The Dreaming Lady
123. Willow’s Corner – You can’t do that
124. La Tour Abolie – Dear Genius
125. Forbidden – Franky tells it like it is
126. Dealing with people on lunch – Geek Ergo Sum
127. Canterbury Convert – It’s Off Limits
128. The Sleeping Reading Beauty ~ book reviews – A Book Cover Issue
129. Forbidden – wordsareallihavesite
130. coldhandswarmheartsblog – Forbid
131. ATG Successful Living – Forbidden Love – How to Overcome it? (interracial relationship)
132. Barryjack’s Place – He Who Shall Not Be Named
133. kristinakoti – I smell trouble
134. Challenges of Digital Activism in Saudi Arabia – Tag Alsh
135. Forbidden Path – Topographical Heart
136. Gothic Vadess40 – SWTOR Fanfiction- Crimsen and Ratsoi Go Shopping
137. Prompt for the Day: “Forbidden” – saintpblogging BlogJob site
138. 3 Quick & Easy Hijab Tutorials – ONE MORE SHOT PLEASE
139. Turn That Radio Up – Untouchable
140. a cooking pot and twistedtales – Hot Passion…
141. Prompt for the Day: “Forbidden” – Saint P. Blogging
142. speaking up for myself – The Mask
143. The Glass Ceiling – Writings from the Heart
144. That Which Is Forbidden – Rudy’s Ruminations
145. Forbidden Medicine – Getting High at Work
146. SERENDIPITY – FORBIDDEN? NAH. POSSIBLY INADVISABLE
147. The Forbidden pleasures – Writing belly
148. Hope Filled Reads – The Forbidden Dig
149. Life with Jess – Eat A Cookie
150. I can’t Control this Desire of mine – Caillen James –Author
151. La Marche des Fiertes LGBT de Paris – Geometry of thoughts
152. Forbidden – The Inkwell
153. Forbidden – floatingstories
154. Forbidden….Hidden – rupalislale
155. The Big Picture: An Integrated Perspective on Wisdom – theturtleoffice
156. Flowers and Breezes – Forbidden
157. Forbidden – Awordseeker
158. A Vibrant Palette – Forbidden things
159. Why? – Ripples N Reflections
160. Jennifer Terry – Window
161. Common Pursuit – Not A Warning
162. Trapped… – clumsyandsilly
163. Week 27. Features a poem. – writing blog
164. Jack, the Ripper. – hashtagtrustyourinstincts
165. The happy Quitter! – The Day I learned Stealing
166. Forbidden Romance – atrangizindagieksafar
167. The Reluctant Scribbler – Official Secrets
168. The Unconventional Girl – curiousitygotmecom
169. Forbidden Treasures – In a Perfectly Imperfect World
170. bookyglover – Forbidden
171. The Cat Chronicles – Daily FelinePrompt: Forbidden for felines?
172. Paradise Lost… Doesn’t Feel Like It Though – Fantasy Raconteur
173. HarlemATL Inner City Blues – Forbidden Fruit
174. Martha L Shaw – FORBIDDEN FRUIT HAS WORMS
175. Forbidden – wordsonwings
176. lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown – Touchy Subjects
177. Adventures in Traveling – My Crazy Graced Life
178. Random Brain Musings – Can’t Reach That Shelf
179. Giggles & Tales – Forbidden – The Daily Prompt!
180. paperdollsletter – Forbidden Kiss
181. She Who Hears – Forbidden
182. I’m Forbidden – Angel or Devil?
183. wordsandmorewords – Forbidden Fruit?
184. Keep Off the Grass – Where’s the Windmill?
185. another quiet muse – Forbidden…
186. Crossing Colorado – What Is the Best Diet Plan to Lose Weight?
187. kStan(ly) kSays – rebel tendencies
188. devildollmusings – Dream Lover
189. The Eye of a Thieving Magpie – Forked Tongue and a Mud-bath
190. Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss – Forbidden objects are the best
191. I plead guilty – Ms Skyfall
192. lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown – Early Morning Profundity
193. Forbidden …Writers Write – SUCCESS STRATEGIES
194. forbidden topics ⋆ Obsolete Childhood
195. Forbidden Love – Uma’s life and thoughts
196. Forbidden – crystalessence1
197. Forbidden FOOD – Explore Pets
198. the15thday – on the 21st anniversary of my 21st
199. Love proscribed – lovelyricism
200. Its The Rule – itstrueiamamazing
201. Apples – Daniel Amatiello
202. Zombie Flamingos – Pave Paradise?
203. Coloring Outside the Lines – Forbidden
204. Forbidden (A response) – He is.
205. Forbidden – ramblingsofreticentrisb
206. In a Gleaming Coffin – mySestina
207. kStan(ly) kSays – autonomous automatons forbidden
208. Serendipitousbloom.com – Forbidden flower
209. The Wandering Poet – DP Photo Prompt ~ Forbidden old mining entrance
210. Wordless Wednesday: Oh Deer! – whippetwisdom.com
211. Forbidden pleasure! – Chronicles of an Orange-Haired Woman!
212. Designer Sophisticate – Dirty Little Secret
213. No Lying! – Just Writing!
214. Unscathed – zorazebic
215. Paper Planes – Meow
216. Travel Much? – Relish much?(and Toad in the Hole)
217. ….on pets and prisoners….. – daily prompt: forbidden
218. Passion through Poetry – Forbidden
219. To Grow, Write – Unlearning
220. Boring Bug – When I stepped off the train at a wrong Station
221. Growing Toward the Sun – We Are Family, I Got All My Sisters With Me (Plus My Ex, His Wife & Their Kids)