Mysterious Ink Sheds Light

Mysterious Ink is a collection of stories written by a pair of, well, of characters who are trying to be found and, fortunately, I found them. They bring you tales of intrigue, suspense, mystery and horror through their site. Some of these short stories are stand alone tales while others may be part of a mini series.

As I’ve only ever worked alone this couple intrigues me so I’ve interviewed them in three parts – the first, today’s, introducing you to Angella Jacob. Be sure to come back on the 15th to meet Pierre C Arseneault and then on the 22nd to put them together.

Thanks for coming, Angella:

1) On your site, www.mysteriousink.ca, you state “naturally takes its place and forms the essence of who I am and of who I am becoming”. What else influences your being and your writing itself?

That’s a pretty big question, as there are many things that influence my being and my writing. My being, as I would suspect everyone’s, is mostly influenced by my environment, both physical and emotional. What we see, hear, feel and experience always corresponds to what we become as individuals. It is my goal to interpret my environment as best I can in order to find the positive to ensure I am growing as an individual. My writing is of course influenced by the books and magazines I read, as well as the entertainment I often indulge in, such as tv series or movies. I love a good story that will make me think and imagine different scenarios. Often times I catch myself thinking of how I would have taken the story in another direction. This tells me that what I read and watch definitely has a direct impact and influence on my writing process.

2) How do you feel when your living life/ existing gets in the way of your finding time to write?

I sometimes feel a bit disappointed when I can’t seem to find the time to sit down and write out even one page because I need to tend to life’s responsibilities. However, I do try to remember that everyone has responsibilities of some kind, but some people still find success with their creative endeavors. Disappointment then gives way to fuel to motivate the thought that even though I have other ‘stuff’ that needs my time and attention, nothing and nobody can stop me from doing what it is that I love doing on my own time. Finding a balance is not easy but it is a necessity for those who strive to reach their goals. The time is there, however big or small the amounts. I just try to make the most of the time I do have when I have it.

3) Do you write on a strict schedule or whenever the mood and time strikes?

Being a single mother and having a full time job (with a graveyard shift nonetheless) means not having the ability to live a scheduled life. I would love having the ability to write on a fixed scheduled, but that’s simply not possible with the life I have. Children do grow up though, and situations change. I hope that one day I can have the luxury of scheduling writing time. As for now however, I try to write one page a day, minimum. It’s not always possible, and I am forgiving of myself if I don’t reach that goal, as I accept my life for the crazy and unpredictable roller coaster ride that it is.

4) Have you always written about the unknown? Have you tried other genres?

As a teen I used to read a lot of young adult romance books as well as horror and thrillers. I have written a great deal of poetry, especially during my teens and early twenties. As my reading interest focused more and more on darker, paranormal fiction, so did my poetry. My poems were always my means of escaping and especially of expressing what and how I was feeling. They were my diary, my journal and my time capsule. Today I go back and read poems I wrote when I was at different ages and I can relive what I was feeling when I wrote it. I still write the occasional poem, but they are mostly interspersed here and there while the chunk of my writing is focused on the horror and mystery genre. I do have a few ideas for stories geared more towards the drama genre that I may eventually dabble in, but that’s not for a while yet.

5 What scares you?

Clowns. I have Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT to blame for that. Ever since I watched that movie when I was but a kid, clowns have me uneasy and paranoid. I also get very, very uncomfortable in total darkness when I’m alone. Go figure, says the horror writer…

6 Tell us something about your writing partner, Pierre, that he wouldn’t be so quick to reveal.

I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but Pierre is Batman. I trust you and your readers to keep this secret. If you don’t and he finds out I told you, I’ll have to wash the Batmobile for a month. So please, shhhhh….

 

Thanks for reading,
Sarah Butland
author of Sending You Sammy, Brain Tales – Volume One and Arm Farm