❝My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.❞ - Maya Angelou
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On this profile, we always strive to present you the best written pieces you can possibly find on this platform. And this month, we're focusing the series on the genre winners of The Ambys 2021, presented by the Ambassadors!
In this chapter, we're happy to introduce you MarCafeWrites, the author of "The Haunting of Elsinore Manor"; a story which won the historical fiction category in The Ambys 2021.
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Something is amiss within the halls of Elsinore Manor. Something that cannot be defined.
With her husband away on business, Gertrude Bard awaits his return in their manor in Cornwall, England. She spends her days in the company of her three children - Ophelia (12), Rosen (8), and Gilbert (6) - and her husband's younger brother, Claude, who has come to stay with them during the patriarch's absence.
Not long after Claude's arrival, strange and unexplainable things begin to occur. Objects go missing, the piano plays on its own, and Gilbert has a sudden imaginary friend who may or may not be a ghost.
Claude claims ignorance, and Gertrude begins to doubt her sanity. Is the new darkness enveloping Elsinore Manor the product of calculated deceit? Or is the truth something far more sinister and otherworldly?
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If you had to describe your writing self in three words, what would they be?
Perfectionist, Innovative, Throwback
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For the Ambys, have you revived a story/idea you haven't finished in the past, or have you started a new one to participate?
I entered a story that I wrote last autumn as a spooky Halloween season tale.
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What comes to you first? The plot or the characters?
Oooh, good question. It varies. Sometimes an odd situation or partial storyline will pop in my head first, sometimes a character will make themself known to me first. I've had both happen many times.
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Who's your favourite character from The Haunting of Elsinore Manor? How would you describe them?
My favorite character to write as was Ophelia, the daughter in the Bard family. She provided a unique point of view and voice, because she's quite young and naïve, but also intelligent for her age and observant. She knows something is wrong. She can't quite describe it, but she's aware that something is amiss and does her best to articulate it to her diary despite her limited life experience.
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If a movie was made based on your story, who would you cast in the leading roles?
That's difficult, as most of my characters are children. I'd love to have Mark Strong as Uncle Claude, and Rachel Weisz as Gertrude.
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How long do you spend researching before beginning writing a book?
It's immeasurable. I write a lot of historical fiction, so I research everything, down to what type of range would be in the kitchen. I continue to research while writing, especially with my novels. Research and historical accuracy are paramount.
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What would you say is the most challenging thing about writing historical fiction?
Refraining from using descriptions, references, terms, figures of speech, and slang that was not used at the time. I am constantly researching the origin of words, phrases, and inventions to make sure I don't use anything that hadn't been "thought of" before my chosen time period.
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Who is your favourite Wattpad writer? Did they influence your writing journey?
I only discovered Wattpad in early 2020, and I spend a lot more time writing than reading. When I read, I like to have a physical book in my hands. I'm most inspired by the Classics and Shakespeare. Both "Jane Eyre" and "Hamlet" are significant to my short story, so yes, they definitely influenced me.
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Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Both! I get so excited about it, especially while I feel I'm making progress. But it does exhaust me. I put everything into it. And I'm dyslexic, so I have to edit everything I write about 50 times.
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If you could tell your younger writer-self anything, what would it be?
Don't take on a project you're not ready for. Ease in. I came up with a premise for a novel back in 2004 that was ridiculously lengthy and complicated. I was not equipped to take on such a big project, so I got frustrated and left it on a shelf. There's no reason to be frustrated or hard on yourself — you'll write what you're meant to write when you're meant to write it. I'm actually writing that 2004 novel now for NaNoWriMo! Win for present me and little me!
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That was all from MarCafeWrites! We thank you again for working with us on this interview and congratulations on the win!
If you want to read more from MerCafeWrites, please do go follow them and don't forget to add their winning story to your library!
