#visible

Interview- Samie Sands

Q1. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you like to write?

My name is Samie Sands – I am an author based in the UK, and before I wrote Living on Borrowed Time¬ my writing consisted mostly of horror. My book series (the AM13 Outbreak series) which has been published by Limitless Publishing, is a zombie based series which is aimed at a more female market. In fact, the books were described as one review as 'zombie chicklit' which I think fits quite well.

There are some interesting characters in those books – Leah in Lockdown who is a little shallow and vain, Ethan in Forgotten who's obsessive compulsive disorder causes him to struggle with normal life, never mind the zombie apocalypse, and Georgie, the social recluse in Extinct, to name just a few. I like creating characters who are unequipped for their situations to see how they will cope as the storyline progresses...and it often isn't in the way I thought it would be when I started writing!

A lot of people love the unique quality to these books, whereas some only want the traditional 'blood and guts' type of story... it's been a lot of fun finding out what people think either way!

Q2. Your book Living on Borrowed Time is one of the best books I have read on Wattpad- what made you want to post it up here for free?

Wow, thank you so much! That's incredible to hear. I posted it on Wattpad because it was the first book I ever wrote out of the horror genre, and I had no idea how good it was going to be or how people would react to it. Luckily, it's all been really positive so far, which is really exciting and has led me to start my next more romantically-themed book, Lottie Loves.

Posting my book this way may have opened a brand new genre to me and has also helped me to meet new writers and readers, which I love. I'm discovering a really wonderful group of people on Wattpad that I wouldn't have been able to had I simply had the book published, so I'm really pleased I decided to publish the story in that way.

Q3. The book deals with a large range of different mental and physical health conditions, and all brilliantly represented. What was your inspiration behind using these themes?

I do suffer from some health issues myself – nothing as serious as Lara – but I know how it can affect your mental health too. That's the reason I didn't so much focus on the physical ailments that have impacted on the main character, it's more about the unexpected side effects that has had on her. In a way, that makes her more relatable to everyone – even people who haven't suffered with health conditions.

Q4. Did you find writing your main character was easier or harder, with such complex development, than you thought it would be when you first started writing her?

As soon as I got into the mindset of Lara, she actually became less of a challenge to write than I assumed she would be. We have all gotten ourselves into some kind of hole at some point in our lives, which we've struggled to get out of (or at least, I have any way!), so it was easy to draw on some experience for that, even if it wasn't directly related to Lara's experience.

She is a complex character which is why I didn't write a straightforward storyline for her in which she simply finds some happiness and rolls with it – I think that there is always a lot more to pulling yourself out of mental difficulties than that. She also doesn't ever react in the way that people expect, such as the happiness she feels she probably should have felt for finding out that she wasn't going to die after all, which leaves her even more isolated and confused – leading her down the negative spiral she eventually finds herself heading down.

However, despite her bad choices and the way she always pushes people away, I think there is something likeable about her which will draw people in...at least, I hope so!

Q5. Do you have any tips for fellow writers wanting to write disabled characters?

My main thought on that would be to not just think of them as disabled – they are so much more than that! Anyone that suffers with a disability or a chronic illness, whether that be mental or physical, has a personality and a life as well. They go through similar issues to everyone else, and have similar struggles. Sure, their disability will affect them, but it isn't ever going to be all of them.

When I wrote Lara, her illness was never the focal point. It's all about her journey into adulthood, which I hope is filled with aspects that everyone can relate to. Although Lara has taken a different road towards growing up, she makes mistakes and bad judgment just like everyone else. She might have a lot more to contend with, but deep down she is no different to anyone else.

Q6. What are your future plans here on Wattpad?

I have really enjoyed my Wattpad journey so far, so I intend to post a lot more books. I am currently updating Lottie Loves as often as I can, which is a story about comparing a past relationship to a present one in a very unhealthy way. I will also be dealing with some complex issues in this book do, so I hope it's enjoyed as much as Living on Borrowed Time!

After I have finished this one, I may even post a novella sequel to my published book series because a lot of readers have been asking me for more. There will definitely be a lot more from me.

Q7. Finally, what does the word 'diversity' mean to you?

To me, diversity refers to the fact that everyone is different, but in a way we're also the same. Everyone, no matter what their ethnicity, ideology, physical abilities, is human – and that is the most important factor of all. It's easy to forget that with the barriers that people unwittingly put up, but once they are broken down we can all find something in common.