Interview with Tina Brescanu

I was born in Karlskoga, Sweden and grew up in Striberg, a small village in the forest of Bergslagen. The whole village was my playground, I was always outdoors, and always making up stories to complement my own and also with my friends imaginary play.
When did you first start writing?
I've always written in Swedish, but in English only since my children were born. When I came to Ireland people laughed at my way of speaking English for months. When starting to write again, I didn't realise that writing in English was like learning a new language. Reading some of my early stuff brings tears to my eyes, tears of fits of laughter.
What's the story behind your latest book?
It's the second instalment of the trilogy about what's wrong with school, it's a visionary or spiritual fantasy story and despite the rebelliousness it's a story full of heart. Laughter Will Save the World is about my view of a remote village in a very poor country where my life partner grew up, there's so much unseen in places like these. In Love-Power of Guinea Pig a girl makes best friend with this furry little love ball but not all friendships are for life.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
My way of writing is off the beaten track different. I'm weird too, I've always been told I'm ahead of time, I never fitted in and I stood out because of my laughter, laughter saved my life many times when I tried to get away from myself. Being an indie author supports who I am.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
I haven't experience success yet, either I'm invisible or my writing is not to many's taste, I don't know but Smashwords is great because it's easy to publish, it's for everyone whose stories would never be read because we're not mainstream. I like different.
What do your fans mean to you?
I don't think I have any yet, but of course fans are the most important part of writing, otherwise I'm just writing for myself, I hope I'm not.
What are you working on next?
The third and last instalment of Warriors of Change, it's called Unschool the World and is about giving choice back to children and young people, about why we live and how we learn. I'm also working on other stuff, one is a fictional or even fantastical story about my grandparents who were from Karelia, Finland in their hearts but Russia by history. Their life stories are inspirational and heroic but were kept a secret for fear of Russia, writing their stories is a bit like solving a mystery, it's a mix of research, interviews and making it all up.
Who are your favorite authors?
I don't have a favourite author, I don't believe in favourite, best, greatest. I like change, change is freedom. I like a title that grabs me, a blurb that excites me and a first page that intrigues me and then it doesn't matter if it's indie or a traditional author, but an indie author is more likely to say it differently and I'm a definite fan of people who say it differently.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Thinking about writing, I know it's a cliche, but so true
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
By the title or category, I love paranormal, spiritual fantasy, visionary and metaphysical stories
What is your writing process?
I take my time, I'm a slow writer that's why I have a lot of stories on the go at once, I can't start and finish one story at a time. I'm better at starting than finishing a story.
No, but I remember the now deceased Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren's impact on me, her stories gave power to children and I loved her for that, thanks to her I had somewhere to escape
How do you approach cover design?
My first cover was more of a headache than the story and the story took years and years to write. My son did one cover, I made a photo into a drawing with another and the last one was easy thanks to a great and affordable designer
What are your five favorite books, and why?
As I said before, I don't have favourites, but I have a few books that I can't forget, most are indie
What do you read for pleasure?
Spiritual erotica, to learn to write in this genre
Describe your desk
A mess most times
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
This is my weak side, I practically don't do any marketing. I know, I have to do something about it
Has writing taught you anything or influenced your thinking in any way?
Writing is an adventure, finding out about not just the characters but myself as my younger self was a co-author in Warriors of Change, not so much channelled as remembered. I found unschooling which I didn't know about. Writing has had more impact on my life than life on my writing. I think it can be hard to live with a writer.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Write. It’s as simply as that, write, just write, and don’t worry about the quality of the plotting or the grammar, or if your story fits the market. Writing is an adventure, and you need to write the story for you first.
What's the best piece of advice you ever had on writing?
Write about what you want to find out about
Longhand, for great inspiration, it flows better for me. I edit as I type it out
A lot, I was a rebellious, misunderstood child with a mind of my own and a spiritual connection I didn’t recognise in any mainstream teaching
My family, my friends and those nice, "not mainstream enough but great idea" rejection letters
What's your goal as a writer
To keep writing, to write something in a genre outside my comfort zone, a crime or thriller story
Published 2013-08-23.

Books by This Author

Destined Union
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 61,070. Language: English. Published: October 20, 2014. Category: Fiction » Gay & lesbian fiction » General
Tordis is a Swedish sex therapist who comes to Ireland to work. She thinks she knows who she is, heterosexual and monogamous, because that’s what she’s been told by her culture, so when her life experiences takes her off the culture lines of both Sweden and Ireland and she discovers not just bisexuality but polyamory, she is surprised and delighted to finally come out and become who she really is
Swim like a Dolphin
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,210. Language: English. Published: October 20, 2014. Category: Fiction » Children’s books » Social Issues / Friendship
Fridolf is getting swimming lessons in his local swimming pool, but it’s not your usual teacher. Neither is Fridolf your average boy, he lives in his own world and can see and hear beyond and beneath, and when he enters the dilapidated swimming pool he hears seagulls and feels sand crunching between his toes. What happens when Fridolf splashes his dad’s phone?What are sharks doing in there?
I Hate School
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 16,780. Language: English. Published: October 19, 2014. Category: Fiction » Children’s books » Social Issues / Values & Virtues
Nilly is a rebellious eleven-year-old girl who hates school, her parents and her life. No one understands her. Everyone thinks she’s ungrateful, whiny and annoying, but she’s really inquisitive, compassionate and open-hearted. Nilly has no friends. Yes, she does, but Pax doesn’t exist in reality. I hate school is a story about the unconventional life and following one’s own heart.
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 17,730. Language: English. Published: October 19, 2014. Category: Fiction » Erotica » Contemporary
When Katarina discovers some of the sexual magic within she’s told about the goodness and pleasure of sex and the beauty of her sexual organs and sets out on her life journey with the ability to listen to both her heart and her vagina. From being her own sex partner to loving one and then two and also a woman, Katarina discovers that sex is much more than sex.
Love-Power of Guinea Pig
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,170. Language: English. Published: August 12, 2013. Category: Fiction » Children’s books » Animals
This is a short story about a girl who makes best friends with a guinea pig, but not all friendships are meant to be for life
Warriors of Change: Breaking Free from School
Series: Warriors of Change, Book 2. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 55,310. Language: English. Published: August 12, 2013. Category: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Fantasy
Laughter Will Save the World
Warriors of Change:Sent(enced) to School
Series: Warriors of Change, Book 1. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 59,600. Language: English. Published: August 19, 2012. Category: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Fantasy
Do you dare to follow your heart when school tells you to follow the rules? When Milla is sent(enced) to six years in secondary school her unrecognised school-itis gets worse. “It’s a real disease,” Milla insists who has survived early puberty and two uncompleted suicides due to being forced to become who she isn’t. “No, I’m not bullied, sometimes it’s “just” school.”