FUNKY FRIDAY - with reader and blogger Colette Cooper

Welcome to FUNKY FRIDAY once again.  Today I'm delighted to welcome Colette Cooper (@Colly4  on Twitter). She's always been a huge supporter of my books (and other Indies) and so I was very happy to welcome her here for a chat.  You can follow her blog here.

As an avid reader and blogger at The Wonderful World, what made you start on your journey?

Twitter opened new avenues for me in the world of reading/writing. There was so much talent out there in the way of Indie books, Kindle freebies and topical blogs that I wanted to share this beyond Twitter and into mainstream to help others reading the great stuff I was.

I have always loved writing too so starting a blog was a perfect way of doing this. The more I write, the more I want to write! It's simple!

What books will keep you up all night and which types will have you throwing them at the wall?

Thrillers, sagas and biographies have me gripped. Whilst chick lit fills the gaps in between. I cannot stand erotic fiction, yucky romance or predictable chick lit. Books that keep you guessing and tell the story from different perspectives will always keep me interested.

Would you ever be tempted to write a novel and what genre would it be?

Yes, this is on my bucket list! I don't think I would be smart enough to write a thriller, or have the patience to research anything too topical, so it would have to be based loosely on my life with my experiences exaggerated for effect! I have always wanted to write something autobiographical in terms of the main character, but set in a fictional life I would have liked to have lived. That said I work better under I instruction, so if someone was to give me a subject or genre I would give it a go!

You've been invited on Big Brother - Readers' and Bloggers' Special! Do you accept?

Never! I could never be that exposed. I like to be behind my writing and not in the spotlight. I would like to think if I ever became published I would do so under an alias so that my private life could be kept as that.

Is there one book you could read over and over again?

Every single Harry Potter book. I am a huge fan but up until 2 years ago I had not read any of them or watched a film. I spent 3 months reading my way through them and watching the films and was gutted to get to the end of the story. I surprised myself as normally fantasy is not my thing, but the quality of the writing, the underlying meanings and how the story unfolds is pure genius.

Can you remember the book that started you off as a reader?

I used to steal my mum's reading material from a very young age and worked my way through Virginia Andrews' Flowers In The Attic and the continued saga whilst I was still in primary school. I was still reading them over and over whilst I was at college. But as a child of the 80's Roald Dahl was my biggest influence.

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Thanks so much for joining me on FUNKY FRIDAY, Collette - I wish you well in writing that book and staying 'anon'!

 ***** NEWSFLASH *****

My new novel is powering ahead and I'm feeling very excited about each new writing day.  A June release is on the cards ...

'Diary of a Mummy Misfit' is currently powering up the charts in the FREE section on Amazon for Kindle. UK here and .com here.  Grab it while you can!  But don't forget to get the sequel.

My blog ... my space.

What's a blog for?

Well, that's a bit like asking how long's a piece of string, isn't it?

It's whatever you want it to be - you are, of course, master of your own blog.

DEFINITION
BLOG: 'web log'
A personal website or web page on which an individual records opinions, links to other sites, etc. on a regular basis.

If you choose to post about goat mating, women in stockings, recipes with chocolate or homosexual pirates that's totally up to you - your blog, do what you like.  And then I can choose whether or not I want to read it or to pass the information on to others.

Blogging for me means covering a whole manner of subjects.  I'm a writer so I might run with one thought one week and another the next.  My blog, my choice. Equally, your choice to decide whether or not you want to read it.

In the past I've covered the topics of  periods, breast-feeding, my dad, books and an imaginary interview with Graham Norton - a vast array of subjects which won't appeal to all.

But it's my blog and I won't be told what I can and can't write about.

I would never write with the intention to offend or upset - although varying opinions can't always guarantee that I won't.  Not everyone's going to agree with my thoughts on smoking in public places, dummies (pacifiers for my US readers!), immigrants or the English education system - but they are my thoughts for you to do with as you will - consider, agree, dismiss, think I'm the best thing since sliced bread, throw your toys out of the pram or vow never to read another word that I write again.

Up to you.  Up to me.

The purpose of my blog is not solely to sell books.  It's there for a whole magnitude of things.  My readers will know if someone pees me off in Sainsbury's or if Mr Marks & Spencer seemed to have stopped making suitable clothes for my mum - it will end up written about here.

Some weeks I may rant and other weeks I may be in a jokey mood.  Regular visitors will know that you can never be 100% sure what you might read on the Misfit's blog.  And that's what I love about it - I'm not pigeon-holed.  It's my space.

But saying that, I am always careful to consider my choice of words and subjects.  I have a filthy mind and hubbie and I can be 'foul of mouth' but my blog is not the place for that.  I've never posted a piece that I wouldn't have been happy to show to my 85 year old mother and that's the way I'll keep it.

In fact, I showed her last week's post today.  I had my reasons and she got a bit teary - but she got my point.  My blog, my opinion, my release.

People abuse Facebook on a daily basis with digs and jibes that go out worldwide to friends and relatives, and they get off scott free.  Bloggers come under fire because ... well, why?  Because they sat and considered their words and didn't shoot from the hip?  No, it's because it's a permanent record of their thoughts or feelings at the time and Facebook is so 'in the moment' and virtually impossible to trace back.

Whatever you post on social media sites is out there for people to see,  you should own it - stand up and take responsibility for it.  You may just have posted an off-the-cuff one liner but those words can still do damage.

I don't ask anyone to read my blog - and yet I have thousands of hits a week.  Why?  Well I would hope it's because I'm open, honest, tell it as it is and that people feel that they have got to know me through my words.

My blog will continue to do what it says on the tin - it will be posts from the author Amanda Egan - on whichever subject she chooses and that's the way it will remain.

If you decide to come back next week - that's up to you.