Having had a variety of jobs, including waitress, library assistant, nurse, and police officer, Louise holds a BSc in Health Studies, and a PG certificate in Primary Education.
The scenic west coast of Scotland is where Louise lives with her family.
The varied life experiences were not strictly by design, but have likely given her fuel enough for the next few decades of writing. Fortunate enough to come across some of the most amazing real life characters, there's been good, bad, and downright ugly at times. Louise can say the same for many of the situations in which she’s landed. Let's face it, delivering a baby to an adoring couple is as far away from the reality of bagging criminals as you can get. And yet, she has been passionate about all the jobs she’s taken, soaked in the experiences, and blanked out the worst ones for the good of her mental health. But they are all there, happily bubbling, or festering away, to be recalled when she needs them.
Louise didn't set out to write Fantasy, but when she began to write The Calling, it became apparent that she still believed in the Bogey Man, the Monster in the cupboard and of course, the Faeries at the bottom of her garden. Suddenly Louise found that she was writing a story of perhaps less than willing, but more than able Heroes who could be found both on our doorsteps and in the realms that lie beyond.
The Gateway fantasy series
Book 1.The calling
Book 2.Chasing the Demon (Soon to be released)
Genre – Fantasy
Synopsis –
The following demons are believed to be currently active and committing crimes of disorder and entrapment within the realms:
Rakshasas, Mow, Lilim and Kistatus - Full descriptions to follow...
On the run and hiding from the suits, Carolyn's life is far from
straightforward. After her mother and brother go missing in a most
extraordinary way, (through a hole to another world which appears in
the kitchen wall!), she is determined to track them down and bring them home. But life is never that easy! Rescued and protected by a group of unusual and likeminded ‘people’, Carolyn hones her magic and fighting skills. Whilst answering a call to retrieve a human from another world she's faced with a quick decision and ends up bringing a demon
(Kistatus) back with her. Little did she know what effect this demon
would have on her! As each day passes, her strengths grow and her magic develops to assist her in her quest to track down her family, but there are decisions to make that will affect the rest of her life.
“The destroyer is...'" Ethan wondered at the next word, expecting 'horrific, 'mad', or even 'a bitch'... Not forgetting that she did try to kill him, of course. "Glorious," he concluded to Ethan's surprise.”
― Louise G. White, The Calling
Publish date – 21st November 2013
Publisher
The Calling paperback: Vanguard Press imprint Pegasus Elliot MacKenzie Publishers Ltd
The Calling ebook: Louise G. White
Publisher – Chasing the demon: Authorhouse UK
Author Interview
Kasper: Hi Louise. Welcome to the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network. Your book cover certainly is a great introduction to your writing, kinda like a Lara Croft Tomb Raider meets Magic. We ca n't wait to learn more about you and your writing.
When did you start writing and why?
As a toddler, I remember using chalk on our garden slabs and asking my mum to read the story. No, I wasn’t advanced for my age – It was scribbles! But that’s not the point. I was writing, and the stories were there already in my head. With three siblings, and being the second youngest, I learned to enjoy the escapism afforded by Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton from an early age. During my school and work life, I always had an active imagination, but never the chance to do much more than compile reports and keep records. I only started writing properly in late 2011 when I was able to reduce my regular working hours to part time.
We're so glad you finally put pen to paper.
What is the story behind your book title?
I didn’t have to think much about The Calling title. The book is essentially about Carolyn’s ‘Calling’, brought about by the horrible circumstances of losing her mother and brother through the ‘gateways’ to the demon realms. Carolyn is plunged into a dark and violent world where she becomes quite feral and has to partially lose her mind in order to function in her role as the ‘destroyer.’
Which is your favourite character and why?
The snake-demon, Note is my favourite character for too many reasons to count. He’s about the same age as Carolyn, seventeen, but much more mature and complex. He is gorgeous both inside and out, and lacks the selfishness and ruthlessness that can be found in the main character, Carolyn. Quite apart from his own personal struggles, he does more than anchor the destroyer; he is literally the force that restores her to anything approaching normality.
This is the best part of writing. All of the circumstances in which I place the characters allow each to reveal more of their personality as the story unfolds- and it isn’t always pretty. I like my characters to learn from experience, though, as with life, it is not always possible. As the writer, I feel responsible for every one of my characters including the villains and their actions. Levy of the Agency and Roland, High mage of the Rask realm were actually quite a lot of fun to write about – Should I be ashamed about that? Interestingly, the human characters often behave more ‘demonically’ than the demons/ otherworlders in my books.
Which of your characters would you like to be?
I think I would most like to be Mel. Despite the raw deal that she gets in life and apart from her bold, brash and cringe-worthy attitude at times, she has a really stunning character of which we see more in Chasing The demon. Of all the enforcers, she is the most accepting and unbiased when it comes to other characters. There are no hidden agendas with Mel and it’s all out there for everyone to see. She knows her flaws, but not her worth, and if I knew her personally, I think that she would be a superb, if rather frustrating best friend.
She sounds like a great character and I bet you enjoy writing her.
Have you used any real events or places as inspiration for your writing?
Absolutely! The books are set in my home town area of Saltcoats and the west coast of Scotland, across the UK, and in other places that I’ve visited throughout the world. I also use music and art as inspiration, certain tracks corresponding to the characters and situations. ‘The Fairy Raid’ painting by Joseph Paton (1867)(above) helped inspire the creation of Faerie hybrid, Jonah in Chasing The Demon.
Who would you choose to read your audiobook?
Benedict Cumberbatch.
I'd buy that one, for sure!
Do you prefer ebook or hardcopy?
I love libraries and hardcopy books, but as a general rule, my preference is ebook. I can store my hundreds of books and gain access to them from any device that I happen to have with me at any given time.
You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
I’ll go for fictional and mythical with this one. Obsessed as a youngster with ‘Jason and the Argonauts’ and many other such stories, I would love to spend a day on the ship on any one of their adventures! – I should add – appropriately armed, and, as a crew member … Not one of the Harpies, a job to which some might argue that I’d be entirely suited.
Haha. Thanks Louise, for such an entertaining interview. You're a lot of fun and I bet it comes across in your Gateway series too.
Here are the links to connect with Louise and snap up a copy of The Calling:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/louisewhitethecalling
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7438156.Louise_G_White
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LGWhiteAuthor
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Louise-G-White/e/B00GSPJOSK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
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