Interview with Flavia Labre author The Eighth Chamber

Today let’s welcome Flavia Labre to the blog. Flavia, why don’t you start by telling us a little about yourself.

I was born in Rio de Janeiro but left Brazil many years ago. Since then, I've lived in many countries, like Egypt, Croatia, and Singapore. Currently, I live in Malaysia with my husband, my two amazing kids, and two lazy cats, in a house, where I try hard to keep the garden beautiful.

Wow, you are quiet the world traveller. Malaysia is beautiful. I just had a friend move there. She sends the most amazing pictures. What got you into writing?

I always loved books and grew up in a house surrounded by books. I truly believe that to become a writer, you first have to be a reader. Besides that, my mom always told me I loved to make up stories when I was a child. When I went to university, I chose to graduate in language and literature, and at that time, I started writing stories.

Yes, I quiet agree with you there. Reading is what starts the journey to becoming a writer. Flavia, will you share a short excerpt from your novel?

“Absorbed by her goal to find shreds of evidence of her mother's whereabouts in the forest, Amy soon lost track of time. Hundreds of tall, leafy trees surrounded her as she hunted. Exhausted and hungry, she stopped, at last, leaning forward and resting her hands on her knees. Trickles of sweat drip down the side of her face into the wild green grass at her feet. A weak ray of sun hit her face as the sun set. The sky was growing darker, tinged with oranges and yellows.”

Which do you prefer: print books or ebooks?

I love to collect beautiful hardcover books, but as I'm an avid reader, nowadays I read more ebooks than the printed version. It's easier to carry everywhere and, to be honest, my bookshelves have no more space to keep up with all the books I have, and those that somehow follow me home every time I visit a bookstore. :)

I love books in my hand at home, but it is much more convenient to have an ebook when I travel. Have you been given any helpful advice since you started writing?

Along the way, I've received many pieces of advice, from professors to published authors. In my opinion, the best one they unanimously gave me was to finish the first draft no matter what. It sounds simple, but once you start writing a book and face writer's block, you understand how valuable is that advice.

Currently, what are you working on?

Currently, I'm finishing the first draft of another adventure book featuring the same trio of “The Eighth Chamber." Amy, Nick, and the super cat Oscar.

I'm also plotting a mystery novel for YA readers and, as usual, brainstorming other ideas. There are still lots of stories waiting to be told. :)

That’s the hard part of writing, deciding which story to write first.  What are your hobbies aside from writing, if any?

I love making art with recycled materials and paper mache. Another hobby that I recently started is gardening. I found it to be really helpful to take a break and take care of my plants when I'm stuck on a difficult chapter. Frequently it helps me  brainstorm, having new ideas and finding solutions to plot problems. 

Hobbies are a great distraction. Sometimes you just have to focus on yourself and leave the story alone for inspiration to strike. Is this a stand-alone novel or part of a series?

It will be a series of three books (maybe more) featuring the same main characters facing different adventures around the world. But each book will have a stand-alone story, with a beginning, middle and end. I have many ideas, and I loved to write those characters. They work so well together, and it's fun to write about them.

What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?

My biggest challenge was to overcome the difficulties on the way, including writer's block. It's quite easy to start a novel and get lost in the middle, not knowing what to write anymore or where the characters will go. There were times when I felt discouraged and thought I couldn't make it, but just kept writing, editing on the way, and one day I wrote the happiest words of all: The end.

Sometimes I find that if I keep writing inspiration will strike, maybe not right then, but sometimes on the second or third draft. In your novels, which character is your favorite?

Oscar. I loved Oscar from the moment I created him. That was the character I knew from the very start that would be the star of the book. I love cats and have two at home, so maybe my passion helped me build him so vivid and fascinating. 

Flavia, which do you find more challenging inventing the hero or the villain? Why?

The hero is always more challenging as he needs to be nice, but at the same time, also real, with flaws and a pinch of anger (to face the villain). When he or she tries to make things better, they have to complicate the situation to make things more challenging, and that's not always easy to accomplish.

What is your writing process like? Do you have a routine?

Since you wrote in this genre, do you think you will ever write in other genres? 

I prefer to write early in the morning. After the kids go to school, I make myself a large cup of peppermint tea and sit in my garden (with one of my cats by my side) for a writing section that usually lasts two or three hours. In the afternoon, I sit another hour to edit and sometimes finish a chapter or take notes for the next writing section.

Thriller in another genre that I like very much to read. I'd love to write a psychological thriller one day, and I already have a few ideas fluttering in my mind. 


Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us. Be sure to check out The Eighth Chamber. Happy Reading!!