Nancy Aylen - Nobody is Immune to Bullying

Posted on 14th of November, 2016 by Naomi Bolton

When Nancy Aylen is not designing homes or painting landscapes, she writes stories that tend to take her readers on an emotional journey. With a background in TV and media production, Aylen likes to visualise the scenes before writing them down, resulting in very vivid descriptions. As our author of the day, Aylen reveals how the death of a girl inspired her to write Soul Fire, a book about bullying and talks about how she breathes life into her characters.

Please give us a short introduction to Soul Fire

In a heartbeat, a single mistake can alter everything . . . and suddenly you realize--life will never ever be the same. Popular Ashla Cameron can do no wrong until the day she makes a devastating mistake. Instantly, she lands in the crosshairs of angry students. Classmates and friends shun her. School bullies hone in on her, and she is targeted by the nefarious Mako Zelter.

Her friends stand strong to protect her, but things spiral out of control. The mysterious Delta reaches out to her, but even he can't stop this. Ashla loses herself. Her old reality is gone. Her new one is unbearable. She must find a way out of this wretched situation, but Mako is relentless. When it is least expected, he makes his final, terrifying move.

Soul Fire is an emotionally charged story of one girl’s fight to overcome the horrors of bullying, her endeavor to right a wrong, and how her exuberance for life along with tender young love, loyal friendships, and a good family help her survive.

Was there any event or anything specific that made you want to write this book?

I still feel the agony I shared with my son when I learned he was being bullied. The unspeakable cruelty one youth (or more) can inflict upon another is unnerving.

In 2012, fifteen year old Amanda Todd ended her life after relentless bullying. Her heartbreaking story compelled me to write a novel that would offer hope and inspiration for teens living within this life-changing, harrowing experience. Although there are no similarities between my story and hers, bullying transcends time.

Your book deals a lot with popularity and bullying. Why do you find these topics so important to write about?

Bullying and popularity are juxtaposed in SOUL FIRE to show that no one, not even a popular, outgoing young teen like Ashla, is immune to bullying, given the right set of circumstances.

How has your background in television production influenced your work?

For a few years I was involved with the production of a television series for kids that promoted awareness of topical issues of the day. Although we did not broach bullying, it was our mandate to empower kids to make strong life choices.

How do you make your characters so relatable? Is there any process you go through to create your characters?

I step into their shoes, feel what they feel, hear their thoughts, and listen to their voice. Then, I let them write the story.

Why Young Adult? What drew you to this audience?

Although bullying covers a broad spectrum of age groups, it is prevalent in Young Adults. Youth who turn to bullying most often prey upon the tenderest of our children and teens.

How long did it take you to finish the first chapter of Soul Fire?

The opening chapter all but wrote itself. It took a single day. Like a motion picture, this chapter played out in my mind before I even started the novel.

What was the toughest thing you had to go through when writing this book?

The memories of what my child and others like Amanda Todd endured, kept flashing through my mind as I wrote.

Do you consider yourself a disciplined writer? Do you have a schedule that you stick to, or is it more in the moment?

When I have a book underway, I research, write, and edit weekdays. Weekends, I think about my story, how it is unfolding, the pacing, the characters, and opportunities to broaden the scope.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I have designed almost 200 homes. Some my husband and I built for resale and some we built for clients. I also love to think of a landscape or scene and then sit down and paint it on canvas.

In your mind, what happens to the characters after you write their final chapters? Do they continue to "live on" in your imagination?

So much so, I have often thought of Book 2..

Was there a particular character whose voice you found it easiest to write in?

Ashla's voice told the story. Her spirit wrote it.

What are you working on right now?

My next novel is a thriller based in Alaska--a story of secret identities, dual lives, and one man's overwhelming love for a woman never meant to be his.