Spotlight on Mandy Eve-Barnett

One of our members recently sat down with local author, Mandy Eve-Barnett, to hear more about her writing and how the library and local community have impacted her life. 

Read on to learn more about Mandy Eve-Barnett.

About Mandy Eve-Barnett

Mandy moved from England to Canada in 2007 with two teenage children. As Mandy adjusted to life in a strange land, she found herself every Saturday in the library, at that time still housed in Sherwood Park Mall. While her children browsed the collection, Mandy was drawn to the cabinet where local groups and businesses advertised their meetings and activities.

Mandy had been creative as a child. In fact, her beloved art teacher had recommended her to the Royal College of Art in London when she was just 12 years old. She knew she wanted to get involved in the local community in a bigger way and thought she would explore her creative side and try new hobbies based on whatever was on offer in the cabinet display.

The first creatively focused meeting on the board happened to be for The Writers Foundation of Strathcona County. Mandy had never tried her hand at writing and was not sure she would take to this artistic outlet, but figured it was as good a way as any to get out in the community and meet others. That one brave step would prove to be a pivotal moment in her life. Mandy describes how inspiring it felt to read her work to others and hear them gasp at an unexpected twist in her story. She was immediately hooked. She practiced often using word and picture prompts and leant into the community offered through the Foundation and the constructive critiques offered by fellow members.

The Writing Process

To hear Mandy describe the writing process, one would imagine that she is simply a conduit for some force bigger than herself. She describes her stories as arriving in her mind, almost without conscious thought. From there, she lets nature take its course as she writes whenever she has time, rather than forcing herself into a formal plan or pattern. She allows herself to write freely, leaving editing to a later stage of the process. In fact, Mandy mentions that the only writer’s block she ever experienced was when she tried to write to a formula that felt alien to her. As a writer, Mandy is determined not to let genres or styles pen her in. She has written YA adventures, picture books for our smallest readers, as well as adult speculative fiction, steampunk and fantasy. Her usual practice is to immerse herself in whatever genre she has chosen to write in to get a feel for the rhythm and style central to that genre. Mandy’s next work will be a western romance, so you may find her perusing the western aisle at the library as she seeks inspiration. You will likely notice though that regardless of genre, Mandy’s calling card as a writer is the presence of a “twist.” For Mandy, developing a twist in the story is the most joyful part of the process. Mandy has always used a publisher to turn her creations into the final project. With many of her novels, she was fortunate enough to find publishers and illustrators within the Writers Foundation who could publish her books. This local collaboration gave her the ability to retain creative control over how the book looked and felt in its final iteration. She has also occasionally used bigger publishers outside of Canada. For example, her upcoming western novel will be brought to market by a US publishing house.

Literary Influences

Mandy’s big literary influences include Kate Morton, Felix J Palma, and Stephen King. She admires different things about each author. Mandy loves the way Kate Morton creates suspense and delivers unexpected twists in her novels, something Mandy also prides herself on. She admires Felix J Palma’s ability to take an existing plot and rewrite that plot in novel and interesting ways, for example the way his book The Map of the Sky employs key elements from H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds. Mandy most admires Stephen King’s expert ability to develop truly believable characters while placing those characters into sometimes unbelievable situations where they must find creative escapes.

Advice for Aspiring Writers

Mandy has a few key pieces of advice for aspiring writers. Firstly, believe in your own voice and what you have to contribute to the world. Secondly, you can take creative inspiration from others but there is only one you in the world. Make sure that comes through in your writing by ensuring you are truly writing in a style that feels comfortable to you. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, practice. Mandy recommends that you go to workshops, find a mentor and experiment with different methods to ensure you are writing often.

The Writers Foundation and Writers Circle

The Writers Foundation of Strathcona County has been central to Mandy’s journey as a writer, from helping her find her voice at those early meetings, to offering collaborations with publishers and illustrators. These days, Mandy serves as Secretary, hosts the monthly meetings, and provides writing prompts for members. The writing community she describes is one that offers unconditional support to new and seasoned writers. 

Mandy encourages anyone thinking of writing to drop in and attend a meeting. The Writers Circle meets on the first Tuesday of every month (year-round) in the Birch Room at the Strathcona County Library. You do not need to be a member and there is no fee to attend. Fellow attendees will provide constructive critiques on your work. You are also welcome even if you have not yet put pen to paper and prepared something to share. 

Mandy’s relationship with the Writer’s Foundation is an example of the power of community. It is also an example of just one of the ways our library offers space where like-minded people can gather and grow, individually and as a group. 

The Writers Foundation and Writers Circle

Mandy is clearly someone who writes because she must: not in the sense that we go to work because we need a pay cheque, but rather because her soul demands it. Given that, we can expect to see regular new additions in the coming years, to join her already impressive collection. In addition to the western she is currently working on, she has plans to work on and publish a three-volume crime trilogy, a suspense novel and another romance novel. 

Where can I find Mandy's work?

You can find Mandy’s work on the Local Author shelf at Strathcona County Library (second floor near the information desk). You can also keep up with Mandy and her upcoming projects on her website at www.mandyevebarnett.com.