My author in the spotlight today is American author Bridget Campos. Her novella Upon The Willful Ignorance of Men is available to order from various online retailers – you can find details on her website http://www.bridgetcampos.com/
First of all, would you tell me a little about yourself?
I am a writer and Entertainment Reporter that was raised in the city of Echo Park, near Elysian Heights in Southern California with my older brother. And, earlier this year, I became an Author of my first book, “Upon the Willful Ignorance of Men.”
What inspired you to start writing?
My interest in writing all began at a young age. Throughout my teens, I was inspired by authors like Margaret Mitchell and Jane Austen to better refine my story-telling craft by adding elements of drama and character development in my work. But I didn’t really pursue my writing career until I started interning at TheCelebrityCafe.com, while I was in college at N.Y.I.T.
Tell me about your journey to publication
Scary and a bit intimidating because this was the first book I’ve ever written. Some that have read my past work know me for my celebrity interviews and feature articles, but not for writing fictional stories. I was nervous taking a risk on fictional writing. That’s why I choose to write a novella because it’s in between a short story and a novel. By keeping my story not too lengthy maybe people would be interested in reading it.
In a nutshell, what is your latest book about?
The story is about a drifter named Jimmy that wanders the streets of New York looking for any opportunity to con someone that will pay attention to him, in order to get what he wants. But it only works on people that don’t know him. It’s not until a chain of events occur that force him to realize that not all is what it seems. This causes his whole world to turn upside down after his past actions come back to haunt him. The suspenseful tale will have you guessing who Jimmy really is and what role do the other main characters play in his life both then and now.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I had the character, Jimmy, in mind when I came up with the title. His perception of people being ‘willfully ignorant’ is what makes him think he is clever and witty enough to fool anyone.
How do you plan to celebrate/did you celebrate publication day?
For my first book I didn’t do much celebrating due to being very busy promoting and working on other writing projects for my online publication, Bridget Campos News Features. But after my second book, which will be out soon, I really would like to celebrate at ‘Vegas Baby, Vegas!’
Do you have a work in progress just now?
Yes, I am in the process of working on my second book. My husband has read the rough draft of the story and he really likes it. So I hope others will like it just as much.
What’s your favourite book you’ve read in the past few months? Or favourite three if you really can’t choose!
I love reading classic books again and again in case I missed something the first time going through it. But my favourite book has to be ‘Jurassic Park’. For me, it’s just as good as the movie.
Tell me about your reading habits: book or kindle, bed or bath, morning or evening?
Lately, I prefer to read a book in bed right before going to bed, especially when I have trouble sleeping at night.
How can people follow you or connect with you on social media?
They can go to my Facebook account at: https://www.facebook.com/bridget.campos
Or follow me on Twitter: @BridgetCampos or Instagram at: BridgetCampos21
And finally, if you could be a character in any book you have read, who would it be and why?
I guess I would have to say Scarlett O’Hara from ‘Gone with the Wind.’ Only because she was forced to become strong during tough times of the Civil War. It’s a great coming-of-age story. She had the strength to rebuild and support her family, which made them survive through difficult catastrophes. Scarlett is one of the bravest female protagonists I would like to be.
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