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  • Writer's pictureAshleigh Humble

Someone's Story Review and Q&A with B.A. Bellec

Before I get started on my review thank you so much to the author for reaching out and being one of the nicest indie authors I've spoken to, be sure to check him out at https://www.instagram.com/ba_bellec/ ond on his website at https://babellec.com/





Review


This book was such a quirky experience for me and the way it's written kind of feels like a journal but not in a cliche way more in a collection of observations way, there's plenty of pop culture references and they really help you get through the first half of the novel which is more of a slow start but it's really efficient in the turn around when you hit about halfway it picks up pace and you learn a new depth to the characters that changes the novel completely. I found the side characters to be great additions to the story I really feel like I know them and I related strongly to Samanths's story. I think everyone has experienced or watched someone go through mental health and that's why this story is so widely relatable and helps people to start conversations about the topic and reminds them to check in on loved ones. I'd give this book 4 stars and I'd note that it's an important read as it shines a spotlight on mental health and how even though people may be smiling on the outside it doesn't necessarily reflect how they feel depression does not look one certain way. And especially in these pandemic times it's important to check in on your friends and family. I checked out the music made from the book as well and I think it really compliments the novel and adds a depth to it especially to Geoffrey and I like that the author is inspired by hos own novel. I reached out to the author after I read this for a special Q&A so below are his answers and the questions.





 

Q&A with B.A Bellec about Someone's Story and more:


Can you tell us about your upcoming book Pulse?

Pulse was an idea I had back when I was attending film school many years ago. I was a bit too introverted to get onto a film set and run a film production but writing always was the part of it that stuck. It is essentially X-Files fan fiction for a creature pandemic mashed up with the Fyre Festival (an awesome documentary) and then developed to give you a diverse group of characters. COVID-19 changed everything. My original draft had the pandemic happening in 2020. With the last few months, I had to rethink my idea and I moved the plot to 2040. I also had more time because of the quarantine so I focused and pushed this idea into reality. Currently, this is sitting at around 55K words and going through editing. Could be released later this year but I don’t have a date as I just want to make sure I put out a strong story again.

How did you first come up with the idea for Someone’s Story?

It started as a journal. I was using writing to deal with work and personal life stress. After a few months, I started to enjoy the therapy of it. From there I started to research ways to take a journal and turn it into a novel. The Perks of Being a Wallflower influenced me heavily. Just tons of websites and message board reading on how to structure a novel. The project came to life was when I decided to make it fiction and then brought in editors. My main character ended up being a combination of 3 people. This robust journey comes from my anxiety with the pain of a few people close to me.


Who is your favourite character in Someone’s Story?

That is tough. I fell in love with all my characters. My main character, Someone, is very personal to me but I think Kevin is the character I like the most. There is something about having a mentor that I respect and value, then the last 1/3 of the book takes the mentor/mentee relationship and does something I have never seen in a book before. Kevin is largely based on the me I could have become and at one time was striving to become. My life path changed, but in a way, I got to pretend I lived that life. Who knows, maybe I will end up back on my Kevin path a little thanks to my writing journey…

How do you come up with names for your characters?

My editor's daughter is my naming source. She is a teenager and we changed multiple names because of her opinion. Some never changed though. Kevin, Samantha, Caleb, Someone. They were like that in my very first draft. We thought about those names a little but they just stayed the way they were. Most of the names are a play on the person they are inspired by. I didn’t want to use real names so I tweaked them slightly.


Why did you choose not to name the main character?

Amazing question and thanks for asking!!! My main character was originally just me. When I switched this to fiction and started growing the main character, I thought about giving him a name. Then when I shared it with my editing/beta group, I thought about it again. The consensus was I had done something weird and unique, so keep it. It makes it almost easier to put yourself into their shoes and imagine life inside Someone’s mind. Is it a little confusing at first, sure…but I am so happy I left it like I did.


Why did you choose to tackle a topic like mental health?

I didn’t start with the intention of writing a book about mental health. It was personal therapy, nothing more. You could say mental health picked me. Once I got close to finishing, I realized the message was strong and I wanted to speak up more for the community. I have my flaws and this book was my pathway to accepting the mistakes I made in life as well as what I learned from the people around me.


What advice would you give an aspiring author?

There are plenty of resources on Facebook, Reddit, and most websites. No matter where you are in the process, find a person who already took the journey and learn from them. Write from the soul. Take your time. It’s tough to sell books so make sure you have another income stream so you can let your ideas simmer. Editors are amazing. They helped me take my broken thoughts and bring them together in a way that connects everything. Find a diverse group of beta readers so you can get a mix of different opinions. Reviews are hard to get. I wish I had set up more reviews before I went live. My first two months after publishing were me hitting social media hard trying to attract readers. Tons of rejection and people ignoring my platform, but in late June I finally started to make some ground up and recently my marketing/review progress has been strong.

What inspired you to make music related to the book?

I always had songs in the book going back to my first draft. Music is a big part of my life. Once you read this, that should come through pretty clear. When I sent my later edition of Someone’s Story off for editing, I had a few weeks. In hindsight, I should have probably started scheduling reviews and trying to connect with influencers. Instead, I spent a few weeks writing a song, Let Us Go. I liked doing it and thought it would make the Someone’s Story experience even more unique. Plus it gives me something digestible that I can build my marketing around. Getting a person to look at a song quick is much easier than getting them to pick up a book. The cover of Livin’ On A Prayer was always in the book, so that was the natural second song. The other two songs, Lover and Gone, were written after I published. All the songs are essentially me putting myself into the shoes of a character and trying to tell a quick version of their story. For Pulse, I am making music again but it will be completely different. The plot of Pulse is being structured around a music festival and I am creating a fictional DJ as well as a few electronic songs.


Exit words:

@bookreviewsbyagirl, thanks for taking the time to do this. I am so thankful every time a stranger picks up my book and enjoys it. Then you went the extra mile by featuring me on your platform and giving me a chance to share a little bit more about the story. This exposure for a little indie author is priceless. Huge respect for helping me out!!!
To anyone else, all my social are on my website https://babellec.com/

Thank you to everyone for reading this far! I really appreciate it here is a full look at my makeup look from the post for this book.




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