Friday Feature: @BethyG

It’s Friday! And we all know what that means - we get to find out about another Proser. This week we shine a questioning yet respectful light on the little sceptered isle of England, with a wonderful Proser by the name of BethyG.

P: What is your given name and your Proser username?

B: Hello, I'm Bethan, but most people call me Beth. My Proser name is BethyG, which is what my best friend used to call me when we were younger. I think it was because we both had surnames beginning with the letter 'G' and our first names had a similar rhythm (Jess & Beth). I guess, this led to the creation of Jessy G and Bethy G and it's kind of stuck.

P: Where do you live?

B: I'm from Kent - otherwise known as the Garden of England, which I've always thought was a rather nice association...and, you know, it is really green here.

P: What is your occupation?

B: I'm a professional escapist, dreamer, lover of words...also known as a writer. I currently work for a magazine, but I'm also writing a YA book and do some freelance work too.

P: What is your relationship with writing and how has it evolved?

B: I think we're frenemies? You know one day, writing is all like "oh hey you - how have you been?" and then the next it's ignoring me. I've wanted to be a writer since I was little (or littler, I'm still pretty tiny) and over the years, we've certainly had our ups and downs. I think it's true love though - you know the kind that makes you want to scream one second and then laugh the next. But that's when you know it means a lot to you, because you're always thinking about it, because it affects you so much, because it's a part of you. It's a passion that will never die.

...It's all very dramatic.

P: What value does reading add to both your personal and professional life?

B: When I was younger I was a huge bookworm and I don't know what happened - life got in the way, perhaps - but I sort of stopped reading, and then after a little while, it kind of crept back in. I was having a bit of a rough time and I found books were very healing and now, the book bug is back. I knew I had always wanted to write a book and reading helped me with that. In my opinion, it makes you a better writer...I mean, how can you write if you don't like to read? I read for fun for sure, but it certainly helps me on a professional level too.

P: Can you describe your current literary ventures and what can we look forward to?

B: I'm working on a young adult book at the moment - and looking for representation for it. It's a tough feat though! And I've started writing a murder mystery, which is something completely new to me. I'm finding it fun, but it's very challenging! I don't really plan my posts for Prose - I just write whenever I get that niggling feeling in my fingertips! Which leads me onto my next answer...

P: What do you love about Prose?

B: ...I love the fact there's so much inspiration on here, not just from the prompts, but also from each other - everyone is so supportive. I love it. I stumbled across Prose on a blog and I'm so glad I did.

P: Is there one book that you would recommend everybody should read before they die?

B: Arghhhh! I hate questions like these because I never know what to say (or write in this case). I think it changes on a weekly basis. I'm a YA fan, so I read a lot of that kind of stuff. I recently read Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne - it's a really important book. 

There's a lot of stigma around mental health and although people are becoming more aware of these illnesses, it seems that phrases and "harmless" jokes about illnesses such as, OCD seem to be rather common. It's something I've always hated, people using serious terms like OCD to describe themselves when they really don't know what they're talking about. "I'm really OCD about tidying my room" (I've heard that more than a few times!). 

This book doesn't just highlight issues like this, but also really shows the reader the serious struggle of this illness.

I'm also a huge fan of The Fault in Our Stars. What a beautiful book. I have always enjoyed a book that can make me cry!

There's so many others and I know I'll kick myself later on saying, I should have said this and that one and oh what about that one!

P: Do you have an unsung hero who got you into reading and/or writing?

B: Jacqueline Wilson. I loved her books as a kid. Girls in Love, Vicky Angel, The Diamond Girls, The Lottie Project, The Illustrated Mum - there's SO many. She's amazing and has such a talent. I'm pretty sure at times she had mind reading capabilities - she could really get into the teen mindset.

P: Describe yourself in three words!

B: Indecisive – hang on a minute, I’m not too sure about that one now…let’s go with – imaginative, fun loving and quirky.

P: Is there one quote, from a writer or otherwise, that sums you up?

B: You know, I've never thought about a quote in that way. I have favourite quotes for sure, but not one that I've said - "hey, that's me!" I feel like that's probably the worst answer, but I don't want to just write a quote for the sake of it. Instead, I'll leave you with this quote from the two books I have mentioned, which have stuck with me.

“Everyone's on the cliff edge of normal. Everyone finds life an utter nightmare sometimes, and there's no 'normal' way of dealing with it... There is no normal, Evelyn.”

– Holly Bourne, Am I Normal Yet?

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” 
– John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

P: Favourite music to write and/or read to?

B: I have so many playlists and they're all put together to create a certain mood. So if I'm writing something that's meant to be all fast-paced and "epic" I play one, there's another for sad and happy and chill-out. Generally though, my go-to music is Ludovico Einaudi - Islands.

P: You climb out of a time machine into a bookless dystopian future. What do you say?

B: A world without books?! I don't have time for this...but I do have a time machine that will take me to a better place. Come with me and I'll show not just my world, but a million others. If anything, I'd want them to tell me what happened!?

P: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you/your work/social media accounts?

B: Find me on Twitter @bethgrylls

I also blog on another platform storiesbybethan.wordpress.com

Thank you very much for this opportunity to have a Friday feature and I hope you like it! Much love x

What a great insight into the life and times of another Proser. If you have yet to do so, please follow and interact with her on here and on Twitter. If you yourself want to feature, or would like to nominate anyone, do please get in touch. We have the next couple of weeks lined up, and then we need more of you to be featured!