Meet the Author: The Butcher’s Daughter by Jane E James

Today we welcome Jane E James as we travel to Cambridgeshire countryside to learn how a farm, a huge bay window, long country walks, a rescue donkey, and the Yorkshire Moors are a part of Jane’s life. Get your walking shoes on, let’s go …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a best-selling author, creating chilling reads that appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, mysteries and dark fiction. I love to weave tense and haunting tales that stay in the reader’s mind. All my books are standalone novels.

I recently signed a two-book publishing deal after my 2nd novel, The Crying Boy (a compelling suspense thriller inspired by actual events) became an overnight best seller on Amazon, knocking both Stephen King and Dean Koontz off the top suspense spot.

When I’m not writing (or reading) I enjoy living ‘the good life’ in the
Cambridgeshire countryside with my ‘all-action-super-hero’ hubby. Rebecca, Carrie, The Woman in Black and Wuthering Heights are among some of my favourite reads. You can catch up with me on facebook and twitter. But make sure you bring Monster Munch and wine…

In which genre do you write?

I am a writer of psychological thrillers, mysteries and dark fiction.

How many published books do you have?

Three standalone novels and a short story

When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

As a girl, I loved all things books and would read for hours. The progression to writing was a natural one. Sadly, I didn’t receive much encouragement, even at school. My English teacher accused me of cheating and failed an essay of mine, claiming my writing was too advanced for my age. It was a set-back, but I didn’t let it put me off. The opposite was true. It made me want to prove everyone wrong.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I still work full time (on a farm, would you believe?) so I sacrifice most of my spare time to write. Luckily for me, my all-action-super-hero-hubby is in the army reserves so is away quite a lot and therefore I get plenty of time on my own to write.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I lost my little dog a month or so ago and still miss him dearly. Not having a dog curled up around my feet while I write feels alien to me. He was very old, almost blind and completely deaf and I would choose him as my mascot.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Old-worldly. A library full of dusty books, leather furniture and a huge bay window overlooking parkland and woods. My actual space is very different although I do have a wonderful view of the countryside. Nothing but fields.

What are you currently reading?

Poison Orchids by Sarah Denzil and Anni Taylor. Sarah is a friend of mine and I am a big fan of her work.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

In the winter I like to curl up in front of a log fire with a glass of red wine, that sort of thing and go on long country walks. I am a country girl at heart and always have been. I am most at home in muddy wellies, no make-up and a checked shirt. But I can glam up when needed. Lol.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I don’t even have to think about this one. I would have afternoon tea on the lawn at Manderley with Daphne du Maurier and I would ask her who she based Rebecca on.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

I’ve toughened up since I wrote my debut novel. When I got my first bad review, I was so upset I didn’t want to get out of bed but now I cope much better. In fact, I welcome all kind of reviews as I think they lend authenticity to your ratings.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene?

For The Butcher’s Daughter, I visited slaughterhouses and butcher shops to get a sense of what these places are like. What I saw and heard there changed my mindset forever. As a result, I became a vegetarian and after reading the first two chapters of my book, hubby quickly followed suit.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

No to all the above. I am a note taker and take a little notebook with me everywhere. I keep it by my bed, with me at work, and even in the loo!

What is the most amusing, crazy or inspiring thing that has ever happened to you

Hubby adopted me a rescue donkey for Xmas and I was so touched, I cried for days. He’s a keeper. So is my donkey, Billy O.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? Or, what do you do to prepare yourself?

I am usually a bag of nerves beforehand. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it…I don’t listen to music, that would put me off, I just keep rehearsing what I am going to say and remind myself that people are nice and want me to do well.

What do you miss about being a kid?

A sense of freedom and lack of fear. I used to ride wild ponies, climb trees and swim in rivers. I think I was always a bit of a loner though and would tramp the countryside for hours on my own with a trusty dog or two. I miss my parents too. You never get over the loss of them. I would give anything to go back for one more day.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

I would be Muttley from Wacky Races. People tell me I laugh just like him. I have included the link below so you can judge for yourself.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?

Most of my female characters are not that nice, or they are nice but end up doing terrible things. The males tend to fair better! Hmm difficult one. I think I would have to choose Venetia from The Long Weekend. Poor kid. If I were to become her for a day, I would make that day count and make sure she had the nicest time possible to make up for all the bad stuff that happened to her.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

Mama Mia 2. Again! It’s my go-to feel good movie. Love a good singalong.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

WTF? Okay roll with this one, Jane. Oh, I know. He would say ‘You did everything penquinly possible amigo,’ then hand me some tortilla chips.

Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?

No. I am afraid I do not. I think life is what you make it, made up of good choices, bad choices with some good and bad luck thrown in. Although my work often contains supernatural elements, I am not a believer.

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

I am not a quitter. I first wrote The Butcher’s Daughter ten years ago as a screenplay and it came close to being optioned, but in the end the producer decided to go with another project that became a big hit. Was I gutted? Of course, I was. But I didn’t give up. I turned the story into a novel instead.

What’s your favourite place to visit in your country and why?

The Yorkshire Moors. When I was a child, I spent most of my summers in Yorkshire or Wales (my mother was Welsh, and dad was a straight-talking no-nonsense Yorkshireman). I set The Crying Boy in Yorkshire and The Butcher’s Daughter in Wales. The Yorkshire moors are one of the most beautiful and most haunting places on earth.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day,weather, place, etc.

A picnic in the woods in springtime with a good book and a chilled bottle of pinot grigio.

Tell us about your most recent book.

My latest book, The Butcher’s Daughter was published by Bloodhound Books on May 13th . It is a tense and haunting psychological thriller with some horror elements thrown in. It is my favourite piece of work to date and took two years to complete as it went through several re-writes.

Thank you Jane for joining us on MTA. It was great having you here and learning more about you and your writing style. –Camilla

Book Blurb:

When Natalie Powers returns home for the first time in thirteen years, she must convince everyone she has fully recovered from the mental illness, which has seen her institutionalised for most of her young life.

But instead of being welcomed back, Natalie enters a baffling world of deception. She must fight her way through the lies in order to discover the truth about her mother’s sudden disappearance sixteen years earlier. To do this, Natalie must also try to make sense of the hazy memories from the past that continue to haunt her.

In the village of Little Downey, everybody appears to harbour a mysterious secret, including her father, Frank, the village butcher, who refuses to discuss the circumstances surrounding Natalie’s mother’s disappearance, but who can Natalie trust if not her own father? Especially when it becomes clear her protector and confidante, Dr Moses, is not all he appears.

Meanwhile, a spate of unexplained clifftop suicides has seen the seaside resort go into decline. Are the villagers somehow involved or is something more sinister at work?

Determined to find out what happened to her mother, Natalie must make sure her own frailty and self-doubt does not catapult her back to the mental institution before she can uncover the truth…

Where to find the book.

Waterstones and other online bookstores as well as Amazon.

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2zpZOlX

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ny84Zk

Connect with Jane E James:

www.janeejames.com
https://www.facebook.com/janeejamesauthor/
https://twitter.com/jane_e_james

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

Meet the Author: The Truth Waits by Susanna Beard

Today we are joined by Susanna Beard as we travel to Marlow in the UK where we learn how dogs, swimming, Margaret Atwood, and falling down a crevasse fit together in Susanna’s life. Grab your swimsuit and let’s go …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello! I’m Susanna Beard, and I live and work in Marlow, a beautiful town on the river Thames, not far from London, UK. I have a background in PR and marketing and started writing fiction around five years ago – I’m now writing almost full time. I have two little dogs, who get me up and out in the morning and keep me company while I’m slogging away and two grown-up sons, one in London and one nearby in Henley-on-Thames. I love tennis, skiing, my family, my dogs and my garden. I once fell down a crevasse!

In which genre do you write?

I write psychological thrillers.

How many published books do you have?

To date I have two published: Dare to Remember (2017) and The Truth Waits (2018). There are two more in the offing! (Watch my space)

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

When I was seventeen, I told my father I wanted to write a novel. He said: “You can’t write a novel – it’s far too hard. You have to do tons of research, and it’s much more difficult than you think.” I wasn’t hurt, because I know he had great respect for novelists; he just thought people like us didn’t do that. But it stayed in my head, and throughout a successful career in PR, I always knew that one day I’d give it a go. I suppose I don’t like being told I can’t do something!

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I swim regularly for fitness, and as long as I can get a lane on my own and get into a rhythm, I work out my plot issues as I plough up and down. I don’t know if that’s a quirk, but it works for me!

What does your ideal writing space look like?

It looks like where I’m sitting now – my office! It has loads of natural light, white walls, pictures of my boys, books and magazines, and two little dogs snoozing in their beds. My desktop is at exactly the right height, I have a proper back-supporting chair, a cup of tea always on the go and in the winter it’s warm as it’s right next to the airing cupboard.

I sometimes crave a beautiful view, like the sea, or a wonderful wild countryside scene, but then I think I’ll just sit and look at it and not get on with the writing. Though last summer, when the weather was beautiful for days on end, I took everything into the garden and wrote and wrote. Being outside (in good weather) is the best!

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Days Without End by Sebastian Barry. Brilliant.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I walk my dogs, twice a day, by the river or on the common, or anywhere in the countryside. I swim, play tennis, socialise and have as many holidays as I can possibly afford! Oh, and I read lots of other people’s books, usually ones that are much better than mine, because they give me something to aspire to.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

It would have to be Margaret Atwood. I think she’s fascinating, and she has a lovely sense of humour. I’d love to hear what she thinks about what’s going on in the world today, and where she thinks it might take us. I think she’s very prescient.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

I’ve learned that I can actually stand up in front of people and talk confidently – something I would have run miles from before I wrote my first book. I actually like it now! I would never, ever, have thought I would.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

This weekend I’m going to an event called Crime Scene Live at the Natural History Museum. You become a detective for the night and work with actual forensic scientists to solve a murder mystery! I’m so nervous, and so looking forward to it! (I’m taking my son, who’s cleverer than me, and will undoubtedly show up my agedness). I’m hoping to get inspiration and some practical understanding too!

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

No – I do neither. I had a diary at school but was hopeless at putting interesting things into it (it was a good record of the weather in certain years though). I’m much better at writing novels!

What is the most amusing, crazy or inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

Apart from falling down a crevasse? I went to Australia and swam with whale sharks (they’re humungous, bigger than my sitting room and the biggest fish in the world), and also with manta rays and wild dolphins. It was the most fantastic experience; I’ll never forget it.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? Or, what do you do to prepare yourself?

I listen to Moondance by Van Morrison. It always lifts my heart, and makes me dance around the kitchen.

What do you miss about being a kid?

Not much – I’m just a big kid myself!

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

Ooh Tom and Jerry – all that dashing about and finding ingenious ways to confound Tom.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

I saw The Favourite with one of my favourite actors, Olivia Colman. I thought it was brilliant, and I loved her portrayal of the mercurial Queen Anne.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

“Hola conchita! Would you like a fajita?” (He’s going door-to-door selling Mexican food).

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

What IS it about fox poo that you find attractive?

Why oh why do you scratch holes in my carpets?

Why do you have to roll in the dirtiest, smelliest places you can find?

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

Determination, without a doubt. I think there are many wonderful writers, better than me, who are deterred by the many unexpected challenges of writing and publishing. You need resilience and determination in spades.

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

Cornwall (a western county in the UK) – it’s so full of wonderful things: The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Fowey, St Ives, Pastow, Tintagel, Roseland, Philleigh, I could go on! (Don’t go in high summer though, go in spring or autumn when it’s quieter).

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

I would go and sit somewhere (safe) on an African reserve, in the shade by a waterhole a couple of hours before sunset, and watch as the animals come and go. It would be warm and sunny, with a light breeze, and I would have a hat, plenty of water, binoculars, mosquito spray, and a comfortable seat on a Land Rover (to make a quick escape if necessary). I would hope to see all sorts: lions, giraffes, hippos, warthogs, jackals…and…and…

Tell us about your most recent book.

The Truth Waits is a psychological thriller partly set in Lithuania. It follows Anna, a successful businesswoman who finds the body of a young girl on a deserted beach in Lithuania. She is compelled to uncover the story behind the tragedy, despite concern from her partner, Will. Everything points towards sex trafficking, but as she searches, her own deepest secrets start to surface.

Why Lithuania?

Because it has the most beautiful, unspoilt, mysterious beach on the Baltic coast (on the Kuronian Spit). It’s miles and miles of sand, swept into strange patterns by the wind, without cafes or bins or rubbish or people, with a dark, lowering sky and a horizon that goes on for ever. The perfect place to put a dead body!

Thanks Susan for joining us on Meeting the Authors. It was wonderful learning more about you. I’m a huge Van Morrison fan too! And, now I’m left wondering about this whole falling down a crevasse incident!! It seems as if it all turned out okay! –Camilla

Book Blurb:

Anna has everything worked out – a successful company, all the comforts she needs and no ties. But when she stumbles across the body of a young girl on a deserted beach in Lithuania, everything changes.

Anna is compelled to uncover the story behind the tragedy, despite concern from her partner, Will. Everything points towards sex trafficking, but as she searches, her own deepest secrets start to surface.

When Will disappears without a trace, Anna is pulled further into the murky world of organised crime. Time is running out for them all, and there’s a killer out there who will stop at nothing.

Where to buy:

The Truth Waits is in all good bookshops and on:

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2J0NnCH

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IZyIrm

Connect with Susanna:

Website: https://www.susannabeard.com

email: [email protected]

Twitter: @SusannaBeard25

FB: @susannabeardauthor

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee