Today we travel to Liverpool to chat with Jude Lennon about how being a former teacher, having a storytelling business, writing Christmas plays, a lamb, eating chocolate, drinking gin, a VW campervan, and beaches come together as part of Jude’s past and current life.
Tell us something about yourself.
I’m Jude Lennon a former teacher who loved writing who is now an author who loves storytelling. I live in Liverpool with my partner Dom. He’s a musician so it’s a very creative but not particularly tidy household. I was a teacher for 18 years before leaving the chalk face to set up my storytelling business. When not in Lockdown, my days are spent visiting schools to deliver storytelling sessions, meet the author talks, writing workshops and drama workshops. I also run writing courses for adults and a yearly writing retreat. I try to write every day, even if it’s just a few hundred words.
In which genre do you write?
Mostly children’s picture and chapter books but I’ve written a collection of short stories for adults and my current WIP is a full length novel for adults.
How many published books do you have?
19
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
I’ve written for as long as I can remember and my career as a teacher (I taught 3, 4, 5 and 6 year old’s) gave me the opportunity for lots of writing. I was always making up stories for the children in my class or writing the Christmas play or assemblies. It was actually other people including work colleagues who suggested I should try to get my work published. I entered a writing competition, was crowned The Disney Winnie the Pooh Laureate for the North West of England and that was that.
What would you choose as your mascot, and why?
I’m a professional storyteller as well as writer. The storytelling business is Little Lamb Tales and I have a mascot called Lamby. He and his girlfriend Flossie accompany me everywhere and I mean everywhere. They even came with us to South America for a 6 week adventure a couple of years ago.
What does your ideal writing space look like?
Although I have an office at home, I’m very much a pen and paper girl initially so I like to have a notebook to hand and just write when the feeling takes me. Sometimes in bed, sometimes on a beach, sometimes at the dining table looking out of the window. As long as I have a notebook and pen I’m happy. When I come to type my stories up and editing it’s the laptop in my office.
Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?
That’s Our Home! is a children’s picture book about keeping the beaches clean. The idea came from my sister-in-law who was doing a beach clean and found a whole picnic wrapped in a towel and buried in the sand. I was so outraged I felt compelled to write a story.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
Read, eat chocolate, drink gin, go walking, have jam nights with my friends where we sit around sing, laugh and talk (and drink gin). Preferably combine all of the above on a camping trip.
What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through writing?
Children’s faces when I read my books to them and being told my books were like Julia Donaldson! I ate out on that for a week ha ha.
What do you miss about being a kid?
I’m still a big kid. Play and using my imagination is still important but having the time and freedom to really devote time to it like I did as a child is what I miss the most.
List 3 interesting facts about yourself.
I own a beautiful 1974 VW campervan named Buttercup who appears in one of my books.
I once drove a different VW campervan called Poppy around Australia. The stars look amazing from a campfire in the outback.
Yes I am related to you know who.
A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
“Hi I believe you sell hats. As you can see this one is a little small for me! Have you got anything bigger?”
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
The beach. I don’t even mind which one. I just love being by the sea. I grew up in Southport which is 30 miles up the coast from Liverpool. The sea doesn’t really come in but the smell of the sea has been in my nose since I was born. If I had to choose one beach location – Hell’s Mouth on the Llyn Peninsular in Wales.
What are you currently working on?
A full length novel with the working title Tea is the Cure for Everything. Due for release in 2021 ish.
Tell us about your most recent book.
I published my latest book ‘That’s Our Home!’ on 20th March. Great timing hey?! It’s a children’s picture book (illustrated by the wonderfully talented Lisa Williams) written in rhyme which explores the issue of keeping our beaches clean. The three main characters Seagull, Crab and Starfish have a very important message to spread.
It was wonderful to have you be a part of MTA, Jude. It sure sounds like you have tons of fun! Wishing you all the best! – Camilla
Meeting the Authors has had an incredibly successful beginning. The website launched in May 2019 with interviews from the get go. It has been a pleasure to meet such a wide and diverse group of authors from around the world.
Thank you for being a part of the MTA launch and thank you to those who have asked how you can help. Here’s to many more fun and quirky interviews in 2020! – Camilla
(Lovely Word Cloud Created From Content On This Website)
For those interested in helping to support this website, here are a few suggestions:
Comment on the interviews that you enjoyed reading
Buy a Coffee for the founder and host of Meeting the Authors – Camilla Downs
Authors are not charged to be interviewed on this site. They have worked incredibly hard creating these books. Writing the book is only a piece of the process. The book must be edited and designed and formatted for printing as a book. There’s no relaxing once the book is ready to be birthed to the reading world! Marketing the book and keeping the momentum must be stepped into vigorously. This is my small way of helping.
Thank you for the support for the service this website provides!
Today we welcome Jennifer Bohnet as we travel to the Mediterranean coast in the depths of Finistere, Brittany in France discovering how a quirky cottage, a utility room, the Cote d’Azur, Coco Chanel, and Ernest Hemingway have roles in Jennifer’s life and imagination. We’re stepping into the jazz age with this one, let’s go …
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Villa of Sun and Secrets was published by Boldwood Books on 8th August.
In which genre do you write?
I write contemporary women’s fiction – sometimes with unexpected themes.
How many published books do you have?
Villa of Sun and Secrets is my 13th!
What does your ideal writing space look like?
Ooh this is fantasy right? I’d have one of those lovely wooden cabins you can buy now built in the garden and have it kitted out with lots of bookshelves, an old fashioned wooden desk with a leather top, comfy Lloyd Loom chairs, a bean to cup coffee machine and a really comfy dog bed for Django our collie and Gus our cat to snuggle up together in. In real life my writing space is in a converted room at the back of our quirky cottage that doubles up as a utility room.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading two books – one is a non fiction book about writing – The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr which I have to say is fascinating and informative. The novel I’m currently reading is Rosanna Ley’s, Her Mother’s Secret which is set in Brittany where I live but much further down off the coast of Morbihan.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I read, walk with my husband, Django our collie dog and Gus the cat, in the countryside around our cottage and I like having friends to lunch. But I mainly write!
If you could have a fantasy date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I’m fascinated by the history of the Cote d’Azur in the late 1920s and 30s so I’d like a party in the Provencal Hotel, Juan-les-Pins with guests from that period. Cole Porter, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Picasso and all their friends. I’d interrogate them about what it was really like to be down there during the jazz age – lots of questions about the supposedly wild parties that were held. And then I’d write my definitive Riviera novel using all the gossip they’d told me.
Do you journal write or keep a personal diary?
I keep thinking I ought to start a journal – or at the very least a gratitude diary but somehow I never get around to it.
What is the most crazy and inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?
The most crazy thing I’ve – we’ve – ever done has to be getting on our bikes and riding down through France – and not going home. It has also turned out to be the most inspiring for my writing.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
My Old Lady starring three of my favourite actors – Maggie Smith, Kristen Scott Thomas and Kevin Kline. It’s set in Paris and has a brilliant script.
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
I’d ask Django 1. Why do you bark when there is nobody at the door? 2. Why do you steal my washing off the rack? 3. Why do you take up so much room on our bed every night. (Of course I already know the answers: because he’s an attention seeking collie puppy!
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
I love beaches and the seaside out of season. The old Port of Roscoff up on the north coast of Brittany is a favourite place to visit in winter.
Thank you Jennifer for being a part of MTA! Congratulations on your 13th book being published! I love that you and your husband went on a bike ride and never went home! HA! Brilliant! And now I’ve requested the Science of Storytelling and My Old Lady from the library. I adore Maggie Smith. All the best to you! –Camilla
Blurb for Villa of Sun and Secrets
Carla Sullivan’s 50th birthday is fast approaching when her whole world is turned upside down. Discovering her feckless husband is having yet another affair and following her mother’s death, she is in need of an escape. Finding an envelope addressed to her mother’s estranged sister Josette in the South of France gives Carla the perfect plan. Seizing the moment, she packs her bags and heads to Antibes to seek out the enigma known as Tante Josette. But as the two women begin to forge a tentative relationship, family secrets start to unravel, forcing Carla to question her life as she has always known it.
Where to find Jennifer’s latest book:
It’s available in all formats from Amazon and other book stores.
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 …
Today we welcome James Gault as we travel to Bize-Minervois in the South-West of France, discovering how the local social group, Emily Bronte, being tone deaf, and the Western Isles in Scotland add a different twist to James Gault’s life and writing style. Leave your superstition at the door and let’s get this plane in the air …
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am Scot who worked for some time in Prague and I now live in a little village called Bize-Minervois in the South-West of France, near the historic town of Carcassonne, retired from work and enjoying the sunshine and writing.
In which genre do you write?
I have to own up to this – I’m a bit all over the place when it comes to genres. My first fiction book was a comic novel for teenagers (Teaching Tania) then I wrote a philosophical novel (Ogg), but my last two books were political thrillers (The Redemption of Ann Petrovna and Best Intelligence), and the one I’m working on now is a tragic love story with some political content. I don’t recommend this scatter gun approach, but I write what comes into my head, based on what is concerning me, and making money or even creating a following is not a big concern for me.
How many published books do you have?
4 novels, one book on literature and several English Language textbooks
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
More than 60 years a ago, as a kid. In my previous careers I’ve always written something – letters to specialist magazines, articles, textbooks (as a teacher) or just reports on the work I was doing before that (It and management) When I retired, I found time to write more or less full time.
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
I have a kind of obsession about being DIFFERENT. I don’t see the point in doing just what others have done before you.
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
I’m not in any way superstitious – so I don’t have any idea. I guess that makes me a bit boring?
What does your ideal writing space look like?
A big big table where can I leave a mess but still find things – I’ve got a great ability to concentrate and shut things out when I’m working, so the actual physical environment doesn’t have much effect on me.
What are you currently reading?
Just finished rereading Of Mice and Men and started a detective novel by a Scottish author called William McIlvanney, who was a teacher at my old school and became a top name in Scottish Literature.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I’m on the committee of a local social group here in France for mostly ex-pats and do most of the IT for them.
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?
Emily Bronte, and I would ask her if she really did have an affair with the Brussels professor on whom she based the character in Villette and to whom she wrote all those ‘love’ letters?
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
How hard it is to market yourself. I was brought up as a Scottish Presbyterian where the worst thing you could do is to boast, and I feel guilty talking about myself.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?
??? I’ve had a quiet life. The strangest things happen in my head.
Do you journal write or keep a personal diary?
No, I am lazy. I just trust that inspiration will always come when I need it.
What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?
Two very best things – my first published book and winning a prize for a short story I wrote. Sorry, that’s not a very imaginative response from a writer but there it is.
You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? What do you do to prepare yourself?
I’m tone deaf, so music doesn’t work so much for me. I just rehearse what I’m going to say over and over in my head, and then of course I say something completely different.
What do you miss about being a kid?
My gran. She was the one I would always go to with my problems ( and I had a lot then).
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
I would be Dennis the Menace from the Beano – I like to stir things up and cause mischief.
If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?
This is a total fantasy but I would choose the character Michael from The Redemption of Anna Petrovna. The novel is set in a post-communist country where corruption permeates all the business and ruling classes, and this character is the fixer who makes everything happen for the powers that be. He is also the one that gets the girl. He is nothing like me, but it would be nice to be so successfully manipulative and get away with it for just for one day.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
It was a recent Star Wars movie I went to with my grandkids – The reaction of the children was more entertaining than the film, to be honest.
A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
It’s too bloody hot in this country – Got any free space in your fridge, pal?
Do you believe things happen for a reason?
I believe events are a result of certain preconditions which logically lead to them. I also believe that often we don’t understand these preconditions, but I don’t turn to fantasy to replace them. Like I said before, I’m a bit boring.
Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?
The ability to concentrate although it drives my wife crazy.
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
In my home country of Scotland, any of the Western Isles (on a day when there’s no rain) for their beauty and tranquility. Here in France where I know live, Avingon during the festival in July for the music and drama.
Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.
I’d do something I used to do but I’m too old now. I’d take a little private plane from our local airport and pilot it myself to one of the Scottish Islands and enjoy a few days in the sun and on the beach before flying back.
Tell us about your most recent book.
The most recent is Best Intelligence. It’s political thriller with a big surprising twist at the end. The hero is a cynical Glasgow policeman who leaves his job and moves to France because he feels he is wasting his time. But he picks up a pretty girl hitchhiker and finds himself mixed up in a web of mystery and intrigue.
Thank you James for being a part of MTA. It was wonderful to learn more about you. I have a quirk about doing things different also and I, too, don’t say half of what I practice saying when speaking in front of others – HA! All the best to you! –Camilla
Where we can find it the book:
The e-book and paperback are available on Amazon at:
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 …
Today we welcome Lisa Lowell as we travel to rural Silverton, Oregon USA to uncover how a pre-electric typewriter, Powell’s Bookstore, sign language, the dragon of Hindu legend, and elements of magic work together to create Lisa’s current and past experiences. Put on your dancing shoes, let’s dance our way through this one …
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have been writing since I was six because my grandmother had this fascinating pre-electric typewriter and I would tangle up the arms just playing on it. I grew up in a family of artists, and rather than compete with them, words became the paint across my pages. I grew up in rural southern Oregon, amid rivers, forest and waterfalls.
It was idyllic and yet I couldn’t wait to get out and see the world. I got scholarships on the basis of my writing and went to university as far away from Oregon as I could get. I traveled to Europe and spent a few years teaching there, as well as doing student teaching in Washington DC, but I always came back to Oregon.
I married a wonderful man I met at church, and we adopted three children. They’re grown now and since my husband has Parkinson’s, I need to do something close to home, so I revived the writing. We still live in rural Silverton, Oregon, but a lot closer to Powell’s Bookstore (google it), which is still idyllic.
In which genre do you write?
I dabble in sci-fi and historical fiction, but most of my present work is pure high fantasy. I need to be able to have some element of magic in whatever I write.
How many published books do you have?
At present, two of my Wise Ones series have been published, but by the time this interview goes to press, my third book, Life Giver will be out (June 9). All nine of the books in the series have been accepted for publication and they’re all written. I just have to tighten up the prose and get my cover artist (sister Paula) to do each cover. That usually takes a year. I also have one book I self-published on Kindle, back before I had a publisher. It’s called Prince of Samaria, and is an historical fiction set in ancient Babylon and Egypt.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
I was writing before I actually knew what that meant, but by the time I was in my teens, I felt that call because of all the wonderful books I was reading. I wasn’t in direct competition with my very talented siblings, and writing isn’t an ‘observable’ art, so no one was judging me at home. I used my own illustrations to help with concepts, setting and characterization. Andre’ Norton, Patricia A. McKillip, David Brin and Anne McCaffrey influenced much of my desire to write fantasy and science fiction. They got me through those gloomy teen years where I set down my roots as a writer.
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
I dance while I’m revising and editing. Sometimes I’ll have my headphones on and the music just begs me to dance to the writing. Because I know sign language (deafness runs in the family and I’m going deaf) I add sign to my dance and I’m also telling the story I write in signs.
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
My avatar is the dragon of Hindu legend, Tiamat. She is a three headed destroyer and a character I integrated into one of my Wise Ones stories, I liked her so much. She represents me because she has three personalities, like me. Wild, outgoing artist, cool and logical thinker, calm and gentle mother.
What does your ideal writing space look like?
My ideal writing space is a mess. It’s got a plate of carrots and hummus on one side, a glass of water, headphones and post-its festooning all the flat surfaces. The headphones aren’t in use because everyone that will normally be all loud in the house, aren’t home right now. My ‘writing playlist’ is coming from the speakers, (which is saying something because iTunes never works well for me). I can look out the window and see the gardens and directly across from me is the wall with my sister’s painting. I have chocolate kisses squirreled away in the shelf behind me, and the biggest adjustable leather chair to sit in. My mouse and big 17” screen and keyboard are actually clean.
What are you currently reading?
At present, I’m reading the final revisions of my editor on Life Giver, which published on June 9. Before that I was doing my annual reading of Battlefield Earth, and at school I’m reading Outsiders to my class of English 7th graders.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I’m a workaholic, so I never relax. I play piano, sing, dance, draw, and clean my house when I’m upset. When I must, I grade poorly written essays by 13 year-olds and do some cooking. I rarely pursue my hobbies which include gardening, going for long walks, dabbling in genealogy and teaching sign language.
If you could have a fantasy tea date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?
A fantasy tea would have a crowd, I’m afraid. I would want to invite Isaac Newton and Einstein for intellect, Tolkien and JK Rowling for creativity, Leonardo DaVinci, Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi for culture and maybe my mom, just to keep me from being nervous.
I would not have much to ask because with that for a crowd it would be very entertaining just to listen to them talk to each other. I might introduce everyone and then ask one open ended question like, ‘What are you doing right now, creatively?’ I figure that would get the ball rolling and I could listen in and just enjoy the conversation. I’m an introvert and would bask in their ideas.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
I’ve learned that I’m not a weirdo, at least in the writing community. All the writers I’ve met have strange ideas and odd habits. They’ve all come into their art in ways that are driven and almost manic. They too have grown more confident and improved their skill without having to be embarrassed by their gifts. I’m not alone in seeing the flaws in my writing and never being satisfied, no matter how many times you revise and edit. I’m grateful for the endless ideas others share and how it stimulates ideas of my own. I’ve learned that I love being a writer, instead of being ashamed of it.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done to help create a scene or plot?
I once asked a friend if I could make a noose and pretend to hang her. It was research for book #2 of Wise Ones and I was afraid that if I googled it, I’d see the real thing and the therapists would be sent to me, putting me on suicide watch.
Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?
My journal is more of impressions I get when I read scriptures. I used to keep a journal, back when I was a teen, but I cringe now at how selfish and self-centered I sound, so I don’t bother reading it. When I was in fugue states, I was depressed and wrote my stories, not journaling. The two are almost opposites. A journal is for when you have nothing to write.
What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?
I did my student teaching in Washington DC, three thousand miles from home. While I was there in the parking lot of my apartment building, I ran into an old friend from Göteborg, Sweden. She too was there to study and we hadn’t seen or spoken to each other in years. It was as if God wanted us to meet up and remind ourselves of our friendship.
You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? What do you do to prepare yourself?
I listen to Sia’s Elastic Heart and spend quite a bit of time praying. For me, public speaking is teaching mode, and I’ll have to be flexible (Elastic Heart) and inspired (praying) in order to not sound like a teacher. Outside of teacher mode, I get so nervous my hands shake and I cannot read what I’m looking at, so that’s where prayer comes into it.
What do you miss about being a kid?
I miss the days when I could go out into the fields behind my house, climb a tree or lay down in the tall grass and read or draw or daydream. My mother would stick her head out to call us in for dinner, shouting because she figured we were nowhere near, but I would pop up in the grass just feet from the door and smile at her.
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
I would love to join Calvin and Hobbes on his adventures. He had the intellect of Oppenheimer and the whimsy of a child. What a fun combination. I hope I keep that myself.
If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?
For me, I would want to be Mohan, the dragon. First of all, his innocence and curiosity would appeal to me. I would go see how things had changed in the Land, and then I would fly up and have a chat with Owailion. Why was he being such a doofus? He needs to change his attitude and come rejoin the world. Besides, he needs to explain what was written on those runestones.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
The last movie I watched was Aquaman (I don’t get out much) and I went to that only because my husband insisted. It was his thing, not mine. I don’t like movies much because they don’t have closed captioning and so I cannot follow them very well. I’ll wait until it comes out on Hulu, and only if it is a movie of a book I’ve read.
A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
I’d say, “How do you do? Come in!” He would say, “I am in need of magical help because obviously some wicked witch has cursed me. No one wears sombreros any more.” Magic, I can do.
Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?
I believe God has a hand in all things. He lets us fight our own battles and do our own thing, but He needs us to be in the right place at the right time to help answer prayers.
I remember a story of a man who took his two sons hiking on a ridiculously long hike up a mountain. One of his sons got stung by something and was going into anaphylactic shock, but it was nine miles back down the trail and he had to carry his boy. His other son had to carry the packs and it was too dark by the time they were coming back down. The younger son, who was about six, led the way and insisted they needed to take a right turn, not the left down the trail. The father was too busy praying that his son would live to get off the mountain to argue. Then he heard the cries of someone else on the mountain and they stumbled into three little girls who had wandered off from their camp to gather wild flowers and were now lost. The father then had five children to get off the mountain. In the end, he managed to get them all down and to the medics, but when he collapsed at home he heard a voice. “I could not answer your prayers. I needed you to answer theirs.” That’s why his son was stung. That’s why he was led on the wrong path. God was using him as an instrument to help others.
We cannot always understand why things are happening, but we need to have faith that it is for a reason. Witness the meeting in Washington DC with my old friend Karin.
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
Why must you sit there, even though you know you’re not supposed to? What is so fascinating about that (garbage, crotch, pile of nasty). Where is my phone and why did you feel a need to chew on it?
Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?
I am not a procrastinator – which technically is the lack of a personality trait, but it is part of me. I get things done. I’m not weighed down with fear, indecision or reluctance. I barge in and get it done. In that way, I’m like Rashel, the female MC in my latest book. I admire it in her, but it gets her into trouble too, just like me.
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
I’d love to go back to Washington DC once again and finish exploring. Do you know how many museums are involved in Smithsonian? I love to explore the memorials, museums and sites, not because I love politics. I love history and art. The city simply oozes with those things, and I love to learn. It’s like Disneyland for grownups. I couldn’t see it all in the four months I was there.
Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.
I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever been on a solo date before. I went on a solo trip through Europe, which was great fun. I went through all the museums and small villages I could see on my Eurorail pass, and without the tourist guides. I distinctly remember sailing among the islands outside of Göteborg and wondering why it was July and the sun wasn’t setting. It could have been California, except it was so cold I had on a jacket.
I remember taking a camera and photographing Michaelangelo’s David’s hands. You could distinctly see the veins and those carefully manicured nails. I was there the year after the Wall fell in East Germany and I picked up a piece of rubble (I can only assume) from it, complete with vandalized paint. That’s the kind of date I’d like to take again. It took two months, so it might not feature as a date, but that’s what I’d like to do again.
Tell us about your most recent book and where we can find it.
My most recent book is called Life Giver. It is book #3 of the Wise Ones series. In this book Yeolani, who is a reluctant, irreverent magician, learns from all the ways he can mess up, that he has something to give, despite himself.
One thing you should know is there are nine books in the series and they’re all written and accepted for publication. I wrote them backwards. The one that is now #9, Sea Queen, was the first because it started out as a simple story about how a girl became a queen and all the adventures that would take her through that transformation. When everyone read it, they enjoyed it but wanted to have the backstories of all the other characters. So each book in the Wise Ones focuses on one of the other magical people and how they came into their power.
Thank you Lisa for being a part of MTA. It was incredibly interesting to learn more about you, your history, and your writing life. Here’s to your continued success on this writing journey! –Camilla
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 …
Today we welcome Heidi Swain as we travel to Norfolk county to discover how a Sunday Times Bestseller, having a structured day, gardening, and Wind in the Willows integrate into Heidi’s to-do list. Grab your needles, let’s get clicking …
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Heidi Swain and I live in the pretty county of Norfolk just a few miles south of the fine city of Norwich.
In which genre do you write?
I write commercial fiction for Simon and Schuster. The more commonly known description – women’s commercial fiction – isn’t always accurate as I know some pretty burly truck drivers who are more than happy to settle down with my books after a long day of driving!
How many published books do you have?
I’ve had eight books published in the last four years and my Christmas book for this year, The Christmas Wish List, will be out in October. My fifth book, Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells became a Sunday Times Bestseller – the pinnacle of my writing career so far!
If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?
I would love to be Jemma. She runs The Cherry Tree Café in Wynbridge in partnership with her best friend Lizzie Dixon. Lizzie is the crafting expert and Jemma is the baking queen. Jemma features in practically all of my books and yet I have never written her story. She’s a character I admire greatly – ambitious, competent, approachable, supportive and a great mum, wife and business woman. I love her vision, drive and enthusiasm for life. She’s a real go-getter! If there’s a problem Jemma can always fix it and she’s so creative. If I could be Jemma for a day, I’d spend my day in the Café, enjoying the company of the customers and batch baking sweet treats.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
How disciplined I am. Writing two books a year – one for the summer market and the other for Christmas – I have to be very organised and stick to a schedule otherwise I’d never hit my deadlines. I have a weekly planner which even lists the hours I’ll be writing and when I’ll take a break. I know it wouldn’t work for everyone, but I thrive on having a structured day. I’m never happier than when I can go to bed with everything ticked off the daily to-do list!
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
Reading would be the most obvious answer, but I’m also a very keen gardener – I gardened professionally for a while when I was younger – and I love getting out and walking in the local woods. I always start my day with a wander around the garden to see what’s grown, which flowers have bloomed and if anything needs my attention. I love that moment in spring when the urge to get my hands in the earth takes over and I rush off to the garden centre for seeds to sow. It’s all very Wind in The Willows! I’ve also learned how to knit this year and although I’m not very good, if it’s raining you’ll probably find me with the needles out, clicking away.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
The last movie I watched was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I’ve seen it probably a hundred times, but it was on TV early yesterday evening and as soon as I heard the opening few notes I knew I wasn’t going to budge from my armchair. I’m a huge HP fan and it doesn’t take much to get me talking about all things Hogwarts! I went to boarding school but the feasts were nowhere near as good!
What does your ideal writing space look like?
A small room of my own would be wonderful! A desk, bookcase, comfy armchair and a view of the garden would be enough to keep me happy. Up until my daughter went to Uni last year I was perched on the edge of the dining table and had to pack away at the end of every day. Since she’s been gone I’ve taken over the desk in her room and it has been bliss. Not my ideal writing space, but a place I can leave set up at the end of the day. By the time you read this it will be the summer hols and I’ll be back at the dining table and cursing the lack of space and privacy!
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
I have a little black rescue cat called Storm. She was born in an air conditioning shaft in Norwich as was the runt of the litter no one wanted. Lucky for me because she’s absolutely gorgeous! If I could ask her three questions they would be…
Where do you go at night?
What’s the appeal of the bottom shelf in the airing cupboard?
If you could ask me three questions what would they be?
She’s always popping up on my Instagram account so keep your eyes peeled for her posing.
Thanks Heidi for being a part of MTA. It was wonderful to learn more about you and your writing life. I have seen Storm pop up on instagram just recently when she didn’t return home! So happy that she finally made her way back to you! All the best to you for continued success! –Camilla
Heidi Swain:
Although passionate about writing from an early age, Heidi Swain gained a degree in Literature, flirted briefly with a newspaper career, married and had two children before she plucked up the courage to join a creative writing class and take her literary ambitions seriously.
A lover of vintage paraphernalia and the odd bottle of fizz, she now writes feel good fiction with heart for Simon and Schuster.
Her debut novel, The Cherry Tree Café was published in July 2015 and since then she has had a further six books published, becoming a Sunday Times Bestseller in 2017. She is currently celebrating the release of her 2019 summer title, Poppy’s Recipe for Life while working on her next project.
Heidi is represented by Amanda Preston and lives in Norfolk with her wonderful family and a mischievous cat called Storm.
Poppy’s Recipe for Life
Things haven’t always been straightforward in Poppy’s life but her dreams are finally within her reach.
She’s moving into a cottage in beautiful Nightingale Square, close to the local community garden, where she can indulge her passion for making preserves and pickles. She may not have the best relationship with her family but she is surrounded by loving friends, and feels sure that even her grumpy new neighbour, Jacob, has more to him than his steely exterior belies.
But the unexpected arrival of Poppy’s troubled younger brother soon threatens her new-found happiness and as the garden team works together to win community space of the year, Poppy must decide where her priorities lie and what she is prepared to fight for …
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 …
Today we welcome A. E. Walnofer as we travel to Southern California to discover how white-barked aspen trees, plantar calcaneal regions, Jane Austen, and The Black Swan replenish and massage Walnofer’s days. Grab your tea and get comfortable.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Southern California, but wish I was established in the Pacific Northwest where the mountains are green and the rivers actually have water in them.
In which genre do you write?
Historical fiction
How many published books do you have?
Two, but I got an idea recently that just might turn into a third! I’ve actually got 47,000 words of another story written but I’m rethinking it before I surge forward with it.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
Before I could read or write, I was composing stories. My mom recorded me on a cassette tape telling a tale when I was three. It’s pretty cute!
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
Hmm…well, when I’m writing, I spend A LOT of that time at the computer telling myself to focus instead of going into the kitchen to get something to eat. Pretty inspiring, huh? 🙂
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
Never considered this before. Can I choose a tree? They’re not sentient, but they’re beautiful and replenish our oxygen supply. Yeah, I’m going to say my mascot is a white-barked aspen tree with green leaves that flutter in the breeze.
What are you currently reading?
I recently finished “London” by Edward Rutherfurd. Wow, what a massive and amazing book! I got the ebook version so my wrists wouldn’t break after a half hour of reading. I highly recommend it for any Anglophilean history buffs.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I work as a physical therapist assistant all week long, which doesn’t leave much time to write because there are always more upper traps and plantar calcaneal regions to be massaged.
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?
Perhaps this answer isn’t very original, but I’d love to talk with Jane Austen. She was such a clever and talented woman.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve experienced to help create a scene or plot?
Oooh, I like this question. I wish I had some hilarious or crazy story to answer it with. I’ll simply say that last fall, my husband and I went to the UK to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The whole time I was there — walking on the ancient walls of York City, gazing on the site within the Tower of London where Lady Jane lost her head, sipping tea at a 500 year old pub called The Black Swan, sampling 20 different cheeses in the Yorkshire Dales — I was trying to imagine what it was like to be there way back when. To be in a place where you can feel the wind in your face, smell the scent of the trees, run your fingertips over the moss covered rock walls, instead of just imagining it, is a magical experience and helps you formulate details for your stories to make them come to life.
If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?
I think I’d have to be Madge from “With Face Aflame” so I could sing beautifully to a crowd of people, and so that I could understand her heartache a bit better.
Do you believe things happen for a reason?
I don’t necessarily think things happen for a reason, but I see how we can learn and grow because all sorts of things happen.
Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?
I’m fairly in tune with what’s going on with the people who are around me — whether it’s at work, at the movie theater or in my own kitchen — how they’re all interacting with each other verbally and non-verbally, how they’re feeling about themselves and each other. That has served me well because it helps me write scenes where a lot of emotion or meaning is conveyed through a simple look or a two word sentence between characters.
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
Oh my goodness. There are so many places I want to go or want to return to. I HAVE to go back to Yellowstone before I die. Everyone should see that place. There are lots of places in Washington State and Oregon that I want to visit. Then there are national parks in Canada that are calling my name. Pretty much any lush place with temperate weather and gorgeous trees is on my list.
Tell us about your most recent book.
“With Face Aflame” was published in April, 2018. Set in England in the 1680’s, it’s a historical, body-positive, coming of age tale about a young woman with a large birthmark on her face.
If you’re in to poetry, visit my site at aewalnofer.com and get your fill of it there. Thanks for reading about me and my work!
Thank you Aimee for joining us on MTA. It was incredibly interesting to learn more about you. I’m a tree lover and adore the sound of the aspen leaves blowing in the wind! I love that your mom recorded you telling a story. I did that too when my kids were younger. I’m so happy I did this as these are beautiful memories to have. All the best to you! –Camilla
Here’s the blurb:
Born with a red mark emblazoned across her face, seventeen-year-old Madge is lonely as she spends her days serving guests and cleaning rooms in the inn her father keeps.
One day, she meets an unusual minstrel in the marketplace. Moved by the beauty of his song and the odd shape of his body, she realizes she has made her first friend. But he must go on to the next town, leaving her behind. Soon after, while she herself is singing in the woods, she is startled by a chance meeting with a stranger there. Though the encounter leaves her horribly embarrassed, it proves she need not remain unnoticed and alone forever.
However, this new hope is shattered when she overhears a few quiet words that weren’t intended for her ears. Heartbroken and confused, she flees her home to join the minstrel and his companion, a crass juggler. As they travel earning their daily bread, Madge secretly seeks to rid herself of the mark upon her cheek, convinced that nothing else can heal her heart.
Set in England in 1681, With Face Aflame is the tale of a girl who risks everything in hopes of becoming the person she desperately wants to be.
It’s only $2.99 on Amazon and if you belong to the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library, you can read it for free! My first novel, A Girl Called Foote, is also available on Amazon for $2.99, so feel free to check it out, too!
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 …
Today we welcome Wendy Holden as we travel to Suffolk and learn what dogs, Goldie Hawn, Ganesh, a woodland cemetery, and The Wacky Races mean to Wendy. Slip on your gardening gloves. Let’s go …
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a British author, originally from London but now living in Suffolk, three hours north east of London, near the sea. I was a journalist for almost 20 years, including time as a war correspondent, and have been writing books full time for 22 years. Have more than thirty titles published, ten of which are bestsellers.
In which genre do you write?
Non-fiction historical and war biographies mostly but also fiction, humour, celebrity memoirs and novellas. I have written two bestselling books with the actress Goldie Hawn and I wrote Lady Blue Eyes with Frank Sinatra’s widow Barbara.
I also love to write about dogs, who are one of my great passions. I wrote the number one bestseller Haatchi & Little B, about a disabled boy and his three-legged dog, and Uggie: My Story, about the canine star of the Oscar winning movie The Artist. I also wrote Mr Scraps, the little dog with the big heart, a novella about a dog caught up in the London Blitz –
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
I always wrote poems and kept a diary but wrote my first school play when I was six years old. It was called The Queen’s Birthday Cake and featured a naughty knave who switched the baker’s flour for cement so that the Queen broke a tooth when she bit into it.
The play won a schools’ competition and was put on by the drama students so my career path was set. It was not as if I ever had a choice. Writing comes as naturally to me as breathing.
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
I’ve worked with Goldie Hawn who introduced me to meditation and to the Indian elephant god Ganesh, who is said to remove obstacles on your life’s path.
Twice a day, I stop writing and meditate for 10 minutes, slowing my breathing (and my thoughts) and then I rub my little Ganesh’s feet for good luck.
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
My two adorable German wire-haired pointers, Eli and Huxley.
What does your ideal writing space look like?
The one I work in now – upstairs in our 17th century oak-beamed cottage with green-painted walls. I write at my grandfather’s leather-topped desk with my father’s oak desk to one side and am surrounded by the framed book jackets, photos, cartoons and art that mean the most to me.
What are you currently reading?
Educated by Tara Westover and The Pianist of Yarmouk
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
Walk the dogs on the beach, read, garden, cook, entertain friends, travel, and paint.
If you could have a fantasy tea date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women whose character Jo I immediately identified with. I have been to her house in Concord, Massachusetts, and see the tiny table where she sat and wrote longhand and I would love to invite her to tea and ask her how a young woman with very little life experience from a rural background was able to conjure up such vital, life-changing characters.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
How much of myself comes out in the books I write, even when they are about other people. There is something of everyone in each of us and when you really focus on someone you often realise that the nature of the human condition is universal.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done in researching for a book?
I found myself deep in a woodland cemetery in rural Poland on the edge of dark hunting for the grave of someone I was writing about in quiet desperation. I found it just as the light was fading and then had to feel my way back to the car and civilisation.
Do you journal write or keep a personal diary?
I did up until my teens but I found that I have such a visual memory so that I no longer needed to.
What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?
Meeting my husband and accepting his marriage proposal three weeks later. I was 19 and we have been happily married ever since.
You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking and what do you do to prepare yourself?
I do ten minutes deep breathing to clear my mind of clutter. I remind myself to talk slowly and take deep breaths in the pauses. If I were to listen to any music it would be Paul Simon’s Late in the Evening and I would have a dance to loosen myself up.
What do you miss about being a kid?
My dearly departed parents who were my greatest champions and blessed me with a happy childhood, from which I emerged feeling invincible.
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
The Wacky Races. I wanted to be Penelope Pitstop, but I also loved Mutley.
If you write non-fiction or memories, what fictional character would you invite into your story and why?
Jo from Little Women so that I could spend time with her and tell her how much she inspired me as a girl.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
Tolkien. It was on locally and we went because I love films about writers. I was much more impressed than I’d expected and gave real insight into his life and inspirations without hardly mentioning The Hobbit (of which I am not a great fan). It is a lovely, well-rounded film.
A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
He escaped from the local zoo when his keeper went for ice cream and accidentally left the gate open, so the penguin waddled off down the road looking for something to eat.
At the seaside, he accidentally caused a commotion outside one of those stores that sells everything from joss sticks to water pipes, backed into a hat stand and a sombrero dropped onto his head.
Hardly able to see, he staggered on and – lifting his beak – detected the unmistakable scent of fish. Padding up to my front door, he tapped his beak on it and made his little penguin cry so I opened the door with a fillet of sole in my hand.
Before I knew it, he had snatched it from fingers and gobbled it down in one. He has lived with me ever since. We have called him Charlie because he looks and walks like Charlie Chaplin in his little penguin suit.
Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?
I always have and I always will. Whenever one door closes for me, another opens, often taking me in a direction I never expected and which excites and challenges me.
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
Why don’t you ever get a cold?
What do you dream of when you twitch and whimper?
Why can’t you live as long as us?
Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?
Resilience and fearless optimism
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
Suffolk, England, which is why we moved here having had no previous connections. Endless beaches. Huge skies. Fabulous stars. Great seafood. Lovely people. Old-fashioned atmosphere. What’s not to like?
Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.
Umbria, Italy. Early autumn. Watching the sun set over the golden hills and ripened vineyards with a chilled glass of prosecco in my hand.
Tell us about your most recent book.
I have three books out this year:
A relaunch of my novel The Sense of Paper. A Novel of Obsessions, it is set in Suffolk and is full of passion, secrets and lies. Please see the trailer —
One Hundred Miracles, a memoir of music and survival with Zuzana Ruzickova, published by Bloomsbury UK and several European publishers. The remarkable story of a Holocaust survivor and internationally renowned musician who not only lived through the war but under Communist ant-Semitic rule for decades. This is my first Holocaust book since writing my international bestseller Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage, Defiance and Hope
A Woman of Firsts, the woman who built a hospital and changed the world with Edna Adan Ismail, to be published in this month. The story of the ‘Muslim Mother Teresa’, an indomitable force of nature who survived great hardship and civil war only to return to her ravage country and create something wonderful.
Thank you Wendy for being a part of MTA. It was incredibly interesting to learn more about you, your history, and writing style. I am a Goldie Hawn fan, as well as having a mindfulness and meditation practice. I found your interview to be deeply moving. And, oh my goodness! I LOVE the short story you created with the penguin question! Thanks again! –Camilla
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 …
Today we welcome Jeremy Smith as we travel to Oxfordshire, England to learn how The Forgotten World, Cthulhu, an octopus, and Warwick Davis fit into Jeremy’s writing life. Grab your flashlight. Let’s go ….
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Oxfordshire, England only about 5 miles from where I was born and grew up. I did venture away to college for a few years and then to London to work but, as the saying goes, “there’s no place like home”.
In which genre do you write?
I write contemporary fantasy for teen/YA.
How many published books do you have?
I have three! A Rhyme of Dark Words is the first in the Tilly Hart series and is available on Amazon as is Rise of the White Witch (Tilly Hart book 2). The third in the series, The Witchfinder’s Betrayal, was published on 30th June 2019.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?
I guess I realised I wanted to be a writer when I was about 7 years old and got my dad to type up my personalised version of The Forgotten World. It took him quite some time using just one finger on a clunky old typewriter!
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
I like to insert references to Cthulhu into the Tilly Hart books. They’re not too difficult to spot if you know what you’re looking for.
What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?
I would have an octopus because they can change colour and fit inside a jam jar.
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading, “The Revenant Express” a Newbury & Hobbes investigation by George Mann.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I go to pub quizzes and also play computer games. I once appeared on the ITV quiz show, “Tenable” where I had to answer a question about kedgeree! It was all worthwhile though as I got to meet the actor Warwick Davis who I’m a huge fan of.
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
That I can write a whole book. I still can’t really believe I’ve done it – three times!!
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?
I walked through a graveyard at midnight. As one of my character’s observes in Rise of the White Witch, “Why does it always have to be when it’s dark? ………. We never get to be anywhere spooky when it’s light”.
Do you journal write or keep a personal diary?
No, just in case it falls in to enemy hands.
What do you miss about being a kid?
The freedom of endless summer days and the excitement of Christmas.
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
I would choose the world of Scooby-Doo so I could solve mysteries with my dog, Jack, and eat a stack of burgers without putting on a pound.
A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?
‘I’m sorry about the sombrero, I couldn’t find my bowler.’ He’s come round to visit the walrus.
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
Where are my slippers? Why did you eat my dinner? Do you want to go back to the dog home?
What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?
I love Oxford for the dreaming spires, coffee shops and museums.
Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.
A trek in the woods on a golden, autumn day, with a flask of coffee and a cheese sandwich.
Thank you Jeremy for being a part of MTA. It was wonderful to learn more about you and your background! –Camilla
Blurb for A Rhyme of Dark Words:
Tilly Hart is grieving for her mother when she moves to the ancient village of Witheridge. Finding friendship and love, she also finds a place steeped in witchlore and the legend of a beast that stalks the moor. Supernatural events and a hidden diary guide her to a village lost in time, a place where magic exists and demons walk the land.
With her newfound friends and the deadline of Halloween drawing near, she sets out to prevent an ancient evil destroying all she loves.
Being both the hunter and hunted, she discovers she can control magic. But magic is an addiction that can lead to evil.
A Rhyme of Dark Words has been longlisted for the 2019 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition.
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 …
Today we welcome Susan Willis as we travel to a small town in Co-Durham, North East England to learn how recipes, setting an alarm, the garden shed and Cinderella comprise the ingredients of Susan’s writing life. Get the simmering pots ready, let’s get cookin’ ….
List 3 interesting facts about yourself.
I didn’t start writing until I was 48 years old.
I develop new recipes and products for food companies, mainly Marks & Spencer.
After ten years I still love the fact that people enjoy what I write. Good reviews to me are like winning the lottery.
What was the first thing you ever had published?
Lamb in a Pot, a short story in a USA magazine 2009. I’d written the story on a long train journey because I’d been using sensory terms for lamb at work. I decided to weave them into a cook’s story when her boyfriend turns the tables and makes a meal for her. Caramelising onions, garlic and rosemary, majestic chunks of tender lamb, pebble-like new potatoes, black olives, and plump juicy tomatoes: all simmered for hours. Mama Mia! The cook had cried – this is the type of food to make me feel faint with pleasure and desire!
Do you have a writing routine?
When I’m not working and intend to write, I set my alarm for one hour only to do emails and social media. I need to limit this because it can take over your day and reduce the time left for actual writing, and, after all, that’s what I love to do!
Do you have any writing rituals?
I try to move from my chair every two hours and take a walk around the garden to think. If it’s raining, I end up in the garden shed! I often find if my character is stuck in a certain situation the fresh air helps to clear my mind and I can usually think of a way forward.
Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?
A couple of years ago I decided to move more into relationship themed stories instead of focusing on food. I enjoyed writing the conflict scenes and, teasing the reader so much that I’ve moved into romantic suspense. The Girl in the Dark, is based in a photography studio with a food stylist and two photographers. I read somewhere that Alfred Hitchcock was dubbed, The Master of Suspense, and was one of the first to move away from, the who done it concept, knowing exactly how to manipulate the viewers in the cinema to keep them watching the film. I was intrigued and delved into psychological suspense.
Who was the first person you shared your book with?
My dear friend, Rosie Jones, who is also a writer. I’d waited in trepidation for her comments knowing she’d tell me the truth, warts and all. Thankfully, she loved the story, and told me it was the best thing I’ve written!
Do you have a current work in progress?
Yes, I have a new novel and am looking for a publisher. It’s called, His Wife’s Secret. Does anyone know where I could submit?
Do you have any advice for budding authors?
Don’t Give Up! If you have a story to tell, then do it!
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?
George Clooney! Do I need to say more, girls? I think I’d just sit and drool….
If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?
Cinderella – I love shoes!!
Thank you Susan for joining us on MTA. It was wonderful to learn more about you. –Camilla
Book Blurb
The Girl in the Dark is the latest Grip Lit novel from Susan Willis. A thrilling romantic suspense story that will keep you turning pages long into the night.
When Kim goes to old friend, Sidney’s, photography studio to start a new food styling contract she meets his new assistant, Alex. Kim is catapulted from her mournful existence into an explosive romantic relationship with Alex. Sidney, however, is wary. He thinks, there’s something not quite right about Alex, and urges caution.
Susan Willis is a published author of three novels, and five novellas’. She lives in the North East of England surrounded by family and friends. Following publication of a love story about a chef and her boyfriend, she wrote more foodie-based love stories and wove them into her first novel, ‘Yes Chef, No Chef’.
Now Susan has ventured into romantic suspense with her latest novel, The Girl In The Dark.
Set in her hometown of Durham City, this storyline is not a who done it thriller, but, a psychological page-turner which she loved writing.
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 …
