When did you
first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think I was
very young, maybe 6 or 7. As a child I always had my head in a book. I loved
the fact that you could lose yourself completely in a novel written by someone
who was from a different time or place – it still gives me a buzz now. I
remember I used to write to authors telling them how amazing I found their
books!
How
important is research to you when writing a book?
Research
is really important. You want people to believe what you have written, your
characters right? In order to do that you need to have a level of credibility.
You must do your research; it’s what helps readers really identify with the
story. I don’t think you can write about
something if you do not understand it. I don’t mean become an expert, although
sometimes that’s what it takes. I would never want someone to read something
I’d written and say ‘oh no, I’m in that business, that’s not believable.’ I
would be horrified.
How did you come
up with the title for ‘All Tomorrow’s
Parties’?
It is actually the
title of a song I love. The original is by The Velvet Underground, I heard it
first as a cover by a group called Japan. When I was thinking of a title for the
book the lyrics of this song kept playing over and over in my head. It seemed
to fit perfectly.
Do
you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?
I usually start with a loose idea, a concept. I play around with it in
my head and then come up with a series of ‘what if’s?’. I like to go with
wherever the ideas take me. All Tomorrow’s Parties turned out that way. It
started as one thing and completely turned into something else. I love it when
that happens!
What are your hobbies? (Other than
reading/writing)
Well now you’re
asking Uma! Outside of reading and writing I love training my dog. She is an
English Springer Spaniel. Some days it goes well, other days… well let’s not
talk about those days! I walk a lot too, long walks with the dog of course. If
I’m really stressed about something then baking becomes my obsession, there is
nothing a good cake can’t fix!
Do
you pen down revelations and ideas as you get them, right then and there?
Yes I do. A top tip a writer passed to me has stood me
in good stead, so I shall pass it onto you – always ( and I mean always) carry
a notebook and pen. I admit there have been times where I have forgotten and
have had to use my phone and send myself an email or text with my bookish
ramblings! I prefer a notepad though.
Writers
are often associated with loner tendencies; is there any truth to that?
I am a people person, but I admit when I
write, I do need my space. So, yea I think there is some truth in it. You need
to spend a lot of time inside your own head as a writer and that’s something
that is difficult to share.
Do you need to be in a
specific place or room to write, or you can just sit in the middle of a café
full of people and write?
I remember there was a poem I loved as a
girl called ‘Cats Sleep Anywhere’ by Eleanor Farjeon. That’s what I’m like with
my writing. Whilst I prefer my office I can and have written on trains and
planes, in cafes and bars, I can and do write anywhere.
How
big of a part does music play in creating your “zone”?
Music inspires me and provides a spark
for ideas, but I do not listen to music when I’m writing. I block everything
out and somehow shut myself off. That’s
why I think I can write anywhere. My favourite writing environment however is a
quiet one. Those are the times I enjoy the most.
What
advice would you like to give writers who are struggling with their first
novels?
If you have reached a point where you
are continuously banging your head against a wall, walk away and do something
different, it really works! Different doesn’t mean stop writing; it just means
mix it up a bit. I like to write short stories as well as novels so switching
between the two when I’m stuck really helps. Oh and always carry a notebook –
you never know when you are going to need one!!
