Q:- So you’ve
recently published your second novel, ‘How They Met Themselves’. How does that
feel?
A:- I’m delighted to have it out
there. I was keen to publish this novel before Christmas in order for it to be
available as Christmas presents, and even though it was a very busy time for my
family, and indeed everyone in Wivenhoe, the launch went well.
Q:- Are you
pleased with how the book has turned out?
A:- Yes, delighted. It looks great,and
feels good to hold. It has a fabulous cover which Catherine Dodds created,
using a photograph from my husband, Clinton’s collection. I’m pleased with the
story and the characters within it
Q:- Tell us
how the story began, and what it’s about.
A:- After ‘There’s No Sea in
Salford’ was so satisfying to write, I knew I wanted to write another book. I was
inspired by a journey I made in America with three girlfriends in 2011 when we
drove up the west coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I wanted to use this
experience as the basis for a novel, but then changed the perspective by
writing it from the point of view of a young man making a journey and growing
up in the process. The main character, Max meets two very different young women
at opposite ends of California and on his return to England an unexpected
connection between them unfolds, which changes all their lives.
Q:- How did
you find writing from such a different point of view?
A:- It was a challenge trying to
think like a 23 year old man, but having children in their twenties and knowing
their friends helped. I was careful not to try to be too ‘cool’ and ‘trendy’ as
I thought that would simply sound cliched. I also had to be careful not to
write embarrassing scenes that might make my own youngsters cringe.
Q:- I
notice you use your medical experience in your writing. Why is that so
important to you?
A:- Having been a practising doctor
for over 32 years it is hard to leave my medical experience behind. Ex-patients
provide a huge source of material and I find I enjoy writing about medical
issues in a way that is hopefully accessible and even informative for the
general reader.
Q:- What
issues you explore in ‘How They Met Themselves’.
A:- The two major subjects are
disability and adoption, but I also touch upon mental health, bereavement,
fertility and relationships in general.
Q:- And how
did you think of the unusual title?
A:- ‘How They Met Themselves’ is
the name of a painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. I have always loved the Pre-Raphaelites
and came across this painting when researching doppelgangers. It seemed to fit
the bill perfectly.
Q:- I’ve
heard you say you learnt a lot from writing and publishing your first novel.
What did you learn that helped you this time?
A:
-To be organised, do research, keep good character notes, and use a flow
chart.
-To be conscious of point of view and be consistent.
-To avoid cliche and be creative with metaphor and simile.
-To aim to ‘show not tell’ but still be clear and allow the
story to make sense and come together.
-To check and recheck your writing, then pay someone to copy edit,
before checking again.
-To be patient and to not rush things, especially when it comes
to publishing and printing the finished article.
-To have a thick skin in response to the comments and opinions
of your readers. Most are supportive, balanced and fair, but inevitably some
can be harsh. I try to remember it’s my book and I enjoyed writing it.
- Not to expect to make money out of self-publishing or
e-publishing.
Q:- So will
there be a novel number three?
A:- I hope so. The skeleton of it
is sitting in my drawer where it will rest for a while. I wrote 50,000 words as
a darker and more troubled follow up to ‘How They Met Themselves’ during
National Novel Writing Month in November 2014. I’ve been trying to get away
from my rather gentle style of writing where everything turns out well in the
end. To do the opposite is fun.
Q:-
Finally, are you going to put this second novel on to Kindle?
A:- Yes, hopefully in January 2015
it will go on Kindle. I was keen see it first of all as a paperback, printed by
Lightening Source, but would like to follow it up as an e-book. I found this to
be a successful format with ‘There’s No Sea in Salford’. I do love physical
books and real bookshops, but I like to give the reader a choice.
Q:- Is
there anything else you’d like to add?
A:- I just want to say how much
I’ve appreciated the support of my two writing groups over the last couple of
years while ‘How They Met Themselves’ was being written. It is very helpful to
share writing experiences with others who understand the process. ‘How They Met
Themselves’ is currently available from Wivenhoe Bookshop
(www.wivenhoebooks.com) and Red Lion Books in Colchester.
