Interview with Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft writes romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes for Choc Lit. Combining that success with her experience as a creative writing tutor, she’s written a ‘how to’ book, Love Writing – How to Make Money From Writing Romantic and Erotic Fiction (Accent Press). Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles and courses and is the head judge for Writers’ Forum. She's a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner.


WEBSITE -- BLOG

Sue's books
Love & Freedom
All That Mullarkey
Starting Over
Want to Know a Secret?
Love Writing: How to Make Money Writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction

All of Sue’s Choc Lit novels and Love Writing are available as ebooks.


What was the first thing you had published?
First ever was a story in the school magazine. They didn’t pay a penny and I had to write it out in my best handwriting. The first things I got paid for were letters to the press – my record was £150 for 89 words from Readers’ Digest – and I made a few hundred, like that. Then I sold a short story to The People’s Friend. Whoopee!

Tell us about your proudest writing achievement.
Gosh. That really brought me up short. I don’t know. Holding my first book in my hands springs to mind – it was produced just in time for the London Book Fair in 2005 and I went to my then publisher’s stand. They presented me with a copy they’d all signed, and I got tears in my eyes.

In another way, it’s my latest book, Love & Freedom, because it’s the first novel I’ve written in its entirety since my son died. I had thought I’d never be able to write novels again, and even left my agent on the strength of that conviction.

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?
I suppose you’re talking about craft and something in me shies away from admitting weakness, there, because liking someone’s writing is so subjective. I do have a trait that can be both strength and a weakness – I have trouble believing when my work isn’t good enough. It’s a strength in that it makes me rewrite and rewrite and persist, but a weakness if it keeps me knocking on a closed door for too long. This used to happen with short stories, a bit, when I’d rewrite a story and keep sending it back to the same editor, sure that I’d get what she wanted in the end. Then I’d get a kind note telling me to write something else.

However, I do accept editorial direction. I don’t turn all precious and refuse to change a thing. I believe that me and my editors are always working together to make whatever I write the best it can be.

Do you have a writing routine or any odd writing quirks?
I write or teach writing or judge/critique writing comps most days, about ten hours a day, if you want to call that a routine. I often teach or judge/critique in the mornings and write in the afternoons but I’m not religious about it.

Is there a special place you like to write?
I do like to work in my study, rather than take a laptop to bed or the corner of the kitchen table, as I often read other writers do. My study is bursting at the seams with stuff but I know where each bit of stuff is. If I could change it, I’d push the walls out a bit. I’d especially like room for a big blank wall that I could stick notes to and move them around when I’m planning.

How important is it to you to plot your novels?
Usually, very. Maybe not in a very structured or detailed way, but I need to know where the plot is going and major things like goals, missions or what’s keeping people apart. That said, my WIP, which is currently called Dream a Little Dream, is just buzzing in my head and so I keep writing it down. I seem to have come at it from a slightly different angle – my characters, Liza and Dominic, both have things to recover from. I suppose recovery is a goal of sorts but it’s more reactive than proactive. It seems to be working at the moment so I’m just going with it – until it stops working, when I will stop writing and do a big planning session.

Are your characters ever based on people you know?
Not a lot. Maybe bits and pieces – traits. Family and friends do suspect me of basing things on them when I don’t. Occasionally, someone upsets me so I give a character their name and make them suffer. When I was in America last year a lady in the post office treated me like an imbecile and I left thinking, ‘Right! You’re going in the book!’ But there turned out to be no place for her.

What makes the ideal romantic novel heroine?
She has to be open to falling in love, even if she doesn’t know it, and be fun and likeable, at least a big chunk of the time. She has to have the ability to be deeply attracted to the hero and she has to attract him in the way that makes him want to jump her bones. I wouldn’t want a passive whiny whinger as a heroine because a) passivity makes her difficult to push through the action b) the readers wouldn’t want to spend time with her, any more than they’d want to spend time with a whiny whingy real person.

When judging a competition what's your biggest turnoff?
A bad opening has the most impact, because I know from the first page that I’m not going to be able to shortlist the story. But I’m most disappointed by hitherto good stories that peter out weakly at the end – fizzle where they should sizzle. I give big theatrical sighs and tuts because the writer’s got me all excited and then let me down, flip bits of paper about and mutter.

What qualities do you think writers should have?
Persistence. Willingness to learn and accept critique/editorial direction. Storytelling ability. Joy in their writing. Endless patience. Ability to promote themselves.

What are you working on at the moment?
Dream a Little Dream is a novel about making huge life changes, as I mentioned. Liza was a secondary character in All That Mullarkey – Cleo’s naughty little sister. Since then, she has been through a big life change and is off alcohol and men (if you’ve read All That Mullarkey you’ll know how unlikely this is). Dominic has had a huge life change, too, as, during the stress of his divorce he was diagnosed as narcoleptic. This is not good if you are an Air Traffic Control Officer as the pilots prefer you to be awake.

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
Accept that you need education. Don’t fall for all this ‘writers are born and not made' stuff – it’s not true. Dancers, actors and artists, no matter how talented, go through years of training. Why would writers be different? Whether it’s classes, courses, seminars, talks, conferences, mentoring, books or magazines, keep learning your craft and understanding the industry and your place in it.

Love & Freedom will be published by Choc Lit on 1 June 2011. You can pre order it now or read the first two chapters. And you can listen to a recording of the FREE prequel chapter HERE.

You’re welcome to befriend Sue on Facebook or Follow her on Twitter.

Sue Moorcroft was talking to Maureen Vincent-Northam, co-author of The Writer's ABC Checklist
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Interview with Michaelbrent Collings

Michaelbrent Collings is a novelist, writing thrillers, Sci-Fi and Young Adult and children's books. He is also a screenwriter, has optioned and done rewrites for screenplays for major Hollywood production companies, and is currently developing several movies and television shows.




WEBSITE

Michaelbrent's Amazon page


What was the first thing you had published?
The first thing I had published was a short story for the local paper. I was 15 at the time, and there was a contest to see who could write the spookiest story (fictional, of course) about my hometown for the newspaper's Halloween edition. I received the huge sum of fifty dollars for the piece, which supported my video game habit for about three weeks.

Tell us about your proudest writing achievement.
Hmmm. That's a tie, I think. It would either be when I sold my first screenplay to a big production company (a movie called BARRICADE which is currently in post-production...yippee!), or when my suspense thriller RUN made it to No. 61 in the Kindle store in the USA. Both were amazing moments that made me feel like maybe - just maybe - I was really an author.

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?
My strength is definitely that I write fast. I can hit 10,000 words in a day if things are really flowing.

Weaknesses...that's a tough one. I suppose it's probably being too amazing. Just kidding. I'd say my greatest weakness, or at the very least the thing I have to watch out for most when I write, is a desire to get finished. Meaning that when I get to the end of a book or a script or a story or whatever, I really have to fight the desire to cut corners so that I can get the thing out the door. It's constantly a struggle for me to slow down, take my time, and get it done right.

Do you have a writing routine or any odd writing quirks?
Well, I do tend to cover myself head to toe in whipped cream and hum music by the Backstreet Boys while working. Of course, now that I'm married I do that less, because my wife complains about the melted whipped cream everywhere. Geez.

Actually, my writing routine is pretty simple: wake up, roll out of bed, sit on chair, begin typing. Continue until exhausted, then rinse, lather, repeat.

Is there a special place you like to write?
I prefer to write on paper. I tried writing on marshmallows for a long time, but found that editors were constantly complaining. Whiners.

Oh! You mean, like, LOCATION. Ah. Well, I like to either write at home, or, if things are too crazy here, I abscond to a bookstore where I can soak up the literary vibes while I roll out my next masterwork.

How important is it to you to plot your novels?
That's a great question! And the answer is: it depends. Some novels I hardly plot out at all. In those cases, I know exactly how the book begins (I'm pretty good with beginnings), and have a general idea how it ends, then I just sort of turn my characters loose to see what they will do to get from point "A" to point "B".

My most recent book, PERDITION, (get yours at amazon.com today!) was a lot like that. I knew that the book would begin with a man whose family would try to kill him, and I had a pretty good idea that there would be a twist or two at the end, but in between there were as many surprises for me as for the reading audience. Contrast that to my books RUN (also at amazon) or THE MERIDIANS (also also at amazon), which are very complicated structurally. Those two I had to map out in a very detailed way so that I didn't lose myself in the writing. So really, it's case by case. I enjoy both!

Are your characters ever based on people you know?
Yes. For instance, there's this one nasty lady who constantly interviews people...er...I mean....there's this one GREAT, AMAZING, STUPENDOUS PERSON who interviews people. :o)

In all seriousness, I'd say the answer is: kind of. I take interesting snippets from real people, and use them to liven up some of my characters. And all my heroes are, of course, based on me. Only they have full heads of hair (I am what could graciously be referred to as "a baldy").

Which author has influenced you most?
Probably Dean Koontz or Orson Scott Card. Not only are they both amazing writers, but I have the immense privilege of being friends with both of them, and they're simply amazing human beings. That's a really cool thing I've found about writers: most of them, even the big-time celebrities, are immensely interesting and generous folks. Dean has influenced me in the kinds of stories I write - we both gravitate toward genre-bending pieces that thrill and often (hopefully) inspire. Orson Scott Card, on the other hand, has been a tremendous influence on my treatment of thematics, since he is a master at that. There have also been others that have influenced me tremendously, but space doesn't allow for me to list them all.

How do you handle less-favourable reviews?
Mostly the same way everyone does: I cry until my mascara is runny (my wife hates it when I wear her mascara!) then I solemnly add the reviewer's name to my "Must Kill Soon" list.

Alternatively, I try my best to ignore the bad review. It's gotten easier as time has gone on, especially since the great majority of my reviews are quite positive. So I can look at the occasional less-than-glowing review and convince myself that that reviewer was just having a bad day, or was dropped on his/her head as an infant. Stuff like that.

What qualities do you think writers should have?
The most important quality for a writer to have, bar none, is an ability to WRITE. And by that, I don't mean that you have to be the next Billy Shakespeare. But you DO have to be able to plant your butt in a seat and write. People who say they want to be writers and who have never even typed or written out a single word are fooling themselves. If you want to be a great writer, the first step is to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and start WORKING.

What are you working on at the moment?
Well, I just finished up a book called PERDITION (which is still available at amazon, hahaha!) and next I'm going to do some work on a few screenplays. I'd tell you more, but they're very hush-hush, so if I told you I'd have to kill you and all your blog readers. And since I don't know who is going to read this, that would mean I'd have to hunt down everyone in the whole world and kill them all. Which, to say the least, would really mess up my sales figures.

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
WRITE. WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE. Write until you are so tired you can't write anymore. And then write some more.

I do joke around a lot, but this one is no joke. The only path to greatness in this endeavor is through toil and training. And both of those are achieved when you sit down, start clicking those keys, and crank out page after page after page of work. Not all of the pages will be good - heck, lots of them will be bad - but that's what God invented rewrites for! And if you never write, then that's the most certain way to assure yourself that you will never be a good writer...or any writer at all.

So get out there and write! I actually have a webpage and I posted a free paper there (it's under the heading "LTUE Papers") for all aspiring writers about the best way to achieve overnight success, and I talk at length about the importance of just DOING THE WORK! So feel free to stop by the site and take a gander at that paper. ;o)


Michaelbrent Collings was talking to Maureen Vincent-Northam, co-author of The Writer's ABC Checklist
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Childrens books wanted by Mythmaker

Mythmaker Publications, a new independent children's and YA book publishing house run by Bridget Kenningham and Andrew Naylor, are looking for submissions.

They would like to see manuscripts of children’s and young adult novels (not picture books) and say that authors needn't have had previous successes, as long as their submission is of the highest standard.

Submit around three chapters in hard copy or digitally using Word document.
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Interview with Margaret James

Margaret James wrote short stories and serials for UK women’s magazines before becoming the published author of fourteen novels. She writes the Fiction Focus column for Writing Magazine as well as some of the author profiles.

WEBSITE -- BLOG


Margaret's books
The Silver Locket
The Golden Chain
Elegy for a Queen


Margaret has very kindly donated a signed copy of her latest novel, The Golden Chain. To be in with a chance of getting your hands on it simply leave a comment here telling us what your favourite romantic novel is. The winner will be chosen next weekend (21/22 May).


Tell us about your proudest writing achievement.
I think that has to be when I got my first publishing contract for a novel called A Touch of Earth and my mother said I was a clever girl. She’s partial and prejudiced, of course, but it was lovely to see Mum beaming all over her face and looking so proud of me – bless.

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?
Maybe we should ask other people about that! But I think plotting is probably my greatest strength – I love plotting and constructing elaborate stories – while a tendency to race along at breakneck speed is my greatest weakness. I have to remind myself to slow down now and again, and to let my characters get their breath back.

Do you have a writing routine or any odd writing quirks?
I try to stick to a routine, but magazine deadlines have a habit of creeping up on me. Where did April go this year, did anybody notice it? I also teach creative writing, and my students quite rightly expect a fast turnaround with their assignments. So I tend to look at what needs to be done from day to day, and plan my routine around it.

I don’t have any lucky charms or any writing superstitions. I don’t need special paper and I’m not still using my original lucky typewriter, but –

Is there a special place you like to write?
– I do have a lovely old desk which I’ve had for thirty-five years, and at which I’ve done almost all my writing, so I’m very attached to it.

How important is it to you to plot your novels?
It’s very important. If I haven’t worked out a plot for a novel, I know I’ll find it very difficult to write it. Sometimes, a character will wander into my mind and say, write about me. So I’ll start, but I’ll realise I’ll need to have a story outline worked out soon. I change my mind, of course, and sometimes my characters end up in places I didn’t originally intend them to be. But I need a road map of some sort before I set out on almost any fictional journey.

What made you choose to write in the romance genre?
I’m endlessly fascinated by what attracts people to each other, why they fall in love, why they fall out of love, what makes them cruel to each other (as the songs say, you always hurt the one you love, and too much love will kill you, just the same as none at all), and what makes them kind.

What do you think makes an ideal romantic hero?
Well, there are lots of things he shouldn’t be, such as mean-spirited, spiteful, greedy, conceited or selfish. In most romantic fiction, the hero is handsome, or attractive in some easily recognisable way. If he’s not classically gorgeous, he’ll need to have charm and/or be clever and entertaining. In fact, whatever he looks like, he’ll need charm.

What qualities do you think writers should have?
Optimism and determination – if you’re a glass half empty person, you shouldn’t be a writer, or you shouldn’t aspire to be a published writer, anyway. The road to publication is strewn with thorns, and even when you’re published the Bad Review Fairy is always hovering around, hoping to give you a bad time!

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
A writer needs friends who are writers themselves and who know what it’s like to be in this frustrating, aggravating but sometimes wonderful profession, because nobody else quite understands.

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
Become an accountant, or a dentist, or a banker, instead! But, if you insist on becoming a novelist, try to have other things in your life, hobbies and interests which have nothing to do with writing (even though you’ll probably end up writing about them anyway), and don’t compare yourself with other writers, because you’re you, you have your own unique voice, and that’s very important.

What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve spent the past twelve months doing in-depth rewrites of two novels which originally appeared in hardback but which were much revised for paperback publication – The Silver Locket and The Golden Chain. I’m waiting for some editorial notes on the third volume in this trilogy, which is going to need some major restructuring for paperback publication, and in the meantime I’m plotting a romantic mystery. I always have several novels in development, and I like working this way, but it wouldn’t be right for everyone.

So other writers are more successful – so what? Good for them, but in the meantime look at what you’ve achieved, not at what you haven’t achieved.

Thank you for inviting me to be a guest on your blog, Maureen. I’ve enjoyed talking to you, and your questions made me think, which is never a bad thing!


Margaret James was talking to Maureen Vincent-Northam, co-author of The Writer's ABC Checklist
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Interview with Douglas Jackson

Douglas Jackson has had a lifelong interest in history and in particular the Roman era. His novels include the critically acclaimed Caligula, Claudius, and Hero of Rome.
WEBSITE -- BLOG
Douglas's books
Caligula (Roman Trilogy 1)
Claudius (Roman Trilogy 2)
Hero of Rome (Roman Trilogy 1)


Doug's author photo courtesy of Alex Hewitt/Writerpictures


What was the first thing you had published?
The first thing I ever had published was a one paragraph news story about a car crash two days after I’d joined my local newspaper, the Kelso Chronicle and Jedburgh Gazette. I walked along the street for my lunch and a car shot across the square and through a shop window. I didn’t know much about the legal niceties of such things in those days, but fortunately someone kept me from being up in front of the beak for contempt of court.

The first piece of literature I ever had published was my book, Caligula, which had gone through an earlier incarnation as The Emperor’s Elephant.

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?
Being a writer you never really think in terms of strengths, but there are some things that come easier than others. I really enjoy conveying action and adventure; being at the centre of the big battle scenes in Claudius and Hero of Rome. The things I find most difficult are relationships and conveying human emotions. I always have to work very hard to get them right.

Do you have a writing routine or any odd writing quirks?
I try to get up and go straight to work. The reality is I’ll spend half an hour or an hour fiddling about on news websites, Facebook and Twitter and cursing myself for doing it. When I’m writing, rather than rewriting or editing, I aim to produce three thousand words a day and I’ll work as long as I need to hit the target.

Is there a special place you like to write?
Nowadays, I have a study, which is actually the spare bedroom, but I wrote Caligula and Claudius on the train between Bridge of Allan and Edinburgh.

Who is your favourite author and why?
John Le Carre, because he makes everything seem to effortless. He takes his reader through complex situations and the rawest of emotions, drawing them in and seducing them with the most beautiful prose in which not a word is wasted. He’s also versatile. He could have sat back after the Cold War ended and rested on his considerable laurels, but he took a look into the future and created a whole new career for himself. A master.

How do you handle the less-favourable reviews?
Strangely, the worst reviews are easier to take than the average ones. Unless the review contains some fair criticism, someone who really trashes your book is either just that way inclined, having a bad day or has an axe to grind. You can’t take it too seriously. Conversely, someone giving you a three star on Amazon was actually giving the book a chance, but found something in the writing, the plot or the narrative that they didn’t like. Those are the ones that make me really think.

How do you think you’d have fared living in Ancient Rome?
Not too well. If you weren’t born into privilege, you had to be a hustler or you didn’t have much of a chance. I’d like to think I could have been a well-loved, talented and cheerful scribe like Robert Harris’s Tiro.

What qualities do you think writers should have?
It goes without saying that they should have a peerless command of the English language, but I’ll say it anyway.

They should love words, sentences and paragraphs the way art lovers love Monet, Reubens or Picasso. They must be utterly committed and have the stamina to finish what they start.

What are you working on at the moment?
Right at this moment I’m reading my way back in to Avenger of Rome, the third in my Gaius Valerius Verrens trilogy, which now sits at 62,000 words, but had to be abandoned so I could do the edits on my debut thriller The Doomsday Testament.

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
Persevere.


Douglas Jackson was talking to Maureen Vincent-Northam, co-author of The Writer's ABC Checklist
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The Versatile Blogger Award - Woot

Many thanks to Susan Jones, aka suzy doodling for nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award – am quite overcome.

But there is a downside. I’m told I now have to own up to 7 things you may not have known about me, so here they are.



• At one time I was the merchandise exec for the Robin of Sherwood fan club (the TV series starring Michael Praed et al) and got to meet many of the actors.

• I worked as a family history researcher for a number of years and undertook research for people connected to royalty as well as a major Wild West legend.

• I love thunderstorms and listening to the rain. I pretty much love the sound of any running water: fountains, waterfalls, flushing toilets (only two of those three examples are true).

• My ambition is to visit Egypt. I’ve always had a fascination with the place and have a tendency to surround myself with lots of Egyptiany type things.

• Reading: my favourite genre is crime – of the ‘cosy’ variety, probably because I enjoy solving puzzles. I’ve created one or two puzzles and quizzes too for blogs, a local publication and a children’s website. I’ve also come up with my own amateur sleuth who is going to be big. All I have to do is write the book.

• I used to design, make and sell Christening wear. I’ve also made several wedding dresses and numerous bridesmaids’ dresses.

• I love chocolate, dates, condensed milk and bananas. Separately or together.


And now, in the tradition of these awards, I offer you the chance of visiting some great blogs - all worthy of a closer look. They’re packed with humour, fiction and interesting information and I hope their creators accept The Versatile Blogger Award baton without dropping it. I was always utter rubbish at relay racing.

Lorraine Mace

Suzi Williams

Mandy James

Trish Nicholson

David Robinson

Trevor Belshaw

Squizzey
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Freelance Market News and Me

If you subscribe to Freelance Market News you're likely to have received the latest addition of the magazine by now. I got mine yesterday and was probably more excited than was strictly necessary on seeing one of my articles in there.

If you don't subscribe to FMN, of course, you will have missed my piece but might like to join me in celebration with a cup of tea and a chocolate Hobnob.

FMN, for all those familiar only with chocolate Hobnobs, is a good resource for up-to-date info about the publishing world as well as having a monthly contest and other features including a free annual appraisal of your prose or poetry.

My article, by the way, is A Question of Market Research and offers practical advice to those writing non-fiction books.
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Interview with Miranda Dickinson

Miranda Dickinson’s novel Coffee At Kowalski's was spotted on Authonomy, the HarperCollins' website for unpublished writers. With the title changed to Fairytale of New York, it was published by their Avon imprint and Miranda was offered a three-book deal. Also a successful songwriter, Miranda has written over thirty songs and performed in venues across the UK and Europe.

WEBSITE - BLOG

Miranda's books
Fairytale of New York
Welcome to My World
It Started With A Kiss...


What was the very first thing you ever had published?
I wrote a short story called The Christmas Window that was on-demand published in a charity anthology, compiled by some friends from an online writers’ circle. I remember being incredibly chuffed to see my own words in actual print!

Tell us about your proudest writing achievement.
The absolute best thing about the past couple of years as a published writer has been the response from people who have read my books. I adore it when somebody takes the time to write to me to say how much they loved the story – it’s the most amazing thing that someone you’ve never met feels a connection with a story you’ve written. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the thrill of that.

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses?
I’ve always been able to think on my feet, which is both a strength and a weakness! As a strength it’s great because I can improvise easily and it’s especially useful when I’m in a meeting with my editor and I have to quickly create alternatives if she doesn’t like something. As a weakness it often means I end up doing my best work at the last minute – although this has always been the case for me, so I don’t worry about it as much as I used to. I’m still learning in many ways: suddenly becoming a successful published author in the way that I did meant that I’ve had to learn ‘on the job’ – so I hope that each book I write will show a progression from the last. That’s my ambition, anyway.

Do you have a writing routine or any odd writing quirks?
I write whenever I can. I have a part-time job three days a week, so Mondays and Tuesdays are my writing days plus evenings and weekends (and sometimes lunch-breaks!) I don’t have any writing quirks that I’m aware of, other than a lovely wool blanket I always have over my knees when I write and an annoying stack of washing up in the kitchen that always seems to grow when I’m writing…

Is there a special place you like to write?
At the moment I’m writing on my sofa as my house is a very small one-bedroomed place with no garden, but at the end of the year I’m moving to a gorgeous Victorian terraced house that I’ll be renting from friends. This means not only an office but also a kitchen and a garden that I can write in – I can’t wait! I recently visited my friend Ruth Saberton in lovely Polperro when I was speaking at one of her amazing Writers’ Weekends and found that setting was really inspirational to write in, so another trip to Cornwall may be in order soon…

How important is it to you to plot your novels?
It’s becoming increasingly so – writing a book a year makes good plotting essential! I tend to be a bit of a ‘seat-of-my-pants flyer’ so plotting is an important discipline that I’m making myself learn. That said, I love the journey of writing a novel and I like to be surprised by the emerging story, so I always try to leave some of the storyline open for serendipitous happenings. In an ideal world, I would love to start out with a bunch of new characters and just see where they end up, but perhaps that’s better left for when I’m not working to so tight a schedule as I am now!

Are your characters ever based on people you know?
It varies. When you tell your friends and family that you’re a writer, there are generally two responses: either, ‘Can you write me into your next novel?’ or, ‘Whatever you do, don’t write about me!’ Of course, it’s the second response that most makes me want to base a character on them! Most of the time my characters are amalgams of people I know, together with interesting people I see in coffee shops or around where I live. I keep a little notebook with me and sketch interesting people, then make up a thumbnail sketch of who I think they are – what their story is.

For example, Harri, the main character in my second novel, Welcome to My World, was based on a lady I saw in my local Caffe Nero who was drinking the most enormous mug of hot chocolate and laughing when she got cream on her nose. She instantly struck me as the kind of person who would be a fun friend, and that’s where the character idea began. In my new novel, It Started With a Kiss, there is a wedding band based on my best friends in the band I sing with, and two characters are based on people who asked me to write them in: Uncle Dudley is based upon my lovely soon-to-be father-in-law and D’Wayne (the wedding band’s manager) is based on my friend’s boyfriend.

How much of you is there in your characters?
Probably more than I realise! Before I was published, I shared the first half of Fairytale of New York with Bob (who is now my fiancé) before we started dating. On our first date, he bought me some yellow roses (my favourite flower) and I was astounded at how well he knew me. It was only about a year later that he confessed that most of the things he’d learned about me when we started going out were from my novel!

Who is your favourite author and why?
There are so many to choose from! I think if I have to pick one it would be Sarah Addison Allen because I love the quirky inventiveness of her books and also the wonderful atmosphere she creates in them. My favourite book of hers by far is The Sugar Queen – the characters are amazing, especially the girl who is followed by books. I like writers who take risks and aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of their genres. Cecelia Ahern is another writer I admire for this.

What qualities do you think writers should have?
Tenacity, a fierce belief in what you are writing and, most of all, a sense of humour. Tenacity because you need to be able to carry on, no matter what. Before I was published, I thought that all the niggling self-doubts, brick walls and disappointments would disappear if I could only be published; now I know these things only increase! Tenacity is incredibly important because sometimes sheer bloody-mindedness is the only way to push fears aside and achieve as a writer. You need a fierce belief in what you are writing because if you are passionate about your books then your readers will be, too. And you need a sense of humour to keep you grounded and sane!

What are you working on at the moment?
I’m doing the structural edit of my third novel, It Started With a Kiss, which will be published by Avon (HarperCollins) on 10th November this year. I’m also writing a short story for a lady who won the chance to star in her very own story written by me in the Authors for Japan auction earlier this year. And then I’ll be starting research for book four!

What advice would you give to an aspiring novelist?
Keep writing and keep believing. Give yourself permission to call yourself a writer and dream big dreams about what your books will achieve. I often call myself an ‘accidental novelist’ – my first book was spotted as an incomplete manuscript on Authonomy.com and I was offered a three-book deal, later extended to six books. I still don’t have an agent (although this is something I’m going to need to think about at some stage) and I did nothing that all the ‘how to be published’ books tell you to do – and yet it happened for me. That means it can happen for you, too!

Thanks for having me!
Miranda x

Miranda Dickinson was talking to Maureen Vincent-Northam, co-author of The Writer's ABC Checklist
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