Tell us about your
latest book.
My latest book, The Kitty Committee, is available for purchase everywhere
books are sold. It’s a literary psychological suspense novel
about a girl, Grace, who, due to a family tragedy, moves to the US
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| https://amzn.to/2LRG6UD |
Do you read your book
reviews? How do you deal with the bad or good ones?
I tend to read the early reviews but not so
much the later ones. I try not to be affected by negative reviews but of course
I’m human. However, I remind myself that even Anna Karenina has nearly 13,000 one-star reviews on Goodreads. I
try to be true to myself when I write, and not concern myself with what others
may or may not like. Naturally, I hope anyone who reads one of my books will
come out with something positive from the experience.
Who are your favourite
authors?
Among 21st century authors, some of
my favorites are: Margaret Atwood, Elena Ferrante, Jim Crace, Andrew Sean
Greer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and a few Hungarian authors including Agota
Kristof.
Who
is you favourite character in your book and why?
My favorite character is
Maggie because she’s emotionally damaged—wounded by life—and yet she never
stops believing in the goodness of others. She has a huge heart and never learns
to protect it with armor the way many do in order to survive.
Are you a plotter
or a pantser?
I’m definitely a pantser. I’ve tried
plotting and I do have a general idea in mind when I begin to write a novel,
but the characters always take on a life of their own and lead me to unexpected
places. I feel, for me, if I became a true plotter, I would be restraining my
characters from everything they’re meant to be.
Do you believe
in writer’s block?
I don’t suffer from writer’s block in
terms of a lack of ideas or creativity. Sometimes, though, I feel the need to
take a break because writing a book can be an emotionally exhausting event.
If you could
tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self to pick an
intriguing concept, then sit down and start writing. My younger self believed
that in order to write a novel, one must have a completely original storyline
which has been totally fleshed-out and simply needs to be transcribed onto
paper. Now, I believe there are just a handful of original stories which have
been retold in thousands of different ways over thousands of years. The beauty
is in the details.
What are you
currently reading?
Currently, I’m reading Pachinko, The Electric Woman,
The Good Son, and a friend’s manuscript.
I always read at least three books at the same time because I’m a slow reader
and I can’t wait to get on to the next book.
What are some of
your all time favourite books?
There are so many books that I love but two
that have stood the test of time and have a special place in my heart for
various reasons are The Crock of Gold
and Earth Abides.
When
you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
I spend time with family and friends,
exercise, take long walks, travel, watch lots of Netflix series (mostly
foreign), go to movies, and read.
