Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog.... Eliza J.Scott...
I’d have to say Enid Blyton and her books
about the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree. It was while looking them as a
small child, I first realised I could actually read; not just a couple of
words, but lots of them put together to make a sentence, then a paragraph, then
a page! I can still remember that feeling of utter happiness! I was also
enthralled by Beatrix Potter and the exquisite drawings in her books; the
perfect fuel for a young imagination! Happy memories.
2.
WHAT
INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING AND HOW LONG HAS IT TAKEN YOU TO GET TO THIS
POINT?
I’d say my love of books and reading is
what inspired me. As a child, I always used to feel an overwhelming urge to
write after I’d finished reading a book. I used to make my own – complete with
drawings – out of pieces of paper folded together. I’d scribble little stories
about mice who lived in tree trunks or a girl called Emily who was always
getting into mischief. I wanted to be a writer from an early age, but those
dreams got swallowed up by life, getting a job, getting married, having a
family, buying a building renovation … all the usual things. I started writing seriously
again when my youngest daughter started secondary school, but I kept it to
myself and used to write in secret! I’ve got notebooks full of drafts for
different stories – my Life on the Moors series came from these, as has the
seaside series I’ll be starting next year. But it was a trip to the Festival of
Writing at York that really spurred me on; I came away from that feeling very fired
up. So, to sum up; it’s taken a heck of a long time to get to this point!
3.
DESCRIBE
YOUR WRITING SPACE – NEAT AND ORDERLY OR CREATIVE CHAOS?
It’s a bit of a mixture actually – though
the chaos isn’t creative! My writing space is a little room just off the living
room – we call it ‘the snug’. It needs a total revamp, but I moved in to write
during lockdown as my usual space (the kitchen table) was proving impossible to
work from with everyone being at home full-time. It’s still home to a bit of
junk (that’s yours, Mr S, if you’re reading this!) which is slowly
disappearing, but I’ve been buying lots of lovely bits and bobs to decorate it
with when it’s finally cleared. I have my desk in there, and I like everything
on it to be neat and orderly; only papers, notebooks and files relating to my
current WIP are allowed!
4.
WHAT
IS THE EASIEST AND HARDEST PART OF THE WRITING PROCESS?
For me, the hardest part is definitely
writing the blurb! Ughh! Just thinking about it puts my stomach in knots! The
easiest part is when I’m describing scenery from the North Yorkshire Moors,
which I can see from the windows of my home. I can’t help but feel totally
inspired whenever I look out at them.
5.
WHICH
OTHER AUTHORS ARE YOU INFLUENCED BY?
Ooh, this is a tricky one to narrow down as
there are so many wonderful authors out there. I’d say my favourites would have
to include Milly Johnson, Sarah Morgan, Heidi Swain (fully-fledged member of
the Swainettes club here!), Cathy Bramley, Carole Matthews, Catherine Alliott,
Santa Montefiore, Emma Davies, Jules Wake/Julie Caplin, Freya North, Karen Swan
… oh, heck, I could go on forever!
6.
WHAT
DOES LITERARY SUCCESS LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
When a reader takes the time to get in
touch to tell you how much they enjoyed your books. It’s just the best feeling;
heartwarming and humbling in equal measure – it still takes a bit to sink in! –
and I appreciate it enormously.
7.
HOW
DO YOU SELECT THE NAMES OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I don’t have a process really, they just
pop into my head when I’m drawing up their profile. They pretty much always
stick too.
8.
DO
YOU HIDE ANY SECRET ‘MESSAGES’ IN YOUR BOOK THAT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WILL
UNDERSTAND?
No, I’ve never done that. I’d love to find
out who does, though! That’s very intriguing.
9.
IF
YOUR BOOK WAS TO BE MADE INTO A FILM/TV PROGRAMME, WHICH ACTORS WOULD PLAY
WHICH ROLE?
For A Christmas Kiss and A Christmas
Wedding at the Castle, I’d have to say Henry Cavill for Zander and Holliday
Grainger for Livvie, with a very cheeky black Labrador for Alf’s role!
10.
WHAT
DO YOU HOPE YOUR READERS TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR BOOK?
The same as I hope for myself when reading a book: the opportunity to be transported to a fictional place where I can immerse myself amongst the pages and forget about what’s going on around me. That’s become increasingly important this year.
LASTLY, JENN (THE COMFY CHAIR) LIKES TO ENJOY A GOOD READ SNUGGLED UP WITH A CUP OF TEA AND A PIECE OF CAKE … WHAT CAKE OR SWEET TREAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO ACCOMPANY YOUR BOOK?
I can’t think of anything nicer than snuggling up with a book and a large mug of Yorkshire Tea (no sugar, just a splash of milk!) and a couple of ginger biscuits for dunking!
Thank
you for your fabulous questions, Jenn, I had great fun answering them. And, if
it’s okay with you, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful
members of the book community – whether they’re a reader, a blogger or an author
– for all of their support and kind words. It’s such a warm, friendly and
inclusive community to be part of. Thank you!
If
you like the sound of it, you can grab a copy here:
ABOUT ELIZA
Eliza is proud to be a member of the RNA. She lives in a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden, fighting a losing battle against the weeds.
When she's not reading or gardening, Eliza also
enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop
where she can indulge in another two of her favourite things: tea and cake.
Her biggest weakness is ginger biscuits dunked
in tea.
Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings
and loves to write heartwarming romance stories with relatable female
characters. She enjoys exploring the dynamics of female friendship, with a key
feature of her books being how women pull together and support one another when
things get tough.
Eliza's novels will always have happy endings.
Twitter:
@ElizaJScott1
Instagram: @elizajscott
Facebook: @elizajscottauthor
Blog: www.elizajscott.com
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott
Amazon Author Page:
UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH
US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH
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