Welcome to The Comfy Chair blog... Liz Hinds, author of upcoming release, 'This Year Maybe.'
My name’s Liz Hinds, I live in Wales, on the edge of the beautiful Gower Peninsula – the first Area of Outstanding Natural beauty to be designated as such in Britain – with Husband and George. You’ll hear plenty about them – and it won’t necessarily be complimentary – if you read my blog! (http://lizhinds.online/)
I love reading, writing, walking with George, fun socks, and ice cream, but not as much as I adore my grandchildren
1. What was your favourite childhood book/author?
Little
Women was my absolute favourite but before that I have fond memories of a book
about Pookie. I can’t even remember if Pookie was a bear or a creature, or what
he got up to, but I just have this little spot in my heart labelled, ‘Pookie’.
As
for Little Women, of course I wanted to be Jo, even though I didn’t think
seriously about that for a long time. Still haven’t forgiven her for not
marrying Laurie though.
2. What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken
you to get to this point?
Although
I was good at writing essays, through school and university I took the science
route. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that the church I was part of set
up a local newspaper and I got involved with that, and, as they say, it just
went on from there.
3. Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative
chaos?
No
question, creative chaos. I have the habit of jotting things I think are
important or want to remember down on scraps of paper, which then litter
themselves – nothing to do with me – across my desk. I am trying to be more
organised and write everything in a notebook but, well. My desk is also home to
stones painted by grandchildren, and another notebook of Welsh – I started
learning online during lockdown. At the moment there’s also a t-towel that I
brought in to mop up the water I spilled.
4. What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing
process?
Having
ideas is easy. Facing the fear when it comes to putting them on paper terrified
that they’ll not live up to the promise in my head is hard. Letting the
characters write their own stories is easy. Writing it for them and making it
fill enough pages – I am by nature a short writer, if you understand me – is
hard. But nothing is as hard as marketing and promoting. Although I’m now on my
third published novel I’m only just beginning to realise that books don’t sell
themselves. (Just look at my sales figures …) So I’m doing courses, watching
videos, learning new things, going from excited enthusiasm to mind-boggled
misery in the course of a few hours each day.
5. Which other authors are you influenced by?
Katie
Fforde is my favourite of that genre (whatever that would be) and I love Janet
Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels. And I adore the style of Fredrik Backman
though I have yet to emulate him.
6. What does literary success “look” like to you?
Lots
of people reading and loving your books.
7. How do you select the names of your characters?
Do
you know I don’t have a clue? I’ve tried to think before about why I decided to
call this person Alison and that person Trisha, for example, but it must be a
magical process that just happens.
8. Do you hide any secret ‘messages’ in your book that only a
few people will understand?
So
deep are they buried that no-one has ever found one. Or maybe I’ve not even thought
about a secret message. Hm, now, what would I want to impart to those in the
know?
9. If your book was to be made into a film/TV programme, which
actors would play which role?
When
I wrote my first novel – many years ago – I cast the now late Alan Rickman as
the male lead. He was the only one I’ve ever seen so clearly and that was
mainly a case of heard, as in the male character, David, has a sexy voice. I
shall have to think about casting for my new novel.
10. What do you
hope your readers take away from your book?
A
smile, a warm feeling – or from my first and newly-released novels, that ‘At
least I’m not as dopey as Alison.’
Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair)
likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake...
what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book?
A Welshcake or three.
Release date: 25th November 2020
Alison and David have been
engaged for so long that even Alison’s mother has given up asking when, but
it’s second time around for both of them and they’re not in any particular
hurry. That said, Alison is beginning to wonder if living with her has put
David off the idea of marriage so when he suggests they set a date she is
delighted. But that date is six months’ away and a lot can happen in six months
– especially if you’re Alison!
‘My son’s been arrested, Great-aunt Millie's fallen in love, my best
friend suspects her husband of having an affair, and I still need to lose
weight. How on earth can I think about getting married?’
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Liz Hinds Website http://lizhinds.online/
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This Time Next Year, the prequel to This Year Maybe.
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Thanks, Jenn! Looks great. x
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