When I’m writing a novel, I always like to have an image in my mind of what the two lead characters look like. Often, this can be a composite of two or three people – for example, in my debut novel, The Second Chance Tea Shop, Matthew Carter, the leading man, was a kind of […]
So, today’s ‘what I love’ is actually about something I’ve just started…again. There’s something about the very beginning of a new novel; when the details aren’t there, when you’re feeling your way, and things are just vague shapes in your mind. For me, it starts with the end. I generally, although not always, know how […]
For the first four novels of my career, I wrote in the living room. The computer was in the corner, and I’d type while keeping a vague eye on my young daughters, just to make sure no major mishaps occurred. When the first, and then the second, went to school, I stayed put because it […]
It occurred to me the other day, when trying to teach point of view in narrative to an exam class, that the notion of POV can be a bit confusing. Certainly, when I started writing, years ago, I didn’t really consider the importance of maintaining a consistent point of view in a scene, and was […]
You find me, once again, in that strange emotional position of having submitted one book to my publisher, Boldwood, whilst starting to work on the next one – as a contracted author, that’s definitely the way of things! Usually, I’m quite pleased to send the manuscript on to agent and editor, but this time, I’m […]
I find myself, for the fourth time, in a state of what Gwyneth and Chris would call ‘conscious uncoupling’. Not from the ever devoted Husband, I hasten to add, but from a novel. It’s a funny old feeling. You live with characters in your head for so long as a novelist; even when you’re away […]
So this week is half term week, and I’m supposed to be stepping away from the computer, remembering I have a family and spending some time with The Husband and The Sprogs. As you can see, that’s going well! I’m generally not very good at Cold Turkey, whether that’s biscuits, booze or books… In all […]
Since I finished looking over the copy edit of book 2, I’ve started to get really stuck in to writing book 3 of the Little Somerby series. As usual, this has led to much thought about what my ‘process’ is when I’m writing, so I thought I’d try to document some of that here, for […]
Recently I got book 2 of Little Somerby back from my lovely editor at Aria, and I’m currently embarking on putting her feedback into action. It’s been bit of a journey back into the book, as I got totally wrapped up in writing the early sections of book 3 at the end of June, but […]
One of the things that continually surprises me with this writing malarkey is the way that certain characters reveal their inner intentions and desires to me at the oddest moments. I’ve been putting together the random bits of book 2 ready to make more sense of it over the coming weeks, but yet again I’ve […]
Fay Keenan 