Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questions
with Caroline England
I'm delighted to welcome debut author, Caroline England to the spotlight feature today. I first met Caroline at CrimeFest in May, and we also share publication days!
Beneath The Skin is a brilliantly dark, domestic noir about a life changing lie - here is the blurb:
No-one remembers your past. But you do.
‘Antonia, Antonia. My name is Antonia.’
It’s been her name for many years. But sometimes, like tonight, she forgets.
Antonia has a secret. A secret so dark and so deep that she can barely admit it to herself. Instead, she treats herself to Friday night sessions of self-harm while her husband David is at the pub, and her best friend Sophie is drinking too much wine a few doors down.
Nobody close to her knows the truth about what the teenage Antonia saw all those years ago. No-one, that is, except her mother. But Candy is in a care home now, her mind too addled to remember the truth. Antonia is safe. Isn’t she?
The lies start small. They always do. But when the tightly woven story you’ve told yourself begins to unravel, the truth threatens to come to the surface. And then what’s going to happen?
Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?
Now, over to you, Caroline:
1)
Congratulations, Caroline, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how
you’re feeling right now:
Thrilled, dream, true!
2)
Describe your novel in ONE sentence:
Four couples with interlinking
histories; eight individuals, all with secrets that are ready to explode (thank you to Sarah Jasmon for putting
it so succinctly!)
3)
How are you celebrating publication day?
I think a bottle of fizz might
be in order!
4)
Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?
The first novel I wrote was chicklit
set in a solicitor’s office. I started writing it at my desk between working on my cases, but
don’t tell anyone!
5)
How long was it from the first submission of your completed
manuscript to agents, to this day?
A fairly long time! But, like
most writers, I submitted it far too early.
6)
So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a
published author?
How supportive and friendly
other published writers are!
7)
What are you most looking forward to as a published author?
To readers enjoying my novel!
Not everyone is going to like it, I know, but I hope
some people do!
Ok, let’s get down
to the writing process
8)
Which authors inspired your writing?
Funnily enough I was thinking about
Einstein’s quote about fairy tales today: “If you want your children to be intelligent,
read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more
fairy tales.” I can’t recall my mum reading them to me, but she bought me fairy
tale volumes every birthday and Christmas. I can see one now on my bookcase - The Yellow Fairy Book - I can still
remember eagerly dipping in! I’ve never read Roald Dahl’s novels for children,
but I discovered Switch Bitch, Kiss Kiss and his other short stories as
a teenager. I loved the intriguing colourful tales with their dark twists.
Looking back, I can see how they’ve influenced my own short stories.
I adored Mary Wesley’s surprisingly
risqué novels and Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles. I’m also a big
fan of Maggie O’Farrell and Kate Atkinson’s contemporary fiction. I have
always enjoyed reading crime fiction, from Agatha Christie as a child through
to Ruth Rendell, Minette Walters, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and more recently
Mark Billingham and Jo Nesbo. And now I’ve found all the fab Avon HarperCollins
crime writers! Though my novels are more ‘domestic noir’ than standard crime
fiction, I think my writing has been influenced by the blend of these two
genres, so I write about contemporary lives but with intrigue, complications,
dark edges and secrets. And, of course, love.
9)
How long did it take you to write ‘BENEATH THE SKIN’?
This is a tricky question as the
first draft was written fairly quickly, maybe ten
years ago, then I came back to it in more recent
times and fleshed it out.
10)
What was your first draft like?
The basic story was pretty much
the same as it is now. I thought it was
complete,
but of course it wasn’t! It has probably doubled in length since then.
11)
How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor?
b - and now you do?
I think the self-editing process is
a massive learning curve. My local writing group is particularly good at
spotting howlers. I actually enjoy the process and I have certainly got better
at it over time, but there’s nothing like having another pair of eyes,
especially professional ones!
12)
When you write do you need
music, or silence?
Silence (though the cats make
their presence known, often by
sitting on the
laptop
and purring loudly!)
13)
What is your guilty pleasure
when writing?
Yorkshire tea!
14)
What is your favourite part of the writing process? Least favourite?
Lying
in the bath and getting inspiration is my favourite. Getting distracted by life
and
thinking
I’ll never have the ability to write again is the least.
15)
Did you need to conduct any
research for your novel? How did you approach it?
No.
16)
Now you have a book deal –
with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?
I’m
very much a ‘doer’ so I quite liked the deadlines for book 2, but I don’t know
how I’d feel about writing from
scratch. Super stressed probably! Fortunately I had My
Husband’s Lies in the bag!
17)
What do you do in your ‘spare’ time?
Spending as much time as I can
with my three gorgeous girls!
18)
What’s coming next?
My Husband’s Lies will (hopefully) be published in May 2018. It’s available
for pre- order now on Amazon!
19)
Where can readers find you?
Twitter: @CazEngland
Facebook: Caroline England
Author
Instagram: CazEngland1
Email:
carolineenglandauthor@gmail.com
20)
All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?
Just click on any of the following to be taken to the site:
Now, here's a bit about Caroline:
Born Yorkshire lass, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. Caroline was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer and instigated her jottings when she deserted the law to bring up her three lovely daughters. In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses by ACHUKAbooks, Caroline has had short stories and poems published in a variety of literary publications and anthologies. She was shortlisted for the Impress Prize 2015, in the Pulp Idol 2016 finals and long listed for the UK Novel Writing Competition 2017.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions - wishing you HUGE success with Beneath The Skin - and enjoy your day!
I think we'll both be celebrating later :)
