1. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes, for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family who loved books and my favourite place as a little girl was my local library. I decided when I was about five that I wanted to write a book that could be on the shelves in Kingswinford Library (a tiny place in reality but a palace of dreams to me) – and that started a lifelong passion.
2. How long did it take you to write A Parcel for Anna Browne?
I’ve actually wanted to write Anna’s story for about three years, so I would say it took two and a half years to daydream the story and just under six months to write and edit it!
3. Is there a particular place you like to write?
At the moment I have an office tucked away in the spare bedroom of our house, but very soon this will become my daughter Flo’s bedroom, so I’ll have to find somewhere else!
I’m quite partial to writing on the sofa – a throwback to when it was the only place I could write in the one-bedroom flat I was renting (and where my first four novels were written). If I have enough cushions and a blanket over my knees, I’m happy there! Coffee shops are another favourite place to write – I like the bustle and chat going on around me as I’m writing.
For A Parcel for Anna Browne, I wrote the Godrevy and Polperro scenes during a family holiday, sitting at a kitchen table in an apartment overlooking Carbis Bay. Hearing the crash of waves and call of gulls really added to the story – perhaps one day I’ll be lucky enough to do all my writing there . . .
4. Do you have a routine as a writer?
Not really! I would love to be able to say I have a set routine, but I never have. For many years I juggled writing with a day job, so I fitted it in whenever and wherever I could. I naturally write better at night, so now we have Flo I’m writing after she goes to bed. Having a baby has meant I’ve had to become far more disciplined about my writing, so I keep notebooks everywhere (including the loo!) and grab moments to write and plan during the day. That way, when I write at night I know exactly what I’m doing and don’t waste time.
5. How are you going to celebrate publication day?
I’m famously rubbish at celebrating, so I plan to do something special with Bob and Flo to celebrate this novel. We’ll probably go to Birmingham to see the book in my favourite Waterstones in New Street (which is housed in an old Victorian bank) and have a celebratory lunch.
6. Which books have inspired you?
For A Parcel for Anna Browne, I was particularly inspired by the books of Sarah Addison Allen. I’ve been a fan of hers since I read The Sugar Queen and I adore the sense of magic she infuses into her stories. I wanted Anna’s parcels to have that feeling of magic about them – and for the story to feel like a fable.
7. How did you come up with the title of the book?
This one was really easy to come up with! It’s the arrival of the parcels in Anna’s life that begins a change in how she sees herself. I liked the sense of expectation in the title, too – I feel excited if I receive a parcel, so I wanted to convey that thrill.
8. What would you like readers to take away from A Parcel for Anna Browne?
Firstly, I hope they love the story! I think the main thing I’d love readers to take away from Anna’s story is that the parcels, while magical and lovely, aren’t responsible for the changes in her life. They merely give her permission to be the person she wants to be. I hope readers finish A Parcel for Anna Browne believing that anything is possible.
9. Are you writing a new novel at the moment?
Yes, I’ve already started writing the next book and I’m very excited about it! I don’t have a deadline yet, so I’m at the lovely stage of researching, dreaming and having fun creating characters.
10. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Firstly, write. Don’t put it off, hide in ‘How To’ books and writing conferences (which can be fab but can also be a legitimate excuse to delay starting to write), or tell yourself you can’t do it. Writing is a constant apprenticeship: you learn how to do it by doing it!
Secondly, when you start writing, chuck away the ‘aspiring’ tag. You’re only an aspiring writer if you want to write but aren’t doing it yet. Once you’re writing, you’re a writer.
And lastly, always, ALWAYS write for you first. The lovely, much-missed Terry Pratchett said, ‘The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.’ So write it for you. Don’t worry about the market, trends, genre or anything else: tell the story you want to tell. And have fun doing it! Fun isn’t frivolous – it’s a vital writing tool. If you love what you do, you’ll keep doing it, and nothing will deter you.