Author Spotlight_ Interview with Fiona Cummins _ Writing Community Chat Show.

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You're tuned into the Writing Community Chat
Show, the live streaming YouTube podcast that
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brings you the stories of authors,
screenwriters and more indie or established. This
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shows for the community, and we
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Head to the Writingcommunity chatshow dot com
for more info. The WCCs together
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as one, we get it gone
the right. Yeah, hello everybody,
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and welcome to this week's Writing Community
Chat Show. We've got a fantastic guest
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coming up for you tonight, and
we've also got a very exciting show because
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Chris whoy will know this very well. We've been talking all week and excited
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about this. We've actually reached our
first milestone on YouTube thanks to many of
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you people watching these videos and supporting
us, and it's been fantastic and we
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were actually accepted. So we talked
about it on Wednesday, but we didn't
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want to get our hopes up in
case YouTube didn't accept us into the program.
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But now they have so, which
is absolutely amazing. There are members
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of this already, Anna whose birthday
is today, Happy birthday, Anna.
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She has become a member already,
which is absolutely incredible. So she is
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now a member of our YouTube channel
and you can do the same, which
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accesses emojis and perks of being a
member, which will include special shows and
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all those kind of good things.
So very exciting. Happy birthday to you
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as well, and thank you for
supporting us like that. It is incredible.
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Chris Soony, how are you doing. Yeah, I'm slightly apprehensive that
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we now have emojis as an option
for our audience because I've seen what they're
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like in the comments and those emojis
might get a little bit out of control.
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But no, happy days. Hopefully
we can get one of those little
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YouTube plaque things at some point.
Reviews it's pretty good, God dream big.
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But yeah, it's a it's a
milestone for the show, and you
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know, we thank everyone for their
support and obviously sticking with us for all
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these seasons, and you know,
hopefully there's a lot more to come from
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us, and this is just one
gate post that we're going through. Yeah,
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I hope. So I'm always the
skep skept this skeptic. I was
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going to say something weird there of
the show, and you're always the person
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that like looks ahead. So just
before we came on, our lovely guest
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Fiona was chatting to us and asking
which kind of presents that we are Chris,
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who did she say? Was it
Jonathan Ross and Graham? She said,
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you know who's the Graham Norton,
Who's the Jonathan Ross? Who the
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Anton dek E, the Terry Wogan? So yeah, let us know in
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the comments who you think we're like, if we like anyone? Or are
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we unique? Are we original?
Very different from the Yeah, it's a
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bit of a weird one. I
don't think we've ever been compared on any
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of our shows. But yeah,
I'm really excited about this whole new partnership
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program effort on you you and the
next milestone is four. We're eight hundred
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hours off that one, and that
will be adverts and all that great stuff.
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But the fact that we made it
to this level, I don't think
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Neil Chris really kind of comprehended or
believed that that was going to happen anytime
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soon. And suddenly, through the
effort, especially the Locke Nation and their
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support, we have shot up there
very quickly. So thank you again.
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We have got some great guests lined
up. We're pretty much getting towards the
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end of season twelve, I want
to say, being thirteen shows into season
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twelve. So season thirteen will be
coming up, which is crazy, and
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we will be looking for other guests
and other people to showcase their journeys as
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well. So we're always open to
suggestions, no matter how big of an
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author or how much of a beginner
they are. We like everybody's input as
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well, So yeah, get those
suggestions rolling in. But Chris, how
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has your week been? Yeah,
I mean it's been a good week.
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I'm really excited reading Feel Book this
week, obviously with preparation of a coming
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on the show, and it's got
such a great prologue for anyone out there
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who wants to have a little luck
and maybe read a couple of pages as
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this interview is going on. Yeah, I think you'll just get hooked.
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In fact, maybe wait until left
the show, because you might get too
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hooked that you just completely ignore us
for the rest of the time. But
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yeah, it's a good week.
And as you said, again a great
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guest. We've often said on this
show that we are blessed with guests,
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and you know, thirteen or twelve, nearly thirteen seasons in and that's still
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the case, and you know,
we're privileged for that to be the case.
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I actually remember when we started out
reading a thing about most podcasts don't
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last longer than two years, so
we've already beat that milestone. And then
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most podcasts don't get their own T
shirt, and we got that milestone.
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And then, as far as i'm
were, no other podcast has had its
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own beer, and we had that
at one point as well. So yeah,
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we've done quite a lot of good
things we have. Indeed, hopefully
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we can get some more sorted out
soon. Yeah, I think it's been
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fantastic. So what I'd like to
say to you guys is if you would
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love to, I'd love you to
hit the like button and subscribe, obviously,
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but if you have questions for our
guest tonight, whether they throughout the
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show or at the end, especially
with our question time, please start thinking
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about questions and send them in.
If you have any comments for our guests
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or for us, send them in
as well. We can get them on
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screen if we want to, and
I'm sure you'll light our faces up when
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we read the comments while we're trying
to have a serious conversation at times.
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But that's the joy of it.
So without further ado, I'm going to
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get tonight's guest on because we're excited, Chris, and that means we could
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waffle for ages, and we don't
want to do that. We want to
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get a story of our guests.
So are you ready? Should I introduce
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our guest? Yeah, I'd like
you to introduce a guest, and I'd
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like somebody who is a member to
see if they can get a waffle of
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bogie going in the comments, because
you know in reference the wattle fair enough,
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Okay, So it's an absolute pleasure
to introduce our guests for today.
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As a best selling author with a
background in journalism and a talent for crafting
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gripping narratives, Fiona has taken the
literary world by storm. Her debut novel
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Rattle not only secured international acclaim,
but also set the stage for a remarkable
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career in the world of storytelling.
Fiona's subsequent best sellers, including The Collector
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and When I Was Ten, have
left readings on the edge of their seats,
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while her creation of the DC soul
Anguish has added a new layup complexity
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to the crimeme fiction genre. So
please join us as we delve into a
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literary journey her writing processes and the
secrets behind her page turning narratives. Please
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welcome, Fiona. Come ins,
Hello, Fiona, good evening. I
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hope you appreciate the fact that I've
dressed up for you tonight. So I've
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put my sparkly top on, my
silver eyeshadow and my pink lipstick, so
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I have actually made an effort.
Oh my god, we are blessed.
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We appreciate it. And you look
fantastic, even in your lovely shard aka
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sauna. How are you doing,
Fiona, I'm not too bad, thank
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you. Yeah, it does.
It is quite sauna like, isn't it.
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People often mistake it for that,
but it's just very cozy. It
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is nice and warm. It's got
a bed of people that have seen me
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give interviews from here before will know
that I love my shared and I spend
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a lot of time in it,
and it's an excellent way to escape the
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madness of my house, which is
just down the garden. Yeah. I
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mean I would love a writing shed
or sauna, whatever it is. I'd
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love to get out into an independent
space. But I'm assuming that gives you
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a lot of a lot of focused
time in a place like that for social
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media working. Yeah, and just
to be clear, it is actually shared.
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It wasn't garden d it had spades
and a lawn mower and everything in
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it. And it was just because
of lockdown, there was nowhere quiet in
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the house for me to work.
So this head was emptied and insulated and
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now is my workspace. And yeah, I mean I spend you know,
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most of my working day here and
it is really good. I mean it
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is good for just being able to
shut the back door and I don't think,
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oh, the washing up needs to
be done, or I need to
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put a load of washing on.
I can just come up here and this
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is my this is my writing space, so and I treat it as that
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because otherwise, I mean, I
already find it tricky enough. And I
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don't know whether you guys experience this
or you know, other writers I not
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do too. Is that if you
are if you work from home a lot,
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that the job bleeds into your day, so there is no start an
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end of your day. You just
it's just there all the time. That's
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one of the things I miss about
kind of a job where you worked in
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an office and then you came home
and you could shut the door and think,
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right, okay, and I can
watch I don't know, six hours
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of marriage, first site or whatever, and I don't need to think about
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work at all, whereas now work
is always kind of in the Yeah,
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it's definitely nice to separate that and
disconnect from your house because you don't want
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to really mix them up too much, so you won't find that relaxing kind
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of state in your house at the
end of the day either. But where
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in the world is your amazing writing
shed? Where are you coming from?
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So? I am in Essex,
near Lye on Cea in Essex, which
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is on the coast, the sort
of on the Thames Estuary. So we
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were fully anticipating getting battered by the
storm earlier on this week. And it
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is true to say that about four
point thirty in the morning on Thursday night
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I could hear a very ominous dripping
sound coming from our loft. So there
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was a little leak there, but
everything is calm. We managed to escape
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without too much damage. It actually
wasn't too bad here. It wasn't as
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bad as they feared. So but
yeah, so Lee on Sea, nearly
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on Sea, which is where I
grew up actually, and I never anticipated
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that I would be back here.
I lived in London, I've lived in
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Manchester, I've lived in Glasgow and
sort of came back here and ended up
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staying. So it's cool. My
mum and dad are not far from here,
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the kids are at school and settled
here, and you know, as
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I've got older, I have a
greater appreciation of where I grew up.
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My brother always vowed never to return, but you know, there's the sea,
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there's the woods. You know,
there's lots of kind of lovely walks
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and things. So yeah, I'm
pretty happy here. Yeah, it's nice.
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It's nice to appreciate where you are. Which of those places that you've
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lived has the best kind of writing
community around, like physical in the area
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that makes sense. I think that's
tricky to say, because I've been here
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for quite a long time and I
didn't really become a full time writer until
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I was down here. I mean, I was working as a journalist on
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a national newspaper and I didn't even
think of writing as a career. It
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just seemed, you know, an
impossible thing that people. It never genuinely
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never occurred to me that people could
write books and get paid for them,
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and I just thought of did my
job. And it was only when I
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moved down here and started to you
know, have a really sort of serious
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crack at the writing that But what
I found is that, you know,
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the Crime community, which I'm sure
you've heard this before, is one of
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the most inclusive, warmest, most
welcoming of the writing communities. And so,
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you know, one of the joyous
things for me about becoming a writer
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is that I never expected to find
a whole new group of friends in my
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forties. It wasn't something that I
was anticipating. And not only this whole
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new group of friends, but this
group of people who are really like minded,
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who love the things that I love, who can speak endlessly about writing
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and books, and you know,
so that has been a huge joy.
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Actually, it is the power of
the writing community online. And we've mentioned
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a lot about the HROG Crime writ
as Fescival. We actually met you this
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year, yes, yeah, very
briefly. I saw your your lovely the
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presentation they did for you, and
you got quite emotional there, and it
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was wonderful to see not you get
emotional, but the kind of the kind
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of the attention that gathered and just
the appreciation everyone had for you at the
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time was absolutely amazing. This actually
which is my now my most prized possession,
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which is when you're shortlisted for the
Crime Novel of the Year at Harrogate,
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you get a tankard and it's engraved
with your name and the year and
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the book and it's just it's It
sits in my office and it reminds me
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when I'm having a day where I
think I can't do this, or I'm
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rubbish, or everyone else is much
better than me, or I'm never gonna
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I don't know achieve what I'd like
to achieve. It reminds me that you
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know, I can do I have
done it, I will do it.
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But it was just so amazing to
network with so many people like we have
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done on Twitter and social media accounts, and the people in this chat right
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now, we've networked with them for
years and they've become our social media friends.
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And then there's been time to say
at Harrogate where we've met some people
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in real life and it's very it's
kind of a surreal moment, but it's
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also quite amazing. Tina Bakerby in
the highlight of that last She's got a
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fantastic personality, hasn't she. She's
fabulous. I mean absolutely, and you
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know, I remember my first harrogate. It was in twenty fifteen, and
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I had signed my book deal a
couple of months before that, but I
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knew nobody there apart from my agent
and my editor, and it was,
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you know, kind of terrifying.
You're going to these things and it looks
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like everyone is really close friends,
and you know, there's these kind of
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huge groups of people that all seem
to know each other really well. But
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actually when you sort of dig a
little deeper, you realize that other people
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are just as nervous as you are, you know, just as intimidators,
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you know, suffering the same feelings
of imposter syndrome that you are. And
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actually what I found, you know, for me anyway, is that I
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started going to lots of things.
So I started going to festivals. I
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started to go to events or any
launches that I was invited to or anything
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really and then over time, you
see the same faces there, and you
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know, you get to know them, and then they become friends and you
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know, and then they become your
community when you start you know, there
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are people that I speak to every
day about writing about you know, publishing,
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and you know, they're so important
in my life. But you know,
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those years ago, eight years ago, whatever, I didn't realize,
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you know, that was going to
happen. I didn't realize that that was
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the transformation that my life would take
on, you know, the path that
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my career would go down. But
yeah, I mean so I would thoroughly
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recommend that to anyone who might be
watching and who is you know, on
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the cusp of you know, getting
a deal or has got a deal,
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or who just actually just wants to
get out and about and meet people,
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because you know, it's amazing,
you know. And one of the things
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that I would say is, you
know, when people are sending out proofs
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and you know, advanced reader copies
and things of books, if I've met
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someone, I'm always probably much more
likely to pick up their book and just
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have a read and see what it's
like because I've chatted to them, because
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I've met them and stuff. So
I think it can be really helpful in
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the networking kind of way too.
Yeah, absolutely right. We are going
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to get onto the very first part
of the show, which is the road
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to writing. So going to play
a very little video and we're going to
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get into your inspirations and motivations and
hopefully see why and how you got into
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the writing all of the first place. So, Fiona, what were the
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first steps into the writing will for
you, and what were your inspirations And
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was there anyone in particular or any
kind of story in particular that really kind
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of made you put that direction in
place. I think a couple of things
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happened to me. Really. I
was working at Daily Mirror, which is
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a national newspaper. It's a very
very busy office and it's quite an intense
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sort of job. At this time
I was doing showbiz. So the latter
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the first half of my career I
did news and features. On the second
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half of my career, I did
showbiz. It was a very glamorous life
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in a way. I mean I
did some amazing things. I met some
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amazing people, you know. I
spent one very memorable Valentine's evening in a
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hotel with George Clooney, I the
last British journalist to interview Michael Jackson.
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You know, I've met lots of
you know, what we would call kind
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of global superstars, I suppose.
But you know, something began to happen
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for me, which is I just
fell out of love with the job,
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because one of the things that I
noticed was that, you know, the
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stories that I would often write for
the newspaper would be about people who were
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at their lowest EBB you know,
So stories that often end up in newspapers
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are you know, by their very
nature, they can be kind of scandalous
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or people going through difficult times,
and I kind of just didn't want to
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do that anymore. I didn't want
to write about people going through these things.
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So that was kind of one part
of it. And then the other
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thing was that my son, who
was not yet two at the time,
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became very ill. In fact,
we had a lot of family illness.
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So my brother's wife, my sister
in law, she became desperately ill.
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She just had a baby and she
was then died nosed with stage four lymfoma.
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It was advanced, it was very
aggressive. And then within a few
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weeks of that, my son was
hospitalized with a life threatening illness. And
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I just had a baby as well. So that whole year when I was
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on maternity leave from the Mirror just
passed in the most horrendous blur. I
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can barely remember anything about it,
but I do remember one little kind of
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kernel of thought that just kept occurring
to me, which is that this realization
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that you know, we are promised
nothing, We are not None of us
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have promised to tomorrow. We don't
know what's around the corner. And it
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just made me start thinking about that
and thinking, actually, what am I
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doing? What do I want to
do with my life? And I'd always
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loved writing, and I thought,
and so, in an incredibly rash move,
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I just quit my job and I
decided to go freelance as a journalist
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while also having a go at writing. And I heard the author S.
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J. Watson, who wrote a
book called Before I Go to Sleep.
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He was talking on the radio and
he was talking about the Faber Academy writing
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a novel course, and he was
just and I listened to his interview and
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I thought, oh, maybe I
should have a go at that. And
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I didn't know whether I could do
it, Like sincerely, the longest thing
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really I'd ever written was a feature
of about twelve hundred words. So I
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had no idea if I could write
a manuscript. I had no idea if
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I could make that segue from non
fiction to fiction. I didn't even know.
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I didn't know if I could do
it. And it was quite expensive
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the course, you know, if
you're not in full time employment anymore.
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And I just thought, okay,
I'm going I'm going to give it a
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go. So that's what I did. So my mum looked after the children
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when they were little, and off
I went every Tuesday morning and I started
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writing. You know, I started
the book that became Rattle while I was
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doing that core and it was kind
of you know, I mean, the
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tutor said this, and I think
it was a really good point he made,
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which is well, he said two
things. Really, he said,
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you know, while you are here, you have permission to take yourself seriously
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as a writer. You know,
it's not a little hobby. It's not
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something that may or may not come
off while you were doing this course.
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You are a writer and you will
write. And so that's what I did.
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I wrote as much of the book
as I could in that six months.
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And he also said something else which
has stayed with me, and it
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stays with me through every book that
I write, and it is finish what
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you start. And by that,
you know, it's we all, you
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know, start writing things and we
get seduced by a shining new idea or
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you know, we think it's rubbish, or you know, we get kind
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of caught up in I don't know, feeling like, you know, maybe
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we're not good enough. Well,
certainly that's for me. And actually what
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I found is that if I just
power on through that and I get to
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the end, you can always make
a book better. You know, plot
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holes can be filled, characters can
be rounded, inconsistencies can be addressed,
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you know, all of this can
be dealt with. But you can't do
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that if you have nothing on the
page. So that was a really useful
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takeaway for me. And those are
the things that I try and kind of
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keep in my head when I write. So that's how I got into writing.
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So I did this course and one
of the reasons I was so drawn
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to it was because at the end
of it they do this day where you
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get to meet agents and editors.
They're invited to come and hear you read
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your work. And as I was
waiting for that day to start on my
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way, I'd already got an email
from an agent who'd read like, there's
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a little anthology that goes out and
they can read it beforehand, you'd already
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read it and said I need to
speak to you, can I speak to
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you? And so that gave me
a little bit of confidence. And then
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by the end of it, I
think I'd had approaches from about seven agents.
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So that was really cool. That
was a really cool day. But
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then, of course, as we
know, it never that, the course
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of publishing never runs smoothly. And
yeah, well, I'm sure we'll go
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into that in a bit, but
yeah, so, but that's how I
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got into writing in the first place. I have no idea if I could
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do it, genuinely did it.
It's a fascinating story, even up to
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that point. And there's obviously a
transition between writing nonfiction newspaper kind of work
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and then stepping into the fictional world. And I know you did a course
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to get through that, but did
you find it a difficult transition or are
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you quite comfortable with that? I
don't think I did, because I think
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one of the useful things. And
my agent actually says to me she often
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enjoys working with journalists because you know, journalists are used to working to deadlines.
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They are quite comfortable with having their
work edited. So I'm not precious
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about my work at all. If
someone says to me this is week we
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can make this better, you can
do better with this. This doesn't work,
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then I'll go okay, I'm all
ears, I want to make it
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better. So pressures and I think
that was you know, years and years
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of being edited someone a Piers Morgan
was my editor when I was at The
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Mirror for a long time, and
him just go no, no, a
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different intro. That's not strong enough, you know, So I think you
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get very used to it. But
also one of the things, you know,
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I have talked about this before,
but it's really it was so key,
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is that when you're writing a newspaper
story. You know, whether you're
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writing a newspaper story or whether you're
writing a novel or an opening chapter or
333
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a prologue or whatever it is,
the end result is still the same.
334
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Right, you want someone to read
it, and you want someone to read
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on. And so with both of
those things, newspaper story book, you
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need to get to the emotional heart
of the story. You need to get
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to the kernel in the center of
that story that is going to make someone
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go. And whether it is nonfiction
or whether it is fiction, the end
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result is still the same. You
know, so many people or you know,
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they say, I think the statistic
is you know, loads of people
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wouldn't read further than the first two
paragraphs of a new story, you know,
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and you absolutely do not want to
give anybody a reason to put your
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book down. You know, you
want to keep people reading. And so
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with both of those disciplines, and
that was the thing. So that that's
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what I always did, you know. So you know, perhaps they call
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it something slightly different in geers and
they call it a human interest story.
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You know, you're looking for that
story for that that that element of you
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know, a breaking new story that
is going to make someone cry, or
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is going to move someone, or
is going to make someone feel something anything,
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And that's what I try and do
with my fiction. You want people
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to feel something when they're reading what
you do. So, yeah, it
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was really interesting, and you know, it's a tough environment. You know,
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newspapers are not for the faint hearted. You know, there is an
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expectation, expectations on you, and
you have to produce stories in day out,
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and you know, there are tough, big personalities in the newsroom and
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so publishing, by contrast, actually
seems fairly gentle. So you know it's
357
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but but you know, I love
it and now I look back on my
358
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years at the paper, and you
know, I had a great time.
359
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I did some amazing things, but
you know I was ready to leave on
360
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and I love what I do now. I was going to say, obviously,
361
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you backed yourself massively, one by
quitting your job, two by them
362
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forking out a fortune to go on
a course. My question is what advice
363
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would you give to somebody who has
backed themselves as well in a similar scenario.
364
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Let's say they've gone, you know
what, I can't do this day
365
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to day anymore. I need to
write this book. How do you know
366
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that the idea for the book that
you run with and the one that you
367
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finish is the right idea to essentially
launch a career. It's a really good
368
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question, and I don't think you
do know that the right answer when you're
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starting out, because one of the
things that I would say when you say
370
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that is you have to back yourself
because no one else is going to right
371
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when you're starting out. If you
don't back yourself, who else is going
372
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to right? Because you're the one
that has to sit there day in day
373
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out writing that book and believing in
it. And sometimes people don't, you
374
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know, I was incredibly fortunate in
that Rattle is my first book really that
375
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I wrote. But I think some
of that comes from having spent years and
376
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years and years in an environment where
I'm working with words and working with ideas
377
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and so. But I think one
of the things that you can do is
378
00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:52.160
really interrogate your idea because you have
to have enough meat on the bones of
379
00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:56.119
your idea, right. It's not
enough to have a high concept idea or
380
00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:00.519
a vague kind of amorphous set of
what you're going to write. You need
381
00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.880
to drill down into that and think, Okay, can I get an eighty
382
00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:07.200
thousand word manuscript out of this?
And how am I going to do that?
383
00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:11.839
Because one of the things that happens
when you're new to writing is that
384
00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:15.440
you can often run out of steam. So you get to the twenty five
385
00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:18.440
thousand word mark and then you just
your story just runs out of steam.
386
00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:22.640
So you've got to think about your
character development. But I think you so
387
00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:26.880
personally, I think that you develop
an instinct for a story. You know,
388
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.319
any writer can develop an instinct for
a story. And I think if
389
00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:33.079
you think about it, it's like, right, you know, when you
390
00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:37.279
go to the pub with your mates, right, and something funny happens in
391
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the day, or something happens at
work, or I don't know, whatever
392
00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.759
interesting thing has happened in your week. Right, you think about how you
393
00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:48.680
tell that story. You think about
that anecdote, You think about the funniest
394
00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:53.279
bit first, or the most heartrending
bit, or whatever it is you and
395
00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:56.519
you build a story. Right.
You tell your friends or your family,
396
00:27:56.519 --> 00:28:00.880
whoever it is. You start telling
them a story, and you know if
397
00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:03.000
you've got a good story because the
way people react. Right. So,
398
00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:07.960
if you have trusted friends and family
who know that you're into writing, then
399
00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:11.559
you tell them a bit about your
story. You say, Okay, I'm
400
00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:14.160
going to write this book and this
is my idea. And they might go
401
00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:19.079
that's amazing, or they might go
that sounds a bit boring. And so
402
00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:22.960
you can use people around you to
test out an idea, to try an
403
00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.000
idea. But you're absolutely right,
Chris, what you have to back yourself,
404
00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:32.039
especially at the start no one else
is going to and sometimes you have
405
00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:37.839
to keep on backing yourself. The
thing that I can't tell you tell your
406
00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:41.720
viewers, tell people, because I
don't know this myself, is at what
407
00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:45.200
point do you stop backing yourself because
some people will say, you know,
408
00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:48.519
keep the faith, keep on going, just keep on going, keep on
409
00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:52.000
going, and it's all going to
happen for you, right it might not.
410
00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:56.440
But I think there are things that
you can do to help yourself.
411
00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.720
And that's think really, really carefully
about the idea. You know, look
412
00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:06.599
at the market. And I don't
mean, you know, copy the books
413
00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:10.319
that are around now, because I
love that phrase. You know, once
414
00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.759
you've spotted a band, even you've
already missed it, right, So,
415
00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:17.960
but think about the kind of books
that are appealing to people and think,
416
00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.319
Okay, do I want to write
that kind of book? How can I
417
00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:26.160
write that kind of book? And
really sort of apply that to what you're
418
00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:30.279
seeing editors are buying. Think about
it. And that's one of the things
419
00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:33.759
that I've started to do, you
know, is I don't follow the market,
420
00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:37.799
but I think about the market,
and I think about what readers might
421
00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:41.279
like, what they're enjoying, and
how I can apply that to my own
422
00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:48.440
fiction. I think that's a very
valid point about finding knowing when enough is
423
00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:52.440
enough in some in some cases too, because there are those people that could
424
00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:55.480
push beyond the point where you did, where you had given up what you
425
00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:59.160
had at the time to try and
make that happen. But you don't want
426
00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:02.240
to go and put too much major
or even get into debt going down that
427
00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:06.039
route. And I and I wouldn't
recom like, I genuinely wouldn't recommend cutting
428
00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:08.079
your job. I wouldn't. I
think it was a series of personal family
429
00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:14.720
circumstances for me, and I was
driven by emotion rather than anything sensible.
430
00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:18.119
And you know, and I,
you know, I had support. You
431
00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:22.279
know, I had husband who was
in a job. You know, I
432
00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:26.480
had a house that we'd sold and
we'd moved, so I had a buffer.
433
00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:30.240
I also knew that I could freelance. I had contacts, and I
434
00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:33.440
had two young children, and I'd
always wanted to make sure that I was
435
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:37.759
kind of around a bit when they
were growing up, so you know,
436
00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:41.839
I had all of those things playing
in my favor. I would never recommend
437
00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:45.440
that anyone give up, you know, a job with a regular income until
438
00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:49.920
you're a bit more established. But
even when you're established, it doesn't mean
439
00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:53.200
that you're going to stay that way. You know. I know people who
440
00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:57.240
you know, had several books published
and then for whatever reason, they don't
441
00:30:57.240 --> 00:31:02.400
get another deal, you know,
and things can change overnight, so you
442
00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:06.440
have to be always thinking about that, I think, and never take anything
443
00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:08.039
for granted. You know. I
think it's different if you're I don't know,
444
00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:11.920
Lee Child or someone like that,
who is you know what. I
445
00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:18.039
listened to an interview that he gave
where he was earning some ridiculous amount every
446
00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:22.519
second or something. And then obviously
you don't need to worry about your finances,
447
00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.759
but I think for most of us, you know, you have to
448
00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:30.480
be sensible about it as well,
and you have to really want it because
449
00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:33.680
it is not an easy it's not
an easy job. You know, it's
450
00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:37.680
not an easy life. And you
know, I would say that my publishing
451
00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:40.640
journey, you know, goes up
and down like that. And I think
452
00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:42.799
once you recognize that, you can
get your head around it a bit more.
453
00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:48.319
But you know, those are tough
early lessons when you're starting out and
454
00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:52.480
you know, you think that your
life is going to change beyond all measure,
455
00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:57.200
and then actually all of these things
that people were talking about don't materialize,
456
00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.799
or the book has disappointed in sales, or does it quite do what
457
00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:02.920
people want it to do, you
know, and all of those sorts of
458
00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:08.359
things. You have to be mentally
resilient as well. Yeah, the only
459
00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:13.039
you've you've obviously been very successful in
you know a lot of people that are
460
00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:15.079
probably watching the show and now think, oh my god, she was living
461
00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:19.359
the dream like she you know,
she worked for a national newspaper and now
462
00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:24.680
she's a really successful author. Like
what three things would you say make you
463
00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:29.759
successful? Like what your habits?
What is it that makes you different to
464
00:32:29.880 --> 00:32:36.119
other people. I'm stubborn as fuck
alone, I really am. So Like
465
00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:39.680
I said to myself that I was
going to write a book and I was
466
00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:44.079
going to get a publishing deal before
my fortieth birthday, and I squeaked it
467
00:32:44.119 --> 00:32:47.119
in by about six weeks. Wow, I am, I am. I
468
00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:53.759
am really stubborn, and I will
just trying to keep one doing something until
469
00:32:54.359 --> 00:33:00.000
I achieved what I would like to
achieve. I think that there are things
470
00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:04.000
that you can do to help yourself, right, So, you know,
471
00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:07.519
with the journalism, you know,
just a kind of daft example, really,
472
00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:12.400
but I knew that I'd wanted to
be a journalist, and so even
473
00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.759
when I was young, when I
was like a fifteen year old, I
474
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:19.039
was doing my work experience at the
Times newsroom, the Telegraph. I went
475
00:33:19.079 --> 00:33:22.079
off to sky TV, you know, and no one, no one gave
476
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:24.599
that to me. I wrote to
those places. I organized it myself.
477
00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:28.400
I went up to London and did
it. You know, sometimes it's incredibly
478
00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:31.079
daunting. These things are terrifying.
And then, you know, when I
479
00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:35.880
was a bit older, I mean
sometimes I've been a bit reckless, you
480
00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:42.680
know. I remember going off to
meet a former gang land enforcer in a
481
00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:50.160
car park somewhere, and you know, being in slightly hairy situations. There's
482
00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:54.680
a guy. There was a guy
called mad Fanky Fraser. He was the
483
00:33:55.440 --> 00:33:59.519
that was what he called himself,
that he was the enforcer for the Richardson
484
00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:05.880
gang in a long time ago.
And I met him somewhere. He gave
485
00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:07.840
me his gard and said, if
you ever, you ever, you know,
486
00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:12.559
get into any trouble and you need
anyone to sort it out for you,
487
00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:15.719
I'm your man. But I don't
I never know whether his tongue was
488
00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:17.719
firmly in his cheek then or not. But yeah, but anyway, so
489
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:22.599
I'd done all this kind of stuff. So by the time I came to
490
00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:28.280
apply to the Daily Mirror, which
had a graduate trainee scheme, I had
491
00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:31.400
a thick black book of contact of
all sorts of people that I'd spoken to,
492
00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:36.480
that I'd met, and I definitely
think that was one of the reasons
493
00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:39.719
that I got the job. On
that paper. I think sometimes it is
494
00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:46.039
a dose of luck, you know. In my very first day on the
495
00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:52.039
in the Daily Mirror newsroom, myself
and another trainee were manning the phone lines
496
00:34:52.440 --> 00:35:00.440
and The Mirror was running a phone
in for basically John press Scott, who
497
00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:02.880
was a Deputy Prime Minister at the
time, had gone off to the Maldives
498
00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:08.239
on a fact finding mission. And
anyway, John Prescott's mom rang the phone
499
00:35:08.280 --> 00:35:12.760
line and I picked it up and
spoke to her, had a lovely chat
500
00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:15.199
with her, and it just happened
to be the day that John Prescott was
501
00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:19.880
landing back in the UK. First
thing he does was to ring his mum.
502
00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:22.679
She says, oh, I spec
to a lovely girl for Daily Mirror.
503
00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:27.039
He goes ballistic rings the same phone
line. It's my first day.
504
00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:30.599
I pick up the phone and the
Deputy Prime Minister is on the end of
505
00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:37.199
the phone line, absolutely furious,
shouting ramty. And so that became the
506
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:38.559
front page the next day, and
I think that was one of the things
507
00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:43.559
that you know, brought me to
the attention of the editor there. So
508
00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:46.400
you know, sometimes it's luck,
and you know, sometimes it's just putting
509
00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:52.719
yourself out there. You know.
I talk about earlier about networking and some
510
00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:55.480
people don't like it, some people
are uncomfortable with it. But I think
511
00:35:55.519 --> 00:36:00.760
you can do so much for yourself
by putting yourself out there in the community
512
00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:07.639
because you meet people and connections are
made and serendipitous little things happen that might
513
00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:10.400
not have happened if you hadn't met
that person. So I think you can
514
00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:14.400
do loads to help yourself. But
you know, I also think that I
515
00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:16.000
work hard. I work quite hard, you know, and I try I
516
00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:21.960
try hard if I achieve things,
So to some of that it was being
517
00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:29.119
stubborn aka committed having luck as well
as being a hard worker, I think.
518
00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:30.559
So I think that's pretty much if
you sum it up. But I
519
00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:35.039
think most people would say that I
love you know that. It's a well
520
00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:37.639
known phase, isn't it. But
you know, it's funny how you know,
521
00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:40.679
the harder I work, they're luckier
I get, And I think there
522
00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:45.079
is sort of something in that.
But what I would say is a caveat
523
00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:49.519
is that it's not always easy for
everyone to do that, right, So
524
00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:53.519
I don't mind go I really like
doing events. I love doing stuff like
525
00:36:53.559 --> 00:36:57.960
this. I like going out to
festivals and doing panels. Some people it
526
00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:01.159
is their idea of hell, you
know, they embarrassed. They're quite introverted.
527
00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:07.079
They don't want to be exposed in
case they say something stupid or whatever.
528
00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:09.639
I've said so many stupid things in
my life, and I've done so
529
00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:14.719
many embarrassing things that I think I
can no longer. I don't think I've
530
00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:19.079
got an embarrassment hip anymore. So
some of the things that I was made
531
00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:22.159
to do when I was at the
mirror were when I think of I just
532
00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:28.519
wanted to, like, I just
want to curl up and cringe. But
533
00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:30.400
I did them because that's what I
was sent out to do. And so
534
00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:35.920
now I just think it's impossible to
feel embarrassed to say. But but I
535
00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:37.800
get that some people are not comfortable
with that, you know. So that's
536
00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:40.519
a hard thing for people to do. But you know, there are heaps
537
00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:43.239
that you can do, and if
you don't like that that you can make
538
00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:46.320
friendships like you were saying online and
connections over social media and all sorts of
539
00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:50.519
things like that. We'll go to
one on one lunches. I mean,
540
00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:52.760
we all like going for London,
don't we, Oh for a few doings.
541
00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:57.280
Okay, what we're going to do
is move on to part two of
542
00:37:57.280 --> 00:37:59.440
the show. I know there's a
lot more to unpack in there, but
543
00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:01.960
we're the time for the for the
sections, and I'm sure there is a
544
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:07.719
talking too much there, No,
not at all. So part two of
545
00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:10.519
the show, we're going to have
it. Hopefully you've got your book pitches
546
00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:15.519
down and all of us are broken. We want you to kind of what's
547
00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:22.760
the word describe an elevated pitch,
elevated picture? Yes, right after this
548
00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:25.440
little video. So part two is
what's the story? Kevin? Right up?
549
00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:39.880
So Fiona, could you please let
everybody know what all of us are
550
00:38:40.360 --> 00:38:44.880
broken is all about? Please?
Well, I just want to say that
551
00:38:45.239 --> 00:38:47.000
Chris elevator pitch, which is like
twenty five words, isn't it? This
552
00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:50.840
is much longer than twenty five words, but it does sum up the book.
553
00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:55.400
Okay. So it's a second in
the series featuring my troubled detective soul
554
00:38:55.559 --> 00:39:01.760
Anguish as a as a teenager,
he was groomed by a serial killer,
555
00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:06.519
and as a young man, he
treads the narrow way between the light and
556
00:39:06.679 --> 00:39:10.079
dark. He's morally ambiguous, and
all of us are broken. Tells the
557
00:39:10.119 --> 00:39:17.239
story of Christine Hardwick and her two
children, Galen and Tom, and after
558
00:39:17.320 --> 00:39:22.719
a difficult year for the family,
they set off on a much needed holiday
559
00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:29.760
to the Scottish Highlands. But it
is their terrible misfortune while they are there,
560
00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:36.559
to stumble into the path of two
extremely dangerous, extremely violent young people
561
00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:44.239
called Missy and Fox, and they
force Christine into making an impossible choice between
562
00:39:44.280 --> 00:39:47.119
the life of her thirteen year old
daughter and her eight year old son.
563
00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:53.239
And that's my pitch, that's my
pitch for it. So and I would
564
00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:59.320
say one of the things that I
really wanted to do with this book was
565
00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:02.480
not to shy away from that choice, you know, because it's easy to
566
00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:06.880
kind of make it sound, oh, you know, exciting, and you
567
00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:08.679
know, she's got this terrible choice
to make. But then you know,
568
00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:14.119
I didn't want to shy away from
that. I wanted her to make a
569
00:40:14.199 --> 00:40:19.039
choice. And she does make a
choice, and that's one of the things
570
00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:25.639
that readers have responded to so brilliantly. And yeah, I mean I wanted.
571
00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:30.320
I wanted people to I wanted to
put people through the emotional ringer.
572
00:40:30.440 --> 00:40:34.639
Like so in some of my earlier
books, you know, some of my
573
00:40:34.760 --> 00:40:37.039
characters can be unlikable. They can
be very dark, you know, these
574
00:40:37.119 --> 00:40:42.280
kind of serial killers or people that
do terrible things to each other. At
575
00:40:42.280 --> 00:40:47.960
this time, I wanted to create
a family who really loved each other so
576
00:40:49.159 --> 00:40:53.239
that when they went through something terrible, it was all the more difficult for
577
00:40:53.960 --> 00:40:58.199
them and for the reader. I
think. So that was kind of my
578
00:40:58.440 --> 00:41:02.719
ambition with that. It makes a
lot of sense having that. It's like
579
00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:07.559
making the protagonist, sorry, the
antagonist someone that you kind of relate to
580
00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:14.599
and love is what makes it even
more even more difficult to hate. So
581
00:41:14.719 --> 00:41:16.880
having that love go on, well, no, I was just going to
582
00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:20.519
say, you know, that's exactly
it. You know, having you know
583
00:41:20.599 --> 00:41:22.440
someone who's your you know, your
antagonist. So you know, whether you're
584
00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:25.960
talking about kind of Missy and Fox
and that they are they are violent,
585
00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:30.039
they are damaged, but there and
there are reasons that they do what they
586
00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:36.239
do. And someone who read a
really early version of this book said to
587
00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:42.760
me, I think it's a book
about love. It's about the twisted love
588
00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:46.920
of Missy and Fox. It's about
the love that Christine has for her children,
589
00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:52.480
and it's about the kind of physical
representation or love or lust or whatever
590
00:41:52.519 --> 00:41:57.159
between Saul and Blue. And I
thought it was really interested and I quite
591
00:41:57.199 --> 00:42:01.039
like that. So yeah, it's
not only about the Dark, it's about
592
00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:06.599
love in all its forms as well. Be in the second book in the
593
00:42:06.679 --> 00:42:10.119
series. Did you feel you were
comfortable in taking that on and the readers
594
00:42:10.199 --> 00:42:15.159
were expecting that second book or was
it something that you felt it was still
595
00:42:15.159 --> 00:42:19.639
something you needed the story to be
told. No, I mean I didn't.
596
00:42:19.760 --> 00:42:22.400
I never wanted to write a series. I've never wanted to write a
597
00:42:22.440 --> 00:42:25.079
series because I've got a really low
boredom thresholder I think I can't write about
598
00:42:25.079 --> 00:42:29.880
the same characters all the time because
I will die from boredom. And it
599
00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:34.480
was only really writing this character.
So this character, Saul, who does
600
00:42:34.519 --> 00:42:37.239
pop up earlier in the Collective,
if anyone's interested, I know lots of
601
00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:40.519
readers have discovered that themselves. But
you definitely don't need to have read The
602
00:42:40.519 --> 00:42:45.119
Collector to read Into the Dark,
which is the first in the series.
603
00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:49.880
But my editor and my publishing house
fell in love with the pairing of soul
604
00:42:49.960 --> 00:42:53.880
and blue, and readers were so
responsive to them that they asked me to
605
00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:57.440
write another book in the series and
then another two, which is what I'm
606
00:42:57.480 --> 00:43:00.000
kind of working on that. But
yeah, and this is that is the
607
00:43:00.039 --> 00:43:04.119
sort of first time that I felt
ready because I'm just like, oh God,
608
00:43:04.119 --> 00:43:06.119
I just don't want to write about
that. I want to write a
609
00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:10.079
different story. But then I kind
of also thought, you know, lots
610
00:43:10.079 --> 00:43:14.800
of the writers, especially in crime
fiction, that we know who are lucky
611
00:43:14.880 --> 00:43:17.840
enough to enjoy longevity, you know, you and Cleaves of Alec Dermott or
612
00:43:17.840 --> 00:43:22.880
Ian Rankin, you know Mark Billingham. They write returning characters. You know,
613
00:43:22.920 --> 00:43:28.360
they write series and you know people
fall for the characters. And that's
614
00:43:29.119 --> 00:43:30.519
one of the things that I started
to think about, actually, is I
615
00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:34.920
became a bit more of an experienced
writer. Is that you know, often
616
00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:39.360
you cannot remember the nuance of plot
or story, that you can remember a
617
00:43:39.480 --> 00:43:45.440
character who really touches you or who
means something to you. So I started
618
00:43:45.480 --> 00:43:49.880
thinking about that a lot more about
creating the character because that's what we remember
619
00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:54.840
rather than the story. Absolutely.
Yeah, so that was yeah, So
620
00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:57.960
that's so they asked me to do
this, and so that's you know,
621
00:43:58.000 --> 00:44:00.679
but I didn't know. I mean, you know, All but Are Broken
622
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:07.360
is quite dark and violent in places. But I try and handle that with
623
00:44:07.480 --> 00:44:12.000
care, and you know, I
am actually really thoughtful about the violence in
624
00:44:12.039 --> 00:44:14.039
my novels. I try to be. One of the things that was really
625
00:44:14.079 --> 00:44:19.199
important for me in this book was
making sure that each of the victims in
626
00:44:19.239 --> 00:44:22.119
the story has a voice as well. And you know, whether or not
627
00:44:22.159 --> 00:44:24.360
you agree with it, you know, one of the things that I often
628
00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:30.639
say is that people who perpetrate terrible
crimes they're victims in their own way too,
629
00:44:30.719 --> 00:44:36.280
because they're often have had childhoods.
Of people that do terrible things in
630
00:44:36.320 --> 00:44:38.760
real life have often you know,
had childhoods of extreme neglect, abuse,
631
00:44:39.559 --> 00:44:44.639
violence, and so victims too in
their in their own way. So I
632
00:44:44.639 --> 00:44:47.519
always try and give everyone a voice, and you know, try and give
633
00:44:47.519 --> 00:44:52.639
read as an understanding of why people
behave in the way they do. I've
634
00:44:52.679 --> 00:44:58.559
got a twofold question that is,
you know, designed for the writers listening.
635
00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:04.039
How do you craft a great what
if? Is the first part,
636
00:45:04.159 --> 00:45:08.760
and the second bit is how do
you add subtle nuances to characters and build
637
00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:15.679
them over the course of not like
a series of novels rather than just,
638
00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:21.000
you know, a standalone what's the
difference, I mean the what if question.
639
00:45:21.280 --> 00:45:23.039
Ideas are difficult, aren't they.
You know, ideas are hot.
640
00:45:23.079 --> 00:45:25.480
You know, if we all had
these brilliant ideas all the time, we'd
641
00:45:25.480 --> 00:45:28.760
all be writing millions of novels all
of the time. You know, you
642
00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:32.280
have to examine an idea. And
so for me, often what will happen
643
00:45:32.360 --> 00:45:37.000
is that I'll have I'll hear something
on the radio, or someone will say
644
00:45:37.039 --> 00:45:40.119
something. I'll overhear a conversation,
or I'll read something and you know a
645
00:45:40.119 --> 00:45:45.079
little nugget. That little nugget will
kind of bury itself somewhere in my brain
646
00:45:45.760 --> 00:45:49.800
and then I'll pick up another element
something else will interest me. So I
647
00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:52.360
remember with this book that I was
really I wanted to set a book in
648
00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:58.639
Scotland because I love the landscape,
landscape, seascape, there's a lot of
649
00:45:58.639 --> 00:46:00.760
the natural world in all of my
books. And I'd been to Shannony Point.
650
00:46:01.559 --> 00:46:06.159
Galen the thirteen year old girl in
their novel she really wants to go
651
00:46:06.199 --> 00:46:08.719
and see the world dolphins at Shannonry
Point in Scotland, and I'd been there
652
00:46:08.760 --> 00:46:13.440
myself and so I was really captivated
by this idea of the natural world.
653
00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:15.800
So that was one element. I
was really fascinated at the same time by
654
00:46:15.800 --> 00:46:20.000
Bonnie and Clyde. I've been reading
a lot about that. And then I
655
00:46:20.039 --> 00:46:22.800
had this idea about, you know, a family who were going through a
656
00:46:22.840 --> 00:46:25.760
really difficult time, and so all
of those kind of they just sort of
657
00:46:25.760 --> 00:46:30.599
amalgamated into this whole story. And
I think you have to have various ideas,
658
00:46:30.239 --> 00:46:36.639
and then it's trying to find a
framework for the idea of what you
659
00:46:36.719 --> 00:46:39.920
want to write about. And you
know, we often have this sort of
660
00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:43.960
silly joke at home about, you
know, if they were if you were
661
00:46:43.960 --> 00:46:45.360
in a boat and only there are
four of you in a boat, but
662
00:46:45.480 --> 00:46:49.719
only three of you could survive,
who would you chuck out of the boat?
663
00:46:49.800 --> 00:46:52.679
Right? Or you know, often
having these kind of silly dilemmas.
664
00:46:52.840 --> 00:46:57.679
And I thought I was thinking one
day, gold, what if I had
665
00:46:57.719 --> 00:47:00.360
to make a choice between I've got
a son and a also, what if
666
00:47:00.360 --> 00:47:06.760
I had to choose between them?
Could I choose between them? Could you?
667
00:47:07.039 --> 00:47:08.679
Like, you know, not all
of us have children, but most
668
00:47:08.679 --> 00:47:12.639
of us have people in our lives
whom we loved So if you had to
669
00:47:12.719 --> 00:47:15.079
choose between your I don't know,
your mom and your dad, or your
670
00:47:15.119 --> 00:47:19.880
brother and your sister, or your
tea best friends, could you choose?
671
00:47:19.920 --> 00:47:22.920
Who would you choose? Why would
you choose them? So all these ideas
672
00:47:22.920 --> 00:47:24.400
were going around, and I thought, I know that I knew. I
673
00:47:24.519 --> 00:47:28.159
knew that it was an idea that
had legs. I just knew it.
674
00:47:28.239 --> 00:47:30.760
And so that's kind of how I
sort of craft my whats if I suppose
675
00:47:31.119 --> 00:47:37.760
the character question, and I have
to credit my agent with this is right
676
00:47:37.840 --> 00:47:42.760
from my very first book, the
very first manuscript. She always says the
677
00:47:42.800 --> 00:47:47.639
same thing, But why you know
someone you know? There are very few
678
00:47:47.840 --> 00:47:52.760
There are very few people who are
just psychopaths who just kill for the sake
679
00:47:52.800 --> 00:47:57.800
of it, right, That is
so unbelievably rare. There is always a
680
00:47:57.880 --> 00:48:00.960
reason that people do the things they
do. What motivates us? Why do
681
00:48:01.079 --> 00:48:05.079
you do things that you do?
You know? What has what has happened
682
00:48:05.079 --> 00:48:07.360
to you in your life? We're
all, you know, We're all the
683
00:48:07.400 --> 00:48:13.199
sum total of our experiences, you
know, one hundred and one tiny prejudices,
684
00:48:13.360 --> 00:48:16.199
you know, subconscious choices, decisions, all of those things they shape
685
00:48:16.199 --> 00:48:20.679
who we are and That is how
you get to the heart of your character,
686
00:48:20.840 --> 00:48:23.599
because if you are interrogating that idea
all the time, why are they
687
00:48:23.639 --> 00:48:25.840
doing this? Why are they doing
this? Okay, she behaves like that
688
00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:30.079
because as a teenager she was humiliated
by her group of friends and she carries
689
00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:34.000
that scar around with her her whole
life. And even though that was thirty
690
00:48:34.079 --> 00:48:37.280
years ago, she still feels the
sting of that, and that's why she
691
00:48:37.400 --> 00:48:39.480
does this. Why does he do
that? Because I don't know. As
692
00:48:39.480 --> 00:48:44.679
a young boy, his father used
to make him stand in the garden if
693
00:48:44.679 --> 00:48:47.559
he'd done something wrong, and he
would hit him four times with about And
694
00:48:47.599 --> 00:48:51.840
that's why he does That's why he
has that tendency to violence. That's why
695
00:48:51.840 --> 00:48:53.280
he does that. And so if
you think about this all the time,
696
00:48:53.840 --> 00:48:58.800
and for me, I think every
character deserves that, however small. It
697
00:48:58.840 --> 00:49:00.360
doesn't have to be a big bit, just a line here and there,
698
00:49:00.400 --> 00:49:06.400
just that nuance that brings your character
to life, that gives your character.
699
00:49:06.519 --> 00:49:08.480
You know, they don't become two
D then they're three D. Because no
700
00:49:08.559 --> 00:49:12.199
one is wholly evil, no one
is holy good. And so all the
701
00:49:12.239 --> 00:49:15.000
time you're looking at that shades of
gray all the time, trying to find
702
00:49:15.039 --> 00:49:19.920
your way, feel your way into
your character. And then once you've done
703
00:49:19.960 --> 00:49:24.639
that, then your character kind of
you know, the decisions that they make,
704
00:49:24.760 --> 00:49:30.480
the story, the path that they
take kind of you know, your
705
00:49:30.559 --> 00:49:32.920
character then takes their own course because
you've done all this work in finding out
706
00:49:32.920 --> 00:49:37.159
who your character is, so you
know that your character will behave like this
707
00:49:37.440 --> 00:49:39.880
in this circumstance, and that's how
your story unfolds. At least that's how
708
00:49:39.880 --> 00:49:45.800
it works for me. You see
so much good insight there. I don't
709
00:49:45.800 --> 00:49:49.960
know how to process it. It's
amazing, I think, I mean,
710
00:49:50.119 --> 00:49:52.880
I think every writer works in a
different way. So you know, I
711
00:49:52.920 --> 00:49:54.559
often have this a central idea and
when I write, you know, I
712
00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:58.639
don't really plan my novels in detail, but I have an idea of what
713
00:49:58.679 --> 00:50:01.119
the reveals are going to be,
how it's generally going to unfold her as
714
00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:06.599
I know other authors who will,
you know, spend twenty thousand words ringtail
715
00:50:06.679 --> 00:50:08.880
plouns. So I find it fascinating
how we're all so different, but we
716
00:50:08.960 --> 00:50:12.800
all the same result is that you
know you actually have written a good book
717
00:50:13.360 --> 00:50:15.639
Before we do move on to the
third part of the show, when you
718
00:50:15.639 --> 00:50:20.719
create your characters, and you talked
about potentially using all of this sort of
719
00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:25.559
motivations and the sort of desires and
just the whole package of a character.
720
00:50:27.000 --> 00:50:30.440
Do you create kind of a portfolio
for that character or is that completely something
721
00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:35.800
that's in your mind. Well,
when I started writing a series, I
722
00:50:35.840 --> 00:50:38.719
have got this book. Oh yeah, it's here. I don't know if
723
00:50:38.760 --> 00:50:45.320
you can see it, it says
Fiona Cummins, four unblue character notes.
724
00:50:45.880 --> 00:50:52.400
So someone sent me this which was
amazing and look how empty it is.
725
00:50:52.440 --> 00:50:58.000
Sorry, it's quite empty. There
are in there. So I started filling
726
00:50:58.039 --> 00:51:02.719
it in because you know, I
thought it would be helpful. Blonde hair,
727
00:51:04.480 --> 00:51:07.360
brother, Gloria died this day,
father died this day, et cetera,
728
00:51:07.400 --> 00:51:12.079
et cetera. It's a great idea. But you know, I want
729
00:51:12.239 --> 00:51:16.159
to be this very organized, methodical
kind of writer, and I'm not.
730
00:51:16.400 --> 00:51:22.320
I'm just a chaotic bunch of like
ideas and it's all in my head but
731
00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:27.039
somehow it works. But I want
to be. I mean, I have
732
00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:30.480
writer friends who use spreadsheets. I
mean, what kind of horror is that?
733
00:51:30.679 --> 00:51:34.559
Who would use a spreadsheet? When
they would look at me and go,
734
00:51:34.679 --> 00:51:37.119
what what utter nonsense? Why have
you not written anything down. That's
735
00:51:37.159 --> 00:51:40.320
where you can't find out. I
don't know what put the birthdate of your
736
00:51:40.360 --> 00:51:45.199
detective is because you've got no notice
of it anywhere. So I think that's
737
00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:47.880
kind of probably room to meet in
the middle. It will be on an
738
00:51:47.920 --> 00:51:52.039
Instagram picture some day when the background
of your share is covered in posted notes.
739
00:51:53.039 --> 00:51:57.960
Never happened. I can promise you
that that will never happen. But
740
00:51:59.320 --> 00:52:04.039
I I have on occasion tried to
outline a book and then I've just gone,
741
00:52:04.039 --> 00:52:06.920
this is so boring, Like why
do I want to outline it?
742
00:52:06.960 --> 00:52:09.480
I don't want to write it now
I've outlined it. So but you know,
743
00:52:09.559 --> 00:52:15.119
I respect everyone else's method, as
it were. That's a great idea,
744
00:52:15.159 --> 00:52:19.880
though, and a lovely sentiment for
somebody to send you that, because
745
00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:22.199
I remember when we spoke to Ian
Ranking on the show and he was like
746
00:52:22.320 --> 00:52:28.079
having to go back through reabus books
at times. So maybe that book,
747
00:52:28.159 --> 00:52:30.840
you know, just jumping little things
down that you think I might need to
748
00:52:30.880 --> 00:52:37.719
remember this in the future. But
yeah, yeah, and even darf things
749
00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:40.639
like the color of their eyes.
You know, you put someone the right
750
00:52:40.760 --> 00:52:49.679
I don't know, somewhat poetically about
I don't know they're grays, they blue
751
00:52:49.679 --> 00:52:52.960
eyes or I can't remember anything.
So yeah, and there'll always be a
752
00:52:52.000 --> 00:52:57.320
reader who is eageried enough to notice
that kind of thing. Yeah, there's
753
00:52:57.360 --> 00:53:01.320
probably be more than one. Yeah, a few, what I was going
754
00:53:01.360 --> 00:53:05.119
to say, and readers, though
in fair you know, you owe it
755
00:53:05.119 --> 00:53:07.599
to your reader to be accurate,
to get it right. If you said
756
00:53:07.599 --> 00:53:09.320
them earlier book they've got gray eyes, and they've got gray eyes, they
757
00:53:09.320 --> 00:53:13.000
haven't suddenly got blue eyes, So
you know it's important that you get that
758
00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:16.079
amazing right. We're going to move
on to part through the show, which
759
00:53:16.119 --> 00:53:20.760
is called community Questions, So if
you have questions for fion Net, please
760
00:53:20.800 --> 00:53:23.039
send them in now and we will
get them onto the screen after we've asked
761
00:53:23.320 --> 00:53:28.280
a few of our wonderful staple questions. So coming write up, it's part
762
00:53:28.320 --> 00:53:45.960
three, So Chris, can you
start us off with our staple questions please?
763
00:53:47.239 --> 00:53:51.239
Yeah. So the first question that
we have is if you could take
764
00:53:51.320 --> 00:53:54.920
any character from fiction and make that
character your own, which character would you
765
00:53:55.000 --> 00:54:00.960
choose and why? So I was
thinking of about this earlier and I just
766
00:54:01.079 --> 00:54:07.239
think my my answers are going to
be ridiculous. So have you ever read
767
00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:14.719
the Chaos Walking trilogy. So in
that book, it's a series of books
768
00:54:14.719 --> 00:54:20.000
by Patrick Ness which are absolutely brilliant, and in that there is a dog
769
00:54:20.280 --> 00:54:23.639
called Manchi. He's a talking dog. You can hear his thoughts. So
770
00:54:23.719 --> 00:54:28.440
in these books it's called the Noise, and you can hear everyone's thoughts and
771
00:54:28.559 --> 00:54:31.280
you can hear Manchi's thoughts. Manchi
is an amazing dog, and I would
772
00:54:31.559 --> 00:54:36.239
like to take him from that book
and take him on lots of adventures with
773
00:54:36.280 --> 00:54:40.360
me in a canterra vann Amazing.
I love that idea. We've never had
774
00:54:40.400 --> 00:54:45.159
a character be referenced as a dog
before, but yeah, I love it.
775
00:54:45.400 --> 00:54:49.519
Yeah, definitely, Okay, amazing. Okay, if you could take
776
00:54:49.559 --> 00:54:52.320
the ending of anything, whether that
be a TV show, a film,
777
00:54:52.440 --> 00:54:55.039
or a buck and change the ending, what ending you changing a way?
778
00:54:55.920 --> 00:55:00.159
I see? I fear that I'm
not cerebral enough for your crowd because I
779
00:55:00.239 --> 00:55:04.239
watched I was talking to my thirteen
year old daughter about this before I came
780
00:55:04.280 --> 00:55:09.039
on, and we watched Greece the
other day and we decided that it was
781
00:55:09.159 --> 00:55:15.400
absolutely ridiculous that Sandy basically has to
put on really tight sexy leather trousers and
782
00:55:15.480 --> 00:55:21.119
high heels and perm her hair to
become really sexy for John Travolta. And
783
00:55:21.199 --> 00:55:23.480
actually, if she wants to just
wear her white innocent ninety and a ribbon,
784
00:55:23.679 --> 00:55:28.519
she should write she shouldn't have to
change who she becomes in order to
785
00:55:28.639 --> 00:55:31.440
win his love. So we got
quite ranty about that, but I think,
786
00:55:31.960 --> 00:55:35.480
yeah, so that's what I would
change. That she can say who
787
00:55:35.519 --> 00:55:37.760
she is and he can be who
he is and they can still fall in
788
00:55:37.800 --> 00:55:43.559
love with each other. Absolutely,
I can see that neither of you two
789
00:55:43.599 --> 00:55:47.360
are like feeling the love for grease. Then see that, Yeah, I
790
00:55:49.000 --> 00:55:52.559
would like her. I would still
like the sexiness, and then I would
791
00:55:52.599 --> 00:55:57.079
like her to just walk away from
John Travolta and go, oh, yeah,
792
00:55:57.159 --> 00:55:59.639
that's that's quite cool. Actually,
But then you know, she only
793
00:55:59.679 --> 00:56:04.280
became sexy because John Travolta wanted her
to become sexy, right, So yeah,
794
00:56:04.599 --> 00:56:07.000
I was thinking that maybe I should
have really chosen something. You know.
795
00:56:07.440 --> 00:56:13.119
Isn't that like most nineties like rum
coms where like even ten things I
796
00:56:13.199 --> 00:56:17.079
hear about you, they were like
get the the ugly girls to like become
797
00:56:17.559 --> 00:56:22.760
attractive to win her over sort of
thing. Isn't it good that we've moved
798
00:56:22.800 --> 00:56:29.880
on from that Yeah, nineties rum
comes Okay, what's the room come with
799
00:56:29.920 --> 00:56:32.159
a big speaker? What's that one
when he used the underneath the window?
800
00:56:32.880 --> 00:56:39.679
I can't remember what that's called.
No, that love actually the one where
801
00:56:39.679 --> 00:56:45.719
he's literally holding it up and playing
the song I can't remember submed love.
802
00:56:45.719 --> 00:56:47.880
Actually, it's a great rum comes
off. Yeah, yeah, let's move
803
00:56:47.920 --> 00:56:54.039
on, dang. Anyway, I'm
very I enjoy a lot of literary fiction,
804
00:56:54.159 --> 00:57:00.360
honestly, guys. Yeah, Chris, back to you. Yeah,
805
00:57:00.400 --> 00:57:01.920
so we're going to go a little
bit morbid. I'm trying to speak to
806
00:57:02.039 --> 00:57:07.039
these because we're getting close to the
end and we've got some good community questions.
807
00:57:07.800 --> 00:57:13.159
But you're on your deathbed, you're
looking back at your writing career.
808
00:57:13.920 --> 00:57:15.960
What would you be happy with?
What is success to you? Do I
809
00:57:16.039 --> 00:57:21.559
have to die to answer this question? Can we just like if if you
810
00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:23.320
answer it? But you know,
well, we're all going to die at
811
00:57:23.360 --> 00:57:28.360
some point, so this might be
quite nice to sit in the future when
812
00:57:28.360 --> 00:57:32.280
we're up here to see what you
would have been happy with. I think
813
00:57:32.400 --> 00:57:37.199
you know, I've thought about this, and you know, once upon a
814
00:57:37.239 --> 00:57:42.079
time I would have said, well, I mean and I still would love
815
00:57:42.119 --> 00:57:45.400
all of this stuff. You know. I would love to be a consistent
816
00:57:45.519 --> 00:57:51.039
Sunday Times number one best seller.
I would love to walk down the red
817
00:57:51.119 --> 00:57:54.400
carpet at the premiere of a film
of one of my books. Right,
818
00:57:54.719 --> 00:58:00.440
So these are the these are the
dreams. But actually, in reality we're
819
00:58:00.480 --> 00:58:07.800
talking about career and writing. What
I consider to be success is earning enough
820
00:58:07.840 --> 00:58:13.320
money to just keep on writing for
as long as I possibly can, because
821
00:58:13.360 --> 00:58:16.440
I love this job, and I
just you know, there are very few
822
00:58:16.599 --> 00:58:21.960
jobs where someone gives you money to
sit in your pajamas and makeup shit,
823
00:58:22.079 --> 00:58:24.480
right, so you know who wants
to let that go? I don't.
824
00:58:24.599 --> 00:58:28.559
But you have to be practical about
these things as well. But so for
825
00:58:28.639 --> 00:58:31.639
that, for for me, that
is success, being able to do this
826
00:58:31.760 --> 00:58:37.639
forever. Yeah, great answer.
Okay, let's get a question in from
827
00:58:37.679 --> 00:58:42.440
the audience because we are pushing time
now, so Annie, it's got one.
828
00:58:42.480 --> 00:58:45.639
They will ask this one. If
you could interview a famous person at
829
00:58:45.639 --> 00:58:51.599
their best and most inspirational, who
would it be? And why? Oh
830
00:58:51.719 --> 00:58:53.440
god, that's a really difficult question. So I tell you why, because
831
00:58:53.639 --> 00:58:58.000
I've met a lot of famous people, and what they say about never meeting
832
00:58:58.039 --> 00:59:02.280
your heroes is true. They're and
inevitably the disappointment. So no, I
833
00:59:02.280 --> 00:59:07.000
mean, I think, you know, meeting, I think fame does something
834
00:59:07.039 --> 00:59:15.199
to someone actually, And actually the
most famous people I've met are generally the
835
00:59:15.320 --> 00:59:19.199
nicest actually, and the people that
are sort of a bit famous are not.
836
00:59:19.960 --> 00:59:22.440
But to answer the question, and
I most like to do you know
837
00:59:22.440 --> 00:59:27.079
who I've always wanted to interview and
I never did because well, it was
838
00:59:27.159 --> 00:59:31.280
Prince. I would have loved to
interview him at the height of his career.
839
00:59:31.320 --> 00:59:36.239
So it's not really to do with
writing, although he is a consumer
840
00:59:36.639 --> 00:59:44.239
songwriter and you know, he had
a brilliant nack of writing fantastic, fantastic
841
00:59:44.320 --> 00:59:47.320
song so I'd probably like to ask
him what his secret was with regards to
842
00:59:47.360 --> 00:59:52.400
that. Yeah, just on the
back of that, because I like Prince
843
00:59:52.440 --> 00:59:55.440
as well. If you have to
write a book based on any Prince song,
844
00:59:55.519 --> 01:00:02.119
which song would you choose if I
was your girlfriend? Nice good Shoe
845
01:00:02.360 --> 01:00:08.639
or maybe the beautiful ones? I
love that song? Oh. Look,
846
01:00:08.760 --> 01:00:12.360
to be honest, that's a really
difficult question. How am I supposed to
847
01:00:12.360 --> 01:00:15.719
answer that? Because I love so
much of his stuff And now I'm gonna
848
01:00:16.679 --> 01:00:19.480
now I'm going to go away and
think well, I wish I said that
849
01:00:19.519 --> 01:00:22.519
instead, but then I was just
trying to cycle through some of the more
850
01:00:23.760 --> 01:00:29.760
X rated lyrics and trying to modify
my answers to an appropriate one. I
851
01:00:29.840 --> 01:00:32.679
love the idea of you because you've
interviewed Michael Jackson, maybe leaving going.
852
01:00:34.519 --> 01:00:37.840
I'd still love to interview prints,
to be honest, he's my favorite.
853
01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:45.320
Well I Michael Jackson thing was so
weird and it was just it was like
854
01:00:45.480 --> 01:00:50.840
it wasn't real. We were we
waited for about five hours in this room.
855
01:00:50.920 --> 01:00:52.920
We had to be vetted, we
had to meet, you know,
856
01:00:53.039 --> 01:00:57.719
various people before we were allowed in
there. And my favorite story really about
857
01:00:57.719 --> 01:01:02.639
this is that the photographer and our
I were sitting waiting and waiting. We
858
01:01:02.679 --> 01:01:06.519
didn't really think it was going to
happen. And then the door opens and
859
01:01:06.639 --> 01:01:09.920
Michael Jackson walks in and he is
exactly as you would imagine him to be,
860
01:01:10.519 --> 01:01:15.679
and the photographer turns to me and
goes, fuck me, it's Michael
861
01:01:15.880 --> 01:01:22.119
Jackson. Because because when you meet
famous people, you know, I was
862
01:01:22.199 --> 01:01:25.719
never I've never been starstruck. You
know, there's way more starstruck meeting people
863
01:01:25.760 --> 01:01:31.000
like dermid or Lee Child than I
ever was meeting celebrities in a way.
864
01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:36.440
But you know, he was at
that time probably one of the biggest superstar
865
01:01:36.639 --> 01:01:38.920
in the world. And yet I
mean there are you know, there are
866
01:01:39.000 --> 01:01:44.039
controversies around him, and there are
complexities around his story. But you know,
867
01:01:44.039 --> 01:01:45.760
if you if you distill it down
to the fact that he was just
868
01:01:45.800 --> 01:01:49.480
probably one of the most famous people
on the planet, it was a very
869
01:01:49.480 --> 01:01:53.320
interesting experience and that was all the
photographer could could manage because we were both
870
01:01:53.400 --> 01:02:00.119
like, it was very odd.
Yeah, how if you remember did you
871
01:02:00.199 --> 01:02:07.960
open that conversation? I remember feeling
really so we kind of tried to talk
872
01:02:07.960 --> 01:02:12.480
to him. It was very difficult
to talk to He had his glasses on
873
01:02:12.599 --> 01:02:15.559
and he was he looked exactly as
you would expect him to look. He
874
01:02:15.599 --> 01:02:19.920
looked exactly as he did in the
photographs. And I wrote about this,
875
01:02:20.000 --> 01:02:24.480
but he smelled very distinctly of lavender. And he put his arm around us
876
01:02:24.480 --> 01:02:28.239
for our hug for the photos,
and you know, it's very sort of
877
01:02:28.320 --> 01:02:31.199
muscular. And that's what I remember
actually as a really good writing tip as
878
01:02:31.239 --> 01:02:36.400
well. You know, that sort
of sense, that real sort of visceral
879
01:02:36.480 --> 01:02:38.440
sense of a person, you know, because it's easy to describe what someone
880
01:02:38.480 --> 01:02:42.960
looks like, but actually it brings
things much more to life if you think
881
01:02:43.000 --> 01:02:45.440
about how they feel, how they
smell, you know, all of that
882
01:02:45.519 --> 01:02:49.159
kind of thing you're asking about character
earlier. But actually, you know,
883
01:02:49.159 --> 01:02:51.800
who would have thought that Michael Jackson
would have smelt of lavender? And yet
884
01:02:51.840 --> 01:02:57.199
he did amazing, very interesting.
French wouldn't have made you way five hours?
885
01:02:57.559 --> 01:03:00.920
Not a chance? What would What
do you think? I like to
886
01:03:00.920 --> 01:03:05.519
think that there would have been a
magnetic attraction between me and Prince and that
887
01:03:05.599 --> 01:03:10.000
I would have become his girlfriend.
What do you think like? I don't
888
01:03:10.039 --> 01:03:16.400
know. I think you might have
smelled quite own, natural, I don't
889
01:03:16.440 --> 01:03:25.159
know friends pure sex. Oh,
he's quite little and I'm quite little,
890
01:03:25.199 --> 01:03:28.960
so I think we would have made
a good match, as that's concerned as
891
01:03:28.960 --> 01:03:32.840
well. Yeah, interesting conversation.
Okay, anyway, we're going to have
892
01:03:32.880 --> 01:03:37.239
to wrap it up. I know
he have sent some questions in so apologize
893
01:03:37.239 --> 01:03:39.679
for not reading those. We are
five minutes over, so we'll finish up
894
01:03:39.719 --> 01:03:45.000
with Fiona. Where can people find
your work? Where can they people?
895
01:03:45.239 --> 01:03:50.760
Where can they people find out more
information about you? And can they follow
896
01:03:50.800 --> 01:03:52.679
you on social media? Exam for
example? Yeah, so I'm terrible at
897
01:03:52.719 --> 01:03:54.920
Facebook, so I wouldn't bother looking
at me there. I do have a
898
01:03:54.920 --> 01:04:00.199
page, but I would that's not
really good sense. You can find me
899
01:04:00.320 --> 01:04:04.880
on Twitter, stroke x. I'm
there a lot, and I'm always my
900
01:04:04.920 --> 01:04:09.559
dms are open. If you have
any questions about writing, or you know,
901
01:04:09.639 --> 01:04:12.360
need any advice or any guidance and
anything, I'm always happy to help
902
01:04:12.360 --> 01:04:17.199
and answer those kind of questions.
I'm on Instagram as well, and yeah,
903
01:04:17.360 --> 01:04:20.159
I'm around and I'm up for chatting. And you know, there's lots
904
01:04:20.159 --> 01:04:23.679
of events you can if you want
to find out where I might be appearing
905
01:04:23.679 --> 01:04:26.960
and things that I'm doing, you
can find that out through social media as
906
01:04:27.000 --> 01:04:30.760
well. So where can they buy
your books? Oh? You can get
907
01:04:30.760 --> 01:04:35.159
them most places from the usual digital
tunnels, you know, like Amazon and
908
01:04:35.280 --> 01:04:39.480
Audit, sort of Apple, Cobo, those kind of places, Waterstones,
909
01:04:39.960 --> 01:04:45.639
some of the supermarkets, w Smith, independent bookshops. Use your independent bookshops.
910
01:04:45.679 --> 01:04:50.880
Yeah, and again, finally,
are you going to any events soon
911
01:04:51.039 --> 01:04:56.000
or are you doing these signings?
So the next thing in my diary is
912
01:04:56.039 --> 01:04:59.719
the book party. It's on the
twenty fifth of November, and that's in
913
01:05:00.519 --> 01:05:03.119
It's like a Christmas party. So
I think there's any tickets left for that,
914
01:05:03.159 --> 01:05:10.800
but I shall be there and I'm
at Noir at the Bar in Edinburgh
915
01:05:10.880 --> 01:05:15.440
on the thirtieth of November, So
if you're around that way, do you
916
01:05:15.440 --> 01:05:17.800
come and say hello? Amazing.
I hope you have a good time at
917
01:05:17.800 --> 01:05:21.639
the book party. That looks amazing. Hopefully next year we'll be there.
918
01:05:23.039 --> 01:05:25.960
Yeah, excellent. Thank you so
much for having me as well. It's
919
01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:30.320
been brilliant. You've been wonderful and
great show. Hello, says in the
920
01:05:30.320 --> 01:05:32.360
comments. Thank you so much for
your comments. Guys, please do go
921
01:05:32.440 --> 01:05:36.960
and check out all of us are
broken and obviously the back catalog the links
922
01:05:38.039 --> 01:05:43.599
to fi owner's information is in the
description of the video. Please do check
923
01:05:43.599 --> 01:05:45.320
that out and buy her book and
as she said, support the local books
924
01:05:45.480 --> 01:05:48.360
the stores if you're going to do
it that way as well. But thank
925
01:05:48.400 --> 01:05:53.159
you so much, Fiona, loving
your conversation, loving the fact that coming
926
01:05:53.239 --> 01:05:57.639
from your shed, and it's been
brilliant. Chris, anything for you before
927
01:05:57.639 --> 01:06:01.320
we finish up? No, I
mean it's not often that writers come on
928
01:06:01.360 --> 01:06:04.920
the show and invite people to ask
them questions in the DMS, so take
929
01:06:04.920 --> 01:06:14.199
the opportunity to slide into MS questions. Yeah and yeah, get all of
930
01:06:14.280 --> 01:06:17.719
us are broken, Chris says as
he's licking his lips. You know,
931
01:06:18.239 --> 01:06:26.960
everybody, Thank you so so much. Have a great weekend. It's bonfire.
932
01:06:27.079 --> 01:06:32.760
It's the fifth of November, not
to know late. Yeah, So
933
01:06:32.800 --> 01:06:36.239
this weekend, if you're doing anything
like that, please stay very safe and
934
01:06:36.360 --> 01:06:40.039
we'll see you again next week.
And again, thank you so much for
935
01:06:40.079 --> 01:06:45.039
supporting us and getting this to this
amazing milestone. We've loved you joining us
936
01:06:45.039 --> 01:06:46.320
in the chat and supporting this in
that way, So thank you so much.
937
01:06:46.519 --> 01:07:04.199
We'll see you very soon. Bye
bye, guys,