Diana talks to historical author Louise Wyatt about her forthcoming book, Secret Hayes.

Hi Louise. Good to talk with you.

Before we start, you have some exciting news to share. Can you tell me about it?

I am very excited to be doing another book for Amberley’s Secret series, this time for Chepstow in Monmouthshire. A lot of historical fans will know this town because of its’ castle and links to the famous William Marshal but I want to go further than that, discover the not-so-well-known characters and explore buildings other than the castle. I expect to be spending many winter weekends in the museum and library, no hardship really!

I have also been commissioned by Amberley to write a book on The History of Nursing. As a lot of people know, I am a District Nursing Sister by day so this one is close to my heart. Only have a blurred outline of this one at the moment – the origins of nursing, how nursing went from herbal remedies and folklore to the degree-standard we have today and who made nursing what it is. I want to get past Florence Nightingale and explore the unknowns.

Both due for publication next year.

I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it! Erm …

If your latest book, Secret Hayes,

was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role? Tom Hardy could play anything in my humble opinion!

What made you choose this genre? To state a cliché, it chose me. I’ve wrote short, humorous stories, attempted breath-taking historical novels (and failed), windswept romances and contemporary tales and enjoyed most of it, albeit with no success! I did have a couple of short stories published online many moons ago (now lost in the ether) with good feedback but I never, in a million years, attempted historical non-fiction. And bingo, that’s the genre that caught a publisher’s eye so I’m not complaining. What was a hobby innocently detailed on a blog has turned into a delightfully professional task.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!) you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind? A time-slip mystery. I do indeed have an idea, based on good old family history; I have a very naughty ancestor who was shipped off to Australia back in the day. But reading what I have about his crime, the era he lived in, the trade he had to deal with has really upset and annoyed me – was so unfair back then - so I’m hoping to give him his five minutes of fame at some point.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously. I’ve been asked this before and it always stumps me a bit as I have always written stories/poems so it seems a natural progression to me. I guess compelling would describe it – I can remember words being very enjoyable at school; I’m going back to when I started school so about five years old? I learned to read and quite literally, absorbed the books so quickly the teacher ran out of books for that class. I just ‘got’ words! I could make them dance over the page, feeding my rather independent imagination so stories were just natural to me. I remember, when I was in primary school, we had to say what our hobbies were. I got some odd looks when I said reading and writing as I thought most people liked sitting at home concocting stories of all descriptions! Turns out they didn’t. So I wrote for school, for fun and occasionally, for competitions (and yes, I won a couple!). I can honestly say I’ve wrote seriously since I was very, very young. I recently found some of those stories in the loft; made me smile.

Numbers on the other hand …

Marmite? Love it or hate it? I don’t hate it but don’t love it so I’ll go with like-it-when-in-the-mood

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...?? Not really … I can write with the tele or radio on, I don’t like silence. I love pencils (no idea why) so will start with a good old fashioned pad and pencil – I categorically do not trust to have all my hard work purely stored on a p.c!

I’m most definitely an early-to-bed-early-to-rise kinda gal but weirdly, my brain seems to come alive creatively last thing at night so yes, I do have a pad by my bed; I seem to think of words I don’t normally use when I’m most tired!

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters? Characters, without a doubt …

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job? To run an Animal/wildlife rescue sanctuary

Coffee or tea? Red or white? Tea and I’m tee-total
How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way? I usually have a very loose draft floating around – that’s where my pencil and pad come in. Once I get typing and the creative juices kick in, I let it take its course. One thing I’m finding writing my non-fiction book, is the way it seems to flow naturally; I just have to hone it every now and then. Best feeling in the world when it takes on a life of its own.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose? Comic Sans! May become a bit tiresome but I think it’s a fun font. Is that sad?

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be? Oh my, that’s a tough one … I guess anything historical and the older the better; I would much prefer to have a diary of a normal, everyday person from the Anglo-Saxon period than anything royal, for example. I’ve recently purchased my first ‘old’ book – a first edition tome written by a historian that lived in the area I’m writing about. It’s from 1874 and in my opinion is quite young in the grand scheme of things but holding (and sniffing!) a book that is 143 years old is something else … I was almost too scared to handle it to begin with.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!? I’m a firm believer in fact being much more stranger than fiction!

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips? I’m doing loads. I’m finding my time a university has helped with academic writing which I found much harder to begin with – there is no letting your imagination run riot. I honestly don’t know what I would do without the internet! I look for links within links online, names to Google and have learned to be patient as that one piece of information you’re looking for is embedded on page four or five of Google Search amongst the really random stuff! I still enjoy reference books – I seem to have a habit of falling into bookshops quite often and buy books that ‘may’ come in handy …

I do go on trips when time – and day job – allow. That’s how my Blog started off; we would go for walks and I’d stumble on old ruins, or a place with a strange name. My interest would peak and I would then just google it and would come up with so much interesting info I felt compelled to write about it. Writing non-fiction has triggered off an interest in etymology.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot? Not really relevant for me at the moment I guess but I would never kill off a real character; I would write around them.
Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this? Nope, never. Absolutely not.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred? Yes, especially when I don’t use my reading glasses. ((I laughed out loud. D. ))

Sorry! In all seriousness, yes, I do. Research wise, the older the story, the more ‘chinese whispers’ you have to deal with – what actually happened to what people interpreted has happened over the years.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? Historical fiction has always been my first love but over the past few years, I discovered crime/thrillers. It was quite refreshing reading something in the modern day. I also enjoy occasionally interspersing all this seriousness with some light-hearted tale – I think the cynical call it chick-lit!

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book? I always have water to hand but enjoy normal coke – yes, the proper coke everyone warns you about! I can’t drink diet drinks as the sweeteners affect my stomach and they taste rubbish anyway … ((A person after my own heart!! D))

Last but not least... favourite author? Oh, that’s a cruel question! I will go with what’s on my Keeper Shelf and ignore the historical faves sooooo … I’m afraid there are two. Christine Marion Fraser who wrote fiction about life and people on a Scottish Island; so absorbing and I can still remember smelling the flora and fauna she described on a windswept summer’s day. The other is Marian Keyes; a fabulous, heartwarming writer whose humorous take on everyday life tackles real problems and people struggling with personal disasters. Her play on words is fabulous.
About ''Secret Hayes'':

The town of Hayes, located in west London, has had a long and intriguing past. The area today is made up of what was originally five separate villages (Botwell, Hayes Town, Hayes End, Wood End, and Yeading). Historically in Middlesex, it became part of the London Borough of Hillingdon in 1965, but has a history that stretches back over a thousand years. Secret Hayes covers a wealth of topics about Hayes’ past, from its origins to being the home of both EMI and George Orwell. The book will be released on 15th December and is available to preorder from Amazon and Amberley .

About the author:

Louise realised her love of words and all things written when, at the tender age of five, she began devouring Ladybird books faster than her teacher could supply them. After winning various writing and poetry competitions throughout school, she ended up having her family then training to be a nurse, but always wrote for pleasure. Louise started a blog five years ago for her love of history and soon discovered she enjoyed unearthing little-known facts about certain areas. Over the past few years, Louise has become a book reviewer and proof reader, and is still enjoying the magic of words.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Louise Wyatt 28/05/17

Diana talks to Rod Glenn

Rod is a multi talented man. Not only is he a superb actor, he is  one of the geniuses behind Wild Wolf Publishing and is also an established author in his own right (or should that be 'in his own write'???)

It is a pleasure to be able to talk with you Rod...
First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!  What scares you most?  The possibility that there is absolutely nothing after death.  I’m not a religious person, but I desperately hope that there is something after death.

If your latest book 'No Chance In Hell' was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role? Me! I split my time between writing and acting and I’d love to play the action hero lead. Failing that, if Tom Hardy can pull off a Geordie accent I guess he can have the gig.

What made you choose this genre? I don’t specifically choose a genre – I tend to write from a basic idea and the genre and everything else tends to evolve from there.  No Chance In Hell is an action/horror, but my previous novels are thrillers, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic, so I’m not picky!

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?  Sometimes from seeing something or someone in the street, or a basic ‘what if’ question might pop into my head or even from a dream.  Inspiration can come from anywhere.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?  I have an idea for a very different take on the werewolf genre which I’m toying with at the moment. (Rod, if it comes to fruition, may I have the chance to review it for the Review, please?)

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.  I started writing in primary school and I never stopped. I’ve always been compelled to write. At the same time that I was writing my first childish stories I was also taking part in every school play – I’ve always been compelled to do both.

Marmite? Love it or hate it? I’m weird – I can take it or leave it.  Write into that what you will… (Well, I can write into that that you are weird!!!)

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??  I prefer silence when writing – I don’t like any distractions.  Other than that, no, writing is a job, as is acting, so they need to be treated as such.  I get up and I write, whether I’m in the mood or not.  You have to get yourself into a routine and put the graft in.  It’s a solitary job, so if you don’t motivate yourself no one else will.  If you use excuses like I’m not in a creative mood or I have writer’s block then writing will only ever be a hobby.  You will never earn a living from it.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?  Ha, both.  You have to maintain some perspective or you’ll disappear too far down the rabbit hole. *See below

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?  I’m extremely lucky that I have my two dream jobs – actor and writer. (So are we, your viewers and readers)

Coffee or tea? Red or white?  I always have a cup of strong Yorkshire tea first thing in the morning and then coffee throughout the rest of the day.  Red every time for wine, mainly rioja.

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?  I usually only start with a basic premise and allow the story and characters to evolve from there.  With my debut novel (The King of America) I started with a question – what if America was ruled by a monarchy?

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?  I like Garamond – feels a little warmer to me than the likes of Time New Roman or Arial. (Yep!)

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?  It would definitely be top secret government documents on aliens and UFOs.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!? Characters are always surprising me!  Sometimes one written in as a small insignificant role blossoms into a lead character and visa versa.  Sometimes they die too soon, sometimes they survive when I thought they wouldn’t.  You just have to keep writing and trust in the story.  The hard work begins in the re-drafting stages anyway – that’s where all the re-writes, cuts, changes and additions happen.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?  I continually research throughout the writing of a novel, whether it is looking on Google Maps at a specific area or a fact check, research is key to realism and realism is key to making your story believable.  Even the most fantastical story involving magic, dragons, aliens and demons must be fundamentally believable on a base level.  I used to go on research trips, but with so much information available at the click of a mouse it’s rarely necessary these days.  If it is needed though then I have no hesitation.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?  They do occasionally sneak in, sometimes as a bit of fun for a friend or family member, but often a ‘real’ person might fit the bill better than a complete fabrication, so I might change their name and tweak other physical or personality traits so that I’m the only one who knows who that character is based on.  As writers we probably do this a lot more often than we admit, whether it is just someone we noticed in the coffee shop once or a friend we’ve known since kindergarten.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?  Realism is always paramount for me, so I will stick to the facts as much as possible, only veering off if it does not detract from the story’s believability.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?  Fact is quite often stranger than fiction, so the line is indeed microscopically thin.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?  I tend to love all my characters, even the nasty ones, so I do tend to feel their pain.  My antagonists always have some redeemable qualities about them, that grey area that makes them human, no matter what they do.  Likewise with my protagonists – they usually have a darker side.  You cannot have light without dark. 

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?  I read all sorts – Edgar Allan Poe, Terry Pratchett, H P Lovecraft, H G Wells, Christopher Brookmyre, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, J R R Tolkein, Bernard Cornwell, Douglas Adams, Roger Zelazny and many, many more. To be a good writer you have to read a great deal and from different genres and authors.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?  A stiff one!  Whisky.

Last but not least... favourite author?  It’s almost impossible to chose one, but I would edge towards Edgar Allan Poe.

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Rod Glenn was brought up in the north east of England and lives in Newcastle upon Tyne with wife, Vanessa. His writing is of a dark nature with darkly humorous undertones. He also an actor, some roles include The Hippopotamus, Wolfblood, Outside, The Fairy Flag, The Hollow Crown and Ripper Street.

Novels:
The King of America
Sinema: The Northumberland Massacre
The King of America: Epic Edition
The Killing Moon
Sinema 2: Sympathy for the Devil
Holiday of the Dead (contributor)
Radgepacket Vol. 1 (contributor)
P.O.W. Wartime Log of F/Sgt T D Glenn (contributor)
Sinema 3: The Troy Consortium
Wild Wolf's Twisted Tails (contributor)
Action: Pulse Pounding Tales Volume 2 (contributor)
The Fortress 

*               

 *From above. On 23rd April, which is St George's day and my birthday (and the birth and death day of some bloke called Shakespeare) my 'Diana talks' is called 'Diana talks to herself...' 
In this fascinating discussion (?) I explore the reasons why I have never written commercially and why what Rod says above is all a part of it.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Rod Glenn February 2017