Tuesday 23 June 2009

Questions & Answers Part 2


Hope you like the picture of a few of the stones of Avebury ancient circle. This is where the wedding of Adam and Senara took place. Checkout Avebury on google for lots more pictures. It is one of my favourite places.
Here are some more answers to questions.
Q.. What will it take to have your books available in the USA?
A. Unfortunately I have yet to sell the American Rights but my agent is trying hard. Never underestimate the power of recommendation and for readers outside the UK I always recommend the UK seller The Book Depository which discounts books and offers FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY.
Q.What does your study look like?
A. It is stacked up with books and alongside my desk is a bookcase of current research books for the Loveday Series. On one wall is hung portraits or my husband, one grandson and myself and my husband has promised to complete the set of our two children and other four children. I also have some of my wildlife paintings and seascapes on the opposite wall. My desk is in front of double glass sliding doors that look through to a Victorian style conservatory and out into the garden. It is a lovely view of trees and shrubs and I do try very hard not to get too distracted by the birds that have been nesting in the boxes.
Q. Do you write at a computer?
A. After an automatic dishwasher a computer is the greatest writing aid to producing work. When the writing is slow I have to limit my time getting sidetracked on the internet and getting dragged into an online Sudoko game.
Q. Do you agonize before "killing off" a character? Especially because it means the end (or should I say "dead end") of a certain number of plot lines.
A. The death of a family member is always traumatic to write as they are like my extended family. Killing off Harry Sawle was more therapeutic and gave me a sense of bringing an evil villain to justice.
Q. Within any given novel, do you know everything that is going to happen to your Loveday characters? Have there been surprises?
A. All plots are movable feasts where the Lovedays are concerned. Some of the most dramatic scenes have happened because one of them dictated what would happen rather than follow what I thought would occur.
Q. Did you set out to be a writer?
A. It was always a burning ambition of mine as I always had stories in my head that wanted to be told.
Q.Did you ever have another career?
A. I trained as a legal personal assistant and also had several secretarial jobs. I did not become a full time writer until 1990 when my two children had left school.
Q. What has been the greatest joy of your writing career?
A. Having my first book published and realising that I still had many more stories I wanted to write. Getting my first fan letter made me feel really special and that I had succeeded. I still love hearing from readers by email or post and such contact makes all the long isolated hours worthwhile.

4 comments:

May Peters said...

Thankyou for answering so many questions. I find the world of writer's fascinating. A friend lent me a copy of Adam Loveday when I had a two week stay in hospital at Easter. I loved it and got my daughter to buy me all the series so I could read them during my convalesence. They have made a difficult two months bearable. I hope there will be more in the series. I am recommending them to all my friends.

Barbara C. said...

Avebury is one of my favourite places. I felt it was right that Adam and Senara married there. Cornwall has so many ancient stones and sites, will you be using more of them in future novels?

kate tremayne said...

May and Barbara,
Thank you for your lovely comments. They were just what I needed as I have been struggling on a very hot and muggy day to keep the brain cells focussed on the latest Loveday novel.
All good wishes to you May for a speedy and full recovery. Stories like yours make me feel very privileged to be a writer and can bring some relief into reader's lives when things are a bit more difficult.
Barbara. I intend to use more of the Cornish ancient sites in future novels. The hermitage chapel at Roche features in The Loveday Conspiracy and Golitha Falls which is another favourite place of mine.

Marilyn from USA said...

Kate, thank you for your in-depth answers. It helps me appreciate, even more, the art of storytelling.