Today my guest is Lesley Lodge, prize-winning short story writer and author of Lights, Camera, Gallop which combines her love of film and horses. Her first crime book, Wayland’s Revenge, is a historical novel set during the Siege of Colchester.
Lesley, welcome to my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
L: Let me think… I’ll have a Dark and Stormy please. Cheers!
So where did we first meet in
real life?
L: In real life we met in the 1990s in East Dulwich, South London – so in both the time and the place of your Hannah Weybridge novels. I hope I haven’t inspired you in any criminal way…
That would be telling. What were your first impressions?
L: I thought what a welcoming person! I watched you take command of a meeting and realised you were someone who could judge characters well. I was soon to catch on to your creative side too.
We’ve known each other a long time so we must have quite a lot in common?
L: We had kids of the same age and journalism. I’d been a journalist for a Middle Eastern business magazine and at that time was cracking out articles on, well, housing regeneration. Actually, there is a very real connection between poor housing, Peckham and gangs. You were freelancing for all kinds of magazines and publications. We both had ambitions to write THE great novel, if only the kids would settle quietly…
What are you most looking
forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
L: Well what I’ve missed most so far, in the writing world, is the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival. Hopefully it will be revived in 2021.
I think you’ve been to Harrogate every year. I’ve never got there but we did both make it to CrimesFest which was fun. What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
L: I’d love to get Don Winslow, Stephen King and Val McDermid together on a panel. They’re all fabulously enthralling writers – and they’ve all been clear [if I may be just a tiny bit political here] about the leaders who’ve not led us well on Coronavirus on either side of the Atlantic.
Oh be as political as you like and have another drink as you tell us about your latest book.
L: So Wayland’s Revenge is set in 1648, a time of bitter civil wars in England. Wayland, the village blacksmith, returns from army service to find his wife, Rebecca, murdered and his son traumatised. Wayland’s overpowering desire for revenge is thwarted by the collapse of laws and a dearth of clues to her sadistic killer. Wayland sets out on a perilous journey to find the killer, taking with him his son Jonathan and Alun, a canny Welsh baker. But just as they find their first suspect, they are trapped in the brutal Siege of Colchester, facing ever more dangerous challenges. Wayland, Alun and Jonathan must draw on all their strengths, devise new strategies and make agonising decisions, if they are to stay alive and find the real killer before he strikes again. It’s out in paperback, kindle and audiobook.
I don’t read many historicals but I must say I was totally gripped by Wayland’s Revenge. What are you working on now?
L: My longer-term project is to write a sequel for Wayland’s Revenge. I think this one will be set in the dark, dank Fens in the seventeenth century. Wayland might just get caught up as slave labour for Cromwell’s project to drain the fen. But in the meantime, I’m working on a memoir about my misadventures in the 1970s. I have a 320 page first draft of that so far.
Well editing that will keep you busy during lockdown! Is there anything this time of pandemic has made you think about or want to do?
L: Run outside waving my arms manically… And head for a train to London.
And I’ll be there to meet you for a real drink. Lesley, thank you for joining me today and please get on with the sequel to Wayland’s Revenge.
You can find out more about Lesley Lodge and her work hereand follow her on Twitter @LesleyLodge
It’s a delight to welcome writer and journalist Vicki Goldman to the Cocktail Lounge. Last year the opening chapters of her Jewish-themed crime novel, The Redeemer, won her the accolade of first runner up in the Capital Crime New Voices Award.
Hi Vicky, how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
V: Hi Anne.
Thank you so much for inviting me – it’s much more spacious than I expected. Many
people who follow me on Twitter (or know me in the “real world”) will be aware
that I am particularly partial to a shot (or two or three…) of Thunder Toffee
Vodka. But I am currently staring into my sunny garden and realise that I fancy
something more refreshing, such as a Pimms and Lemonade (with fruit and ice, of
course). If your bar stocks are running low (because I know many people have
been drinking more alcohol than usual during lockdown), my other usual drink is
a vodka and orange.
Knowing you’d
be here, I stocked up on Thunder Toffee Vodka! So where did we first meet in
real life?
V: We first met at First Monday Crime,
which takes place in London on the first Monday of each month with great author
panels and socialising in the pub afterwards. I was possibly lurking in a
corner somewhere and you possibly dragged me into a conversation to share our
love of crime fiction!
First impressions?
V: You put me at ease straightaway. Since
then we have had great chats at more First Monday events and also at book
launches and festivals. It is always lovely to see you.
Funny isn’t it, I thought you were quite intimidating – not realising you are shy. Points in common?
V: We seem to have quite a lot in common,
as we are both journalists and also love crime fiction (although you are
published and I’m not there yet!). We often share a laugh on Twitter at some of
the ridiculous press releases that arrive in our inboxes.
And we both had
non-fiction books published by the same company. What are you working on now?
V: By day, I work
as a journalist and editor, specialising in consumer health, writing for various
magazines. I am also freelance health editor for Bupa, updating the consumer
health information on the website. Around 18 months ago, my day job and the
book world collided when I decided to use my skills and experience elsewhere. I
now proofread fiction for Orenda books and I have edited memoir for Mirror
Books – a welcome break from some of the heavy health writing topics.
V: I review books for LoveReading and I am writing crime fiction too. I was first runner up in the Capital Crime New Voices Award 2019 with the first chapters of my Jewish-themed crime novel, The Redeemer. I am currently writing something that is crime but also a little spooky, which is a set in a former prison. I am not that far in, but several people are giving me a kick (I mean, push) to get it written.
Love the idea of your WIP so get on with it! Sadly we have no “real life” book events at the moment but what would be your dream panel?
V: This is a
hard one for me to answer as I have never been on a panel. But if I was on a panel right now, it would
likely be as a moderator, which terrifies me a little (okay, far more than a
little).
V: Thinking back to the First Monday events I have been to, I think a panel featuring Susi (SJI) Holliday, Steph Broadribb, Rod Reynolds and Chris Whitaker would be great fun and I would learn a lot as they are all talented writers. They would certainly put me at ease, though I am not sure that I would be able to control the direction (or content) of conversation at all!
Having been on
two panels with Rod, I think you’re on to a winner there. What are you most
looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
V: Probably some “me” time (writing in solitude at home, wandering aimlessly around a bookshop or even just sitting in a park). I also can’t wait to meet up with some friends who don’t live nearby – this would usually be in central London (eg the Waterstones Piccadilly 5th floor bar), but sadly I can’t see that happening for a long while.
Is there anything lockdown has made you
think about/want to do?
V: I really appreciate what I do have here –
my family (husband and two teenage sons) and some work to keep me busy
(although I am always looking for more). I know others aren’t so fortunate. I
also appreciate the support of my closest friends, who make me laugh when I’m
feeling down or anxious and listen when I need to chat.
Well it was great to chat with you today,
Vicki, and good luck with your WIP.
You can find out more about Vicky’s Editorial services here and follow her on Twitter: @VictoriaGoldma2
My guest today, Paul Gitsham, a biologist who retrained as a science teacher, is the author of the DCI Warren Jones crime books, which began with The Last Straw in 2014. The latest in the series, A Price to Pay is released on 5 June by HQ Digital.
Hi Paul how
lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
P: Well, if
you’re buying… I will have a bottle of Nanny State and a glass of lemonade,
plus an empty pint glass. Yep, you read that right, an alcohol-free shandy. I
know how to party!
So do you remember where we first met in real life?
P: Tricky. We’re both stalwarts of First Monday Crime, but I suspect we were brushing shoulders before then at CrimeFest.
First
impressions? I was in awe of you as you seemed so confident.
P: I’m flattered. The only time anyone has
said they were in awe of me in recent times was after I downed a glass of fizzy
water, mixed with tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and whatever
the hell else year 8 had added to the beaker. I did it in 8.2 seconds and held
that record for most of a lunch-time, until an especially iron-stomached year 9
beat me by less than a second. In my defense, it was for charity.
P: As to my first impressions – like most writers I am constantly suffering from imposter syndrome, I recognised you and was delighted when you spoke to me. As always with the crime community, I found you to be a fun conversationalist and enjoyed chatting to you. You are one of the familiar faces I always keep an eye out for when entering a room for the first time.
What a lovely
thing to say. Points in common apart from a geographical connection to Harlow,
Essex where I lived and went to school.
P: Well our
time in Harlow hasn’t really overlapped, as I have only been here a couple of
years. However, as I mentioned before, we both really enjoy First Monday Crime
in London.
P: I know it’s a cliché, but that love of books from an early age is something that we have in common. I know that you were inspired to read by a teacher, who allowed you access to his office to choose books. As a child in primary school, I was a little slow to start reading, but when I did, I soon polished off everything the school had to offer. I too felt incredibly special when the teachers gave me a special dispensation to bring in my own books to read.
Thinking about
book events, what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow
panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
P: So many to choose from! I think if I
were to sit down and spend time with another author, it would be David
Baldacci. I am really in awe of him. The way he juggles so many different
series and consistently produces a couple of good page-turners a year is
inspiring. I’ve never seen him speak publicly, so a Q&A with him would be
fantastic. David, if you’re reading this…
Fingers
crossed! So what are you working on now?
P: I am
currently in the throes of next year’s DCI Warren Jones. It’ll be the seventh
full-length and the eleventh in the series. No title as yet, but my internet
history for the past weeks includes how long after death biometrics continue to
work and how one goes about leasing an allotment – so make what you will of
that. It should be published by the HQ imprint of HarperCollins in June 2021.
But your latest
book is just about to be published?
P: Yes, 5 June sees the release of the sixth full-length DCI Warren Jones, A Price to Pay. As the tenth entry in the series, it feels pretty special. It’s just a shame I won’t get a chance to talk about it at CrimeFest or show anyone the lovely new bookmarks I’ve had printed!
P: In this book, I decided to focus on the world of undocumented workers. After a brutal murder the investigation has lots of twists and turns and a pretty devastating conclusion. For long time readers of the series, it continues to deal with the fallout of previous novels.
What are you
most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
P: I haven’t
seen my family for months. We have been having regular video-conferences on a
Sunday, and I phone my parents for a good chat a couple of times a week, but it
isn’t the same. My two toddler nephews are a little too young to understand
quite how Skype works and generally run around yelling rather than sitting in
front of the camera, so I am looking forward to having them on my knee again.
Is there anything lockdown has made you
think about/want to do?
P: To go out without a teatowel wrapped
around my face. We torture ourselves by planning what we are going to eat when
we finally get to go for a meal. The biggest disappointment is the need to
postpone our wedding and honeymoon. When it finally takes place, it is going to
be the party of a lifetime!
Thank you for joining me in my virtual Cocktail Lounge, Paul. I’m looking forward to meeting up the next time there’s a real event – you never know it might be the CWA Christmas party!
You can find out my about Paul Gitsham’s books on his website and follow him on Twitter @DCIJoneswriter
Jane Isaac is the bestselling author of detective crime fiction which includes her DCI Helen Lavery series and her DC Beth Chamberlain books, the third of which, Hush Little Baby, will be published by Aria Fiction on 23 July 2020.
Hi how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail
lounge, Jane. What can I get you at the bar?
J: Hi Anne, It’s great to be here! Ooh, so many to choose from… I do love a crisp refreshing Mojito, but since it’s warm today and we’re in lockdown, I think I’ll plump for a Cosmopolitan. Fancy joining me? We can kick back, sip away and imagine we’re on a warm beach, somewhere exotic.
That sounds so appealing – it’s ages since we’ve seen each other. Do you remember where we first met in real life?
J: Gosh, it was some years ago now! I think it must have been at one of Mel Sherratt’s events – maybe her London book launch for the release of Taunting the Dead.
It was – my first “Twitter party” and it took me so
long to find the venue I nearly gave up. Yours was the first face I recognised
and I thought you looked just as lovely in real life. What were your first
impressions?
J: You were warm and super friendly, just as you are online, and very welcoming with that lovely big smile!
Points in common?
J: We both write crime with strong and feisty female protagonists. I’m a huge fan of your Hannah Weybridge series btw! Plus, we both share a love of the theatre and the arts.
We do and I’m looking forward to being able to see
live performances. Since Mel’s launch party we’ve met up at numerous book
events and festivals. What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject,
fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
J: I would love to interview Jeffery Deaver! He was one of the crime writers who inspired me to write detective fiction – I adore his Lincoln Rhyme series. I’d also love to chat with Jodie Comer to ask how she got into character as Villanelle in the TV series, Killing Eve. Her depiction of a psychopathic serial killer in the first series was so convincing.
Oh yes, I would love to listen in on your chat with Jodie Comer. In the meantime what are you working on now?
J: I’m just finishing the edits for Hush Little Baby, the third in my DC Beth Chamberlain series, which is scheduled for release by Aria Fiction on 23 July. Hush Little Baby follows the historic case of a missing child. When new evidence comes to light, Beth is deployed as Family Liaison Officer and she uncovers a whole host of juicy family secrets.
J: I’m also working on a standalone psychological thriller, something new for me and, I have to admit, after nine detective novels it’s proving a huge learning curve! How about you? What’s happening in your writing life?
Strangely enough I’m also working on a standalone
psychological thriller and my next Hannah Weybridge. But you’ve just had
another book published, haven’t you?
J: Yes, the last book published was a re-release of DC Beth Chamberlain 2 by Aria Fiction called For Better, For Worse in February. I’m so in love with the cover for this one.
We’re lucky that we’ve both been able to carry on
writing during the pandemic but what are you most looking forward to when
lockdown is finally lifted?
J: Seeing friends and family. My husband is with me and I’m lucky to have my daughter home from uni, but I do miss hugging other loved ones. Phones and FaceTime are great, but it’s just not the same. I miss my people. I also miss going out and enjoying the arts. So many shows have been sadly postponed – I can’t wait to catch up with them all post lockdown. First up, is a stage adaptation of Wuthering Heights in September, fingers crossed.
Is there anything
lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
J: Travel, travel and more travel. I think I took for granted how easy it was to hop on a plane, a train or a bus, or even drive up the motorway for an adventure before lockdown. I’m relishing the possibility of soaking up the sunshine in Seville, enjoying the amazing Parisian cuisine and seeing the wonderful canals of Amsterdam – I can’t believe I’ve never been to Holland! Plus, I’ve grown to appreciate the beauty of our own country too and want to spend time walking my dogs in the Derbyshire Dales and the Lake District. So much travel, so little time…What about you, Anne? What do you want to do?
Like you I have never been to Amsterdam and that’s on my list plus I am going to hug everyone! Including you Jane next time we meet. Chatting now has reminded me what I’m missing. Although it was wonderful having you here virtually.
J: Thanks so much for inviting me into The Cocktail Lounge. It’s been such fun chatting!
You can find out more about Jane Isaac’s books on her website and follow her on Twitter @JaneIssacAuthor
Lesley Thomson is the prize-winning author whose work includes the bestselling The Detective’s Daughter series published by Head of Zeus who have also just released her latest novel, Death of a Mermaid.
Lesley how
lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
L: Ooh thanks
Anne, please could I have a G and T in a lovely ice filled globe glass with a
few drops of lavender essence?
Lavender essence in a G&T is new on me so I think I’ll join you. Can you remember where we first met?
L: My memory
has got worse since #Lockdown (not sure why I feel it has # – perhaps because
it’s a concept as well as a way of life) so I can’t give a time, date place
etc. It was many years ago on the crime-writing circuit where I always perceive
you as a warm supportive presence.
I think we first
met at an event in Brighton but the last time was at the Morecambe & Vice
festival, which is sadly not going ahead this year. I was so pleased you
remembered me! Do we have any points in common?
L: We both
write fiction and we have written characters whose lives are set in London
where, I for one, lived for the first four decades of my life and which will be
forever in my bones.
Mine too and
I’m still in London. Tell me about your
latest book which I am just about to read.
L: Death of a Mermaid is a standalone set in Newhaven. It features three women who went to the Convent School in the town. It’s a murder story revolving around trawler-fishing, the tumultuous sea that encompasses themes of greed and betrayal
L: Mags, a
librarian is a devout Catholic, Toni is now a detective in the Sussex Police
who shoplifts confectionery and Freddy, daughter of five generations of fishery
owners, whose father threw her out when she tells him she loves a woman. I’m thrilled to say it’s been very well received
by readers and is a #1 bestseller.
Congratulations!
What are you working on now?
L: I’m halfway
through the eighth in The Detective’s Daughter series. It gets a new title
every other day and I suspect it will be my gimlet-thinking editor, Laura
Palmer who, as she so often does, finally names it.
L: A Christie-esque tale, I’ve set it within the ancient walls of Tewkesbury’s Abbey in Gloucestershire, it owes much to the creepy atmosphere of Charles Dickens’ shadowed cloisters in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The story traces the fatally desperate lengths, which those with dark secrets will go to ensure those secrets stay hidden. The novel spans the London Blitz in 1940 to All Souls Night in 2019. It will be published by Head of Zeus in May 2021.
Sounds intriguing. Thinking about the events and festival we’re missing, what would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
L: I’d love to
have had a Q and A with Ruth Rendell. Although I’ve been lucky enough to meet
her more than once, it would have been special to share a stage with her.
L: When I read The Fatal Inversion in the Barbara Vine series I understood the kind of novel I wanted to write. These stories explore the why of a murder not only the who. Two of my novels owe much to her novel set during the draught of 1976. A kind of Vanishing – a standalone set in an abandoned village near Newhaven in a 1968 summer drenched in sunlight and The House With No Rooms which also takes place during the 1976 parched summer.
What are you
most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
L: I look
forward to a day when I can amble along the street without anxiously dodging
those who pass too close. When there’s no more stepping out into the road to
avoid a jogger – into the path of a car going too fast. I will be ambling along that street to
Libby’s Patisseries opposite Lewes castle to get a latte, a brioche and a chat before
I return to writing my unnamed novel. Right now it seems an impossible dream to
dream.
Is there anything lockdown has made you
think about/want to do?
L: Since my twenties, on and off – mostly
off – I’ve done meditation with the intention of living more in the moment. The
only actual moment we have. During these months my plans have rarely extended
beyond the end of the week. I am lucky enough to have a garden and have
relished sitting in dappled shade watching a robin hop from a hollyhock to a lupin.
In the moment. I hope as life evolves to a new normal, I will retain
this finally found ability.
Something else we have in common, Lesley. I too have been trying to concentrate on living in the moment and my garden has aided this.
Thank you so much for joining me. It’s been really lovely to catch up over a (virtual) drink and now I’m off to read Death of a Mermaid.
You can find out more about Lesley Thomson’s books on her website and can follow her on Twitter @LesleyjmThomson
Today I’m delighted to welcome Ray Clark, an award-winning Yorkshire-born author. Ray’s published work includes short story collections, horror novels, stand-alone cross genre novels and crime. The highly acclaimed IMP series, featuring detectives Gardener and Reilly in the Yorkshire city of Leeds, begins with IMPURITY, now published by The Book Folks.
Hi Ray how lovely to see you here. What can I get you
at the bar?
R: That’s an easy one. A nice cold glass
of Chardonnay, and you must take one for yourself.
I shall, thank you. The last time we met was towards
the end of 2019 when we had a very enjoyable lunch together in Covent Garden but
where did we first meet in real life?
R: That
would have been the 2017 CrimeFest in Bristol – in the bar of course. I was
quite surprised because you saw me and stood up and came over and the first
thing you said was, “I didn’t realise you were here.” I was quite flattered
because I didn’t realise anyone knew who I was – let alone I was there.
That’s me with my journalist’s hat on. First
impressions?
R: You were the first author I’d met
over the weekend from the same publishing house. I felt immediately relaxed in
your company and I really enjoyed chatting to you about all sorts of things.
Always good to talk. Points in common?
R: I think the obvious one was a love
of stories and books, writing in similar genres, and the fact that we worked
for the same publisher.
In fact we shared two publishers as we’ve both been
published by Endeavour – now Lume Books. Thinking of festivals, what would be
your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with
someone you have met or would love to meet?
R: I
love the idea of a dream panel. I would firstly choose Peter James because of his
wealth of experience in film and books. Graham Masterton would be another. I
love his writing style and storytelling ability. I would also like Nigel
McCrery, the author of New Tricks and Silent Witness, and the DCI Mark Lapslie
thrillers. And I think a very good moderator would be you, yourself, Anne. You also
have considerable experience in the industry, and you’re very good at settling
people down.
A great panel and thank you for the compliment! Tell
me about your latest book which has just been published.
R: That would be Impression, featuring D.I. Gardener and D.S. Reilly, the fourth in my IMP series published by The Book Folks.
R: My detectives are called out to a housing estate at midnight and find a woman pinned to the floor with a bayonet. Before they have a chance to investigate, another corpse is found three miles away, with a connection. And that is just the start!
I’ve enjoyed the previous three IMP books so I’m
looking forward to reading this one. What are you working on now?
R: I’ve also just finished the edits
for a new book (the second) in the paranormal thriller series, called Spirit,
and I’m really pleased that my publisher, Erik Empson of The Book Folks is more
than happy to read the series, but no date for publication yet.
Lockdown has affected us all in different ways. What are you most looking forward to when it is finally lifted?
R: A couple of things: the first being
a quiet meal out with friends, a chance to catch up. The second is a return to
the music scene. I’ve been a musician for forty years. It’s in my blood and I
find entertaining exciting. It’s live and you never know what is going to
happen. Sadly, lockdown has killed that off completely.
Is there anything
this pandemic has made you think about/want to do?
R: If
it’s made me think about anything, it’s the fact of how lucky I am not to have
caught it, and perhaps the sterling job that the NHS are doing in such dire
circumstances and under such inhuman pressure. I think it’s taught me patience:
standing in a line for your shopping is something new to the British public,
that and the fact that you don’t have to rush anywhere these days. If it’s made
me want to do anything, it’s that when things return to normal I should live
life to the full and take nothing else for granted.
I’ll
drink to that, Ray. Thank you so much for joining me here and I look forward to
the next time we meet for lunch.
You can find out more about Ray Clark’s books here and follow him on Twitter @T1LOM
Today my guest is Dave Sivers, co-founder of BeaconLit and author of the popular crime series featuring the Aylesbury Vale detectives, DI Lizzie Archer and DS Dan Baines. Dave’s latest novel In Ink introducing DI Nathan Quarrel is just published.
Photo (c) Cliff Hide
Hi Dave what better way to celebrate In Ink’s launch than in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
Hi Anne, and thanks for having me. I think I’ll start
with a mojito, please.
So where did we first meet in real life?
D: It was at BeaconLit, the book festival in
Ivinghoe, Bucks that I co-founded. 2014, our second festival, and the first
full-day event after a half-day pilot the year before.
As long ago as that? I remember it was Lesley Lodge
who invited me. First impressions?
D: Well, we’d known each other on social media for a
couple of years by then. I can’t now remember who found who first online, or
whether it was Twitter or Facebook, but you’d come across as a friendly, bouncy
person who’s interested in what people have to say, and that was the person I
met in real life. Apart from that, maybe I noticed you weren’t particularly
tall.
Obviously not an attribute we have in common but we
do have some similar interests?
D: Well, we’re both interested in books, writing, and
crime fiction in particular, and I’d say we both like and care about people. We
like a glass of wine, too!
Very true and in the past we’ve enjoyed a glass or two at many a book launch. Sadly those have all been cancelled for the time being so tell me about In Ink.
D: In Ink, which has just come out, introduces DI Nathan Quarrel and is set in West Hertfordshire, in particular Hemel Hempstead and Tring. It’s a serial killer chiller and, after five Archer and Baines books, it’s been great fun creating and getting to know a whole new cast of characters and research a new area. I do know West Herts – I lived there for 15 years – but I enjoyed delving into some of the details to give my setting a bit of added depth.
Thinking about festivals, what would be your dream
panel – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or
would love to meet?
D: I’m going to moderate a panel on biographies, whether my panelists have actually written one or not – it’s my dream, so we’ll say they have. So I’m choosing Nelson Mandela, William Shakespeare, Bruce Springsteen, Elizabeth I and Marilyn Monroe. It doesn’t matter that all except the Boss are dead, right?
That’s an amazing panel. In the meantime what are you
working on?
D: In between finalising and promoting In Ink, I’m working on the sixth in my
Archer and Baines crime series, set in Buckinghamshire’s Aylesbury Vale. I’m
hoping to release it in the first half of 2021. Hate crime is one of the
themes. I’m still wrestling with a title.
What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is
finally lifted?
D: Two things. The first is seeing my dad again. I
last saw him at the beginning of March and, although we speak on the phone
regularly, we miss actually seeing each other. The second is really trivial,
but I’ve reached a point where I’d (almost) kill to go out for a cappuccino and
a cinnamon bun in Costa. Although one positive to come out of all this is I’ve
got more into baking and have found I can knock up a pretty mean cinnamon bun
myself!
Is there anything
lockdown has made you think about or want to do?
D: I guess it’s
made me think about the duality of human nature quite a lot. Lockdown has
brought out some great good in people – neighbours looking out for each other,
more friendliness and consideration when you encounter other people, and the
wonderful, hard working people in the NHS, in supermarkets and other essential
shops, the posties and other delivery people, all of whom have kept things
going and done it with a smile. But then you see the stockpiling and groups of
people not social distancing. I try not to judge them without knowing the facts,
but even then you get the odd fool who really thinks the rules don’t apply to
them, and you read some awful stories.
D: I guess any
crisis can bring out the worst in people as well as the best. I was struck the
other week by a little story of a family who put a teddy bear display in their
front garden to cheer up their neighbours. They regularly changed the scene.
Then someone stole the lot. But you know what? Neighbours rallied round and
contributed cuddlies to new display. The best and worst of humanity in
microcosm.
D: The other
thing I’ve really become aware of, living in a fairly rural area, is how much
traffic and aircraft noise really obliterates the sounds of nature. We’ve been
for walks when all you can hear is birdsong and the buzz of insects, but the
silence is already becoming eroded now. It will be interesting to see what the
so-called New Normal looks like when we settle into it.
Dave thank you so
much for joining me. I look forward to raising a glass in real life in the not
too distant future.
Thanks for
inviting me to the Cocktail Lounge, Anne – it’s been great to chat. Another
mojito for the road, perhaps?
You can find out more about Dave’s books on his website as well as follow him on Twitter: @davesivers and Facebook: davesiversauthor1
Today it’s an enormous pleasure to welcome my fellow Urbane author, the irrepressible Gina Kirkham, creator of Mavis Upton who appears in Handcuffs, Truncheon & A Polyester Thong, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and Blues, Twos & Baby Shoes.
How lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge,
Gina. What can I get you at the bar?
G: Hi
Anne, lovely to see you too, I’ve been excitedly waiting for us to have a catch
up for ages. I’d love a Gin & Tonic please with lots of ice… (the ice is only to dilute the gin so I don’t
fall over on the way out!)
I’ll join you
in a G&T as we mull over where we first met in real life.
G:
That was at The Phoenix Arts Club in London for the Urbane Authors Christmas Shindig
in 2016, although we had struck up a lovely friendship via social media
beforehand. I was so excited I skipped down Charing Cross Road like a child,
much to my hubby’s eternal embarrassment. I had only ever been to London once
before which was a “closed” visit to Downing Street, so I didn’t get to see
London in her full colours that time. We booked a hotel in Leicester Square for
this trip, so it was all bright lights, neon signs and theatres. I squealed
every time I saw someone I thought was famous.
That was a great party and I’d had my launch for Dancers in the Wind there so it had happy memories. First impressions?
G: Gosh,
after forgetting my glasses and mistaking a total stranger at the bar for Simon
Michael, forcing myself on him for a good old fashioned northern hug which sent
the poor guy scurrying for the exit to escape my clutches. I finally found you
sitting in the corner with Pete Adams. I remember your huge, friendly smile the
most and then Pete’s trademark hat. Within minutes of chatting, I felt as though
I had known you all my life. You are such a warm, funny and very welcoming
person and I loved your knowledge and enthusiasm for writing. I suppose being
so new to the book writing world I was a bit of a stalker, I so desperately
wanted to learn anything I could from you. Because I’d only just signed my
first book contract and it hadn’t been published yet, I didn’t consider myself
an author at all, so I was completely in awe of being in the company of a real
one!
I trust you’ve
learned to accept your author status now with three Mavis Upton books
published! I am in awe of all the talks you give! Points in common?
G: Our
mutual love of our respective grandchildren, books and writing, a good old
fashioned womanly camaraderie and our wicked sense of humour… and the fact we
can get on the phone for a “quick chat” and still be gabbing away 40 minutes
later!
So far we’ve never met up at a festival so I’d love
to know what your dream panel would be (at any event) – subject, fellow
panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
G: I’m
a huge Harry Potter fan, so I’d have to say my dream would be a Q&A with
J.K Rowling, I could listen to her for hours. Funnily enough it’s been the
magic of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts books and films that have got me
through some of the not so good days on lockdown. It’s pure escapism, oh what I wouldn’t do to
be young again and a pupil at Hogwarts! I’ve watched the films so many times my
hubby now knows the scripts word for word and delights in pre-empting every
scene. I’m currently listening to and
enjoying the readings that are being broadcast on Wizarding World Harry Potter
At Home as a serial. I’ve also had
several trips to the Harry Potter Studio tours, so we could discuss that and
what her input had been to the spin-offs from the books.
G: I’ll
never forget my first visit to the studios when the tour guide asked if anyone
had a birthday and would they like to open the doors to the Great Hall. The
doors are a truly breathtaking sight for any HP fan, so I rushed to the front waving
like an idiot whilst squealing “Me, me…” only to see I was surrounded by hordes
of kids and a clearly amused tour guide who kindly informed me that his offer was
for children only. I pouted and tried to explain that I wasn’t 59 for another
week so did that not count but it fell on deaf ears and a lot of laughter.
Only you Gina!
So what are you working on now?
G: I’m
having a little break from the Constable Mavis Upton series. I didn’t want her
to become boring and predictable for readers, so I thought now was a good time
to try something a little different.
Murder
at the Winterbottom WI (A Prunella Pearce Mystery) is my new work in progress
inspired by the lovely ladies I have met at my talks for The Women’s Institute
groups around the country. It’s still humour but with a twist and for the first
time in my writing career, I’m having to think of several ways to murder
someone. It’s not as easy as I first thought, crime writers definitely have my
undying admiration. My poor hubby who is
my research assistant has been shoved face first into a lemon drizzle cake to
measure how long it takes to suffocate and has hung from a coat peg under the
stairs to see if it would hold the weight of a body. I’m having so much fun writing it. I won’t spoil
the plot but the tagline of “What wouldn’t YOU do to be the next President…”
might give a hint.
It is
different to Mavis and her escapades but I’m becoming very fond of my new
protagonist, Prunella. She is a
survivor, sassy, funny, a little bit mischievous and a Librarian with a deep
love of books to boot – so what’s not to love.
So what have
you been reading lately?
G: Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes. I
met Elizabeth and Lisa Cutts when we did a panel together at the Rochester Lit
Festival last September. We had such a giggle doing it, they are both
fabulously talented, very funny and friendly ladies. Elizabeth had the audience
howling with laughter over her character Colin, so I just had to get the book. I
have also bought Lisa’s books too.
They’re fantastic, definite 5* reading and of course waiting in the
wings as my next read is the latest Hannah Weybridge book, Perditions Child written by a lovely lady I just happen to have the
pleasure of knowing!
Thank you, hope
you enjoy it. And we have to embrace the lockdown question – what are you most
looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
G: Seeing
my grandchildren, definitely. Olivia 10, Annie 7 and baby Arthur have been on
FaceTime and WhatsApp most days but it’s the cuddles, holding their little
hands and our days out that I miss so much, it’s as you said in our last
message to each other, it’s an actual physical ache. I’m a real hands-on Nan as I’ve always looked
after them a few days a week whilst my daughter is at work, so it’s been a huge
wrench not seeing them or having them stay over. I feel so sad when I go into
their bedroom and see their empty beds, their toys and books but no children
and no laughter. Our first outing after lockdown will be a trip to our
favourite place, Chester Zoo with a picnic and a visit to the Bat House, which
is my favourite… although Olivia is not so enthusiastic as every time we go in
there a bat poops on her head sending her into an apoplectic fit as she wails
“Why is it always me Nanny?” I usually
can’t answer her because I’m laughing too much!
Is there anything
lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
G: It
has really made me appreciate what is truly important in life. I’ve quietly sat
thinking about all the things I thought I wanted to have or do and quickly
realised there were no possessions or places that could mean more to me than my
family and friends. I have thought a lot about nature and the impact we have on
our environment and the speed at which we live our lives and my own mortality. I’m considered high risk due to medication I
take which has a massive impact on my immune system, so it was quite scary to
realise that something unseen could so easily take my life.
G: I think
I will come out of lockdown a calmer, more appreciative person… who is at least
two stone plumper with a very heavy penchant for Parma Violet Gin!
Gina
it’s been such a pleasure catching up with you and I look forward to that spa
day we keep promising ourselves.
G: Thank you so much for the invite Anne, d’you fancy a bag of crisps before we call it a day? 😊
All Gina’s books are available from Hive with free delivery.
Today my guest is Liz Mistry author of gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford. Her latest, Broken Silence, was published last month by HQ Digital.
Hi Liz how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
Liz: Hi Anne. Lovely to be here and what an abundance of choice – should I go for a Virgin Mojito (hell no, we’re in lockdown, I need a real drink), Sex on The Beach (not at my age), Pornstar Martini (Don’t think so.)? Looks like I’ll have to settle for one fitting with writing crime fiction … I’ll have a Corpse Reviver, if I may, Anne.
Well I’m glad that’s settled and love your choice! So where did we first meet in real life?
L: We met at CrimeFest in Bristol last year and I
don’t know if it was apparent, but for me, it was a real struggle to be there
because my mental health had taken a real downward dip. You were such a
friendly face in a crowd of people I didn’t know and I was so pleased when we
struck up a conversation. It really helped me through the rest of the day.
How strange. I had no idea how you were feeling but I
had just been blanked by another author when I approached her and was delighted
– and so relieved – when that you were happy to chat. A fortuitous meeting for
us both. Thinking of festivals and book events which we’re all missing what
would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a
Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
L: Oh gosh,
that’s such a big ask – but here goes, before I change my mind and come up with
a completely different set of people. I have a real fascination with serial
killers and their psyche – what makes them tick, their warped motivations and
so forth, so I’d love to host a panel with Chris Carter who not only is a
psychologist, but he writes some of the best serial killer books out there.
L: Still on the
serial killer theme, I’d love to also include Ross Greenwood. He is soooo good
at writing the killer’s voice and being an ex-prison warden gives him such a
unique insight into the criminal mind.
L: Finally, I’d
love to have Anthony Hopkins on this panel. I’d quiz him about how it felt to
play Hannibal and how he got into character. I’d also love to know if playing
such a devious and mind-controlling character had any long term affect on
him.
Wow that’s some panel and one I’d love to be in the
audience for. In the meantime what are you currently working on?
L: My most recent book, Broken Silence, the second in the DS Nikki Parekh series was released in late April and is about modern day slavery. Thankfully it’s been really well received, despite flying the nest in such uncertain times. At the minute, I’m just about to send off my third DS Nikki Parekh novel to my publisher (HQ Digital). Funnily enough, it features a serial killer … who’d have thought? It’s got a cracking title, but I can’t tell you what it is yet.
L: My next project is going to be a novella in my DI Gus McGuire series. I’ve never written a novella before, but I created a character called Jo Jo, in my last Gus book, Unseen Evil, and Jo Jo sort of got under my skin. He’s a sixteen year old forced into web-camming sex acts on the dark web to make ends meet in order to keep himself, his terminally ill mum and his sister together as a family. This novella will take us deeper into Jo Jo’s past .
L: After that, I’ll be working on Gus, book 7, which will see some “blasts from the past” re-emerge. I’ve also got a couple of ideas for book 4 in my Nikki Parekh series, which will be very dark and very current and relevant – so busy times ahead.
I feel exhausted just reading about all these
projects, Liz. So apart from book launches, what are you most looking forward
to when lockdown is finally lifted?
L: Lockdown has been hard for everyone and like most people, I think being able to see family members face to face and give them huge hugs will be the best thing ever. My daughter and youngest son are both living away from home and although we have FaceTime and a family Messenger group, it’s hard not being able to see them. My oldest son, who lives with us, had all the symptoms of the virus in March, but seems to have recovered well. We shoved him in the attic till he’d recovered … Well, when I say that, what I mean is, we restricted him to the attic bedroom which has an en suite and, taking all precautions from masks to Hazmat suits, we nursed him through it.
I’m glad to hear it. Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
L: I think the combination of Lockdown and the VE anniversary has made me focus on the goodness in people. Captain Tom is such an inspiration and thinking about VE has put things into perspective – yes, things are bad, but I think as a country, we’re learning from the experiences of those who went through the war.
L: In terms of what I want to do … I think, being in enforced lockdown, has made me realise that I don’t want to go jetting off to sunnier climes or explore other countries. Instead, I want to explore all the places in the UK that I’ve always said I wanted to, but have never found time for.
Thank you for
taking the time to join me today, Liz and I hope we meet up again somewhere in
the UK soon especially if you visit London!
You can find out more about Liz and her books on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter
Welcome Julie, good to see you in my
virtual cocktail lounge. What can I offer you?
J: Hi Anne thanks for inviting me. I’m
rather partial to a cocktail and my favourite is a Negroni, so I‘ll have one of
those please.
We seem to have known each other for a
while. Do you remember where we first meet?
J: I remember it well. Our paths first
crossed at the launch for Dancers in the
Wind; your first Hannah Weybridge novel. I had just signed my contract with
Urbane and Matthew invited me along to the launch. I think we hit it off
straightaway. Despite being busy as it was your launch you took time to chat to
me and put me at my ease. By the time I left we had exchanged contact details
and agreed to meet up at some point.
J: Subsequently we have got together on
several occasions and soon realised we had much in common. Not only do we share
a publisher but we share Essex connections and both have a love of theatre and
of course the written word. Although our writing styles are different we both
enjoy writing strong female protagonists. And we both enjoy a glass of something
from time to time too…
J: I’m looking forward to Hannah’s next
outing, having enjoyed her first four adventures. How is that coming along?
Slowly but I am happy to be back in the
1990s away from lockdown. How about you? Are you able to concentrate on writing
at the moment?
J: Yes, I am. My current WIP is very
different to my previous books, however the main character is again female and
she has a lot to say. This story also requires more research than my previous
works. I have no deadline or date for the next book but my hope is that it will
be ready for publication sometime next year. Although obviously the current
climate makes it harder to plan things.
What are you looking forward to when
lockdown is lifted?
J: I think when the lockdown is lifted,
apart from hugging my kids and seeing family and friends, I am most looking
forward to being able to make and have plans once more. I find it rather
depressing looking at my empty diary pages or worse the days I’ve had to put a
line through as the entry that was listed is no longer happening.
One thing
lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
J: If there is one thing it’s made me think
about it is how quickly life can change and therefore I should embrace it more.
As I said earlier I don’t like an empty diary but I often used to worry about
having too much to do. I would find excuses not to do things/go to places that
I was invited to. I’m definitely going to be saying yes more often.
J: How about you Anne, what are you looking
forward to?
Seeing friends and socialising. Hugging and
more hugging. So many book events I was looking forward to have been cancelled
so it will be great when we can plan for these as well.
J: I am also missing literary events, not
just taking part but attending as an audience member too. It will be good when
book events can resume once more and I hope that you and I can take part in an
event together.
What would be your dream panel (at any event) –
subject, fellow panellists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love
to meet?
J: I’d love to be part of a panel that would
include Joanne Harris, Ali Smith and Jill Dawson. All very different writers
but firm favourites of mine. I’d particularly like to chat to Jill Dawson about
Patricia Highsmith; another writer I love who is also a favourite of Jill’s.
A fabulous choice of authors, Julie and
thank you so much for joining me today.
