Author Interview: Jenny Colgan

      Earlier today I reviewed the book - Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan and now I have an author interview.  Enjoy!

     

     1.      What do you find yourself rambling about?

Doctor Who and, because my children are at school, schooling, teachers, sports clubs, all that kind of thing. Typical mom stuff! My two boys are off to camp for the first time tomorrow. The 9 year old cannot wait. He said: 'mum, it's going to be like being let out from prison'. Then he thought for a bit and said, 'I think it's going to be almost as good as joining the army.'

The 7 year old is more like that chicken in Chicken Run that knits a lot and thinks they're going on holiday.

2. If you could give your books into one person's hands, who would that be?

OOh what a great question! Ooh I am absolutely NOT allowed to say but a tv show I love very much called us this year to say their lead character would be reading one of my books in their new season, was that okay? ,and I was thrilled by that. Oh, I know. Kate Middleton getting off a plane looking fabulous, flying the flag for British fashion as she always does... I'd love to see her also flying the flag for British books by carrying one of mine! Plus, I think she'd like them :)

3. Is there any part of you in Rosie?

Alas, no, I wish. She's very kind, practical and she's a nurse and can fix things. I think Rosie is a very idealised version of what I'd like to be: I'm impatient and always rush too much. Rosie is nice and calm. Honestly, if you had a terrible accident or were trying to choose something in a sweet shop and taking a really long time about it, it's Rosie you'd want to be with, not me.

4. What part of the writing process do you love the most?

I love a blank page. I hate editing, I find that really boring, but great big expanses of white space to fill make me very happy. Then everything flows- you know, if you're trying to write, it doesn't really matter if it's not perfect to begin with, you can always 'fix it in post' as they say. Once you've got the words down, you've got the clay you need to work with; I love filling the page, fingers flying. I don't like the nitty-gritty of making them all organised and proper!

Ha, you will laugh at this, I just finished a book in a different genre and the notes back from the editor said 'we love it it's amazing, it's just great... uhm, those two people that die? Could they just possibly not die?' So, you know, I prefer writing to editing a lot.

5. What do you love to read?  Do you read different books while you are in the thick of writing?

I'm a totally catholic reader, I'll read anything. It doesn't make any difference whether I'm writing or not, and anyway, I'm always writing. At the moment I'm reading 'We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves' by Karen Jay Fowler,  'The Quantum Age' by Brian Clegg and am about to start the new Robert Galbraith.

6. What is next on your plate?

Well, next I shall be bringing two characters miraculously back to life, then I'll be finishing the sequel to a book that's currently out in the UK called Little Beach Street Bakery, which is about island life and a woman who adopts a little puffin called Neil. Then I am writing a story for the new Doctor Who except I'm not sure I'm allowed to mention that yet. Well, consider it an exclusive :)  So, nice and busy, just how I like it!

Thanks for having me on your lovely blog! @jennycolgan