Interview with Rowan Coleman

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I first “met” Rowan online through her Facebook status story competition – as mentioned in my review of her novel, Happy Home for Broken Hearts, which will be posted here later.

Rowan kindly agreed to answer a few questions for this blog, and it was a real treat for me ask a great writer about how she works.

Where does a novel idea usually start for you? Is it a character, or a plot idea, or a place?

A novel almost always starts with a character for me. I think on the whole my work is very character driven, I spend a lot of time trying to breath life into them, to making them flesh and blood – complete with flaws!

Do you plan the whole story before you start writing?

I have a big picture of a book before I start writing, I think its important to have an idea of where you are going. But the part about writing that I love the best are the spontaneous moments, when suddenly the books takes on a life of its own and turns a corner you didn’t expect.

Do your characters ever take over and surprise you by what they do?

Yes and Yes! I usually try to have my character very fully formed prior to starting new novel, so by then they have a very particular voice, opinions and ideas all of their own! Sometimes they can get quite out of hand.

Who are your favourite writers, and what do you most love to read?

My favourite contemporary writers are legion – but I love Phillipa Gregory, Marion Keyes, Diana Gabaldon and I have a real soft spot for macho American Crime Noir. By favourite book of all time is Jane Eyre. I saw my favourite sentence of all time (Reader, I married him) written in Charlotte’s own hand in the British Library the other day and it made me cry!

What do you do for fun when you aren’t writing?

I do love to shop for shoes, I can’t deny it. But I also love film, reading other books, getting as near to the sea as I can, playing with my children, eating cake and watching far too much television. Oh and I have been known to visit facebook from time to time…

Thank you to Rowan for answering my questions, and I’m looking forward to reading her next book. In the meantime Happy Home for Broken Hearts, and her previous novels, can all be found on Amazon.

Rowan’s blog can be found here – including the winning stories from her recent short story competition, that are well worth a read.

Ann

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About Ann Godridge
Ann Godridge has just completed her first crime novel, The Mermaid's Shroud, and has started work on the sequel. Her story the Tree of Knowledge was shortlisted for the Asham Award. She writes about writing and sometimes about textile arts at her blogStraw into Gold. You can find out more about her here - About Ann G.
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