Welcome novelist Jane Bidder/Sophie King...



 Hi Jane! Welcome to my blog - it's a pleasure to have you here and hope you enjoy it. Looking forward to learning more about you and your writing. Let's kick off with an interview...

1.)          What is the strangest talent you have? I can touch the tip of my nose with my tongue. I don’t do it very often.

2.)          What is the best Halloween costume you’ve ever worn? It was when I was a child. We had a black velvet cloak in our dressing up box which I originally wore to the Lord Mayor of London’s fancy dress party. We lived next door to the mayor of Harrow at the time and he invited me and the other little girl who lived on the other side of him. It was very exciting. Afterwards, I wore the cloak as part of a witch’s outfit. I’ve still got the cloak and my children wore it to various fancy dress parties when they were little.

3.)          Are the titles of your books important? Yes. I like to have the titles right at the beginning. The simpler, the better.

4.)          If you’re struggling with a scene or difficult character, what methods help you through it? I imagine it like a film. Sometimes I get up and walk around the room and act out what the characters are doing. I also make a list of places I know and write down lists of words that sum up the atmosphere. I use pictures and postcards as inspiration too.

5.)          Do you prefer dog, cats or none of the above? Both. But dogs are special. Our dog often sits in my study while I’m writing.  My husband and I searched the country to find a dog that resembled my wonderful old dog who died at the age of 12. In the end, I found him in the local paper. He’d been born in the grounds of a  prison where I was working as a writer in residence. So I felt it was fate. 
6.)          Who’s your favourite author? Why?

I don’t have a favourite author as my reading tastes have changed over the years. However,  I do have certain people who stand out in my head. One of them is Fay Weldon. I love her wit. I’ve also been lucky enough to know her as a friend in the last few years. She’s amazing.

7.)          Do you have a pet peeve? I don’t like cold food in restaurants. I’m very polite about sending it back but it really embarrasses my husband.

8.)          Do you remember your dreams when you wake up in the morning? Usually. I often have nightmares and my husband has to calm me down. Goodness knows what my mind gets up to during the night but it’s certainly one heck of a ride.

GUILTY’ by Jane Bidder. Accent Press. £7.99

‘THE WITNESS’ by Jane Bidder. Accent Press
Twitter
@JaneBidder
www.janebidder.com

JANE BIDDER



Jane Bidder/Sophie King is the author of eleven published novels (Hodder & Stoughton; Random House; and Accent). Until becoming a full-time novelist in 2005, she was a journalist on a variety of women’s magazines and newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, for which she wrote a regular column for over a year on the ups and down of family life. Jane also wrote a weekly page for Woman magazine for ten years.
After working at a high security male prison as a writer in residence, she  developed an interest in psychological suspense. In her new job (which was sponsored by the Arts Council and Writers in Prison Network), Jane helped murderers and rapists to write short stories; plays; novels; life stories; and letters.
‘Despite being a published romantic novelist, my experience made me see another side of life,’ says Jane.
The result was a three-book deal with Accent Press:
‘Guilty’, ‘The Witness’ and ‘The Victim’.

Jane also writes romantic fiction as Sophie King. Her latest novel is ‘DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN?’  published by Corazon Press. It’s about  Katie who isn’t sure whether to get married nor not. In the first chapter, she seals the knot. But in the second, she runs away before saying her vows. the novel traces both lives – until she comes to the same outcome at the end.

WHAT NEXT?
Jane is currently working on a psychological suspense novel, ‘My Husband’s Wife ’which is ‘one step on’ from her previous crime books.
‘It’s a cross between ‘The Husband’s Secret’ and ‘Apple Tree Yard,’ says Jane.
Jane is also a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter University where she helps students to sharpen their writing. In addition, she writes short stories for women’s magazines (see section on Awards) and speaks regularly at literary festivals as well as on the radio.
REVIEWS & MARKETING INFO
‘She writes well and I’m sure Inspector Morse would have enjoyed this.’  Colin Dexter.
Janey Fraser will  have you giggling one moment and crying the next. Perfect with a glass of wine when the children have gone to bed.’
CLOSER

‘Hugely enjoyable.’
KATIE FFORDE

‘Janey Fraser writes from the heart with sparkle and a true deep charm.’
ELIZABETH BUCHAN

“Really, really enjoy her writing’
JUDY ASTLEY

‘Unputdownable’
FAY WELDON

AWARDS
20004 Runner up for the Harry Bowling Award
 20005 Winner of the Elizabeth Goudge Award
2006 Winner of the Vera Brittain Cup
2010 Shortlisted for Love Story of The Year by the Romantic Novelists Association.  
2014 Shortlisted by the Festival of Romance for ‘After The Honeymoon’

 Comments?? Questions??

No comments

Post a Comment