I am so excited to have you both here! Juliet Bell is the first time I have hosted a duo of writers working together to produce collaborative work. As a member of the RNA, I have known both you ladies for many years and I cannot tell you how happy I am about your success! Let's kick off with my questions...
1.)
What is your
favourite thing about yourself?
That I’m two people – well three really. I can be
Juliet and be all dark and mysterious. I can be Janet and write about handsome
men on horseback. Or I can be Alison and write whatever it is that Alison
writes (it changes from day to day).
2.)
What do you wish
you’d known before you started writing?
That the hardest part about being two writers is document
layout. Seriously. The only real disagreements while we were writing were about
tabs and margins. Janet is a crazy person who writes every chapter in a different
document with a 1.5 line spacing. Alison writes it all in one document, double
spaced – which she claims is the right way to do it. She is wrong of course. There were
exasperated sighs on both sides. There was never any shouting about the stories
though – they were always very clear.
3.)
Team
Heathcliff or Team Edward?
Neither. Some people describe both as romantic heroes, but I
don’t agree. They are both fascinating characters but I wouldn’t go on a date with
either of them. I love the Bronte’s books
– but have serious concerns about their ideas of good husband material.
4.)
Is there one
subject you’d never write about as an author? What is it?
No. Obviously there are subjects that interest me (and
Janet and Alison) and some that don’t. These may change over time too. I would
never put any boundaries on what anyone can write. As writers, we should feel
free to tackle any topic we want.
5.)
Do you have any
suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Alison and Janet often teach writing together. They
can witter on for ages about plotting and character and pace. But in the end it
comes down to Alison shouting ‘just write the sodding book’ and Janet nodding
enthusiastically. The only way to really learn to write is to sit down and do
it.
6.)
If you could be
the original author for any book, what would it be? Why?
As Juliet Bell – classics are my thing, particularly
misunderstood classics.
Alison loves The Tenant of Wildfell Hall – one of the
first strong feminist novels. Janet loves the story of the Hunchback of Notre
Dame (which she says she read in French at school – show off). That’s a story
about being an outcast and definitely should not have dancing gargoyles.
7.)
What’s
the hardest part of moving a classic book forward in time?
Killing people. Seriously. Charlotte and Emily could send
someone out in the rain after which they would catch a fever and take to their
beds and be dead by the end of the chapter. It’s a bit harder to kill people
these days. Janet and Alison used to plan these deaths over pizza and wine in a
restaurant. There were times the waiting staff and other diners looked a tad
nervous. That was one good reason for using an Australian setting for Jane
Eyre. Lots of things there that will kill you.
8.)
If I came to your
house for dinner what would you prepare for me? Why?
There’s two houses so you’d get two dinners. Or maybe just
two courses. Janet loves Italian food – how does pasta sound for the first
course? Alison likes to bake. She does great chocolate cookies. And cake. She
makes excellent cake too.
As for me (Juliet) – I don’t cook. I guess that’s because I
don’t eat. It’s one of the drawbacks of not being a real person.
9) Procrastination
method of choice?
Between the two of them, there’s no procrastination method
left untested. At the moment, Alison is
binge-watching Criminal Minds. There are so many episodes and Dr Spencer Reid
is so cute. She really does like a clever boy. Janet has already done all the
Criminal minds episodes, so she’s playing with maps and pretending its research
for her next book.
I keep suggesting going to the gym or long walks, but neither
of them pays much attention.
THE OTHER WIFE BLURB:
Outback Australia, 1981
After a terrible childhood, Jane comes to Thornfield as nanny to the adorable Adele, watched over by the handsome and enigmatic Edward. Plain and inexperienced, Jane would never dream of being more than his hired help. But swept up in the dramatic beauty of the Outback, she finds herself drawn to Edward. And, to her surprise, he seems to return her feelings.
But Jane is not the first woman Edward has pledged to make mistress of Thornfield.
As a child, Betty was taken from her English home and sent for adoption in Australia. At first, no-one wanted her, deeming her hair too curly, and her skin too dark. Until the scheming Mr Mason sees a chance to use Betty to cement a relationship with the rich and powerful Rochester dynasty…
When Jane discovers Betty’s fate, will she still want to be the next Mrs Rochester?
mybook.to/OtherWife - this is the universal worldwide Kindle link.
Bio :
Juliet Bell
Juliet Bell is the collaborative pen name of authors Janet
Gover and Alison May.
Juliet was born at a writers’ conference, with a chance
remark about heroes who are far from heroic. She was raised on pizza and wine
during many long working lunches, and finished her first novel over cloud
storage and skype in 2017. Juliet shares Janet and Alison’s preoccupation with
misunderstood classic fiction, and stories that explore the darker side of
relationships.
Their first collaboration was The Heights – re retelling of
the story of Heathcliff and Cathy set in Yorkshire against the backdrop of the
Thatcher years and the miners’ strike.
The Other Wife is a modern take on Jane Eyre – with a
surprising twist.
Alison also writes commercial women’s fiction and romantic
comedies and can be found at www.alison-may.co.uk
Janet writes contemporary romantic adventures mostly set in
outback Australia and can be found at www.janetgover.com
No comments
Post a Comment