Hi, Kate! It's so great to have you here today - I am looking forward to learning more about you and your latest release, The Man I Fell In Love With...wishing you the best success and sales! Let's get started with my questions...
1.)
What is the strangest talent you have?
This is a
bad start - I can’t think of any! I’ve always wished I had musical talent, and
particularly that I could play the piano, but I could never grasp how to read music.
I blagged my way through recorder group at primary school, memorising how to
play the tunes, until I was caught out. I made my heroine in The Winter That Made Us a brilliant
pianist, and that’s the closest I’ll ever get.
2.)
What is the best Halloween costume you’ve
ever worn?
I don’t
remember ever dressing up for Halloween; it wasn’t something my family tended
to do. The only time I remember wearing fancy dress at all was at a friend’s
party, when I was a teenager in the 1980s. I went as Nora Batty, a character
from the sitcom Last of The Summer Wine.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with the character, Nora was a stout old lady – a
real Yorkshire battle-axe – and so this involved me having rollers in my hair,
and wearing a nylon housecoat and thick tights, wrinkled round my ankles. I may
even have carried a broom. Most other people dressed as Madonna or Boy George,
or a famous film star, so I was completely out of place. I’ve had a horror of
fancy dress parties ever since!
3.)
Are the titles of your books important?
Yes, but I
find them very difficult to pick! With my first book, The Magic of Ramblings, the title was chosen in desperation from a
shortlist, when I needed a title quickly to be able to submit the book. I never
expected it to stick! The Man I Fell in
Love With originally had a different title, and it had been in place since
I started writing the book, but when the publisher suggested the current one, I
knew it was perfect for the story.
4.)
If you’re struggling with a scene or
difficult character, what methods help you through it?
The only
cure that works for me is time – to put the writing down, and do something
else, and try again the next day. Sometimes there has to be a drastic solution.
There was one particular character I struggled with in the book I’ve just
finished writing, and I wasn’t happy with any of the scenes they were in. In
the end, I changed the character from a man to a woman, and it all fell into
place.
5.)
Do you prefer dog, cats or none of the
above?
This is
tricky! We always had dogs when I was growing up – Yorkshire terriers, that were
very cute but very yappy – and so until two years ago I would have answered
dogs without hesitation. But two years ago we acquired a kitten – an impulsive
decision, after mice had invaded the house – and she has definitely converted
me to the joy of cats. She’s so much more affectionate than I expected – but
also far too much of a princess to ever trouble herself to catch mice!
6.)
Who’s your favourite author? Why?
This is
such a tough question. I usually say Jane Austen, but if we’re talking about
contemporary authors, I think I’d pick Trisha Ashley, Harriet Evans and Lucy
Dillon for women’s fiction, and Elly Griffiths for crime. The first
contemporary romance I read was by Trisha Ashley, and it was set in Lancashire,
where I live. I loved reading about characters that used the same words I did,
spoke with my accent, and visited places that I knew well, and I’ve been a huge
fan of her books ever since.
7.)
Do you have a pet peeve?
Too many
to mention – I’m definitely becoming grumpier, the older I get. Bad driving
probably irritates me more than anything else: the car that clings aggressively
to my rear bumper, when I’m already driving at the speed limit; the driver who
lurks in a side road and then pulls out just in front of me, as if my car is
invisible; the driver who makes no acknowledgement when I stop to let them into
the stream of traffic…It all makes me very cross!
8.)
Do you remember your dreams when you wake
up in the morning?
Sometimes
– generally if the alarm goes off when I’m deeply asleep and in the middle of a
dream. It’s fascinating to try to work out what triggered a particular dream –
just a fleeting reference to someone during the day can lead to all sorts of
outlandish dreams about them. Last night, I dreamt that I was trapped in the
lion enclosure at Chester Zoo, and after being there for two weeks, I sent a
ridiculously polite tweet asking if they had any plans to rescue me… I wonder
what triggered that! I’ve heard some authors say that plot ideas come to them
in dreams, but I’m still waiting for that to happen!
The Man I Fell in Love With – published 7
February 2019 by Avon Books UK – Blurb:
Sometimes we find happiness where we least expect it…
After twenty years of contented marriage, no one is more surprised
than Mary Black when her husband announces he’s leaving her... for another man.
For the sake of the children, Mary has no choice but to pick
herself up and start again. She hosts family meals that include Leo and his new
partner. She copes with the kids wanting to spend less time with her, and more
time with their “fun” dads. But one thing she can’t quite ignore is Leo’s gorgeous brother,
who has just come back to town…
After living a life of sliding doors and missed opportunities, can
Mary finally put herself first and take a chance that could change everything?
A wonderfully uplifting
novel full of wisdom, spirit and charm – this is a love story with a
difference…
Buying link: https://amzn.to/2S0Njbc
Social media links:
Twitter: @katehaswords
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateFieldAuthor
Bio
Kate writes contemporary women’s fiction, mainly set in her
favourite county of Lancashire,
where she lives with her husband, daughter and mischievous cat.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Kate’s debut novel, The Magic of Ramblings, won the RNA’s Joan
Hessayon Award for new writers in 2017.
The reason for leaving is always more of a shock when there is a gender twist.
ReplyDeleteAnd once dog lovers give cats some time, they learn much about cats as well as themselves.
Fun interview.