WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE: THE THIRD SPACE
In Behind Closed Doors you chose a potentially controversial and sensitive subject, psychological control and abuse. How did you tackle the research for this? When I set out to write Behind Closed Doors, I had no idea it would turn out the way it did. When I realised that it was going to be much darker than I intended, I researched cases of women who had been kept prisoner – the internet is a great source of information. Some were so harrowing that I had nightmares. One woman was kept in a pit – not a room, just a hole dug under the house- and her captor would throw food down to her, as if she were an animal. The one thing that touches me are the messages I receive from woman who have been through something similar to Grace, and who are grateful that Behind Closed Doors has helped bring the subject of psychological abuse into the open. With psychological abuse there are no physical signs which means it is much harder to detect – and so much more difficult to talk about.
Do you plan everything before writing or does your story unfold as you write? I’ m not a planner at all. I usually know the beginning and the end, and then the rest is a journey, often led by my characters. It’ s like going on an adventure!
Does living abroad create barriers to getting agents and publishers in your opinion? No, I don’ t think so. In these days of email, agents and publishers wouldn’ t really know someone lives abroad unless they are told in a covering letter. And I think it would only add something to a writer’ s profile, not detract from it.
We would love to hear more about your new book, ' Bring Me Back.' Bring Me Back is another psychological thriller and comes out in March 2018. It tells the story of Finn, whose girlfriend disappeared twelve years before. He told the police the truth about the night she disappeared- just not quite the whole truth. Now he’ s moved on- but his past won’ t stay buried.
Do you have a set place to write in or do you write wherever you are? I recently bought myself a little writing desk and a comfortable chair, which I’ ve set up in front of a window, so that’ s now my favourite place to write. But I can write anywhere – on a plane, a train, even with lots of noise going on around me.
Most writers don ' t enjoy the self-promotion aspect of their job. How about you? It’ s something I really don’ t enjoy. I would rather not do any self-promotion, although I will tweet that I have a new book coming out. I’ ll also re-tweet any reviews or comments about my books. But I draw the line at asking people to buy them. If you could invite any famous people to a dinner party, who would you invite? This is such a difficult question and my answer changes every time I’ m asked it! My only constant is Oscar Wilde, so I’ m going to pretend you said dead or alive and choose a tête-à-tête with him.
10 | NOVEMBER 2017