Victoria Connelly

Victoria’s first novel in the UK was Molly’s Millions. She’s also the author of the Jane Austen Addicts’ trilogy and The Runaway Actress. Her latest book is a novella sequel to The Austen Addicts’ trilogy and is called Christmas with Mr Darcy.

Can you tell us about Christmas with Mr Darcy?

Christmas with Mr Darcy is a light-hearted novella sequel to my Austen Addicts’ Trilogy. All of the main characters from the first three books meet for a special Christmas conference at Purley Hall but, when a first edition of Pride and Prejudice goes missing, the fun and festivities stop as everybody turns detective.The novella was enormous fun to write and it was lovely to meet up with all of the characters again and see how they’re all getting on but readers don’t need to have read the trilogy first although they might get more out of the novella if they have.

Describe your typical writing day?

I aim to reach around 1000 words a day when I’m in full flow writing a novel. I don’t do any more than this because I suffer from RSI if I do too much work at the computer. So, most of the time, I dictate using voice recognition software. I like to work first thing in the morning and then I take a break for breakfast, walk our dog and take care of our hens. Then I returned to the novel and work through to lunchtime and then again in the afternoon. If it hasn’t been going well, I will work on into the evening.

For someone new to your books, can you describe your writing style in five words?

Romantic, funny, warm, gentle, sweet.

Do you outline when beginning a new book or do you simply start and see where the idea takes you?

I like to think about a novel for a few months before I begin it and I jot down notes during this time whilst I work things out in my head. When it’s really got a hold of me and I can’t wait any more, I tend to dive in although I do try to write out a brief plot outline. I like the element of surprise and of not quite knowing what’s going to happen next. Although I know that the ending will be a happy one, of course!

Are you working on anything new at the moment? Can you tell us about it?

I am currently working on my next novel which is out in the UK in 2014. It’s about an eccentric collector who has a rambling old manor house in the Cotswolds but what’s he hiding there and what will my heroine do when she finds out what it is? I’m also working on a series of short books about our move from the London suburbs to rural Suffolk. The first one, Escape to Mulberry Cottage, should be out in the New Year. And on top of those, I’ve started researching a new novel about roses!

Which one of your characters is your favourite?

I really love Maggie from The Runaway Actress – she’s so sweet and funny and I think she’d make a really great friend.  I also have a special place in my heart for

Dan Harcourt from A Weekend with Mr Darcy (and Christmas with Mr Darcy).  He’s the hero I’d be mostly likely to run away with and he gets the most fan mail from readers too!

Is there a character from fiction you’d like to meet?

I’d love to meet the whole of the Larkin family from The Darling Buds of May books by HE Bates.  They sound like a lovely bunch.

Which books have influenced you most as a writer?

As a child, I devoured Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five books and used to make up my own stories for the characters.  At university, I studied Thomas Hardy and fell in love with his wonderful descriptions of nature and the landscape.  On graduation, I read Jilly Cooper’s Riders which jolted me right back into the modern world.  I love her energy and her passion.  But I’ve been just as influenced by films as books and the romantic comedies of Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Gene Kelly have all helped me to become the writer I am today.

Which three things would you have with you if stranded on a desert island?

Lipbalm (can’t leave the house without it), a pillow and a solar panelled laptop so I could write.

Who would your ideal dinner guests be?

I’d love to chat to Bear Grylls about all his amazing adventures. I’d also love to meet the actress Doris Day and the actor Tom Hiddleston because I want to cast him as a hero in my next book!  I’m also a huge fan of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and I’d also love to talk to writer Andrew Davies who’s adapted some of my favourite novels for TV.

What’s your ideal writing atmosphere?

A peaceful one. I can write virtually anywhere but I hate distracting noises and I don’t like being interrupted. I’m very lucky that I now have my own study which looks out over our front garden and on towards fields full of horses. It’s very peaceful and I love it. I also love writing in the garden and have a beautiful bench by the plum tree which gets the sun in the morning. I often head down there with my notepad and a cup of tea.

Which part of the writing process is the easiest/hardest?

The easiest for me is gathering ideas. I have so many things that I want to write about and there are never enough hours to get all my ideas down. That’s a fun part for me too – I love beginning a new book and seeing where it takes me. The hardest part for me is when I get my edit notes from my publisher. It takes me an absolute age to process the new suggestions and fit them around what I have written. Of course, it makes the book much better but it’s a very slow process and doesn’t give me the buzz that writing a first draft does.

Best/worst thing about being a writer?

As a writer, you’re your own boss which is fantastic!  You can take a day off it the sun is shining and make your time up whenever you want.  Nobody is on your case!  The worst thing is all the waiting that’s involved with traditional publishing.  It took me six years to get one of my novels published.  Agents take forever to get back to you, publishers take forever to get back to you and then a book takes forever to get published once it is accepted.  All very frustrating!

Top five tips for new writers?

–       Read lots.

–       Write lots.

–       Get your work out there to agents, publishers or critiquing services and listen to feedback.

–       Be willing to work hard to improve your work.

–       Most importantly, LOVE what you do and don’t give up!

For more information on Victoria and her books, visit her website.

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by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.