Carmen Reid

Carmen is the author of the Annie Valentine series. Her other titles include The Jewels of Manhattan which was released in March. Carmen dropped by for a chat.

Tell us about your route to publication.

I’d been working as a news journalist for about six years and aged 28, on maternity leave, I decided it was time to start that novel I’d promised myself I would write. I found my agent, Darley Anderson, quite quickly and he gave me the encouragement needed to finish and edit and re-edit that first manuscript. Three in A Bed was published four years after I first set pen to paper – well… fingers to keyboard.

Your latest novel, The Jewels of Manhattan has recently been released. Can you tell us a little about it?

The Jewels was inspired by a line in a story written by my daughter: ‘Three girls decided to rob a jewellery shop.’ Why? I wondered, How? And: did they get away with it? My book about three Texan sisters living in Manhattan and getting drawn into a high stakes glamorous jewel theft grew from those urgent questions.

Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere! From conversations with friends, from listening to other people’s experiences, from reading novels, newspapers, magazines… in art galleries, department stores (Annie Valentine was born on a shopping trip with an old friend). The more open you are to ideas, the more they seem to come at you. The other day I was walking the dog and I saw a bunch of mistletoe hanging from a bridge so that it dangled over our path. Now there is a story just waiting to be written!

For someone new to your books, can you describe your writing style.

I’m always trying to make you laugh, make you cry and keep you totally gripped. I want you to fall into the story and forget about everything else for those hours.

Describe your typical writing day.

I like to start early. My husband takes our children to school so I can be at my desk before 9am. I try to write or edit with no distractions all the way to a late lunch. I sometimes go to the university library for total peace and quiet. The afternoon is for paperwork, research, emailing and so on. I also like late evening when the house is quiet again. The worst temptation for writers is to procrastinate, so start early and get on with it!

How much planning do you undertake before beginning a new book?

I plan a lot. I’d argue that every book that isn’t well planned would have been even better with good planning. I plan even more now than I did when I was starting out. It’s the only way to make convoluted and exciting plots. Also, you want to do plenty of research on your characters before you start writing about them. You want to know them well so they are all convincing individuals with their own unique approach.

How do you approach editing?

Professionally! I have fantastic editors who really guide and shape the work. They read the first drafts, make loads of helpful suggestions, then it’s back to the computer to make the story as good as it can be. I’m not at all precious, if my editor doesn’t think something is working, then out it goes. Book editors are so, so much nicer than newspaper editors.
I think you’d be surprised at how much time writers spend editing their work. The best work is written and re-written and re-written until it really sings.

Which three books have you read that have made the most impact on you?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Is there another author you admire?

I love JK Rowling and Candace Bushnell: brilliant, genius girls.

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

A radio, a friendly dog, lots of vinagrette dressing for all the fish I will be eating.

Who would your ideal dinner guests be?

Vivienne Westwood, Candace Bushnell, Dylan Moran, Eddie Izzard, Woody Allen, Inez de la Fressange and my husband. Should be very interesting!

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

Jo March from Little Women. I love her, I spent my whole childhood trying to be exactly like her.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer?

I work my own hours, by myself, in my own head, with my imaginary friends. Usually it is wonderful and I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else… but occasionally is feels weird and lonely and I fantasise about being back in a busy newsroom!

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

I’m just finishing off the new Annie Valentine novel which will be the sixth in the series: Shopping With The Enemy… it’s stillettos at dawn!

Have you any advice for new writers?

Read, read, read, write, write, write. We all get better with endless practise. Try and learn something positive from every rejection – everyone gets rejected at some stage!

For more information on Carmen, visit her website. 

​

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.