NK Chats With… Fran Clark

Hello Fran. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your novel, Holding Paradise and what inspired it?

Holding Paradise is women’s fiction novel seen from the viewpoint of both West Indian matriarch, Josephine, and her first generation daughter, Angelica. It’s a moving story of family, loss and deceit that explores identity, belonging and the resilience of the human spirit. It was inspired by stories that my mother used to tell us about her times spent in the West Indies and what it was like raising her family in 1950s London. I wanted to honour her memories so created characters who had stories of their own to tell based around that time in history.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?

My writing day depends on the stage of the book I’m in. When it’s a new book I tend to devote the mornings to writing at my desk and spend the rest of my day thinking about the plot as I do the other things like answering emails etc. During editing I change desks and put my fold up table by the big French windows where I think I’m seeing the novel with fresh eyes just because I’ve set up in a different place. I know it sounds crazy but it works for me.

What are the challenges you found when writing your novel?

First novels are always the ones that you write from the heart and mean everything to you. I had to try to make sure it wasn’t a rambling biography of pouring my heart out. That’s how it started off. I had to keep myself in check and put myself in the position of the reader. I needed to make it an interesting and entertaining read and after quite a few versions of this book, I think I finally got there. But the readers will be the judge, I guess.

Which fictional character would you like to meet and why?

Can I pick more than one? If it’s in literature, then probably Jo March from Little Women. She’s just such an inspiring person and a writer who had to be so determined to become a writer in a time in history when it was so difficult for women. I’d hope that being around her might rub off on me and I could get some of her grit and determination. For on screen characters, I’d love to live in Stars Hollow with The Gilmore Girls. I’d love a coffee shop like Luke’s to hang out where I could catch up on the local gossip and and have a place to write.

From idea to finished book, what’s your writing process like and how long does it typically take you?

I can get a bit all or nothing when I’m close to finishing a book and all my other jobs fall by the wayside. Depending on the book I could possibly write a book in four months but I’d prefer to have at least eight. If I’m self publishing, I set my own deadlines but if it’s a traditionally published book, I’m guided by the publisher.

Which authors do you admire?

Well, quite a few and quite varied in genre, too. To pick a few, I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Margaret Atwood and Charles Dickens from the older writers. Then there are writers like Monica Ali and Joanne Harris from the women’s fiction world and of the very new writers I’ve loved Brit Bennet and a writer friend of mine, Amita Murray.

What’s your favourite word and why?

My favourite word is fork because I’ve resolved to swear less this year and I use fork as a replacement. The idea came from the TV show The Good Place. If you’ve watched it, you’ll know what I mean 🙂

Any other advice for aspiring writers?

Find the genre or genres that really suit your style of writing and write as much as you can. The more you write the better you become at your craft. But you have to love it. Writing feeds my soul so I write all the time.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working to finish editing my book series. Holding Paradise is Book 1 and there are four altogether. After that I’m going to write a serialised book in my pen name, Rosa Temple.

Which book have you read that you wish you could forget, just so you could discover it again?

That would have to be The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Love, love, love that book and couldn’t get enough of it.

Would you rather –

Have an endless summer or winter?

Summer every time. I love Christmas but I hate the cold weather.

Tea or coffee?

Tea and it has to be herbal.

Movie or book?

Tough question as I find them both so different from each other. Could my answer be: It depends?

Morning person or night owl?

I think if there was an afternoon person, that’s what I would be. Or an evening person, if that existed.

Paperback or eBook?

I love my paperbacks and hardbacks for curling up in a chair but e-books are great for reading in bed. So I’d have to go 50-50 on that one. Sorry if that’s cheating🙂

About Holding Paradise: 

From the Caribbean to the streets of London, Holding Paradise paints a passionate portrait of family secrets, forbidden love and two women pushed to the edge.

Angelica’s seemingly perfect life is torn apart when a family secret is uncovered. At risk of losing her husband and daughter, she boards a plane in desperation to seek the advice of the person whose stories have guided her through life. Her mother, Josephine.

Josephine’s life by comparison, has come full circle, starting and ending in the Caribbean. She weathers a lifetime of betrayal and deceit, though her sole focus is to keep her family together during troubled times. It is with a broken heart that she endures her marriage and manages to raise her children with colourful stories that prove to be lessons to light their way.

It’s the wisdom of one of these stories that Angelica seeks and Josephine has one last story to tell – the story that will change both of their lives.

About Fran Clark: 

Fran Clark writes Women’s Fiction, both contemporary and historical. Her first novel was published by Indigo Dreams in 2014. In the same year she achieved a Distinction in her Creative Writing MA from Brunel University. In 2016 she was shortlisted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize. In Febuary 2024, her Island Secrets Book Series will be published, starting with Holding Paradise Book 1.

​Originally from London, Fran moved to the English countryside with her musician husband. A musician herself, Fran teaches vocals and leads a local choir. She has two sons.

Fran also writes under the pseudonym, Rosa Temple, writing contemporary fiction and published by HQ Digital and Simon & Schuster UK.

Say hello to Fran via her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. 

Click here to buy Holding Paradise on Amazon UK and Waterstones. 

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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.