Helen Phifer

Helen was a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme and her novel, The Ghost House is published today by Carina UK. 

Helen, thank you for joining us today. Can you tell us about your latest novel, The Ghost House?

It is a time slip thriller set in 1886 and 2013. The story revolves around a Police Woman Annie Graham, a crumbling haunted mansion and a diary she discovers, which may lead her to the man killing young women in the town before he gets to her.

Do you plan?

I always try and do a basic plot; I know roughly what I want to happen and where I want the story to go. I then take my index cards and write a mini synopsis of each chapter on them and pin them onto the big cork board next to my desk. Do I follow them? Not always because stories seem to take on a life of their own.

How do you approach editing?

With great trepidation and a huge sigh, seriously though I print out a copy of my draft and then I take my trusty red pen and sit and read through it marking my way. I also use a big notebook and reference my page numbers into the book with more detailed notes of what needs changing.

Do you get writers block?

If so, how do you deal with it? Not really, I have so many ideas in my head I can’t get them all down. Although I’ve had days where I just can’t get motivated I find I work better if I have a deadline, probably because I have no choice.

If you could go back to any place in history, where would you go and why?

I’d quite like to see what Victorian London was all about and visit Whitechapel at the time of Jack the Ripper.

Carina UK, October 2013

Which three books have made the most impact on you? Do you think being a big reader is important for a writer?

The Famous Five – by Enid Blyton It – by Stephen King The Haunting of Hill House – by Shirley Jackson I swear that in order to write a half decent story yourself you have to be a big reader. It’s where you subconsciously learn about plot and pace. You read the books you love and they make you realise just how much work has gone into writing a story.

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

Well I can tell you who I don’t want to meet, Pennywise the Clown from It. It would be nice to be able to meet Dr Kay Scarpetta and hopefully she would cook me a fabulous Italian meal and a glass of expensive wine. Failing that Hannibal Lecter would be interesting.

If a film was being made of The Ghost House, who would you like to play your main characters?

Sigourney Weaver as Annie Graham, Brad Pitt as Will Ashworth. That’s a really tough one; I think we could sneak Colin Firth in as the killer. It would make a change to have him playing the bad guy.

What makes you laugh?

Anything, some of the really stupid things that happen at work really tickle me and I end up laughing at the most inappropriate moments. My best friend Cathy died two years ago and I really miss the laughter, we would work an eight-hour shift and spend most of it doubled over. It was fab.

What three things would you take with you to a desert island?

Lots of books, lots of white zinfandel and a wind up radio

Who would your ideal dinner guests be?

Marilyn Monroe, Colin Firth, Stephen King, Gene Wilder but he would have to be Willy Wonka for the evening.

What’s your favourite word?

Fabulous at the moment, the other week it was brilliant.

Your five tips for new writers?

Never give up.

Try and join any relevant writing associations for the genre that you write in.

Attend conferences and be brave and chat to as many people as you can, it’s all about making contacts.

Join a writing group.

Write as much as you can, as often as you can.

About Helen: 

I live in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness and have done since I was born, it gets some bad press but it really is a fab place to live. We are surrounded by beaches and very close to the Lake District where I tend to spend at least one of my days off from work, sitting in a coffee shop in Bowness-on-Windermere or checking out the second hand shops. I have always loved reading and writing and started my writing journey back in my twenties after reading a book I thought was not that good, it inspired me to see if I could write my own. I also love to read scary books but after I devoured every Stephen King and James Herbert book there was along with many more I decided that there weren’t enough of the books out there that I love to read so I set out to write The Ghost House.

I am a member of the Crime Writers Association and the Romantic Novelists Association.

I love tattoos, scary films, listening to my IPod shuffle when I’m writing, coffee, cake, chocolate, wine. My five almost grown up kids and my three-year old granddaughter.

Helen’s Website. 

Helen’s Blog.

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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.