Marie Maxwell.

Published May 13, 2013 | By Laura

Bernardine Kennedy, under the pen name Marie Maxwell is the author of the novel, Ruby. Her latest book, Gracie was released by Avon in April 2013.

Can you tell us a little about your new book, Gracie?

Gracie is set in the 1950s and is about a young woman who grabs at the chance to draw a line under the mistakes she made in her past and move on with her life. The book starts with Gracie accepting a marriage proposal from Sean who she’s known for a long time. She’s so thrilled to be a step nearer her dream of a family life she jumps in with both feet and doesn’t listen to all the advice she’s given about thinking first and not keeping secrets from her fiancé! Gracie has a traumatic time over the course of the book as her life unravels ………….

Do you plan or do you wing it?

I always start with a plan but I rarely ever stick with it. The characters always seem to take over and go on a different path to the one I plotted originally. Sometimes it’s really hard to keep a grip on the story you have in your head because it can evolve and go in a totally different direction. I write an outline and expand from there… it’s usually about a third of the way through that the story and the characters take on a life of their own. I do try and keep control but it’s hard when a new idea appears from nowhere.

Do you edit as you go along or do you wait until you have a full draft?

I mostly edit as I go along. I find it really hard to move on to another chapter if the one I’ve been working on isn’t up to scratch or has any loose strings that need dealing with. I often wish I could rush through from start to finish on a first draft (often called the ‘dirty draft’) but I can’t. If I move on too soon then I can’t concentrate properly. I fret! The upside of editing as I go is that when I reach the end it really is The End. Until it wings its way back from the Editor of course!

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

Ooohh, that’s a hard question! My favourite books from my schooldays were the Angelique novels by Sergeanne Golon so I guess it would be interesting to meet her and have an insight into her era. It was years later that I found out that Sergeanne was a husband and wife team who collaborated on the Angelique books. I do however blame Angelique for my GCE failures, I was too busy devouring the books at every opportunity to do much exam revision! In my head I was Angelique and GCE Maths simply didn’t compare. I still have some copies but I’m scared to read them again in case they don’t stand up to my memory of them. I made that mistake with Valley of the Dolls….

Which book/author has made the most impact on you?

It would have to be a tie between Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins, both of them fabulous blockbuster authors who write the ultimate escapist novels. Riders and Hollywood Wives are the two which stand out for me. Oh how I loved those books, they both made me fantasise about the lives of the characters and also the careers of the authors. Not only did I want to read the books, I wanted to write them and my first novel, Everything Is Not Enough, was my very own blockbuster! I still have a huge admiration for both the authors, both truly fab Blockbuster authors. (I deliberately say ‘blockbuster’ because I think the word ‘bonkbuster’ undermines the work that goes into crafting these intricate stories.)

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

A very thick notebook and some pencils so I could write a book about my time on the island. A box set of Jackie Collins or Jilly Cooper books to read in the shade of a palm tree. Lots of chocolate. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, I have no class when it comes to chocolate.

What’s your writing day like?

I’m very badly organised. In my head I get up early, start work asap and write through to lunchtime. Sadly I’m easily distracted , especially when I’m doing research for the Marie Maxwell sagas. My previous Bernardine Kennedy books I wrote mostly out of my head but the forties and fifties in Britain were strange to me as I was brought up abroad. Every time I promise myself I’ll be organised and every time end up on the deadline countdown. Organisation isn’t my thing!

Who are your ideal dinner guests?

On the whole I like ‘writing’ people because I’ve found over the years that writers are an eclectic group. Age, gender and class are irrelevant, a group of writers can talk all night and never get bored! A cross section of authors of different genres would especially good.

Do you like writing in silence or with noise?

Mostly I like noise but only noise I don’t have to respond to. I often have the radio or TV on. I can easily zone out when I’m concentrating and not hear but then something breaks through and I listen…. The noise I don’t like are questions or comments that need a response. I can have the TV on but don’t ask me if I want a cup of coffee. (Just creep in, place it beside me and creep out. In silence.)

5 pieces of advice for new writers?

I’m always a bit wary of advice but in my own experience these are the things that matter most.

1. Write what you know and enjoy…. that way you can become absorbed in your story.

2. Write every day even if it’s only 100 words in a notebook, it keeps your head in the story. Just a week away from your manuscript can mean using precious time having to re-read it.

3. Don’t stop your session at the end of a chapter; start the next one and then you’ll be keen to get back to it. Lack of enthusiasm is a killer for writers.

4. Edit and edit well but don’t over-edit or you’ll lose the spontaneity of the storyline. Spelling, grammar and construction are important but the most important thing of all is to write a gripping story that an editor/agent wants to carry on reading to the end.

5. Don’t show it to all and sundry. Ten people can all view it differently according to their own likes and dislikes when all that matter is the view of the professional reader who knows exactly what he/she is looking for.

Marie’s website.