Novel Kicks Chats To Sue Watson

Sue was previously a journalist with national newspapers and magazines before moving on to being a TV Producer for the BBC. Deciding that she’d love to write a novel, Sue became a writer. Her latest book, Love Lies and Lemon Cake was released today. We chat with Sue about her book, her writing process and cake.

Are you a planner? Do you edit as you go? How many words do you aim for on a first and last draft?

I’m not a planner as such, I have a worked out synopsis but I like to allow the characters to develop while I’m writing. I usually write a first draft then add layers as I go over and over it – a bit like icing a cake! I start with about 90 thousand words and after editing and layering and cutting end up with about 80 thousand.

Can you tell us a little about Love, Lies and Lemon Cake (we love that title,) and how the idea came about?

It’s about a woman who’s disillusioned with her life, her marriage and her career. Discovering an old rucksack at the top of her wardrobe she is reminded of all the plans she’d had as an eighteen year old and when she opens it finds a list of all the things she’d planned to do with her life. She realises she’s barely ticked this list off – and decides to try and get her life back before it’s too late. Of course there’s a gorgeous man in the mix to help her achieve those dreams – and to add to his credentials he makes the most amazing lemon cake.

The story was driven by the title really. I used it as a chapter title in Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes which I wrote about 5 years ago and the title’s been in my head ever since.

If you could be whisked off to anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited is the Greek island of Santorini which features in Love, Lies and Lemon cake. I holidayed there several years ago and it was exactly as it looked in all the guide books and brochures, only even more amazing. The sunset is the most stunning I have ever seen and watched from a vantage point on the island, it’s something you never forget. If I was going to be whisked off today I would like to be sitting in Oia by this evening waiting to clap the sunset with a glass of chilled white wine.

Is there a fictional character you’d like to swop places with for a day?

Yes, Shirley Valentine, a woman in a boring marriage, a life rut who takes a leap into the unknown to taste another life. When the play and the film came out in the late 80’s her character struck a chord with ‘real’ women everywhere and was partly my inspiration for Faye in ‘Love, Lies and Lemon Cake.’ I would love to spend the day as Shirley Valentine, leaving everything behind and lounging on a yacht in Greece with a hunky man and a glass of retsina…bring it on!

Favourite type of cake?

Chocolate – especially if it’s all dressed up to party as a Black Forest Gateaux.

 Have you read a book that changed your life/stuck with you? Which one is it and why did it impact you so much?

I don’t read too much romantic comedy or chick-lit because I don’t want to be influenced, but like most writers of the genre there’s a little bit of Bridget Jones in me. I wasn’t a writer when I first read Bridget Jones – but she was saying all the stuff I thought but couldn’t say and I believe, through Bridget, Helen Fielding gave my generation a voice.

Which song would best describe you?

I am such a cliché I know, but currently I am LOVING Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’ and that certainly would describe me at the moment. I have a new book out, another one almost finished, a great publisher to work with and Summer’s here – I’m ‘Happy!’

Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

Ryan Gosling…alone, with a ‘can do’ approach to the evening.

Five tips for new writers.

Read as much as you can.

Think like an actor and get into the characters, feel everything they feel.

Finish the novel NOW.

Be thick skinned – not everyone will like it.

Never give up.

Sue’s website: http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/

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Love, Lies and Lemon Cake was released by Bookouture on 27th June and is available to buy now. Click here to buy it from Amazon.

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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.