Pauline Barclay

Published October 5, 2011 | By Laura

Pauline Barclay is the author of three novels, Magnolia House, Satchfield Hall and her latest Sometimes it Happens.
Novel Kicks were very happy to be able to catch up with Pauline and see what was happening since we last spoke to her.

You’ve recently got involved with loveahappyending.com. Can you tell us what the website does, what it means to you and how important you think Associate Readers are?

I am one of just 30 authors invited to show case their writing. Loveahappyending.com is a new and exciting web site that concentrates on two main areas: reader power and helping new authors to the market place. It is through the activities and involvement of each member and particularly the Associate Readers that a wider audience is getting to know about all of the authors. Being part of group creates more opportunities to spread the word rather just a single voice. Since being invited to join, I have seen more reviews on my books and *blushing* several more 5 star ratings.

Loveahappyending.com is international there are Associate Readers and authors from the UK, USA, Canada and even me from the Canary Isles! If anyone is interested in becoming an Associate Reader, please visit http://www.loveahappyending.com There is so much going on. In fact, I am the editor for the online chatty magazine The Fizz and also Head of Communications. Everyone in the group gets involved giving some of their time to helping other members.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Anywhere and everywhere! I find inspiration and ideas from sometimes just a word or a phrase, listening to music, reading, watching people, talking to people, out walking the dog. Just being aware of others. Life is so interesting and fascinating.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I have always enjoyed writing, when I was at junior school, I wrote a song and it was sung at one of the school’s parent days. Just before we all started to sing, the teacher announced who had written the song and to my horror she gave the credit to the wrong Pauline! I eventually got over it and since then I’ve left song writing to others. My real passion is writing and during the last fifteen years I have written over sixteen short stories, as well as my two published novels, Magnolia House and Satchfield Hall, I have also written two other full length stories. These still sit in the archives of my computer! Away from my passion of fiction writing, I spent many years as a communications manager. This work entailed writing in-house magazines, press releases for the specialist international press, pages for web sites etc. So much of my life, one way or another, has been very much involved in writing.

What was your road to publication?

I confess to taking the route of a self published author and being one of the authors that are not always seen as a proper author. It is hard work doing everything yourself; writing, proof reading, checking that it is all formatted correctly and looks professional and finally the marketing. It is a challenge, but I have enjoyed every step of the way. Of course it would be fantastic if an agent or publishing house would notice me, especially as my third novel is at the first draft stage. I have received some fantastic reviews and this in itself has made me very proud.

Describe your editing process.

As much as I love getting my story down, I love working on it until it feels right and I don’t mind how many times I have to reread and amend. It’s all part of the writing process.

I believe you are re-editing and re-polishing your first two books why?

For my latest book Sometimes It Happens…I had the wonderful Helen Hollick who was my mentor and editor and she helped me make this book sparkle and I want my other two novels to have that same high polish. Sadly Helen’s commitments are enormous at the moment, so I am working with the wonderful Jo Field. I will re-launch both books later this year with new covers too. These will be designed by Avalon Graphics, Cathy Helm who designed the fabby cover for Sometimes It Happens…

In between everything else, I am also working on my book 4. It’s a busy, but an exciting time!

Describe your typical writing day.

I don’t have a typical day, but I write every day. Some days the words fly and other days I find it difficult to write my name let alone a sentence. But fortunately I don’t have too many of those days. Writing is addictive and very therapeutic. I love it and can’t imagine my life without writing.

What’s the most important thing you have learnt since you became a writer?

How lucky I am that I can sit at home and write and also continue to learn. I am forever being told off about getting my as and has wrong….I wonder if I will ever learn!

Best/worst thing about being a writer?

The best thing for me is being creative and bringing characters to life. The worst, it is a lonely existence. There is me, I and myself…!

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

Passionate and emotional. I like to write about events that happen and the effect they have on the lives of my characters. In Magnolia House after Jane Leonard gave half of her house to her only son, nothing prepared her for the consequences of this generous gift. In Satchfield Hall, Celia Bryant-Smythe’s indiscretion with her lover set in motion a chain of events that will take a lifetime to unravel. And, Sometimes It Happens… winning the lottery changed Doreen Wilkinson’s life, but not in the way she had expected. I like to hope my books will make readers smile. Maybe laugh out loud from time to time and shed a tear or two!

Is there an author you particularly admire?

I read so much and different genres too. This year I have made a conscious effort to read only new authors and each of these I admire. All of them deserve to be well known and in the top reading lists.

Is there a book by another author that you’d wished you’d written?

No. That’s what makes reading books so interesting because they are written by people with their own style.

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

I still love that wonderful classic novel, Gone with the Wind, so I guess I’d like to meet Rhett Butler

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Assuming there was Internet… laugh! My Kindle, my netbook and plenty of sun lotion!

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Write to enjoy and enjoy writing

Write with energy and passion

Don’t be afraid to use words that are new to you

Experiment to find your style

Never be put off by others