Rosy Thornton

Published November 18, 2010 | By Laura

Rosy Thornton is the author of four novels. Her latest, The Tapestry of Love was released in October. When Rosy isn’t writing, she teaches at Cambridge University. Novel Kicks was very excited to be chatting to Rosy. We asked her where she finds her inspiration and which character from fiction she’d like to meet.

What was your route to publication like?

My first attempt at writing fiction was internet fanfic: a pastiche sequel to Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘North and South’. I had a go at getting it published, without success – mainly because it was embarrassing tosh! But straight after that novel I began another – contemporary, humorous – and that was what became my first published novel, ‘More Than Love Letters’.

Publication wasn’t a smooth ride. I must have tried every literary agent in the known universe – and in the end found my own lovely agent by pure fluke. He was listed at the time as handling non-fiction only, and I approached him by mistake, but he just happened to be looking to get into fiction, liked the book and took me on.

Where do you find inspiration?

‘Inspiration’ always seems the wrong word to me – like something external and sudden and mysterious. The reality is far more mundane: I just write what I see about me. I tend to choose settings I know, and I draw upon observation of the people and relationships that surround me.

You’ve written four novels. Briefly describe what your latest ‘The Tapestry of Love’ is about.

The book tells the story of Catherine Parkstone, an Englishwoman in her late 40s, who moves to a remote hamlet in the French Cévennes mountains, there to set up a business as a seamstress and tapestry-maker.

There is a love story in the novel – but it’s also about Catherine’s love affair with the landscape, people and way of life of her new mountain home, and how she weaves her way into the fabric of the community.

What’s your typical writing day like?

I can’t say I’ve ever had what you could call a ‘writing day’. In my dreams! I have a full-time job (I lecture in Law at the University of Cambridge) and two daughters, aged 14 and 11. Writing fiction is therefore something I squeeze into small spaces between everything else. Typically, I write for an hour and a half a day, in the early mornings between 5.30 and 7am, before I make the girls’ packed lunches and get them up for breakfast.

How much do you ‘plan’ a book before you start writing?

Not at all! I am a confirmed ‘pantser’ – writing by the seat of my pants. I come up with some characters and an initial situation to put them in, and I start at page one and see where it takes me. I used to be very apologetic about it until one day I heard Ali Smith on the radio saying she was ‘a very intuitive writer’. That sounds so much better, doesn’t it, than ‘I just muddle through, making it up as I go along’?

How do you approach the editing process?

I HATE editing. It’s strange, because at work I spend half my time critiquing students’ essays or the drafts of their dissertations. But with my own work, and especially my fiction, I am completely incapable of any kind of objectivity. I tend simply to follow the advice of my agent or editor.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer.

Writing fiction is completely wonderful – it’s my escape, my fantasy. It’s very hard to think of a downside to it at all… except maybe editing (see above). However, I’m not at all sure I would want to do it on a full-time basis. It’s great for an hour or two of escape into me-time, but I think it would be very isolating if you did it all day. I like going to work and interacting with students and colleagues.

Which writers/books do you admire?

Most of my favourite authors are women, whether it’s the classics (Austen, Eliot, Gaskell), period fiction (Barbara Pym, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Bowen, Penelope Fitzgerald) or contemporary (Barbara Trapido, AS Byatt, Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, Kate Atkinson, E Annie Proulx, Margaret Forster, Jane Smiley, Salley Vickers…). The best book I have read this year by some margin is ‘Wolf Hall’. I thought it was fabulous. For light relief I also enjoy crime fiction (especially Donna Leon) and the occasional foray into fresh and funny chick lit (my favourite being Phillipa Ashley).

Do you feel that reading books by other authors is an important thing for a writer?

Oh, absolutely essential. I don’t see how anyone could become a writer without being an avid, almost obsessive reader. In fact, now you mention it, that is another downside of writing – it leaves less time to read!

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

There are so many! If I have to plump for just one, I think it would be Harriet Vane from Dorothy L Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey novels. I admire her enormously and think she would be wonderful company.

Who are your ideal dinner guests?

Just at the moment my fantasy would be to have Hilary Mantel round and have her talk and talk and talk about Thomas Cromwell. I am also an avid football fan, and I would love to meet former Ipswich Town full-back and manager, George Burley. Not sure how he’d get on with Hilary, though…

Top five tips for writers.

Somebody much cleverer than I am – though I’m ashamed to say I’ve forgotten who – said there are just three rules for writing fiction:

1. Read a lot.

2. Write a lot.

3. Repeat as necessary.

If I have to come up with two more, they might be:

4. Try to listen to your characters and let them tell you how they would respond and act, rather than forcing them into a predetermined mould.

5. Don’t be too hidebound by the ‘rules’ you find in the creative writing books. Relax and find your own voice.

Finally, thank you so much, Laura, for the chance to come along to Novel Kicks and answer these questions!

To find out more about Rosy, visit her website by clicking here.