 |
Andrea Semple Carole Matthews Kate Harrison Preethi Nair Nick Earls Omar Tyree Tess Gerritsen Deborah Wright Dorothy Koomson Lola Douglas Adele Parks Abiola Abrams Lisa Jewell |
      |
Kate Harrison
Kate Harrison writes contemporary comic novels. Her first book, Old School Ties, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of nostalgia and school reunions; her second, The Starter Marriage, is set around a 'divorce survival group' her third, Brown Owl's Guide to Life is about how childhood dreams and disappointments can affect us 25 years on and her latest book – The Self-Preservation Society – is all about learning to live, and love, without fear. Kate's also an experienced broadcaster and documentary maker, and writes for British magazines and newspapers.
Envisage yourself as an animal, which one would it be?
I'd like to be an otter - playful, headstrong and very messy (have you ever seen the movie, Ring of Bright Water?).
Describe your writing style in one sentence
Bittersweet
- like life or the best chocolate: sometimes sharp, sometimes smooth,
but always full of flavour!
Without the rude bits, describe your typical writing
day
There are no rude bits! I still work four days a week in TV, so
my writing tends to get done in the evenings. I'm very much an owl rather
than a lark anyway. For me, writing is 95 per cent websurfing procrastination,
4 per cent hard work and 1 per cent inspiration. But those 1 per cent
moments are unbeatable.
Reality T.V. or a good documentary?
I love factual programmes of all kinds and actually, well-made
reality TV can be as enthralling and insightful as any 'heavyweight'
documentary: look at The Apprentice. I want to watch programmes where
the director is trying to throw fresh light on aspects of life, or find
a new way of telling stories... fact and fiction can both be revealing.
What
did you do to get published in the first place?
I sent my book round to about half a dozen agents, without success,
and then went to a writers' conference where my opening chapter won a
prize - a publisher and an agent soon followed. But everyone's different.
It's obvious, in some ways, but the most important thing is not to give
up
How long did it take to get a publishing deal after
you bagged an agent?
See above - I actually got an offer before I found
an agent, which does happen occasionally. But while it took me three
months to write my first novel, it took me six months to find a publisher.
This business is VERY slow!
Fried Chicken or steamed Broccoli?
The broccoli. I'm
a vegetarian. But I also LOVE steamed broccoli, preferably with some
cheese grated on top.
Can you remember anything remotely embarrassing about your very first
book signing?
Signings are ALWAYS embarrassing. At my first one I spotted an ex boyfriend
across the room and then chatted for 20 minutes to one woman who then
walked off without buying a single copy.
And the best thing about being a published writer
is…?
Definitely when people want to talk about your characters as if
they were real... it's a wonderful (maybe slightly meglomaniac) feeling
when they care about your creations!
© Lola Jaye