Grace Elliot is the author of historical fiction.
How do you strike the balance between writing
something you want to write and writing something that people want to read, in
terms of the compromises you make, if any?
I'm a reader first and a writer second,
and it's no coincidence that my favourite stories are historical romance -
which is also the genre I write. Because of this I don't think there is a
conflict between author and prospective reader, because my aim is to write the
sort of book I love to read. My rule of
thumb is to keep a firm focus on the story and characters because if they don't
keep me hooked, why should anyone else want to read it? For me there is no
compromise between my expectations and that of my readers.
What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the
genre(s) you write in.
Do you have a
box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts and ideas for future stories?
Such as names you have come across, bits of dialogue, ideas, characters - even
if you have no idea when you might use them?
Oh I'm a bit of a stationary addict and
being a writer is the best excuse to buy arch-lever files, plastic wallets and
notebooks. Indeed, for each new novel I buy a fresh, hardback A4 notebook in
which to jot down thoughts about, character, setting, costume and weather. In
the name of 'research' I also buy gossip magazines and cut out pictures of
people with similar looks my characters, and these phtoos get glued into this
notebook.
That said - I am beginning to move with
the times and my son introduced me to Google images. Now I have files on my
laptop where relevant photos are saved. I've also developed my own digital
filing system for character description, setting, costume et.c - but I do still
miss flicking through the pages of a physical notebook.
Also, I had a brief flirtation with
Scrivener. I like the idea of having a fluid manuscript where you drag and drop
elements to rearrange them, but as a non-techy person, I'm afraid the program
outwitted me.
How much of you is in your characters? Which of
your characters is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with ?
This is a good question and tricky to
answer. Any writer must draw on their own experiences and emotions. In my case,
the characters are born from their name, background and what they look like,
with a sprinkling of putting myself in their place to work out how they react
in different circumstances. As to which character I'd most like to be, then
Celeste Armitage from 'A Dead Man's Debt' springs to mind. She is a woman who
doesn’t 'need' a man to feel fulfilled and is determined to control her own
future…so when the deliciously handsome Lord Ranulf Charing falls for her, a
very merry chase ensues.
Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that
your spouse wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?
That's a bit spooky, Joo- do you have a
hidden camera in my house?
Seriously, I visualise the characters in
a setting and then watch the scene play out in my head, so as to transcribe what
I've seen onto the page. This is almost a form of meditation and in order to
concentrate I need to sit in a quiet room with no distractions. Occasionally,
hubs gets a bit angsty, complaining that I'd rather spend time with my
characters than him…but we sort things out quickly and I appreciate that he
misses my company. I wonder how many other author's have partners who get
jealous of fictional heroes?
What type of book do you like reading? Is it the
same genre as you write?
I'm an avid reader of historical romance
and it was through reading this genre that I felt inspired to write. Historical
romance appeals to me for so many reasons, but all with the common factor of
escapism. For me, history lends a distance in time that gives my imagination
free rein in a way that might be inhibited if the setting was more contemporary.(
I'm guessing that escapism is also the reason behind the current popularity of
the paranormal genre.)
How do you feel when a reader points out the
spelling mistake(s) you have made?
In a word
'dreadful'. My philosophy is to learn from criticism and improve, so I try to
turn negatives into positives…even if they do sting for a while. That said, I sometimes get slammed unfairly because of the differences
between US and UK spelling. When my debut novel, "A Dead Man's Debt"
came out one reviewer was positively vitriolic that I'd spelt
"dishevelled" with two L's. At the time I was mystified, especially when
the Oxford dictionary said the spelling was correct - it was only some time
that I twigged what had happened. The reviewer was American and the book had UK
spelling. This experience taught me a lesson: that you can do your best and yet
there's no accounting for the reader's perception.
What do you like most about visiting
KUF/GR/forums?
A good forum is a friendly place where
you are made welcome and participate in a bit of banter. Two things keep me going back to certain
forums, and those are book recommendations and gossip. I've picked some great
novels I might otherwise have missed by following certain threads and even
ventured outside my favourite genre (Hugh Howie's 'Wool', springs to mind.)
The other draw is gossip: and by this I
mean the light-hearted discussions, verging on the absurd, about things like
'what did you have for breakfast', or 'should Jeremy Clarkson be the next Prime
Minister?' Life is too serious - what
harm in a little diversion?
What is on your near horizon?
My immediate horizon is dominated by the
edits for 'Verity's Lie', #3 the Huntley Trilogy. It's been an interesting
challenge to write a standalone story that also ties together the stories of
all three Huntley brothers. I had a lot of fun writing 'Verity's Lie' especially
as the hero, Charles Huntley, Lord Ryevale is a bit of a bad boy who needed
bringing down a peg or two!
To keep the editing fresh I'm
concurrently working on my next book, a series of Georgian romances based on a
fictional location, Foxhall Pleasure Gardens. I wanted to give this series a
different twist to other HR's and so the heroes and heroines are not
aristocrats and the nobility, but ordinary working people.
Where can we find you for more information?
My blog 'Fall in Love with History' is a great
place to start
You can find me on twitter: @Grace_Elliot
I also have a quarterly newsletter and
it's worth subscribing because you'll get news of giveaways, freebies and new
releases. The sign up is here:
