AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT WITH ANNIE WHITEHEAD

I am overjoyed to announce that author Annie Whitehead features next in the series.

As you may be aware I asked authors on my facebook page if they would like to appear in a series of *interviews*. I wanted to connect with other writers, find out what they write about, why they write, their thoughts about the writing process, their drives, and learn a little more about them.Please find the full interview below (also linked to my twitter, tumblr, facebook, Goodreads, and google + account).

Please do share with your circle of book friends and leave me a like/comment - thank you very much.



Annie, are you self-published or traditional?

I’m self-published, although I am under contract to a literary agent.

It must be great to have that extra support from an agent.
So how many books have you written?

I’ve written three historical fictions:

To Be A Queen tells the story of Alfred the Great’s daughter. She grew up in Mercia and was married off as part of an alliance between her father’s kingdom of Wessex and the satellite kingdom of Mercia. She eventually came to rule Mercia and was instrumental in the fight against the invading Vikings.

Alvar the Kingmaker is the story of a leading nobleman in the 10th century. He was one of three powerful earls in the reign of King Edgar, a period noted for its lack of Viking invasions, which allowed time for dirty politics and intrigue at court between rival factions. Chuck in a couple of civil wars and a bit of regicide and you find that the Vikings weren't the only thing to cause havoc in England.

The third book, as yet untitled and unpublished, is also set in the ancient midlands kingdom of Mercia, but in a much earlier period.

I'm keeping an eye out for Alvar the Kingmaker. A well written piece about court politics can be equally as exciting as a battle scene.
What are you working on now?

I was a prize-winner two years running in the Mail on Sunday Novel Writing Competition. The second year, judge Fay Weldon remembered me and told me that I should turn my second piece into a full-blown novel. So that’s what I’m up to at the moment, although it’s not historical.

Any future projects?

I’ve another novel which I want to write. Curiously, the title came first. Usually I have a great deal of difficulty coming up with titles. Now I just need to write the rest of it!

I find I don't start with a title. I outline, plot and write. During the writing stage I find the title just pops up. With Tempest (release TBA) it first became Deception Point. Then I laughed thinking it was not a Dan Brown novel.
So what about you? Do you start with an outline, plot each chapter or just write and see where it goes from there?

The starting point is deciding whose story I want to tell. The outline has to come next, because the historical timeline already exists. Then I need to decide what to include and what to leave out. After that, I have to flesh out the characters and plausibly fill in the gaps with fiction. I might know, for example that all my characters were in one particular location in one year, and it might be documented where they were the following year. But it’s up to me what happens to them in the intervening months. The characters’ story arcs have to blend accurately with the history, but I always have the history to hang the plot upon.

Who is your favourite character of your books?

I’m a little bit in love with Ethelred of Mercia, from To Be A Queen. He was an enigmatic figure; nobody knows quite how he arrived onto the pages of history and it’s a shame that we don’t know more about him.

Where can readers find your books?

In all the usual places - they can even be ordered from your high street book shop. But here are some links:

http://mybook.to/To-Be-A-Queen
http://mybook.to/AlvartheKingmaker
https://www.feedaread.com/books/Alvar-the-Kingmaker-9781786106889.aspx

How many hours a day do you write?

If I’m not out at work, I try to get a whole ‘working day’ in - maybe from 8.30 to 5. If I’m doing final edits though, I might do 12-14 hour stints.

12-14 hour stints? Wow. I find even after 2 hours I need to get up and walk otherwise I'll end up like Davros from Doctor Who.
Do you agree with the statement: write about what you know?

Up to a point. But you can always apply your own experiences to other things.

What is your favourite genre?

I would have to say Historical Fiction. It was really the only type of fiction I read when I was younger, and the only subjects that ever interested me at school were English and History, so it’s the perfect fusion for me.

Nowadays I read more widely, and will tackle most genres, apart from horror.

What challenges do you face when writing? Are you easily distracted?

I have an old lap top which I don’t connect to the internet, so when I’m writing I don’t get distracted. But I have learned that sometimes my brain just won’t allow me to write - it’s not so much writer’s block as just not being ready. I go with the flow, and wander round doing other things until I’m ready to sit down and write.

How much do you feel you've improved in the last few years?

Having written three historical fictions, I think I’ve now reached a point where I’ve found my ‘voice’. The book I’m working on at the moment is not an historical, so it will be interesting to see if I speak in that same voice. I think I will, because I’ve now developed my own style of writing.

What are the best and worst things about being a writer?

The best thing is the total absorption - I can lose whole days when I’m writing. It’s a form of mindfulness.

(Escapism? That's what I was told once.)

The worst? The usual self-doubt probably.

Do you believe in writers block?

I’ve never had it, but what I do suffer with is having to wait until my brain is ready to let me sit down and write. I can have all the ideas, and know exactly where I want to go with a story, but will find myself wandering away from my desk, going out for walks, folding linen. It used to worry me but now I know it’s a process that I have to go through. Then, when my brain is ready, I sit down and can quite happily not look up again until I’ve written 5000 words or more.
 
What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?

Being a guest at two literary lunches as a prize-winner for the MoS competitions that I mentioned above. I met lots of agents, editors and authors: Fay Weldon, Sarah Waters, James Buchan, Simon Brett ...

Yeah, I need to get out more and meet people. I'm shy and a gathering of agents, authors and readers feels me with so much insecurity.
What do you like doing when you aren't writing?

As recompense for the hours spent hunched over a computer, I do a lot of ‘working out’ - from Pilates to kick-boxing and weight-training, to walking, cycling and running. I’ve also developed a slight addiction to colouring books! I have an extensive collection of music too.

Do you write full-time or do you have another job?

I work part-time as a freelance Early Years Music teacher, but I also make a small amount from writing articles for magazines.

Oh wow, I didn't know that about you.
What do you think makes good writing? (I love this question because everyone featured in the series answers it differently and it's great to read what other writers think.)

It can be a blend of many things, but ultimately it has to be a mixture that takes a reader right into the scene, right into the characters’ heads, right into the action.

What writer or book has had the biggest influence on your work?

Jane Austen. Simply because I remember my A level English teacher explaining how brilliantly she dropped bits of information into her books which would repay a second reading, and how you always know which character is speaking, because she gave them such distinctive voices.

Ah, Jane. Re-reading Emma right now. I agree with what you said about the voice, she was a master. Where do you read mostly?

In the summer I sit outside in the garden and read, from early morning until the sun disappears somewhere beyond the bottom of our hill. In the winter I’m either curled up on the sofa, or in the comfy chair in my bedroom.

How many books do you read a month, would you say?

3-8, depending on what else I’m busy with.

What's your favourite character archetype of literature?

Probably the flawed hero. I have a problem with villains - I struggle to believe that anyone is truly just ‘evil’ and always like to know why they’ve developed into awful people. I understand now that some people are genuinely unpleasant for no reason, but I do still try to find some excuse to forgive them - I’m too nice!

What advice can you give to other writers?

If ever you are tempted to give up, ask yourself what you’d rather be doing. If the answer is nothing, then you are a writer. Keep going.

Thank you for your time, Annie, it was pure joy to have you guest here today.