You’ve visited bookshops all around the country to promote The Housekeepers and to meet your readers – are there plans afoot for appearances at any literary festivals?
Popping in to bookshops has been one of the true treats of this past year – I think we’ve visited more than 50 to say hello to some fabulous booksellers and drop off proofs (and chocolates, of course). I’m going to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate for the first time this summer, to watch some of the brilliant panel events and mingle at the bar! I’m also absolutely overjoyed to be attending Bloody Scotland, the Caledonian Crime Writing Festival, and taking part in the ‘New Bloods’ panel. A real privilege (bit terrifying, too!).
And finally, what made you decide to enter the Caledonia Novel Award 2022, and do you have any advice for other writers thinking of entering this year’s competition?
I think entering competitions is a great way to see if your story has legs, and I think it’s fantastic that so many offer sponsored places and improved access. I’ve entered MANY competitions before without being longlisted, including the Caledonia Novel Award in years gone by, but I wanted to enter the 2022 competition because I’d seen the terrific success of so many of the listed or winning authors, and because Alice Lutyens was the judging agent (I knew Alice as a real leader in the industry and responsible for some real hits). But I did have a last-minute case of nerves, right before entering, wondering if the book was ready. In the end I just pulled myself together and pressed ‘send’. Thank goodness I did – being part of the wonderful Caledonia Novel Award community, and winning the 2022 competition, made such an enormous difference to everything that followed…
(Author photo by Tom Wrigley)
caledoniaaward@gmail.com