What genre would you
say your novels fall into, or do they defy classification?
My recent one was romance, the previous one would fall under
thriller I guess. It is quite hard to define as the thriller did have
relationships at its core. I guess you could say romantic suspense? But then A
Stitch in Time is time travel with a hint of comedy...sheesh. It’s
hard!
What made you choose
that genre?
Well, the thriller was a bit heavy and dark in places, so I
fancied a change. I tend to write dark and light novels alternately. It isn’t
planned, it just happens.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
Normally anything from four months to a year. A
Stitch in Time was the exception though – the first draft took six
weeks!
What is your work
schedule like when you're writing?
I have no set schedule, though I do like to write in
daylight hours. After about seven at night my thoughts just won’t stay on the
paper. I try to write at least three hours or so each day. I don’t always
manage it, but most of the time I meet my goal.
Where do you get your
ideas for your books?
Sometimes they are inspired by the world around me like Righteous
Exposure (the thriller). I was on holiday in Texas and noticed the
contrast in living standards between most Mexicans and many whites.
The Mexicans or Hispanics were the ones with poor housing
and menial jobs, the whites had humongous houses and flashy cars. Of course I
realise there are many poor white Texans too, but the germination of the idea
for the book came from there. What if a Mexican got the upper hand for once?
Sometimes they come from the title or elsewhere through the
ether!
When did you write
your first book and how old were you?
I used to write lots of poems and short stories from the age
of about 8 through my teenage years. I had a break when I had my daughter but
idea was always on the back burner. My first book was a children’s book – still
in a box somewhere, and I was thirty I think. My first full-length adult novel,
I was thirty-nine.
What do you like to
do when you're not writing?
I like to travel, particularly in the U.S. I haven’t been
for a good few years though now, and I love being by the sea in Cornwall. I
spend lots of time with my grandson and daughter too. Oh and I tend to spend
too much time on social network sites with a glass of red wine on my hand J
What was one of the
most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
That there is always something new to learn and a different
way of writing to be tried.
How many books have
you written?
I am working on my sixth novel, but at the time of writing
only two have been published. I plan to have more out very soon.
Which is your
favourite and why?
I don’t really have one. It’s like kids, you love them all
in different ways but none more than the other.
As a child, what did
you want to do when you grew up?
I dreamt of being a writer, but then practicalities dictated
I should be a hairdresser. I went on to train as a teacher and spent fifteen
odd happy years (well, happy-ish) doing that. Now I am at last living the
dream.
What are you working
on now?
A sequel to A
Stitch in Time
Twitter – @akjames61
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/MandyJamesAuthorPage
Bio
I had many short stories published in various anthologies
since 2010. One is Hipp-O-Dee-Doo-Dah a fundraiser for Children’s Hospices UK (Bridge
House Publishing), and has a foreword by Michael Morpurgo. Another is 100 Stories for Queensland,
an anthology to raise funds for the survivors of that awful disaster. I also
have short stories published online and with Ether Books.
an anthology to raise funds for the survivors of that awful disaster. I also
have short stories published online and with Ether Books.
My suspense/crime novel Righteous
Exposure was released by Crooked Cat Publishing in February 2012. And I
am delighted that I now have my first novel in print, a romantic comedy A
Stitch in Time published by Choc Lit Publishing in April
2013.
As well as entertaining the reader, I always
aim to make a difference to their perception of a subject even in a small way.
As a reader I like to be made to think, and feel that reading a novel should be
a like dialogue between the writer and reader. If the writing has strong identifiable
characters and is thought-provoking, then the story stays with the reader long
after the last page is finished.
Critique Service for Writers
Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition
Flash 500 Humour Verse Competition
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