Lorraine Mace: Getting to know … Victoria Twead

Tell us a little about your books

It all began with my memoir, Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools. To my astonishment, that became an Amazon bestseller, so I wrote the sequels, the latest of which hit the New York Times bestseller list.

What made you choose to write about your experiences?

Life in a tiny Spanish mountain village brings surprises every day, some hilarious, some sad. I keep a diary and soon realised I had enough material for a book, then another and another. Also, the villagers gave me their delicious recipes which I have included in the books.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It takes me between one and two years to finish a book.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

Sporadic. I tend to write in flashes depending on what is going on around me. During village fiesta time not a word gets written.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

I don't need ideas, I just record what is going on around me. Village life is so rich and colourful, there is always a story to tell.

How old were you when you knew you wanted to write and what was your first attempt?

I can trace it back to the age of about 6 or 7, when I wrote my first *coughs* masterpiece. It was called ‘The Runaway Tabel’. It went something like this: ‘Wunce there was a runaway tabel and wen you put food on it it ran away. The end.’ But I guess everybody has to start somewhere…

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Relaxing in the sunshine with a good book, drooling over my granddaughter, sampling the local food and wine and looking after our chickens.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

In late middle age, I discovered that people actually wanted to read the stuff I wrote!

How many books have you written?

Five and a half.

Which is your favourite and why?

I have a soft spot for Two Old Fools on a Camel because that one hit the NYT bestseller list and resulted in enquiries from big publishers.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be a zoo keeper. I guess there’s still time...

What are you working on now?

I'm working on the fourth in the Old Fools series.

Bio

Victoria Twead is a New York Times bestselling author. In 2004 she nagged poor, long-suffering Joe into leaving Britain and relocating to a tiny, remote mountain village in Andalucía, where they became reluctant chicken farmers and owned the most dangerous cockerel in Spain. Village life inspired Victoria’s first book, Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools, which was quickly followed by two more in the Old Fools series, all of which fast became Amazon bestsellers.

Website: http://www.victoriatwead.com/

Blog: http://www.victoriatwead.com/category/old-fools-blog/

Amazon UK author page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002WH2NB8

Amazon US author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002WH2NB8

Twitter: http://twitter.com/VictoriaTwead and http://twitter.com/StephenFrysCat

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaTwead

Published Works

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

Two Old Fools ~ Olé!

Two Old Fools on a Camel

Mouthwatering Spanish Recipes

Morgan and the Martians (children’s book)