In the broadest terms, my two novels should probably be
shelved in the Contemporary Women's Fiction section. The target audience is
mostly (but I've found not exclusively) women like me - past fifty, but not
past it - who want to read about characters they have something in common with
and who're facing challenges, adjustments and upheavals, but who're also still
up for new, life-changing experiences including an active lovelife. I like to
think my books offer hope that post-menopausal doesn't equate with
post-interesting. So, not chick-lit, more lit for the mature, fully fledged
hen.
What made you choose that genre
I wrote a book of the sort I wanted to read, but just
couldn't find. I'm an eclectic reader. I like non-fiction and fiction. I like
crime fiction, Scottish fiction and, being a newly retired primary school
teacher (after thirty-six years) and also a grandma, I enjoy children's fiction
too. BUT, when I wanted to read fiction that reflected who I am and what my
life is like, I couldn't find much. I wanted to read stories about characters I
could nod in agreement with and smile and cry with. But my sort, the female,
baby-boomer generation seemed to me to be nearly invisible in contemporary
writing.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
That's a good question. The first one took ten years! I was
still teaching full-time and had children still living at home when I began, so
that impacted on the time I had available for writing. However, after a brush
with mortality following my diagnosis with ovarian cancer (now in remission), I
got my act together and promised myself no more procrastinating. The second
novel took two years and came out just as I was retiring in June this year.
What is your work
schedule like when you're writing?
Now that I'm retired, I have more time for writing. Indeed
having more time for writing was one of the reasons I took early retirement.
I'm trying to be disciplined about it. I have 'diaried' (is that a word?) in my
writing slots and make sure I turn up at my desk at the appointed hours. I aim
for around fifteen hours or so a week in two hour slots. This includes not just
creating new work but also editing, doing promotional stuff online and writing
my blog.
Where do you get your
ideas for your books?
My ideas usually come when I'm out walking or when I'm doing
something mundane like hanging out the washing. The starting points are usually
a character who arrives uninvited and won't go away. I gradually get to know
them and a bit about their story and then I go for it.
When did you write
your first book and how old were you?
I was probably around eight or nine years old. I wrote a
story for one of my younger sisters - several short pages complete with
illustrations. It was about a skater called Janet M Lee whose long hair trailed
along the ice behind her as she skated. An absolute classic...
What do you like to
do when you're not writing?
Both my husband and me are keen walkers and as we live in
the Scottish Hebrides, there's no shortage of beautiful places to walk. I also
enjoy gardening, listening to music - all sorts and doing yoga. I love reading
of course. And I do enjoy playing with my grandchildren.
What was one of the
most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
The most surprising thing for me was the amount of
post-writing work is involved in getting the book ready for publication. But it
was definitely worth it.
How many books have
you written?
I've written two novels.
Which is your
favourite and why?
That's a difficult question to answer. The first one, Change of Life will always be special
simply because it was the first. But the second one, Displacement is my favourite so far.
As a child, what did
you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to be a primary school teacher and I wanted to
write books. I have lived my dream.
What are you working
on now?
I am currently working on a children's book. It's for ten to
twelve year olds. It's a time-slip novel where the three main characters go
back in time from the present day to the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the
1745 Jacobite rebellion. The idea came to me when I was working with a class at
school on this period in history - and it just wouldn't go away. The working title
is The Silver Locket and I'm loving
writing it.
Bio
Nowadays Anne Stormont is an author-publisher. She can be a
subversive old bat but maintains a kind heart. She's a wife, mother and
grandmother and retired primary school teacher. She is a Scot living in the
Scottish highlands, but is widely travelled and has visited every continent
except Antarctica. She has a penchant for penguins and has seen them in the wild
in South Africa and Tasmania. She writes fiction for adults – mainly of the female-of-a-certain-age
persuasion – and for children.
Anne on the web
Anne blogs at http://putitinwriting.me – where you can find out lots more about her.
Amazon author page can be found at http://amzn.to/1sgYGI4
Twitter at @writeanne
Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/writerannestormont
Books
Change of Life
Change of Life
Critique Service for Writers
Flash 500 Home Page: Flash Fiction, Humour Verse
and Novel Opening Chapter and Synopsis Competitions
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