Once again, I am delighted to be joined on the Writer's Block by author and fellow Swanwicker Val Penny. I'll be doing a Q&A, discussing writing while helping promote Val's latest book in her DI Hunter Wilson series.
Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Andy. I am happy to have a chance to chat with your readers about writing, books and particularly my new crime thriller book, Hunter’s Secret.
1) Please introduce yourself and what you write.
I have been writing and telling stories all my life. When I was a child, I used to make up stories for my little sister after our Mum put the light out and told us to go to sleep. Later, I wrote documents, contracts, and courses as part of my job, but my time was well accounted for, so I did not create any fiction.
However, I started writing as a career after I was treated for breast cancer and took early retirement. Who would have thought that something so devastating would lead to such an exciting new job?
2) Please tell us about your latest book.
My new book, is Hunter’s Secret. This is the fifth novel in my series of DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers (although all my books can be read independently).
In this book, DI Hunter Wilson has a personal secret that he is trying to keep from his partner, Dr Meera Sharma as well as a professional secret he is trying to prevent his team learning about. Needless to say, the two clash and both Meera and members of his team get the wrong end of the stick.
3) What is your writing routine like? Do you have a set time or particular rituals?
I like to attend to ‘business’ such as replying to emails, updating my social media and promoting my work in the mornings and evenings. This leaves the afternoons for writing new work and editing pieces I have written. I have never been a morning person and writing is a wonderful job in that it allows me to use my schedule to suit my body clock.
4) Are you more of a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing?
Probably half and half! I draft the outlines of my stories, plots and sub plots but then sometimes my characters take off in unexpected directions and my books follow in a ‘seat of your pants’ kind of way!
5) What's one piece of writing advice that has stuck with you?
The most profound pieces of advice I was given was by fellow authors, Allison Symes and the late Peter Robinson. Allison said to me, ‘You better like the first book because you’ll be promoting it for the rest of your life.’ While Peter’s advice was, ‘Never give in to writer’s block. This is your job. Turn up for work and write gibberish if you must, until the story flows again.’
6) If your books were ever adapted to screen, who would you pick to play the main character(s)?
I think about this a lot, probably when I should be writing and I can see James McAvoy being a convincing Hunter with the beautiful Sonam Kapoor as his Meera. Most clearly I see Chris Hemsworth as Tim Myerscough. I’ll let you know when this happens.
7) Who is your favourite character to write?
I know parents aren’t meant to have favourites amongst their children and authors shouldn’t have amongst their characters, however, my favourite character must be Jamie Thomson. He is a would be big time criminal who is the worst thief in the world because he keeps getting caught. I use Jamie and his cousin Frankie to inject humour into my stories.
Thank you for joining us, Val. And I wish you all the best with Hunter's Secret.
The Blurb
Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse, but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems.
Hunter recalls the disappearance of a dead body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but sees no connection – it is too long ago. Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.
Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?
Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?
The Author
Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.
Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.
Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.
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Happy writing.
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