I am delighted to introduce novelist Margaret Kaine as my guest on Life Twice Tasted this month. The popularity of her novels shows that readers appreciate stories with substance and have an historical appreciation of the Edwardian period at the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
I first met Margaret some years ago at an RNA conference in Durham City. I have to say that I found myself identifying with her answers to my questions here, -especially the point about a 'character developing ;beneath my fingers'.
Margaret's debut novel, Ring of Clay, won both the RNA’s New Writer’s Award in 2002 and the Society of Authors’ Sagittarius Prize in 2003 and was followed by another seven ‘Potteries’ novels. Against a more cosmopolitan background, Dangerous Decisions, published by Choc Lit in December, 2013 is described as ‘Downton with a twist.’
Wendy: What is the
primary joy of writing in your life?
Margaret: I find it fascinating to create different personas, to
visually imagine a character developing ‘beneath my fingers’. The process of
writing a novel may be hard work and require concentration to link the
sequences together, but when it’s going well it gives me a buzz unlike any
other. And then, depending on the era, there can be a warm glow of nostalgia,
especially with my first seven novels which are set in the Potteries where I
grew up.
Wendy:When did
you first know you were a writer?
Margaret: Ah . . . that word, know.
I do vividly remember the first time I gazed down at a blank sheet of paper,
not having even written an essay for more years than I’d like to admit. Only to
feel absolutely thrilled when I managed to write a whole paragraph of fiction. “I can do it, I can write,” was the
phrase that exploded in my mind. I knew nothing at that time of the long
learning curve needed to hone the craft of writing.
But I think it would be
when my first novel, Ring of Clay was
accepted for publication, with the publisher confident enough to offer me a
4-book contract.
As time has passed, I’ve come to consider that anyone who
writes consistently, who feels the urge to write, is a writer. And this applies
to all those who write their memoirs, not necessarily those who want to be
published. But I do think the description ‘author’ or ‘novelist’, needs a
professional recognition.
W. What would
you say characterises the themes in your novels?
M. I deal with real issues, describing how people cope with the
problems that face them in life. I covered rape in my first novel, adoption in
my second, Rosemary, relationship and religious issues in my third, A Girl of
Her Time, and in others snobbery, secrets, friendship and poverty.
Yes, I am a
romantic novelist so there is always that underlying theme, but my novels have
several layers. I think fiction with vivid characters and page-turning plots
not only provide escapism for readers, but can be thought-provoking.
W. Do you have
a writing routine?
M,Not in an exact sense. I tend to write in short bursts as I
need to be careful not to sit too long at the computer or I develop shoulder
and neck problems. I don’t always manage that discipline though, because I
become too involved with my characters – and then I regret it! I’m lucky enough
to have a downstairs study and write only there.
My creativity flows best in the
mornings, although I also write sometimes in the afternoons, but never in
the evenings. I’m definitely a lark rather than an owl.
W. What role
does editing play in your writing process?
M. A crucial part and I have a need to edit constantly rather
than write the complete novel first.
W. What is the
best advice that you have received about your writing and who advised you?
M.One was to read my work aloud when editing, advice I was
given when I attended a writing workshop at a local college. The other was not to
‘gloss over’ a scene - instead to extract from it every ounce of drama. This
comment was on the critique I received from the RNA New Writer’s scheme.
W. What advice
would you give to writers in the first stage of writing their novels?
M. Definitely to join a writers’ workshop, where your work can
receive valuable feedback and you can listen to criticisms of other writers’
work. It is essential though that there is also support and encouragement and
it may be worth searching for the right one. Writing can be a lonely occupation
and only other writers really understand how all-absorbing it can be. I have
made some wonderful friends in this way.
W. How long
does it normally take you to write a novel? Has this changed?
M. I admire enormously those novelists who can complete two
novels a year or even a novel every 12 months. But my own manuscripts take me
at least 18 months to write and edit. And ideally, I would prefer a comfortable
two years. Not a scenario that publishers like, but essential in my case. I’m
prone to frequent migraines, and so my allotted writing time often has to be
postponed.
One would have thought that with experience, writing would become
swifter, perhaps even easier, but that hasn’t been my experience. I do think
though that I have become more critical of my own writing.
W. What are
you working on now?
M. I am writing another novel set in the Edwardian era. But this
time, the story begins with a young girl incarcerated in a workhouse from the
age of six. It is hard in these easier times to envisage the hardship and
degradation faced then by those in poverty, often through no fault of their
own. There is another main heroine, a wealthy young woman who offers young Ella
the means of escaping – even if it only to become a scullery maid. But there
are mysteries in both of their past lives. And of course, a romantic element
will be there throughout.
W. Tell us
about your latest published novel.
M. Set against a cosmopolitan background and in the Edwardian
era, Dangerous Decisions tells the
story of Helena, a young and sheltered debutante who is courted by the wealthy and
enigmatic Oliver Faraday. Despite a sense of unease and being haunted by the
image of an attractive young doctor, she mistakes infatuation for love and
accepts Oliver’s proposal. But he is deeply flawed.
Describing the beautiful
clothes of the Edwardian era, the pampered life of the aristocracy, the
widespread poverty and drudgery of the working classes and the servant culture fascinated
me. The novel has been described as a psychological suspense but is also deeply
romantic.
W. What, for
you are the best characteristics of a good editor?
M. To believe in your novel and want it to be the best it can. A
keen eye for discrepancies especially the timeline, and to be friendly and
approachable.
Other Books by Margaret: