Guest Post - Emma Burstall - Author of The Darling Girls

Today on my blog, I'm joined by the lovely Emma Burstall, author of The Darling Girls, Gym and Slimline and Never Close Your Eyes.

Emma began her career as a journalist on national newspapers and women’s magazines. Her first two novels, Gym and Slimline and Never Close Your Eyes, are published by Preface (Random House) and have been translated into several languages.

Now Emma has just launched The Darling Girls on Kindle. This is a moving story about love, loss and the prevailing power of female friendship. Three very different women, all in love with the same man, meet for the first time at his funeral. Gradually they start to uncover secrets about him that cause them totally to re-think their lives and relationships. Can they separate the truth from the lies and learn to trust – and even love - again?

Sounds fab doesn't it?!

I know that I'm really looking forward to reading this book. This is what top UK TV presenter Lorraine Kelly says about it:

‘What a terrific read! I loved this honest, absorbing story. I couldn't put it down. Every word rang true and I really cared about the characters. A complete gem of a book!'

If you'd like to find out more about Emma, check out her website 

You can buy this book via Amazon

You can find Emma on Facebook and you can follow her on Twitter

I'm now going to hand you over to Emma who is going to ask three author friends some questions about what it’s like being a novelist and how they got into it:

Alice Peterson is the author of Kindle bestsellers Monday to Friday Man and Ten Years On, both published by Quercus, as well as You, Me and Him, Look The World In The Eye and Another Alice.

Emma says: ‘Hi Alice. Thanks so much for coming along! How and when did you start writing?’

‘I started writing in an unusual way. Aged 18, I was on the verge of signing a tennis scholarship to the USA when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a painful and incurable autoimmune condition. Overnight my life changed, and I have never picked up a racket since, a sadness that will always be with me.

In my early 20s, after returning from Bristol University, I had to have a series of operations for my RA, so finding a job was difficult and I was terrified of my uncertain future. Thankfully a friend of my father’s suggested I write my own story. He said RA was such a misunderstood illness and perhaps a book could raise awareness for this condition. I owe him so much, as this was the beginning of my writing career and my love for tennis was revived. ‘A Will to Win’ was published my Macmillan in 2001 and has since been republished as ‘Another Alice’ in 2009.’

‘What do you love about being an author?’

‘I love the freedom and lifestyle. I love the fact that I am my own boss, so if I want to take a day off to see a friend I can make up for the time over a weekend or evening. If I feel like a break from London I can pack my laptop and head home to my parents, only an hour and a half away. I love the fact it’s meant I can get a dog. I’ve always wanted one, so five years ago I bought Darcy, a Lucas Terrier, who has changed my life. I have met so many new friends in the park, and this in turn really helped me during a writers block period - in that it inspired me to write one of my novels, ‘Monday to Friday Man’.’

‘What do you dislike about being an author?’

‘The loneliness. It is a solitary occupation, especially when I live alone. I have to be disciplined, and that’s OK – I’m not tempted in any way to turn on daytime TV, but there are times when I struggle to get inspired. Sometimes the day can seem too long, with no company. I think it’s essential to break up your day with something; I either go for a swim or meet a friend for coffee. This is why my dog walking is so important - it’s my office talk and sets me up for the day ahead.’

‘What are you reading right now?’

‘A State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. It’s a mystery/suspense that was chosen by my book club. I think, so far, it’s going to be good!’

‘What’s your favourite book?’

‘Pride and Prejudice (hence Darcy my dog). I love Jane Austen. I never tire of her and just love this story. I think she was a master of drama and characterisation.’

Janey Fraser’s latest novel is THE AU PAIR , published by Arrow. Her previous novel for Arrow was called THE PLAYGROUP. As Sophie King, she has written five other novels, including the best-selling THE SCHOOL RUN.

Emma says: ‘Hi Janey, can you tell me, how and when did you first start writing?’

‘I’ve written for as long as I can remember. My mother used to say that I started writing stories as soon as I had a pencil in my hand. My first published piece appeared in June & Schoolfriend in the sixties. It was a letter describing how I was invited to the Lord Mayor’s show in London by our next door neighbour who was mayor of Harrow. My next published piece was in the Harrow Observer where I won a poetry competition in the seventies. After that, I wrote for my university magazine (Reading) and then became a journalist. My first book (non-fiction) was published in 1991 and my first novel in 2005. Since then I have had seven more published. My latest novel is called THE AU PAIR and is under my new pen name Janey Fraser. It’s about a mum who sets up an au pair agency around her kitchen table; a French girl in search of her father; and a widower whose eight year old daughter drives away each au pair until she finds the perfect match.’

‘What do you love about being an author?’

‘The ability to escape into another world and find people who were in my head, even though I hadn’t realised it.’

‘What do you dislike about being an author?’

‘All the admin that goes with it and cuts down my writing time.’

‘What are you reading right now?’

‘Dare I say? Fifty Shades of Grey! I had to see what all the fuss is about. I’m only on chapter three but I couldn’t resist reading bits out to my husband in bed the other night....’

‘What’s your favourite book?’

‘ Jane Eyre. I loved it as a child, probably because it was my name and I loved the idea of a young girl marrying a moody, broody hero who turned out to be a bit of a softy.’

Talli Roland's debut novel The Hating Game was short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the UK's Festival of Romance, while her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as an Amazon Customer Favourite. Her novels have also been chosen as top books of the year by industry review websites and have been bestsellers in Britain and the United States. Construct A Couple is her latest release.

Emma: ‘Hi Talli, thanks for coming along. How and when did you start writing?’

‘I’ve always enjoyed writing – it was the reason I trained as a journalist – and I’d thought about trying to get a novel published, but it wasn’t until my thirties that I seriously started writing fiction. Over the next couple years, I wrote four ‘practice’ novels and learnt a lot! When the opportunity came to publish non-fiction travel guides, I jumped. Even though non-fiction wasn’t really what I wanted to do, I knew it could teach me a lot about the publishing process and maybe even help me get a foot in the door for my fiction. And it did! I now have four novels published, and I’m working on my fifth.’

‘What do you love about being an author?’

‘There’s one thing about being a writer that’s both the best and the worst: being your own boss. I love setting my own schedule and knowing I’m in control of my future – and being able to sneak a cheeky glass of late-afternoon wine, if I want! On the flip side, it’s pretty damn scary. There’s no safety net to catch you if you fall, and if you don’t get the job done, there’s no-one to blame but yourself!’

‘What do you dislike about being an author?’

‘Apart from the scariness mentioned above, I think the self-doubt that inevitably creeps in has to be one of the things I dislike most. It’s quite daunting putting your work out into the public sphere, and I live in fear readers won’t think it’s good enough – despite endless edits beforehand.’

‘What are you reading right now?’

‘I just finished Anita Hughes’ ‘The Beach Holiday’. It’s a fun read about finding love after heartbreak.’

‘What’s your favourite book?’

‘I’m going to cheat and choose more than one! 'Anne of Green Gables' is top of the list, for sure. I grew up close to Prince Edward Island, and I felt Anne was right on my door-step. I loved her creativity and ambition to be a writer. Next, I'd say 'The Devil Wears Prada', because it reawakened my loved for chick lit. And finally, 'The Time Traveler's Wife', because it is so beautifully and poignantly written.’

Emma: ‘Thanks so much to all of you for your fascinating answers, and to Kim for inviting me as her guest today. Now I’d better get back to writing Novel Four!’