Today I'm excited to welcome Rita Bradshaw to help celebrate the launch of her latest historical tale, A Winter Love Song.
Here's what Rita had to say about her writing experiences...
Buy here from Amazon.co.uk
What is your favourite
period of history to write about?
A.
My favourite period of history is the first half
of the 20th century. There was so much social change which created a
wealth of characters who were larger than life. Women were demanding to be
heard in the corridors of power; WW1 and the Depression brought strong men and
women to the fore, and then WW2 changed Britain for ever. Those fifty years
were hard and tough and a fight for the working class in particular, but my
word did people have guts!
If you could travel
back in time, which of your books would you like to visit?
A.
All of them for a number of different reasons
but probably A WINTER LOVE SONG encapsulates three distinct areas of fascination
for me – the English countryside before motorways and modern living ruined much
of it; the beginnings of radio and television and rapidly evolving city life,
and WW2.
Where did you find the
inspiration for A Winter Love Song?
A.
I have so many stories in my head I couldn’t pin
down where they begin, but the travelling fair community that my heroine
springs from was so different to the modern-day ones that I wanted to explore
that.
Which places do you
like to visit when researching a new novel?
A.
Britain has changed so radically over in the last
120 years that much of my research comes from books, museum archives,
libraries, old ordinance survey maps etc, with visits to specific locations to
get a lie of the land now and again.
What advice would you
give your younger writing self?
A.
My advice to my younger writing self would be
the same I’d give to any young writers – write about what you love, not what
you think might sell because your passion and interest in your chosen genre
will come through on the written page.
What is the best money
you've ever spent as a writer?
A.
The best use of any money I receive is always that spent on
my beautiful children and grandchildren and my furry babies, along with the
animal wildlife hospital I support.
Do you carefully plan
your novels or prefer to see where the characters take you?
A.
I always begin a story with a brief synopsis but that
invariably takes twists and turns as the characters evolve and demand their own
say in the novel.
Huge thanks to Rita for this Q&A, it's been wonderful to learn more about her books and writing.
A Winter Love
Song by Rita Bradshaw is out now, published by Pan Macmillan.
Rita Bradshaw was born in Northamptonshire, where she lives today. At the age of sixteen she met her husband - whom she considers her soul mate - and they have two daughters and a son, and several grandchildren. To her delight, Rita's first novel was accepted for publication and she has gone on to write many more successful novels since, including the number one bestseller Dancing in the Moonlight. " " " "As a committed Christian and passionate animal lover her life is full, but she loves walking her dogs, reading, eating out and visiting the cinema and theatre, as well as being involved in her church and animal welfare.
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