Jessica Collins writes:
Low lights
and candles set the scene for the relaxed and enjoyable evening that we were
about to have. The authors (Frances Brody, Clare Fisher, Chris Nickson and June
Taylor, pictured) each had some time to introduce themselves and their current projects
before we got to pry and ask them some questions.
There’s an
idea about writers, (discussed often by George R. R. Martin), that they are
somewhere on the scale between ‘architects’ and ‘gardeners’; that they write either
by knowing every room and detail beforehand or by planting the seed of the
story before kind of waiting to watch what ends up growing. Though I’m sure the
classic ‘what is your process?’ question is dreaded by most authors—maybe for
its recurrence—the answer for each seemed to come about naturally. It was great
to have such a variety in the room.
The fact
that this came about naturally may or may not be attributed to avoiding
spoilers for their novels… but it was still interesting to discuss the different
ways in which research influenced their final product!
It was
interesting, too, that though they each had their own process, their own
distinct voices, to notice their similarities. All at this time seemed
particularly interested in women (young women, female detectives, political
women, female prisoners), which was refreshing as well as apt for Women’s
History Month. Of course, it was also fitting that discussions of real places
within the novels, usually Leeds, kept cropping up. A very well chosen group of
writers, if you ask me, and a very lovely event.
LitFest is grateful for the support from Leeds University student Jess Collins
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