Where do you find inspiration for your books?
Mostly from real life. One thing I learnt from being a journalist is that there are extraordinary people living extraordinary lives all around us. My next novel While My Eyes Were Closed centres on the disappearance of a four-year-old girl. My task was to take a scenario we are familiar with from news stories and try to make my story unique and get inside the head of the characters involved to give a different perspective on things.
Do you try and read the online reviews you get on say waterstones website?
Yes, I do read reviews. I’m always interested in what people think about my books. You learn very early on that you can’t please everyone but I welcome constructive criticism. It’s reviews which claim my books have grammatical errors – when actually it was dialogue where Yorkshire characters used ‘were’ instead of ‘was’ (as many do) which I find frustrating!
Is there anything you wouldn’t write about?
Something I wasn’t interested in or characters I didn’t feel passionate about.
What did you do before becoming a writer?
I was a journalist before becoming an author so have always written. I was one of those annoying children who knew what I wanted to do at a very early age. It took me five years and 102 rejections from agents before I got my first book deal though. I was very glad that the perseverance paid off!
Which author inspires you?
Many authors inspire me but if I had to pick one it would be Margaret Atwood – I am in awe of her ability with words.
Which genres do you read yourself?
I enjoy novels which have a strong premise, a very human story at their heart, characters who feel real and who I care about and writing which has the power to move me. I will read pretty much anything in any genre which ticks those boxes – apart from sci-fi, which I’m afraid just isn’t my thing.
What is your biggest motivator?
Wanting to tell my character’s stories and wanting to move readers.
What will always distract you?
My son when he’s here and Twitter when he’s not!
How much say do you have in your book covers?
It has varied with different editors and publishers. I had very little say on my first three covers but since then I’ve tended to be more involved and I don’t hold back from saying what I think! I believe it’s very important for authors to be involved – no one knows a book as well as they do – but I believe in constructive criticism and coming up with your own ideas rather than simply saying you don’t like something.
As a child were you a great reader?
Yes, although most of them were about horses! But the Roald Dahl books and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are the ones I remember most vividly.
Which book shop is your favourite?
The BookCase in Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. I think it’s so important to support independent bookshops so they are there for the next generation of readers and the shop has been wonderfully supportive of my books. And, if I’m allowed another, it would have to be Waterstones in Bradford which is in an amazing old building and has to be one of the most beautiful bookshops in Britain. Well worth a visit.
What can you not resist buying?
I sometimes have to be pulled out of charity shops to stop me buying more books!
Do you have any rituals on your writing days?
To turn off the internet and try not to be distracted by anything – easier said than done. I am pretty disciplined though, you have to be, particularly as deadline approaches!
How many books in your own to be read pile?
A whole shelf of them calling out to me to be next – it’s always hard to choose and I do wish I could read more but writing has to come first.
What is your current read?
The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce – which I’m finding hugely enjoyable so far. I loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and the sequel is just as beautifully written. Rachel Joyce is an author who takes huge care of her readers, I feel in very safe hands.
Have you ever considered writing for the young adult or teen market?
Yes, and for children. I think if you love telling stories it shouldn’t really matter who you write them for, as long as you have good characters and a good tale to tell. It’s certainly not something I’m ruling our for the future.
Linda Green – Author Biography
Linda is the author of seven novels which have sold almost 250,000 copies between them. Her new novel, While My Eyes Were Closed, centres on the disappearance of a four-year-old girl during a game of hide-and-seek in the park. It will be published by Quercus in 2016.
Linda is also an award winning journalist, who has written for The Guardian and The Big Issue, and a creative writing tutor. She lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and son. For more details go to www.linda-green.com
Thanks for a great interview. Always interesting to know a little about an author and what she’s reading.