Today I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Rachel Amphlett’s new release One to Watch with a fab Q & A.
One to Watch is the third in the Kay Hunter series and you can purchase a copy at amazon.co.uk
Did your writing skills come natural or did you have to attend courses to help you develop that creative side?
I’ve always enjoyed writing, ever since I was about six or seven years old, but when I decided to take my writing seriously I took a couple of online courses through my local writers centre to learn about story structure and craft. Since then, whenever I’ve had the chance to read an interview with a favourite author of mine or hear them speak, I’ve paid attention because it’s like going to school every time – I always learn something I can apply to my own writing. That’s why I love what I do – I’m always learning.
What books/authors inspired your writing journey?
Jack Higgins’ The Eagle Has Landed was the book that got me into thrillers and crime fiction, together with Dick Francis’ Nerve – both thanks to copies that were on bookshelves on my grandfather and parent’s bookshelves respectively. Over time, as my own reading tastes have grown, I’ve been inspired by writers such as Michael Connelly, Robert Harris, Clive Cussler, and Lynda La Plante – too many to list here!
How does it feel to know that your books inspire others? Whether readers with a response to the content or other aspiring authors?
It’s both humbling and amazing, to be honest. I’ve been teaching some workshops this year about indie publishing and it’s wonderful to be able to share my experiences so hopefully people won’t make the same mistakes I did. I respond to every email I receive from readers, and I love the fact I hear from people all around the world – the travel junkie in me now has an even longer list of countries to visit!
Do you have any writing rituals? What are they?
Bum in seat – that’s it!
If you could have written any literary character, who would it be and why?
I love the Shardlake series by C J Sansom – I keep saying that one day I’m going to write a historical crime fiction story, but time’s limited at the moment. I love the fact he’s able to evoke such a sense of place in his writing as well as keeping up the pace with characters you really care about. I try to slow my reading pace down every time he brings out a new book because I know it’s going to be two to three years before the next one!
Within your genre, is there a subject that you would never write about? What? Why?
I’d never write about paedophilia, torture of women or cruelty to animals – I’ll allude to it, but I could never, ever write about it. Some of the research I did for Will to Live, the second in the Kay Hunter series, took me to some dark places about suicide and railway deaths and I really felt I reached my limit with that – I don’t like horror stories, and I want to entertain my readers, not shock them.
I’d like to thank Rachel for answering these questions and Emma Mitchell for organising and letting be part of this fab blog tour. Make sure you check out the others blogs on the tour to read more from Rachel and some great reviews.
It's all about the books 