Interview With Author : Patricia Dixon
- kissmybook
- Sep 28, 2017
- 8 min read
I've followed your writing since your first book, A Bientot, when you plucked my email address from my Amazon profile and asked me if I would care to review your book. I was immediately taken in by the warmth of your characters and vivid descriptions of the French countryside. Since then, I have read each of your books and have fallen in love with many of the principal characters, Anna and Daniel being the most memorable and feature in each of your books. I feel very privileged to have been a beta reader for A Perfect Summer Wedding, and even more so for being involved with Over My Shoulder from day one. I think you can safely say that I am now a fan and will always look forward to your next book ventures.
I will get on with some questions now as I don't want this to turn into This Is Your Life! Which there is a risk as I could happily chat and talk about everything and nothing with you.
Anna is the back-bone to each of your books. Do you feel you have a relationship with her, like you have created a person who you can relate to and write about? Is there a little bit of you in Anna?
Yes, I think a lot of how Anna thinks and feels reflects my personality and her relationship with her children bears a close resemblance to the one I have with my son and daughter. As the book evolved I began to know Anna better and although she was broken at the start I wanted her to survive and emerge a stronger person. She did make choices that I wouldn’t have been brave enough to, so in a way I was living another life through my character. That’s the best part about being a writer, you can be anyone you want to be and escape into the mind of someone else for a while. Villains are always the most fun.
What are your writing routines and where do you do your writing?
I am a bit of a clean-freak and like to be organised. I can’t begin writing unless I’ve finished my household chores and the room where I write has to be tidy. I sometimes prepare lunch and dinner before I begin so that I can work straight through without interruption. I actually write most days, even weekends, and aim to begin at around 10 or 11am (laundry willing) and then I am glued to my chair until 7pm. When I’m on a roll I have been known to work until nine. I currently reside in the dining room but I sometimes have a change and work in the kitchen, as long as it is quiet anywhere will do, no music or TV is allowed.
Do you write an outline/plotline of the book before you start or does it develop organically when pen hits paper?
I have never written a book without knowing the plot all the way through, I wouldn’t know where to begin otherwise. I do write lots of notes before I start though. I construct a timeline and research places and events that will feature in the book, I even check flights and ferry crossings for the French series. Once that is in place I just write. I follow the outline in my head and colour it in as I go along which is when it grows organically as new ideas pop up, that’s when the plot sometimes takes a detour. This is the exciting part, when you feel the story unfolding.
How do you choose names for your characters, are they random popular names of the day or does a name grow as you write?
I make a list of ideas for character names and check my old notes in case I have used any before. I have a list for each book as it’s easy to forget. I research baby names for certain eras and I love choosing the French ones, some are very unusual. I have changed names as I go along if I feel they don’t fit, like in Over My Shoulder, Shane started out as Kevin. I also ask other people for ideas when I’m stuck, like the time I allowed my son’s best friend to choose after they pestered the life out of me – he picked Cecil, who ended up as the elderly chap who lived next door to Connie in the Christmas Cottage. I put my foot down with the daft dog names though!
What kind of books do you like to sit down and read yourself?
I like to read books which teach me something new, or broaden my horizons through the telling of the story. I particularly like anything set in World War II, the resistance movement in France fascinates me. I recently read a dystopian novel which was written by an author friend and despite my reservations I really enjoyed it, it made me think and I couldn’t get the ending out of my head. I think my favourites are stories which reflect everyday life, real people, social commentaries on either the times in which we live or tales from the past.
I, in particular, love darker stories. Those with a chilling revelation and the odd nasty piece of work thrown in. Will you be writing more of the thriller style like Over My Shoulder?
While I loved the feeling of liberation that writing Over My Shoulder gave me, being able to express thoughts and actions freely without worrying too much about using certain words, I think I’ve got the subject matter out of my system and won’t be returning to it. There are too many other aspects of love and life to explore so I’m moving on. That’s not to say that I won’t include the nasty characters or the ones you love to hate, they exist in all walks of life as do family dramas and issues of all kinds, I want to write about those.
Your “French” books have lovely covers with a similar theme running through. How and where do you choose a cover?
Thank you, I love my covers and particularly wanted them to hang together as a collection and appeal to the eye when they are viewed by a reader. I have made a wonderful friend in Debbie from The Cover Collection who produces them for me. An author can choose from a selection of pre-made covers or have a bespoke design created, the price varies from £50 up to £250 for a complete ebook and print cover service. I have been lucky enough to spot the perfect match from the pre-made selection and I more or less know straight away when I see it. The Christmas Cottage cover is the image I had in my head and I couldn’t believe my luck when I found it, the scene on the front totally sums up the feel of the book.
You've got six self-published books out now so that means you're rich, loads of dosh coming in, right? I know part of the answer to this but could you just let some of us readers know how much the author gets for an e-book priced at, for example, 99p and £1.99.
I wish! This is purely from the viewpoint of an independent author who does all the marketing and publicity work themselves without the advantages of a publisher or agent. Once the writing is finished the manuscript has to be edited which can cost anything between £300 - £1000, maybe more depending on the word count. Then add on the cost of your cover design. As there are millions of titles available on Amazon you have to be realistic where pricing is concerned and unless you are a big name, unlikely to sell many books for more than £2.99. My books are priced between 99p and £1.99 and on the former I make 29p and the latter £1.11 per copy, so to recoup the initial outlay I have to sell lots of books before I make a profit. I’ll let you do the maths.
And what about a printed paperback – how much does it cost you to have one printed and what proportion of that is paid to the author?
This is slightly more depressing because the paperback books are print on demand whereas a traditionally published author has a large print run of thousands which reduces the costs. This is why the paperbacks on Amazon are expensive so while the customer pays say £8.99, I only get 99p
Each of your books are 'self-published' via Amazon. Have you considered or submitted to the traditional publishing houses or is self-publishing your choice?
Yes, I have done both but it is a process I dread. I liken it to applying for a job and no matter how much effort you put into your CV, research the company, write and rewrite your pitch or try to convince them of your qualifications, for myself and many other authors it leads to a rejection letter. And the waiting is excruciating - once you've submitted your book you are in limbo for three months or more, checking the post, dreading the post, telling yourself it doesn't matter if you get a rejection letter when you know deep down it does. It's just so hard to stand out amongst the tens of thousands of manuscripts which are sent to publishers each year and then, fit into their future list, or maybe have your precious book land on the desk of someone who loves it. I'm convinced it's also a case of luck, being the right person at the right time. That said, last year I did land myself a publishing deal for Over My Shoulder and once the jubilation and relief wore off, came a period of great deliberation. In the end I decided to decline the offer, the terms weren't for me and whilst it would've been lovely and rather enjoyable to announce I'd bagged myself a 'traditional' publisher, I went with my instinct and remained independent. Time will tell if it was the right choice but to date, I'm very pleased with the reaction to Over My Shoulder and for the fabulous support I've received from friends, fans and so many people associated with the book world.
I know you've got a few writing projects on the go. Can you give us a sneak preview to any future books?
I am halfway through a contemporary romance story which is set in Manchester and France. The book is partially inspired by the songs of Kirsty MacColl, my lead character's favourite singer. There are also references to the 90’s music scene in Manchester and in particular Oasis who are the idols of Adam, the secondary lead. I might have a little competition to see how many titles readers can spot within the book. As I’ve had lots of requests from fans asking for another book about France, this is also partially set in the Loire and tells of a very different kind of love between two people, one that is misunderstood. It might be a bit of a weepy in parts but I’m really enjoying writing it, bringing up modern day issues that examine family bonds, brotherly love and naturally, I have invented a great character you will love to hate. And after that I’m going to write a murder mystery!
A 'just for fun' question - If you could spend an evening at a dinner party with anyone you want, who would it be and why? (I'll be there as well, of course!)
I can’t choose between these three, The Dalai Lama because he his so wise and has a lovely smiley face and I’d like some of his karmic vibes to influence me. Or Bob Geldof, because I loved him when I was a teenager, he is outspoken and a bit of a rebel which I’m always attracted to and I’d just like to meet one of my idols in the flesh. If either of the other two are busy I’d settle for Peter Kay because he makes me laugh and I just love his down to earth observations on people and life. I’ll let you choose!!
