[Mark Robson]

Part 2

At present, you write women’s fiction alongside your fantasy works. Do you find any particular problems with writing in more than one genre? Do you find that when you are working on a particular genre, that other genres try to leak through? Which genre do you find it easiest to write, and which have you found the most difficult?

First of all, I HATE the term ‘women’s fiction’. Bloody patronising. Actually, I think of it more as social comedy. I’ve wanted to write comedy for a long time, and this gave me the chance, but it takes nerve – the dark stuff is much easier. Trying to make people laugh is one hell of a gamble – you really feel you’re sticking your neck out. At the same time, I find myself thinking more and more in comedy these days, perhaps because the world is so full of gloom and doom, it’s vital to laugh at it in order to survive. And yes, the genres do leak into each other, but in an unexpectedly productive way. My last ‘chick fic’, KISSING TOADS, (Amazon.co.uk: Kissing Toads: Books: Jemma Harvey ) was set in a haunted castle in Scotland, with a genuine ghost or two putting in a brief appearance. Equally, I find there is more comedy now in my fantasy, especially the new book I’m working on. It must be a spin-off effect, but I like it. My style may vary dramatically between the genres – the comedy is usually done in the first person, with a very colloquial format – but to the perceptive reader, it’s still visibly me.

I find both genres comfortable to write in. I tend to like best whatever I’m doing at the time.

What is your writing process like? How much time do you spend writing on an average day? Do you set yourself goals for time spent writing/words written per day, or anything similar? Does it differ when you are working in different genres? When you are working in a particular genre, how does it affect your reading during that period? Do you avoid reading in the genre in which you are writing, or do you read

My writing process is hopelessly disorganised. I tend to work at night – less interruptions, also I’m one of nature’s vampires – and I don’t really have a target number of words, I just zoom ahead and see what happens. Maximum productivity can be very high: I’ll blitz on a book and do ten or twelve thousand words a week. Then I’ll slow to stop because I need to think things out for a week or two. To an extent, I let pace evolve naturally, but, in complete contrast, if I have a deadline I go flat out. The genres don’t vary much in terms of speed, but I have to think more for fantasy so it can be a little slower on plot development. My comedy stories don’t have a plot so much as a scenario: you dump the characters in the middle of things and just let them get on with it by themselves. Works so far.

I read anything whatever I’m writing. The only thing is you have to watch out for is Mervyn Peake. I re-read the Gormenghast books while doing my first trilogy, and it shows. Especially in THE DRAGON-CHARMER. (Amazon.co.uk: The Dragon Charmer: Books: Jan Siegel ) Verbal diarrhoea works for him, but not for anyone else.

Why have you written under different names? Was this a personal choice, or at the direction of agent/publisher?

Discussed with agent and publisher, but really my choice. See above.

Who would you state as major influences in the way that you write? If given a choice of a handful of books to save from a burning library, (excluding yours, of course) whose work would you rescue?

All sorts of influences, from Tolkien to Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Alan Garner, John Masefield, the tight prose of Orwell, the lavishness of Peake… As for whose books I’d save – that would be an awful decision. I imagine we’re thinking these are the only copies extant? I think I’d go for poetry first – Fitzgerald’s Khayyam, Yeats, Kipling (also his short stories), then any of the above novelists, and of course Shakespeare, Dumas, Agatha Christie… it really would be bloody difficult. My all-time favourite books include Lord of the Rings, Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters, Allende’s Eva Luna, any classic Georgette Heyer, the pick of Christie, Allingham, and some of the modern who-dun-it writers like Donna Leon, Janet Evanovitch, Ian Rankin… I just like so much stuff it’s impossible to choose! Back to the fire – I’d probably grab whatever’s nearest. It would be simpler to decide who I’d leave behind, but I’d rather not go into that. It’s mean.

Which book do you feel has been your best work to date and why? Do you have any nuggets of wisdom to give to those who are aspiring writers? What are you working on at the moment? When can we all come to dinner?

The book I like best is always the one I’m working on. Currently, a new fantasy, hopefully the first in a series, very dark but with a strong comedy element. Some time travel as well as magical dimensions. As for nuggets of wisdom, I don’t think I’d presume. Not sure I do wisdom. Just work hard, tell a good story, don’t try to be too clever or too pretentious – but then I might be wrong about the last two points. Some people do very well being clever and pretentious. As for dinner, I hope to get a new flat later this year, when I will be back to entertaining. Love having people round. Also need to recover from broken collar-bone after riding accident. Then I’ll be able to cook again!

My thanks go to Amanda for being so frank with her answers. (She’s rarely one to mince her words!) I hope those who read this enjoy the insights she has provided and take time to check out her work. With glowing plaudits from Clive Barker and Terry Brooks, to name but two well known fellow authors, her work has generated a lot of respect.

If you would like to learn more of Amanda’s work, you can visit her website: Amanda Hemingway . If you would like to see a review of the first in her latest series, you can see one right here at Chronicles, written by Patrick Mahon: http://www.chronicles-network.com/fo...hemingway.html . Alternatively, you can ask Amanda further questions on this thread. She will be visiting Chronicles shortly to pick up on any questions you might have that arise from this interview, or that you feel might have been missed.