Lynda Renham
1.What got you into writing? Boredom at school, to be honest. I hated most subjects. I would write stories under the desk until my mum was asked to meet with my teacher about my extracurricular activities under the desk. She told my mum that I wrote a good comprehension but doing it regularly under the desk was unsatisfactory. If I could remember her name I would send her a copy of one of my books *she smirks*
2.What is a usual writing day like for you? Can I have it in print that my publisher won’t see this? I drag myself from bed at about eight. I always intend to drag myself from it earlier but I’m such a bad sleeper. My mind never shuts down. I then stumble to the kitchen and make coffee. This is usually followed by a lot of procrastination. Mostly trying to make my home look like one of those pictures in ‘House and Home’ magazine, you know the kind of thing. Then, I look at the clock, shriek and grab my lap top. The rest of the day is an endless cycle of writing, popping to the fridge, writing, popping to the fridge and so it goes on.
3.Do you get writers block? If so, how do you overcome it? Oh, yes I do. I usually find popping to the fridge a bit more is the answer.
4.Are you a plotter/planner when it comes to writing a story? I tend to get a concept and then throw ideas around with my husband. I then jot down notes, all over the place and my lovely husband then sorts them all out into some kind of organisation. I add to these as I go along. So I guess that makes me a plotter of sorts doesn’t it. I can’t truthfully say I plan the whole novel from start to finish. But the plotting as I go along is really useful and of course a husband who understands the messy plotting is just great. I would recommend a good husband when it comes to plotting and planning.
5.What was the publishing process like for you and any advice to aspiring authors? The usual thing. I wrote a book, sent it to agents and they sent it back with a rejection letter. I sat with a razor blade over my wrist but then decided no it’s not worth it, just try someone else. Out it went again, and of course back it came again and out came the razor. Finally I decided to self-publish. This was after twenty years of on and off writing. I self-published a book titled ‘Wedding Cake to Turin’ which astoundingly went to number one in the Kindle humour chart without hardly any promotion. I was stunned. I wrote my second novel ‘Croissants and Jam’ which was published by a small publishing house ‘Raucous Publishing’ and I haven’t looked back. My advice to all aspiring authors is ‘never give up’ once you do, all is lost. Try everything, ask everyone. Don’t let the knock backs destroy you because there may be many but one day your dream may very well come true and most of all step away from the razor blades.
6.What has been your highlight since becoming a published author? Being termed ‘The Queen of comedy’ that is such a compliment and I still find it hard to believe someone said it. Also being compared to Sophie Kinsella, those two things were real highlights for me.
7.Can you share a little of your most recent book with us? And any other books of yours, if you wish. I’d love to share my recent book with you because it is getting a whole new revamp. It was originally titled ‘The Valentine Present and Other Diabolical Liberties’ which is a bit of a mouthful on reflection. The cover has changed too. It’s now called ‘The Dog’s Bollocks’ which is a fab title I think and really matches the main character’s personality who is a down to earth young woman. This is the blurb. ** Battersea girl Harriet meets Downton Abbey ** On arriving home after a friend’s posh wedding, launderette worker Harriet finds her life irrevocably changed as she discovers her flat ransacked and her boyfriend missing. In a matter of hours she is harassed by East End gangsters and upper crust aristocrats. Accepting an offer she can’t refuse, Harriet, against her better judgment becomes the fiancée of the wealthy Hamilton Lancaster, with dire consequences. What she had not bargained on was meeting Doctor Brice Edmunds. The Dog’s Bollocks is Lynda Renham’s funniest novel so far. A cocktail of misunderstandings, three unlikely gangsters, a monkey and a demented cat make this novel a hysterical read. Follow Harriet’s adventure where every attempt to get out of trouble puts her deeper in it.’ As one reviewer termed it, it was ‘The Dog’s Bollocks’ hence how the new title was born. 8.Apart from writing, what do you do in your spare time? Aside from trying to make my house look like something out of ‘House and Garden’ you mean? I love photography and I have a photography blog if anyone wants to have a look. http://lyndaphotography.wordpress.com/ I use to enjoy cross stitch but that is something I never find time for anymore but one day I hope to get back to that.
9.If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be & why? Lady Gaga. It sounds like an odd choice when there must be hundreds of famous people I could have chosen. Why? I admire her very much. Not just for her music which is astounding but her intelligence and her amazing ability in creating The Fame Monster. What an iconic image she created for herself at such a young age. I love her rawness. I also admire anyone who stands up for gay rights and she goes above and beyond. Her activism for LGBT is admirable (Initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) and something that is important to me as I have many gay friends. Can I choose two? I’d also have to say Nell Dunn, the author of the iconic novel ‘Up the Junction.’ Two amazing women, I’d be honoured to trade places with.
10.Do you have anything that you want to say to your readers? You’re all fabulous. I cannot thank you enough for making my books successful. I wish I could send you all a Christmas card. But you can have a copy of my Christmas newsletter which features a card of sorts. Just email me at newsletter@renham.co.uk I so enjoy chatting to you all on Facebook and Twitter so keep those messages coming. I have found a lot of new friends in my readers. Lynda Renham writes romantic comedy novels and has a growing fan base. She has been likened in style to Sophie Kinsella but writes with a down-to earth humour. Lynda’s novels are popular, refreshingly witty, fast paced, and with a strong romantic theme. Lynda lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and when not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook. “Lynda Renham is right up there with chick-lit royalty! I’m no talking princess either, for me, the Queen of Chick-lit”. – Booketta Book Blog http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Dogs-Bollocks-Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B00
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