Author Interview: Cathy Bussey

Today I would like to welcome author Cathy Bussey to The Burgeoning Bookshelf.

About the author


Cathy is an author, journalist and hopeless romantic who wrote her first book at the tender age of six. Entitled Tarka the Otter, it was a shameless rip-off of the Henry Williamson classic of the same name, and the manuscript was lost after she sent it to her pen-pal and never heard a jot from her since.

Fortunately reception to her writing became more favourable and she spent ten years working for a range of newspapers and magazines covering everything from general elections and celebrity scandals to cats stuck up trees and village fetes. She has been freelance since 2011 and written for The Telegraph, Red Online, Total Women’s Cycling and other lifestyle and cycling publications and websites.

She is the author of three non-fiction books and her debut and thankfully non-plagiarised novel Summer at Hollyhock House has been published by Sapere Books.

Cathy lives on the leafy London/Surrey border with her husband, two children and a dog with only two facial expressions, hungry and guilty. Her hobbies include mountain biking, photography, wandering around outside getting lost, fantasising about getting her garden under control, reading, looking at pretty things on Instagram and drinking tea.

So, let's get started and find out a little more about Cathy and her writing.

Hello Cathy, thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

Yes I can! I’m Cathy and I’m the author of Summer at Hollyhock House, which is my first novel. I’m also the author of three non-fiction books and a journalist who has written for publications including The Telegraph. I work part-time as content editor for a creative non-profit called Girl Effect, and the rest of the time I write books, features and various other bits and pieces, and hang out with my two daughters and dog.

I’m a keen cyclist and love all forms and disciplines, from road racing to BMX. I’m  also a total nature nerd and bookworm.

 

What inspires you to write? 

I can honestly say I’m not so much inspired to write as compelled. I’ve been writing stories since I knew what writing was, and I was probably telling stories even before that much like my daughters tell me stories now. The written word has always been my most authentic form of communication – I’m a much more eloquent writer than I am conversationalist! In terms of the types of stories I like to tell, I draw inspiration from human relationships – how we connect, interact and communicate with one another – and the natural world.

What is a typical writing day for you?

I don’t yet write novels full-time so much of my writing days are spent writing for Girl Effect or for various publications or clients. In terms of novel-writing, a typical writing day could quite easily look like me sitting down to write at 8am and not getting up other than to make tea, eat or go to the toilet, until  2am the following morning. I could do that for days on end! If I’m really caught up in the story I’m telling I find it hard to do anything but write.

But nobody can sustain that form of creative flow long-term, and at other times it’s more about squeezing in an hour here and there around the day-job, or sitting down to write once the children are in bed.

Where is your favourite place to write?

At my kitchen table. I sit in the same chair, facing the room with the radiator at my back and the dog at my feet. From here I can see out of the French windows into our small and rather overgrown garden, and I can also see the unholy mess that is our kitchen most of the time but I choose to ignore it. The garden is a much nicer view!

Do you have any writing rituals or good luck charms?

Other than a preference for the kitchen table and a nonstop supply of tea, I actually don’t have any rituals or superstitions. I’m not the most organised person so I doubt I could even maintain a habit or ritual!

What authors, genres do you like to read?

 By far my favourite genre is the genre I write – contemporary women’s fiction, or chick lit as many call it. I don’t really object to the label chick lit, I know it carries meaning and is generally meant as pejorative or dismissive, but to me it’s intelligent, emotionally literate fiction that accurately reflects the reality of women’s lives. There are heaps of sub-genres within chick lit but the books I favour have emotional depth and focus on everyday issues many women face, things like motherhood, addiction, depression, balancing work and family, health issues and so on. I absolutely adore Marion Keyes, to me she’s the perfect example of an incredibly intelligent and thoughtful writer who brings warmth and humour to very real issues that real women face.

I read a huge amount of non-fiction and find it so life-enhancing. I learned pretty much everything I know from books! Nature writing is a big favourite of mine and I hope to explore my own nature writing more in the future.

What are you currently reading?

I read very quickly and borderline compulsively – I don’t like to put a book down once I’ve started so if I were currently reading something I’d have  finished it before I came to answer this question! Most recently I read Girlfriend, Interrupted by Patricia Caliskan, My Boxed-Shaped Heart by Rachael Lucas and Together by Julie Cohen, all of which I unreservedly recommend, and I have Somewhere Beyond the Sea by Miranda Dickinson, The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness by Laura Kemp and Forgive Me Not by Samantha Tonge closest to me on the TBR. I also have a few non-fic on the go, the titles of which are rather compromising so I won’t elaborate, but recent non-fic I really enjoyed include Owl Sense by Miram Darlington, Sensation by Isabel Losada, and Sorted: The Active Women’s Guide to Health by Dr Juliet McGrattan.

I now have a great list of new authors to look into and more books that will be added to my TBR.

How did you come up with the idea for Summer at Hollyhock House?

I became really preoccupied with thinking about my teenage years. The people I knew, the places I went, the music I listened to, the things I did. I was going through a time of deep personal change and reflection and for various reasons my teenage years rose to the forefront as a significant time. I got really fixated on the choices I made back then and wondering what would have happened if I made different choices.

And from that place came Summer at Hollyhock House, which was essentially a question about how the connections we make during our formative years endure into adulthood.

I wondered what would happen if people we thought we’d left behind – or even chosen to leave behind – came back into our lives and what that would mean for us. How much of us is connected to those people whether we want to be or not. And out of this came a love story that made me so happy and filled me with so much poignant, bittersweet nostalgia and joy, that I knew it deserved to be share with the world.

Has romance always been your genre of choice?

For novel writing, yes. I used to write rip-roaring pony adventures in my early teens but they gravitated into romance from about the age of 14. I have always been fascinated by the human connection and romance is a pretty defining one.

What’s next for Cathy Bussey? Do you have a new WIP? 

I think there are more stories to be told about Hollyhock House and the people within and around it. I also have a WIP that is set in Streatham in London and is very different and quite ambitious, but hopefully one day I will manage to find a way to pull it off. And I would also like to write more non-fiction and have a crack at nature writing. As I grow and change so too will the stories I tell – I hope to still be writing when I’m 90!

I will be looking forward to more Hollyhock House stories in the future.

Thank you for stopping by and spending some time with us on The Burgeoning Bookshelf.

 
 Blurb

 One long summer changed Faith forever…

Faith Coombes should have been over the moon when her long-term boyfriend proposed to her. But instead, she broke up with him. Rob was safe, reliable, nice and … boring. Nothing like the only person who had ever broken her heart…

Unable to afford the rent on another flat and desperate for a new start, Faith takes the plunge and moves back to the village she grew up in, returning to the house that holds so many memories for her.

Hollyhock House, the family home of her best-friend Minel, also belongs to the boy who meant so much to her all those years ago…

As Faith falls back in love with the sprawling surroundings at Hollyhock she also finds herself falling all over again for the only person who has truly hurt her.

Can Faith come to terms with her past? Did she make the wrong decision in breaking up with Rob?
 
Or does her heart really lie at Hollyhock House?

Summer at Hollyhock House is a charming romantic comedy full of lost loves, missed opportunities and second chances. This summer read, perfect for the holidays, will have you laughing-out-loud in parts, close to tears in others, and above all, championing Faith as she searches for what is most important to her. 

*Cathy's novel Summer at Hollyhock House is published by Sapere Books and can be purchased here 

 Check out the other posts and reviews on the Summer at Hollyhock House blog tour.

 

Author interview: Patricia Caliskan

Today I would like to welcome author Patricia Caliskan to The Burgeoning Bookshelf.
About the author 
 

Following a childhood spent writing her first books, most notably, Our Book about Jesus – a self-help guide for fellow young Catholics, and, The Sleepover – a compelling tale of a midnight feast, shockingly intercepted by fictitious parents with badly drawn hands, Patricia Caliskan always liked to play with words.

Patricia first saw her name misspelt in print aged 17, interviewing hungover rock stars and illegible actors for an Arts and Entertainment magazine. After graduating from the University of Liverpool, Patricia joined Trinity Mirror Newsgroup, working as editor across a portfolio of lifestyle magazine titles.

Patricia likes a good pair of boots, wearing perfume with her pyjamas, and laughter. Lots of laughter. Because without it life feels far too grown up for her liking. Told with mischievous humour, Patricia’s stories explore family dynamics, office politics, and the divergent roles of women throughout their lives.

Girlfriend, Interrupted is Patricia’s second novel: her first, Awful by Comparison, will be reissued by Sapere Books this summer.

So, let's get started and find out a little more about Patricia and her writing.

Hello Patricia, thank you for joining us. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hello! Thanks for having me over! I write Comedy Romance novels. My first was Awful by Comparison, and my latest, Girlfriend, Interrupted, is out now. I write about Relationships, Family dynamics, and Office politics.

What inspires you to write?

The thought of taking my readers on riotous adventures, set within backdrops they recognise, and situations with which they can emphasise. That sounds quite promising, doesn’t it? I want to create entertaining escapes, mix in a little mischief, plenty to think about, and introduce them to a great bunch of characters. When I’m flagging on my final draft, those are the thoughts to take me across the finish line.

What is a typical writing day for you?

A typical writing day for me, looks like writing through the night. I've always been slightly nocturnal, that's when I seem to get a flurry of ideas and energy. During the night, I can be totally focused on my novel. I have a 4 a.m. cut-off, and if I feel I’ve had a productive night, I wake up completely zooped to read and edit the work.

Where is your favourite place to write?

I have a writing room, which is really peaceful and lovely, but also a few specs I gravitate towards. My latest project is basically happening in the kitchen, so there’s been a lot of snack breaks with this one. I have an old, leather recliner, I like to eat breakfast and edit in.

Do you have any writing rituals or good luck charms?

I drink coffee on-tap, and usually have my head-phones on the go with a playlist. No rituals, as such, but I light scented candles in the evenings. I’ve got Bourbon and Vanilla candles on my desk at the moment. They signify Writing time. That's about as ceremonial as I get.

What authors, genres do you like to read?

It's pretty varied. I read Contemporary and Literary fiction. Some is research-based in Psychology, Philosophy, Spirituality. Biographies are a treat, as are books about the Film industry. My latest discovery in Contemporary Fiction is Taylor Jenkins Reid. I love Rebecca Miller and Helen Walsh’s work. I’ll always read the latest from Megan Abbott, Anne Tyler, Jane Green, Candace Bushnell, Jay McInerney and David Nicholls, because you’re guaranteed a great, satisfying read.

What are you currently reading?

Bright, Precious Days, the last of the Manhattan trilogy, by Jay McInerney. I'm also re-reading some Arthur Miller, a selection of Eckhart Tolle, and a great, coffee table buy, The Body Book by Cameron Diaz, which is basically a Home essential for anyone female or with daughters.

How did you come up with the idea for Girlfriend, Interrupted?

I wanted to write a kind of coming-of-age novel for Relationships. That moment when Romance collides with Reality, whatever shape that takes, felt like a fun place to write my way out of. The idea of twenty-something, Ella, becoming a step-parent as a full-stop to her Single years, was influenced by my own experiences. Ella also finds her career shifting up a gear, and is trying to succeed at home, while needing to perform at work. Her life has drifted from pleasing herself, to focusing on greater emotional and practical responsibilities to other people. There’s a colourful troupe of characters in the mix, all with a sense of duality in their personas. It was a big mess of fun to write.

Your book is filled with humorous situations; How important is humour to you in your everyday life?

I didn't set out to write Comedy, but my interior monologue has always been slightly off-kilter. I enjoy making people laugh and lightening the mood. Life is bitter-sweet and utterly ludicrous. The best way I’ve found to approach it, is by making the most of those moments, when we don’t have to take things too seriously. After my first book was published, hearing readers say I’d made them laugh, or describing characters and scenes with smiles on their faces, was an incredibly lovely feeling.

What’s next for Patricia Caliskan? Do you have a new WIP?

My third book is set in the fictitious suburbs of Fernleigh, and tells the stories of a great group of women in the midst of marriage. I hope you’re going to love them.

Thank you for stopping by and spending some time with us on The Burgeoning

Bookshelf.

My pleasure. Let’s do it again! 

 Blurb

A sparkling and hilarious romantic comedy! Perfect for fans of Jo Watson, Gill Sims and Kirsty Greenwood…

What do you do when the love of your life is already somebody else’s dad…?
Brown-eyed, brunette, 25.

Enjoys walking barefoot across shards of broken home. Likes loaded silences, resentment and insomnia. Dislikes romantic weekends, lie-ins and any chance of future happiness.

Former GSOH. Developing PTSD.

Ella Shawe was undomesticated, unattached and uninhibited.

Until she met Dan.

Sexy, charming and funny, Dan ticked all the right boxes and Ella threw herself head-first into the whirlwind romance.

But now she’s moved into his family home, complete with two demanding children and a hyperactive dog.

Throw in Dan’s impossibly perfect ex-wife, Ella’s interfering sex therapist mother and the snooty and dismissive mother-in-law from Hell, and Ella is almost ready to throw in the towel.

But, ready or not, Ella is part of the family now, and getting it right for Dan’s kids means getting it right for everyone. She just needs to figure out how to include herself in the mix…

Girlfriend, Interrupted will have you laughing-out-loud, gasping in embarrassment and rooting for Ella all the way. This British romantic comedy is packed full of humour and has a delightful contemporary heroine at its heart.

*Patricia’s novel Girlfriend, Interrupted is published by Sapere Books and can be purchased here

 Check out the other posts and reviews on the Girlfriend, Interrupted blog tour.