Lou is married to a man who no longer loves her. It's time to move on, to begin a new business venture and to start her life over. To celebrate her new-found freedom, she travels to India, where, in front of the Taj Mahal, she befriends Ali after taking each other's photographs on 'that' bench.Ali is a serial mistress. But when she returns home, she discovers her latest lover is not the man she took him for. She too needs a new beginning.
As Lou and Ali put their pasts behind them, they start to discover new possibilities for life and for love, until the shocking realisation that they have far more in common than they thought.
Hi Fanny and welcome to High Heels and Book Deals. Where did the idea for Woman of a Dangerous Age come from?
I wanted to write about that time of life when you ask, 'Is this it?' Does what you've got measure up to what you'd hoped for? And is it ever too late to change? Lou and Ali came in at that point. Lou has been a devoted wife and mother for years, but now her children have left home she decides the time has come for a new start. Ali is younger and single. When the novel opens, she has realised that, unlike Lou, she wants to settle down in a committed relationship at last. They become friends while on holiday, then return home to find they have more in common than they'd though. And not in a good way …
What are the best and worst traits of your main characters, Ali and Lou?
Lou is larger than life, flamboyant, feisty, who loves her children, makes friends easily and who's not averse to the odd glass of white wine. Her worst trait is that she can't quite let her husband go, even when she finds out how badly he's behaved towards her. Ali is more reserved, a 'cat who walks alone', thanks to losing both her mother and her first love when she was young. Since then she's protected herself from emotional involvement by becoming a serial mistress. She is a talented goldsmith, makes beautiful jewellery, but her personal life is a mess. It's Lou who encourages her to sort it out.
Have you a set writing day?
I work in a little room just off the kitchen. I sit down at my computer from about 9 until 5,with a break for lunch or to go for a walk maybe. Of course, I'm not always writing. I'm a past master at displacing on the internet and on Twitter, and I have my work for Woman & Home, reading and research to fit in too. Despite the temptations of the biscuit tin, I stay there till I've done my quota of words for the day. I aim at about 1,000 but don't always achieve that. Will power is not my strongest suit.
You're the books editor for Woman & Home Magazine and have to read and review 12 books a month. Do you have much time to read anything else? If so, what is your favourite genre?
Yes, I do have time to read more, though not much. However I'm lucky that being books editor of Woman & Home means that I can read a variety of fiction that I enjoy anyway. I'm not sure that I have a favourite genre. I love reading crime fiction, historical fiction and general fiction. I try to read as many debut novelists as I can, though it's hard to keep up.
What's your take on the social media/building a platform debate for authors? Has it been good for you? It's a gift being able to communicate with friends, other writers and readers as easily as we can thanks to the Twitter, Facebook and the other social networking sites. I've met new people and found fantastic support there. It's also a great vehicle for promoting your books. On the other hand, it can be a distraction that makes those writing targets much harder to achieve. Sadly, will power is not my strongest suit.
Do you think having an agent is a must nowadays?
For me, yes. I'm fortunate in having one who's a brilliant editor too. She reads and advises, but also gives me confidence and sane advice when needed. She has found me publishers both here and in America, and has been involved all the day through the publishing process. I cant imagine having done it without her.
What/who is your favourite book/author?
My favourite author is Anne Tyler. She writes domestic dramas with such wisdom and wit. Everything is minutely observed, each detail speaking volumes. If I had to pick one of her novels. I'd choose Breathing Lessons, which takes place during one day in the life of Maggie Moran, when she and her husband drive to the funeral of an old friend. In fact it is a pitch-perfect portrait of their marriage that had me laughing aloud from the second page.
Lots of authors seem to be turning their hands to more than one genre lately. Do you think this is down to the changes in publishing or that writers wish to do more?
Some writers are much more prolific than others. I don't think you can turn it on like a tap, however much you might like to write more. I'm not convinced that it's a good idea to write something in response to what may or may not be happening in publishing. Perhaps it's an old-fashioned view but I believe that writers should write what they are moved to otherwise it becomes a cynical exercise without any heart.
What is your next book about?
My next book, Other Women's Husbands, is marriage. I wanted to write about how impossible it is not only to understand other people's marriages and what makes them tick but often how little we understand our own. When a bombshell hits a marriage, all sorts of surprises and secrets spill into the open, affecting all the characters. That's about all I can say for now …
And finally, what's your poison, high heels or flat shoes?
You know I'm not a great shoe person, so feel a bit of a fraud coming on here – especially now I've seen the height of the wedges you wear every day (hats off!). But here's a photo of my new favourite ankle boots. Not only are these the most expensive, they are also the most comfortable boots I have ever worn. I had a rush of blood to the head when I bought them, but I haven't regretted it once. And check out the blue insides!
Women of a Dangerous age is out today and you can get your copy from here. You can also connect with Fanny on Twitter @FannyBlake1 and through www.facebook.com/FannyBlakeBooks
Good luck Fanny!
