Q&A with Rachel Abbott discussion

I'd like to have an opportunity to talk to readers about books - my books in particular, because I'm keen to know what you have enjoyed (and what you haven't!) - but also to talk about books in general.

I'm going to be posting competitions, quizzes, polls (when I can work out how to do that) - and want to keep the discussion lively.

Please do feel free to ask me a question in this thread.

Look forward to meeting you.

Rachel

Thanks for the invite Rachel,
I look forward to getting involved.

Rachel thanks for inviting me to this group

Hi Richard and Christine

Good to meet you both. Let me know if you have any questions, or just want a general chat.

I've got a load of questions that have previously been asked - so I might just stick those in if nothing else is asked, to get the ball rolling!

Thanks for joining in!

1. Where are you from?
2. How old are you?
3. When's your birthday?
4. How's the weather where you live?
5. Do you have any kids and are you married?
6. What's your favorite color?
7. What's your favorite movie?
8. What's your favorite tv show?
9. What kind of music do you like?
10. What's your favorite song?
11. What kind of books do you like to read?
12. What's your favorite book
13. What's your favorite food
14. Who's favorite actor and actress?
15. When did you first start becoming a writer?
16. What are you doing this summer?
17. What's your favorite holiday?
18. What's your favorite lucky number?
19. What are your plans for the weekend?
20. What were you like as a child?
21. How many friends do you have?
22. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
23. What's your pet peeve?
24. Do you have any pets?
25. What did you like about school
26. Did you play any sports when you were in school?

Wow, Christine - that's a brilliant set of questions.

I think I'll answer in batches, if that's okay. First six to start with, if that's okay.

1. I was born in Manchester, England
2. Hate to admit to this - I'm 60!
3 September 29th
4. Slightly overcast, but yesterday the beautiful island of Alderney was like a tropical paradise - pale sand, turquoise sea and deep blue sky. Heaven.
5. Unfortunately I don't have kids of my own, but I have 5 fantastic step children.
6. My favourite colour is raspberry red.

I might have to think of some of the others, so I'll get back to you!

Thanks for going to so much trouble - you're a star!

Your welcome and that's fine

:) Hello, Rachel.

Hi Massimo - nice to meet you.

I'm just going to answer the next few of Christine's amazing list of questions!

7. My favourite movie - that's a really hard question. Despite being a thriller writer, I love feel good movies. I've probably watched Pretty Woman more than any other film, but for years my film of choice was Dirty Dancing. I feel I should be giving a more cerebral response, but I tend to watch movies to escape, so the soppier the better!

8. Another hard question. I would have said Broadchurch, except it finished last week. I love Scott and Bailey (although this series has me a bit confused) - but I also like some of the American programmes, such as The Good Wife and Nashville (love the music - which really surprised me).

9. I like most kinds of music with the exception of 'pop' music - by which I mean candyfloss type music which doesn't inspire emotion. Everything from Rachmaninov to Snow Patrol.

10. Too many to list. Speaking of Snow Patrol, I love Chasing Cars - which features in The Back Road. But the music that features most in The Back Road - for which I have had to buy the right to use the words - is Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith. I've got a video of Aerosmith singing this on my website click here to view . In fact, there are several music videos on the website - http://www.rachel-abbott.com/music.html - I love all these tracks.

Will answer more later!!

I decided my favorite color is periwinkle. It rolls well on the tongue.

I like that, Massimo - words are very evocative, and the idea of liking a colour because of the word sounds good to me. Raspberry is quite a good word too!

Rachel wrote: "I like that, Massimo - words are very evocative, and the idea of liking a colour because of the word sounds good to me. Raspberry is quite a good word too!"

;) For a writer's mind, a word brings visions, tastes, smells, sensations, feelings...

I like pop music too and oldies music and country music and disco music

Glad I'm not the only one with eclectic tastes!!

Yeah and I'm a huge fan of Taylor swift and maroon 5 and the carpenters

Christine wrote: "Yeah and I'm a huge fan of Taylor swift and maroon 5 and the carpenters"

Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker dei Giants? :D He had some quite swift moves.

Judging by the comments, I'm gonna love this group. Naturally, I can't speak for my husband. ;-) Thanks Rachel, for the invite! We are Indie Publishers and love to talk about most things. :-D

Dave/Maggie wrote: "Judging by the comments, I'm gonna love this group. Naturally, I can't speak for my husband. ;-) Thanks Rachel, for the invite! We are Indie Publishers and love to talk about most things. :-D"

Dave/Maggie, I'd like to invite you to my discussion group: The Writing Process.

How do we find your group, Massimo - can you add a link, please?

Dave/Maggie - welcome. I think I might answer Christine's question list one by one, in the hope that we can spark off all sorts of conversations!

Hi, Rachel.

Sure.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

Would be glad to have the company of everyone.

I'm going to answer some more of Christine's questions now...

12. My favourite book of all time is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I love the way there is a mystery but fundamentally the book is about relationships. I like to write about relationships too - and they play a huge part in my plots - it's always more about the WHY than the WHO.

13. My favourite food is probably curry. Whether Indian creamy, hot and dark or Thai rich red curry - I love them all. Having said that, I love food! And I love cooking - not good for the waistline, but makes me happy!

14. Who's my favorite actor and actress? I genuinely don't know the answer to this. I like Liam Neeson, but I don't think I have a favourite female actress. Anybody got any suggestions?

15. When did you first start becoming a writer? I have always written stories. I enjoyed it at school, and then when I was working part of my job was to write - everything from creative proposals to win business to scripts for video dramas - mainly used for training purposes, but nevertheless, they were proper 'stories'. I started my first novel about four years ago - the first time I had really had an open slot for writing.

16. What are you doing this summer? This summer I will be at our home in Italy for the whole of July and August. I will be working there, but it will be good to have a couple of months of sunshine, even though it does tend to get a little TOO hot. Last summer it was about 40 degrees for most of the time, and that's just a bit much for me.

... more to come!

I received this question from Jenny:

"can you describe what you are thinking and feeling when you are writing?"

How I feel is entirely down to whose 'head' I'm in at the time, and what emotions they are feeling. When I write, I have to be able to see, smell, touch, feel as my characters do. If I want to make my readers shiver, I have to shiver too.

But when I read back the words I have written on the page, my own emotions come into play. I am then a reader, not a writer. Sometimes I just want to put a red line through the whole thing, and sometimes I feel immensely satisfied because I have - in my opinion at least - managed to convey exactly how my character was feeling at the time.

Thanks for the thoughtful question, Jenny.

Just thought I would share with all you lovely people that The Back Road has reached number 6 in the Amazon chart this afternoon.

I am delighted! Thanks for all being so supportive.

Thanks for the invite Rachel, you come from my neck of the woods! I'm Just catching up on this Season of Scott and Bailey, and agree it is confusing. I loved Broadchurch though, didn't guess whodunnit. I also have varied taste in music. Would love to LOVE somewhere that warm. Right, Am off to feed the cats, then me.

Hi Desley

I loved Broadchurch - and I did actually guess who it was, but not why. One of the things about writing thrillers and mysteries is that it's sometimes easier to get into the head of the writer. The actual killer was in many ways the least likely person! Scott and Bailey confused me because there was one episode which didn't seem to have any bearing at all on the underlying story - almost as if it was a filler. But it seems to be back on track now.

That makes sense, must spoil a few programmes though! The writer did say there were clues throughout. I'm finding Scott and bailey odd sd its normally 3 or 4 2 part episodes, so was surprised it went back after that random episode. Is ITV the only english channel you get? Theres a couple if dramas starting this week

Where and when will you be in Italy, Rachel? I'll be in Milano and around Lombardy much of the summer. Be fun to connect.
Jack

Rachel wrote: "Hi Desley

I loved Broadchurch - and I did actually guess who it was, but not why. One of the things about writing thrillers and mysteries is that it's sometimes easier to get into the head of the ..."

Hi Rachel, hi Desley
Broadchurch was fab, wasn't it? Apparently readers/viewers have to think like writers to guess whodunnit, while in real life detectives have to think like murderers!

Re Scott & Bailey: I do feel I have to step in and put in a word for the wonderful writing of Sally Wainwright. I would have been very disappointed if they hadn't spent an episode going back to catch up with things where they were left at the end of series 2. I love the non-linear approach and the fast moving flashbacks of the other episodes too. I should stop now before I sound like too much of a raving fan girl!
Eva
PS My blog had over 1600 visitors (I've written a post 'Who is Rachel Bailey's mother?') in the two hours following the airing of episode 2 - great that it's got so many fans.
PPS Rachel - great idea to set up your own discussion group.

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "That makes sense, must spoil a few programmes though! The writer did say there were clues throughout. I'm finding Scott and bailey odd sd its normally 3 or 4 2 part episodes, so was surprised it we..."

I'm actually living in Alderney in the Channel Islands at the moment, Desley - so I get all the channels (and none of them in Italy!).

What's looking good this week, then - because I've not been here very long, so I'm not really up to speed. We did get Scott and Bailey in Italy on a Sky Crime channel which is a mix of US and UK channels - and I've been watching the latest one here.

Jack wrote: "Where and when will you be in Italy, Rachel? I'll be in Milano and around Lombardy much of the summer. Be fun to connect.
Jack"

Hi Jack - we're much further south, I'm afraid - in the Le Marche region, although we are going south for a few days with some friends too. So unlikely that we'll be in Lombardy - some other time, though!

Rachel

Eva wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Hi Desley

I loved Broadchurch - and I did actually guess who it was, but not why. One of the things about writing thrillers and mysteries is that it's sometimes easier to get into t..."

Hi Eva

I know what you mean about Scott and Bailey. I think I was doubly confused because I record them on Sky Plus to wait for my husband to be here (he splits his time between our home here, and our property in Italy) - and I think to add insult to injury, we watched them out of sync! So I was double confused. But yes - the writing is excellent.

Well done on your blog too - what a fantastic idea! Next time you do something like that, let me know and I'll tweet it!

Thanks for joining in.

Rachel wrote: "I received this question from Jenny:

"can you describe what you are thinking and feeling when you are writing?"

How I feel is entirely down to whose 'head' I'm in at the time, and what emotions t..."

Thank you for your thoughtful answer!

Okay - some more of Christine's tricky questions!

17. What's your favorite holiday? I think that would have to be when my husband and I went to the Maldives just after we met. Neither of us had had a holiday in years, so for the first week we just ate, slept and swam. We would get up and go and have breakfast, go to the beach and sleep. Then lunch, and in a hammock and sleep. Then a bit of snorkelling and dinner - then sleep. I felt amazing afterwards (and could do with some of that now, actually!)

18. What's your favorite lucky number? I don't have one. Sorry to be boring.

19. What are your plans for the weekend? This weekend I'll be working - when my husband is in Italy and I am here in Alderney, I treat weekends as any other day. I love writing, so when I say 'working' it's not exactly a chore, and it would be very difficult to just be doing something aimless when I could be doing something I love.

20. What were you like as a child? Bossy tomboy would probably be the best description. I liked to climb trees and had no interest at all in dolls.

21. How many friends do you have? That's a good question. I have lots of people who would probably call themselves friends - but real friends are a different thing altogether. They are people that you can trust and who would rush to your side if you were in trouble. So probably about five or six of those. LOADs of good author pals that I've met since writing - people who are supportive and share their knowledge and experience too.

Still a few more questions to come from Christine - and then maybe the rest of you will chip in!

Eva wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Hi Desley

I loved Broadchurch - and I did actually guess who it was, but not why. One of the things about writing thrillers and mysteries is that it's sometimes easier to get into t..."

Actually, you might be able to help with a query - we have some book groups that drop off books at work, and there are 3 Cath Staincliffe books, one of which says she is the author of SCott and Bailey - I didn't think they were based on a book series, do you know?

Rachel wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "That makes sense, must spoil a few programmes though! The writer did say there were clues throughout. I'm finding Scott and bailey odd sd its normally 3 or 4 2 part ep..."

Ah right - I'm going to see my brother in Jersey in July. There is a 2 parter starting on Thurs, Murder on the Home Front I think, the TV mag said it could be called CSI London. Then there is a 3 parter starting on Fri, can't remember its name, but it is about a police officer over 3 decades. And on Sky, I am looking forward to the first episode of Hannibal. I might have to tape tonights Scott and Bailey though.

I didn't actually know that Scott and Bailey was based on a book either, although strangely I saw one of them on Amazon this morning (after it had been mentioned on here).

Thanks for the tip regarding the TV - I'll check them out. I managed to miss the first two parts of The Politician's Husband and had to watch them on iPlayer. The final part is on Thursday, I think. I do wish Sky Plus would let you record more than 2 things at a time!

Thanks - and I'll definitely check out the ones you have mentioned.

Two new dramas starting next week - another The Suspicions of Mr Whicher on Sun, has Olivia Colman in it, and The Fall on BBC2 on Mon, being billed as better than Broadchurch (which I dislike actually), but sounds really good, has Gillian Anderson in it.

Tonight's programme is Life of Crime. Think its a 3 parter.

Waay too much TV to watch, and have tons to try and catch up on.

Wow - that all sounds amazing! Thanks Desley.

I will certainly be looking out for those. I've still not watched the final part of the Politican's Husband - so looking forward to that. It's time they brought out a Sky Box that could record 6 things at once!

It does, and your very welcome. Maybe we should start a TV thread.

Part of me is Glad that you can Only tape two things at once, but also Glad of +1 channels.II got a YouView box in Mar, which is great Apart from it has free box sets, and they gave me selected Sky channels free for 3 months, so I keep taping normal TV, so want a couple of weeks with no good TV so I can catch up, especially as its getting to the time of year I read more than watch TV. And that doesn't include the old box and dvd's I've Bought.

I don't know if any of you like competitions - especially those where you can win an Amazon voucher!

I've got a competition running at the moment and you can win £50! All you have to do is answer 6 questions, and you don't need to have bought or read the books.

You can find the competition HERE

And if you go to my Facebook page and share the competition link (just click the share button) you will be entered into a £25 prize draw without doing anything at all!

Massimo your nuts lol

The last of my questions from the wonderful Christine!



22. Do you have any brothers or sisters? - Yes - I have one lovely sister who is two years older than me. Nobody makes me laugh as much as she does!

23. What's your pet peeve? Any form of malicious behaviour - at any level. I have been trying to train myself to feel sorry for people who behave in an underhand way, but I'm struggling!

24. Do you have any pets? Yes - we have two lovely German Shepherds. They are twins - a male called Mungo and a female called Roxy. They live at our home in Italy, though - so I've not seen them for a while. Mungo is very much an alpha male, and Roxy is a bit silly!

25. What did you like about school - sport, although you wouldn't believe it now! I loved the social stuff - organising school dances, being part of teams and clubs. Not so much the studying!

26. Did you play any sports when you were in school? Loads! I was the house games captain, played netball and hockey, but wasn't too great and the summer sports like tennis and athletics. I was much better at team sports.

Thanks for all the questions, Christine - and if anybody else wants to ask anything - be my guest!

Your welcome

Thanks for the competition Rachel.

Thanks Desley and Christine - great to see some entries for the competition too - it's just a bit of fun, but hopefully it makes the page more engaging.

I've just had an AMAZING review from BestChickLit.com which I can't resist sharing :

"Rachel Abbott is one hell of a clever writer. The opening scene to The Back Road is as shocking as it is distressing and it leaves you no choice but to read on – in just a few short pages you become addicted and Abbott is your dealer.

The story involves a large cast of characters, none of which are surplus to requirement, and you are given a good degree of insight to each one in order to understand their motivations and behaviour. You’ll find yourself simply devouring pages as each layer of the story is piled on, and just when you think you’ve cracked it, someone else is thrown into the mix. To say The Back Road is full of twists, turns and red herrings is an understatement, it more like a labyrinth, but as the details are dribbled out there’s no fear of becoming lost or confused. The conclusion is tense and consuming with no ends left untied.

I wasn’t sure if Abbott could top her debut novel but no doubt about it The Back Road is on par with Only The Innocent, if not better. Treat yourself to a copy and prepare to be blown away."

That's made my day!

http://bestchicklit.com/?p=2668&f...

Fantastic, makes me want to read it straight away, but I'm in the middle of a challenge

What a brilliant review. No wonder you're thrilled with it.

I really enjoyed your first book and am about to start your second. I wanted to know what inspired you to write?

Thanks Desley, Frances and Christine - certainly was a brilliant review!

In terms of Christine's question, I have always loved writing. At school I enjoyed writing essays, and in my working career I had to write everything from board reports to creative proposals to scripts for interactive dramas - so I've had lots of practice, but never before in the form of a novel.

I had the idea for Only the Innocent in my head for about 15 years before I wrote it. I was interested in the idea of finding a set of circumstances that were so bad that a woman would have no option but to kill a man. I think the first time I announced that I wanted to write books - so probably the first time I had really decided - was in 1994 at dinner with friends. And from then it was just a case of waiting until I could possibly find the time. Now I wish I hadn't waited!

I like stories about real people - and circumstances that people find themselves in that are difficult, if not dangerous. I write about the 'why' rather than the 'who' and 'how' of murder - and I love thinking up new ideas.

Thanks for asking, and I hope that answers the question??

Just to let you know that the 99p PROMO of The Back Road ends in a few days, so this weekend would be a good time to pick up a copy if you haven't done so already!

And thanks to all you lovely readers, it now has over 150 five star reviews!