To celebrate the release of her new book, Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea, we asked author Liz Eeles to open up to our readers here at Female First.
Here are seven things she'd like her audience to know about her writing...
1. I naively thought that writing books would get easier. I’m definitely more confident, after seven published novels, that I can get to the end of a first draft. And I don’t lose heart so quickly if the words don’t flow – I just go and do something else instead for a while. But each book has been as tricky to write as the one before it. I’m still living in hope that, by book 20, it’ll be a piece of cake…
2. I’m particularly proud of my new women’s fiction novel, Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea. As well as being a shift in genre (my first six novels are romantic comedies), it was written during a turbulent time which included the first UK lockdown and the death of my lovely Dad. In spite of all the challenges, I think it’s one of the best books I’ve ever written and early reviews have been reassuringly positive.
3. I’d rather edit than write a first draft. Some authors love the creative freedom of getting their story down on paper for the first time, and that part of the process can be great. But it can also be a bit of a slog – especially the middle bit when you’ve been writing for AGES and there’s still such a long way to go. I’d rather edit words already written than stare at a blank page.
4. It’s never too late. Though I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember, life got in the way and my first novel wasn’t published until I was in my fifties. I can’t imagine ever retiring so there are plenty more books to come.
5. Being more organised is a constant goal. I so admire authors who allocate a set time each day to write, and stick to it. My writing routine is rather more… fluid. Sometimes I write in the mornings, sometimes afternoons or evenings and the daily word count I’m aiming for isn’t always achieved. But on the plus side, I do always meet deadlines so my rather more organic writing process works for me.
6. Location comes first when thinking up ideas for new novels. My new book was sparked by a holiday in Devon – the pretty villages and Dartmoor, with its ancient standing stones and granite tors, inspired me. My Salt Bay series is set in Cornwall which I love, and my Cosy Kettle series is set in the picturesque Cotswolds. My next holiday – lockdown allowing – is in the New Forest so look out for that location in a future novel!
7. I get my best plot ideas in the bath, then have to drip round the house until I find a pen and paper. I could remember to take a notebook into the bathroom with me, or remember what the plot idea was for more than two minutes, but these things never happen.
Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea is out now, available from Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Google and all good retailers.
Keep up-to-date with Liz Eeles on social media, at the following links:
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lizeelesauthor
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizeelesauthor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizeelesauthor/