Author Interview: Fiona Morgan
Author Interview: Fiona Morgan
Today I am pleased to welcome Fiona Morgan on to the blog with a quick interview! She’s come up with some intriguing answers!
Q&A
What is your favourite thing about writing books?
I love the fact that I can write a story to myself, put anything in it I want, make it happen anywhere I want, drive the cars (in my head) that I want, and sometimes maybe even do naughty things, (violence amongst other things), but the best feeling about it all is when people not only buy my book, but tell me how much they enjoyed my story. That has to be my favourite things about writing, writing something that people enjoy.
Who is your favourite character in your book and why?
I found this question hard to answer, a bit like choosing your favourite child.
From my new book, ‘What’s Mine’ I have to pick Bronagh and Gordon.
Bronagh because she is the strong female in the book, the one who gets knocked down, but gets up fighting again, and Gordon because he is the comic relief friend who keeps everyone going when things are tough. We all need one of those friends.
From my first book, ‘Free’ I have picked Ava as I saw her grow as I wrote and I was so proud of her. I have also picked Jack, again the friend to keep people in check and grounded when they need it.
What is your favourite drink to consume whilst writing?
This all depends on what day and time it is. If it during the day on a weekday I normally drink coffee and water, and at night I stop drinking coffee and stick to water, unless I’m being a rebel then I might have a beer on a school night. At the weekends, I stick to coffee and water until it is past five, somewhere in the world and I either open a bottle of red wine or reach for the beer again. Too much of the beer or wine, and I need to stop writing as I can’t read my own handwriting.
Do yo have any bad habits while you are writing?
I tend to talk out loud to myself when I’m writing. I get strange looks from my husband and asked what I’m talking about, my answers are normally strange too. “Nothing, just sorting my protection money.” or “Just a wee bit of torture.” Sometimes I’m not sure if my family is proud of me or frightened of me.
I also have horrendous handwriting for someone who writes all her first drafts in long hand and my spelling causes some arguments in the house. Physically my bad habit would be sitting with my legs tucked up under me then not being able to walk when I move.
How do you research your books?
I speak to everyone and anyone I know that can help me. I have a friend who works in the police force so his brains get picked continuously, I’m so glad they like coffee and me! I also talk to my mum who volunteers in Airdrie Sheriff Court as part of the Witness Service so her advice is always welcome when I’m writing. My husband is invaluable when I’m writing, apart from the constant spell checking he does for me I use him when I can’t visualise how the scene is going, so I ask him to help me ‘act’ it out checking the physicalities of movements. I do also use Google, it might be frowned upon, but it does some information that can be useful.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I am a bit of both. I plan out what my characters are going to look like and what main events I want to happen. The rest of the story, how all the main events marry up and how the characters develop and any small part characters, I pantser.
If you could live any fictional world, which would you chose and why?
I think I would have to pick James Bond’s world. I would get to travel the world, never pay for anything, have loads of cool and slightly dangerous toys to play with, there would obviously be James Bond, but most importantly I would get to drive all the amazing cars. Ah, Aston Martin (drool)… a girl can dream.
If you could befriend any fictional character who would you choose and why?
I have been asked something similar to this and answered Scout Finch, James Bond and Rebus, so to pick someone different I am going to say Jack Reacher from the Lee Child novels. I would love to have a conversation with him about all the idiosyncrasies he has like always knowing the time and never needing an alarm. I think through all his adventures he would have so many stories to retell and I love hearing a good story.
About the book
Ava owes everything to Nathan, her boyfriend. Without him she is useless and incapable of independent thought or action. Ava knows this because Nathan has told her, repeatedly, and just to reinforce the point, the occasional slap or punch helps, doesn’t it? After all, it is her fault, as she does ‘push all his buttons’ and cause him to be so angry.
This seems to be the pattern of Ava’s life until she has a chance meeting with Neil, a man who is different, who seems to understand, and she takes the brave step of asking him to help her leave her possessive, abusive relationship. Leaving is never that easy and Nathan’s persistence in pursuing Ava is the cause of much mental anguish for both her and Neil, for whom the long-buried memory of an abusive father is brought back into focus.
They are both caught up in uncertainty and physical violence, which test the tender love that is growing between them.
About the Author
Fiona lives in the small town of Airdrie near Glasgow with her husband, Liam, and their two daughters, Erin and Sian.She works as a deafblind guide/communicator and a British Sign Language facilitator, learning British Sign Language after the birth of her second daughter.
Would you want to like to be friends with Jack Reacher?
