songs from the playlist - Q & A

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all well and doing whatever it is that makes you happy ! I would like to thank all those who have got in touch and wished me well with the release of my new novel 'songs from the playlist'. Obviously after all the recent health scares and medical problems, it really is lovely to be talking about something so much more positive. As many of you have messaged me, I felt it might be best to have this post as a Q&A, so I can answer all the DMs I have received and maybe shed some light on this new book. Before I begin, both versions of this story are available now so whether you prefer paperback or Kindle, you'll be able to enjoy your favourite format.

Anyway, without further delay, I'll get on with your questions...

What is the inspiration behind the story ?

I wanted to write about a particular time in my life where a great deal happened, even though it all took place in a couple of years. After trying a few different ways of telling the story, using the format of personal letters worked the best and so that's really why it's written that way. Obviously, much of what's mentioned is based on true events and so writing the book, does answer a lot of questions I've been asked by family and friends.

How much is true ?

I was very mindful that like everyone else, my story includes other people and so to recklessly use their experience did seem bordering on disloyal. So, although the principal events are completely true, names and in some cases genders,  have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved. They have their own stories to tell and for me to presume to offer up personal moments to the public would, to me, be fundamentally wrong. It's fine for me to expose myself to the public gaze, that's my choice, but to include others? Well, not for me.

Will I come to regret revealing quite so much ?

I have to be truthful, there were many times I wrestled with being quite so open about feelings and especially the parts of the story which reveal my past. But, I came to the conclusion, if I was really going to write this part of my life honestly, I had to stick to the reality as much as possible. Whether or not I come to regret this decision, remains to be seen, but I know I would be genuinely sorry, if I had dodged certain moments because they made me feel uncomfortable.

Was it hard to write ?

I think there were certain parts which did bring up painful memories, but it also provided an opportunity to share the humour and the highlights with the readers. So, yes, it was hard in some ways, but my life isn't so unique, we all have our share of highs and lows, to pretend otherwise would have felt as if I was cheating the audience. I have to admit, during the editing process, there were parts I felt should be cut, purely on the basis, I felt quite vulnerable when talking about them. But, I realised, if I excluded them, the whole story would suffer from the lack of authenticity, so that's why everything is included. 

Was I inspired by other writers when it came to choosing the format ?

Oh this is an easy one to answer - 100% yes ! I absolutely loved Dawn French's book 'Dear Fatty' where she shared anecdotes and reflections via letters to various friends and family. Her novel is very much about her whole life whereas mine is only a small slice, but the idea of revealing a story through letters was inspirational. As I read her book, it gave me a real understanding of how she changed and developed as she went from child to adult, so hopefully, I have managed to capture some of that within my own work. Obviously, she has gone on to receive international acclaim which, in my opinion, is well -deserved, but through her book, she has managed to avoid the 'celebrity memoir' and just been a completely relatable person. I am also unashamedly influenced by Helen Fielding's book 'Bridget Jones Diary' - again, aside from the wonderful humour, she has portrayed Bridget as someone we can all identify with throughout the story, and hopefully, readers will feel something similar while reading 'songs from the playlist.'

Were there parts of the story I left out ?

Yes, there are, but only because I wanted to protect the privacy of others, also if I had included every last detail, the books would have been 1,000,000 words long - at the very least ! Also I think you have to be very mindful of keeping the interest of any reader, so to get bogged down in too much detail, may well have bored people to the point, they ceased to care any more.

Will there be a sequel ?

This is something I am considering, obviously, the story ends at one point, and luckily for me, I have continued to live on, so there is more to tell. But I think it might be best to see how this one goes first and then, if there is an audience for more, I will certainly get back to my trusty laptop.

What do you believe people will think about you when they've read the book ?

This is a tricky question to answer, as I have learned different people respond  in varying ways when they've finished a book. As an example, when 'Hidden Within' was released, I had a lot of women getting in touch with me to share their stories about their own sexuality. Some telling me, they found it confronting to consider being intimate with another woman, whereas others wanted to share their own experiences being with  multiple men. If you haven't read the book, the central character does have several sexual encounters and so, with hindsight, this response shouldn't have been a surprise. Again, with my other books, people have responded in different ways, some completely identifying with the main character, whereas others have felt my portrayal was inaccurate. I think, speaking personally, I realised, if anyone puts anything out into the public domain, you have to accept not everyone is going to like what you say. Fortunately, I have been very lucky so far, people have generally seemed to feel, there was a high degree of honesty within my books and so, there hasn't been too much harsh criticism.

I have obviously been 'attacked' by a few people who have felt some of my books have strayed too far from their own belief system, but, I think that's inevitable. I suppose I could be considered very liberal with my views on certain subjects, as I strongly object to racism, homophobia etc so there are always going to be those people who find my core beliefs completely unacceptable. I guess all I can do, is try not to judge and accept they are on a life path which is wildly different to my own.

Will I always write ?

I believe so, especially as I have been writing for such a long time now, it is as much a part of me as an arm or leg. I hope with each book, I improve and so I have to keep writing, just to make progress. I am also incredibly fortunate to have developed an audience, so that is always an incentive. For me, writing is just a way of sharing thoughts and ideas within a format which is easily accessed by anyone who wants to listen.

Well, I think that's enough for now, again, thank you so much for all the support, I really hope you enjoy reading this new book and any of the others which I have released into the wild. Sharing stories with you, is never less than a magical, ( if terrifying) experience and I hope there will be many more in the future..until then... as always..

Take care out there xxxx