Briefly tell us about your book.
Our Holiday is set in a beautiful English coastal resort, Pine Ridge, where affluent city families visiting their holiday homes clash with locals who object to their presence in paradise. It’s a thriller with elements of the culture wars and generational conflict.
What inspired the idea behind this book?
I was really inspired by ‘The White Lotus’, the way locals and incomers mix on holiday, but I wanted a British middle-class vibe rather than one about the American super-rich. It’s a big cast of characters, some of whom have agendas, others who are oblivious, and ripe for conflict and lust. I love that some characters might never even speak to each other and yet might play a part in each other’s fate.
What was the research process like for the book?
This was a book that needed a huge amount of research, including the mechanics of the death and destruction that opens the story. I am lucky to be able to use a professional researcher (also my husband) – I confess I get a bit bored with research and prefer dreaming up ideas. I always say, ‘I don’t need it to be likely, I just need it to be possible.’
If I looked at your internet history, what would it reveal about you?
If you didn’t know I was a crime writer you would be very worried by search terms like ‘clifftop death’, ‘strangling with dog lead’ and ‘how to use a shim’.
What are you hoping the reader will take away from reading your book?
My number one aim is to entertain. This is a holiday read about a holiday, so I like to think of it being read on planes and beaches and by the pool. I hope readers will have unexpectedly rooted for some of my more outrageous characters. There’s also a state-of-the-nation element, some social commentary, which I hope might spark a discussion – or a laugh.
Does the creative process get easier for you with each book?
Yes, in that I have faith in my ability to produce a book after having done it so many times before, but no in that I’m often trying something new. You’d be surprised how close to the wire it gets. I might be a week from the deadline and there’s still someone whose job I haven’t decided on.
How does it feel to hold your book in your hands?
Very satisfying. Especially nice if there are bells and whistles like embossed lettering and sprayed edges!
What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
It was hard to wrangle all the characters and their plotlines. It was a case of deciding what to leave out because their crimes and misdemeanours could have filled three books. Keeping a track of the tides was tricky too!
How did you think of the title of the book?
We actually had a different title in mind, a brilliant one suggested my editor, but then another book was announced with that title and so we had to shelve it. I decided I wanted the word ‘holiday’ in there but couldn’t think how to give it a twist. Then I was talking about Our House at a book festival and I suddenly thought, of course, Our Holiday. Now it feels like it couldn’t have been anything else.
What is something that has influenced you as a writer?
Current affairs. I get so many ideas from the papers, from feuding neighbours to commuter murder to car accidents. I read extensively about holiday homes in the UK and international press, really tried to absorb the world views of both the haves and the have nots. I aways read the comments under the articles, they are the most useful.
What’s the easiest and most difficult parts of your job as a writer?
I find carving out time to write increasingly difficult – being a writer has so many extra responsibilities now, you can forget what your core skill is! The easiest bit is enthusing about your latest book – you live with it in near solitude for the best part of a year and it’s a joy to be released to talk about it.
Do you write about people you know? Or yourself?
Yes, but only in a sly composite way. Since my characters are known to be dislikable I would never deliver a straight portrait of someone I know – I might get sued! There’s a lot of me in there. In Our Holiday, the one I’m most like is Perry. Like him, I’m prone to ranting and identify as a motorist.
What’s some great advice you’ve received that has helped you as a writer?
The best agents and editors will always let you write the story that excites you and not worry about chasing trends. You have to hold your nerve sometimes when others are zigging with huge success but you want to zag.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?
Make sure you have a strong central idea. Even if you’re combining multiple plots and themes, identify the one that the book is ‘about’ and be able to sell it in a single line. Ultimately, a book needs to be sold.
Who are some of your favourite authors? Or favourite books?
I love subversive crime writers like Patricia Highsmith and Barbara Vine. My favourite writer is Tom Wolfe, whose dedication to outrageous and eccentric characters shines through every line. My favourite of his is I Am Charlotte Simmons because I love a campus setting.
Are you able to switch off at the end of a day of writing? If so, how?
I watch a lot of TV and always have a book or audiobook on the go. I love walking, especially on the beach with my dog Bertie. And drinking wine.
What’s your daily writing routine like and what are you working on at the moment?
When I’m in writing mode I start at about 9.30am and break at about 2.30 for a long dog walk. Then I’ll continue till about 7. I set myself a weekly word count goal so I can have a bad day and not stress about it. I try for 5,000 words a week but secretly hope for more. I often work weekends. I’m working on my next novel and a screenplay of another of my books.
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