Thursday 10 April 2014

Q&A with Victoria Browne

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I'm so happy to welcome the wonderful Victoria Browne on Sky's Book Corner today. I read her book Gut Feeling and I absolutely y loved it. There is more of her to come in the summer, I can't wait!!!
Thank you SO much lovely lady for answering my questions it means a lot, xxx. 

Bio

Qualifying as a dental nurse I worked in Harley Street London, before moving into the world of real estate. During this time I also qualified as a mortgage broker and eventually opened my own real estate agency.

Reading was one thing that did not come easy due to dyslexia, causing much frustration. With a great deal of determination, I progressed to where I am today, living in South London with my partner Jon and our two cats. I sold my company to set up a family home and continue my writing career. I now publish though Neville House Publishing and enjoy a full and enriched life.
Author and #chicklit enthusiast, a book worm who likes listening to audio books and a lover of particle physics.



Interview


1. Did you always dream of being a writer?

No. I thought that I would never be a writer because I had dyslexia and couldn’t read. I remember being a small girl holding a thick Steven King novel and smelling the pages wishing that I could read it. (I still love the smell of books)

2. Your novel is called Gut Feeling. Why that name and how was the story developed?

Ashley, the main character from the book actually named it. I couldn’t think of a name until I had finished the book and then it hit me. Ashley had made reference to her gut feelings a few times and it just felt right, you could say I had a “gut feeling.” The story was developed from a short piece of erotic writing. It still features at the beginning of the book but as a much tamer version for the chick lit audience. From there the characters lead me though their lives, one character actually changed his own sexuality. Leon was meant to be a masculine womaniser but I got a few chapters in and realised he was far from masculine! Once I gave in to this, Leon really came out of himself (pun intended)

3. What does your family think about you being a writer?

In a nutshell they love it. My dad is the first to read anything I write, which can make me cringe and I cant think about this when I’m writing or I would not publish anything. My mum lets me bore her with all the story gossip, so by the time I’ve finished the book she knows what has happened and how it ends, all several possible versions of. My fiancés is not a book person so I read my manuscripts aloud to him after it comes back from the final edit which helps me catch any missed typos. My brother I know is proud of me but will never read a girly chick lit even if his sister did write it, oh no. But his wife is a super honest reviewer for me.

4. You suffer from dyslexia, that must be very hard as writer, can you tell us a little more about it?

It was hard for me as a young dyslexic because the help was limited and it wasn’t until I was twenty-five that I found help. Once I had rewired my brain so to speak, I learnt to read and spell properly, however the emotional frustration had a deep impact on my self-esteem. When I was a young writer it did affect my work because the vocabulary I had in my head did not match my spelling ability. I would find myself substituting words on paper in order to make my writing legible, unaware that is only detracted from the writing impact on the reader. I now work to raise awareness for dyslexia in the hope that others can get the right help so that they can learn the written word and not suffer the same issues as I did. Dyslexia is not a reading disability but a language disability, and if someone with dyslexia is taught in a different way so that they understand then there is no reason why they cant read, write and spell as good as anyone else.

5. Can you tell us a little about The Honey Trap?

I’m very excited about this book. Third Time Lucky - "The Honey Trap" Is the first book in a two part series. It is a fast moving witty Chick lit drama that will take you on a journey of laughter, tears, revelations and much more. Good friends Sarah, Laura, Beth and Jess decide to honey trap Jess's new American boyfriend Richard. How can such a simple plan go wrong? Well, Just add hot sexy Elise to the mix, and then a few glasses of wine and you have a cocktail fit for disaster when Elise honey traps the wrong boyfriend. It is due out this Summer 2014… Watch this space.

6. How do you relax?

Can I say that I write? But if I’m not jotting down some sort story or idea for a blog post I like to walk if the weather is warm or veg out on my sofa watching the science channels with my two cats Poppy and Daisy.

7. Where and when do you write your stories?

Any coffee shop that will house me, my favourite is Cafe Nero because they play classical music, which helps me think. If I’m not in a coffee shop then I like to write in my kitchen or spare bedroom that is now my writing room when we don’t have guests over :)

8. What do you do and enjoy when you’re not writing?

I’m really getting into my fitness DVD's now, which I do with my fiancé after work. I like to dance and do like a good evening out with friends for some good food and wine.

9. Who is your favourite author and why?

Oh that’s a really hard question for me, I would have to say Sebastian Faulks. My very first audio book was Bird Song by Sebastian Faulks and my mum bought me The girl at the lion d or for my twenty-first birthday, both books I hold close to my heart. He is such a good writer, I love his descriptions and his details really help me connects to the story.

10. If you were shipwrecked on a desert island what 3 books would you want with you?

Can you keep a secret by Sophie Kinsella to cheer me up, The girl at the lion d or by Sebastian Faulks to keep me strong, and Lovely bones by Alice Sebold for a good old cry.

11. If you could plan the perfect holiday, what would it be?

Oh this is so easy. A week in St Barts at a five star hotel with my own butler!

12. What are 5 items you never leave home without?

Handbag
Business cards
Amex
iPhone
Head phones so I can listen to my audio books on the go.

13. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

Getting the right help for my dyslexia at primary school.

14. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Marylyn Monroe ever since I read a quote from her when I was Nine saying "I don’t know who invented high heals, but all woman owe him a lot" she is my idle.

15. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

For me this would have been when Leon one of my characters wrote his own persona. I went home one day after work and said to my fiancé, "Leon's gay" Jon’s just looked at me bewildered, until I explained. It’s an amazing feeling when you sit down with a clear vision of what is going to happen in a chapter and then when your finished you have written something entirely different but perfect. It’s like writing in tongues.
  
16. Coffee or tea? Coffee

17. Paperback or e-reader? E-reader

18. Mountains or the sea? Sea

19. Summer or winter? Summer

20. Sweet or salty? Sweet

Victoria on Twitter: @VixBrowneAuthor




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