Firstly – thanks so much for having me here, Simona. As always I
appreciate your support and all the lovely things you’ve said about my books!
It means the world.
1. Did you always dream of being a writer?
Actually, no! It
was never part of the plan. And even today, if someone were to ask me what my
dream job would be, it wouldn’t be writing. It would involve being outdoors and
doing something to do with nature. (As you can see, I’m still slightly unclear
on that front . . .) That said, I’m not complaining about writing by any means.
Writing offers fantastic freedom from the crushing hours I used to work and as
a life-long wordaholic I love being able to play around with words and ideas
all day long. And the feeling of seeing my books on the shelf of a shop is
indescribable. It’s a great privilege to do this for a living.
2.
Your fourth novel The Day We
Disappeared comes out in April, what can
your readers expect and what is it about?
The Day We Disappeared is a story
of two women who are running from something in their past. It’s hard to talk
much about the story, as there are a lot of mysteries and plot twists, but my
readers can expect two big love stories, horses, Lucy Robinson humour but also
some great sadness and quite dark and unsettling storylines too. But I hope
I’ve handled the darker stuff in a way that prevents it from being
overwhelming. Overall it’s a positive and uplifting story about escaping very traumatic
pasts.
3.
What was your
inspiration for the book?
All I knew when I started it were two things: 1) I
wanted to set part of my book in a horse yard and 2) I wanted it to begin with
a woman being parachuted into a totally new life. Not a great deal to be
working with there, as I’m sure you’ll agree. But the ideas started flowing as
soon as I started to wonder who this woman was, and why she’d suddenly turned
up in a completely new place. Where had she been? What had happened? But the
greatest inspiration came from a conversation I had with a very brave woman
about a year ago. I’ll remember what she told me for the rest of my life.
You’ll have to read the book to find out more!
4.
The Unfinished Symphony Of You and Me was published last year, tell us more about
the story.
I’m so very fond of that book! It’s about Sally, a girl from a
council estate in the Midlands, who has the most incredible singing voice but
cannot bring herself to sing in front of anyone else. She spends most of her
life hiding in the shadows, until a life-changing summer in New York -
involving a beautiful man she will never forget and a tragic event in her
family life - forces her to step into the limelight.
5.
I absolutely loved The Greatest Love
Story Of All Time, how did you develop
the story and what is it about?
Thanks! That story came out of a chat with
a book editor in a gay bar in Soho on a rainy Monday night. I’m still not
entirely sure what we were doing there, but she had contacted me having read my
blog in Marie Claire and was
convinced that I should write a book. I was convinced that I shouldn’t. She won
in the end. She asked about my life; I told her I’d had a terrible break up the
year before and somehow we agreed that we’d use a horrible breakup as the
starting point for the story. I hadn’t the faintest idea how to write a book
but I just forced myself to do it and was amazed at the speed with which the
ideas crowded my head.
6. Where and when do you write your stories?
In my writing room
in lovely, arty, beautiful, creative, mad, anarchic, lefty, graffiti-covered,
hilly, friendly, community-focused Bristol. The Man and I moved here more than
eighteen months ago and it’s been life-changing. I love it so much! I also rent
a desk one day at week at a brilliant creative co-operative so that I don’t
spend too much time alone. This coming year I’m going to get stricter about
getting my writing done in the morning so I can spend more time outdoors in the
afternoon.
7.
What do you do and
enjoy when you’re not writing?
I love walking and being around animals.
Especially dogs and horses. I try to ride as often as I can but I don’t own a
horse so it’s a bit of a challenge! I also love reading and exploring all the
many interesting cultural things Bristol has going on. This year I’m aiming to
do a bit of volunteering because, well, because. I’ve also got into healthy
eating on a grand scale over the past six months and am eating the most amazing
and delicious food ever. So at the moment I am really enjoying learning to cook
things from scratch, avoiding processed foods and the usual nasties – sugar,
dairy, gluten and so on. It’s been a brilliant journey; I’ve learned so much
about food, and I feel fantastic.
8.
The covers of your
books are amazing. How were they developed?
Aren’t they! They are
developed by very clever and talented people at Penguin. I’m only minimally involved, which is
probably a good thing. I’m not remotely creative when it comes to visual stuff.
9. If you could switch places with a characters from a
book, who would it be and why?
You know what, I’ve never been as happy to be me
as I am these days. But I always used to want to be Scarlett O’Hara. Kissing
Rhett Butler and wearing corsets and being fiery and tempestuous. Yeah.
10.
A Passionate Love Affair With a Total Stranger is another one of your books, what makes
this one special in your eyes?
Probably Charley’s final escape from
crushing workaholism. I was going through a similar thing when I wrote the
book. Also, though, it is hard not to love Sam Bowes. He is one of my all-time
favourite men.
11.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Oh, all
of it. I do not find writing easy. Luckily, all of my author friends seem to
have the same troubles. You just have to keep the faith, keep smiling and
plough on through. Never let your concerns get out of control – it always comes
right in the end. I mean, it really
isn’t life or death! My aim for 2015 and book 5 is to just enjoy it, in spite
of the inevitable difficulties. I’m determined to make that happen.
12.
If you could plan the perfect holiday, what would it
be?
It would go on for about a year,
and would involve me and The Man. We would not have phones, internet or
anything that connects us to the incessant noise of modern life. But we would
need a very good blender for morning smoothies. And ideally a food processor.
Haha. I’m not sure! I’ve done a lot of travelling and can honestly say that I
don’t have a favourite type of destination – I love sea and beaches but I love
mountains and misty cloud forests. I love far-flung cities and strange little
villages. I’ll take anything you’ve got, if you’re offering, Simona.
13. Coffee or tea? Neither! (I know!
Weird, huh? But I hate them both!)
14. Paperback or
e-reader? PAPERBACK FOR EVER AND EVER.
15. Mountains or the
sea?
See above. I’m incapable of deciding.
26. Summer or winter? Again, very torn!
I do love a crisp, sunny winter like nothing else, but summer in the British
countryside is surely one of the most beautiful things on earth. All two days
of it.
17. Sweet or salty? Sweet. But no refined sugar please ;-)
About the author
Lucy on Twitter: @Lucy_Robinson
Website: http://lucy-robinson.co.uk
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