Yorkshire, 1845. Folklore whispers that they used to burn witches at the standing stone on the moor. When the wind is easterly, it wails a strange lament. History declares it was placed as a marker, visible for miles—a signpost for the lost, directing them towards home.
I'm pleased to welcome author Allie Cresswell to The Writing Desk:
Tell us about your latest book
The Standing Stone on the Moor is the latest instalment in my Talbot Saga. Like all the books in the series, it stands alone; you don’t need to have read the others, and in fact I have written them all out of order.
The book is set in Yorkshire in 1845, an interesting period historically. It concerns Beth and Frank Harlish, who are stewards of a stately home—Tall Chimneys.
It’s a thankless task, as the Talbots—the owners—never visit. Both Beth and Frank have been educated beyond their sphere by a philanthropic member of the Talbot family, but while Frank is content to manage the grounds of the estate, Beth has always yearned for a life beyond the moor. Her world is turned upside down when a band of itinerant Irish people arrive on the moor, fleeing the potato famine in their own country. She is powerfully drawn to their leader, Ruairi, although the rest of the villagers view the newcomers with suspicion. The advent of the Irish folk presents Beth with an opportunity, if she can bring herself to leave Frank, and Tall Chimneys behind.
What is your preferred writing routine?
I treat writing as a job—albeit a part-time, seasonal one. I try to be at my desk by 10am and to write until about 3pm. I’m lucky to have a dedicated writing space in our house, an attic. I like to feel I’m Jo March, scribbling in a garret!
I have to have silence while I’m writing—no music—and, if I’m lucky, a steady supply of tea and toast.
I tend to write in the winter months, beginning in late September and writing until the book is done, usually mid-March. April and May are spent in beta-reading, editorial, book-cover creation and launch-planning. Then, usually about now, the book is launched.
There is some follow up promo work to do but unfortunately I am not one of those writers who spends the summer touring literary festivals doing Q & As, giving readings and doing book signings. No. My summer is spent harvesting peas and beans and making chutney and jam. I like to spend this time thinking about my next project, but I also beta-read for other authors and take part in their ARC team launches. I feel strongly that Indies must support one another, and I try to play my part.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Just do what you love! Write for writing’s sake, for the greater empathy and insight it will give you into the human psyche, for the exercise of your creative gland. And read! Read good books in your genre and in every other genre. Ask yourself what makes them great. Or, conversely, why they don’t grab you. Then apply that to your own work. Finally, don’t have grand ambitions. Writing is its own reward.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
Oh dear. Its something every writer struggles with, especially Indies who have to do all their own marketing. But recently, I’ve been attending craft and creatives’ fairs with my books, selling direct to the public. People are astounded to know that all the books on the stall are written by me (I have written sixteen novels), and are very open to being engaged in conversation about their own favourite authors. It’s been so encouraging to have people return to tell me they loved the book they bought from me last time.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research
One of the characters in the Lady in the Veil, set in 1835, has a tendency towards angry outbursts and emotional tantrums which, in those days, was diagnosed as hysteria. The medical treatment for hysteria really really surprised me. But I can’t describe it to you here because this blog has a PG rating.
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
I find action scenes quite difficult to write. My stories are character-driven and much of the ‘action’ is internal, as the characters evolve. Ordinary, everyday exchanges and actions turn out to have big consequences in terms of the plot, and my writing tends to be a combination of descriptive, contemplative prose and naturalistic dialogue. But I had to write a daring mine rescue in Standing Stone, with pace and peril, lots of external detail and physical elements, quick-fire prose. That was tricky and challenging, and involved lots of research as to the internal structure of coal mines in that period. But I think I pulled it off.
What are you planning to write next?
Another instalment in the Talbot Saga, but this one takes the family right back to the beginning, in 1580. It isn’t a period I’m especially familiar with, so there is lots of reading to be done around the topic. Again, because I’ve written the series out of order, I already know (because a character describes it in The House in the Hollow) that the family were pirates, so I’m going to have to get my head around a certain amount of swashing and buckling—whatever that is!
Allie Cresswell
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About the Author
Thank you so much for hosting Allie Cresswell today, with such a lovely interview. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie x
The Coffee Pot Book Club