BookBlast interview with Bridget Blankley, author
Bridget Blankley, where were you born, and where did you grow up?
I was born in Nottingham, as were my parents, but I grew up in Southern Nigeria. When we came back to the UK, we moved around a bit before settling in Essex. I stayed there until I had my children.
What sorts of books were in your family home?
There was a real spread of genres. My sister read historical fiction — lots of it — we were always battling for space on our joint bookshelves. My dad liked humour and detective fiction: the Father Brown Stories, Simenon’s Maigret, and Jeeves and Wooster. There were also quite a lot of autobiographies in the house. I’m not sure who brought them, probably Mum, but we all read them.
I was lucky as a child — there was no limit on what we could read. If it was in the house, anyone could read it. My dad believed that if it was too advanced for us, we would lose interest in the book and put it back on the shelf. I think it probably worked. I never felt I had to finish a book that I wasn’t enjoying, but I never felt that any books were beyond me.
Who were early formative influences as a writer?
I remember liking to read books that were part of a series: all the Swallows and Amazons books, everything by Douglas Adams and Agatha Christie. So, you’d think I would already have my next book about Jamal finished. Unfortunately, I haven’t, but I did end The Ghosts and Jamal so that it is possible.
I am also drawn to books with a strong sense of place — Du Maurier’s coastlines, Jansson’s rural Finland, or Höeg’s Greenland. I hope this is reflected in The Ghosts and Jamal. I wanted to use the landscape — the red soil and the overcrowded streets — to make the readers feel that they were on the journey with Jamal.
Do you write every day?
At the moment, I am researching for my next book, so I am doing less writing and more reading. But I still like to write a couple of days a week — small pieces of writing that are finished in a single day. But I am beginning to miss getting my teeth into something longer. I think I’ll have to start writing the novel soon, even if I have to rewrite it once I’ve interviewed a few more people. However, I can’t set a strict timetable for writing — I’m a carer, so that always takes priority over anything else.
Do you do many drafts?
Definitely. I read once that “all writing is bad, it’s rewriting that makes it readable.”
I like to get the whole story down as quickly as I can, writing two or three thousand words a day. Then I print out the manuscript and read it, scribbling corrections in the margins. I have to use a paper copy, as I find editing on screen almost impossible.
As an author, what are you most proud (or embarrassed) of writing?
Last year, I wrote a small piece of non-fiction about Chora in Greece for ‘The Alpine Fellowship’. It might not have been the best writing that I have ever produced, but I was quite proud of myself for writing it. It was a very personal piece, and I have Asperger’s syndrome, so I am not very comfortable talking about how I feel. I think I deserve a pat on the back for doing it.
Of course, I’m also very pleased with The Ghosts and Jamal. It’s my first novel, so it’s lovely to see it in print.
Your views on success?
It’s great fun and, at the same time, quite daunting. I am ridiculously happy every time someone tells me that they have enjoyed what I have written — then I wonder if they have got the right author.
I’ve only been writing for a few years, and sometimes I think that I’m going to be told that it has all been a mistake. However, I’m going to enjoy myself in the meantime, meeting my readers and writing more stories.
What are you working on now?
I’m halfway through a collection of short stories, but I’ve been told that short stories don’t sell, so I’m also working on another Young Adult novel. This time, I wanted to write about strong female characters.
Your views on book publishing?
It’s an exciting time. There are so many independent presses in the UK now, and new, small agencies, so there are more opportunities for authors to find the right match for their work.
However, I might not be the best person to ask about this as The Ghosts and Jamal is my first book. What I can say is that getting that match is really important. Potential authors need to look at how they fit with the rest of the work that a publisher (or agency) has in their catalogue. HopeRoad was the right publisher for a book like mine, and a smaller, independent publisher was right for a person like me.
What are your favourite literary journals?
I subscribe to Granta, the Literary Review, and the New Welsh Review. I use the library for other journals.
Your views on how new technology has (or has not) changed your writing life? Your views on social media?
Well, I would hate to go back to using a typewriter, with the need for carbon paper and correction fluid—or, even worse, to writing a whole book in longhand. However, I do use notebooks to keep my ideas in, and I have pages of first lines that I’m keeping ready for the right story to fit them to. But, in general, word processing wins out every time. I even have a nice piece of software that reads what I’ve typed back to me—I catch a lot of typing mistakes that way.
Social media is another thing entirely. I’m learning slowly, but I’m not a child of the internet age. My sons are helpful — occasionally — and my publisher is nagging me to get better at it. So maybe I should say that social media is “work in progress.”
I have a Facebook account for my book and a Twitter account, and I try to remember to post at least twice a week. Maybe by my next book, I’ll have caught up and be fully media savvy — at least, I hope so!
Do you enjoy reading e-books?
I have an e-reader, but if I’m honest, I don’t use it very often. I find it very difficult to read on screen. Mostly, I use it to sample books from Amazon, then, if I enjoy the book, I buy a paper copy.
If you could go anywhere in time for one day, where would you go and why?
Somewhere cold and windy, preferably on the North Sea coast — ideally, Robin Hood’s Bay. I used to spend time there with my father.
Who are the five people, living or dead, you’d invite to a party?
My maternal grandmother
Dame Caroline Haslett
Shirley Williams
Philip Pullman
Tove Jansson
Your favourite prose authors?
Anthony Marra (A Constellation of Vital Phenomena)
Ama Ata Aidoo
Nadifa Mohamed (The Orchard of Lost Souls)
Margaret Atwood
Jeanette Winterson
Judith Herrin
Your chief characteristic?
I’m over-fond of cake and coffee — neither of which are very good for me.
Your bedside reading?
I’m taking a course on the History of Art at the moment, so there are piles of books about Art Theory on my bedside cabinet.
Your motto?
If in doubt, go to the library.
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