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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, author Pauline Tait shares the inspiration behind her new book, Anna’s Promise, and her creative writing process.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed Pauline Tait about her life and career, the story of her new book, Anna’s Promise, and what inspired her characters.
Hi JJ, I’m an award-winning and bestselling children’s author, romantic suspense novelist, writing mentor to children’s authors and Editorial Manager for the online international magazine for writers, Writers’ Narrative.
I’m also the voice behind Reluctant Readers, a relatively new weekly newsletter that goes out to parents and carers of pre-school and primary stage children who are reluctant to read.
I used to make up stories for my children when they were young. But with no qualifications in creative writing, I felt it was a dream that was simply out of reach.
There was something about hitting my mid-forties, though. That was when I decided to wipe the cobwebs off the manuscript to one of my children’s picture books, The Fairy in the Kettle. It is now part of an award-winning trilogy.
In my early twenties. I would jot down ideas, character descriptions and plots. I also attempted a few rough drafts but, in the end, I just filed them away.
Haha, well, if we ignore the two decades between me scribbling down a rough first draft of The Fairy in the Kettle to its publication, around six months. As once I was happy with the manuscript, I put it away for a couple of months so that I could go over it again with fresh eyes. Something I think is important in picture book writing as there are so many elements to get right.
My latest release, Anna’s Promise, is part of The Maren Bay series. It took me just over a year to finish. That includes it going off to the editor and me going through the edits. Our house was being renovated at the same time, which meant my writing time was limited. I’m hoping to be quicker with my next novel.
I seem to need to write. That’s just who I am. But Anna’s Promise, as with the others in The Maren Bay Series, is set on the Isle of Skye. The island is home from home for my husband and me. We have holidayed on it more times than we can count and have got to know some of the locals.
I think writing about the island allows me to keep my connection with it when I’m not there.
Time. Renovating our house, to the extent that we did, impacted hugely on both my writing time and creativity. We lived in an internal guddle for just over a year. In hindsight, we should have moved out for some of it, but with the kids grown up and away, we had decided to muddle through. Coordinating the work, trying to get hold of materials on the back of Covid and Brexit, and living in the lulls while late materials meant we had lost our slots with tradesmen and had to wait until they were next free again, made writing difficult.
I’m not sure. Anna, my protagonist, came to me around the same time I started writing Abigail Returns. I’m not sure where I conjured her up from, but I remember being frustrated at having to park her while I focused on Abigail.
Oh, he’s a shifty character. But I do hope my readers have some sympathy for him. He is a lost soul who has been led astray. He may appear in a later novel, I have an idea bubbling away, it just isn’t quite cooked yet!
The discovery of a wooden box after her mother’s death upsets Anna’s lonely world. Its contents leave her feeling more isolated and alone than she had before. But there are clues to her mother’s past and Anna feels she has no option but to follow them, no matter where they lead.
The focus of the novel is Anna’s need to feel she belongs. Struggling to come to terms with losing her mother, Anna embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about her family and her mother’s hidden past.
And while a letter, a photograph and the Old Lodge lead her back to the Isle of Skye, Anna is shocked to discover the island she had holidayed on so often as a child has been quietly keeping the secrets her mother had left unsaid.
I’m a plotter, but only to the extent that I know my ARC. After that I give my characters a free reign. I think that can help strengthen both our characters and plots. Sometimes, when we are deep in the writing zone our characters can lead us down unplotted paths. I’ve learned to go it when this happens, it usually improves both the scene and overall structure of the novel.
Yes, absolutely. I think every author should use an editor. When we are writing tens of thousands of words and we know our ARCs inside out, it’s easy to become word blind. The use of commas is also far more liberal now than when I was at school. Meaning mine often need whipped into shape.
But I do try to get my manuscripts into the best shape I can before sending them off. I’m a perfectionist, so I struggle to part with them until I’m happy I’ve done the best I can with them.
Commas and getting muddled between the em dash and the en dash seem to be the most common issue for me when writing my novels.
My advice is always to give it a go. To research the publishing expectations within their chosen genre, and to read the titles that are selling well within that genre. Researching their genre is key. Then write.
Yes. There are still at least another four books to come in The Maren Bay Series. I’m also planning a spin off series set in a location within Anna’s Promise. I also have another character that I’m itching to bring to life. Again, this will be a suspenseful mystery series… with romance, of course.
I’m also plotting in the background with my children’s books. I’m hoping to progress both genres over the next few months.
Definitely. I would never have imagined when starting out as a debut published author in 2016 that I would be where I am today. It’s not just my writing, but the mentoring side of my author business is doing extremely well, too. I mentor fellow children’s authors on everything from ensuring their vocabulary is in line with their target audience, to ensuring they are aware of the power of illustrations, to preparing to submit to an agent or publisher. Or, if self-publishing, right through to publication, where I help authors ensure their self-published book has the traditionally published look.
I’ve also been fortunate in that Waterstones have been a huge support of my books and me as an author. I’m thrilled to have a book tour coming for Anna’s Promise in late spring. We’re just finalising dates at the moment. But it’s looking like I’ll be going around the country again with Anna’s Promise.
The Fairy in the Kettle: https://amzn.to/3XnUFHd
The Fairy in the Kettle’s Christmas Wish: https://amzn.to/4b699i3
The Fairy in the Kettle Gets Magical: https://amzn.to/3Xs1xTK
A Life of Their Own
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4cpaqlh
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4cqtsrK
Book One, Abigail Returns
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3RwGMmq
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bafBVo
Book Two, Anna’s Promise
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4b9rPNO
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3Vs99TQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ptauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tait_pauline_author/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PTait_author
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-tait-award-winning-author-and-writing-mentor-70ab93191/
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