Rosen, who or what inspired you to start writing fiction?
Learning to read inspired me to start writing fiction! As soon as I learnt to say "cat", I was waiting for my next word so that I could try out different combinations.
It helped that there are some wonderful, inspiring books for children such as those by Roald Dahl. I wrote stories for my teachers, my friends and later, a little sister. There were also a number of plays which were usually performed through a hatch in the kitchen, using cuddly toys and my long-suffering brother.
When did you decide you wanted to become a writer?
I don't remember ever making a conscious decision to become a writer.
I decided to become a self-publishing novelist in 2010 when I found out about the Kindle Direct Publishing programme, and learnt how easily I could share my work.
You’re a very versatile author, writing in several genres and styles. Do you have a favourite genre, or do you feel it’s more rewarding to experiment?
I like to keep things varied. Comedy is my favourite genre and I absolutely loved writing London, the Doggy and Me, but experimenting with other genres has helped to keep things fresh and interesting. Sometimes a story just has to be told, and it doesn't matter whether if fits your genre, brand or target audience, you just feel you have to do it; my short On the Rocks is a prime example.
Please could you tell us something about the stories in Seesaw?
Some are silly and humorous, others handle very serious subjects, usually with a psychological element. Readers have reported both laughing out loud and bursting into tears, which I'm told, is a good thing!
On the one hand, there's Lipstick and Knickers, a comedy about a man who finds an unfamiliar pair of knickers on his bedroom floor and investigates their origin, and London, the Doggy and Me, a farce about a woman charged with looking after the body of a gigantic dead dog. At the other extreme, there are stories tackling issues like kidnap, suicide and mental health.
They're all tales that I originally wrote as standalone pieces to introduce people to my work. However, they really took off and became popular in their own right. Many people asked if there were paper copies, so I put them together in a paperback volume. At first glance, the content of the stories may appear unlinked, but the preface explains all.
What are you working on now?
My next novel! It's a black comedy about the world of indie publishing. I'm going to have to be careful to get across the humour without alienating other indies, because there are many very talented self-published writers out there, and I don't want to do them a disservice. Some of my new characters are truly horrendous!
Do you have any hints and tips for other writers of fiction?
Never give up. You will get knockbacks, you will find yourself working long hours for little reward, but every writer who's ever become a success has gone through that. If others criticise your work, decide whether you can learn from it and then take time out to remind yourself of your own faith in what you do.
Also, don't get hung up on trying to find a mainstream publisher. These days, self-publishing opens up endless possibilities. The publishing industry is rapidly changing. Who knows what's next in store for us.
Congratulations to everybody on the shortlist. It was difficult to choose ten stories because the overall standard of entries was very high. There were quite a few stories which very nearly made it.
Here's the shortlist, in alphabetical order of author:
Chloe Banks, The War of the Last Rolo
Jennifer Bohnet, Paris Can Wait
Debbie Freeman, For the Love of Chocolate
Lara Higgins, On a Night Like This
Geoff Holder, Blood and Chocolate
Laura E James, Bitter Sweet
Lucy Mouland, A Foreign Field
Margaret Mounsden, Black Market
Lucy Oliver, Her Life, in Chocolate
Marilyn Rodwell, Brazilian Dreams
The winner and runner up will be revealed on the 10th April.1st prize - £200, publication on the Choc Lit website and Choc Lit’s authors corner blog and a box of chocolates from Plush Chocolates.
A runner up will receive £50 and a box of chocolates from Plush Chocolates.
