I'm a bestselling novelist

[carruthersjames]

AMA!

Ooh well done OP, I know how bloody hard it is! Have you had any experience with vanity publishers? That's all the experience I've ever had grin not bitter at all

Thank you. And no. I'm very lucky. I got an agent relatively quickly and sold to a large publisher. I'm aware it could have gone so many other ways - self publishing, small presses, signing with a big publisher and then not selling. So I'm very lucky.

@nachofries - coast is clear
Check out Tania Carver. Excellent books.

Do you write at the weekend or give yourself two days off like a normal working week?

So next question, can I ask how old you were when you wrote your first book (that went on to be published)?

Well done by the way, it doesn’t seem like the easiest work to do. I write and have, like you say you have, on and off forever. I just can’t seem to commit to it.

Do you write at the weekend or give yourself two days off like a normal working week?

I work in a shamefully chaotic way TBH. I would love to close the door on my office Mon-Fri and I intend to every week but I actually do lots of writing at 11pm, sometimes I do a few days' worth of words on a Sunday evening when I should have been relaxing. It just invades most aspects of my life and am always thinking about my current book.

So next question, can I ask how old you were when you wrote your first book (that went on to be published)?

35

Well done by the way, it doesn’t seem like the easiest work to do. I write and have, like you say you have, on and off forever. I just can’t seem to commit to it.

I was the same. It's worth it, if it helps. But it takes a certain type of person to write 100,000 words without help, money or guarantee.

Thanks for answering my earlier questions and bloody well done for just getting on and writing. I have so many half ideas that never go anywhere.

So another question, how do you name your characters? Do you ever get inspiration from the MN name boards? One of my colleagues has a character named after her in a crime novel series and I'm so envious! She's still alive a few books in which is good going considering the body count!

So another question, how do you name your characters? Do you ever get inspiration from the MN name boards? One of my colleagues has a character named after her in a crime novel series and I'm so envious! She's still alive a few books in which is good going considering the body count!

How funny. Some characters are easy to name and seem to 'arrive' fully formed. I sometimes look at police most wanted boards, or I do google 'names like X' to find inspiration. Some change after a draft and I feel their name isn't working. I try to go with reasonably common and normal names. I recently read a novel which had all outrageous character names in it - which were atypical for their ages, too - and I found quite distracting.

How did you decide which agents to write to? How long did it take before you got some interest?

How did you decide which agents to write to? How long did it take before you got some interest?

I looked up agents who dealt with my genre and I already followed a few on twitter who I thought were quite helpful and engaging. I look up authors in my genre and their agents and I read The Bookseller to see which agents had recently sold and what their tastes were like.

I had requests for the full manuscript within 2 weeks and an offer within 6.

Wow! Your pitch must have been knock out!

Do you have much vetoed by your publisher? You can't have someone with xx as a villian, you can't have that as a motivation etc? I would imagine there's some subjects that are pretty much off limits at the moment, do you find that to be the case?

Do you have much vetoed by your publisher? You can't have someone with xx as a villian, you can't have that as a motivation etc? I would imagine there's some subjects that are pretty much off limits at the moment, do you find that to be the case?

(Can you tell I am procrastinating?) Not really. In fact, my books are pretty taboo. I have very free rein but I wouldn't pitch an idea to my publisher that wouldn't sell, and if they gave me a steer on that I'd be grateful as we have the same goals in mind. If you don't sell well, chances are it'll be harder for you to remain an author, so...

Oooh I'm interested at you being taboo. Really need to find one of your books now. Do you get any backlash from writing taboo subjects and do you write under your own name?

@carruthersjames

Have you ever received any weird reviews? Just the kind that make you go 'wtf' - for example I read a review of a horror the other day and it was described as 'too scary'

Also, have you ever been a victim of piracy? And how do authors deal with that?

Oooh I'm interested at you being taboo. Really need to find one of your books now. Do you get any backlash from writing taboo subjects and do you write under your own name?

Yes I write under my name. I get the occasional sniffy review, but I think going where some other authors don't have been advantageous too - I've been reviewed in the broadsheets and am published in America.

Have you ever received any weird reviews? Just the kind that make you go 'wtf' - for example I read a review of a horror the other day and it was described as 'too scary' grin

All the time. Each of my books has over 300 amazon reviews and I'd say 10% or more are weird/make no sense/complaining about Amazon's packaging/reviewer has misunderstood something fundamental about my books/hates my books but continues to buy and review every single one.

Also, have you ever been a victim of piracy? And how do authors deal with that?

Yes, I am often told my publisher has sent cease and desist letters to epub download sites. I think that happens very often.

Are you a former detective?

“ut if you walk into a supermarket stocking 20 or less books, mine are there - you're a writer, it's 'fewer' books, surely?

There is more to writing books than immaculate grammar.“

There’s more to singing than auto-tune, but when asked to pay for the “talent” some of us prefer to pay for genuine article.

And by that, I mean not knowing grammar rules when you’re a writer is same as not being able to read music when you claim to be a singer.

Actually quite a lot of massive stage musical singers (household names & huge talents) cannot read a word/note of music. Instead they are blessed to be pitch perfect.
If an author can write characters, places and story in that engaging, can't put it down way - grammar is second choice. Editors can sort that out.

On a side note - my guess of author has done taboo storylines a lot... if you're not her and you are even more taboo - I'm chomping at the bit here to find your books.....
Off to the supermarket tomorrow. I love finding new writers, genres etc

Hey! Can't think of anything taboo that I've read recently (or ever actually), but I read thrillers all the time. Don't normally buy them in shops, usually second hand shops, so not really a source of income to writers lol. But well done.

Fascinating thread! I love thrillers so also wish I knew if I had read any of your books

Are you a former detective?

No.

“ut if you walk into a supermarket stocking 20 or less books, mine are there - you're a writer, it's 'fewer' books, surely?

There is more to writing books than immaculate grammar.“

There’s more to singing than auto-tune, but when asked to pay for the “talent” some of us prefer to pay for genuine article.

And by that, I mean not knowing grammar rules when you’re a writer is same as not being able to read music when you claim to be a singer.

Yes, this is more to singing than autotune but there is also lots more to being a novelist: vivid prose, good plot, characters and, yes, grammar. I don't really think I am not 'the genuine article' because I made a grammatical error on a forum.

Actually quite a lot of massive stage musical singers (household names & huge talents) cannot read a word/note of music. Instead they are blessed to be pitch perfect.
If an author can write characters, places and story in that engaging, can't put it down way - grammar is second choice. Editors can sort that out.

My copy editor doesn't generally have to do much grammar-wise, but the house style of my publishers varies (e.g. my American publisher would usually use hyphens instead of bracketing commas). Plenty of my writer friends have all their commas (and even apostrophes) changed on edits though.

On a side note - my guess of author has done taboo storylines a lot... if you're not her and you are even more taboo - I'm chomping at the bit here to find your books.....
Off to the supermarket tomorrow. I love finding new writers, genres etc

Who's your guess?

Who is/are your favourite authors?

Thanks for answering btw.