Today I’m joining the blog tour for The Accidental Housemate. I’m sharing my Q&A with the author with thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the tour and to Sal Thomas for answering my questions!

Have you always wanted to write?

Not novels specifically, but I have always wanted to make people laugh. I dabbled in stand-up comedy when I was in my twenties, then tried my hand at sketches and sitcoms, but I couldn’t make a living at it. Then about six years ago I decided perhaps writing RomComs might be an even better thing to not make a living at! And here we are 😉

What were your previous jobs? Have they helped you with your writing process?

My day jobs have always been in various aspects of Marketing, but its only recently that I’ve manoeuvred my way into a marketing role that involves a lot of writing. Previously I would do desperately embarrassing things like accidentally fart in front of clients, or say inappropriate things due to pitch presentation jitters. I now channel that energy into my main characters. 

What was your inspiration for The Accidental Housemate?

I recall reading Jo Jo Moyes’ One Plus One and thinking how great it was that it featured a single-mom protagonist. I wanted to try my hand at something similar, but with a single-mom widower, so I could explore how the dynamics of ‘moving on’ and romantic entanglement might be affected by grief. Also, who hasn’t fantasised about some hot American guy moving into the spare room and helping out with the kids? You know what they say. Get an infinite number of typewriters with an infinite number of middle-aged mums writing at them, and you’ll end up with something with a hot lodger in. 

How do you construct your characters? Do they have traits of people you know?

I think every single one of my characters is essentially one small facet of my personality writ large, mixed with amalgams of characters that have featured in TV programmes and films that I’ve loved or identified with over the years. That’s the starting point for their archetype out at least – then I stick them in novel situations and see how they act so that I can get a more nuanced sense of what they’re about. 

What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Very much a plotter. Boringly so. I won’t start drafting until I have at least 60 post-its (one per scene) outlining what I need to cover, where I need to get to, and in how many words. That’s not to say that deviations don’t happen; the best laid plans and all that… but that’s my starting point. It also means I always have an idea of what I need to be writing next. Without that I would just end up wasting my time looking at unutterably pointless clickbait online, like those ‘when trousers go wrong’ or ‘when she saw a picture of her friend’s salad drawer, she called the police’ stories. 

How did you research? Did you enjoy it?

I have so much admiration for people who choose to write books on topics that mean they have to go deep to ensure historical / geographical accuracy. I wrote about a middle-aged woman (which I am) and set it in Birmingham (where I grew up), so it was all fairly light-touch on the research front.

Who are your favourite writers? Are you influenced by them?

I’m fairly promiscuous in my tastes / allegiances, but I can’t not mention Mhairie McFarlane. She writes compelling and funny love stories, but the emphasis is often on the main character finding herself before she finds love. For my own writing, that distinction is an important one.  

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why?

Charles Dickens (for his hot takes on modern vs. Victorian society), Betty White (to interrogate how to grow old with your sense of humour intact) and Paul Daniels (he can keep my son entertained with magic whilst I natter with the other two). 

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Tina Fey. She is my all-time favourite woman on the planet, and I could not live with myself for how much of an idiot I would almost certainly make of myself if we were stuck in an enclosed space together. And what about the whole ‘needing to pee’ thing? My pelvic floor is swooning just at the thought of it. 

Who would play the main character/s in a film version of The Accidental Housemate?

The chance would be a fine thing! But I reckon Lena Headey for Cath and 

James Marsden as Dan. And maybe Tom Wilkinson as Geoff. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Erm… Writing! Otherwise nothing hugely unusual. Watch movies, play games, do puzzles, read books, drink cocktails, hang with my hubby and son, visit friends, the occasional escape room, do the least possible amount of exercise to not feel guilty, nice walks, and occasionally take to my bed for a good old-fashioned menopausal-induced sob. 

What is next for you?

Book number two (another RomCom) is in the bag, just awaiting on publication dates and the like, and then working on an idea I’ve had for my third. Need to get those post-its going!

Favourites:

Book? 

Three Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K Jerome, I think it may be the funniest book ever written. 

Film?

Palm Springs is as close to perfection as RomComs get. 

Band/Singer?

Remi Wolfe is my current music crush. 

TV show?

30 Rock. An oldie but a goodie. Tina Fey at her absolute best. 

Colour?

Grey. 

Place?

Home – after a lovely camping trip. 

Biscuit?
A chocolate coated HobNob

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The Accidental Housemate is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: