Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Janet Jackson Superhost. 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 Becky Papworth for answering my questions!

Have you always wanted to write?

Yes. It started early with poems into the local paper then developed into sketches for radio and eventually commissioned radio plays. It’s taken a long time to have the bandwidth and confidence to write novels though.

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

I’ve done all-sorts of jobs, from shoe packer, cleaner and fish and chip shop server to running my own vintage emporium, stall holder, theatre dresser, B&B owner…more of that later and latterly a television producer for twenty plus years on shows like Have I got news for you, Rab C Nesbitt, Royle Family etc

They have all given me an insight into various worlds, interesting characters and hopefully empathy with all sorts of circumstances.

What was your inspiration for Janet Jackson Superhost?

I was a Superhost myself for a while and it’s such an interesting and varied occupation, unpredictable and entertaining stuff being in hospitality, I thought others might enjoy reading about it. 

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

Janet came to me almost as a sketch, a very lovely middle aged woman hiding the Daily Mail from her judgemental and sponging sister. It tickled me this idea and the whole world grew from there.

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

I have notes full of scenarios initially and once I get going I kind of know where I need to get to. So I’m pointing North, but leave room for the characters and plot to reinvent itself along the way so the plans are constantly updated.

How did you research? Did you enjoy it?

Certain aspects are researched, some google scrolling, some anecdotal and personal experience.

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

I have a broad church of favourite writers from classics like Dickens, Thackeray, Mervyn Peake to Kate Atkinson, Rachel Joyce, Sue Townshend, Michelle Gallen, Nina Stibbe, I’m currently loving factual read Alice Loxton’s Uproar about the birth of satire..I was the first woman to produce Have I Got News For You and that love and interest in satire has never left me.

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

Dickens, Maya Angelou, Elvis. They all in their own way strike me as grounded, wise and entertaining characters that would be generous and interested guests. 

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

Nigel Farage/ Trump  Those toxic male types that have no interest in anyone bar themselves.

Who would play the main character/s in a film version of Janet Jackson Superhost?

Kate Winslet, though she might find Janet a bit of a pushover and insist on adding in some tough love for Mitzi! 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Tennis, pickleball and gardening, my partner’s just got a narrowboat so hopefully some of that too.

What is next for you?

I’ve started writing another book, it’s set in Yorkshire and I hope full of interesting characters but it’s got a fantasy aspect that is quite scary. A challenge to write that I hope will be worth it.

Favourites:

Book?

It changes ….but Dickens Christmas Carol I always return to.

Film?

Fargo 

Band/Singer?

Kate Bush 

TV show?

Sex and the City was pretty special. 

Colour?

Red 

Place?

Home 

Biscuit?

Something ginger

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Janet Jackson Superhost is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: