This week The Book Diner goes back to when I had a visit from the very lovely Alex Hourston shortly  after her debut novel, In My House, was published by Faber and Faber). It’s a very exciting time for a novelist when a first book comes out as I know from my own experience with Welcome to Sharonville, so it was wonderful to interview Alex on the verge of her ‘coming out’ to literary society. Alex started writing at 37 following a M.A. in English and hasn’t looked back since. Her novel revolves around the unlikely friendship between a victim of human trafficking and the woman who saves her. We are both also members of The Beach Hut Writers, based in Brighton, and I think you will love her modesty and very insightful take on the writing life.


Welcome to the Book Diner! 

Can we take your order – coffee, tea or soda? Eggs sunny side up or over easy? Home fries, French toast or biscuit?

Pancakes with maple syrup please and a cup of tea.

When did you realise you were a writer?

It was always in my heart, but I ignored it for years. I started writing at thirty-seven, after I’d gone back to university to do an M.A. in English. I treated it like a dirty secret for ages, then a hobby. My novel is out in May and I still struggle to look someone in the eye and call myself a writer. I don’t know if it will ever change. It’s something I hardly dared wish for.

It was always in my heart, but I ignored it for years. I started writing at thirty-seven, after I’d gone back to university to do an M.A. in English. I treated it like a dirty secret for ages, then a hobby. My novel is out in May and I still struggle to look someone in the eye and call myself a writer. I don’t know if it will ever change. It’s something I hardly dared wish for.

Are there particular symptoms you think people should look out for if they suspect they may be coming down with Writer Syndrome and do you think there is any cure? 

The carrying around of notebooks at all times. Inappropriate watching and listening. Then there’s the daydreams. No cure. It’s terminal. [I am a notebook addict and tell my writing students to be nosy, so I get this!]

Can you tell us about your latest project?

In My House tells the story of Maggie, 57; prickly, self-sufficient and wry, and living an ordered life in Queen’s Park with her dog. Then a young girl approaches her in the loos of Gatwick airport and whispers one word: Help. Maggie responds, saving Anja from her trafficker and the two begin a strange and intense friendship. The novel moves between the present and the pair’s evolving relationship and Maggie’s earlier life: her childhood in Brighton, marriage and motherhood in 80’s suburbia and, finally, the thorny and entangled set of circumstances that lead her to turn her back on it all.

What inspired you to write it? Where do you generally draw your ideas from?

The idea struck me as I listened to my mother and brother-in-law disagree about whether people can ever really change. The character of Maggie popped into my head pretty much exactly as we see her in the opening scene. That’s how it seems to work for me, little sparks of ideas that I live with for a while and see if I can evolve. If it flows, I start writing very quickly, or, if I’m in the middle of something else, I put it aside until I have the time. [I liken my creative mind to Heathrow Airport with multiple novels waiting to come in to land. I have one being edited, one first draft being finished and others growing. Argh!]

Can you talk to us about one or two of the characters from your latest work? How do your characters emerge?

Maggie is intensely private. She hides a lot, from herself and others, for reasons that become clear later in the book. She has quite an anarchic inner life (don’t we all!) and I enjoyed playing with that. One of the great things about the novel versus other forms is that you can show what people are thinking. But the tough shell is there to protect her and as we spend more time with Maggie and the story evolves, she begins to become softer and give more away. I tend to meet a character just as you meet a real person, with a whole bunch of quite powerful first impressions, but little back story. I find out more through the process of writing.

I tend to meet a character just as you meet a real person, with a whole bunch of quite powerful first impressions, but little back story. I find out more through the process of writing.

Is there a particular theme or message you’d like readers to take away from this book?

I’m interested in how our pasts impact upon our present lives and the extent to which we can change that. Also, how easy it is for a decent person to do the wrong thing in a difficult situation. I’m not really into goodies and baddies; we’re all shaded, in my view. But I don’t think too much about themes when I’m writing. I let the characters and their story dictate where I’m going and refocus on themes in a later draft, though I try and keep it subtle. And certainly no message. I’m never certain enough about anything in life for that.

I’m interested in how our pasts impact upon our present lives and the extent to which we can change that. Also, how easy it is for a decent person to do the wrong thing in a difficult situation. I’m not really into goodies and baddies; we’re all shaded, in my view. But I don’t think too much about themes when I’m writing. I let the characters and their story dictate where I’m going and refocus on themes in a later draft, though I try and keep it subtle. And certainly no message. I’m never certain enough about anything in life for that.

What kind of writing process do you have? Are you very disciplined in terms of having a set work routine and doing a lot of planning, or are you more of a pantster?  (You fly by the seat of them – Zinkologism.)

A pantster, though every now and then a bossy little control freak pipes up in my head and insists that I start writing chapter plans and structure outlines. I do it, which makes him go away, but it doesn’t seem to help with the novel.

Do you write longhand or on a computer or both? Do you believe that writing method makes a difference to style?

Computer. It only feels proper once it’s saved as a document, though I have lots of scrappy notebooks full of scribblings. The style question is an interesting one; it seems possible.

How do you approach research? 

Tentatively. I want to get it accurate, but tend to focus on the inner lives of characters which is eternal, I think.

How do you deal with autobiographical elements in your work? Do you worry about offending people or baring your soul too much?

My work is not autobiographical, but of course there are details and observations from life all through it. Yes and yes, to the next two questions, but I’m trying to grow a thicker skin.

What’s your editing process?

I start every day by going back over what I wrote during the previous one, but I don’t linger too long. I like to write a minimum of 500 new words each day. Then just keep going until I have a first draft. A huge sense of relief, at this point, and then I start again with the biggest structural changes first. By the time I’m doing line by line, I need the manuscript prised out of my hands. I get obsessed and I’m not sure I’m really improving things by that point.

What advice would you offer to writers just starting out?

Keep going. Write your way out of the problem. You are only going to get better. Give yourself time.

What would you say are the toughest things and the best things about being a writer?

Toughest: It all takes so long! Best: getting to escape yourself for hours on end.

How do you handle the rejections and bad reviews all writers experience?

Remind myself that it happens to everyone, even the best. Try to find the learning, where there is some, and forget it, where there isn’t.

How do you deal with the Inner Critic who likes to tell us our work is worthless?

Write on.

What are your feelings about the growth in self-publishing? Would you advise emerging writers to self-publish or pursue a traditional book deal?

Whatever suits. I felt I needed the validation of the industry before I would be ready to go public, but that was just a question of confidence. [I was the same!]

Who has offered you the most encouragement and support in terms of your writing career?

Jill Dawson, through her brilliant mentoring scheme Gold Dust and Antony Topping, my agent, who agreed to represent the novel half-done and despite the fact I had no idea what came next. He took a punt on me and put in a lot of time and work to get the manuscript ready for submission.

If you could write anywhere in the world for a while, where would you head?

Nowhere! I need no distractions. Silence. An empty house, ideally. So maybe the Arctic?

Do you like cats or dogs or both? (Writers are known for being pet crazy, so let’s pander.)

Dogs. I’ve got two cocker spaniels. One is grumpy, introvert and only likes people she’s known forever. The other is hectic, bouncy and always breaking things. Make of that what you will.

Complete the following sentence: ‘Writing is like …’

Writing is like vanishing.

If you could choose to have a different creative gift, what would it be?

I am so talentless in every other creative area I can’t even imagine.

What plans have you got for future projects and events?

I am half-way through my second novel. Doing various events, readings and interviews to coincide with launch (all listed on Goodreads). Enjoying that side of things, though switching from writing to publicity feels a bit like being dragged blinking from a cave.

Switching from writing to publicity feels a bit like being dragged blinking from a cave.

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

The usual online places: Amazon author page, Goodreads, twitter (@alex_hourston).

Is there anything else we can get you?

Americano with hot milk, please.

Do you have any questions for The Book Diner?

Are you open for dinner?

We are open 24/7!

Thanks so much for joining us – please call again!