Find Out Friday: Sue Fortin
12/2/2011 1:40:23 AM
A fellow member of the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme, I started getting to properly know Sue Fortin at the RNA Winter Party. She made me laugh. Lots.
Hi Laura, thanks for inviting me over to your Find Out Friday feature – much appreciated and yes wasn’t the RNA party fun, we certainly did a lot of laughing!
Now, Madame Fortin, tell me a little about your French side.
Well, it’s only by marriage and a very, very distant ancestor on my husband’s side of the family. The name Fortin is quite common inFranceand especially so in the French speaking part ofCanada.
France is a country you like to visit. Do you find time to write whilst you are there and in what ways is your writing affected by your setting?
We have a holiday home there which we have been renovating for several years now so when we visit it usually entails some sort of work, that coupled with keeping our four children occupied, doesn’t leave much time for writing. Having said that, I have bagged a space at the landing window, overlooking the countryside for that day when the renovation is complete and I can write to my heart’s content. I have been inspired by the area because I really do enjoy being there so it seemed only natural to draw on my local knowledge when I needed it for my novel ‘French Kissing in the UK’.
I read on your website, www.suefortin.com that you have always written, but it is only recently you have taken to writing novels. French Kissing In The UK is your first book, coming out next year – how did this come about and how did the story take shape?
Well, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and last year I had the opportunity while my daughter was at nursery so it was a case of ‘now or never’.
As for the idea, I had a random scene in my mind which had taken root in one of my many daydreams a long time ago. This scene involved a woman and her lover being confronted by her estranged husband. I had no idea what had happened leading up to that scene or what happened afterwards and so began my plotting and planning surrounding this one scene. As it happened, the scene never made the final draft. It just never fitted in properly.
Do you follow the ‘write what you know’ advice or do you think there is scope to express pure imagination?
Yes and no. I use as much as I can from what I know and have experienced but that isn’t always enough so I do have to use my imagination and talk to people who are ‘in the know’. Also it depends if you are writing about emotions or facts. Emotions and reactions vary from person to person whereas there is less leeway with factual information. You have to do your research as you can guarantee someone out there will find you out if you try and wing it.
How do you fit writing around a busy family life?
Burning the candle at both ends usually! I am pretty lucky in that I’m one of those people who can manage on little sleep, although now and again it catches up on me and I have to give in and have an early night.
Where is your favourite place to simply ‘be’ and where is your happiest writing place?
My favourite place to simply ‘be’ is our cottage inFrance, it’s so peaceful and has a real feeling of tranquillity and calm. My happiest writing place would be inFrancebut until the work has been completed it’s here in theUKat my kitchen table when there’s no-one else at home. Sometimes I like to write in silence and other times I like to have music like, Kings of Leon, Feeder or Prodigy playing in the background.
You are a member of Love A Happy Ending and Famous Five Plus. Please tell me about these groups, how you became involved and what you role is within them.
Love A Happy Ending is a platform for authors to promote their work with the support of readers who read and review their novels, blog and Tweet. It works positively for all those involved, increasing their profile. I originally joined Love A Happy Ending as an Associate Reader and recently was invited to swap sides and become a Featured Author where they would follow my publishing quest.
I have also recently joined the Famous Five Plus team. Again this is a platform for Indie authors to promote their novels with the support of book reviewers.
From our conversations, I know you are well read and you write book reviews on your blog, www.lovereadinglovebooks – firstly, how on earth do you find the time and secondly, what do you like to read?
I was going to say I’m a minute thief but that could make me sound really small – perhaps a time thief would be a better description! I grab five minutes here, five minutes there for my blog and it’s the same when I read although I try to do this for longer periods of time – half an hour before I go to sleep, twenty minutes or so in the morning before everyone gets up, waiting at the station for the children, sitting outside various after school clubs, that type of thing.
I really enjoy thrillers and murder mysteries by authors Mario Puzo, Scott Mariani, James Patterson, Harlan Coban, with Chris Kuzneski being a particular favourite.
On the lighter side, I like romance and through my blog I have discovered some really enchanting novels by Indie authors such as, Nicky Wells,Mandy Baggot, Juliette Sobanet, as well as those traditionally published, like Christina Courtenay and Sue Moorcroft.
How is your Work In Progress going? Are you able to tell me anything about the story?
WIP is going okay, a bit slow as I’m easily distracted by Twitter and Facebook. Without giving too much away at this point, it’s about fulfilling moral obligations even if it’s at your own expense and happiness.
What is your ultimate dream?
Naturally I want to be published, ideally traditionally. Ultimately, however, I want to write a darn good novel that people will really enjoy reading.
I’m convinced that my love of stationery is the reason I love to read and write. What inspired you? (Apart from a love of stationery, obviously, as I believe we all love stationery.)
Oh, I so love stationery!
I’m not entirely sure what inspired me to write, I think it’s just something that has always been in me but I’ve never really had the chance to pursue it until now. I suppose, in part, it has also been my lifelong love affair with reading and an overactive imagination that gave me the most inspiration.
Are you a straight to computer person or a pen and paper lady?
I started off as a pen and paper person, probably just to feed my stationery dependency but these days I tend to go straight to the computer, really just to save time. Once I’ve completed my first draft I have to print it off as I can’t edit so well on the computer – there’s something about physically holding the paper in my hands.
My To Be Read pile increased by three more books yesterday, (I can hear my husband’s eyes rolling) – it’s nearly as tall as Number Two child – what books are in your TBR pile?
Okay, a quick look at my Kindle and it goes something like this:
The Star Child – Stephanie Keyes
Mrs Mahoney’s Secret War – Claudia Strachan
Reaching For the Stars – Janice Horton
Stirred with Love – Marcie Steele
The Traz – Eileen Schuh
The Alchemist’s Secret – Scott Mariani
The Death Relic – Chris Kuzneski
Plus about 47 other books!
Finally, Sue, tell me how you plan to celebrate your first ever book launch.
Party! To say thank you to everyone who has supported me, family, friends and my lovely RNA, Twitter, LAHE & FFP pals.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Thank you Laura – it’s been fun!
You can follow Sue on Twitter @suefortin1
On Facebook
On the web at www.suefortin.com
Or via her blog, www.lovereadinglovebooks
Comments:
Jan Brigden:
12/7/2011 8:06:11 PM
French Connection.
Another fab interview. My brother-in-law is French so really enjoyed hearing about Sue’s holiday home there and the history behind the Fortin name. Thanks, ladies! X
Linn B Halton:
12/2/2011 11:11:04 AM
A little bit French…..
I’ve just learnt something new about Sue …. loveFrancemyself and have many, many happy memories there. Wish I had even a ‘distant’ hint of French ancestry in my blood! Can’t wait to read French Kissing In The UK!
Lucie Wheeler:
12/2/2011 9:36:01 AM
Interview.
Lovely interview, Ladies!
So nice to get a little insight to how different people work. I have never been toFrance, but so many people tell me how beautiful the country is; my friend’s parent’s have a converted barn there and she goes regularly. Sitting by the window taking in the rolling countryside sounds amazing, Sue, I hope it isn’t too long until you get there.
Xxx