Fay and I met on Twitter, and living locally to one another meet regularly to discuss the voices in our heads. It's great to have someone close by to talk writing with over a Costa.
Fay, have you always wanted to be a writer?
Always – from the moment I could pick up a pen.
Did you manage to get the first book you wrote published, or is it tucked in a drawer somewhere?
My first ‘book’ was 70,000 words of Quantum Leap fanfiction, written in the summer after my A Levels! Other people went on holiday; I wrote a book! The only copy I still have (signed by Dean ‘Al Calavicci’ Stockwell) is in the attic.
My Twitter style question: Describe your hero in 140 characters.
Tall, dark, brooding, cautious Somerset cider maker with a huge heart and a lovely daughter.
My Twitter style question: Describe your heroine in 140 characters.
Kind, widowed cake maker with a three-year-old daughter and a weakness for cider.
What’s so special about your hero that makes your heroine fall in love with him?
He represents the safety of home but also the excitement of a new love. Once won, his heart is yours forever, and she adores that. He’s also tall, dark and handsome (of course!!).
Why do you like writing romance?
Because I love not just happy endings but the journey to the happy ending. There’s something wonderful about how characters get to the point where they’ll live happily ever after.
Which of your characters is your favourite, and why?
Meredith, my hero’s daughter, without a doubt. She’s a lovely teenager who’s remarkably undamaged by her experiences.
What do you read while you write, or don’t you?
I read constantly; old favourites and new novels. Anything from Stephen King to Elizabeth Gaskell.
Do you have a favourite author? Jilly Cooper!
What’s the best bit of writing advice you’ve ever received or read?
Don’t force it. Let your characters speak for themselves.
What things inspire you to write? Location, music, film or even in a book?
I’m inspired by places (my books are set in Somerset) but music can get me thinking of scenes I’d like to write, and films and books have always inspired me, too. In short, anything!
Are you nervous about friends reading your book?
A lot of them read it at the drafting stage, so not as nervous as I could be!
How would your best friend describe you in 140 characters? (Another Twitter question).
Dreamy, forgetful and mostly good natured. But terrible in the mornings!
Do you love or hate Facebook? I like it, within reason! I see it as a good place to write comedy.
Tea or coffee? Tea first thing, coffee after.
Starbucks or Costa? Costa – it’s where Teresa and I first met in real life!
A lot of them read it at the drafting stage, so not as nervous as I could be!
How would your best friend describe you in 140 characters? (Another Twitter question).
Dreamy, forgetful and mostly good natured. But terrible in the mornings!
Do you love or hate Facebook? I like it, within reason! I see it as a good place to write comedy.
Tea or coffee? Tea first thing, coffee after.
Starbucks or Costa? Costa – it’s where Teresa and I first met in real life!
I remember it well, Fay :D
The Second Chance Tea Shop Blurb:
Following the tragic death of her beloved husband, Anna Hemingway decides it's time for a fresh start. So Anna and her three-year-old daughter Ellie move to a picture-perfect cottage in the beautiful village of Little Somerby, and when she takes over the running of the village tea shop, Ellie and Anna start to find happiness again.
But things get complicated when Matthew Carter, the owner of the local cider farm, enters their lives. Throughout a whirlwind year of village fetes and ancient wassails, love, laughter, apple pie and new memories, life slowly blossoms again. But when tragedy strikes and history seems to be repeating itself, Anna must find the strength to hold onto the new life she has built.
This beautiful, life-affirming debut novel marks the beginning of the Little Somerby series, and promises to make you smile, cry, reach for a cream tea, and long for a life in the perfect English countryside.
Bio:
Fay Keenan was born in Surrey and raised in Hampshire, before finally settling in the West Country. When Fay is not chasing her children around or writing, she teaches English at a local secondary school. She lives with her husband of fourteen years, two daughters, a cat, two chickens and a Weimaraner called Bertie in a village in Somerset, which may or may not have provided the inspiration for Little Somerby.
Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2l0gGtn
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2l0pnnn
iBooks: http://apple.co/2l0rdF3
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2ly3YQC
Twitter: @faykeenan
Blog: www.faykeenan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/faykeenanauthor
