Sue: Created page with "{{infoboxinterviews |title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Helena Close |reviewer=Robert James |summary=Here at Bookbag we were very impressed by Helena Close's novel [[The Cl..."

2012-01-22T14:19:22Z

Created page with "{{infoboxinterviews |title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Helena Close |reviewer=Robert James |summary=Here at Bookbag we were very impressed by Helena Close's novel [[The Cl..."

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{{infoboxinterviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Helena Close
|reviewer=Robert James
|summary=Here at Bookbag we were very impressed by Helena Close's novel [[The Clever One by Helena Close|The Clever One]] and we were delighted when she dropped by for a chat.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340920203</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0340920203</amazonus>
|date=22January 2012
}}
Here at Bookbag we were very impressed by Helena Close's novel [[The Clever One by Helena Close|The Clever One]] and we were delighted when she dropped by for a chat.

* '''Bookbag: When you close your eyes and imagine your readers, who do you see?'''

Helena Close: I see dead people.. jk - .I see all age groups really - moms, dads, grannies, teens, twenty somethings. A good book should have no age limit - not that I'm presuming my books are good!!!

* '''BB: What advice would you give to authors just starting out?'''

HC: Read as much as possible. And write every day. Treat it like a job. Don't bother waiting to be inspired - learn the craft through hard graft and the inspiration will look after itself. Ignore the little voice in your head that tells you that you're rubbish - we all have one of those and we learn to ignore it.

* '''BB: If you could ask any other author any question, what would you ask and who would you ask it to?'''

HC: It would be Cormac McCarthy - probably my favourite living writer.
And the question would be simple - why are you a much better writer than me?

* '''BB: [[The Clever One by Helena Close|The Clever One]] features some very mature themes - do you feel it's suitable for all ages, or would you rather younger teens waited until they're a bit older to read it?'''

HC: I don't think it's suitable for younger teens - although they probably could relate to a lot of the themes in it but I think if they were older they would have a better understanding of the themes.That said - life is scary unfortunately.

* '''BB: Do you listen to music when writing? If so, did ''The Clever One'' have a particular soundtrack?'''

HC: I never listen to music/radio etc while working. I usually work in
complete silence. But often there's a soundtrack in my head - for ''The
Clever One'' it was the soundtrack of the time - The Killers, Kings Of
Leon, Fionn Regan.

* '''BB: I know you're a big fan of This is England 88, and in some ways
your gritty writing reminds me of Shane Meadows' work on the screen. Would you like to see ''The Clever One'' adapted as a film or TV
programme?'''

HC: I would love to see The Clever One adapted as a film! There exists on
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX1iekE0Wkw youtube] a trailer for the book.

Shane Meadows is a fantastic writer - his stories - though bleak and gritty - are full of heart. I was a huge fan of the movie This is
England and was very doubtful about 86 and 88 but Shane didn't let me
down. Brilliant writing. Storytelling at its very best. I take any
comparison between my writing and his as a huge compliment!

* '''BB: Have you ever thought about collaborating with another author on a novel? If so, who would be your dream writing partner? (Alive or dead,
I'm feeling generous!)'''

HC: I wrote four novels with my best friend Trisha Rainsford under the pen
name Sarah O'Brien. We are currently just finishing our fifth. We also
wrote a kid's novel called BandWorld. It's currently seeking a home in
the publishing world. I'd love to collaborate with Cormac McCarthy but
my current writing partner may take offence and I might end up dead. I
don't think Cormac would be the collaborating type. And I love my
current set-up - doing something I love with my best friend - it's the
dream gig - I just wished it paid a little more!!! Trisha is hilarious
and we laugh our way through our working day..

* '''BB: Which book would you recommend to people who enjoyed ''The Clever
One'' while they're eagerly waiting for your next novel?'''

HC: Easy. Matt Haig's [[The Radleys by Matt Haig|the Radleys]]. Loved loved loved this book about a vampire family - real vampires - not the silly kind in [[Twilight by Stephenie Meyer|Twilight]] that just want hot girlfriends. And another book called ''Dogboy'' by Eva Hornung. Harrowing but wonderful.

* '''BB: What do you enjoy most about writing? What would you rather not do at all?'''

HC: I love writing. I enjoy every aspect of it - even the parts that
shouldn't be fun. I love when a book finally comes together - when all
the jigsaw pieces fall into place and you're searching for ages for
the final few pieces and then they just fall out of the ether when you
least expect it. That's the best feeling in the world. I love it..

* '''BB: What's next for Helena Close?'''

HC: I've just finished my fourth novel. It's called ''The Day You Left'' - and it's about a 14 year old boy whose mother walked out on him four years ago and suddenly one summer she arrives back looking to play happy families... and of course I have an idea composting away for the fifth novel...and the movie...and the short story collection....

* '''BB: Lots for us to look forward to there, Helena. Thanks for coming to talk to us.'''

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[[Category:Interviews|Close, Helena]] [[Category:Helena Close]]

The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Helena Close - Revision history

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