Author Interview: Emma Burstall

Today I'm delighted to be able to welcome author Emma Burstall to talk about her third book, The Darling Girls, which she has just published as an ebook on Kindle. 

Can you tell us a little bit about The Darling Girls? 
It's a gripping story about three very different women, all in love with the same man, who meet for the first time at his funeral.  Little by little they start to uncover secrets about this extraordinary man that force them totally to rethink their lives and relationships.  Can they separate the truth from the lies and learn to trust - and even love - again?    

Where did the inspiration come from to create three characters in love with the same man?
Years ago I met a woman who revealed in a roundabout way that she was in this situation.  I remember being intrigued and thinking - how on earth could she put up with it and what was it about this man that had all three women in his thrall?  The conversation stuck in my mind and I always thought I'd like to write a novel about it.  The Darling Girls is purely fictional , but the seeds were sown during that casual exchange.

How long did it take you to get your first book published?

I was very lucky because Gym and Slimline, my first novel, was snapped up by a publisher (Preface, which is part of Random House) pretty quickly.  I was on holiday in France when they rang me to offer me the deal.  It was such an exciting moment.  I'll never forget it!

Do you have a set daily writing routine? 
I try to get down to work straight after dropping my ten-year-old son at school and keep going until pick-up time at 3.20pm.  I set myself a target of 1,000 words a day.  Sometimes the words flow and at other times it's much harder.  I must admit I can be pretty easily distracted and occasionally I have to virtually chain myself to the desk!   

How hard is it to keep coming up with fresh ideas for new books?

Very hard.  When I'm planning a novel I know I'm going to spend the next 12 to 18 months living and breathing it so it's got to be something I'm interested in.    

Have you got a favourite out of the books you've written, if so, which one and why?

Well, I'm very fond of Gym and Slimline because it was my first.  Never Close Your Eyes is a bit darker.  Some people have said that they think The Darling Girls is my best so far and hopefully I'm getting better at my craft all the time.  To be honest, though, I find it impossible to choose between them.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

Write!  It sounds obvious but it's all too easy to talk about wanting to write and doing nothing.  I know I've been there!  I seemed to do a lot of procrastinating before I started my first novel, until a friend kindly pointed out that a good start would be getting words on the page!  I could always change them later.   

Are you able to give us a hint about what your next novel is about?

I'm only in the early stages at the moment so I don't want to say too much, but I can reveal it's going to be a BIG love story!

For more information on Emma's books check out her website, Facebook page or her author page on Amazon.  Emma very kindly sent me a copy of The Darling Girls to review which I will be reviewing next month so make sure you come back to find out what I thought of it.