Hi! I’m Helen Buckley. I live in Bedfordshire with my husband and son. I always dreamed of being a writer when I was little, but I never truly thought I could write a novel. It seemed impossible.
It was only when my husband and I were experiencing infertility and I was feeling really low that I turned to writing as an escape. I completed my first novel, Star in the Shadows just as we completed our first IVF – and I got pregnant with my son. That’s why Star in the Shadows is dedicated to my son Donovan.
Since then, I can’t stop writing! I have completed my second novel and I am working on my third.
If you had to give an elevator pitch for Star in the Shadows, what would it be?
About a teen runaway turned popstar, and the family she loves and leaves behind, Star in the Shadows is a gritty, dramatic and romantic read about fame, shame, family, and love.
The world thinks that pop superstar Kiara Anderson has it all, but she spends her nights drinking away memories of her childhood and life as a teen runaway. The Jacobs family are desperate to see the girl next door again and discover why she ran away, especially their son, Shane, who blames himself for her disappearance.
When Kiara's manager forces her into a reveal-all TV interview, she knows the family she loved more than her own will finally discover the truth.
Can she overcome her demons or will the shadows of the past rob her of fame, fortune, and a chance to finally fall in love?
Which came first, the character or the plot?
I had the story in my head for a long time, but the plot developed over the course of writing the novel – so I would say the character, Kiara, came first. I was fascinated with the idea of writing about someone in the public eye who had come from a challenging background and was still carrying the shadows of their past with them.
Where did the inspiration come from to feature a pop superstar who is trying to forget her past?
I’ve long been a reader of celebrity gossip magazines, and I always wonder what celebrities are really like behind the headlines. I just loved the idea of writing about a popstar who was vulnerable and who was trying to overcome challenges from their past.
How much research did you need to do before you could start writing your novel?
The story touches on things that I don’t have personal experience of, so I needed to research some really interesting topics to inform my writing of the characters and plot. I read memoirs by alcoholics, particularly those with high-functioning alcoholism, and read books exploring drug dealing in New York. I also read some celebrity memoirs to try to understand a bit more detail about what life might be like for a girl band superstar.
Are any of the characters based on real people?
A few of them are. One of the characters, Alicia, is inspired by a girl I knew at school. The characters from Honduras, who befriend Kiara in New York, are based loosely on people I met when I lived in Honduras for a few years.
What advice would you give to other aspiring authors who are thinking about writing a novel?
Feel the fear and do it anyway! I would encourage anyone with an idea just to try it – because you never know what may come of it.
Finally what can we expect from you next?
I’ve written my second novel and am looking at publishing options. It’s about a former Olympic ice-skating champion who goes on reality TV to save her reputation, but gets more than she bargained for!
Find out more about me on my website www.buckleybooks.org or follow me on Twitter (@HelenCBuckley) or Facebook (@HelenBuckleyauthor) for updates.
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