Festive Fun with... Caron McKinlay

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Caron McKinlay whose debut novel The Storytellers is being published in May 2022.  

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m Caron and my debut novel The Storytellers is out May 2022.  It has been described as The Midnight Library meets Mhari McFarlane.

Love can blind you. Will death open your eyes?

Three women trapped between life and death are forced to revisit the memories of their toxic relationships in order to unravel a haunting truth.  

Ronnie pushes the boundaries of her own sexuality to get Graham to commit to her. Nikki comes second to Giovanni’s gambling addiction. Mrs Hawthorne knows Charles will always love his first wife more than her. 

From the genteel parks of Edinburgh to the backstreets of Liverpool, from gaudy Blackpool to sultry Palermo, they share their stories.

As the Gatekeeper listens and decides their fate. 

What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?
To having all my family around on Christmas Day instead of zooming. 

Do you have any favourite family Christmas traditions? 
Not really except I am rubbish at keeping gifts secret because I get too excited and usually make my daughters open them early and then have to go buy more for Christmas Day! 

What is your best Christmas memory?
Waking up with my sisters when I was younger all excited and rushing downstairs to see if Santa had been. Then having my gran and grandad around for dinner and sledging outside after. I don’t think you can capture that excitement as you get older even when you have kids of your own. It is exciting yes but it’s a different kind of excitement. 

Describe your ideal Christmas
All my family around for dinner. All the chattering and laughter. Then them leaving early so I can watch the Christmas soaps in peace and curl up with a book and a Baileys. 

If you could choose one person, dead or alive, to celebrate a one time special Christmas with, who would you choose and why?
It would be my mother who died twenty years ago. She never saw my children grow up or meet my grandchildren. Even thinking about the possibility fills me with longing. 

What is your favourite festive book of all-time?
It would have to be How The Grinch stole Christmas as my grandsons love it so much and never tire of the bad old grinch. 

What Christmas book would you like to see turned into a film?
Daisy on the Outer Line by Ross Sayers 

Life, Death and Time Travel on the Glasgow Subway...

After selfish student Daisy makes a scene at her stepdad’s funeral, she drunkenly falls asleep on the Glasgow subway and wakes to find she has travelled back in time. And to make matters worse, she's in someone else's body.

To make amends for her behaviour, she must save a life—but she doesn’t know who, how, or where to begin. She’ll have to find out fast if she wants to make it back to her old life and avoid being trapped in the wrong timeline forever.

I think it has the supernatural feel that would be fantastic for a Christmas film. 

If you could spend Christmas with any fictional character, who would you choose and why?
Oh that’s a hard one. It would have to be Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights even although the whole story is wrong in so many ways he still fascinates me. 

Do you have a favourite Christmassy cover?
No is that a thing? 

Do you have any Christmas book traditions?
Although I go overboard every Christmas buying presents for everyone.  I always make sure I choose a book for everyone’s bundle. 

What 3 books would you love Santa to have in his sack for you?
I would love any of the 2022 debut books early before publication. There are some fantastic books coming out in 2022 and I’m so looking forward to reading them all. 

What is your favourite Christmas song?
Winter’s Tale David Essex 

What is your favourite Christmas film? 
Love Actually 

And finally, what are your hopes for 2022?
To be honest just for everyone I know and love to be healthy and safe. Can I be selfish for just one Christmas and wish for my book to become a bestseller 😄

Quick-fire questions

Roses or Quality Street? Roses 
Mince pies/Christmas cake or Yule log? Yule Log 
Turkey or ham? Turkey 
Brussel sprouts or roast parsnips? Brussel Sprouts 
Gravy or cranberry sauce? Gravy 
Fake or real Christmas tree? Real 
White or coloured lights? White 
Giving or receiving presents? Giving 

Caron grew up in a mining town on the east coast of Scotland where her dad would return from the pit and fill her life with his tall tales and encourage her to tell her own. Despite this, she never thought about making a career in writing – that was what posh people did, not someone from a working-class council estate.  After a career in teaching and the death of her mother and father she found writing cathartic in dealing with her grief. 

The Storytellers is her debut novel.

To follow Caron on her publishing journey subscribe to her newsletter here https://www.caronmckinlay.com/thestorytellers or connect with her on Twitter @MckinlayCaron or Facebook Caron McKinlay