Dave's made a BIG mistake. What's Roxy going to do about it? The riveting new novel from No. 1 bestselling author Sheila O'Flanagan. Perfect for readers of Marian Keyes and Catherine Alliott.
Roxy's marriage has always been rock solid.
After twenty years, and with two carefree kids, she and Dave are still the perfect couple.
Until the day she comes home unexpectedly, and finds Dave in bed with their attractive, single neighbour.
Suddenly Roxy isn't sure about anything - her past, the business she's taken over from her dad, or what her family's future might be. She's spent so long caring about everyone else that she's forgotten what she actually wants. But something has changed. And Roxy has a decision to make.
Whether it's with Dave, or without him, it's time for Roxy to start living for herself...
'One of my favourite authors' Marian Keyes
***
Title: Her Husband's Mistake
Author: Sheila O'Flanagan
Published By: Headline
Publication Date: 30th May 2019
***
Author Q and A with Sheila O'Flanagan
Hi Sheila and welcome to Sincerely Book Angels blog. What was the inspiration behind Her Husband's Mistake?
I wanted to write about the kind of woman who copes with everything, and then give her something that’s really hard to cope with so that she has to reassess her life. I like putting my characters into difficult situations and seeing how they manage!
Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes. From the moment I wanted to know ‘what happened next’ in a book that my mum was reading to me, I made up stories of my own. I loved reading (still do, obviously) and I was enthralled by stepping into new worlds. Making up my own stories, worlds and characters was simply the next step for me.
What other jobs have you had?
Waitress, shop assistant, banker, stockbroker.
How did it feel when your first novel was published?
I didn’t quite believe it. I used to go into one of the major Dublin bookstores and stare at it on the shelves until I realised the security guard was following me around!
Can you please tell us a little about your publishing story.
I wrote lots of short stories and articles. One or two were published in magazines which made me think that my writing must be OK. But it took me until my mid-thirties to finally sit down and write a full length novel. When I sent it to a publisher they said they loved the characters but that they were a bit too young for them. (Back then, YA wasn’t really a thing. If it had been, maybe i would’ve been a YA novelist.) They asked if I could rewrite it with the same characters a little older and when I did they said they’d publish it. But it took another 3 years before it finally made it into print.
What other books have you written?
Lots! Among them shwould be The Missing Wife, Isobel’s Wedding, Stand By Me and All For You (which won the Irish Book Awards popular fiction award). I’ve also written three collections of short stories, and two books for children.
Have you ever had writer's block?
I always get to a point in a novel where I’m never 100% sure what’s going to happen next. I wouldn’t exactly call it writer’s block, but it’s certainly a stumbling block!
If so how did you overcome it?
Usually by doing something completely different! I play badminton and I find that sport helps because you can only think about what you’re physically doing at the time. It gives your head a bit of space.
What motivates you to keep writing?
Wanting to tell stories about women. Trying to make each book better than the last.
Where is your favourite place to write? ( can we please have a picture)
I do most of my writing at my desk in my Dublin home, although I often edit on planes and in my house in Alicante!
Do your characters moods ever affect your mood and vice versa?
Oh gosh, yes, all the time. If my characters are going through a hard time, I’m quite cranky and difficult to live with. Writing is a little bit like acting, only it’s all in your head!
What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Get some words on a page.
Blog posts about writing won’t get your novel finished.
You don’t have to spend months researching anything.
Which authors inspire you?
Anyone who writes and gets published inspires me! Although it’s a privelege to earn a living doing something I love, it’s also very solitary and can be mentally exhausting. So the knowledge that other writers are out there, feeling the same and still getting their work done motivates me. As a young writer I was inspired by Maeve Binchy who wrote about modern women in a warm, empathic way. She also once said that if you write a page a day you’ll have a novel written in a year. I found that very encouraging.
What are you reading at the moment?
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow (it’s about his research for his story on Harvey Weinstein. It’s unbelievable how many people knew what was going on but stayed silent. And how many men in positions of power did nothing.)
If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for the opening credits?
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. I’m showing my age but it’s a brilliant song.
Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film of your book?
I think Saoirse Ronan would be a good Roxy. And she wouldn’t have to change her accent!
What is your next book about?
It’s a story about an unexpected friendship between two women who end up going on a road trip together.
Thank you so much for joining us Sheila and good luck with the book
Sincerely
Book Angel x
About the Author
Ireland is famed for its writers, but for me growing up most of the novels were rural in both their settings and their points of view. I wanted to read books about people like me, who lived in the city and struggled with the chaotic bus timetable and had dreams and ambitions that had nothing to do with the farm. I also wanted to read novels in which the women were the heroes of their own stories and not simply there because they were someone's wife, mother or daughter.
Although I was constantly writing, the idea of being a novelist was a bit of a pipe dream. I had to earn a living and so I got a job in finance. It was the complete opposite of anything I'd ever expected to do but - at least for a time - I enjoyed it and I did well.
But the dream wouldn't go away and in my thirties I decided that I would make a real effort to write my novel. Eventually, after a couple of false starts, Dreaming of A Stranger was written and published and became an Irish bestseller.
Follow the rest of the blog tour here...
Thanks so much for the blog tour support Annette xx
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome Anne x
Delete