No other genre offers the unique ‘triple E’ rating as much as Historical Fiction: education, entertainment and escapism. Best are those books that revive a hitherto hidden heroine: a woman with agency, who isn’t formulaic. Finding them isn’t easy, and the leap from fact to fiction a labour of love. Let me take you by the hand and lead you back in time for a millennium.
My new novel ‘The Last Princess’ is about Gytha Godwinson, the daughter of England’s true House of Dragons and of its last Anglo-Saxon King, Harold II. Godwinson – isn’t that in 1066, that hour zero of the British Isles? Yes, it is. But if this vast timespan is an enormous challenge, it also gives you great liberty.
Yet rule number one of writing historical fiction is stringent research before you even think of picking up the pen. I read for almost a year to immerse myself in this long bygone world. Research is the rigid, non-negotiable frame in which the story and the plot may teem and swarm as the most colourful of images – an image I am determined to paint in ‘The Last Princess’. A reader gives me their most valuable – and that is not their money, but their time.
But the Anglo-Saxons treaded famously lightly on the surface of this earth, building in mud, wattle, and daub and living in harmony with nature and its seasons: call it medieval mindfulness. If their ‘settlements’ are long gone, Bosham’s chapel is largely unchanged since Anglo-Saxon days. The distinct two storey architecture of Gytha’s family home, Bosham Manor, is depicted on the Bayeux tapestry. It is here that Gytha’s story starts, during a raucous Modranecht, and the candle-lit glory of a great Hall. But already, the seed of discord is sewn, and it turns the ground beneath her feet into quicksand. The events of that evening will swallow her life and her world, forcing her forward into her fabulous fate. This fills the firm framework of research such as an image popping with colour, swarming and surprising! Gytha’s times – the High Middle Ages– were an era of intense change, especially for women.
By autumn 1066, Christianity had reached most corners of the European world. Historically, there is much more evidence of women and how they interacted with the world around them, both religious and secular. Yet it also triggered a type of repression in which women’s bodies are seen as inherently polluting. At the same time, Christianity enables female spiritual growth and the development of canon law also impacted Christian women’s status. If the Fourth Lateran Council solidified the need for consent within marriage, Thomas Aquinas dictated that women owed their husbands ‘a conjugal debt.’
It is in this field of tension that Gytha grows up: ancient rites clash with strict Christian morals. This gives Gytha the courage to question the powers in place and makes her story irresistible: prepare yourself for a wild ride. ‘The Last Princess’ is stringent historical fiction that teems with trolls, malevolent stars, green-faced fairy folk, giants, nasty Norse sorceresses, handsome hunks, and an evil spell that keeps our beautiful, flame-haired Princess captive – and it’s all true. After she witnesses the Battle of Hastings through a crazy twist of super-natural story-telling – we are a 1000 years ago, aren’t we? – Gytha’s life has different plans for her; or does she have different plans for her life? She dares the unthinkable and as she faces fight or flight, she picks both: Gytha lives trial, terror and finally triumph. Her story bridges myth and modernity: She speaks in a strong, clear and modern voice about the demise of a cursed kingdom and the emergence of a new empire.
But which empire is it that the last Anglo-Saxon Princess founded?
Let me surprise you: I am writing book two of the series ‘The Sunrise Queen’ as we speak.
Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands and holds a MSc from the IEP de Paris. She worked as a News-Anchor for Bloomberg TV before writing fulltime. Her debut novel ‘Tsarina’ and its sequel ‘The Tsarina’s Daughter’ (both Bloomsbury Publishing) is widely translated and were shortlisted for numerous awards.
I finished reading The Commuter yesterday. I raced through it. It’s a brilliant domestic thriller which had me hooked from the very first page. Preorder now because it’s brilliant. Here’s my interview with Emma.
The Commuter is your seventh novel. How does that feel? It’s a huge achievement.
It feels like a huge achievement! I started writing, submitting and getting rejections when I was in my late twenties, found an agent in my late forties and published my debut when I was fifty, so I definitely put the work in. I still sometimes pinch myself.
Does the writing get easier?
I think the writing does, the editing doesn’t. It’s a long hard slog full of dead ends, frustrations and moments when I want to run away from it all. But when it’s finally signed off the satisfaction is huge. Writing the first draft is such a pleasure. If only the first draft was the last!
Where did the idea for come from?
I’ve lived in London and used the tube all my life and I’ve always enjoyed the free newspapers. The Rush Hour Crush feature in the Metro is so intriguing. When I was a teenager I used to look for Mr Darcys, now I scan faces and wonder what I’d write if I fancied someone. No one so far! It seemed like there could be a thriller in there somewhere.
What is your writing routine?
I get up early, ideally around 6am, have breakfast and start work. Then I work fairly solidly until twelve, have lunch and go for a long walk to mull over what I’ve done and set up the next chapter for the next morning. I like routine and deadlines and I’m not very flexible. But it gets things done.
Do you have a favourite novel that you have written?
Yes, my favourite is Keep Her Quiet which came out in 2020. One of the protagonists is an arrogant male author. I loved writing him!
What books have you read recently that you loved?
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley-Heller. I recommend it to anyone who asks me what to read next.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Loads! JP Delaney for quirky concept thrillers. Stephen King for lessons in story-telling. Celeste Ng is fantastic for family based noir. Robert Galbraith because I adore Cormoran Strike and need to know what happens between him and Robin. I like American literature too. AM Homes is a favourite. I wish Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would publish another novel!
How did you get published?
Since it took me such a long time, that is a very good question. I had given up for a few years, then my oldest child went off to University and I felt like I had to have another go. I wrote two novels, both rejected, then started writing short stories and entering them in online competitions. These did well. I had about a 25% hit rate of first, second and third prizes and those gave me credibility in the eyes of agents. I needed that because I had zero connection to the publishing industry. I turned one of the prize winning stories into a novel and this time, instead of sending it out to a handful of agents, getting rejections and losing heart, I sent it to thirty within three weeks so that I wouldn’t give up at the first No Thanks. That worked. I had twenty-six rejections, four requests for the full manuscript and an offer. One of the best days of my life. My agent at the time, Victoria Hobbs at AM Heath, secured a deal with Transworld.
What advice would you give other writers?
Mark out your time, even if it’s only half an hour a day. Stick to a routine and write even if you don’t feel like it.
Learn to properly critique and edit your own work before you give it to anyone else – I did a course on this and it was invaluable (Jericho Writers).
Don’t give your MS to friends and family to read and comment on. It puts them in a difficult position. Instead, if you’re serious start saving up for a professional critique from a reputable company like Cornerstones, Jericho Writers or The Novelry. But don’t send them anything until you’ve gone the extra mile. (see learn to critique and edit your own work!)
Also, interrogate your ego. It could be getting between you and representation. There’s the ego that will organise a professional edit but not take the advice because it doesn’t agree. There’s the ego that has that one precious pearl of a book and can’t move on from it despite repeated rejections. There’s the ego which will only write ‘what I want to write’, and won’t look for the space where what it wants to write dovetails with what people want to read.
What’s next for you?
Next is a thriller about the devastating aftermath of a lie told by an angry and embarrassed teenage girl. That’s coming out in October 2025 and I’ve just sent a draft to my agent to take a look at before it goes to my editor. I have everything crossed! I heard today that she’s read a third of it and loves it. Hopefully the next two-thirds won’t change her mind.
I’ve written since I can remember. I wanted to be a journalist from about 6yo and my passion for telling stories has continued since then! It was lockdown that gave me the time to write my first book, it gave me a chance to escape
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Oh everywhere! For my romcoms it’s a mixture of people watching (listening!) and dreaming of exotic places. For the historical ones I have a real passion for telling forgotten women’s stories, particularly from the early 20th century so I’m often on the lookout for the next story. Swim was inspired by something I saw on the Antiques Roadshow, whilst the one I’m working on at the moment was influenced by an advert I saw!
What’s your writing routine?
I don’t know if it’s a routine to be honest. I’d love to say I have a special desk with a view where it’s all peaceful, like the writers of yesterday, but mainly it’s write whenever I’m free. Sometimes I can get a chapter down first thing in the morning, other times it’s much later in the day. If I’m writing a book I do tend to try and get a chapter down a day as a minimum, so I don’t lose the momentum.
You also write novellas as Holly Green which is very cool. Can you tell us more about that?
The novellas were a way for me to dip my toe into writing romcoms, but I thought it best to write under a pen name whilst also bringing out the other books (it’s been a busy ten months), to prevent confusion. I like the novellas as they’re all around 40k, they’re all marketed as fun, light reads, and I love the response I’ve had to them! They’re called the Secret Series, but can be read in any order.
You have written for twenty years, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write the thing. I know it’s tempting to go on loads of courses and read lots of advice, but honestly, the two things are write the thing you want to say, and make sure you read loads too, whether that’s in your genre or the magazine you want to write for. You’re not a writer if you’re thinking about writing a book…but you are if you’re actually putting words down on paper!
You write both historical and contemporary fiction. Do you have a favourite?
That’s like trying to choose a favourite child… I love them both equally because they do different things for me. I love writing commercial and romantic fiction because I love telling a fun story, I love bringing the way I view the world to paper, whereas with historical fiction it needs so much research and can be a slog to get it to work, but once I’ve got under the skin of the character and can say what I want to say, something clicks and the words flow.
Star Survivor is based on reality television. Did the drama those shows have make it easier or harder to write the book?
To be honest, reality TV isn’t just about the drama on screen, it’s as much about whatever is happening off screen too. Take Love Island, we see what’s on screen, then we discuss it all on social media and make judgements, and then afterwards we dissect relationships and people as though they’re characters. It’s too easy for us to forget they’re real, that’s part of the reason I wanted to write SS.
You write about a real life Olympian, Lucy Morton, in Swim. How did you weave fact and fiction together so well?
I wanted to celebrate Lucy’s story, I was surprised noone had before. But I realised that it couldn’t be a book ‘just’ about swimming, there needed to be things other people could be interested in. That’s where the fiction came into it. I wanted to talk about what was happening in those times in the context of a woman’s place. I love Swim, and am thrilled at the reception it’s getting.
I love your social media posts. Especially TikTok. Do you have any advice for writers who want to put themselves out there?
To be honest, all authors need to be on social media, unless you’re Margaret Attwood! I’d recommend choosing one or two channels and sticking with them. The most important thing is to be real. Don’t try and be someone you’re not, or follow trends. It’s all well and good trying to go viral, but most of the times there’s no real rhyme or reason to a successful sm post. Be yourself and have fun. If you don’t want your face on there, don’t do it. Post about the themes of your books, or your research but mainly try and engage with people.
What’s next for you?
Lots! The third in the Secret series is out September, Secret Crush. I’m working on a second historical fiction novel set in the same era as Swim, and have a couple of other projects in the pipeline too. Though three novellas and two books in 11 months is enough for this year…
I’m fascinated (and impressed!) by your many high-flying careers. You have been a pro tennis player and a lawyer before becoming a writer. Would you say you’re a Type A person?
That’s very kind, thank you! I would say I’m a mixture of Type A and B! I am a naturally competitive, driven and disciplined person. I enjoy working hard and putting a hundred per cent into whatever I do. That’s the good side to being Type A! On the downside, I can put a lot of pressure on myself and find it hard to switch off which I know isn’t great for my health and stress levels! Having said that, Type B people are known for their creativity and for being good listeners as well as being quite shy, which fits my personality too, and which is why I never really enjoyed law which was ultimately too dry for me, as well as being the type of cutthroat environment in which the more vocal, pushy personalities tend to flourish!
2. How do you think your past careers influenced your writing?
Although things didn’t work out for me with both tennis and law, both experiences gave me valuable life experience. All writers are great observers of the world around them, and I truly believe the more life experience you have the more authentic and rounded your writing can become, and that you willbe influenced by the people and situations you encounter, even if subconsciously. Both careers made me a stronger, more disciplined, resilient and focused person, which is what you need to be if you’re going to succeed as a writer. I had to be very disciplined playing tennis, and I feel this has helped with my writing in managing my time and making deadlines. The same goes for law which requires a methodical, organised approach and rigorous attention to detail, all of which are necessary traits in crime writing. My first two books in my Kramer & Carver thriller series – The Scribe and The Abduction – are set in the legal world, and Idefinitely drew inspiration for these from my time working in that environment, in terms of the setting, the legal aspects, the culture and the characters! Although I never practised criminal law, The Scribe is largely inspired by my time as a law student at the then London College of Law where I studied and took exams in seven legal subjects, including crime. These subjects form a crucial part of the plot, with the murderer killing in line with a pattern corresponding with the legal syllabus. Also, although none of my books feature characters based solely on any of the people I came across whilst playing tennis or practising law, there’s no doubt I’ve drawn inspiration from some of them. I tend to write about the darker side of human nature, and I definitely came across some of life’s more ruthless, dubious characters both as a tennis player and a lawyer!
3. Can you tell us about your publication journey?
My journey was not unlike that of most writers: long, arduous, at times soul-destroying, but ultimately rewarding! I started writing in 2010, andended up self-publishing a couple of women’s fiction novels in 2012/2013 having had no luck getting an agent. It took me five years to get my agent, Annette Crossland (in that time I had a rather upsetting agent experience which very nearly broke me!), and then another three years to get my first publisher, Lume Books. This, despite working non-stop on my books for eight years, editing and refining them until I practically knew them off by heart and had almost given up hope they’d ever see the light of day. I’ve faced a lot of rejection over the years, come close to offers from several of the big five publishers (which can sometimes be more heart-breaking than a straight ‘no’) and shed numerous tears during that time. But I kept going, kept honing and refining my books, hoping that one day I’d catch a break. I know that my story is no different to hundreds, if not thousands of authors out there. Writing is a tough, competitive business, and you need a thick skin to cope with the inevitable setbacks you will encounter along the way. The overnight successes are few and far between and you can’t let the turndowns get to you.Being a highly subjective industry, with so many variables, getting a publishing deal is akin to winning the lottery! When my Kramer and Carver books were published in 2019, nine years after I first started writing, it was such a great feeling knowing my work was finally out there being read! Then, in February 2021 I signed a deal for two psychological thrillers with Hera Books, and I suppose you could call the first of those – She’s Mine – my breakout book. It’s funny to think it was the eighth book I’d written (back in 2017) in all the time I was trying to get published, and took three years of submitting to get picked up. I am so grateful to Keshini Naidoo for loving She’s Mine and having faith in me. Hera have been fantastic to work with, and I suppose having struggled for so long to get my foot in the door it made me appreciate even more the incredible opportunity to work with such a phenomenal editor like Keshini. Having struggled for so long, it’s also rather incredible to think I have just finished my fifth psychological thriller for Hera, and for this I owe so much to my agent, Annette Crossland, who never stopped believing in me. Her support really kept me going through the ups and downs, as did immersing myself in my writing. I’d strongly advise all aspiring authors to start the next book when on submission. Like any skill, the more you write, the better you become at your craft, and you never know, the next book you write may just be the one that gets picked up. Writing also helps you to stop constantly checking the inbox for that magic ‘yes’!
4. You have written a lot of books. Which one is your favourite?
I would have to say that of all seven, Under Her Roof is my favourite so far, closely followed by She’s Mine. I think She’s Mine is unique in the way it is written from nine perspectives – which is quite a tricky thing to manage (!) and I’m quite proud of the twists, especially the end twist which no one has guessed so far. I suppose Under Her Roof tips the balance because of the creepy, claustrophobic vibe I’ve hopefully managed to generate, and which I feel really typifies the classic psychological thriller. Being stalked is something I think most of us fear, and is a subject I feel lends itself well to the tension, and mind games that exemplify this genre.This book is also a change from my other psychological thrillers in that there are largely only two points of view, and I really worked hard on the characterisation and chemistry between Seb and Adriana, both of whom are probably my most sympathetic of protagonists to date. Not only do they share an artistic connection, they are also drawn to one another by their mutual loss and grief. Both perfect examples of what we all are as human beings – fallible. Two people with troubled pasts and terrible secrets that haunt and entangle them in a never-ending cycle of sadness, guilt and fear. I hope this makes them more likeable and sympathetic, particularly when they find themselves at the mercy of the person who’s watching and tormenting them, and whose intentions remain unclear.
5. You have an amazing career. What are your future writing ambitions?
Like most writers, it would be a dream come true to see a book of mine adapted into a TV series or a film. Many readers have said my books would adapt well to the screen, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for that wish to come true one day! Obviously, it would be amazing to have a Sunday Times bestseller, while winning a prestigious writing award is also a long-held ambition of mine. More than anything, though, I just hope I can keep on producing high quality addictive books that entertain and bring people joy. I’d also like to finish and see published the third in my Kramer and Carver series, and find a publisher for two standalone action thrillers I wrote back in 2013 and 2016, featuring gutsy female lawyer lead protagonists. I’m really proud of those books and it would be wonderful if they could see the light of day.
6. I loved Under Her Roof. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?
Thank you. I like to write about ordinary people and everyday situations we can all relate to in our own lives, but which necessarily take a darker turn. Thrillers are, after all, about what goes wrong! The relatability is what makes the psychological thriller genre so compelling, with the landlord/tenant relationship being a perfect example of this, and one I felt inspired to write about. Many of us will have been tenants at some point in our lives, some of us even Landlords, and in fiction this set-up has the potential to take a particularly dark turn because often, each party will be a total stranger to the other, thereby evoking all sorts of frightening scenarios in the Machiavellian minds of thriller authors like myself! ‘Stalking’ is another ‘real’ issue I was keen to explore. Rather sadly, it’s something you often read about in the newspapers these days, but at the same time, there’s something strangely compelling about it, probably because it’s so creepy and something we all fear. Likewise, living in a world where we freely and religiously expose our lives to perfect strangers on social media, along with the idea of ‘Big Brother’ watching, I thought it would be intriguing to weave this into a Landlord/Tenant story and the sheer feeling of powerlessness, claustrophobia, panic and fear it can induce.
In terms of setting, I was inspired to choose Hampstead to base the book in, having lived in the North West London area for over a decade, first as a student and then later when I became a lawyer and, later still, a mother. Although I could never in my wildest dreams have afforded to live in Hampstead, I remember taking long winter walks around Hampstead Heath with my flatmates in my student days, marvelling at the area’s mansions with their stately gates, and then in later years pushing my son around in his buggy with my NCT friends. It’s a very quaint, pretty, affluent part of London, where a person should feel incredibly safe. But of course, this is not the case for my two main characters – Seb and Adriana – and therein lies the dramatic irony I wanted to convey. The idea that appearances can be deceiving, and that just because you live a beautiful house in an extremely wealthy area, you aren’t necessarily safe!
7. I also adored The Final Party and it was set in glamorous Italy. What other locations do you have your eye on for future books?
Thank you! I always wanted to write a thriller set abroad. For one, it’s nice to be able to transport myself and my readers to another country, preferably somewhere hot and idyllic (!) especially when the weather is bad here. Basing a thriller in a sublime setting can often prove more impactful because the characters are not necessarily anticipating danger or threat but rather, a blissful, stress-free escape, only to find themselves thrown into nightmarish circumstances, often in isolated locations, thereby ramping up the tension and intrigue! I chose Sorrento because it’s an area I’m very familiar with, having holidayed there many times as a child and got married there. I’ve visited other parts of Italy too – it’s hands-down my favourite country – and I’d love to set a book somewhere like Venice or Rome because they are such fascinating, beautiful cities, with a myriad of amazing landmarks and places to hide, not to mention a labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets to be chased down! Sadly, though, I fear Dan Brown got there first! I travelled all over the world playing tennis, and many of those locations would also make for interesting settings, as would India where my father is from, and with which I share a strong affinity.
8. You explore the dark side of human nature. What draws you to it?
Because it’s fascinating, albeit in an unnerving way! When I think about psychological thrillers, the words dark, sinister and twisty come to mind, along with a feeling of dread, tension and constant suspense, and not being able to trust what you’re being told. This is largely why I’m drawn to write about the dark side of human nature – by definition it helps fulfil those elements we deem the hallmarks of a good psychological thriller in a way writing about people’s good side would not! Focussing on people being kind and honest with each other would be far less interesting than having characters who lie and keep secrets from each other, the latter being a situation which leads to feelings of guilt, shame and conflict and which in turn, ramps up the tension. After all, readers want to feel intrigued and on edge, not comfortable! I love the way psychological thrillers explore the psychology of the human mind, how and why seemingly good and law-abiding people can commit the most heinous of crimes, whether it stems from their upbringing, or a particular wrong that’s been done to them. They prompt us to consider the darkness in ourselves as well as others. As fallible human beings we are all susceptible to the darker side of human nature – sentiments like envy, lust, greed, revenge – and I love to explore this phenomenon through issues, relationships and situations we can all relate to, and feel a connection with. Themes like friendship, marriage, motherhood – ones that strike at the core of human existence and therefore cut close to the bone.
9. What is your writing routine?
As mentioned, I’m quite a disciplined, focussed person by nature, and routine is important for me as far as my writing goes. I get up at 6.30 a.m., drop both my sons off to the bus stop around 7.15 a.m. Then I come back home, have breakfast and do some form of exercise for around an hour. I guess exercise is something that’s very much ingrained in me since my tennis days, but now it’s more important to me from a mental health perspective. It helps relieve any stress I might have and gets my brain in gear for the writing day ahead! Then, bar any appointments/errands I might have, I’ll sit down at my desk and barely move except for tea and lunch breaks, until it’s time for the boys to come home around five. If I’m in the middle of writing a book, I’ll try to get at least 2,000 words down. If I’m editing, I’ll spend all day working on that. In short, my time will be devoted to either working on my current book, doing book promotion/articles like this, or editing/researching, or a mixture of everything! I’ll invariably do a bit more work once the boys are back from school and settled but unless I’m under pressure to meet an editing deadline I rarely work beyond 7.30/8 p.m. because that’s have dinner andcollapse in front of the sofa with a great thriller/drama series time! I would rather make up the time on weekends than work into the night. I did enough of that as a lawyer and, in any case, I am much more productive in the day!
10. What advice do you have for other writers?
Become a writer because it makes you happy and you can’t imagine doing anything else! Rejection is inevitable in this industry – overnight successes are few and far between – so you really have to LOVE writing and must never stop believing in yourself else the turndowns will break your spirit. If you have talent and work hard, you will get there. You may not become a Sunday Times bestseller but you will get published, and people will eventually read your books, which is the greatest feeling, as is the first time you get to hold your published novel. Writing is a highly subjective business, and you need a thick skin to cope with the inevitable rejections, setbacks and criticism you will encounter along the way. It’s important to surround yourself with people who believe in you, as well as you believing in yourself. Also, focus on perfecting your craft and write what comes naturally to you, rather than writing what you think is on trend. It has to come from the heart, rather than a forced process readers will see through and therefore leave you open to criticism. Make sure you read widely too, as you can learn so much from other writers, and be inspired by them. It’s also a good idea to be active on social media, not just as a means of connecting with the reading and writing community, but because it’s an invaluable way of getting your name and work out there. I’d also advise asking other people you trust to read your work because it’s so easy to get so caught up in your story, you lose perspective, and so having the benefit of a neutral eye can prove invaluable. In terms of submissions, I’d say do your research and tailor them accordingly, be polite and make sure you have a strong hook for your novel that will make it stand out in a crowded market. Practically speaking, when it comes to writing your book, I’d advise aspiring writers to focus on finding a time and place that works for them as everyone is different. Wherever and whenever you choose to write, it’s important to cut out distractions, to get the nuts and bolts of your book down, then go back and refine! The most important thing is having a basis you can work off, with the finessing coming in the second and third draft.
Funnily enough, it didn’t happen until I was in my late teens. I have always been a lifelong reader, but it wasn’t until I was in college in Canada that I finally realized that publishing was actually an industry (we don’t have a publishing industry in Pakistan). I started to look – really look – at how the industry worked and that started inspiring me to write my own book. I started seeing myself as a published author.
You live in Lahore. How does that inspire your writing?
Lahore is in every aspect of my writing. I think, feel and breathe Lahore. There’s a popular saying in my part of the world ‘One who has not seen Lahore has not been born’, so you can quite imagine the kind of impact this city has on my writing. Lahore features heavily in all my books, and it wasn’t until I started writing Someone Like Her, which is partly set in London, that I realized how easy it was for me to write about Lahore, because I really struggled to bring London to life in my novel. Having said that, I have a very complicated relationship with my city. Just like in any relationship, there are good days and bad days, but I would be lying if I said that the city didn’t inspire my writing. Lahore is the very essence of me. Lahore is like for me as Paris was like for Ernest Hemingway – a moveable feast.
You have written four novels now. Do you feel like a veteran now?
Hardly. If anything, I feel like things are getting more and more difficult. People tell me that I’ve made it, but they don’t know just how terrified I really am most of the time about failing. With each book, reader expectations rise, and after a point, the pressure sort of gets to you. However, while the insecurity never really goes away – it shouldn’t really, as it keeps us grounded – I have to say that I am getting slightly more confident about my writing. I may be having doubts, but somewhere at the back of my mind, there’s a small voice that says, ‘You’ve written something good. All it needs now is that one big push, that one final edit.’
How did your first success come as a writer?
Success depends on one’s definition of success. Success can be selling a million copies of your book, but success can also be critical acclaim or positively impacting the life of even one reader. I first started writing In the Company of Strangers back in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2019 that it was published. During that time, I amassed a significant social media following, and since I naturally love to support my fellow authors, by the time my debut came out, it was an instant success with everyone I knew clamouring to buy a copy to support me in turn. The book went into reprint before it was officially out and also ended up becoming a national bestseller in Pakistan. However, it wasn’t until No Honour was published that I understood what it was like to be reviewed in major UK publications, and perhaps it was the topic, but No Honour ended up doing phenomenally well everywhere. In many ways, it was bigger than In the Company of Strangers.
What’s your writing routine?
My writing routine is all over the place. I suffer from writer’s block a lot when I’m in Lahore, and have frequently flown to London in the past just to finish writing my book. Being a writer in Lahore is not easy. Since there isn’t a publishing industry here as such, the environment here isn’t conducive for writing. A lot of people here disregard your efforts as a writer, thinking that whatever you’re doing has no value. All of it affects your self-esteem and motivation. Despite all of that, I try to be regimental about my writing, spending a few hours in my favourite café in Gulberg five days a week. It does bring some structure to my day and allows me to complete writing tasks that would just get delayed or put off otherwise. When in London, I like to write early in the morning and then in the afternoon too, preferably in a favourite café of mine.
Do you have a favourite of your books?
I feel that just like kids (not that I have any), one cannot have a favourite book. I’ve spent a lot of time with each of my books and they’ve all uniquely contributed towards my journey as a writer. However, if forced to choose, I would probably say No Honour, because I spent over three years researching and writing that book and it remains very close to my heart.
Tell us about The Writing Institute.
I set it up back in 2016 when I realized that there were absolutely no creative writing courses available in Pakistan. Initially, a lot of people laughed at me, saying that nobody would be interested in something like this, that writers didn’t even exist in Pakistan. Yes, my courses did struggle at first, but as word got around, more people started joining them and since then, over 10,000 people have taken courses with The Writing Institute. Today, the institute prides itself on providing the best online and in-person creative writing courses in Pakistan at the most affordable prices imaginable.
What is your top creative writing tip?
My top tip for any aspiring writer is to never give up. This is a very subjective industry, and what works for one would probably not work for another. Never stop believing in yourself. Deep down, we know just how good our work really is. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If someone is giving you proper critical feedback that can be used, then listen to them, but if someone is disparaging your work just for the sake of it, don’t listen to them. Similarly, be very wary of people who praise your work to high heavens. Just believe in yourself, in your talent, and don’t let the rejections get you down. Have the skin of an alligator’s.
Tell us about your new book.
I am very excited about my next book called In the Shadows of Love. It is the sequel to my debut In the Company of Strangers. The story moves twelve years into the future and Mona is now in her early fifties. She and Bilal have weathered the storm of infidelity, with Bilal embracing the son Mona had from her affair. Although on the outside, it seems that Mona has everything, and that every single day of hers is the same, with glittering parties and society events, things are not how they seem. Her perfect world is forever changed when the first message arrives. Will the secrets of Mona’s past threaten her future, her marriage and even her life?
In the Shadows of Love will be published by Hera Books in October, 2024.
What’s next for you?
I have recently finished writing my first thriller, tentatively titled Her Sister’s Secret. We don’t get to see a lot of thrillers coming out of Pakistan and I really wanted to write one that explored themes of sibling rivalry, guilty secrets and toxic marriages. The story centres around Maria and Sohaib who seem to have everything they could ask for, but behind the perfect façade, their marriage is toxic and when Maria’s sister, Fareena, comes to visit, everything goes awry.
The Memory of Us is a fantastic book. How long did it take you to write it? The Memory of Us took approximately one year to write. I don’t write particularly quickly and would panic if I had to produce a book any faster. When I gave up work to write full-time I thought I’d begin at nine o’clock and work through until five (with an hour for lunch, of course). It wasn’t long before I realised I’m not disciplined enough for that. People might be surprised it takes me twelve months to write a book, but I’m just amazed it doesn’t take even longer!
Where did the idea come from? My books have recurring themes of love, family, and friendship, often set against a life changing moment or event. From the outset I knew I wanted this story to feature two sisters and the unshakeable bond between them. Lexi and Amelia were a joy to write, and I miss spending time with them.
The book has many themes. How did you manage to thread them all together so well? I’d like to say it was a result of meticulous planning – except I don’t plan at all. However, I knew the important plot points, so it was a matter of letting the story unfold naturally and trusting everything would fall into place.
What is your writing routine like? My day starts with a dog walk, when I’ll formulate my plan for that day’s writing and often get ideas for conversations between characters. Before I begin, I go back and edit the previous day’s work. I know many authors prefer to keep their eye on the finishing line, but I’m not happy going forward if I think there’s something that needs fixing. Mornings are not my most productive time, so it’s mid to late afternoon before I usually hit my stride. Before turning off my computer I read that day’s work out loud. I find this to be a useful way of checking both the pace of the story and the authenticity of the dialogue.
What advice would you give writers who want to maintain a career? First, to keep reading in many different genres. Seeing how authors tackle a story, handle the pace, the dialogue and the plot can be very inspiring. It motivates you to bring all you have to the table the next time you begin to write. Next, is to just write. Don’t tell yourself that ‘one day I’ll write a book’. Do it. Do it now. It’s easy to think you don’t have time to write, but you just need to be disciplined and determined. Don’t set impossible goals. If you aim for just 1000 words a day, in three months you’ll have a novel. Lastly, write the book that’s in your heart. It’s more important to be aware of current literary trends than it is to follow them. At the end of the day, you must write the book you want to write and tell the story you have to tell. Perhaps it isn’t the same one that everyone is reading right then; perhaps you are bucking the trend… but it’s just possible you’re starting a new one.
What’s next for you? My next book is well underway and has a working title of PROMISE ME – although I’m sure that will change – they usually do. It is another emotional drama with some strong characters who I hope people will fall in love with every bit as much as I’ve done. I don’t want to reveal too much more, but I will say that I made myself cry writing the very first chapter, which was a first for me.
The Memory of Us’ by Dani Atkins is just published by Head of Zeus in hardback. I loved it. It is a beautiful and heartfelt novel which takes many themes and ties them together beautifully. The characters are divine and I adored the love story. I was fully immersed in this beautiful book. Superb writing mixes with a novel that keeps you guessing all of the way. I can’t recommend it enough.
For the last two years I’ve been living full-time in Devon in a small fishing village. If anyone is unfamiliar with the area, it is a particularly beautiful place with sandy beaches, wide rivers, green farmland and historic and lovely towns and villages. Thatched cottages abound in a chocolate box setting. The Miss Underhay series is set in and around Torbay during the 1930’s. Torquay was the birthplace of Agatha Christie so clearly this is a landscape to inspire crime writing!
The world my intrepid amateur sleuth, Kitty Underhay inhabited in 1933 would be familiar to her today despite some damage done by the second world war and over enthusiastic building works in the 1960’s. Punctuating the landscape are several beautiful and unique buildings. All of which feature in or have inspired scenes in the series. Landscape has always been important to me as a writer. I’ve always been fascinated by the built environment and the human stories that are told through both the building and the spaces between them.
One such building is the now sadly neglected Pavilion theatre in Torquay, a gorgeous art deco affair on Torquay seafront. Set amidst green space and flowerbeds, in the twenties and thirties it hosted operas and a beautiful tearoom. It was the place to see and be seen. This was also a building familiar to Dame Agatha Christie. Hopefully it will take its place again soon as one of Torquay’s jewels.
Another favourite building is run by the National Trust, tucked away down a country lane on the way from Torquay to Dartmouth. Coleton Fishacre is a gem of a jazz age country retreat. Once the summer home of the D’Oyly Carte family, it’s set in beautiful gardens that lead to the sea. A wonderful cream tea can be enjoyed, and the house is one of the loveliest places to visit.
In nearby Dartmouth, the inspiration for Kitty’s home is York House. A black and white half-timbered building, it’s easy to picture Kitty and her grandmother running their hotel there. Dartmouth itself is full of amazing buildings, from the medieval Dartmouth Castle which guards the mouth of the river estuary to the Butter walk, a colonnaded stone walkway housing shops and tea rooms. The Butter walk was damaged in the Second World War but has been so well repaired that you wouldn’t be able to tell.
Dartmouth is also home to another incredible building, St Saviour’s Church. Listed as one of the best 100 churches in England, it was constructed around 1372, and underwent significant restoration in 2014 to preserve it for future generations. It has magnificent medieval wooden doors, heavily carved with gryphons and supported on huge iron hinges.
Another building that sums up the spirit of Torbay in the jazz age is a mansion owned by the local council which is now coming back to life. Oldway mansion in Paignton was home to the Singer family, a name known to anyone with an interest in sewing. Oldway mansion was modelled on the Palace of Versaille and the interior is a magnificently painted masterpiece. During the first world war it was a hospital for injured American servicemen and went on to become a country club. The house is currently closed to the public, but the beautiful grounds can be enjoyed by anyone and there is a lovely tearoom. It’s easy to picture Hercule Poirot strolling in the grounds.
As well as the places listed above there is also Greenway House, Dame Agatha Christies’ own home, which is well worth a visit.
Helena Dixon’s latest release in the best-selling Miss Underhay series is Murder at the Highland Castle available as ebook, audiobook or paperback https://www.nelldixon.com
Pitching to Penguin after being signed to small publishers and being self-published.
Beginnings: I had not planned to be an author. I grew up believing that books were written by others, not me, for us to enjoy. Three or four events in my life, like special occasions, led me to “think” I was a writer. I was raised in a rich environment of stories, via my mum, my aunts, my grandparents, my dad, my teachers. I enjoyed hearing them so much that I also began telling them. I had a little burst of success as a 16-year-old in a national short story writing competition with the New Straits Times. I felt that indescribable buzz when I saw my byline among 30 highly-commended entries.
The hotel rooms: As a university student and an adult, I wrote nothing. I only started when I started travelling for work in hospitality and resort design. I was in hotel rooms and airports a lot. I learned that I really valued and enjoyed observation and being alone, which of course, are the prerequisites of the writing life. I was surprised to be flooded with ideas which had nothing to do with work. I began writing again because as you know, you don’t need any fancy tools or equipment. In those days, I printed and posted my stories from airports, or the nearest post office to the hotel. This period led me to believe I had again some chance of success because I was getting accepted by the Sunday magazines. One story was bought and broadcast by the BBC World Service. I had meetings with agents in Soho back in London, which led to nothing but an inkling that my writing was getting attention, any attention. I took writing more seriously when I invested in an MA in Writing at Middlesex University. As you know it’s not free, so I was taking a big chance but I was working and it paid for the fees. I was astonished to discover that I won the Middlesex University Literary Prize in an international competition, a cash award large enough to cover a third of my fees. The judge was Penelope FitzGerald and about my story, she said she had never read anything like it in her life.
The agent: I was snapped up by an agent immediately following the prize, a decision that was poor. I had no other offers. After 5 years, she did not get me a deal despite my writing not one but two novels for her to market. I did not write a word for 10 years. My writing stayed on my hard drive. It was deliberate. I had two children whom I wanted to give 120% of my attention. After 10 years and they were in primary school, I started submitting the novel again, and following 87 rejections I won a prize in Hong Kong, also a large cash prize. This novel, my debut, Cry of the Flying Rhino, was the turning point for me, because I now was an author. My entire family flew out to Hong Kong for the award ceremony and the publication. It was a small publisher, like my second novel’s, Heart of Glass.
The pandemic: Following the two novels with small publishers which were given zero marketing and publicity and unsurprisingly, hardly earned any royalties, I started to wonder if indeed they had even been published. I wrote another, Overboard. I got 50 rejections and I decided to start an imprint to publish it as I consider it to be my best book yet. I think my limit for rejections is now 30. I do think there is a limit otherwise you will be querying until you die. I don’t think I have the time or the patience to withstand 87 rejections like I did with the first, and 55 with the second. There’s no point and nobody cares. It’s an art form. It’s not a pizza which is edible and sort of OK even when bad. During the 2-3 years of the pandemic. I ate, sleep, wrote, published. Repeat. It was like a bumper sticker.
Keep going: I did online courses on self-publishing, keywords, genres and copywriting to study the market. I cannot stress how important it is for a writer. Without knowing the market and the audience, you can’t pitch. I learned to write through editing other people’s work and through reading hundreds of books in the genres I was interested in. The MA will not teach you these skills. My objective had always been to write the best book that could write. This kept me going in the lockdown years. I published a couple more, short stories, and another novel, White Crane Strikes.
Perfect pitch: A famous author, unfortunately I forget who, said that if you cannot tell your story in 17 words, you don’t know your story. That intro letter, one-page synopsis and first paragraph in your manuscript is everything. I wrote The American Boyfriendin November 2021 which I decided I would query until that magic self-imposed 30 rejections before I would publish it myself. I would trade the complete control and higher royalties in self-publishing for a traditional deal because of the connections. By the time I started querying again post-pandemic, I had already distilled my book to the most grabby Netflix 40-word synopsis. I saw a window of open submissions from Penguin Random House Southeast Asia. I was just about to release my book, because I got to 27 rejections. 9 months after querying, in August 2022, I got the best email ever. It was from Penguin and consisted of 5 words: has this manuscript been acquired?
Worldwide connections: The worldwide connections have been the most astounding and rewarding part of the publishing experience. Having a publicist was already mind-blowing as I had never had one before with self-publishing (that would be me) or with the small publishers I had been with (that would be no one).
The Penguin publicity, marketing and sales team have opened doors from day one: no. 1 Sunday Times authors providing the cover endorsement quotes, media and press outreach including World Literature Today, Nerd Daily, Culturess, Book Riot, The Telegraph and Elle, being no. 4 on the Straits Times bestseller list in its opening week, being on sale at WHSmith at the airport departure lounge, book launch at West End London bookshop and in the USA, in Barnes and Noble physical bookstores throughout USA and at the airports such as in Key West, Miami International and JFK. I have also been invited to the Jaipur Literary Festival (“the greatest literary show on earth”) in February 2024. I have also seen an uptick in the sales of my other books. These opportunities to build audience trust and author visibility would not have been possible without the Penguin label. This experience has changed the way I see publishing as I come from a “nothing happens” school of thought from my previous publications. I am proud that my book now belongs with the orange-spined classics I grew up reading. I am inspired to keep writing. Stories keep us alive. Stories are more than ever what we need in these times.
My parting words and 5 rules of writing: Persevere. Learn to write. Write the best book that you can write. Believe that top quality writing always stands out. Above all, read.
