Happy New Year with L J Ross

 A very happy 2020 to you all. January 1st is always a good day for taking stock. Looking back over some of the past posts here on my blog, I've picked out a favourite one where I interviewed best-selling author, LJ Ross. Since then, she had added more books to her DCI Ryan series and also written several in an exciting new series featuring forensic psychologist, Dr Alexander Gregory. Do join us. 

Louise, welcome. I know that you were born and bred in Northumberland and of course that’s where your spectacularly successful DCI Ryan series is set. Do you have any childhood memories you’re prepared to share with readers?

- I have so many happy memories of my childhood in Northumberland. I remember spending weekends exploring Bamburgh Castle and its enormous beach where I used to play ‘hide and seek’ amongst the sand dunes and look across the sea to Holy Island, which lies thirteen miles or so further north along the coastline. Those early memories of the sand, water and the towering castle on its craggy rock laid the groundwork for the stories I now write. 

Since January 2015, you’ve published six books in the DCI Ryan series to great acclaim. That’s a remarkable 
work rate. How do you manage it?

- I’ve always had a very strong work ethic and I can be very disciplined, when I want to be! However, I never like to sacrifice quality, so each book goes through rigorous editorial processes before release. The beauty of choosing to publish independently is that I don’t have to wait for traditional publishing schedules before releasing a book – I can decide when to release, which is great for readers because it means they don’t have to wait quite so long for the next instalment of DCI Ryan!

As any author knows, being a writer can be challenging and particularly so if you self-publish. To what do you attribute your success in a very competitive market?

- I’m often asked this question and it’s a difficult one to answer because there are so many brilliant writers out there who have yet to be ‘discovered’. I was very fortunate that my first novel went on to become a UK #1 bestseller and I think it comes down to a number of factors aligning at the same time: a storyline that captures the reader’s imagination, editorial quality, cover, sales copy and a little bit of good old-fashioned luck. It’s as simple (and frustrating) as that.

You worked as a regulatory lawyer for many years, do you think the experience you gained contributed to your skill in plotting and attention to detail?

- I was experienced in drafting techniques and had an eye for detail after working as a lawyer. More importantly, I think the broad spectrum of people I met during that time has provided a wealth of inspiration for the characters I write!

Do you have a special place where you like to write and/or a particular routine?

- Often, I’ll take a laptop to a local coffee shop and write a little bit in the morning after I’ve dropped my son off at school. I like to try to do some walking during the day, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to enjoy cake as much as I do! I also have an office at home where I work if I’m on a tight deadline and need to shut myself away.

 

Where does your inspiration come from?

- My inspiration comes from the world around me and the people I meet, particularly the landscape of Northumberland which I find endlessly inspiring.

Are you a planner or do you prefer to let your plots evolve as you go along?

- A little of both! Some books have a more intricate plotline and therefore it’s important not to go off on a tangent, whereas others allow for more of an organic process.

When you aren’t writing, how would you describe your perfect day?

- Taking a long walk with my family, or spending time hanging out with friends. Simple pleasures!

Which parts of the writing process do you enjoy the least and the most?

-I enjoy writing the first and last few pages of a book. There’s a special feeling when you create something entirely new and an equally special feeling of accomplishment once it’s complete. I don’t enjoy writing the middle of the book, which is usually around the time my confidence and energy starts to wane!

If you had to choose only one, who is your favourite character in your books? Why is that?

- Whilst DCI Ryan is the lynchpin of my stories, I have to confess to holding a candle for DS Phillips. His character is loosely based on my late grandfather, who was witty, intelligent and loyal in much the same way as his fictional counterpart.

Who would you cast to play them if your books were to be made into films?

- I’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it!

Have any particular writers influenced your work? 

- I have always been a voracious reader and so you might say all the writers I’ve enjoyed since childhood have influenced me in some way or another, for different reasons. However, as a crime writer, I don’t think you can beat Arthur Conan-Doyle for sheer longevity, clarity of writing and thought. 

Do you have an all-time favourite book? 

No, I can’t choose a favourite, but the books I have read more than once include M. M. Kaye’s ‘The Far Pavilions’, Daphne du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ and anything by Jim Thompson.

You say in your biography that you’re a keen traveller. Do you think any of your destinations will inspire a new series, and if so, which ones? 

- I think there’s a grain of truth to the old saying that you should ‘write what you know’. In my case, I’ve spent time living in London, Paris and Florence (amongst other places) and would like to write a new series which has a more European flavour to reflect that experience.

Can you tell us what you’re working on now? 

- With ‘Dark Skies’ coming out in time for Christmas, I’m polishing off some final bits and pieces on that, as well as plotting the next DCI Ryan and tinkering with an entirely separate psychological thriller.

 I’d like to end by asking you for your responses to a few observations made by other writers over the years. 

Fire away! 

‘If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.’ Stephen King 

- I think this is very true. The act of reading over the course of a lifetime prepares you as a writer, in particular, to recognise the styles and genres you prefer to read and might then be well-placed to write. Of course, that will differ for each individual.  

‘One day I will find the right words and they will be simple.’ Jack Kerouac 

- I think it’s true that, as a new writer, there’s a tendency to ‘over write’ and use ten words to describe what could have been conveyed with one or two. As a reader myself, I prefer the clarity of writers like Conan-Doyle and Jim Thompson, whose longevity is probably thanks to their ability to write in an accessible way.  

‘You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.’ – C S Lewis. Would you agree? 

- In my case, it would be coffee, but let’s not quibble! As for a book long enough…I’d say, that rather depends on the book.  

‘You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.’ Saul Bellow 

- I think the content can be inspired, but the technical specification suffers thanks to over-tiredness! 

‘The road to Hell is paved with adverbs.’ Stephen King 

- I think we’re all guilty of the odd cheeky adverb (even Stephen King!) 

‘After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we most need.’ Phillip Pullman  

- I think it’s at least true to say that we all need escapism from time-to-time. Stories are by the far the healthiest outlet!