Q: This was your first novel. How long have you been writing?

A: There have been bits of paper with scribbles and unrelated phrases and ideas thrown together, stuffed between the pages of notebooks and left neglected and forgotten about for years. It always seemed impossible to find a prolonged stretch of time to devote to the fledgling novel. Work, a hopping social circle and competing projects always demanded attention…until the pandemic that is. Like a big jigsaw puzzle, the pieces were assembled, the rumble of excitement began to take over and the first two chapters were written in earnest …and in that moment I thought ‘I can write, and I absolutely love writing… it feels wonderful.’ Fourteen months later I had a completed manuscript, albeit one that required an experienced eye to weed out the incompatible, the awkward and the nonsense.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: My first book is a work of fiction inspired by different journeys and shared lives. A little bit of me weaves through the story, as is does with every writer, whether born from experience, a point of view or a fervent imagination. I see myself very much within the layers and the emotion of my main character Roisin, she too had to wait for what brought her contentment. My inspiration came from memories that I had and memories that were missing, that I thought I should have had, and from acutely feeling the losses experienced by others. Mostly what inspired me, was a desire to write about the needs, the passions and the humour that women often experience in their intimate relationships as they collide with life’s peaks and troughs.

Q: What motivated you to become an author?

A: I remember being a very young age, I would say around nine years old and finding comfort in role play; creating happy stories and happy families with teddies, dolls and action men toys. These wishful stories turned to scripts and later heartfelt poems and served a much deeper purpose, becoming a way of self-communication as a young teenager, trying to make sense of life at that time. It was probably in my mid-twenties when I really began to feel I had a story within me, one I wanted to bring to fruition and share, but at that time, I had neither the education nor the means. By drawing on resilience and drive throughout the many years to come and seeking out varied life experiences, I came to a place where I had the freedom to address this now intrinsic desire to collate the stories and poems of the past, and with artistic license and imagination, create a fiction for the present. Opening the rusted gates in my mind; letting in the clean fresh air, I welcomed the long-awaited words as they skipped to my fingertips and how‘ they delighted my very being. The motivation was always there… it was timing and opportunity that made things possible.

Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how it influences your book?

A: This was one question I found difficult to answer, in as much as not knowing how much the reader would want to know… I think a little mystery is often more attractive than the truth. Some of the threads of the novel are based on truth, as a child and as a woman, from rags to riches, from loneliness to finding love. One thing I can reveal is that my background with all its complexities has played its part in creating ‘The day we had Candy Floss.’

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of writing your first book?

A: Initially everything was a challenge, and it was not a surprise to me. As a first-time writer bursting with ideas, but also aware I had little knowledge of English literature and gramma, I thought my own short comings may scupper my dream before it has a chance to shine. Being my first novel, I set out having no idea of what was expected of me, or what I had to achieve to impress a publishing team. What I did know was that I must take my half-baked offering with its jumbled-up ingredients to whoever may glance my way and run with it as far as it will go. My good fortune may have been choosing the first publisher, who turned out to be the right publisher…Whitefox Publishing. They bypassed my naivety and thankfully saw that ‘somewhere in my mixing bowl was the making of a nice dessert…. I will be forever grateful they did! In practical terms working through timelines, past and present and a delivering a credible progression to the ending of the story line to hold the readers interest was probably the most difficult part that required endless scrutiny.

Q: How did you decide on the title of your book?

A: The title ‘The Day we had Candy Floss’ had been with me from day one…. there was never a second choice. The vibrancy and deep pink of Candy Floss, its sweetness and the way it melts in your mouth, symbolised everything to me about a happy child. I saw a much-loved child playing on the beach and life was perfect. It was a simple, inexpensive, but powerful and very noticeable gift. I also thought the precious gifts we find or receive along our life’s journey… may also just like Candy Floss so easily melt away and disappear from our grasp…the title on its own brought my story to life.

Q: How did you choose the setting and characters for your story?

A: The foundation of some of the characters are familiar to me, the effort was embellishing and fictionalising the story to create impact of a seemingly genuine nature. There are many characters who I preferred to be raw, unfiltered and disturbing. They all came from my imagination quiet willingly, the difficulty I had was knowing where I should stop the darkness, the vulgarity and the abuse… I questioned where it would lead me, what would it do to my readers…would it be my downfall? I chose not to sensor myself, but to be true to my thoughts. Some readers may find the highly sexual themes and descriptions of violence difficult to wrestle with…my aim was not to offend but only sensationalise the content for those who enjoy the visceral emotion of an adult nature.

Q: What do you want readers to feel when they finish reading your book?

A: I always had one very determined and nagging thought in my mind throughout the execution of the book; I was desperate not to leave my reader flat, empty and unsatisfied, feeling like they had wasted hours of their life absorbed in what I had created, only to be left with a bad lingering taste and a terrible review… this may still happen for some, I pray not…I tried hard. My joy would be a reader who on completion makes a note to self to watch out for the launch of my next book.

Q: What themes and messages do you hope readers take away from your book?

A: Firstly, that no matter what your start in life, or the obstacles and challenges that come your way, with dogged tenacity, keep a tight grip on who you are…and you can find what matters to you. Also, that being loved is a gift and is often the one thing that can be seen to be out of your control… be kind to yourself and free yourself from the takers, those that are self-destructive and try to restrain you … never leave it too late to hear your own voice and listen to your own needs.

Q: What advice would you give to other aspiring writers?

A: Think about what you do have, what you think and feel at the very core of your being. At the beginning of your process a head full of too many disjointed ideas and a nagging doubt is still a gift. If it keeps you awake at night, and gets you up early in the morning, then that’s when you will produce your best work. Think not so much of your perceived lack of intellect but ponder relentlessly on your passion and drive. The rest is working out your schedule.

Explore my second Q&A featured on wearewhitefox.com….