1) I was born and brought up in Vienna, Austria. As a child I had a passion for German poems and ballads; by the age of eight, I knew many of them by heart. I remember reciting my favourite ones to my mother who always assured me that she loved to hear them. I still have a love of German literature, and although I mostly read in English now, I do occasionally re-read some of the great German classics like Schiller and Goethe. I used to write poems in German when I was young so I guess it's not totally surprising that my writing career in England started with writing lyrics, which I did whilst raising our two children.
H A Howe
2) One of my past jobs in the UK was as a general manager for a publishing company publishing books and bi-monthly magazines on art and architecture. An exciting, albeit hectic environment that did wonders for my organisational skills! I left when our daughter was born. Soon after, my husband and I started to publish and co-write a monthly financial review which we kept going for some years. We also acquired a small marketing company when our children were little, and this has allowed me to devote my time to their upbringing whilst working flexible hours. I started writing more seriously once the children were in full-time education. I was very lucky that I was able to sell my first completed piece, an historical play, and that I was then commissioned to write the German translation, as well as it being subsequently translated into French. This very positive start not only encouraged me to carry on writing, it also gave me the confidence to branch out into different genres.
3) I tend to write in the afternoon. In the morning I try to get any paperwork and other chores out of the way, otherwise I cannot focus entirely on my writing. However, I always carry a notebook and pen around with me to make sure I don't forget some of the ideas that jump out of nowhere sometimes whilst answering business enquiries, or whilst out shopping, or sitting on the bus. I also have a notepad and pencil by my bedside, as well as a mini recorder. I often wake up during the night with ideas swarming my head. I find it impossible to go back to sleep without noting them down. At times, when I can't be bothered to turn on the light, I use the recorder. Luckily, my husband is a very sound sleeper.
I attempt to write every day, the duration of which varies greatly and depends sometimes on mood but also the amount of research that needs to be done. For instance, if I'm working on an historical piece, I set a lot of time aside for research. But I guess, taking notes is also writing, especially as a few snippets of information sometimes trigger pages of dialogue.
4) I'm a natural worrier, with fears having set root in my childhood (which wasn't a particularly happy one) and which keep resurfacing in my stories. That does not mean that I'm of a gloomy disposition. In fact, I'm a very cheerful and fun-loving person (which I hope comes through in my writing) - I just can never quite get the 'what if' out of my mind. On top of that, I'm also a very private person. If I have a problem, I don't want to talk about it, let alone throw it open for discussion. I do that when writing though. That's not to say that all of the dark side in my stories comes from personal experience, but many of the fears and emotions are my own. Charles Aznavour, the famous French singer/songwriter, said to me recently, 'I'm not afraid of words. I write about anything I feel strongly about'. And he did, in more than 1000 of his songs. I too am not afraid of the written word - I feel a freedom when writing that I lack in the spoken language.
5) I love the theatre, even if I don't always share the writer's/director's view or understand their vision. I have seen many fantastic and memorable productions with brilliant performances, and it is of course those I find elevating. I like classic plays as well as modern ones, and London offers an abundance of first class plays - to me it is the theatre metropolis of the world. And I'm not just referring to the array of famous stars that we are able to lure to our stage - I have seen some amazing productions/performances by little known artists, and also by LAMDA students.
6) Apart from going for a brisk walk in the local park every day (weather permitting) early in the morning, I don't exercise. But I do admire people who do - it takes a lot of discipline. I always have the best intentions - usually in the form of a New Year's resolution (and we all know what happens to those). This year I was going to embark on yoga, but sadly, by the time I got round to it, I had missed the start date for the beginners' course. Last year I was resolute to start going swimming once a week. I shan't bore you with the excuse.
7) I'm a passionate and enthusiastic person. It does mean I can get carried away at times. It also sets me up for disappointment when things don't go as planned. But at least, whenever I decide to do something, I commit to it one hundred percent. I take that same approach whether work or leisure related, and I cook and drive with the same zeal.
8) I like to eat healthily and am always keen on improving our diet. Recently I signed up to do a nutritionists' course and became a student again, and whilst lots of it is common sense, I've come across some interesting facts about macro- and trace minerals. I've also immediately embarked on convincing my husband that sugar and salt is bad, although he got a little worried when they disappeared completely from the kitchen cupboard.
9) I don't have a favourite book - I have many, and keep discovering new ones. It is such a joy to read a good book, although it also raises doubts in my own ability and I end up worrying that my books are not as good as what I have just read. This hasn't however prevented me from carrying on writing. It helps, of course, to have very encouraging friends and family. My earliest memories of childhood books are Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm and the morality or disciplinarian stories of Wilhelm Busch and Heinrich Hoffmann's Shockheaded Peter. Some pretty gruesome literature for a small child - not that I can remember being scared at the time, although looking back now, I'd be surprised if I hadn't been. I don't believe in frightening children, but a small dose of reality, that the world is not a totally rosy place, is not such a bad thing.
10) I'm a great advocate for libraries. Their roles may have changed over the years but that doesn't make them less important - there aren't too many public places where one can sit and read or work in peace and quiet. I actually do a large amount of my writing in libraries or members' rooms of our great national museums - I find them an inspiring environment.
