My Husband Next Door is about a marriage between a couple of artists that has gone horribly wrong. The obvious thing would be to separate, but for financial reasons, Ella and Sebastian can't to do that, so Sebastian lives in a barn on the family farm. In some ways this works a treat - the two children get to see their father whenever they like - but in other ways, it doesn't. How on earth can Ella conduct a relationship with Ludo, her very attractive landscape gardener, with her ex-husband under her nose?
My Husband Next Door
Tell us about your job as a copywriter?
My job as a copywriter was fabulous. As a laid back "creative" I lolled around in jeans with my art director waiting for a "suit" to appear with a brief, which we might just deign to look at if they took as to Kettners for lunch. (This was Soho in the 80's, I believe things have changed!) However, the writing itself was an excellent discipline. With only thirty seconds of air time in which to sell a product, make an impact, please the client and hopefully be amusing, it forces you to be concise. There's no room for waffle in TV or press advertising - still less in a poster campaign. It taught to me pare everything down to the bare minimum and only include the strictly necessary, something I try to do in my novels today.
Do you think a relationship can last when the two people get together so young?
I don't think the age of the couple when they get together has anything to do with the longevity of a relationship; it's just whether or not they're suited. There will always be chemistry at the beginning; the trick is sustaining it for years and years. In a way I think the younger a couple are, the less nasty surprises there are - you know what you're getting. Perhaps I would say that though, I met my husband at university when I was 20!
You live in a rural spot in Hertfordshire, so how much of your house is like the one in the book?
Location wise my house is not that similar to the one in the book. Ella lives in a valley and I live on a windy hillside. She's also in a rather muddy hollow whereas we are on the chalky Downs which drain well. I suppose in the sense that all I can see is fields and trees it's similar - I do love going to London occasionally - and of course we are both surrounded by animals.
Your book is said to be suitable for 18-80 year olds so how have you managed to capture the hearts of all generations?
Well my cast of characters certainly range from about 15 to 90 - (blind Charles must be nudging that) - so in that sense I hope I appeal to all ages, but if I capture any hearts it's perhaps more to do with understanding (hopefully) the march through life. I have teenagers of my own - it's hard for them to believe but I once was one: I have elderly relatives of my own - I will one day be one! It's more to do with getting under a character's skin, whatever the age.
Please tell us a bit about your previous publications.
I have now written thirteen novels. The first was written twenty three years ago although it wasn't published until 1994. It's called The Old Girl Network. I have a very soft spot for that book as it wasn't written with a view to being published, just for sheer enjoyment. The rest followed naturally, one every couple of years, and have grown up with me. I used to write about single girls in flats, now I write about middle aged women in the country, their elderly parents, and their teenage children. I like to think my readers have grown with me.
Your husband persuaded you to send your first book to a publisher; do you think you would have done that without his push?
To be honest I'm not sure I would have sent the novel to an agent if my husband hadn't persuaded me. It's not really to do with confidence but more that I'm terribly lazy and probably wouldn't have got around to finding out who to send it to, buying a jiffy bag and getting down to the post office! I seem to remember he chivvied me into all of that!
What was your reaction when you first saw your book in print?
I vividly remember walking into WH Smiths, seeing the book facing out from the top shelf - and walking straight out again! I was so embarrassed to see my name up there in such big letters and on such a bright pink cover!
With a huge extended family to look after how do you plan your writing into your normal day?
By extended family I presume you mean children and animals! The children need less fitting around these days: as of two days ago they have all left school (my baby!) so are very much doing their own thing and don't affect my working life. The animals are more of a commitment. In the winter everyone has to be fed and watered (we have sheep, chickens, bantams, horses, ducks and dogs) and pretty much no writing gets done until they are catered for. In the summer it's much easier as they munch the grass (yes, even one of the dogs, who is then promptly sick) and the troughs don't have to be broken if they've iced over. I write in the mornings and walk the dogs and ride the horses in the afternoon.
What is next for you?
What is next for me? Another book!
My Husband Next Door by Catherine Alliott (1st August, Trade paperback £12.99/ebook £7.99, Michael Joseph)