Fix: Sex Lies and Banking
Fix: Sex, Lies and Banking is a twist on the typical boy meets girl romance story by focusing on addiction and the impact that this has on both love and lust.
The book takes true events and fuses romantic fiction for the contemporary women reader. I think the allure of knowing this is real-life adds a mysterious dimension given the reader is unsure what is fact and what is fiction.
I chose the word Fix as the title for three reasons, one it can be interrupted as a means of satisfying an addiction, two it is a position from which it is difficult to escape, and thirdly it means to repair or mend. This story can be read through all three meanings.
Sex, Lies and Banking as the sub-title gives a snapshot of what the book is about.
Some of the elements of the world I was in and that I created are depravity, debauchery, greed, extravagance, innocence, love, lust and absolution. Oh and of course, plenty of references to Fashion!
Please tell us about the characters of Patrick and Alexandra.
Patrick Harrington is wealthy, successful and good looking. He is also a high-functioning addict whose vices of choice are money and women: He seeks a sense of legitimacy through acquiring things and trophy dates. He loves his mother and loathes just about everyone else, stopping just long enough in someone’s life to take what he seeks.
Alexandra Fisher, a pretty young woman with “Daddy” issues, has a giant flashing arrow above her head highlighting her vulnerability. She is educated and smart but naïve to the world due to lack of experience.
This is your debut novel so how was the process for you?
I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I got to a point in my career where I could take a year out and decided that I needing to be writer if I was to live my dream. It was time to stop talking about and start doing it!
I often play scenarios out in my mind and when I get to a point where I have refined it in my head it is time to commit it to paper (or word doc!). I have always been a prolific journal writer and love to tell stories so when I came to write this novel, once I put some discipline around my day and learnt when I was most productive I was away.
I find I have to write every day. Even if it is rubbish. I think it was Jodi Piccoult who said it is easier to edit a page of bad writing than an empty page. I agree. It also builds momentum and allows you to get lost in the flow… that part of writing is my favourite as I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose.
The book is based on your own life, so what made you want to write down your experiences for others?
I think a lot of authors take their own life experiences as inspiration for their work. I certainly hadn’t sat down expecting to write this exact book but that is what it turned into as I went about honing my craft. I never had a structure or plan, I just sat and wrote and I am delighted with the outcome.
I write for readers so I am grateful that people pick up my book and hope they enjoy the emotional rollercoaster I have tried to create!
You lived in London, however now you have moved to the middle east- what made you want to start a new life there?
It was two-fold. I had spent more than a decade living and working in London and when a job offer came in an exotic sunny location it didn’t take me too long to make up my mind to try somewhere new. It was supported by the fact that a move put geographical distance between me and the real Patrick Harrington…
Why is the book a warning for women who work in the city?
The tipping point for me telling this story was being personally fed up with the Financial Services industry. Being in a position to see things that pushed the line of both my professional boundaries and personal values drove me to write… also my girlfriends kept encouraging me to tell the stories as they loved to hear about them and thought others would enjoy them too. I think the City provides the backdrop, which may serve as a warning specifically to women there about some of the perils, but hopefully the relevance of addiction and their impact on lust and love are relevant to everyone.
Why is this book suitable for the Belle de Jour genre of books?
There are several mysterious dimensions given the reader is unsure what is fact and what is fiction. It is a high-flying world that many don't have insight into so being able to read about it is a chance to live vicariously.
What is next for you?
I continue to work in a corporate setting (but not within Financial Services anymore) as bills need to be paid and my shopping habits satisfied (my fix!). I would love to write for a living… I am hoping to finish the trilogy (the next two books in this series) and have them published. I also have many ideas for subsequent novels in different genres.