Hello wonderful book folk, and a very happy Thursday to you! I hope you are all well and coping okay in the heat!
Today on The Book Babe, I am absolutely over-joyed to be taking part in the blog tour for Rosanna Ley’s latest novel, From Venice With Love, which is OUT TODAY and available to purchase here. Rosanna Ley has been one of my favourite authors for as long as I can remember. She writes the most beautiful, breath-taking and emotionally striking novels and I think that I will always remain a firm fan, so it’s an honour to be included on the list of bloggers taking part in this tour today.
First up today, I’m delighted to be sharing my author interview with Rosanna Ley, that of which I’m very excited to have had the chance to do with Rosanna, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. Alongside that, a little later this afternoon, I’ll also be sharing my review of Rosanna’s gorgeous novel From Venice With Love. So, without further ado, allow me to welcome the incredibly talented Rosanna Ley to the blog. I hope you all enjoy!
Hi, Rosanna! It’s an absolute pleasure to have you on The Book Babe with me today! You’ve always been one of my most adored authors. Your stories are beautiful and never fail to take my breath away. Without further ado, let’s get this interview started!
Thank you so much, Becca – and for your lovely comments about the books!
1.) Rosanna, you’ve got quite the back catalogue of books behind you at this point. At what age did you begin writing, and how many novels have you written so far?
I first started writing poems when I was very young – the first poem I remember was about the sea and I was around seven or eight years old. I must have always loved the ocean – my favourite place to write is definitely somewhere with a sea view! After that, I wrote lots of poetry – especially teenage angst; got to get those emotions out somehow… – until I began writing short stories and then eventually novels. Who knows, I might go back to poetry one day soon and then the cycle will be complete! From Venice With Love will be my twentieth published novel. I’m very fortunate to have had a long career in writing and tutoring creative writing.
2.) Do you have a favourite of your novels so far?
Gosh, that’s a difficult one! I don’t have one definite favourite, but Last Dance in Havana, The Lemon Tree Hotel and From Venice With Love are probably my three equal favourites!
3.) Do you have a favourite novel by someone else?
Again, it’s very difficult to choose just one because there are so many fabulous books out there. My favourite ‘classic’ is probably Women in Love by DH Lawrence as he was so influential on my life and my writing. In more recent times, I really enjoyed Anthony Capella’s The Various Flavours of Coffee – it’s so different and so entertaining – I love his writing.
4.) I know that you take your research for your stories very seriously, and you’ve travelled far and wide to gather experience and information on numerous places. Do you have a favourite place that you’ve travelled to? Can you tell us about it?
This is an easier question for me! My favourite country to visit is Italy and my favourite research place so far is the west coast, Liguria, known as The Italian Riviera. It’s simply stunning. The Lemon Tree Hotel is set here in the Cinque terre, specifically Vernazza, but I love the whole area and plan for my next book to be set in Liguria too. Exciting! That means I need to go there again…
5.) In terms of your writing career, can you tell us of any stand-out moments for you, Rosanna? Any memories you have that will stay with you always?
The first time I saw my first published book in a bookshop is one clear stand-out moment. That impulse to run up to it, pick it up and stroke it lovingly just could not be ignored… I think my visit to Cuba also had a huge impact on me. It felt like such a challenge to write that book (Last Dance in Havana) and I had to do a lot of research and learn so much in order to make it work. It felt like my biggest achievement definitely.
6.) What genre do you enjoy reading yourself, Rosanna? Are there any writers who have perhaps influenced your own writing in some way?
I don’t restrict myself to one particular genre but I do enjoy books that are deep, emotional, intense and psychological (though maybe not all at the same time!). I like books that are tackling a thought-provoking subject but which are entertaining too and maybe a bit different. People are definitely my thing. I like character journeys. As I mentioned. DH Lawrence influenced my love of setting and landscape when I first started writing – it was Lawrence who made me see how effective it can be to link characters and emotions with the landscape they are in and just generally build emotional layers in a piece of writing. I do like a bit of humour sometimes – Jane Austen taught me a lot about using the ironic voice – and Virginia Woolf taught me about stream of consciousness and the emotional impact of the internal voice. All good stuff. Never stop learning really.
7.) Tell us what a normal writing day looks like for you. Do you have a set routine that you like to follow? Do you set yourself a word count goal for the day?
During an ‘early drafts’ writing period which usually runs from around Sept/October to April/May, I will try to write mainly in the mornings and I will aim for 5,000 words a week and 20,000 a month; this process comprises: write first draft of a scene in notebook, edit on to screen, edit again once or twice then move on to next scene.
Quite time-consuming, but this gives me a complete early draft which I will then revise ready to send out to my agent and editor. I am quite disciplined during these months, will limit my time on social media and work all day if I have to. But my aim is to get emails and media out of the way first, then write, taking time out for a walk at some point. Sometimes in the afternoons I am doing other things, but I often come back to the writing late afternoon/evening until around seven p.m.
At other times in the year I am in a ‘revisions’ period or a ‘research’ period or a ‘publicity’ period when I am doing different things connected with the novel.
8.) How do you deal with criticism?
It depends who is making the criticism and if it is fair. If it is my editor or someone being helpful and constructive, I hope that I take it well. Even if I’m resistant at first, I am able to take it on board after some thought and my initial reaction of screaming/tearing hair out/crying etc (or not able to take in on board, if I don’t agree! But I have to say that my editor is nearly always right). If it’s not fair criticism e.g. someone on Amazon who couldn’t download the book and then slates me for it, I get cross. I also get angry at people who say things like ‘she churns out a book a year’ because it really isn’t like that. There’s so much hard work involved and I feel people should appreciate that even if they don’t like the result…
9.) On the opposite side of that, what’s the best compliment you’ve received about your writing/books?
I love it when a reader really gets what I’m trying to do and takes the time to post a thoughtful and detailed review. I appreciate that so much. Recently, a reader talked about how I had captured the psychological complexities of family dynamics really well and I was so thrilled! (Because it is the psychological complexities that interest me the most). I also really appreciate praise from fellow authors because they know what they are talking about and it is lovely of them to be so generous.
10.) Your books are loved far and wide by many, many readers. Myself included. Tell us, Rosanna, what is your favourite thing about being a published author?
My favourite thing is to be able to travel to beautiful places in order to weave a story in and around them. And it is perfectly justified, because it’s work!
11.) What does your initial planning for your novels look like? Is it messy and unorganised? Do you use a timeline or anything like that?
I do lots of planning, including one (or often two) timeline(s) and write a 6,000 (ish) word synopsis which develops the story-line and helps me to work out where I am going. I’m very organised – otherwise the novel will be total chaos in my head… And although creativity sometimes comes from chaos, for me, chaos isn’t good.
12.) Your latest novel, ‘From Venice With Love’ is already out, and is due to be published in glorious paperback on 25th Briefly, can you tell us what this novel is about?
It’s about two sisters who seem to be very different, leading very different lives. Joanna, a journalist, is married and lives in London; Harriet runs the dilapidated old family home Mulberry Farm Cottage and looks after their eccentric mother. When Joanna’s marriage is in trouble, she returns home to rural Dorset in order to find a way forward. She discovers some old letters in the attic written by a watercolourist named Emmy and she sets out to discover Emmy’s story. The story takes Joanna to Prague, Lisbon and Venice, the most romantic place of all. Meanwhile, in Dorset, a mysterious prowler adds to Harriet’s problems and interrupts her search for her perfect partner. The story is about family bonds and following your heart – wherever it might take you…
13.) Is there a specific message or lesson readers can expect to take away from this novel?
I would say the message is that family bonds are important and that everyone needs to allow a bit of magic into their life.
14.) Would you say that your writing style has changed over time? If so, how?
Hmm, I don’t know. Not really, but my style does depend a lot on what genre I’m writing in or if it’s a short story or a feature for example, then it also depends on the house style of the magazine.
15.) How do you like to spend your free-time, Rosanna? Any hobbies or favourite ways to unwind?
I like walking around the cliffs, beaches and woods in Dorset where I live. I also like playing tennis, enjoy theatre, film and of course READING…
16.) Who are your biggest supporters?
I have some lovely support from family and friends but also from readers, other writers and wonderful bloggers like YOU…
17.) What advice would you pass on to another writer who is yet to be published?
I have ten writing tips on my website rosannaley.com so I’ll just pick one of those at random: write, not just what you know, but also what you want to explore…
18.) What are you working on next? Can you reveal anything about it? Sneaky exclusive, maybe? 😉
I have just finished the latest draft of my new novel to be published in 2021 spring and summer. I will be doing revisions on it next month. It’s called The Orange Grove and it’s set in Seville. I fell in love with Seville when we visited last year. It’s a beautiful and fragrant city, so it’s a joy to be setting a novel there.
19.) How are you coping amid the lockdown?
Pretty good. Head down, writing. Lots of wonderful peaceful walks. A bit of relaxing and there’s another day gone… I know it’s very different for many people not so fortunate – those who have been ill or lost loved ones, those on the front line, those without a garden to escape to. But for me, it has been a chance to be solitary, do lots of writing and wind down.
20.) And lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to your readers/fans?
A massive ‘thank you’, of course! For being supportive and for loving the books and for understanding what I’m trying to do and say. Thank you for reading and thank you for posting reviews – it means so much and without you there would just be no point to it at all.
Rosanna, thank you ever so much for taking the time to be here today. I cannot tell you how much you’ve made my year! I wish you every success with ‘From Venice With Love’ and I can’t wait to read it myself.
It has been a complete pleasure, Becca. Thank you so much for your fabulous questions and for giving me the chance to have both a rant and a rave! I hope very much that you enjoy From Venice with Love.
Love, Rosanna xx
Rosanna Ley has had six novels published by Quercus Books. She has worked as a creative writing tutor for many years and has written articles and stories for a number of national magazines. Her writing holidays and retreats take place in stunning locations in Spain and Italy. When she is not travelling, Rosanna lives in West Dorset by the sea.
Visit Rosanna: @RosannaLey / http://www.rosannaley.com
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