PAMELA HART
She’s written children’s books, fantasy, historical novels and the Poppy Mcgowan mystery series
Is it tricky moving between genres as a writer? It can be – especially between lighthearted stories like the Poppy Mcgowan series and a book set during World War I (although even my historical novels have happy endings). Getting thoroughly into the voice of the character makes the switch easier. What are you reading now?
Kate Forsyth’s The Crimson Thread, which I’m loving.
Is there a book that made you love writing? I’ve been a rabid reader all my life, and I think every single book you read adds to that compulsion to tell your own stories. What’s the best book you’ve read? Pride and Prejudice remains a firm favourite.
A book that had a pivotal impact on your life? The Roma Poetry Book – my father would read poems to me as I went to sleep. It made me obsessed with language and words. The book you couldn’t finish?
War and Peace. I’ve tried.
A book you wish you had read but haven’t got to? Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. A friend mentioned it only last night, and I had to confess I hadn’t read it. I was filled with shame, so after The Crimson Thread and the rest of my TBR list …
The book you are most proud to have written? So hard to choose! I guess it’s Digging Up Dirt, the first Poppy book. So many people have messaged me to say that they just haven’t been able to read through lockdown etc, and then they picked up that book and zipped through it. It feels special to have been able to bring people back to reading that way.
How do you read books? I read on my phone. I love it. It’s always with me, and I can sneak five minutes here and there.
Your favourite place to read?
In the bath (blush).
What book do you re-read?
I love to reread Georgette Heyer (including the detective stories). But I reread a lot, because while I’m writing the first draft of a book, I find reading new fiction distracts me from my own story too much. So I only read fiction I’ve already read, or nonfiction. That means I have lots of favourite re-reads!
What books are on your bedside table? My TBR list is: Vivienne Cleven’s Bitin’ Back, Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library, and an advance copy of Reforged by Seth Haddon – Seth was a writing student of mine, so it’s really satisfying to see his first book coming out. And I’ll be re-reading Anita Heiss’s Tiddas before coming to Brisbane in September for the opening of the play based on it.
What are you writing next?
A new Poppy story. In An Ancient Grave, she goes off to a dig in
Jordan with her archaeologist boyfriend, and discovers murder and mayhem.