We talk to Pam Weaver about her book “Always In My Heart”

Over the months ahead, we’ll be looking at new releases by some of our favourite authors. This month, Pam Weaver tells us about her book “Always In My Heart” . . .

Q Could you tell us about the plot of the book?

A When Florrie is diagnosed with TB, she has to go to a sanatorium. It’s 1939 and her children, Shirley and Tom (a boy who has learning difficulties), are evacuated to Sussex. They are billeted on a run-down farm where they are expected to do their share of the chores.

Shirley hates it, but for the first time in his life, in looking after the animals, Tom is able to do something he enjoys. Shirley makes the best of it and finds a new friend in the heavily pregnant farmer’s wife.

They are caught out by the bad weather when the baby arrives and Shirley ends up helping her. Then Shirley stumbles across a dark secret which will alter the course of their lives for ever.

Q Was writing a lifelong ambition and did it take long to get published?

A For the majority of us mere mortals, it is fiendishly difficult to get published. I was a late starter. Baby boomer – late bloomer! I first picked up a pen aged forty-five when I wrote a short story for children. It was published but I had a lot to learn.

I tried for years and did everything other writers suggested at conferences, or that I had read in books. In the end it came together for me after winning a novel-opening competition in 2005. An agent at the same “Day For Writers” said she would read the finished book, but I had to wait until 2011 for “There’s Always Tomorrow” to be published. As it turned out, it took me 16 years to be an overnight success! You learn a lot of patience at this game!

Q Do you read your own reviews?

A Yes, I do. It’s great reading the nice ones but not so easy looking at the more critical reviews. Having said that, I value what people say, even if it’s not pretty, because I am always striving to be a better writer.

Q What’s your favourite part of the writing process?

A I think it’s the moment when I know my characters well enough to imagine that they are my friends. As soon as I feel this way, it means that I care a lot about what happens to my characters and that can only make the story richer.

Q How important is the relationship with your editor?

A Very. I get on very well with my editor and have a deep respect for her judgement.

Q What’s been the highlight of your writing career so far?

A The day someone I didn’t know came up to me and told me she’d sat up until three in the morning because she had to know “what happened next”. She pretended to be cross with me and I have to confess I loved every minute!

Q Are you your own harshest critic? Do you tear apart your work from the day before, or just move on and review lightly at the end?

A I print out and read the work from the day before and I am not afraid to scrap anything which is not up to par. It’s important to get the story on the page, so having done a quick review, I move on to the next phase. Once the story is written, that’s when the hard work begins. I review everything several times before I send it to the publisher, and of course, when the proofs come back, there’s more work to do!

Join us again in our July 22 issue when we talk to Ruth Hamilton about her book “Daughters Of Penny Lane”.