Today we talk about The Judas Goat, a book by Daisy Line published with our Publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Daisy Line, to get to know her better, what prompted her to the writing of her book The Judas Goat, as well as how she defines her writing style.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted you to the writing of your book?
Being born in The Cotswolds, the area where the book is partially set, I had heard stories of the infamous Mitford family before, but when a friend drew my attention to an article placing Unity in a private nursing home weeks after she arrived back in the UK, my imagination piqued. The whole era in which the book is set has always interested me, so researching the novel was a delight; the social etiquette, struggles, the engine of war and how people reacted is fascinating. Concocting a framework for the story took me a couple of tries; earlier efforts focussed on espionage; it didn’t feel right so I went back to the drawing board. DI Hector Parson was born from a first-hand account written by a retired rural police officer called back to duty; many serving police officers answered the call, joining up after war was declared leaving the Force depleted. Writing fictional and real personalities is a challenge, but one I enjoy; the historical characters secure in place those I invented, and I hope give both an intriguing plot and an authentic snapshot of the time.
- How would you define your Writing style?
That is a difficult question. I would like to think I have a style, but how to define it? I am a stickler for accuracy of language, so I research speech patterns, common words of the era by watching films of the time, listening to plays and reading novels written from whichever period I am writing. The weather is another fixation; you can depend if I am referencing any weather, it’s spot on for the day, season and area…bit of a weather geek. I read, almost exclusively, Golden Age crime novels so my style is close to the form in which greats like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Margery Allingham and Carol Carnac pen their novels. I also read and reread classics like Somerset Maugham, EM Forster and am obsessed with Muriel Spark and Barbara Pym, but also can’t get enough of John Le Carré, so I’m sure they influence the rhythm of my writing. I adore elegant prose and ‘of the period’ language, so I hope all my favourites reflect my writing jam.
- Are there some books you are particularly attached to and that you would like to recommend to all readers?
It will come as no surprise that I would recommend anything written by any of the Golden Age crime novelists; some define the era as the 1920s and 30s, I would extend this up to the 50s and 60s. There are fabulous reprints by The British Library, but you can always find a gem stashed away in a second hand book shop; it’s such a joy when you do. One of my favourites is Courting Shadows by a wonderful gentleman, Jem Poster; it’s a gentle story of a man repairing a church; it is perfect, the prose and story captivate me. Of contemporary writers I would always pick up a Greg Mosse, I love the wit and elegance of his writing. Anthony Horowitz is a favourite, and a slight deviation from my usual read I would recommend Curtis Jobling. He writes YA, but again his writing is so gritty with humour and pace. Rachel Joyce can be found on my bookshelves; it’s her gentle pace and character observation that bring me joy. I guess it’s the prose and elegance of writing that that attract me, and if any readers have recommendations of their own, I would love to hear them.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
Goodness, there are quite a few at the moment. The novel that is my current obsession is titled The Quick and the Dead. Set in a similar era to The Judas Goat we meet Lord Berners, an eccentric aristocrat and his world of writers, artists, high society and bon viveurs. When obituaries of living people start appearing in the local newspaper, bodies of their nearest and dearest quickly following, the local constabulary are flummoxed, and Lord Berners inserts himself into the case. I am thoroughly enjoying writing the characters, and with such vivid personalities there is room for more humour in this book. I am also in the midst of penning my next murder mystery play, Tick, Tock, It’s Murder O’clock, a tale involving Noel Coward and a group of fictional detective fans who light upon a body slain at the foot of a local landmark. I am also writing a short story for a project with some fellow authors and on the cusp of filming scripts I have written for a ghost walk around Downham Market. Suffice as to say I am enjoying being at my laptop; me, my imagination and a whole host of criminals and dead bodies…eek!
Europe Books thanks the author, Daisy Line, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book The Judas Goat. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, I hope you enjoy this book, that it satisfies your curiosity and provides you with food for thought for your everyday life.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!