Carmen Reid is the author of seven novels, three of which star Annie Valentine, and we have reviewed her latest Annie Valentine adventure How Not To Shop. To find out more about Carmen, see our Author of the Week post! Carmen kindly said she’d do an interview with us and here are her answers:

1. Tell us about your latest novel, How Not To Shop, in a sentence.

Personal shopper Annie Valentine leaves The Store to seek fame and fortune as a TV presenter, unfortunately this is makeover-on-a-shoestring TV: the budget is zip and they’re paying buttons, nevertheless, Annie is determined to succeed.

2. What, if anything, are you currently working on?

There will be an Annie Valentine part four next year and I’m just finishing off the third book in my ‘Secrets at St Jude’s’ boarding school series for teen readers.

3. What was it about Annie story that made you want to write more?

I love Annie, she’s such a trier, so good at heart and I love to race round the shops with her at break-neck pace. Her family and friends feel totally real to me and I just can’t wait to see what happens to them all next. There will definitely be a fourth, after that… we’ll see.

4. How long did it take you to become a published author?

It took me two years to write my first novel (what was I doing?!) and the manuscript took six long months to sell. But my agent was interested from early on and his encouragement kept me going through the rough patches. Writing is a struggle, don’t think there won’t be rough patches!

5. Who are some of your favourite authors and books?

So many! I love Roald Dahl, love him, especially his autobiographies Boy and Going Solo. Candace Bushnell’s One Fifth Avenue is a modern masterpiece. Anne Tyler, always fabulous. Nancy Mitford, ditto. John Irving is a hero of mine. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, is still one of my favourite reads. I’m planning to re-visit my Agatha Christie collection soon.

6. Are any of your characters like you in any way?

There’s maybe a little of me in every character… but not much of me in any of them. Does that make sense? If Annie ever becomes real though, I’m having her wardrobe.

7. What advice would you give to writers hoping to be published one day?

Read, read and read and write loads. I can’t tell you how hard it is to get published. It gets harder every year. You really have to know what you are doing. You have to know all about the books publishers are publishing and the stories they are looking for. You have to write an incredibly good, polished book. I was an English Lit student, then a journalist before I started writing a novel, so I’d had lots of writing practise. It takes a long time, longer than you might think, to learn to write well.

Thanks so much Carmen!

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