Interview with Erin Eldridge

Erin like me also started out teaching before becoming an author.

Tell us about your latest novel or project:

I’m working on two books right now, both historical fiction: one is set in the period of the Spanish Armada. The other is set in 1940, as the Germans invade France. Lots of action and romance. After that, I will complete a book about the three years I spent working in Africa.

What got you started writing?

I have always loved words and I always wanted to be a writer. I took it up seriously after my husband died, and the kids left home. It was therapy, really.

What challenges did you face when you first started writing?

Well, I’ve been an English teacher all my life, so the whole writing process came pretty naturally to me, and the stories were already in my head, so just flowed out. I didn’t realise how tiring it is, though, or what hard work it is.

Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.

No, but I have used lots of things picked up on my travels as ideas in my books. For instance, the caravanserai where Conor and Manon spend the night in Ravening Heart of the Wolf came out of a trip to Turkey. I got the idea for the opening of Days of Insult when I was in Croatia. There was a beautiful, elegant old hotel facing on to a plaza, and I suddenly had a vision of a Nazi SS officer descending the steps, pulling his gloves on. The whole book, Days of Insult, was born right there.

Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?

A student at the school where I work. He has read all my books and is nagging me for the next one. Friends have been great, too. Days of Insult, my latest book, was recently short-listed for an award, and I’m grateful to the reviewers who did that.

What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?

Not many publishers who want writers with a global focus, and the demographic is small for sales. I’ve been lucky enough to get published overseas, in the UK and USA.

Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?

I love my country, but my inspiration comes from history and imaginative settings – fact and fantasy! I’m a pisces, realist and idealist. However, I have an idea for a New Zealand horror story percolating away. I like to write about topics that nobody else has.

Why do you think readers are fascinated by books written about New Zealand?

Everyone enjoys their own culture, and, for a little country, New Zealand has quite a big profile internationally, as well. Our history is really interesting and full of story material. I want to write a semi-autobiographical novel about growing up in New Zealand in the Fifties.

Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?

I loved Barry Crump. He just nailed that Kiwi essence and humour. I like Sam Hunt’s poetry.

What advice would you give for other writers in New Zealand?

Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Roll with the punches. Believe in yourself. Cliches, but true!

Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?

I’ve joined a group and must do more in that line this year. Writers can become reclusive!

What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?

A little dance of glee, which scared the cat!

Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?

I haven’t had a really negative one so far, although judgements based on ignorance are hard to stomach. When you’ve done hours and hours of research to get it right, and someone questions your accuracy. Grrr. Lack of empathy raises my ire, too. My publishers are great. They show me unquestioning respect.

It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?

No. Each stands alone.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?

I started writing in 2013 and I have completed five books. I published three in nine months! I write fast, but don’t sacrifice quality. I have so many ideas for books I’ll never get them all written before I die. I’ll give it my best shot, though.

Where did you get the idea for your first or latest book?

I wanted to write a contemporary, sweet romance. That first book, Immortal Longings, will always have a special place in my heart. My latest book, Days of Insult, is about a very neglected aspect of WW11 – what the Russians went through. I studied history at university and I read a lot of history for pleasure.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I’m a morning writer. Background music. Coffee.

What is your best experience meeting a fan?

I gave a local library talk, and it was packed. That felt really good.

If any of your books was to be made into a film, which one would you pick and who would you have play the main characters?

The Ivan. But I can’t think who’d play the parts. Maybe Luke Bracey for Valery, Diane Kruger for Elise.

How important do you think marketing is for authors today?

Most publishers expect you to pitch in and do your bit.

Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?

No. I aim to get them all out there. I started off self-publishing and then got traditional contracts.

Many authors have a word or a phrase they automatically use too often. Do you have one?

I avoid repetition assiduously. I try never to use the same words within cooee of each other. Synonyms are the way to go. A good dictionary and a large tome of synonyms are a writer’s buddies. I use a Reverse Dictionary as well.

I thought I had a wide vocab but I see you have completely outgunned me I had to look up cooee. I'm going to use that.

What quirk or trope of your genre do you like or dislike?

I love doing the research for historical fiction. It’s the relaxing side of what is otherwise hard work. Making history come alive is special. One day, I realised I’d destroyed a village in three separate books! I wondered if this was some kind of trauma from the earthquakes here in Christchurch that I was working myself through, some kind of subliminal therapy.

Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?

The violence women have to cope with in wartime. My novel, The Ivan, set in post-WW11 Berlin addresses this issue. As many as two million German women were raped by the Red Army. Days of Insult looks at the suffering of the Russian people after Hitler invaded their country. The themes that bind my books together are love, forgiveness, sacrifice, humanity.

Thank you so much for sharing some of your story and good luck with your future projects.