I am pleased to have been invited to take part in a ‘blogathon’ by my fellow writer and blogger, Carol Balawyder of Canada. Carol has written two novels to date and is working on a third. Follow this link to find her tale of dating: http://www.amazon.ca/Missis-Dating-Adventures-ebook/dp/B00G8KD6IY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383080383&sr=8-1
In her fiction writing she covers a range of genres from crime to women’s fiction. Her blog follows different themes and currently explains the work of a range of fiction novelists. She also writes short stories and submits to competitions. You can follow a link to her blog here: http://carolbalawyder.com/

Carol has sent me four questions to answer on the how, the why and the what I write.

1) What am I working on?
I am writing my second novel; set in the near distant future it concerns the effects of climate change on family, relationships and society in general. It is also a thriller involving terrorism and murder. It has involved a great deal of research so far and is not a speedy write!
I continue to blog as Grace: gracelessageing.wordpress.com, twittering on about life, society, families, travel and just about anything that catches my eye.
I am also penning short stories when the opportunity arises and currently have one in for the prestigious Bridport Prize which has set many writers on the road to success so far.
My writing group, The Spokes continues apace, achieving highly in both publication and competition.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I am not so sure that it does differ. My first novel [The Year of Familiar Strangers] was a safe, footstep-following story of betrayal, infidelity and the frustrations of feminism and drew on some of my own experiences in setting up home independently after marriage separation. It tells the story of a friendship forged through need and destroyed by deceit. The character of Marion is based on a woman I met at a particularly vulnerable time in my life.
My second novel, still in its infancy, is a much greater leap into the unknown but I believe novels concerning climate change are still few and far between, with one or two exceptions [from Barbara Kingsolver and Margaret Atwood for example].
My short stories are almost all character based and cover a wide range of themes from bereavement and loneliness, to crime and science fiction.

3) Why do I write what I do?

Writing is a curious mix of escapism and enslavement. On a long walk, or a bike ride I find I have ridden or walked vast distances without realising I have moved due to having lived elsewhere with the characters who have invaded my brain. They inhabit my sleep, often waking me and interfere horribly in my interactions with Husband, who continues to be long-suffering and indulgent.
All my life I have been a voracious reader of fiction; the lure of the story drawing me in. Writing is only a small step on from this; I, the writer am as curious as anyone to know what happens next!

4) How does my writing process work?

It is well intentioned but capricious. If a project is well underway I am unable to stop and will write constantly to everyone’s annoyance. If I am uninspired I make huge efforts to produce a piece but am rarely pleased with the result.
The idea for a novel has to roll around in my head for a long time before my fingers touch a keyboard and I could never be a ‘bang ‘em out type of writer.
Novel two [as yet untitled] has only now begun to gather momentum after months of hovering as an unformed cloud of ideas.
I find that the discipline of writing a shortish weekly blog helps to ground me. If I have done little creatively at least I have achieved something written each week!