My last job before I exited stage left to have a baby and embark on my career as a self-employed person was in a London law firm. It was jolly hard work but it certainly taught me a thing or two (mainly how to exist without sleep and how to pronounce, “patent.” It’s not, “pay-tent” people. That’s leather. It’s, “pa” as in “pat.”)
But I digress. Fascinating as my career has been, it can’t touch the twists and turns of the multi-talented Sue Russell’s ninth novel, “The Wounds of Time.” Set in a solicitors’ office, it re-introduces us to the heroine of her last book, “The Thorn of Truth” and shines a narrative light on her long-time friend and trusted senior clerk, Janet.
At the patents and trademarks firm, we often dealt with solicitors, but I don’t suppose any of them had as much going on in their lives as the folks at Hartington Chambers. I caught up with Sue to ask her some questions about her latest opus which takes Janet as the main character and delves into her back story.
Ruth: “How does it feel picking up the threads of a character’s story and continuing to weave them into a new novel? Do you have to spend time re-reading the last book and reminding yourself of where you left the narrative?”
Janet is a minor character in “The Thorn of Truth”, Senior Clerk of chambers and Anna’s long-time friend. We see her as clever, competent, fast-talking and hard-shelled with an interesting choice of clothes; someone who, it’s hinted, has come up from tough beginnings. In my own mind she already had a background, though at that point it wasn’t developed. Even minor characters have a backstory and it wasn’t hard to develop Janet’s. I did have to reread “The Thorn of Truth” to make sure what the reader already knew about Janet and to verify some details.
Ruth: “How long did it take you to write this book?”
How long is a piece of string? Once the plot was broadly in place, once I’d actually started to type, not many months. But before that there was plenty of planning, cogitating, discussing, imagining, researching…
Ruth: “Take me through your writing process. Are you a planner or a pantser?”
I’m a planner, but with leeway. I need a structure to hang the story on so I don’t go too far off-piste. I’ll do any amount of editing, but having to do major rewrites because of plot-holes, inconsistencies or painting oneself into a corner is pure anathema. As I write I do get moments of inspiration or clarity as characters develop their voice or new angles come to light, but within the overall skeleton so that they can be threaded in without too much disruption. So yes, a plan – but with air-holes.
The actual words aren’t planned at all. I just know what needs to be covered in any given scene. The words spring out of the narrative, the dialogue, the backstory. By the time actual words are forming on the page I’m fully immersed.
Ruth: “I’m interested to find out how you came to create Desmond Yates, Janet’s bully of a father. Is he entirely made up, or did you use elements of real people to craft his personality.”
Desmond is 100% made up – as far as any fictional character is. I base scenes on my own experience or that of others or on research, but my characters aren’t based on anyone. At least, not consciously!
Ruth: “Do you research before you start a new book and if so, how? Why did you choose chambers in the first place?”
Yes to research. Some of the legal nuts and bolts were covered in the previous book, but this story involved a very different job, and I had help from a serving barrister’s clerk who, for example, helped me with various scenarios from her own experience. This led to the Lauren Barclay thread. She also read an early draft to check for authenticity of detail and tone. But other things needed research too, for example Bob’s work as a paramedic. I read books, consulted serving professionals, downloaded internet articles. Most of the research doesn’t end up on the page, but I hope that the background knowledge lends to an atmosphere that is reasonably believable. If I am unsure of something and it isn’t absolutely vital I’ll leave it out rather than risk annoying the reader with glaring errors.
I write about what interests me, and the law interests me. In fact Janet’s epiphany when she is called for jury service echoes my own experience of attending court as an observer (many years ago, researching for another book.) With all its flaws the law is a pillar of civilised society and one which most of us take for granted. As Anna comments, ‘The law may be an ass, but it’s all we’ve got to pull the cart.’
Ruth: “I took a real dislike to Lauren Barclay. Did you enjoy writing someone who would provoke strong feelings in your readers?”
I’m delighted you disliked Lauren; so do I. She’s dim, but has been allowed to think too highly of herself. She’s truculent, rude and spoilt with a sense of entitlement that’s quite unwarranted. I wanted to use her to show that Janet, despite her prejudices, behaves in a professional manner and is (until the last moment) admirably restrained; also, if reluctantly, she is prepared to be humble for the greater good, even though it goes against her sense of what is right. I did enjoy creating Lauren but one has to be careful not to go over the top and make a caricature. This is why (I refer to your question 4) I had Father Gerard, with his more global and adult view, suggest an alternative version of Desmond Yates, as a counterweight to Janet’s perspective. She sees him as a useless father, irresponsible, selfish, arrogant, ignorant, a bully; but the priest reminds her that while he was certainly ‘difficult’ he didn’t abandon pregnant Mary as he might have, given his youth and ambitions. Father Gerard speculates that Desmond simply had no idea how to handle his mouthy, stroppy daughter who was so much more intelligent than him.
Ruth: “Thank you, Sue. It was a great read, which was no surprise to me. I love your writing. Where can people buy the book?”
They can pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon right now and it’s out in paperback on 21st March online and from all good bookshops.
Find out more about “Mrs Nine Novels” here.
You can Sue Russell on Facebook and Twitter.
I received a review copy but was under no pressure or obligation to write a favourable review.