We caught up with the lovely Sinead Moriarty to ask her some questions about her recent novel Mad about You, which is currently on the Richard & Judy book club list!
Mad about You has been chosen for this years Richard & Judy book club, can you tell us a little about the novel?
Mad About You deals with the theme of trust. How much do you really trust your partner? What would you think if your husband began to get sex texts from a strange number? When he protests his innocence and seems genuinely upset, would you believe him? Or would a seed of doubt be planted in your mind? Would that seed grow bigger and would it eventually destroy your relationship?
Did Mad about You require a lot of research and how did you go about it?
The idea for the book came to me when I called over to a friend’s house for coffee and her neighbour called in. She began to tell me the story of what had happened in her life when her husband had been stalked by a ‘stranger’. She said it had affected their marriage and as things got progressively worse and the stalking became more aggressive, that it affected her physically as well as emotionally. They eventually found out who the stalker was. It turned out it was someone they knew but would never, in a million years, have suspected. I then read a lot about stalking and talked to more people about their experiences – I was amazed how many people I knew had been stalked in one way or another.
Mad about You is part of a series; will we be seeing more of Emma and James in the future?
I don’t know. I think perhaps the story is over, but never say never. I have a very special place in my heart for Emma and James and I really want them to be happy. Maybe I will have to come back and do a ‘what happens next’ but it won’t be for a good few years. In the meantime, I have lots of other ideas for different books (thank God!!)
Do you think many readers will identify with Emma, especially if they haven’t read previous novels in the series?
I think Emma is someone that anyone can relate to. She’s a working Mum who has had to emigrate and is feeling lonely, isolated and overwhelmed. I think everyone has felt lonely, isolated and overwhelmed at some point in their lives – I know I have!
Which authors, books, or ideas have influenced your writing the most?
Stephen King’s book ‘On Writing’ helped me to get started. It gave me that final push that I needed to stop pontificating and get on with the writing. I recommend it to any and all writers starting out.
Writing a novel is like a full time job that you can do from the comfort of your own home, how does an average day in the life of Sinead Moriarty usually go?
I work school hours. So I’m at my desk at 9 and I work until 2.30. I’m very disciplined because I love what I do and also because I have to use my time wisely. After 2.30 I can’t write because I’m tied up with my kids and their endless activities. I really love the quiet time at my desk, disappearing into my plot and characters. It’s such a lovely thing to be able to do – to forget about everything except your story.
Since you became a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to happen to you?
Seeing my book in the window of a book shop! My tenth novel, The Secrets Sisters Keep, has just been published in Ireland and I think I was more excited than ever when I saw it in the shop windows. It means so much to see your hard work come to fruition.
A lot of writers tend to write from experience, do you see yourself or your experiences in the stories and characters you have created?
My first book – which was about Emma and James – was about their struggle with infertility. It took me four year to get pregnant so the idea to write The Baby Trail did come from personal experience. I wanted to write something funny and sad about the crazy lengths that women go to when they want a baby. I definitely wasn’t as crazy as Emma in The Baby Trail…I swear!
But generally my inspiration comes from life. As I always say, fact is stranger than fiction. I’m always reading, listening and observing when I’m out. I think writers are always looking for ideas that could spark a theme for a new novel. The most important thing is to be passionate about your subject matter.
The one thing all book lovers want to know, what are you currently reading and would you recommend it?
I’m reading a lovely book called Almost English by Charlotte Mendelson. My sister recommended it to me and I’m loving it. I also have to recommend Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams, it’s one of my favourite books ever.
Win a copy of the book!
