Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live with my husband and grown-up son in the Midlands, in the UK. I’ve got three children and five grandchildren. I love animals and we have an assortment of pets. I’ve always enjoyed writing and started rattling off short stories and poetry a few years ago, a few of which have been published. I wrote a children’s book, a ghost story, back in 2009, but ‘Lay Me To Rest’ was my first book for adults. It’s set on the Isle of Anglesey, in North Wales, which is a place close to my heart as it’s my dad’s birthplace. There are lots of local myths and legends and I thought it would be the ideal setting for a ghost story. My second adult novel, ‘And No Birds Shall Sing’ is also inspired by the paranormal. I’ve got a bit of a fixation with ghosts!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is entitled ‘And No Birds Shall Sing’. It is a ghost story, set near the historic city of Oxford, in the UK. I saw a wonderful photograph of a rather eerie-looking wood in Oxfordshire, with worn stone steps winding upwards through the trees. I thought, “What if someone moved into a haunted old cottage in a wood?” And then my imagination went into overdrive!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so – other than often writing in my pyjamas! I just lock myself in a quiet bedroom with a settee and my laptop and start tapping away on the keys. I don’t tend to plan, I have a general idea of the story when I begin and take it from there. Some days I can write reams, others there’s a lot of staring out of the window! It’s great when the story seems to take over and write itself. I can lose myself for hours – wonderful escapism!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I loved ‘The Woman in Black’ by Susan Hill. Not a long book, but the impact was great! There are several classics I could name – ‘Of Mice and Men’ by the brilliant John Steinbeck being one that has always stayed with me. Proof that a book doesn’t have to be a tome to blow you away. I loved all the ‘Inspector Morse’ series by Colin Dexter, and devoured Agatha Christie books when I was younger. Anything with a really good narrative and a twist has me hooked.
What are you working on now?
A paranormal/crime thriller about a policewoman based in Oxford, UK. It’s about a series of unsolved child abductions over a number of years. The main character has a back story – she narrowly escaped abduction as a child when her friend was snatched, never to be seen again.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Twitter a lot – it’s useful for reaching out to large numbers of people. Running a giveaway often seems to generate interest. I’ve had a couple of blog tours, which are great for exposure and increasing reviews. BookBub is a great tool for boosting sales, but a bit costly! For me, Facebook is more for keeping in touch with friends, although I am in a few author groups on there, which are always helpful for sharing promotions, etc. I dip into Goodreads from time to time and enjoy the recommendations other authors and readers suggest.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I could give anyone is to have another two or three books ready to launch as soon as your first is published. Once readers have read and enjoyed a book they’re hungry for more – I wish someone would have told me this before my debut novel was released!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write a little every day! The word count soon mounts up – and if you take a break from your work-in-progress, it takes so much longer as you need to keep re-reading what you’ve written so that you don’t contradict yourself!
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading ‘Changeling’ by Matt Wesolowski. It’s an intriguing take on a missing child cold case, and has kept me frantically turning pages to see what’s going to happen next! The format is quite unique – chapters are written as the episodes of a podcast, told from six different perspectives. Creepy and fascinating!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m intending to write a sequel to ‘Lay Me To Rest’, as the main character, Annie, has a newly-discovered psychic ability and there is much more in store for her. I also want to develop her relationship with Leo and see what the future holds for them. As Leo’s family are from Italy, I’d like to take them to his homeland – and of course, I’m a huge admirer of all things Italian!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I love a good ghost story and one of my favourites is ‘The Waiting Room’ by F.G. Cottam. Slow-burning, chilling and very atmospheric. Another of my favourite authors is Shani Struthers, so I’d have one of her Psychic Surveys series – I think it would have to be the excellent and creepy ‘Blakemort’. But if I was all on my own on the island, I might spook myself with all this talk of ghosts, so I’d have something for a little light relief too, maybe a book by Stephen Fry, whose autobiographical tales are always witty and engaging. ‘The Fry Chronicles’ is a great, entertaining read.
Author Websites and Profiles
Elizabeth Clark Website
Elizabeth Clark Amazon Profile
Elizabeth Clark’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
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