Maria Duffy Q&A: ‘I can get a week’s work done between 1am and 7am’

[ mariaduffy.ie ]

What was the first book to make an impression on you?

Other than Enid Blyton books when I was growing up, the first book to really make an impression on me and make me want to write one myself was Patricia Scanlon’s City Girl. I remember reading it and thinking that I wanted to write books about real people based in my hometown of Dublin.

What was your favourite book as a child?

The St Clare’s series by Enid Blyton. I always thought my own school life was pretty boring when I read things about the school girls scaling walls and hosting midnight feasts in their dorm. It filled me with excitement to think school could actually be like that.

And what is your favourite book or books now?

Gosh, I have so many. I adored Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It’s simply written but beautifully moving.

What is your favourite quotation?

“Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will get you everywhere.” Albert Einstein

Who is your favourite fictional character?

Bridget Jones. I think most people can say they’ve been there – and not just with the big knickers.

Who is the most under-rated Irish author?

I think there are many women’s fiction authors who deserve a larger audience – Zoe Miller and Clodagh Murphy are two who spring to mind. They’ve both written some fabulous books that deserve to be read far and wide.

Which do you prefer – ebooks or the traditional print version?

Although I have a Kindle for handiness, there is no comparison for me. Traditional print books are where my heart is. There’s nothing like the feel and smell of a proper book and let’s face it, a book shelf with a Kindle sitting lonely on it just wouldn’t look the same.

What is the most beautiful book you own?

Am I allowed to say the first book I wrote, Any Dream Will Do? Every time I look at it, I remember that feeling of accomplishment, happiness and pride the first time I held it. No matter what other books I write, that first one will always be very special to me.

Where and how do you write?

I write in a little office at the back of my house. I try to write mostly when the children are at school but inevitably I end up writing during the night at least once a week. I find I can get a week’s work done between the hours of 1am and 7am because everything is so quiet.

What book changed the way you think about fiction?

I can’t say just one but any books I read by Maeve Binchy and Patricia Scanlan. They taught me that it was okay to write about normal things and normal people and that simple can be beautiful.

What is the most research you have done for a book?

I’d say it was for my book, The Letter. There was a fertility theme at the heart of the story and although I’d gone through something similar, it was really important to check all my facts and make sure I made no mistakes. Infertility is such a big and emotional issue for so many people that I wanted to do it justice.

What book influenced you the most?

As I said above, it would have to be any of the books by some of the great Irish women’s fiction writers such as Maeve Binchy and Patricia Scanlan.

What book would you give to a friend’s child on their 18th birthday?

Of Mice and Men and Game of Thrones – two very different books but two of my 17-year-old son’s favourites.

What book do you wish you had read when you were young?

I love the Butterfly Series of books by Denise Deegan. My teenagers and I read them all and loved them but because of the issues Denise deals with for teenagers, I think they’d have been very beneficial books for me to read when I was younger.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

I think the best advice I can give is to write every day. Hone your craft and don’t be afraid to delete or edit. First drafts, although we sometimes become attached to them, are rarely ready for the reader so persevere and make your writing as good as it can be.

What weight do you give reviews?

I think reviews are very important. When we get good ones, we’re happy and relieved but the not so good ones often give us an insight into what readers are thinking. A good “bad review” (if you know what I mean!) will often help us to improve our writing.

Where do you see the publishing industry going?

The industry seems to be quite tough at the moment and it’s more difficult for unknown authors to get published. I think a lot of authors will go down the route of self-publishing and then if they glean a following, they may be picked up by a publisher. I think publishers are more reluctant to take a chance on authors these days and are looking to those self-published to find authors and books they can work with.

What writing trends have struck you lately?

The biggest trend I can think of in the last few years is the explosion of erotic novels since 50 Shades. Other than that, I think trends come and go so fast that blink and you’ll miss them. As an author, I just stick to what I want to write and always live in hope that someday, I’ll be right on trend.

What lessons have you learned about life from reading?

I suppose the most important one is that no matter how tough life can be, there’s always the possibility of a “Happy Ever After”.

What has being a writer taught you?

It’s taught me that dreams really can come true.

Which writers, living or dead, would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Niamh O’Connor, Denise Deegan, Niamh Greene, Michelle Jackson – all fabulous writers and some of my best friends. What better way to spend a dinner party!

What is the funniest scene you’ve read?

I can’t say one in particular but there were so many laugh-out-loud moments in Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones Diary.

What is your favourite word?

Flibbertigibbet.

If you were to write a historical novel, which event or figure would be your subject?

I’d love to write a story based around the Titanic. It wouldn’t be the usual story we hear but maybe something based on the lives of some of the lesser-known people who travelled on the ship. Hazel Gaynor wrote The Girl Who Came Home, which was based on the Adergoole Fourteen, a group of men and women from Mayo who sailed on the Titanic. Because it’s such an iconic time in history, we think we know everything about it but there are so many untold stories.