Interview with Angela Marsons

Today I have the pleasure of Interviewing Angela Marsons 

Hi Angie

Welcome to Comet Babe’s Books today.

Thank you so much for asking me.

Can you tell us more about Silent Scream?

Silent Scream is the first in a series of books featuring Detective Inspector Kim Stone.  The journey begins with our heroine trying to solve a series of murders in the present while uncovering secrets of the past.

Can you tell us about your inspiration for writing the series? (I know there is another book due soon).

I really wanted to write about a character that was less than perfect.  Kim Stone is brash to the point of rudeness, severely lacking in social skills but incredibly passionate about her victims and her team.

Kim Stone is a cool character but in some ways she looks out for her team, is she based on anyone you know?

I like to think there are certain traits that come from me.  In the past I have managed teams, predominantly male and have always been passionate about getting the best from people but also giving them my full support and loyalty.

How much time did you spend researching the book?

I probably spent around a month researching Forensic Archaeology and Osteoarchaeology.  I love this part of the process because I enjoy learning about new things.  It's hard to know how much of the knowledge you've acquired should actually go into the book.  I often have to edit out about half of what I've learned.

Are you a planner or a seat of the pants kind of writer?

Good question because I'm a bit of both.  Once I've finished the research I like to just write without the constraints of a solid plan.  I enjoy that initial freedom of letting the story guide me and allowing the plot to develop organically.  Once I feel that the plotting is complete I stop writing for a day or two and form a loose plan.  It's not set in stone because I still like the flexibility for change.

How old were you when you started writing?

I've always been in love with words but I started writing in my early teens.  I wrote hundreds of short stories, normally about the complexities of human relationships.

Do you have a favourite place you like to write and why?

I write the first draft at the dining table with pencils and A4 notebooks.  There is no computer, ipad or phone.  It is simply me and my imagination and the freedom to just write.  The second draft is done as I type the words onto my computer at my desk in the spare room.  This is what I call the 'business end' of the process.  In that room I keep the editor and the critic and the planner as they are not allowed a voice during the first draft.

Do you have a support network for your writing?

My partner is truly amazing.  She has supported me in my dream for many, many years.  Our first home together was a tiny one bedroom flat.  And somehow she managed to make sure I had a writing corner that was all my own.  I now also have the incredible support of the Bookouture team and their fabulous family of authors.

What advice would you give to any aspiring writers, especially one wanting to write a thriller?

I would say research your subject matter thoroughly but more importantly I'd say feel passion for your characters and the story you are trying to tell.  It is a long journey if you don't enjoy the company of the people you've created.

Can you share with us a day in the life of Angela Marsons?

On a writing day I like to be at the dining table while its still dark and the world is still sleeping.  My best writing time occurs as the day comes to life around me.  There's an intimacy there that inspires me.  Once the world is awake I will do the normal, everyday things like grocery shopping, housework, cooking.  And then I go back to the dining table as the world goes back to sleep.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to spend time doing?

I only learned to drive a few years ago so I still enjoy the novelty of the freedom afforded me by my little Corsa.  I love nothing more than for my partner and I to just drive and explore places that were previously out of reach for us.  We will often jump in the car and head to North Wales and spend a few hours exploring the coastline.  Other times I love a good old pyjama day with a good book.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

Jo x

Thank you for asking me.  It has been a pleasure.

About The Author

Angela Marsons lives in the Black Country with her partner, a bouncy Labrador and a swearing parrot.

She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read "Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people's".

After years of writing relationship based stories (My Name Is and The Middle Child) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.

In September 2013 she was signed to Bookouture.com in a 4 book deal starting the DI Kim Stone series in SILENT SCREAM to be published 20th February 2015.

About Silent Scream

Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood … 

Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. 

But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. 

As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it’s too late? 

Fans of Rachel Abbott, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham will be gripped by this exceptional new voice in British crime fiction.