First Monday Crime- Spotlight on Jane Corry

Hi everyone,

In anticipation of the forthcoming First Monday Crime night on September 5th, I’m thrilled to have a Q&A with one of it’s panel members today. Jane Corry is the author of My Husband’s Wife, an excellent debut that was released earlier this year. I read and really enjoyed it and you can read my review by clicking the link below:

My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry

Click the link below to learn more about Goldsboro Books First Monday Crime and purchase a ticket:

First Monday Crime September 5th 2016

About Jane Corry:

Jane Corry is a writer and journalist who has written regularly for numerous newspapers and magazines including The Daily Telegraph Weekend section, the Mail on Sunday and Woman. She has spent time working as the writer-in-residence of a high security prison for men – an experience that helped inspire My Husband’s Wife, her début thriller. ‘I love twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end! My husband says I’m a nightmare to watch dramas with as I love to work out who did it before the final revelation!’

You can find Jane on Twitter at @JaneCorryAuthor and on Facebook at JaneCorryAuthor.

Jane runs regular writing workshops and speaks at literary festivals all over the world, including The Women’s Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy. Until her recent move to Devon, she was a tutor in creative writing at Oxford University. She is also an associate member of the Royal Literary Fund.

Many of Jane’s ideas come during her morning dog-jog along the beach followed by a dip in her wetsuit. (She’s an all-year-round swimmer provided the sea isn’t dangerous.) Jane also loves tennis, walking, reading, yoga, the ‘Quiet’ train carriage (a great ‘office’ for writing) and her family. She’s still coming to terms with being an empty-nester but makes up for it with lots of long-distance nagging! Jane’s second husband was a bachelor family friend who is also Godfather to her children. He makes her laugh every day although they can’t agree on how to load the dishwasher!

About the book:

It’s the perfect love story.

Lily meets Ed at a party, and on their second date, he proposes. She’s a lawyer, he’s an up-and-coming artist. They own a small but beautiful flat in London and mix with all the right people.

But Lily has a secret. Something from her past, that is soon to collide with her present. And she thinks her new husband is hiding something too…

The vows they made will soon be tested to the very limits.

‘Till death us do part…’

You can purchase a copy of My Husband’s Wife by clicking here.

Q&A with Jane…

1.Can you tell me a little about your journey to publication?
I started to write stories from a very early age. During my teens I wrote poetry and won a big competition when I was 17. I read English at university and then got a place as a graduate trainee on a major newspaper scheme. I worked for various women’s magazines and then turned freelance when my children were born. During that time I wrote a regular column for Woman magazine and the Daily Telegraph. Then I started to write novels. But it took a time to find my voice.

2.What made you choose to write a psychological thriller?
I’ve always loved twists and turns in plots After my first marriage ended, I took a job as a writer in residence at a high security male prison. It was a completely new world for me. Then I got married again. Both marriage and my experience in prison helped me come up with the idea for My Husband’s Wife.

3. How would you describe My Husband’s Wife to readers who have yet to pick it up?
It’s about marriage, murder and prison. When I tell people that, they often say ‘What’s the difference!’

4. What’s your most favourite thing about being an author?

My favourite thing about being a writer is that you get to go into your own world every day. No one else can enter. It’s yours. After a morning swim in the sea followed by breakfast with my second husband, I go up to the top floor where I have a study and a sea view. My dog sits on the sofa and I write. Bliss. Then I go for a midday walk along the beach and come back to revise my chapter and check emails.

5. What’s your least favourite thing about being an author?
My least favourite thing about being a writer, is that some people don’t realise it’s actually full-time work. I’m often at my desk until midnight. My husband is brilliant at understanding.

6. What’s next for you?

I am currently writing my second book for Penguin. It’s called Blood Sisters and is about three girls who set off to school one day. Only one makes it.

7. Can you tell me your all time favourite book, or if you have to, your top 5?
Our Island Story by HE Marshall
Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence
Gone with The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

8. Has there been any books you’ve read that you wish you had written?

I wish I’d written ‘After You’d Gone’ by Maggie O’Farrell. It’s been a while since I read it but it haunts me still. Also The Life and Loves of a She-Devil by Fay Weldon, an inspiration and a friend

9. When you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
When I’m not writing, I like to swim in the sea, walk the dog with my husband, play tennis and be with my new granddaughter. I’m a youngish grannie which is great. I’m sure she’s going to be a writer as she’s been looking at books since she was a week old.

10. Have you any hobbies that aren’t book-related?
See above. However I always get ideas while doing any of these.

11. What’s your favourite holiday destination?

I don’t have one favourite holiday destination. I’m lucky enough to have travelled to some amazing places when I wrote for The Daily Telegraph. We now live by the sea in Devon and I have to say that’s my favourite holiday destination.

13. Favourite food?

I haven’t eaten meat since 1997. However I do eat fish. My favourite food is my own fish pie. It’s one of my six dishes! And it never comes out the same way. This isn’t always a good thing.

14. Favourite drink?

I used to love a gin and tonic. But I had to have an operation a few years ago and the anaesthetic changed my tastebuds . As a result I can’t drink tea, coffee or anything alcoholic. I drink a lot of water. Sounds boring but it’s lovely.

Huge thanks to Jane Corry for joining me on the blog today! 🙂