Thaw – Fiona Robyn

(Note to reader: I’ve a SIGNED hardback copy of ‘Thaw’ to giveaway and all details can be found at the end of this long (but very interesting) post)

Ruth is thirty two years old and doesn’t know if she wants to be thirty three. Her meticulously-ordered lonely life as a microbiologist is starved of pleasure and devoid of meaning. She decides to give herself three months to choose whether or not to end her life.

Told through a series of diary entries, we read Ruth’s thoughts as she struggles to make sense of her past and grapples with the pain of the present.

‘Thaw’ is clever, engaging and believable, as Ruth explores what makes any of our lives worth living. It is a study of human emotion, brimming with questions, answers and a depth of wisdom that will resonate. It is, without doubt, another thoughtful, moving and utterly delicate read from the very talented Fiona Robyn.

Asking Fiona:

Can you talk us through your whirlwind year, full of fabulous publications. How was the decision made to publish your 3 novels so close together?

It has been quite a year! I had three novels ‘under my belt’ by the time I got the publishing deal with Snowbooks, and it was their decision to get them all out within the year. It’s been a great luxury, as I’ve been able to sit back and continue working on my 4^th novel without having to panic about the time.

How long did each of your 3 novels take to write?

My novels seem to take between one and two years from start to finish, but that varies depending on how much research there is to do, how much else I have going on, and how much I procrastinate. Procrastination can be a killer.

Writers often find redrafting and self-editing difficult. Can you offer any words of wisdom?

I’m lucky as my ‘training’ as a writer was as a poet, and writing poetry is all about drafting, redrafting, and then redrafting again. My advice would be to turn OFF the critic for your first draft, but then to read your work out loud and change the words and the paragraphs about until they sound as ‘right’ as possible. The other essential is to read, read, read – lots and lots of well-written novels, poetry, faction etc. This is how we learn about good quality prose. It gets into your blood.

Who do you feel would be your ideal reader? Is that ideal reader the same for all 3 novels?

I think my books have attracted different types of reader. ‘The Blue Handbag’ is a gently mystery story about a 62 year old gardener called Leonard and is, as someone wrote in a review, a ‘warm bath of a read’. ‘Thaw’ is much darker and more challenging, and may appeal to younger readers. I used to think that my ideal reader was someone who liked literary books and who would think I was clever. That was all about my ego. Since publication I’ve completely changed my mind, and now my ideal reader is anyone who loves my characters as much as I do.

I’ve heard blog-talk about your ‘blogsplash’. What is it and how can people get involved?

As an experiment, I’m going to blog ‘Thaw’ in its entirety a month after its physical publication. It may help sales and it may hinder them! To help get the word out, I’m looking for 1000 bloggers to post the first day of my character Ruth’s diary on the same day as me. I’ve had 181 people sign up so far, so I MIGHT make it. You can find out more here or see who’s already signed up here.

And, finally, (and yes I know that I’ve asked you this before) do you in any way now know Simon Cowell?

Sorry, not yet. Give me another year…

You can buy ‘Thaw’ here.

And, the lovely Fiona Robyn has agreed that I can give away a signed hardback copy of  ‘Thaw’. All you have to do is leave a ‘please pick me’ comment by 3pm (GMT) December 17, then I’ll pop all names in a mug and ask a small child to select a winner. This competition is open to all.

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About Fiona: Fiona Robyn is a novelist living in rural Hampshire with her cats and vegetable patch. She’s interesting in growing things, Buddhism, psychotherapy, trashy detective novels, paying attention, blogging, banoffee pie, presents, words, and kittens. Her website is here and she blogs here.