By Grace Moran

 

Have you ever read a book that you couldn’t put down, a book so good that you were disappointed when it came to the last page?  Well I met with award winning novelist Faith Hogan to find out what exactly it takes to be such a successful writer.  The anticipation and excitement is overwhelming as publication day May 1^st for Faith’s new novel ‘My Husband’s Wives’ is just around the corner.

Being a parent, full time worker and a writer can often bring its own challenges and knocks but Faith admits that she would not change a thing. ‘Working full time and having four children is a fairly busy life. There have been times when a book has come back and the agent may say let’s leave that and move on to the next one, even though there may be a year’s work in it.  That bit is hard, when someone says no, rejection, no matter who you are, is hard. You have to think well what is the other option will I stop or will I keep going? You get back up on the horse and you keep going.’

Due to her love for crime writing, women’s literature was not something Faith had seriously considered, but as Faith goes ‘when the option arose to try it, I was more than ready for the challenge’. I said I would give it a go, so I started a novel. Overall it took about a year for it to be completed and when I sent it off it just flew. My three crime novels are still sitting in a drawer at home ready to go.’

During our conversation Faith went on to explain how characters throughout the course of the novel are continuously developing. ‘I would often be half way through a novel before I would know what someone actually looks like but I always hear their voices. The voices get you first then you are away with it, it makes it easier to write. It is definitely harder to write women characters and it took me a while to create a woman that I liked. When the four women from the novel came up I liked them all but it took time, I think that is why it took me so long to write women’s fiction.’

‘Of course along the way you would have different people read it, the first would be my sister and she is brutally honest, but also I know she is my biggest fan and she will tell me what’s working and what’s not.’ I would never really tell anyone that I am a writer, but the amount of good will from people when they find out makes me feel so lucky.’

During her career Faith has had many successes and achievements and while talking about them her excitement and smile is nothing but contagious.  ‘The biggest highlight for me was when I got a publisher; the kids were gone out there was nobody in the house. I had an email from my agent earlier that day telling me publishers were looking at the novel and when she got back to me with the news I was so happy, I could not believe it.’ ‘Then the cover came and I was so excited. Never in a million years would I have believed I would see my name on a cover!’

There is no doubt that this is the beginning of a very exciting new journey for Faith.

Make sure to follow Faith Hogan on Facebook and Twitter for updates and further publication news.