Christine Mary Flemming is a writer and journalist who lives in London, England. In 2013, she has published The Lifewatcher and, even more recently, President Fionn. In this interview she talks about her books, her passion for history and her future writing projects.
Voicu Mihnea Simandan: Your second published novel, President Fionn, is set in the backdrop of 1960s Ireland. It seems that history has quite an important role in your fiction. Please comment.
Christine Mary Flemming: Yes, I’m very interested in history and the best part about writing this type of fiction is that I get to learn a lot while I’m researching. I think you can always learn from the past.
VMS: You’re also a journalist with a degree in Art History and Philosophy. How has your education influenced your writing and the topics you choose to write about?
CMF: I think studying art history gives you a good visual perspective which I find useful when imagining scenes. The philosophical aspect of my degree makes you question the world around you, which is a great skill when writing a fiction book, as it keeps the work interesting and fresh.
VMS: You have a basic writer’s website and a big fan base on Facebook. How important is it for writers to have a wide Internet presence?
CMF: I think it helps because you can reach more people than you’d be able to otherwise, but most importantly it allows you to communicate directly with your audience and this is very rewarding. Getting comments from people allows me to question my own views, so I don’t get stale.
VMS: What do you know about your readers and fans? Who buys your books?
CMF: What’s been interesting for me is how my readers are from all over the world, I would say they are from a younger age group on the whole, under forty, but I think this is mainly because my advertising is mainly on the internet.
VMS: When would you consider a writer as being successful at what s/he does?
CMF: I would say when a writer finds his or her own voice.
VMS: What project are you working on at the moment?
CMF: I’m finishing off a play that I’ve been working on in quieter moments, I’ve also begun researching for my third novel which will be out in October 2014.
VMS: What is your writing routine?
CMF: My day starts with reading and answering emails, then I walk the dog, always bringing a notebook for any ideas that come to me, then I get down to work. I find it quite difficult to start, so I have to really push myself to get on with it. Once I get going I’m fine.
October 5, 2013
