BLOG TOUR ~ The Mother by Jaime Raven

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Mother by Jaime Raven where I welcome Jaime to my blog where he has kindly done a Q&A session with me. I was thrilled to be asked by Sabah Khan from Avon Books to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else is taking part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of the Q&A so without further ado, here it is:

• What inspired you to write your first book? 

The first Jaime Raven book was THE MADAM. The story is about a prostitute named Lizzie Wells who goes to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. While she’s inside her young son dies so when she gets out she seeks revenge against those responsible. 

I live in Southampton on the South coast and one day I discovered that the city has a dark side. It’s home to a large number of prostitutes, or ‘escorts’ as many like to be called. Anyway, it was this that inspired me to come up with the storyline for THE MADAM.

• Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m busy at present helping to promote THE MOTHER while at the same time finishing off my next book for Avon/Harper Collins. This book is out early next year and I’ve just completed the first draft. It’s provisionally called THE THREAT and is set in London. I don’t want to give anything away at this stage because the team at Avon haven’t seen it yet. Fingers crossed they like it. 

The promotional work for THE MOTHER takes up a fair amount of time because I have to write magazine features and blog posts, and do interviews. But I actually enjoy it and I know how important it is to get your book noticed in what is such a competitive environment.

• How long on average does it take you to write a book?

It usually takes me six months to write a book of about 85,000 words. The book I’m now working on is over 100,000 words so it’s taken a little longer. Of course, that doesn’t include the editing process which begins after I submit the manuscript, first to my agent and then to Avon.

• What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life? 

The biggest challenge for me is having to push myself to write between 1,000 and 2,000 words a day even when I don’t feel like it. The pressure becomes more intense if I have to work to a deadline. 

I also find it hard to deal with my fiercest critic - ME! I agonise over the smallest thing and this leads to many, many sleepless nights. 

The research I find easy and fun thanks to the internet and the Google search engine.

• What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Trying to switch off. It’s always a problem for me because I find it difficult to concentrate on anything else. Once I start a book I can’t stop thinking about how it’s going and what I’ll put in the next chapter. It’s true to say that it takes over my life and there’s very little room for anything else. Thankfully my family members and friends are very understanding.

• What books have most influenced your life? 

These would be books written by two of the greatest crime writers – Agatha Christie and Mickey Spillane. My mother was a huge fan of both and she encouraged me to read their books in my early teens. That was how I became hooked on crime novels. The pair are very different writers but they both knew how to put together riveting stories. 

• Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? 

I’ve been following with interest fellow Avon author C L Taylor. I’ve read all her books – The Lie, The Accident, The Missing and The Escape. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all and look forward to her next book, The Treatment, which is due out in October. 

• Have you ever gotten writer’s block?

No I haven’t. Whenever I get stuck I force myself to write down anything as long as it’s legible. It doesn’t have to be any good or make any sense. The point is to get something down on paper, which means you’re continuing to move forward with the book. I can knock it into shape later and this works for me every time. 

• What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel?

It’s a book called The Mark, which was the first in a series of thrillers by American author Jason Pinter. It features a journalist named Henry Parker and was a bestseller in the US. But as far as I know it didn’t do so well here. And that’s a shame because it’s fast-paced and action-packed. A prime example of what makes a good thriller.

• How do you select the names of your characters?

I have a list of names that I’ve pulled together from newspaper stories and TV programme credits. When I start developing a story I refer to the list and this helps me decide on names for characters. But I also sometimes use the names of friends and relatives. The ruthless villain in my new book is named after a boy I used to know who was a horrible bully!

BLURB:

I’ve taken your daughter, as punishment for what you did…

Prepare to be gripped by the heart-stopping new thriller from the author of The Madam, the read that taps into every mother’s worst fear. 

South London detective Sarah Mason is a single mother. It’s a tough life, but Sarah gets by. She and her ex-husband, fellow detective Adam Boyd, adore their 15-month-old daughter Molly.

Until Sarah’s world falls apart when she receives a devastating threat: Her daughter has been taken, and the abductor plans to raise Molly as their own, as punishment for something Sarah did.

Sarah is forced to stand back while her team try to track down the kidnapper. But her colleagues aren’t working fast enough to find Molly. To save her daughter, Sarah must take matters into her own hands, in a desperate hunt that will take her to the very depths of London’s underworld.

A gripping new voice in crime fiction, this book is perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Jessie Keane.

About The Author: Jaime Raven is an award-winning journalist who has worked for newspapers including the Sun and the Daily Mail, as well as a former script writer and TV producer. She is the author of The Madam, and lives in Southampton.