Judy Astley

Born In Lancashire, Judy Astley has lived for most of her life in Twickenham, and was a dress designer and painter before writing her first novel, ‘Just for the Summer’, in 1994. She has two grown-up daughters and lives with her husband in Twickenham and Cornwall. ‘It Must Have Been The Mistletoe’ is her latest book.

1. To the readers of the blog who may not be familiar with you or your writing, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into writing?
   I’ve had 19 novels published since 1994. Before that I worked as a dressmaker/designer, painter and parent. I started writing at about 15, sending stories to magazines but none were published. I then did an English degree, stopped writing for a long while and then eventually the idea for my first book came to me (quite suddenly, one late Cornwall summer) and I thought, if I don’t do it now, I never will.
2. I always thought the opening lines to The Lovely Bones were memorable. Are there any opening lines to books that stuck out to you?
   Well I’m not remotely religious but I really don’t think you can beat, “In the beginning God created heaven and earth.” , and the next couple of verses after that. It actually sounds strangely casual considering how enormously powerful such a statement is.
3. Which authors do you admire?
   So many! Elizabeth Jane Howard for the amazing Cazelet chronicles, Barbara Pym for being such an inspiration with wit and waspishness, Laurie Graham for the enormous variety of her books – all of which I love.
4. What’s your favourite book of all time?
   Probably ‘The Pursuit of Love’ by Nancy Mitford. It is a little piece of perfection: it’s funny, clever, wonderfully entertaining and is my go-to book in times of stress or illness. Always a comfort and a delight.
5. Out of all the books you have written, which one is your favourite?
   I usually think my most recent is the best (I think most writers do!) but I have a massive soft spot for my first one (‘Just For The Summer’) and its recent follow-up, ‘In The Summertime’. I think it’s because they were the first characters I’d ever properly created and I have a lasting fondness for them.
6. If you were starting your writing journey again, is there anything you’d do differently?
   I think I’d probably try to be more organised before starting to write. It must be easier to be one of those people who know where the book is going before they start but I’ve never quite got the hang of that. It’s a bit too late to change now and I didn’t know any other way to do it, way back then.
7. What are your thoughts on film adaptations?
   I don’t actually see a lot of films but the ones I’ve seen that have been adapted from books I’ve read have usually been a bit disappointing. They seem heavy-handed and omit a book’s essential nuances. Having said that, if anyone wanted to adapt any of mine I’d say, hey please do!
8. What’s been the highlight of your career?
   I’ve been very lucky and had good sales and been nominated for the odd award but my absolute career highlight (and this is very silly and trivial, I’ll admit) was seeing one of my books in The Kabin corner shop on Coronation Street. It was a free giveaway with a magazine at the time and there it was on a shelf in Rita’s shop. I am a massive Corrie fan and I’ll admit I did squeal at the time. See, told you it was silly.
9. If you were stranded on a desert island, which 3 books would you bring with you to pass the time?
   Only three? Eek. I’d have to take something I’ve never read so I might as well give ‘War and Peace ‘a go. That should take up plenty of time. I’d take ‘Groupie’ by Johnny Byrne and Jennie Fabian because it reminds me so much of my misspent youth and I’d possibly take ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and all the rest of the books in the Avonlea series (if that’s allowed.)
10. What area do you suggest a budding writer should concentrate on to further their abilities?
    That’s tricky, without knowing what their strengths are. I’d go for making sure they can write prose that flows and a total avoidance of clichés. I’d also suggest that if they are genre writers that they get to know other writers in their field but make sure they’re reading far more widely than just the ‘opposition’.
11. When sitting down to write, what is the one item you need beside you?
    A big mug of hot tea (Builders’, nothing fancy). Essential.
12. And finally, do you have any projects or releases on the horizon that you would like to share with the readers of the website?
    I’m planning a new book right now and it’ll probably involve houses (think Location, Location etc) and an annoying but persistent ex-partner. I also have been working on something completely different – a sort-of memoir. I don’t know if that will eventually see the light of day but I hope it will.

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