The Day I Lost You Book Tour – Interview With Fionnuala Kearney

Fionnuala Kearney pronounced Finoola, lives in Ascot with her husband. They have two grown-up daughters. One of seven children, ‘The Day I Lost You’ is her second novel with Harper Collins.

1. Can you tell us what your new book ‘The Day I Lost You’ is about?
   The book tells the story of Jess, a forty eight year old woman, whose only child, twenty five year old, Anna, has been reported missing in an avalanche. Jess is devastated, and while immersed in grief, is left looking after Anna’s five year old daughter Rose. As secrets and lies unfold and Jess discovers a world of suspicion and hurt left by Anna, she’s forced to question whether she ever knew the person she loved most in the world. It looks under the skin of a mother and daughter relationship, and explores love (in all its guises) and loss, but ultimately – hope.
2. Where do you get your ideas for your stories?
   Everywhere! Listening in on a conversation on the tube, reading an article in a newspaper, hearing something on the radio… Or sometimes, I come up with a character whom I love and ask loads of ‘What if?’ questions about them.
3. Was there ever a book that you read, that didn’t live up to the hype that surrounded it and left you disappointed?
   Ooh! If there was, I’m too much a lady to say! Seriously, I admire anyone, and I mean anyone, who has a novel published today, so I’d hate to single out someone and say I was disappointed. That said, reading enjoyment is such a subjective thing. Also, I rarely read a hyped up book during the hype, preferring to keep it until after the fuss dies down!
4. I always thought the opening lines to “The Lovely Bones” was quite memorable, are there any opening lines to books that stuck out to you?
   Since I love writing family drama, one of my favourites has to be ‘Anna Karenina’:
   “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Another favourite (Hell, I love every line she writes) is the beginning of Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘The Hand That First Held Mine’ for its immediate sense of atmosphere.

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5. What’s been your favourite book of 2016?
   It’s hard to choose but if you’re making me?! So far, probably ‘Olive Kitteridge’ by Elizabeth Strout which just has the most brilliant characterisation…
6. What part of the writing process do you most enjoy?
   I love writing the first and second drafts – where the writing is free and I can bash out my story and characters without worrying about it too much. The subsequent drafts, where I have to cut and cull and enhance and zone in on the detail of the plot and the story, I find more of a challenge!
7. How would you describe your writing?
   Gosh, that’s a hard one! I write family drama so I try hard to make sure my dialogue is authentic i.e how these people would really speak to one another. I don’t go in for long lengthy descriptive prose, preferring my characters to tell the story. As a result, I think most of my books are pretty dialogue heavy. I try also to tune into the senses – what’s going on in the background? Are there any sounds – is that a siren that just went by? Is that the outline of a sleigh I can see in the dark? What’s that smell? And taste – as well as food and drink – fear, anxiety and desire can be tasted too.
8. What is your favourite book and why?
   I have two – completely different – so please don’t ask me to choose! The first is a classic – ‘Wuthering Heights’, by Emily Bronte, a beautiful tale of love, loss, revenge and obsession. Frankly, Heathcliff is probably singularly responsible for my writing tortured male parts!
   The second is a more recent novel, ‘One Day’, by David Nicholls. And yes, it too has a (more contemporary) complex male in the form of Dexter! It’s essentially a love story but its simple structure – where the two main characters Emma and Dex meet on the same day for the following twenty years is one I wish I’d thought of!

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You can buy [amazon_link id=”0007593996″ target=”_blank” ]The Day I Lost You from Amazon [/amazon_link] and is available to buy from good bookshops.