I am very excited, I have had my first outing on a podcast. I was interviewed by Maggie Dickinson for Novel Finds. Thanks to Maggie’s expert interviewing skills and to the fact that she had actually read my books, I think I sound half decent.

Maggie is a generation younger than me (and from across the pond), so it is pleasing that she found something interesting in my books. Her reaction to me writing my first novel on a typewriter – yes a typewriter! – made me laugh.

When I listen back, I do wonder whether some of the revelations would put a reader off. For example, writing A Wake of Crows in twelve months or my sense of myself as still learning my craft. Maybe readers want a fully fledged writer?

Anyway, see what you think:

Any comments gratefully received. And if there are any budding podcasters out there, I would love to do more.

I have been working on an idea for a new series of crime novels. It is far too early to say much about it, but I have done a very rough draft of the first story which I have now shared with my agent. A ‘rough’ draft is one that gets to the end of the narrative arc with many holes in the plot; some of the writing is good, some so-so, some pedestrian.

I know from other writers that they like to guard their manuscripts until they are ‘happy’ with them. This doesn’t fit with my process. If I work so much on something that I am happy with it, then I find it harder to make changes. Much better, for me, to get initial feedback when I know there are many imperfections.

What’s your attitude to feedback?

It’s wonderful to see the natural world bursting into blossom, flower and leaf. Though the sea water has hardly warmed from the depths of winter, somehow having a milder air temperature appears to help, especially if the light glistens on the surface of the waves.