Today I’m delighted to welcome author, Josephine Huet, to my blog. I first met Josephine on social media and greatly enjoyed her latest novel, Pomegranate Tears.
So, a warm welcome to you, Josephine. Perhaps you would like to tell us a bit about yourself.
Thank you, Marcia. I’m British-born (but with an Italian mother) and I live in the Loire Valley in France with my French husband. I used to be an English trainer in a famous perfume company, and I used to wonder what was more challenging – trying to teach the ‘present perfect’ or coming up with a good plot for my books.
Pomegranate Tears is my first novel writing solo under the pen name of Jos Saunders. Before that book, I co-wrote two other novels under the pen name of A J Saunders. The Whispering Magpies (a YA paranormal mystery) and Hyde and Seek (a romantic suspense set in France).
The Whispering Magpies was translated into French last year, and became ‘Les Pies Qui Chuchotent’.
Pomegranate Tears is being translated at present and I hope will be published in the summer as ‘Les Larmes de Grenadine’.
At present, I have one book at the editor which should be published in the summer – a modern-day fantasy novel under the pen name of A J Saunders. That will probably be the last co-written book.
Jos Saunders has a Christmas romance which is almost finished, and another paranormal mystery in the pipeline (using her genealogy expertise).
What do you enjoy most about writing?
Escaping to different worlds. Fantasy, paranormal,etc.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning to write a book?
I spend a lot of time researching before writing a book, either on the internet or like my last novel Pomegranate Tears, ‘interrogating’ my mother.
What is your favourite holiday destination and why?
I suppose my favourite holiday destination is Italy. That’s where I spent most of my summer holidays—with my Italian family.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
I like painting, and because I enjoyed genealogy so much—I became a professional genealogist. In fact, one of my next books is based on this; a story that swings between the present and the past based on wonderful finds during one of my researches for a client.
That’s an interest we share then, as I’m a keen genealogist too. I’ve researched my maiden name of Squire back to around 1500, though I can’t claim all the credit. I managed to get back to 1750 and then discovered my family tree tied in with that of another researcher. I’ve no idea how that researcher managed to get back so far, and unfortunately, she never replied to my letters. Your new book sounds intriguing; I’ll keep a lookout for it. Several of the characters in my own books are loosely based on ancestors I came across in my research.
Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing? How do they help you?
That person has to be my sister. She is my dedicated fan and my most precious beta reader. If I have an off day, she’s there to cheer me up. With her living in England, you can imagine the hours spent on the phone.
What is your favourite time to write, and why?
As I’m an early bird, I tend to write between 5 a.m.- 7 a.m. when there’s no one around. No noise. Nothing to distract me. Just me, complete silence, and my keyboard.
When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer?
I think I’ve always wanted to be a writer. At school, I used to write stories for the rest of the class and they seemed to enjoy what I wrote. Later in life, I had less time to write. I had my home and children to look after.
It wasn’t until I started teaching English to French students that I decided to take up writing again. I must admit I had a lot of encouragement from them. I began by writing a flash fiction ‘Buy Chance’ which they enjoyed reading and went on to be published in the A Flash of Words anthology in the US in 2019.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends on the subject. It took me four years to write Pomegranate Tears. As I live in France, I only go back to England for Christmas, meaning only a week a year to ask my mother relevant questions for the book. Then the Covid arrived, and I couldn’t go back for three years. But the book finally came out last summer.
What was your favourite subject at school – and which was the lesson you always wanted to avoid?
I loved languages and did ‘A’ level English language, French and Italian. I hated the sciences.
Describe your ideal menu – and where would you like to eat it?
Anything Italian. I grew up with this type of food, and my mother is an excellent cook. Where would I like to eat it? At home with my mother, of course.
How do you get out of writer’s block?
Thanks to my sister, I don’t have writer’s block. Whenever I throw a query her way, she comes galloping back with a brilliant idea. We bounce ideas off each other until we’re both satisfied with the outcome. I’m so lucky to have her.
Thank you, Josephine, for taking the time to talk to me. I wish you every success with all of your books.
Readers, you can find Josephine on the following links:
Facebook author page link – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077722885086
Instagram page link – https://www.instagram.com/adley_saunders_author/
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