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We are thrilled to welcome Theresa Talbot to the BLM family with representation from Jo Bell!

See below for an exclusive Q&A with Theresa:

Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer? When did you realise?

A. I come from a family of story tellers. My parents were from Dublin and as a child I’d be enthralled with all the Irish ghost stories they would tell along with my Grandfather. All true (according to them) and always tinged with a hint of horror. Well more than a hint, some of them were downright terrifying! But growing up in that tradition probably inspired me to want to tell stories too.

Q. What made you want to write specifically crime fiction?

A. Initially I wanted to write horror – but as a journalist there was just such a rich seam of real-life crime to inspire me. Almost all the stories in the news involve crime of one manner or another (I reported on the odd lost cat and flower show – but mainly crime) so it seemed the logical thing to write about. If you scratch the surface of any Scottish crime writer, chances are you’ll find a cynical old journalist lurking not too far beneath the surface.

Q. When writing, do you come up with your character or plot first?

A. That’s a great question! I teach creative writing workshops and I always tell students that character is everything – but in truth it’s a mixture of both for me. My debut novel The Lost Children was based on the real-life events surrounding the riot that closed Glasgow’s Magdalene Asylum. Once I had the bare bones of the story I started writing the characters. BUT – the story evolved and developed with the characters and turned out quite different to what I’d intended. My characters have a mind of their own. I just write what they tell me!

Q. Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

My main character Oonagh O’Neil is a journalist with a chaotic lifestyle who drinks too much – you mean her? I couldn’t possibly say. I might be a teeny weeny bit like Oonagh – but she’s got fabulous hair. I never mention her hair in the book, but I just know it’s fabulous, so in that respect, no we’re nothing like each other.

Q. Where would you like to set your next story?

A. I’m writing this during Covid19 lockdown – so anywhere other than my front room! If I had to go somewhere for research then I’d like to set my next book in Italy. But it’ll probably be set in Glasgow – I’m like a bit of Blackpool rock, if you sliced me down the middle, the word Glasgow would go all the way.

Q. How do you manage your day job as a radio journalist while writing?

A. If my news editor, agent or publisher is reading this, then I’d like to say that I’m a shining example, meeting deadlines in a calm and collected manner. Being particularly well organised means that I have a strict work timetable that I adhere to, which ensures nothing slips. If the aforementioned peeps are too busy on Facebook to be reading this then….I used to be a bloody nightmare – only a looming deadline and the threat of eviction would prompt me into action. But in the past year I’ve become more organised. I set myself a wordcount deadline on the days I’m writing and I stick to it. I don’t care if they’re good or bad – I get the words down. I used to hate writing in the mornings – I just couldn’t do it. But I went into exile for a week and forced myself to write for 3 hours from 9am. After that the habit stuck.

Q. Any tips or tricks for new writers?

A. See above! Get into the habit of writing, set yourself a time that you know you won’t be disturbed and do it. Don’t believe any of that nonsense that you need to write every single day. Even top athletes take days off. And don’t worry about making everything perfect. Writer’s block kicks in when you’re labouring over a particular scene or chapter. If that happens move on. You can fix it later – that’s what editing is for. Don’t get it right – get it written. And read. Read as much as you can. Learn your craft, find out how others do it. Don’t copy other writers, but you’d be amazed at how much you’ll absorb by reading. If you want to write a best seller my advice is become a pop star first. Or a politician. Or an athlete. For some reason a career as a famous person seems to lay the foundations for a very successful writing career. ?