Saturday 7 July 2018

An Interview With C.G. Drew

Hi guys! This week's blog is a special interview with C.G. Drew, the author of A Thousand Perfect Notes. I'm excited for this one!

About C.G. Drew


For those of you who don't know, here's a brief overview of who C.G. Drew is, taken from Goodreads.com:

C.G. Drews lives in Australia with her piano and the goal of reading every book in existence. Consequently, her brain has overflowed with words and she spends her days writing novels to make you laugh or cry (or both). She never sleeps and believes in cake for breakfast.

She blogs at paperfury.com.


Interview


A Thousand Perfect Notes was recently released in the UK last month; what gave you the idea for the story?


The very first threads I had for the story came from wanting to retell a classical composer's life! (I won't say the exact name, but you'll know when you read the book!) I also have a bit of a whisper of Cinderella in there, coupled with the want to tell a story about siblings, friendship, music, and saving yourself.

A Thousand Perfect Notes is an emotionally charged story and I was wondering what the hardest/best part to write was?


The best parts to write were the banter scenes! I love writing jokes and quips, so it made me smile! The hardest, for me, is usually the last chapters. Keeping the tension right, figuring out a satisfying ending, and then of course letting it out in the wild to see what people think after I'm done...Always nerve-wracking!
 

Where do you like to read/write; does it have to be quiet or loud, indoors or outdoors?

 
I love the quiet! I'll even wear headphones (without music haha) to block out as much white noise as possible. I usually write in bed too...or sometimes sitting on the floor (shh, I promise I'm a professional) and I do have a desk but somehow it ends up covered in books.

 

I'm sure you get asked this question a lot by writers but how do you cope with writer's block? And is there any advice you could give to someone experiencing it?

 
Oh it's the worst for sure. I actually write very intense outlines (we're talking 20,000 words!) so I won't get stuck at all while drafting. But when plotting and developing stories, I do get blocked. I don't think there's a "this works every time!" fix, but sometimes going for a walk and listening to music can help get the gears turning. I also make sure I keep my creative tank full (read lots of books, watch movies, look at art, etc.). I whinge about writer's block, but I make sure I've put aside actual time to tackle it and I don't just hope it resolves itself!


This is a hard question for any reader! Who is your favourite author or book and why?


Ahhh I can't pick one favourite!! But here are some authors who endlessly inspire me! Maggie Stiefvater, VE Schwab, Adam Silvera, K. Ancrum, and Patrick Ness.

What are your future plans; are you doing a book tour for A Thousand Perfect Notes?


No book tour! I'm just small-time author yet!

This is one of my favourite questions to ask: If you were stranded on an island and could only choose 3 people and 5 books to read, what would they be and why?


For the people, I'd chose my sisters probably! (And possibly someone else who knows how to make a raft?!?) And the 5 books would be: The Lies of Locke Lamora, Lady Midnight, The Scorpio Races, The Wicker King and Autoboyography!

Your second book, The Boy Who Steals Houses is out in 2019; How different was it writing this book compared to A Thousand Perfect Notes?


I'm so excited for everyone to meet Sam and Avery in The Boy Who Steals Houses! The writing is definitely my same style as for ATPN, but you can expect a little bit of unique formatting, some achingly short chapters in the finale, and scenes that will make you laugh....and also cry!

Thank you so much for reading and I'll see you next week! Love, Vee x

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