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Veronica Henry's novels are English through and through, but her early childhood was peripatetic, and she spent several years in the States becoming an all-American kid. So being sent back to England to continue her education at a strict girl's boarding school in Bath was a culture shock.
After leaving Bristol University, where she spent more time running a post-punk nightclub and hanging out with her future than studying Latin, she worked on The Archers, where her duties ranged from supervising the recording of new sound effects to giving guided tours of Borsetshire.
From there she went to Central Television to become a script editor for Crossroads. She subsequently turned her hand to scriptwriting, penning scenes for many popular soap operas and dramas including The Archers, Heartbeat, Boon, Family Affairs and Doctors, as well as the cult-classic Jupiter Moon.
Veronica had always wanted to write fiction and in 2000 Penguin signed her up for a two-book deal with her first novel Honeycote published in 2002. Her last novel, An Eligible Bachelor, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association FosterGrant Reading Glasses Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2006. She has recently returned to scriptwriting and is currently working on episodes of the hugely popular BBC1 hospital drama, Holby City.
A recent house move from the centre of Birmingham to a village in North Devon provided the inspiration for new novel Love on the Rocks:
"Several years ago I was struggling to finish my second novel, when a friend suggested I spent a week at her flat in North Devon. With nothing to stare at but acres of golden sand and miles of shimmering sea, I found my fingers flying across the keyboard and the novel finished. Exhilarated by this miraculous unblocking, I shook out every piggy bank, schmoozed my bank manager and put a deposit down on a seaside retreat of my own. For the next two years I escaped there whenever I could, and never failed to find the view inspiring. The only flaw in my plan was that my family soon cottoned on and followed me - it was no longer a retreat - but a commune for friends, family and hangers-on. I had to accept that I had to share my idyll - to the extent that two years ago we sold our home and moved to Devon full-time. In the meantime, the glorious setting proved to be further inspiration. Everyone who came to stay seemed to dream of escaping 'real life' to live by the sea. Gradually my fifth novel began to take shape - what really would happen, to someone who chucked in their job and tried to turn their fantasy into a reality? What obstacles might stand in their way? My imagination ran riot, and the fictional seaside village of Mariscombe emerged as the next property hot-spot."
Veronica lives with her husband and three sons in a village in North Devon. She is currently working on her sixth novel.
You began your career as a script writer. Which do you prefer: writing novels or scripts? Script writing for television is filled with constraints. There are so many rules and regulations to abide by - budget, time-frame, continuity, house-style, set and location restrictions, logistical considerations - that the story is almost secondary! I became increasingly frustrated because the stories I wanted to tell just didn't fit the television format, so I decided to try my hand at novel writing in the hopes of having free rein.
Of course, having no restrictions at all is equally inhibiting, but at last I was able to run riot with descriptions and do exactly what I wanted with my characters, without a producer/director/script editor voicing their objections.
With five novels under my belt and a sixth on the way I have now returned to occasional script writing with a different attitude - I actually enjoy the challenge and it is a fantastic discipline. And I know that the craft of telling a story within sixty minutes has helped me with plotting my novels.
How did you feel when you found out you were going to be published? I can remember the day vividly. I took a chauffeur driven limo to London because I was so afraid the train would do its usual thing and stop for a leisurely rest en route to Euston. My agent had warned me to wear trousers, as she had to whisk me across town on the back of a huge Honda motorbike in order to beat the traffic. It was surreal! Made even more so because by the end of the day I had a book deal with Penguin.
It's very strange when your dream comes true, because where do you go from there? The day Penguin signed me up, I achieved my lifetime's ambition, which doesn't happen to everyone. I was thrilled, but also keenly aware that I had to come up with the goods. Over half a million words later, I guess I have!
How do you usually go about writing your books? I have two or three central themes and relationships before I start, based around a particular setting which I have researched while finishing the previous book. I usually know where everyone is going to end up. What I don't know is quite how they get there, and who they will meet along the way. I start at the beginning and work my way through the book strictly chronologically - I used to dart around and sneak ahead to the juicy bits, but now I just make notes and force myself to wait until I get there. Though sometimes if I am getting bogged down I will treat myself to a section I have been looking forward to, just to write myself out of my block. If I find myself really stuck, a walk or a sleep or a flip through a trashy magazine usually helps my subconscious to sort out the problem. Very often I will come up with a solution when I am drifting off at night.
Are the characters based on real people? No! I hate it when people assume that. You can't just drop people you know into your fictional world. They don't fit. Characters have to mature and develop; as you write you get to know them, their likes, dislikes, and idiosyncrasies, just as you get to know people in real life. If people think they recognise themselves, they are either being vain or paranoid!
Your new book, Love on the Rocks, is set by the seaside. What made you move from your Cotswold setting? Everyone needs a holiday! And although I love the rural idylls of Honeycote, Eversleigh and Upper Faviell, I felt it was time for a change and some sea air!
Can you give us a taster of what we can look forward to in the next novel? The book follows the trials and tribulations of Lisa Jones and her boyfriend George, who have both thrown away their careers to pursue a dream that many people share: running a hotel by the sea. Their relationship soon becomes strained as they realise they have very different priorities. Added pressure is put on by Bruno Thorne, proprietor of the nearby Mariscombe Hotel, who doesn't appreciate the competition they have brought to the town he seems to think he owns.
As well as these central characters, we meet the unruly staff from the Mariscombe Hotel. There's Frank, head chef and surfing dude, who brings the shy and self-conscious Hannah out of her shell. Then there is the conniving manageress, Caragh Flynn - for those of you who have read An Eligible Bachelor, she is Johnny Flynn's younger sister, so she is bound to be up to no good. And of course there is chambermaid Molly, a teenage mum who is struggling to bring up her baby in secret, terrified that someone might discover his real identity. You definitely don't come to Mariscombe for a quiet life!
What books are on your bedside table? Smashed: Growing Up A Drunk Girl, by Koren, a fascinating portrayal of teenage binge drinking which should be prescribed reading for anyone about to go off to uni. I've just finished A Short History Of Tractors in Ukrainian - like everyone these days I am in a book club, and it's next month's read. I loved it - it's hilarious, warm, witty and subtly didactic. And I'm browsing through the Moro Ccookbook, because I'm planning a Moroccan themed birthday dinner for a friend.
Which literary character would you most like to meet? I'd love to go ice-skating in New York with Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye. I'd have to drop a few years, though - I'm too old for him now, and I wouldn't want to traumatise him any more than he already is!
What's your dream holiday destination? Short-term, I'd love a long weekend in Barcelona with my husband. Long-term, my brother has just moved to Adelaide, so I am planning a round the world trip with my family, stopping off to see friends in California on the way. Better start saving now!
How do you spend your free time? This question has made me realise I don't really have any. I would love to go riding again. I used to have my own horse, but I haven't been in the saddle since before I had my youngest son, who is now three. I'm going to phone the local stables right now.
***
We put 16 delving questions to Veronica Henry, successful scriptwriter for popular TV and radio programmes like Heartbeat and The Archers, and bestselling author of Honeycote and Making Hay. See how she fared...
Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
Watching my one-year-old son playing with his big brothers [7 and 13].
What are you reading at the moment?
The Crimson Petal and the White.
Which author do you most admire?
Deborah Moggach. She always comes up with ingenious and original plots, and she writes with both depth and sparkle.
What’s your earliest memory?
Falling down the stairs and sobbing because I broke my digestive biscuit.
What is your greatest fear?
Inner city driving. I have never understood how to swap lanes at speed or manoeuvre roundabouts. Worrying, really.
How would you like to be remembered?
For being good fun.
Have you even done something you’ve really regretted? No. Mistakes make us who we are. I also believe you shouldn't regret what you have done, but what you haven't.
How do you spoil yourself?
Sharing expensive wine - preferably white burgundy - with someone when I should be doing something else.
What’s your favourite word?
Meretricious. It's a novel in itself.
Who do you turn to in a crisis?
My poor, darling husband, who has the broadest shoulders in the world.
What makes you angry?
People who are uneccessarily rude to shop assistants and waitresses.
Have you ever had any other jobs apart from writing?
Script editor. Also waitress and shop assistant [see above].
Are you in love?
Of course.
Do you believe in monogamy?
For myself. But not for the characters in my books, otherwise I would have nothing to write about!
What are you proudest of?
My three boys. And their daddy!
Where do you write?
I am at my most productive in our beach house in North Devon, which overlooks three miles of golden sand and has an awesome, inspiring view.
In, An Eligible Bachelor, bestselling author Veronica Henry, has done it again with a tale of the Cotswolds that makes Emmerdale look like The Waltons...
TO SNARE YOUR OWN ELIGIBLE BACHELOR
Archetypal Eligible Bachelors like Guy Portias, complete with their own ancestral seat, are becoming rare beasts indeed. However, if you are lucky enough to snare one, here are a few tips to surviving a country house weekend at his Cotswold manor house:
OCCUPATION
Career girls get off here. Even with staff, running a house and the EB’s social life will be a full-time job, and that’s before the children are taken into account - once you have snared your EB and led him up the aisle, you will need to produce an heir. So forget film-producing, magazine-editing or trading bonds. Once the nursery is filled, you may be able to dabble in something part-time – antiques, interior decorating, selling something tasteful but innovative over the internet – but on no account let this rule your life. The Eligible Bachelor is your career from now on, so don’t come across as too driven. Whatever you do, make it sound vague and somewhat temporary.
DRESS
Your wardrobe must be tasteful, stylish, understated, and must not scream of conspicuous Posh ‘n’ Becks-style spending [inconspicuous spending is fine: you will need some basic quality investment items – see below]. You needn’t go as far as pie-crust collars and pearls, but avoid the following: anything too tight, anything too short, animal print anything, plunging necklines, leather, PVC, zips, studs, visible underwear. Tattoos and piercings are a definite no. Stay as close to your original hair colour as possible, and avoid anything too high maintenance as finding as finding a decent hairdresser near the ancestral seat might be risky. Also avoid high maintenance false nails, though it is important to have nicely manicured hands.
Think linen, silk, tweed, suede, cashmere/lambswool in a palette of camel, khaki, grey, white, pale pink/blue. Jewellery should be discreet but can be witty and the best way of expressing individuality. Shoes, handbags, belts and luggage should always be expensive – avoid like the plague anything that looks as if it might have come from the back streets of Bangkok, even if it’s the real thing.
Investment items include: a good coat [preferably cashmere, camel or navy], a wax coat, proper wellies [the current fad for decorated wellies must be approached with caution – toile de jouy/polka dots are fine worn with tongue firmly in cheek, but if you want to be taken seriously green are essential. Stick with Hunters – anything more elaborate and people will expect you to actually chase and kill things]. Also indulge in plenty of warm underwear as the ancestral seat is likely to be chilly – you can crank up the heating once you are mistress of the house. Scarves – one devoree, one cashmere, one silk Hermes-style. A good but plain watch – if in doubt, stick to black Roman numerals and a leather strap; diamonds instead of numbers are definitely flashy and tacky. One pair of loafers – as an exception these can be leopard/zebraskin. A good Chanel-style tweed jacket with matching skirt. Selection of white linen shirts and round neck sweaters/cardigans.
If you smoke, it must be Marlboro Light. Embassy, B&H, Regal etc are a dead giveaway; Cartier looks as if you are trying too hard.
A suggested weekend wardrobe:
For daytime:
Wide-legged grey wool trousers, white shirt [untucked], cashmere sweater, suede loafers, silver charm bracelet.
For evening:
Wrap around cashmere cardigan, floaty silk skirt [not too short], funky necklace/earrings [either/or, not both], fitted black high-heeled boots or fun beaded/sequinned mules [these should not fight with your jewellery].
For outside:
Forget expensive designer jeans – stick to Levi 501s. One big roll neck sweater, cashmere scarf, green wellies. Hats can mean the difference between survival and hypothermia but need to be treated with caution. Only those with poker straight blonde hair and lashings of confidence should plump for the Australian bush-style hat. Trilby/fedora-style hats can look a bit J-Lo, flat caps a bit Madonna. As a compromise, Barbour do an excellent wax-proof baseball-style cap that is easy to carry off and looks pretty authentic.
For church on Sunday, followed by drinks party:
Tweed Chanel-style suit, cashmere sweater underneath, black boots, devoree scarf. Take off jacket for drinks party.
Also invest in a subtle but arresting signature scent. Spend the morning in Liberty’s perfumery until you find the perfect concoction. Sprinkle a few drops on his collars/hanky/pillow when he’s not looking, so he will be constantly reminded of your presence.
PARENTS
The EBs parents may well still be ensconced in the family seat; ready to bow out when the EB gets married [no pressure!] The EB’s mother will have undue influence on him, and your life will undoubtedly be easier if you keep her sweet. This means bringing her a thoughtful, but never vulgar, gift. Choose from scented candles [expensive, or they will smell like plug-in air freshener. I recommend Kenneth Turner or Dypthique], something luxurious for the kitchen [River Café olive oil, or a pannetone from Carluccio], or something for the garden. If you know a Gertrude Jekyll or Vita Sackville West type, beg some unusual cuttings from their herbaceous border – this will score serious points! If not, Crabtree and Evelyn Gardener’s Hand Cream works every time.
Don’t bring wine – this somehow suggests that they haven’t got enough to go round, and anyway you won’t be able to trump whatever is lurking in the cellar.
If daddy is still around, he won’t be hard to charm. He is the only person it is permitted to flirt with shamelessly.
CUISINE
An eligible bachelor will expect his future wife to be able to cook, and you might be called upon to rustle something up during the weekend. If you usually rely on St Michael for your culinary inspiration, don’t reveal the awful truth until it is too late for him to backtrack [eg after the wedding]. You don’t need an extensive repertoire, just good country cooking, usually involving large amounts of potato. I recommend that you have the following up your sleeve – Delia or Nigella will provide excellent recipes:
Shepherds pie
Fish pie
Beef in beer
Chicken/pheasant in cider
For starters or at drinks parties, all you ever need to serve is best smoked salmon on soda or granary bread, squirted with lemon and black pepper and handed round with drinks. Find a good supplier – Irish or Scottish - and don’t be stingy with the salmon. If it’s good enough, no-one will care that it’s all you ever serve.
Puddings need to be stodgy or boozy, preferably both. Trifle, tiramisu and apple crumble are all foolproof.
HORSES, DOGS AND AGAS
You must learn not to fear any of the above, as they will inevitably be an integral part of the EB’s life in the country.
Horses:
You do not need to learn to ride. An old back or knee injury [preferably incurred whilst hunting, or perhaps skiing] will illicit sympathy and excuse you from becoming directly involved in any equestrian activities. But you must be able to admire a horse, slap its neck confidently and hold its head without flinching while the rider mounts. Your local riding stable should be able to help.
Dogs:
There is no getting away from the fact that dogs are an essential part of country life, and your Eligible Bachelor is quite likely to own one – and if not his mother certainly will. You must not show fear or dislike of their canine companions, no matter how repelled you are inside. The breeds you are most likely to come into contact with are Jack Russells [small and snappy], spaniels [medium and soppy], and Labradors [large and smelly]. The general rule of thumb is the larger they are the more stupid they are, and more likely to poke their nose where it’s not wanted. The quickest way to get rid of unwanted snouts is to hurl a big stick over the other side of the ha-ha.
Agas:
These can be as terrifying as horses on first acquaintance, and also need handling with confidence. I recommend that you pay a visit to your nearest showroom to pick up a few tips on Aga-wrangling. Here you will be able to practice lifting up the hot-plates and flicking open the doors without making a fool of yourself in front of your intended. They also do fabulous cookery demonstrations – why not kill two birds with one stone!
***
Everyone needs a holiday and our authors are no different. Some have had scorching holidays and some quite frankly were too unsavoury to let you into. From dream holiday destinations and holiday horror stories to top holiday survival tips and summertime memories we’ve got the low-down and we’re willing to share... here Veronica Henry answers our questions.
What's your favourite summer memory?
We were stationed in the States when I was young - my favourite memory was camping on a ranch in Colorado when I was about 13 and hanging out with real cowboys. I thought they were so cool.
And your dream holiday destination?
I would love to take my husband, a Gauguin fan, to Tahiti.
Any top holiday survival tips you can pass onto our readers?
Buy a really cheap camera, then you won't have to worry about losing it or getting it nicked.
What do you always pack for summer hols?
Hot new lipstick to go with the tan, Eau Dynamisante to freshen up.
Do you have any favourite places you like to go in the summer months? We always go to Woolacombe in North Devon - teenager happy surfing, middle guy happy body boarding and baby happy with bucket and spade.
What place in the world do you think everyone should visit at least once?
Hmm - don't know as I haven't been there yet. Open-topped bus tour of London pretty essential.
Had any holiday horror stories you can let us into?
My husband and I saved up to go to Paris when we were young and poor. We were then mugged at the Gare du Nord, and arrived at my friend's apartment to find she was shacked up with a drug dealer. We spent the next few days starving and terrified, and were delighted to get on the ferry where, able to use a cheque book, we splashed out on duck a l'orange in the restaurant.
What books will you be packing in your suitcase this summer?
Status Anxiety by Alain de Boton, complemented by something thoroughly pink and trashy.
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