Ten Terrifying Questions with Laura Purcell!

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller, she lives in Colchester with her husband and pet guinea pigs. Her first novel for Bloomsbury, The Silent Companions, was a Radio 2 Book Club pick, was selected for the Zoe Ball ITV Book Club and was the winner of the Thumping Good Read Award. Laura’s latest book is called The Shape of Darkness.

Today, Laura Purcell is on the blog to answer our Ten Terrifying Questions! Read on …

Laura Purcell

1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

I’ve led a quiet life really. I was born, raised and schooled in the south eastern county of Essex in England and I live there still. Essex seems to have a bad reputation nationally but it is full of beautiful countryside.

2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

I’ve always had an affinity with animals, so at the age of twelve I wanted to be a vet. I hadn’t yet discovered that I tend to faint at the sight of blood, which somewhat disqualified me! By eighteen I knew I wanted to be a writer, and I knew at age thirty too, although I didn’t get the chance to do it full time until I was thirty one. I had jobs in retail, finance and local government to pay the bills until I got a good publishing deal.

3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?

Honestly I struggle to remember much about being eighteen, let alone my beliefs at the time. Generally, I think I’ve become more easy-going since that age. I’ve learnt when to walk away, which things and people are worth my time and which really aren’t.

4. What were three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?

It’s a difficult thing to narrow down to three, as I take inspiration from so many places. Jane Austen is my favourite author and her work made an impression on me at a formative age. I think she’s shaped my mind to a large extent. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera had a huge impact on me; I was already a big fan of Gaston Leroux’s book, but hearing and seeing the musical just blew me away. Its opulence, tragedy and Gothic romance still flavour my imagination. Another influence is the beautiful architecture and interior decoration of Hampton Court Palace. The sense of atmosphere and history remain with me and sometimes find expression through my work.

5. Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a novel?

There was never much of a choice for me, I’m not an ‘artistic’ person outside of writing. Drawing, singing, acting etc are not skills I possess! Whilst I love plays, the idea of writing for the stage never really occurred to me. The novel is the art form I consume the most, so I suppose I gravitated naturally towards it. I like the ability it gives you to explore the inner lives of your characters, as well as creating worlds of your own. It’s like a chance to be the actor, director and stage designer in one.

6. Please tell us about your latest novel!

The Shape of Darkness is set in the city of Bath, where a Victorian silhouette artist finds her clients are being murdered shortly after sitting for her. Receiving no answers from the police, she enlists the help of a spirit-medium to contact the dead and find out what happened to them.

7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?

I’m not sure I do want them to take anything away, exactly, my focus is on what they experience while actually reading the book. My favourite stories have all provoked a strong feeling, whether of fear, joy or suspense, and I remember exactly where I was while I was reading them. The act of reading became a memorable moment because of the content of those books. That’s what I want to create, a reading experience you don’t forget.

8. Who do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?

Again, it’s so difficult to choose just one person! I think I will have to pick Sarah Waters. Every one of her books is a triumph. They had me on the edge of my seat with tension, yet they are so emotionally rich too. She doesn’t shy away from bold subject matter and I know how important her work has been to the lesbian community. That makes her a rare blend of commercial and literary talent with societal relevance. She just seems like a lovely person too!

9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

Sales in the UK are generally measured by The Sunday Times bestsellers chart – I’d love to make the top ten one day. It would also be great to see one of my works adapted for television or film.

10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?

Don’t expect to succeed straight away, writing is a craft and you are constantly learning. Difficult as rejection is, you only truly fail if you quit.

Thank you for playing!

—The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell (Bloomsbury Australia) is out now.

The Shape of Darkness

by Laura Purcell

As the age of the photograph dawns in Victorian Bath, silhouette artist Agnes is struggling to keep her business afloat. Still recovering from a serious illness herself, making enough money to support her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric has never been easy, but then one of her clients is murdered shortly after sitting for Agnes, and then another, and another... Why is the killer seemingly targeting her business?

Desperately seeking an answer, Agnes approaches Pearl, a child spirit medium lodging in Bath...

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