Nikki Copleston
The Shame of Innocence,
published by SilverWood Books in 2016
Nikki's first crime thriller, The Price of Silence, was published as a Kindle e-book in 2011. She has just completed her second crime thriller – also featuring the charismatic Detective Inspector Jeff Lincoln.
Meet the author:
What are you working on at the moment?
I'm currently rewriting The Price of Silence, the first book in a crime series featuring D. I. Jeff Lincoln, of which The Shame of Innocence is (strictly speaking) the second.
How long have you been writing?
Since childhood.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes.
What did you do beforehand?
When I realised I'd need to learn shorthand if I wanted to pursue my dream of being a journalist (this was the early 1970s) I became a librarian, for which you simply have to know a little bit about everything.
Have you got a day job?
Writing, although I also volunteer for the Home Library Service.
Which writers inspired you?
Enid Blyton, C S Lewis, Gillian Avery (children's books); John Harvey, Ian Rankin, Kate Atkinson.
What are you reading at the moment?
Hilary Mantel's memoir, Giving up the Ghost.
What kind of a writer do you see yourself as?
Lean, observational, compassionate, satisfying.
When and where do you write? Can you write anywhere?
At the living room table or in coffee shops or on trains or…
Are you very disciplined?
I like to think I deliver on time, though usually only just.
Was it difficult to first get published?
Yes. It's taken me 50 years to see one of my novels in print!
Traditional versus epublishing – which is best?
There doesn't have to be a choice – each has its merits.
Do your books sell abroad?
Not yet, although my ebook is available everywhere through Amazon.
Have you attended any creative writing courses?
Yes, in the last few years.
What brought you to the West Country?
Returning to my roots after I was made redundant in London.
Do you write by hand or computer?
Usually straight onto the computer.
Where do you get your ideas?
News stories that catch my eye, usually, or things I overhear on buses or trains.
Is your writing based on real-life experiences?
I'm not sure you can write without drawing on your own life to some extent, but I usually alter events to avoid hurting people's feelings.
Where do your characters come from?
They tend to be amalgams of people I've known but generally they have to fit the plot, so their most obvious characteristics have to be relevant to the story.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Pantser though it's always nice when something plays out exactly as you'd hoped it would. Then you pretend that's how you'd always meant it to be.
Where can people find you on the internet?
You can follow me on Facebook
https://nikkicopleston.com
Amazon page: Nikki Copleston