Very excited to welcome crime novelist, Angela Wren, to the blog. Her latest book just released today. Welcome, Angela!
Author Name: Angela Wren
Book Title: Montbel
Book Genre: Cozy Crime
Release Date: November 13th
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Please tell us more about Montbel.
A clear-cut case? Jacques Forêt comes up against an old adversary and needs to find all the answers before it’s too late.
What sparked the idea for Montbel?
I returned to the Cévennes one year to find that a favourite restaurant of mine had closed. It set me thinking and I spent an hour or so asking myself the question what if? That gave me the principle plot line. But, when I was in La Ferté-Macé, about 10 years ago, an elderly gentleman shared with me some of his memories, and recalling that incident inspired me to create one of the characters in the book.
How long did it take for you to write the book? Did you do have to do any research?
Overall I think Montbel took me about 9 months to write. Unfortunately I’m not able to write full-time as I work in a theatre, so my writing has to be scheduled in whenever I have a spare morning, afternoon or evening. But I am getting very good at sticking to my scheduled writing time each week.
As for research, in some respects I’ve been doing that ever since I was a teenager and made my first visit to France. I’ve kept journals for all of my trips to France and I often consult them for information about a place or location or an incident that has remained in my memory. I’m also a book collector and I have shelves full of books on France that I also consult when I have a question and I use on-line forums as necessary. As for how long this all takes – well it varies greatly depending on the plot. In Montbel, (book 3), for instance, I had to spend quite a bit of time researching the world of professional chefs. That was most interesting and took whatever spare hours I had over a month before I’d got everything I needed noted down.
The world of professional chefs sounds like fun research! Tell us why someone who isn’t familiar with your writing why they might want to check out Montbel?
I would hope that they had an interest in France and that they would want to read books that are set there. The countryside in the Cévennes is spectacular and I try to give a flavour of that through my writing. I would also hope that they would want to meet my central character, Jacques Forêt, who is a great guy. He’s steely and determined and always gets the criminal he’s after. But he has his little quirks; he never uses lifts, for instance. He also has a grudging acceptance of computers, but he’s a great team leader and he respects his staff and works hard for them and with them. And if that doesn’t entice someone to read my stories then, perhaps knowing that there is a crime to solve might encourage them.
What’s one piece of advice you would offer your younger writer self?
Never give up.
Great advice! OK, so where can readers find you online?
Amazon : AngelaWren
Website : www.angelawren.co.uk
Blog : www.jamesetmoi.blogspot.com
Facebook : Angela Wren
Goodreads : Angela Wren
Contact an author : Angela Wren
Thank you, Angela! Montbel is out now.
Montbel
A clear-cut case?
A re-examination of a closed police case brings investigator, Jacques Forêt, up against an old adversary. After the murder of a key witness, Jacques finds himself, and his team, being pursued.
When a vital piece of evidence throws a completely different light on Jacques’ case, his adversary becomes more aggressive, and Investigating Magistrate Pelletier threatens to sequester all of Jacques papers and shut down the investigation.
Can Jacques find all the answers before Pelletier steps in?
Author bio:
Having followed a career in Project and Business Change Management, I now work as an Actor and Director at a local theatre. I’ve been writing, in a serious way, since 2010. My work in project management has always involved drafting, so writing, in its various forms, has been a significant feature throughout my adult life.
I particularly enjoy the challenge of plotting and planning different genres of work. My short stories vary between contemporary romance, memoir, mystery and historical. I also write comic flash-fiction and have drafted two one-act plays that have been recorded for local radio. The majority of my stories are set in France where I like to spend as much time as possible each year.