Sue Houghton interview

This interview with Sue Houghton was first published in April 2006. To find out even more about the author, you can visit our Sue Houghton page.

Where were you born and raised?

I'm a Yorkshire lass at heart, the eldest daughter of a mining engineer. I now live in Nottinghamshire, England with my husband, 2 of my 4 children and a Jack Russell terrier, but I long to live somewhere warm and beautiful... Tuscany would do nicely, thank you.

What was it that first got you into writing and when did you start writing?

I suppose I've always dabbled...an article in the school mag, a poem/readers letter in the local paper, but it wasn't until my kids grew up and I had time on my hands that I decided I needed something other than the day job to stimulate me. I'd run a small business
(butchery/bakers) with my husband for over 20 years. There's only so much fun to be had weighing up mincemeat and linking sausages, I told him. He wasn't best pleased, but anyway, I took a creative writing course with The Writers Bureau, joined a literary agency and that was the beginning.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

I adore Alan Bennett. His observant view of the British way of life is wonderful. His "Talking Heads" monologues are brilliant.
Other writers I like... loads, but briefly, Anya Seton for historicals, Martina Cole, Dan Brown and Minette Walters for thrillers, Carole
Matthews, John O'Farrell and Marian Keyes for romantic comedy, did I mention Alan Bennett?

Where do you stand on the nature v. nurture debate? Were you born a writer, or were there factors in your environment that enabled you to become a writer?

I think writing is a gift you're born with, but in my case, I didn't recognise I had it until later in life - I blame the education system of my time for this. Had they recognised my potential I could be rolling in millions earned by my super-successful best-sellers begun around the age of 18... well, maybe! As it was, the careers officer of the time pushed me towards a secretarial course and all thoughts of writing were forgotten. To be fair, I wasn't that ambitious back then.

There are a lot of courses teaching creative writing nowadays, but do you think that good writing can be taught?

I think you have to have some talent for it in the first place, a bit like having a musical ear. If it's in you, a writing course can bring it out. If not, no amount of teaching will make you into a writer.

Have you entered writing competitions? If so, have you won any prizes?

I've been winner, short-listed/runner up in short story competitions over the years and my novel "Nearly Dearly" has also been short-listed/runner up.

Do you have any short stories or poems published online? (If so, please provide the URLs):

I think I still have some stories on www.jbwb.co.uk or you can see which story titles have been published in the past at www.suehoughton.co.uk

What kind of things do you write?

I love comedy, particularly comedy romance. Short stories have kept me in printer ink, paper and postage but what I really want is to see my comedy romance novels in WHSmiths.

What, for you, is the best piece of prose that you have ever written?

Hmmm...I got most enjoyment from writing the novel. Spending over a year with the same characters brought them to life and it was difficult to let them go when it was finished. Perhaps that's what keeps me sending it out to publishers - I feel they need a chance for their story to be heard...how corny does that sound?

What are you working on now?

I'm still writing short stories for the women's magazines at the same time the second novel is at the halfway mark.

What is your writing day like?

Like a 'normal' job, I suppose. I do an hour or so in my husband's shop early morning, then come home around nine-thirtyish to write.
Sometimes it can be tea-time before I know it, other times, if I've got writer's block (yes, it does happen) I try to push all thoughts out of my head and indulge in a bit of housework... I love ironing, how sad is that?

Where would you like to be in 10 years time?

I told you - Tuscany!

What’s the most exciting thing about writing for you?

Days when the words just flow without any effort. It can give me such a high. Better than alcohol! Oh, and having met some wonderful, supportive on-line friends. I'm a member of The Wild Geese Writers, a closed on-line group. We meet up for a chin-wag now and again. Without them I'd go bonkers. And I get to go to book launches. The last one was at Anthony Worrall Thompson's restaurant in Notting Hill for the last "Sexy Shorts" book - how swank is that?

What’s the most frustrating thing about writing for you?

When I get writers block - why do you think I'm filling in this form? I hate days when I can't think up a single plot. But then I am able to catch up on emails so some good comes out of it.
I suppose I should also add coping with rejections here, but honestly, they don't bother me that much...well, in the case of short stories they don't. I just re-edit, jig them around a bit and send them off elsewhere.
Rejections for the novel are more difficult, especially when you see celebrities having their ghost-written novels published grrr!

What’s the best piece of feedback that you’ve had from your audience?

My first fan mail letter. A lady wrote and said how much she'd enjoyed a story I'd had published in a magazine. To take the trouble to do that is greatly appreciated. Makes it all worthwhile.
Oh and someone compared my writing to a best-selling author which thrilled me no end. She could have just been making conversation, I
don't know...

Do you write for a particular audience, or is your first priority to satisfy your own creativity?

I write what I find comes naturally, which is comedy romance. And NO I do NOT believe the chick-lit market is saturated and becoming unfashionable. That's a vile and despicable rumour put about by authors of other genres

Do you have a homepage? If so, what’s the URL?

Yes, I do have a home page. www.suehoughton.co.uk

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