VB Furlong interview
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
A little introduction:
My name is Victoria Furlong and I am the author of a YA mystery novel, What Happened to Coco. At the moment I’m living in Reading on the path to becoming a lawyer, but I grew up in Swansea, South Wales, surrounded by the sea and my pack of 4 dogs. I write young adult because my own teens were marred with health issues and hospital visits, and battling with my mental health. For this reason I write about messy teens who make mistakes, because I know what it is to feel like every decision you make is the wrong one. I write the most when going through difficult times, when writing What Happened to Coco I was 21 and caring for my grandad with terminal cancer. I’ve been writing my WIP over the last year whilst waiting to have, and recovering from, open heart surgery, and I’m querying that one at the moment!
When did your love of books begin?
My love of books began very early, with my nose stuck in a Jacqueline Wilson book as I wandered around the house. I started reading the classics when I began secondary school, after I had to read Wuthering Heights for a project and my love of the Brontes and Austen began there! Since then I’ve read everything I can get my hands on, and at the moment I’m reading Freckles, the new book by my all-time favourite author, Cecelia Ahern.
When did you start to have the wish to become an author?
I don’t remember daring to think that I could ever be an author until very recently, when I spoke to my favourite author (see above!) at her book event in 2018 and asked her how she did it. Her response was “literally just do it, give it to someone you trust to read, and then send it out.” I finished What Happened to Coco a few weeks later and after a friend read it and said she couldn’t put it down, I sent it out into the world! But whilst I may not have thought I could be an author, I’ve been writing all my life. At 10 years old I wrote a 40 page book about a girl who started at a new boarding school, so I suppose not much has changed since then!
How have you found the process for becoming an author?
Becoming an author is hard, there’s no two ways about it. There’s a lot of work; researching agents/publishers, keeping up to date with contests and key dates, editing, drafting, the list goes on and on. Working a full time job, I’ve had a lot of late nights. But it really is so, so worth it. I’ve never really felt anything like the first time someone read my book, my own words, and said that they loved it, or seeing my book on Amazon.
What would you say to those wanting to become an author?
To those wanting to become an author I’d say do it! I think you need to love the process rather than the dream of big advances and tv appearances, because much of it is just you and your own work. If you have a story to tell, give it the time it deserves, send it to people who will give you honest and constructive advice. Then, edit and revise and read! Read good books like your own, read as a writer and learn, because you will start to pick up really strong techniques that will bring your writing to life. It’s a dream that isn’t inaccessible to anyone who wants to work for it, but it is important to remember that you will really need to work for it.
Tell us about your book/books:
What Happened to Coco is my debut novel and it’s, above all else, about friendship, and how dynamics change in difficult times, how some people deal with the bad stuff in a healthy way, and some less so. Coco and her friends are pretty all over the place, if I’m honest, they all have their demons. Ella, Coco’s best friend, has struggled with infertility and her identity since this diagnosis, Bea has had a string of bad relationships and has THE most toxic ex-girlfriend. Harrison, Coco’s boyfriend, wants to get the best grades so much that he’s losing himself in the process and Conrad, well, he’s Conrad. When Coco goes missing, there seems to be a lot more than meets the eye and some uncomfortable truths need to be unearthed which have huge consequences on their close knit group. I was reading a lot of Sherlock Holmes when the title sprung up in my mind “What Happened to…” that same afternoon I knew who Coco was, the queen bee of a fancy boarding school, and I knew who all her friends would be. After that, I couldn’t get the group out of my head, with ideas and snippets of conversation coming to me at the worst times, usually when walking four dogs who were not happy to be made to stand still as I frantically typed away on GoogleDocs on my phone. In a way, Coco’s story forced its way into my life and I had no choice but to write it!
What do you love about the writing/reading community?
Being in the writing community is really rewarding, everyone is always so eager to help and offer their services, so keep an eye on twitter for people willing to lift new authors’ accounts, offering critique giveaways, wanting to be critique partners, there’s so much help and so much love out there on Twitter, it’s wonderful to be involved.
If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?
No matter what, I want my readers to take from my writing the importance of being kind to yourself. I also hope you all love my characters like I do!
Where can people connect with you?
Social media links;
Website - https://www.vbfurlongauthor.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/VBFurlong
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vbfurlong
Goodreads link - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59240066-what-happened-to-coco?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=koToTzD1rf&rank=1
Amazon link - https://t.co/YSbQUSM0Zd?amp=1
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