Blog Tour: The Lost Child by Ann Troup

Title: The Lost Child
Author: Ann Troup
Published: 19th May 2015
Publisher: Carina

Today I am delighted to host my stop on the Blog Tour for The Lost Child by Ann Troup. I have an interview with the lovely Ann and a chance to win a £5 amazon voucher!

Interview with Ann Troup

1. Hi Ann! Can you tell us about your new novel, Lost Child and the inspiration behind the story. 

First of all I’d like to say thank you for inviting me onto your lovely blog, it’s always a joy to spend time with book lovers. 

The Lost Child is the story of Elaine Ellis who finds herself embroiled in the mystery of a missing child when she visits the village of Hallow’s End. It’s a case of be careful what you wish for when the mystery is solved because the truth is accompanied by terrible consequences…I’ll leave it there to avoid any spoilers!

The inspiration behind the story is a difficult thing to pin down; the idea has been rumbling around in my head for some time – I just needed to wait for the characters to dictate how they wanted their stories to be told. All my inspiration stems from ‘what if…?’ scenarios, which sit in my head and inevitably become populated by imaginary people who take over my life until I put them down on paper.

2. What did you most enjoy about writing this story?

In the main I enjoy the escapism, and the chance to create a whole landscape to my own specifications. When I write I get to explore places and interact with situations in ways that I never could, or would, in real life. 

3. Were there any parts of the story that you found hard to write?

Surprisingly no, though I do find it hard to write romantic scenes – I guess I’m getting old and cynical! I’m guessing I may have pulled it off reasonably well as it was one of the aspects my editor didn’t feel the need to fiddle with too much, so maybe I do still have a little romance in my soul.

4. What type of writer would you say you are? Do you have a specific writing style?

I’m a diligent planner, my desk is always strewn with index cards and Post-it notes and I usually have a chart in front of me with plot points and a loose story arc. The reality is that once I start writing the story develops in its own sweet way. Having the other stuff does help me focus; it looks very efficient and helps to convince my husband that this writing lark is a serious business and hard graft, which in turn allows me to demand endless cups of coffee to appease the muse.

I’m not sure that I have a specific style, though I am a terrible under describer. I am the only writer I know who never has to cut from a manuscript, if anything I usually have to write more. I write with the belief that readers are intelligent, imaginative beings able to conjure a scene without me having to describe things in minute detail. If I have done my job well the picture will be painted without one word jarring the process. I sincerely hope I have done the job well.

5. Did you have any say in the cover? Do you like it?

I was asked to complete a cover brief and provide some images that I associate with the story. This also included my suggestions of other book covers that I thought could be related to mine. When I first saw the cover I was quite surprised, it wasn't what I had expected at all. However, the more I look at it the more I see that it really does represent the tone and theme of the story. I’m really happy with it and feel that it does its job perfectly – it’s very understated yet effective. Having said that, I’m not the one who might be looking to buy! 

6. Who would you say there are the authors that inspire you?

All of them, every single person who puts pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard with the intent to create magic. Even if I don’t enjoy someone’s writing I still admire and respect their will to write and their desire to bring something to the table and contribute. I have such eclectic taste in books I find it hard to pin down specific influences and if I were to list the individual authors I really admire I would probably crash your site! I’ll just end with this – I’m really glad that Harper Lee finally put her head above the parapet again.

7. What are you currently reading?

I’m savoring A God in Ruins (Kate Atkinson) and bingeing on some of the books by my fellow Carina authors. Fortunately for me I can afford to binge, as they are rather more prolific in their output than Kate – keep it coming chaps, hungry reader here.

8. What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on my second book for Carina which will be in the same vein as The Lost Child but with a very different cast of characters, a town setting and a whole new mystery with far reaching consequences. 

Thanks so much for having me Laura, it’s been a real pleasure. The Lost Child will be published by Carina UK on 19/5/2015 and is available for pre-order now: The Lost Child

Ann Troup author bio.

Ann lives in Devon in a small house just a pebble’s throw from the beach. She shares her home with her husband and a small white dog, both occasionally allow her to be inattentive t

o them so that she can write. Her many skills include an unparalleled ability to consume coffee and the gift of being able to kill houseplants by merely admiring them. In addition to that she is a great proponent of the Miss Havisham method of housekeeping, which includes regarding cobwebs and dust as nature’s ornaments. Her debut novel The Lost Child will be published by Carina UK on 19/5/2015

Giveaway!
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