Happy Bank Holiday Monday to you all!

Today I have the pleasure of joining in with George Costigan’s blog tour for The Soldier’s Home. I have a great interview with the author himself to share with you all.

Many thanks to Kelly @ Love Books Group Tours for the opportunity to take part.

Interview with George Costigan…..

 

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Basically the three books are the story of a house. A man moves his house, by hand, with a cow and a cart, and re-builds it. Why? That is for you to find out…

| Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Someone wise once said to me ‘ideas are just there, waiting for the person who finds them. I found this one because a friend took me to show me the house, in its utter isolation, and then told me the story of its being moved there and when i asked ‘why’ did the man do that, she said ‘There is no-one alive who knows…’ So I invented. That is how it all started.

| Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Far, far too much my wife says. I tend to use real people’s names and then change them later. Just to have a visual picture in my head to work with. That works best for me.

| How do you pick your characters names?

Sometimes following the procedure in the previous question, or I just choose a name I like or one that fits the character – but of course that character can change as you write a story and then I have to change his or her name accordingly!

| Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Oh gosh. I write, I read it, I retain the stuff I like, I keep writing, I keep reading – a writer friend described it as ‘constant polishing’. I think you could consider me as a ‘constant polisher.’

| Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

OMG. Right now, and it changes of course, I’m reading Sebastian Barry and he is brilliant. Because I read she was Obama’s favourite author, I was curious about Marilynne Robinson and just had to read her – fantastic. I love Maurice Sendak, I always am delighted to go back to Byron – and a fifth? Chandler.

| If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’d like to have met John Steinbeck, but I’m quite sure I would have wanted him to do all the talking! Or Eugene O’Neil. I have no idea what I would ask them but it would be great to meet them!

| Were you a big reader as a child?

Tricky question as how can you compare? I could only with my brother – and we both read avidly I think.

| When did you start to write?

I think I have always tinkered with words, since enjoying writing essays at school. Writing has always been a part of me.

| Is there a book you wish you had written?

Loads and loads! Everything I’ve ever liked, actually…

| If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

I’ll let you know if I do ……………..

| If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Good god. My brain fuses. Elizabeth Bennett, and there’s a wee coffee shop on Iona I’m sure she’d find relaxing, and I certainly would.

| What are you working on right now?

I’m about to re-write [‘All writing is re-writing’ said somebody harder working than me} a novel about a peculiar moment between a 30 year-old and a 70 year-old.

| Tell us about your last release?

‘The Soldier’s Home’ is the continuation and completion of the story of The House, released on May 17th.

| What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

This is only the second book I’ve had published so I have no ritual but I’m sure, like the first, it will essentially be a private thing, I will walk about my life and no-one knows my very special secret today. Exactly as I felt walking home from leaving my wife in hospital with our then five hour old son.

Many thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, George 🙂

 

THE SOLDIER’S HOME

George Costigan

“A magnificent, big beast of a book!” – renowned playwright Willy Russell

The Soldier’s Home is the stunning sequel to the bestselling debut, The Single Soldier, by actor and writer George Costigan.

‘Beautifully written.’ – Sally Wainwright

The war is over and his home was built…but a home is just a set of empty rooms without people and love. After surviving the devastation, secrets, lies and tragedies of a community under German occupation, can people now rekindle their lives, and rediscover their reasons for surviving? As the soldier waits for the return of his love, the world keeps moving, threatening to leave his hopes and dreams behind…. History, secrets and painful truths collide in this astonishingly human, warm and emotive sequel from writer George Costigan.

Purchase link…..

George Costigan is best known for Rita, Sue and Bob Too and more recently Happy Valley, his acting career has included working with Sally Wainwright, Willy Russell, Alan Clarke and Clint Eastwood. He has directed Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite, and his writing for the stage includes several Liverpool Everyman pub shows and ‘Trust Byron’, for which he was nominated for Best Actor at the Edinburgh Festival. He and partner Julia North have three sons and one grandson and live in York.

Follow the rest of the blog tour for reviews, and more, with these awesome book bloggers…..

Enjoy!