Bestselling author Miranda Dickinson’s latest novel, The Day We Meet Again (HarperCollins), is a love story everyone can connect with on a level.
Pheobe and Sam meet by chance one day at St Pancras Station. They’re not heading in the same direction, but neither of them planned to meet someone so extraordinary. Both Pheobe and Sam don’t really want to say goodbye. So the pair eventually promise to meet each other in the same place a year from now if their feelings haven’t changed. Intrigued? Grab an e-book copy here.
It’s a modern-day romance that’ll have your eyes sprinting from one page to the next. But where does this romance-writing ingenuity come from? We speak to the author about her writing process below.
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Miranda Dickinson chats to w&h about her writing process
- Where do you draw inspiration from?
I’m a bit of magpie, so there are always snippets of real life I weave into the story. Characters are often an amalgamation of people I know and people I’ve imagined. In The Day We Meet Again, my friend Amanda is the English professor who Phoebe meets in Italy, and my friend Michael and his awesome bookshop are in a key scene.
- How do you feel about the editing process?
Editing can be such a slog. I adore the first draft, where the book tumbles out of my head onto the page. But the edits are where I have to make that first draft work.
- When and where do you normally write the most?
I write whenever I can, wherever I can. For the first five years of my writing career I had a day job, so I’d write when I got home from work. Now I fit writing around my daughter, Flo. Years of night writing have meant that my brain usually kicks into gear after 9pm.
- What is one thing you do to help you concentrate?
I’ll often compile a soundtrack before I start planning the book to create the atmosphere. I find I can convey emotion in my writing far better if I write to music.
- Any tips on conquering a puzzling plot line?
I like to chat through plot bits with my husband Bob. He’s great at suggesting solutions. I’ll also share some chapters with my friends who are also authors.
Miranda has started a video series where she answers fans’ questions
In this series, Miranda shares how she’s currently working on book 11. She gushes about it, while admitting that it’s another stunning love story. Although she can’t share anything about the plot just yet, we’re sure it’s bound to be another page-turner.
Miranda’s video series is a lovely way to interact with fans. She reveals how she has several plans for the year ahead. One of them is to start a book club and feature an author she’s reading each month. Miranda also encourages viewers to send her any of their burning questions, regardless of whether it’s about writing or not.
If you’d like to receive updates on what’s she’s up to, sign up to her newsletter via her website or follow her on Twitter.
Watch Miranda’s full collection of videos here.
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By Features Writer Marike Watson
