THURSDAY 31st OCTOBER 2013
I would like to wish a warm welcome to the fabulous Chrissie Parker, a fellow #GoTeamPIF member who has just
released her adult suspense novella, Integrate!
A battered and broken body lays in the road. A discovery that leaves the local community gripped with fear. Suspicion as to who killed the woman is rife.
Corinne’s peaceful life is shattered by the tragic death, forcing her to struggle daily with overwhelming grief and loss.
A chance meeting with a stranger helps Corinne through the hurt and pain, but can she really trust Jack?
Author Bio
Chrissie lives in London with her husband and is a freelance Production Coordinator working in the
TV, documentary and film industry. She is also an Author. “Integrate” a suspense Novella, is her first release. She is currently working on two suspense books due for release in 2014. One is set in Egypt and the other on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.
Chrissie is passionate about History, Archaeology and travel, and has completed two 6 months Archaeology and Egyptology course with Exeter University. She also likes to read, collect books and listen to music.
To find out more about Chrissie visit her website www.chrissieparker.com
Synopsis
Twin sisters Corinne and Helena have always been close, growing up in the same small town. Corinne lives alone in the house that used to belong to their parents and Helena lives with her husband and love of her life, Jimmy, and their two children.
Helena loves life, she enjoys spending time with her friends and relishes being a wife and mother. Corinne lives in isolation, unable to get over the death of their parents. She relies on the spiritual world, reading tarot cards, surrounding herself with crystals and candles. She also has to deal with unwanted premonitions that strike when she least expects them.
During a tarot reading Corinne predicts Helena’s death, and is distraught when she learns that Helena has been murdered. The grief and sudden loss of her twin sister overwhelms Corinne and she struggles to live day to day. At Helena’s funeral Corinne falls out with her brother in law and is left feeling alone and unloved.
At her lowest ebb Corinne becomes friends with Jack, a stranger in town, but the grief remains and whenever she is around Jack, she gets a vision; one that takes her back to the horrifying scene of Helena’s death. Unable to stop them, Corinne realises the visions may be her only chance of finally understanding what happened to her sister and why. But will it be the answer she is looking for?
Grab that cuppa and get snug as we meet the author …
Hi Chrissie and welcome! It’s great to have you here! Where did the inspiration behind Integrate come from?
Integrate actually started life as a screenplay. I wrote it in the 1990’s. A few years ago I re-discovered it and liked the story so much I had to do something with it. The inspiration for the plot came from a number of places, I wanted to write a slightly dark and edgy script, that featured a murder in unusual circumstances. I used to read tarot a long time ago, and wanted to use them as a visual tool, but they weren’t enough, so I also decided to give my character Corinne the gift of premonition, as I thought the two would work well together. It was a challenge turning the script into a story (normally people do it the other way around!), but I enjoyed developing the story and characters.
How would you compare writing this book with anything you have previously written?
I have previously published some poetry, so this is very different. I have tried for many years to finish a novel, but never quite succeeded, this was the first story I ever managed to complete! I never found anything that really hooked me whilst I was writing, but Integrate did. It challenged me, and I identified with some of the characters struggles and really enjoyed writing it.
How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurned you on?
I have been writing since I was a young and used to read a lot as a child. I wrote a ‘novel’ when I was about 11 years old set in the village where I grew up, based upon my friends and I. It was along the lines of The famous Five by Enid Blyton. I’m not sure if there is a particular book that spurned me on, I own so many, but I do enjoy reading murder mystery genre, especially Agatha Christie, who is my favourite author. I also have an extensive collection of books on Ancient History and Archaeology, and they have been inspiration for some other novels I’m currently writing.
How do you organise your writing time?
I try to write as often as possible. I no longer work full time, so when I haven’t got any freelance or temping work booked in, I make an effort to sit down at my desk and work. I tend to write during ‘work hours’ and avoid the internet as much as I can, as it can be very distracting. I have everything methodically organised, all of my manuscripts are arranged into sub-folders, I have a notebook for each book that contains a brief plot, character information, and research. I am currently working on two books for release next year, both have historical and archaeological elements, which means I have to do a lot of reading and research (including visiting museums). It can be great fun, but also a little overwhelming, my head is currently filled with the history of Ancient Egypt and WW2 in Greece!
Where is your best ‘writing space’; the place where you feel comfortably locked away from the world and able to let your creative juices flow?
At present I have a desk set up in the living room, as there isn’t room in the house for me to have a separate office. I do have a window to look out of though, and I have a lot of inspiring photographs of historical sites I’ve visited pinned up around my desk. My husband normally works in his office, but if he needs the living room I pinch his room!
I can work pretty much anywhere though as I tend to listen to music as I work, so I can always stick my headphones in and shut out the world around me.
And finally, tell us an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know.
When I was at school I learned to write upside down, I can still do it now and love showing people as it freaks them out!
Thank you for being here today Chrissie.
You’re welcome Gemma, and thank you for interviewing me for your wonderful blog!
~Where to find Chrissie~
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ChrissieParkerAuthor
Twitter – @Chrissie_author
Blog – http://chrissieparker.blogspot.co.uk
Integrate will be my Halloween read. Make it yours!
Love Missuswolf xxx
Missuswolf 