I’m delighted that Harry Whittaker took some time off from his busy schedule to do a quick Question and Answer with me.
As a reader I am so excited that Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt is finally here, how do you feel now it is published and how did Lucinda feel?
I’m incredibly relieved that I don’t have to keep the secrets anymore! It’s a huge credit to the publishers around the world that we managed to reach the 11th May without any major leaks or spoilers. Naturally, I was apprehensive about the reader reaction – but so far the response has been totally heartening. I’m thrilled that Atlas is being received as a worthy conclusion to Lucinda’s epic series.
(Can’t answer for Mum?)
How much input have you had in this book?
There are two names on the front cover, and I’m content leaving people to speculate. As I say in the foreword, no doubt some will debate which plot points are mine and which are Mum’s. But I don’t think that’s important. Put simply, the story is the the story, and this is how it ends.
Is the ending for this series as originally planned or has it changed over the years?
Lucinda left 30 pages of script dialogue, written for a Hollywood production company in 2016. And avid readers will know that Pa Salt secretly cameos in each book, so naturally all of that forms a large part of the narrative. But, put simply, the book was not written – so the novel evolved, grew, and metamorphosed during the process, as all stories do.
Do you have a favourite book or sister from the series, and if so why that particular one?
Tiggy is my favourite sister. She’s the most spiritual of the women, and the kindest. She actually reminds me a little of Mum. I don’t think it was intentional that Lucinda put herself in the character, but it’s how I interpret it.
As for my favourite book… either The Seven Sisters, or The Pearl Sister. I have huge affection for Rio and the story of the Cristo – in fact it was my own trip in 2012 which turned Mum’s head to the statue’s origin story. And CeCe’s tale is captivating. I loved learning about Aboriginal culture.
I know you have written a series of children’s books with Lucinda. Do you plan on continuing with this series? Do have any other writing projects planned for the future?
The Guardian Angels series is complete. Four books feels right. As for the future, I’ll shortly begin work on my own novel, written in my own voice – humorous, contemporary and probably quite British. I have three Lucinda Edmonds backlist novels from the 1990s to re-edit and publish, too.
For those who are interested I did a similar interview with Lucinda Riley at the start of The Seven Sisters series. You can read this interview here Interview with Lucinda Riley
And of course you can read my reviews of this amazing series by just searching for Lucinda Riley. But here is a link to my review of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, the stunning finale to my favourite series of books Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker
