Meet bestselling author Paula Hawkins, whose new book The Blue Hour explores a psychological thriller set on a Scottish island. Paula discusses her writing process, research on art, transition from a finance journalist to a novelist, how she wrote four romance novels under a pen name and her experiences following the success of The Girl on the Train. She also shares her writing advice, emphasising the importance of feedback and understanding your readers’ experiences.
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Links mentioned in this episode
- WIN The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett
- Buy So You Want to be a Writer – the book!
- Facebook group for So You Want to be a Writer
Writer in residence: Paula Hawkins
Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, she moved to London in 1989. Her first thriller The Girl on the Train became a global phenomenon, selling over 23 million copies. Published in over fifty languages, it was a No.1 bestseller around the world and a box-office-hit film starring Emily Blunt. Paula’s most recent thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant No.1 bestsellers. In 2021 A Slow Fire Burning was nominated for Thriller of the Year at the British Book Awards. Her upcoming thriller, The Blue Hour, will be published around the world in October 2024.
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This podcast is brought to you by the Australian Writers' Centre and our course Crime and Thriller Writing.
Find out more about your host, Valerie Khoo (@valeriekhoo on Twitter and @valeriekhoo on Instagram).
