I’m really pleased to welcome Clare Marshall onto the blog.  Her novel, The Violet Fox, is on my never ending TBR list and  I can’t wait to see what it’s about.  I thought you might fancy getting a peak at what makes her and her characters tick.  So, without further ado…

If you don’t already know, what star sign do you think your main character is?

Hmm, well disregarding the fact that The Violet Fox is set in a fantasy land with a different star map, Kiera Driscoll is probably an Aries, maybe a Leo. She’s got a hot temper and often acts on impulse and has a bit of an ego. But when it comes to her mission and her people, she’s got a soft, selfless side that could be associated with Pisces.

If you could be friends in real life with any of your characters, who would it be and why?

I like to think I’d be friends with a lot of my characters. Kiera would be fun to be friends with, even if she gets out of hand sometimes, at least she’s not afraid to do anything. Laoise, Kiera’s best friend, is more level headed and would keep us in check before we went off to do anything dangerous.

Have you ever written a character that you’ve disliked so much you’ve scrapped them from a work?

No, I don’t believe so. Not every character is perfect or likeable, and if I don’t like them, I at least try to understand why. Just like real life!

Which of your characters would frighten you if you met them in real life?

The Advisor in The Violet Fox would make me wary, because it’s impossible to know what his real agenda is. In my other YA supernatural thriller set in Halifax, Within, is a character I would not want to meet at all: Edmond, the serial killer. He definitely takes the cake in creepiness. He manipulates well-adjusted people into doing horrible, awful things for him.

Describe your book in one word

Adventure.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Creative, passionate about compelling stories.

Do you ever consult friends when you’re stuck with a plot?

Not really. Sometimes I will tweet about it (@ClareMarshall13) if I’m trying to work something about. If I don’t do that, I will write out a synopsis of the idea/the scene in a separate document. This lays it out for me, and usually alternative ideas surface that make the scene even better!

What’s your personal kryptonite?  

Anxiety about things that one should not be anxious about!

If you could converse, a la Dr Dolittle, with one type of animal, which would it be and why?

Kitties! All kinds of kitties. I love kitties. They are the cutest.

Tea or coffee?

Hot chocolate? I treat coffee like a desert because I have a lot of natural energy. I drink jasmine tea when I need to relax.

Find out more about Clare at the following places: