Elin Gregory

TGIF and if that wasn’t enough to bring a smile to your face here’s another author interview drawn from the list of talented scribers contibuting to the Not Quite Shakespeare anthology from Dreamspinner Press, an anthology which will be available in time for the UK Meet. As soon as it’s possible I will get two copies – one for me and one for a commenter to these series of interviews so don’t forget to leave comments because that’s the way to get a chance to win.

My guest today is a shiny brand new author and since reading her snippet I’m looking forward to seeing more of her work. Welcome, Penny Hudson.

Have you ever visited the UK? If so where did you go? If not, what would you most like to see if you were able to make a visit?

I have not, unfortunately. Which means I could write an entire novella to answer this question! But I’ll spare you and narrow it down to what comes to mind first. I’d go to London and watch every live show in town, then visit the National Theatre archive with a bag of snacks and revel in the recordings. I love theatre, but I don’t get to see live performances very often. Especially not that quality!

What inspired you to write your story for the anthology?

I saw a picture of a cow happily curled up on the bonnet of a car, like an oversized cat. It made me laugh, and I kept thinking about it throughout the day.

Could you tell me a little about it?

That situation had story written all over it, it just needed some characters. Who would really be infuriated to discover a cow sleeping on his car? Especially if it was an expensive car he treasured? I know! A fastidious solicitor who hates visiting the countryside, and yet is required to go there anyway during his search for a missing heir. Add in one sexy Welsh pub owner, and Misadventures of Mislaid Men almost wrote itself.

Could you please tell me about your other work?

I have a novella forthcoming this summer called Winter’s Risk from Dreamspinner Press.

Veteran park ranger Alexander Doyle is tracking a nuisance bear when he runs across obnoxious environmentalist Martin Ramirez. He and Martin have clashed before, when Martin and the protestors under his leadership ended a plan to expand the network of paved trails and improve accessibility. Given a choice, Alex would rather face the bear.
When the dangerous grizzly attacks them and Martin is gravely wounded, his only chance of survival is Alex’s determination to keep him alive through the night. But they’re stranded miles from any hope of rescue with the year’s first snowstorm coming in fast.

What are you working on at the moment?

A novel with the working title Finding Figaro. It’s about a prissy young author called Jasper who clings to his literary pretensions while he secretly searches for his favorite romance author’s real name, having no idea Figaro is the pseudonym of popular political-thriller author Isaac Wright- whom Jasper despises for churning out what he considers to be mass-market junk. Isaac is thoroughly bemused by his snobby attitude, and sets out to change Jasper’s mind without revealing himself.

It’s a lot of fun playing around with assumptions about why people write what they write. What it secretly means about who the author is as a human being, and what sort of personality they’re going to have. You really can’t judge a book by the cover, or predict a person because of their books.

Please could we have an excerpt?

Certainly! This is my story from Not Quite Shakespeare, Misadventures of Mislaid Men. This scene is set right after Gavin discovers the cow napping on his car. Much to his irritation, several men have come out of the pub to point and laugh about it.

Gavin refused to be their amusement. “I’ll sue the lot of you,” he snapped. He also refused to be a diplomat. “You lot look like you speak cow. Come and shift her off my car, and I’ll buy you a round.”
The one with the cane shoved at the younger man’s back. “Go on, speak cow for the Englishman. I expect it’s too advanced to be covered in English schools. Poor lad needs a translator, bless.”
Gavin waited dourly whilst beard-man jogged over and said, “I dunno. Cow’s pretty complicated. I’m not fluent or anything. I only took a few classes in nursery school. Basics really, mooing to ten, shades of grass—”
“Ha-bloody-ha.” Gavin crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look important. “What’s it take to get you to move this walking steak factory?”
The Welshman tipped his chin down a little and let his gaze linger on Gavin’s trim form, highlighted in the well-fitting suit.
“Ask me nicely,” he suggested with a grin that promised more than laughter. That was the sort of grin Gavin expected to see when he was being chatted up in a club. Not way out here. He must be mistaken. Or so desperate for sex he was hallucinating interest when there was none.
Gavin licked his lips whilst he decided what to say and didn’t miss the way the other man’s pupils dilated slightly as he did. Perhaps he wasn’t mistaken. Perhaps this errand wasn’t going to be as tedious as he assumed. The intense hazel eyes peering at his lips certainly suggested that was within the realm of possibility.
“Please,” he finally said, feeling slightly off-balance somehow.
“That’ll do. I’m Lewellyn, by the way. This is my pub.”

Many thanks, Penny for answering my questions today. Readers, don’t forget to comment! You may follow Penny on her blog and she can be found on Twitter as @AnyPennyH.