Interview with UK novelist Kathleen McGurl!

I am delighted to share this special interview I had with the gifted UK novelist Kathleen McGurl. The motto on her site Where Past and Present Collide is an apt description of her novels as she creates dual timeline historical mysteries that are both compelling and enlightening. We are fortunate to discuss, with this master weaver of seamless genealogical stories, her newest triumph The Forgotten Gift— due out on Nov. 11, 2020 (digital copy) and paperback Jan. 7, 2021 through HQ Harper Collins.

What inspired you to write your historical mystery The Forgotten Gift?

This is a tricky one to answer for this novel. Usually I know exactly what inspired each novel and write about it in the Author's Note at the end. But this one... well, I'll let you into a little secret. A section of the historical story was written many years ago, and originally intended to form part of another novel that I then abandoned. Then in 2019 I picked it up, dusted it off, completed the historical strand and came up with the contemporary story to go with it. So writing this novel was more about using a piece of work I was quite proud of but which had no home!

 

Please tell us a little about the story and any relevant themes?

The historical story follows George, who's from a wealthy family and is undervalued and unloved by his parents. He's only 19 when he falls deeply in love with the new serving girl, who openly flirts with him until she discovers he's the second son and unlikely to ever be very rich. She turns her attentions elsewhere. There's then a murder, for which George takes the blame for reasons of his own.

In the contemporary story, Cassie, a descendant of George is researching his story, and also coming to terms with unresolved events in her own life. Can't say much more without giving away spoilers! There are themes of nature vs nurture, and the meaning of 'family' is explored throughout.

 

What special knowledge or research was required to write The Forgotten Gift?

The main piece of research I needed for this one was to read up on Victorian prisons: how they operated and what conditions were like inside. They do not sound like much fun at all!

 

The nurture versus nature argument is explored in The Forgotten Gift. To quote one of your characters: ‘What makes you who you are – your ancestors or the way you were brought up?’ Would you like to expand or share your thoughts on this statement?

I think we are much more formed by how we are brought up, and who brings us up, than by the accident of our genetic material. That does play a part I'm sure, but I'd say it's 80% nurture and 20% nature, or thereabouts. I suspect it's not an exact science. It's a wonderful theme to explore in dual timeline fiction though, and this is the second book that looks at it (The Emerald Comb is the other).

What was the hardest scene to write in The Forgotten Gift?

Probably the scenes where the truth comes out - the big reveal scenes. These are always tricky to get right. I have a tendency to rush them a little in the first draft, and have the characters blurt everything out in the first paragraph or two. But if it's a major climax in the action, it deserves space, and it'll take me a few drafts to give it the weighting it deserves. Same goes for emotional scenes. I had a writing tutor once who always said: "Put as much emotion as you can on the page... and then triple it." I've always kept that in mind and it works well!

 

Who is your favourite character in The Forgotten Gift and why?

Oh I think poor gentle George. He's so naive at the start, and he has a lot to learn about life. But he is loving and kind and principled and I just want to gather him in my arms and look after him the way his mother never did.

 

Creating a movie with a dual timeline is an intriguing challenge but if one was made of The Forgotten Gift, who would you want cast in the leading roles?

I really can't answer this - I watch so few movies I don't know any actors. Ah - except my younger son, who took a Drama degree. Yes, he could play George admirably!

  

A few questions about your career as an Author. What led you to start writing and what life experiences have shaped your writing most?

I was always a bookworm as a child. I loved it when our school homework was to write fiction. I always thought, one day I'll write a novel, but it took me until my late thirties to begin writing seriously. I wrote short stories for the women's magazine market for many years, which I think are a wonderful training ground. And eventually I decided to try writing the sort of book I most liked to read, so here we are! In early 2019 I finally gave up the day job to become a full-time novelist and I'm loving it.

 

 You have been called the Queen of Dual Timelines moving effortlessly back and forth from the past to present in the storyline. Do you write both threads at the same time or write one first and then the other?

I am so flattered by that description - makes me giggle a bit and blush profusely!

I usually start by planning the novel roughly, so I have a couple of sentences for each chapter. I'll then write chapters one and three - the start of the contemporary story. Then I write the whole of the historical strand, before coming back to finish the contemporary, slotting it in around the historical. I have tried other methods but this works best - for me!

You give us wonderful mysteries from the past that are solved in the present (Historical Fiction with a Contemporary current day counterpart). If you had an opportunity to genre-hop, which genre would you most like to try writing?

I wouldn't stray too far - I'd write pure historical fiction I think. Or maybe something supernatural.

 

Has your writing process changed since the publishing of your first book? If so, how?

As I said earlier I've experimented with writing in different sequences. I've tried planning more or planning less, researching as I go or researching before I start. Now I know to research first, plan to an extent, work on getting to know my characters and then write in the sequence outlined above.

 

12.  Describe your perfect book hero or heroine.

Someone who you'd love to spend an evening with in the pub. Someone likeable, with an interesting back story, and a lot of potential in their future. Someone with problems, that they are working through and perhaps needing a little bit of help with.

 

England, Ireland and France are the settings of your books. Sometimes characters are mentioned as being off on holidays or on short-term work in Australia. Have you visited this country or do you have a personal fondness for it? And have you considered writing a story set here?

I'll admit - I tend to use Australia when I need to send a character off out of the way, too far away to be able to pop back to sort things out! 

I have visited Australia twice, for a month each time, but the last visit was in 1991 so rather a long time ago now. Your question has made me think I am long overdue for another visit. It's a wonderful country with possibly the friendliest people on the planet. Not sure I could write a story set there now - it's been too long. But if I visited again and got inspired... well who knows!

 

If possible, can you share any information on future work? Do you have a new novel in progress?

Yes, there's always a novel in progress. Actually I have three in progress at the moment, but I'll tell you about the next one, which is scheduled for publication in the first half of 2021. It doesn't have an agreed title yet, but it's about three sisters, who get work on three sister ships - the Olympic, the Britannic, and the Titanic...

 

If you could invite one author to dinner from the past or present who has inspired you creatively, who would it be? And what question(s) would you ask her/him?

I think I'd love to have Katherine Webb over for dinner. She writes historicals and dual timelines, and her books are one of the reasons I first tried this genre. I adore her writing and would love to sit and chat about the way we dual timeline authors make life so hard for ourselves, having to come up with two stories that must complement and enhance each other and ultimately tie up together into a satisfying conclusion...

 

Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing your thoughts on your writing world and your journey through ‘The Forgotten Gift’. It is a five-star story that is both moving and satisfying as it explores complex relationships and the various definitions of family. We wish you incredible success on its exciting release date of November 11, 2020.  A heartfelt thanks to you and your publisher, Harper Collins, for this interview and for an ARC.

You can find out more about Kathleen at her website and follow her on Twitter: KathMcGurl or Facebook: Kathleen McGurl. 

Please read my review of The Forgotten Gift.

Check out the powerful HQ Stories on Instagram that feature Kathleen talking about the inspiration behind 5 of her 9 books with clips of readings from a selection.  Also, these can be found on her website blog under Inspiration.

Check out these other brilliant titles by Kathleen:

The Secret of the Château

The Stationmaster’s Daughter

The Forgotten Secret

The Drowned Village
The Girl from Ballymor

The Daughters of Red Hill Hall

The Pearl Locket
The Emerald Comb