Triskele Books and Prism Book Tours presents...
A Week of Interviews and Giveaways!
Day 2. Ghost Town by Catriona Troth
Day 2. Ghost Town by Catriona Troth
1981. Coventry, city of Two Tone and Ska, is riven with battles between skinheads and young Asians. Photographer Baz-'too Paki to be white, too gora to be desi'-is capturing the conflict on film. Unemployed graduate Maia-serial champion of liberal causes-is pregnant with a mixed-race child. Neither can afford to let the racists win. They must take a stand. A stand that will cost lives.
About the Author
Catriona Troth was born in Scotland and grew up in Canada, in between a fair bit of travelling that meant she attended ten different schools. In 1975, she returned to England for university and to her own surprise, ended up staying.
After a long career in research, redundancy gave her the push she needed to move into freelance writing. She is a regular contributor to Words with Jam magazine and a proud member of the Triskele Books author collective.
Liza Perrat interviews Catriona Troth:
WHY did you choose to write about the battles between skinheads and Asians in Coventry?
WHY did you choose to write about the battles between skinheads and Asians in Coventry?
Back in 1981, I was a student in Coventry. Like most students, I was pretty wrapped up in my own concerns and I knew less about what was going on than I should have done. But I had a vivid memory, that stayed with me for years, of a sense of mounting tension in the city. And then, almost overnight, something changed. The city stepped back from the brink. When the rest of the country erupted in riots, Coventry stayed quiet. That fascinated me. I had to try and understand what had happened and why.
WHAT were the difficulties in writing a novel based on historical fact?
WHAT were the difficulties in writing a novel based on historical fact?
It was important to me that the story was firmly rooted in real events. But that meant I had a huge responsibility to get things right. At one stage I ended up with a huge calendar with three separate threads - the real events (which acted as fixed points), the story events, and the stages of a pregnancy. I even checked weather reports (that snow storm in April really happened!).
But once I had the first draft down, I threw that away. I had to trust I’d laid my foundations right and let the story shine through. I tried not to fret about checking facts again until I was copy editing!
WHERE did you gather your information for Ghost Town?
But once I had the first draft down, I threw that away. I had to trust I’d laid my foundations right and let the story shine through. I tried not to fret about checking facts again until I was copy editing!
WHERE did you gather your information for Ghost Town?
Unlike other events from that year - like the Brixton riots - relatively little had been written about what had happened in Coventry and there was virtually no information online. I spent a lot of time in Coventry City Library poring over microfiche copies of the Coventry Evening Telegraph.
I also wanted to reflect the variety and complexity of the British Asian community in Coventry. I read a lot of books - fact and fiction - and tried to give all my characters their own individual backstories. But I still worried a lot about making foolish (or worse, offensive) errors. My big breakthrough was when I approached Sudha Buchar, Artistic Director of Tamasha Theatre and she agreed to read the MS. Sudha has years of experience in representing the British Asian experience on stage, and I knew if I gained her approval, I would have done a good job.
WHICH character do you relate the most to, in Ghost Town, and why?
I also wanted to reflect the variety and complexity of the British Asian community in Coventry. I read a lot of books - fact and fiction - and tried to give all my characters their own individual backstories. But I still worried a lot about making foolish (or worse, offensive) errors. My big breakthrough was when I approached Sudha Buchar, Artistic Director of Tamasha Theatre and she agreed to read the MS. Sudha has years of experience in representing the British Asian experience on stage, and I knew if I gained her approval, I would have done a good job.
WHICH character do you relate the most to, in Ghost Town, and why?
Undoubtedly, Maia. Like me, she comes from family of academics, steeped in liberal values. At the start of the story, she could tell you plenty about the Apartheid system in South Africa, but knows practically about the difficulties faced by Black and Asian communities in her own back yard. It probably took me twenty years to find out what Maia learns, the hard way, in a matter of months.
WHEN did you decide to become a writer? And are you purely a novelist, or do you write other things?
WHEN did you decide to become a writer? And are you purely a novelist, or do you write other things?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I was writing stories as soon as I learnt how to use a pencil. And apart from a few short breaks, I never stopped. But I never believed I could earn my living that way. I actually took a degree in mathematics and worked for many years as a research analyst. It was only when that job evaporated and I had to re-evaluate my life that I made a serious go of becoming a freelance writer. Since then, I have become a regular contributor to Words with Jam magazine and I have written for various other publications too.
HOW do you plan your writing time, and which do you prefer writing: novels or magazine articles?
HOW do you plan your writing time, and which do you prefer writing: novels or magazine articles?
For a lot of the time I was writing Ghost Town, I was commuting into London. Much of it was written during those precious 40 minutes each morning and evening when neither work or family could reach me! Now I am based at home, it can actually be harder to carve out time when I can be sure I won’t be interrupted.
I love doing research for my articles and meeting the people I interview. And writing articles is undoubtedly easier. But NOTHING I write will ever give me the satisfaction that Ghost Town has given me. It’s my ‘soul project.’
WHO has been your greatest influence (s) in your writing career so far?
I love doing research for my articles and meeting the people I interview. And writing articles is undoubtedly easier. But NOTHING I write will ever give me the satisfaction that Ghost Town has given me. It’s my ‘soul project.’
WHO has been your greatest influence (s) in your writing career so far?
Oh, another hard one! But if I had to pick one, it would be my drama teacher from High School. He was a South African playwright who had been thrown out of South Africa for running a multi-racial theatre company. He challenged our creativity and made us believe in ourselves.
Other books by Catriona Troth: Gift of the Raven
Reviewer’s quote for Gift of the Raven: “Don’t be fooled into thinking that, because this is an easy read, the novella is light on content. Far from it: there is an underlying richness and a profound sense of compassion pervading through the narrative, and the spirit of the story stays with you for a long time.”
Other books by Catriona Troth: Gift of the Raven
Reviewer’s quote for Gift of the Raven: “Don’t be fooled into thinking that, because this is an easy read, the novella is light on content. Far from it: there is an underlying richness and a profound sense of compassion pervading through the narrative, and the spirit of the story stays with you for a long time.”
Jo Barton at jaffareadstoo
You can read the full text of Jo Barton’s review at: http://jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/review-gift-of-raven-by-catriona-troth_27.html
Mass Giveaway!
2 eCopies...
Wolfsangel by Liza Perrat
Ghost Town by Catriona Troth
Overlord, The Rise of Zenobia by JD Smith
1 Signed Paperback of any one book out of each series,
1 eBook Boxset of each,
1 eBook of each book in both series...
The Charter, Closure, Complicit by Gillian Hamer
Behind Closed Doors, Raw Material, Tread Softly by JJ Marsh
19 Winners Total!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Must by 18 to enter and able to receive winnings. Winning entry, chosen by rafflecopter, will be verified prior to awardance. The winner will be notified after the giveaway by email as well as announced on the rafflecoter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by the authors, Triskele Books and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by the authors and Triskele Books. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
A Week of Interviews and Giveaways!
November 16 - 22
16 – Literally Jen - Wolfsangel by Liza Perrat
18 – Deal Sharing Aunt - Overlord, The Rise of Zenobia by JD Smith
19 – The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year OldGirl - The Boxset from Gillian Hamer
20 – Brooke Blogs - Boxset by JJ Marsh
21 – Colorimetry - Triskele Trail
Sharon x
http://www.beckvalleybooks.co.uk
http://www.beckvalleybooks.blogspot.com
I have a question. I'm from Spain, and I'm participating in this giveaway. Can I participate? If I can't participate, I filled the form :s
ReplyDeleteThank you for all^^
Yes of course you can, good luck xx
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