Lesley Pearse | Live at Skoobs
- Kim Hunter
- May 15, 2017
- 2 min read
Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutes
UK novelist Lesley Pearse paid a visit to Skoobs Theatre of Books as part of her visit to South Africa. I was delighted to be able to attend this event and to meet this entertaining lady.
Ms Pearse had a tumultuous childhood, leaving home at the tender age of 16 after having spent time in an orphanage, in the country and finally in the city. Three marriages, three children and a failed business have shown her resilience of spirit in the face of hardship and disappointment. Her career as a writer began in her thirties when she
started writing short stories. After having completed three novels, she met a literary agent who told her that although she could write, the novel he read was not good enough to be published. He advised her to continue writing but to write about something she really knew about. ‘Georgia’ was the outcome but it took a further six years and several rewrites to become a published book. In her words ‘It was my dream to be a successful writer, and no one could dissuade me. I do believe that persistence is the key. The more you write, the better you get at it. Disappointments and rejections are all part of the apprenticeship.’
Research plays a critical role in her writing – but doing the research has allowed her an excuse to travel extensively! The novel ‘Never Look Back’ takes her character from Victorian London, to New York, the plains of the Wild West and San Francisco’s gold rush. Research included reading at least two hundred books on American history and travelling the length of the Oregon Trail, investigating the back streets of New York and visiting Ellis Island and the Tenement Museum. All this helped to ensure that the setting and experiences depicted in the story were realistic and authentically described. This thoroughness has continued throughout her career, making her one of the highest selling novelists to date.
The interview gave us a peek into the life of Lesley Pearse and showed her to be a very down-to-earth lady with a wonderful sense of humour. She was open and frank about various aspects of her life and answered each question posed with ease. Here are some tidbits shared with us:
Favorite authors – C.J.Sansom, Karin Slaughter
Favorite book written – Belle
Characters real or fictional – mostly fictional but definitely aspects of people I have known in my characters
Own book boyfriend – Etienne
Actress to play a character – Whitney Houston to play Georgia
Paper books or e-reader – paper books
Have all the stories you have written been published – yes, there are no manuscripts hidden in a closet
Advice for authors – persistence pays, don’t let anyone stop you
Visit her website to see the list of books and to read more about this incredible woman.
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