The Old You by Louise Voss is about Lynn and her husband Ed. Ed is diagnosed with dementia and then strange things start happening. Alongside the fact that there was suspicious around the death of Ed’s first wife Lynn starts to wonder who she can trust. This was an interesting read that I really enjoyed therefore I’m delighted to be able to welcome Louise Voss to acrimereadersblog.
Thanks for joining me Louise. The Old You is a great story, what inspired it?
The basis of the inspiration was dementia-related (although I hasten to add, this is not a book about dementia). I had to watch my beloved mother endure it for years, and the potential for a crime novel really struck me at the time – life with someone who has that illness is never straightforward; it’s never a case of lie versus truth. The sufferer is always convinced of the veracity of their statements, and these are often incorrect. But because he/she truly believes them, they can’t be accused of lying – they aren’t lying. This can be very confusing to them as well as the people around them as they attempt to extrapolate what’s true and what isn’t. And then there’s the potential for exploitation which, sadly, is also huge…
Have you always been a writer?
In some ways, yes, in so far as I have always loved it, and used to write lots of stories as a kid. I kept diaries for many years too. I’ve been a professional writer for eighteen years now – I put my writing ‘anniversary’ at the point of signing my first publishing deal, for To Be Someone, which was in April 2000.
Can you tell us what a typical working day looks like for you?
I don’t really have a typical working day. I aim to do a minimum of 1300 words a day if I’m working on a novel, and if I’m in the zone I’ll keep going. It’s the admin – life and work – that takes up the most time! I don’t know how writers sit down at their desks at 9am and stay there till 4 or 5pm or whatever. I can only assume that they have people to do everything else for them – grocery shopping, paying bills, childcare (although I don’t have this anymore now mine’s all grown up), etc!
How would you spend a perfect afternoon away from work?
A long game of tennis in the sun followed by an even longer lunch with friends and wine…
Are you an avid reader yourself? If so, which authors do you find yourself returning to time and again?
I’m a huge reader. I don’t think you can be a good writer unless you read as well. The writers whose books I always automatically seek out are all women (although obviously I do enjoy books by men too!): Kate Atkinson, Margaret Atwood, Tammy Cohen, Erin Kelly, Kate Rhodes, Fiona Cummins, Susie Steiner, Robert Galbraith aka JKR… I could go on.
There are some great names there that I’m a big fan off too. Finally can you tell us a little about what you are working on next?
I’m halfway through a new whodunnit, about the manager of a gift shop of a small stately home in the Surrey Hills. She lives a secluded existence these days, nobody knows that she used to be in a chart-topping band. She quit the limelight suddenly after a brutal kidnap and assault almost cost her life. Now, twenty years later, word of her identity and whereabouts gets out, and people close to her start dying under mysterious circumstances… Someone’s after her again – but who and why?
That sounds fascinating. Thanks very much for joining me Louise.
To find out more about The Old You visit the other stops on the blog tour. Click below to buy The Old You which is out on the 15th May.
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