We chat to publishing sensation Paula Hawkins about her much-anticipated new novel.
IT’S a common problem. In the book world there’s even a name for it – “the second-book jinx”. This is when an author scores a major success with a debut novel and then goes into writing the second one bogged down by the weight of reader expectation. Will it be a bestseller? Will it be as good as the first, or is the author just a one-hit wonder?
You can see how all this could drive a writer mad. So spare a thought for Paula Hawkins. Her 2015 debut, The Girl On The Train, turned her into an overnight publishing sensation – it sold almost 20 million copies worldwide and was turned into a blockbuster movie starring Emily Blunt.
How do you follow this up? Imagine the pressure the British author must have been under as she began work on her much-anticipated second novel, Into The Water. We caught up with Paula (44) by email to quiz her about her writing habits and find out how she tackled the second-book jinx.
What is it like touring to promote a new novel? Where are you now and what are you up to?
I’m in Harrogate [in England] this morning; I’ll be passing through York and Durham today, finishing up in Newcastle for an event this evening. Back to London tomorrow and then I leave for New York the following day. It’s exhausting but fun, and it’s great to be talking about a new novel having spent two years talking about The Girl On The Train (TGOTT).
Your new novel is very different to TGOTT. What inspired it?
This story is from the 25 May 2017 edition of YOU South Africa.
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This story is from the 25 May 2017 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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