🍴 Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Kate Field

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Kate Field to our Sunday Brunch today

Welcome. Kate. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

I’m being a traditionalist and bringing a pile of bacon butties. Crispy bacon, freshly-baked white bread and lashings of real butter… What could be better?

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

I don’t drink tea or coffee, so I suppose I’ll have to accept the Bucks Fizz!

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

As it’s October in north west England, I think it will have to be the kitchen table. Hopefully the autumn sun will shine on us through the windows and we’ll have a lovely view of the garden. I can’t imagine using a formal dining room again – ours has been an office for the last 18 months!

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

As we’re both northerners, shall we support a local band and listen to some Elbow? One of my favourites is One Day Like This. I love the soaring melody and the lyrics, and especially the way Guy Garvey pronounces the word ‘love’, in the same way I do!

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

I’m inviting Bertie Wooster as I think he would be huge fun. He’d tell great stories, sing silly songs and undoubtedly make us laugh. We’d better invite Jeeves too, in case Bertie gets into trouble.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

It’s so hard to choose a favourite book of all time, so I’m cheating slightly and bringing my favourite read of the year so far. It’s Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers. I love this sort of ‘quiet’ book, where the characters rather than action take centre stage. It’s beautifully written, gently humorous, and the ending is incredibly poignant.

Weidenfeld and Nicolson
2020

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

Absolutely! Reading always comes first, and I can’t imagine a day without spending some time with a book. I’ve started listening to audiobooks over the last year too, so now I can escape into a book even when doing boring chores like ironing.

There are far too many books on my TBR pile that I haven’t had time to read yet, but one that I’ve been meaning to read for a long time is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I have a crochet blanket kit that was inspired by the book so I’d like to read it before I get started on that.

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

It can be anywhere: random conversations, newspaper stories, song lyrics, TV shows. Usually it’s a combination of several ideas that come together to form a story. The premise of Finding Home, for example, was initially inspired by an article in a newspaper about a random act of kindness. A few months later, I heard a radio interview with firefighter Sabrina Cohen-Hatton. She has achieved remarkable things after a difficult childhood and after being homeless as a teenager, and she gave me the idea for my lead character, Mim. The character and the premise fitted together perfectly and I couldn’t resist writing the story.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I don’t have a favourite place, but I find I’m most productive when I’m writing in the kitchen. I can’t listen to music when I’m writing, as it’s too distracting, but the white noise of the kitchen appliances seems to be a perfect backdrop. I think I’m more productive in winter too. In summer, it’s too tempting to get out into the countryside and enjoy a walk.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

I’m used to working to deadlines in my day job, so I can be disciplined and focus on a writing deadline if I need to. My main problem is letting go when the deadline arrives. I always think I could make a book better with one more round of edits!

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

I write my first draft by hand rather than on a laptop, so a good notebook and pen are my two main essential items. I also need peace and quiet – preferably an empty house, but that’s not been possible recently. Writers also need a thick skin to cope with the rejections and the bad reviews. I’m still trying to grow mine!

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

My latest novel is called Finding Home. It’s the story of Mim, who at the start of the novel is homeless, unemployed, and living in her car. She meets a couple who are stranded in Lancashire but desperately need to get to Devon for a family wedding. She offers to drive them to their seaside home, and this act of kindness changes her life in ways she hadn’t expected.

I hope it’s an uplifting and romantic read!

One More Chapter 
2021

Kate, where can we follow you on social media?

Twitter: @katehaswords

Facebook page

More about Kate

Kate Field writes heartwarming and uplifting romantic fiction. She lives in Lancashire with her husband, daughter and cat. Kate’s debut novel, A Place to Begin Again, won the Joan Hessayon award for new writers.

Thank you, Kate for taking part in Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo.

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