Helena Fairfax

For the past few weeks I’ve been introducing some of my fellow graduates from the excellent New Writers’ Scheme, run by the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association. Today it’s the turn of Celia Anderson. I’m most excited about meeting Celia, since I recently discovered she lives in the same town I lived in as a teenager. And not only that, Celia teaches at the same Primary School my younger brothers used to go to. Luckily for Celia’s health, those two reprobates left school many years ago (although rather worryingly – and perhaps not surprisingly – I hear their memory still lives on :) )

So this brings me to my first question (and obviously I already know the answer to this one!)

Where do you live, Celia? At the southernmost point of South Derbyshire – in a partly redeveloped ex-mining town slap bang in the middle of the country. We have a lot of card shops.

Ooh, I don’t remember the card shops! Perhaps things have changed since my day.  (I do remember the pubs, though :) )

Where is your favourite place in the world? It’s hard to pick just one, but if you insist … San Francisco. It’s where I met my husband, but I would have loved the city even without that reason. Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco Bay, The Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, the food, China Town. I could quite happily live there. Okay, their card shops are probably less abundant than ours but I could deal with that.

I’d love to visit San Francisco one day. You’ve obviously left your heart there, Celia!

Being a writer is a great job. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? I hate numbers, so my worst job of all was one of my first – checking order forms for charity Christmas cards and suchlike. It was desperately boring and I wasn’t very good at it, but the canteen was good and they had the most amazing fish and chips on Fridays.

I’ve always found the more boring the job, the more important the canteen (and the tea-making facilities).

What book do you wish you’d written? The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge. Perfection.

I haven’t read that one! I’ve read The Little White Horse, several times though, and loved it.

What’s your favourite song? Paul Simon – Take Me To The Mardi Gras. I would like it played at my funeral as I’m wheeled in, and for everyone to dance. I hope they will be smiling, but not actually guffawing or giggling, obviously.

What a lovely idea!

If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you say to them? Princess Diana, to ask her which rumours were true … and to get her to spill the beans about Charles. And was Dodi really The One? Or was it the surgeon bloke? Oh, we could have a great chat.

I wonder what Diana would have thought of the latest film? And I just discovered there’s a Cafe Diana in London. You can see it in all its glory here.

What’s your happiest childhood memory? Early mornings on holidays – my mum and dad were always early risers and I used to get dressed quickly so I could go out with Dad to get a paper. We would walk along the promenade (Barmouth usually) smelling the sea and knowing that bacon and eggs would be ready when we got back and the whole lovely day was stretching in front of us.

What a lovely memory. Great times!

If you had to marry a fictional character, from film, television, or books, who would it be? Foyle, from Foyle’s War. Michael Kitchener, with his wry humour and classy style, is one of my screen heroes. And I’d get to wear seamed stockings and nipped-in waisted suits.
What’s the most important lesson life has taught you? To take every good opportunity that comes along without wasting time stewing over it, and if you love someone, for goodness sake tell them. Often.

And finally, please tell us about your latest book, where we can find it, and where we can find your blog/website

Sweet Proposal was published by Piatkus Entice in August 2013 and is available on Amazon

My website can be found at http:/www.celiajanderson.co.uk I also blog with the wonderful Romaniacs: http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com

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Sweet Proposal sounds a delicious book! Thanks for coming up from Derbyshire today, Celia, me duck! (That’s Derbyshire dialect – I’m still fluent :) )

I hope you’ve enjoyed Celia’s interview. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!