Have you always wanted to write in the
psychological thriller genre?
For a long time I didn’t think about genre
at all and just wrote books on themes or questions I was interested in. But I’d
always read and loved psychological thrillers and I wanted to write something
that would find an audience and that readers would really connect with. I saw
how popular psychological thrillers were and decided to write one myself!
Do you remember where you were and what
you were doing when the idea for your latest novel came to you?
My latest book is based on an idea that’s
been drifting around in the back on my mind for years. I’ve always been
interested in power imbalances, especially between women. I Know Your Secret is
about a marriage counsellor and her client. Neither woman is exactly who they
say they are and they both try to manipulate each other as the stakes get
higher and higher.
Are you a plotter or a pantster and how
long does it take you to write your thrillers?
I aspire to be a planner, but I can’t seem
to stick to my outlines! I tend to know a few key scenes and the ending before
I start and these usually stay the same throughout the drafting process. But no
matter how much I plan the rest of the book, it all seems to change as the
story evolves.
My thrillers take about nine months to a
year to write. I usually have a couple on the go at the same time.
Could you describe your typical writing
day?
There’s no typical day! I’m looking after
my young children a lot of the time, so I have to fit around them. When I have
childcare I write the entire time without stopping. Otherwise I write when
there’s the opportunity – so during nap time and evenings and weekends.
I’m sure my readers would love to hear
about your road to publication. Was it long and winding or did you take a short
cut?
It feels long, but I think that’s pretty
typical! The most common characteristic amongst published writers seems to be
resilience. My journey began way back in 2001, when I started writing my first
novel but never finished it. Eleven years later I published 27: Six Friends,
One Year. Following that I wrote four more novels and started many more, but just
kept them on my hard drive. After my daughter was born in 2016, I decided to
take my writing more seriously and I started writing The Mother’s Mistake, and
I was very pleased when Bookouture acquired it the following year.
Do you ever struggle to find inspiration?
Not at all – there’s inspiration
absolutely everywhere, in every person and everything going on around us. I
don’t struggle for ideas – I couldn’t write all the books in my head if I had
all the time in the world. I do struggle to stay focused on one book at a time
and not be tempted to start a new book whenever a new idea comes in.
Describe a typical publication day.
There’s always a lot of social media to do
to let readers know the book’s out. I also make sure I take a bit of time to
celebrate with a nice lunch with family and try to do something relaxing too
like going for a walk or treating myself to a Thai massage.
What do you like to do when you’re not
writing?
At the moment, I spend a lot of time with
my young children, going out for walks and watching them delight in the simple
pleasures of life.
Which writers in your genre inspire you?
There are so many brilliant writers in my
genre. Recently I’ve really enjoyed books by Lisa Jewell, Tammy Cohen and Victoria
Helen Stone.
Persuade my readers to buy your book in
one sentence.
I think I’ll get someone else to do it for
me! Here’s a quote from a review: “Completely unpredictable and a fantastic
read from start to finish!”
What next for Ruth Heald?
I have another psychological thriller in
the pipeline for release in February. It’s about a doomed wedding. I’ve just
finished the first draft and I’m looking forward to the edits!
Ruth Heald is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers
The Mother's Mistake, The Woman Upstairs and I Know Your Secret.
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook
Amazon links to Ruth's books: