Dinah Jefferies' Writing Toolkit

WRITING TOOLKIT gives you an idea of an author's writing process through the tools they use. The tools can be anything (real or virtual) that they think is essential for their writing - serious, fun or even a fetish (that they're willing to own up to)! 

I am delighted to welcome 

DINAH JEFFERIES

AUTHOR OF THE SAPPHIRE WIDOW

TO SHARE HER WRITING TOOLKIT

FOR HER BLOG TOUR

The Sapphire Widow was published on 5 April 2018 by Penguin. 

A good night's sleep
This is the most useful tool of all, but not something I can always rely on. However, if I have slept well (without waking up in the night with one of my recurring migraines or half a dozen plot ideas) the words tend to flow and I really enjoy my work. Tiredness is my devil, my demon, and my challenge, and coffee is the only answer.

Breakfast
I can’t even begin to think without a mug of tea and a bowl of muesli inside me. We have breakfast in front of BBC breakfast! When I’m writing, this will be my only portal into what is happening in the real world.

Fresh air
I walk the dog in one of Cheltenham’s many beautiful parks before I start writing, or for inspiration when I’m stuck for ideas. If I want to take my mind off the current book I’m writing – something I need to do to let my subconscious mind flow - I love to wander the many Regency streets marvelling at the architecture and imagining how life might once have been.

My writing room
I’ve had a writing room built at the bottom of the garden. It’s a glorified shed really but large, airy, peaceful and, most importantly, entirely mine. I need total silence to work and my shed gives me that in spades.

My audiobooks
Again, these are a wonderful way of taking my mind off my own book so that I don’t obsess. I lie on my bed and escape to someone else’s invented world instead. Heavenly.

My husband
Richard does all the shopping and all the cooking which leaves me free to write. He’s also an ace researcher and I often bounce ideas around with him when I’m in the early stages of plotting. He should really be at the top of the list.

My exercise bike
I like to be warm when I write, so if it’s chilly I get on my bike (in my shed) to get my blood and creative juices flowing.

My mountains of research books and notebooks
I like to be surrounded by these even if I don’t refer to them. Something about them being there makes me feel safe. If my memory fails me there they all are, although with my somewhat haphazard organisational systems the chance of finding what I need is not that great.

Cake
Last but not least. For when I’m having a horrible day and the words won’t do what I want them to, cake is the only solution.

THANKS FOR TAKING PART, DINAH!

About Dinah Jefferies

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia but moved to England at the age of nine, travelling widely throughout her life and always maintaining a love of Southeast Asia. She spent time living in a musicians' commune, and has had work publicly exhibited as an artist. Dinah’s first novel The Separation was published by Penguin in 2014. The Tea Planter’s Wife is her second novel. 

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter, was published in February 2016 and also entered Sunday Times Bestselling list. Before the Rains was published in February 2017. After living in Northern Andalusia for five years, she now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Find Dinah Jefferies on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @DinahJefferies

About The Sapphire Widow

Published by Penguin (5 April 2018)

Publisher's description

Ceylon, 1935. Louisa Reeve, the daughter of a successful British gem trader, and her husband Elliot, a charming, thrill-seeking businessman, seem like the couple who have it all. Except what they long for more than anything: a child.

While Louisa struggles with miscarriages, Elliot is increasingly absent, spending much of his time at a nearby cinnamon plantation, overlooking the Indian ocean. After his sudden death, Louisa is left alone to solve the mystery he left behind. Revisiting the plantation at Cinnamon Hills, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn towards the owner Leo, a rugged outdoors man with a chequered past. The plantation casts a spell, but all is not as it seems. And when Elliot's shocking betrayal is revealed, Louisa has only Leo to turn to...

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My writing and editing process by Dinah Jefferies - Before the Rains Blog Tour

I am delighted to welcome Dinah Jefferies to my blog today to talk about her writing and editing process for her Blog Tour. Before the Rains is being published by Viking on 23 February 2017.

My writing and editing process

By Dinah Jefferies

I’m going to tell you about my own process of writing and editing, but please remember that everybody has their own way. The main thing we all have in common, is that any published novel will be the result of a group of people working on it as a team.

I’ve found that as I write more books the process changes, so really nothing is constant. For me the most difficult and sometimes painful part is getting the first draft down. During this period, I feel very much on my own. I may or may not have a contract to write a particular book, but it makes no difference, I am still faced with the task of writing approximately 100,000 words and, if I have a deadline, I often write even when I don’t feel like. It can be tough. I write new chapters in the mornings and catch up with research, emails, Q&As, and write blogs like this, in the afternoons. I can’t work at night as I run out of energy and, by then, my eyes and brain have had enough screen time.

I try to write the first draft quickly, because once the basis of the story is down I can then begin to dig deeper. I often don’t even know what I’ve got until somebody else sees it, and that first person is usually my agent, Caroline Hardman. She’s a terrific agent who’ll come back with essential feedback and it’s often only then that I begin to see the wider themes of the novel. The feedback can be quite surprising but this is when the first real editing begins. This is where the glaring issues are dealt with. For The Silk Merchant’s Daughter, I agreed with my agent that I would cut two point of view characters, and that meant cutting 49,000 words. Not a happy experience. For Before The Rains, I just had to add three chapters, so it’s different every time. I do enjoy the editing, because I feel I can really get to grips with the novel once I have a better idea of where I am.

Once this stage is complete, the manuscript goes to my editor, Venetia Butterfield, publishing director of Viking/Penguin. She will want to put her own stamp on the book and will usually come back to me within three or four weeks. She’s very experienced and I completely trust her judgement but, if I don’t agree with something, we’ll talk it over and reach a compromise. For Before The Rains, she suggested a final chapter I hadn’t previously considered. Her editorial suggestions are usually focused on characterisation, plot weakness, or maybe certain aspects of the story that need drawing out more fully.

Once these edits are finished, the copyeditor gets her hands on the script. This is when the nitty gritty of punctuation, any inconsistences, or timeline issues are dealt with, and I have to agree or disagree with all her proposed changes. Finally the page proofs arrive. They come to me and two other proof readers, and it’s amazing what tiny things you still find. 

So that’s my process of writing and editing. I love the pulling and shaping of a story to try to get the very best out of it. That’s what we all try to do and we couldn’t do it without a team behind us.

About Dinah Jefferies

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia but moved to England at the age of nine, travelling widely throughout her life and always maintaining a love of Southeast Asia. She spent time living in a musicians' commune, and has had work publicly exhibited as an artist. Dinah’s first novel The Separation was published by Penguin in 2014. The Tea Planter’s Wife is her second novel. 

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter, was published in February 2016 and also entered Sunday Times Bestselling list. After living in Andalusia for five years, she now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Find Dinah Jefferies on her official Facebook page and follow Dinah on Twitter - @DinahJefferies

About Before the Rains

Before the Rains

By Dinah Jefferies

Published by Viking (23 February 2017)

ISBN: 978-0241287088

Publisher's description

1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband's death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza's only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she's determined to make a name for herself.

But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the Prince's handsome, brooding brother. While Eliza awakens Jay to the poverty of his people, he awakens her to the injustices of British rule. Soon Jay and Eliza find they have more in common than they think. But their families - and society - think otherwise. Eventually they will have to make a choice between doing what's expected, or following their hearts. . .

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The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies

The Silk Merchant's Daughter
By Dinah Jefferies
Published by Viking/Penguin (E-book and Hardback out now; Paperback - 14 July 2016)
ISBN: 978-0241248621

Publisher's description

1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.

My verdict
The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a fascinating tale of a young woman torn between two cultures, thanks to her mixed parentage. Nicole's father is a wealthy French silk merchant while her mother (who died in childbirth) was Vietnamese. The book is set at a time of turmoil in Vietnam, as militant rebels want to end French rule.

The book is beautifully descriptive, bringing 1950s Vietnam to life. I was engrossed in the culture references and political background, as the author transported me to Hanoi - with its sights, sounds and aromas. Initially Nicole knows little about her Vietnamese background. But when her father gives her an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter, she gradually learns more about her mother's heritage and about where she herself belongs. In gaining her independence, she becomes involved in a world of corruption and espionage.

The Silk Merchant's Daughter was partly a coming of age novel, as Nicole grows from a naive teenager to a more level-headed young woman. The book is also a tale of sibling rivalry, between Nicole and her older sister Sylvie, a love story and a family saga. There were plenty of surprises throughout and it was very difficult to know which characters Nicole should trust.

I really enjoyed The Silk Merchant's Daughter and thought that the book packed a lot into its pages. I remained intrigued by the family secrets until the final page.

I received an Advance Reader Copy direct from the publisher and through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

AUTHOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT - Dinah Jefferies - BLOG TOUR

I am delighted that DINAH JEFFERIES is joining me on my blog today. Dinah's second book - The Tea Planter's Wife - was published by Penguin on 3 September 2015. 

So Dinah, what inspired you to write a book in the first place?
I was living at the top of a small mediaeval village in Northern Andalucía. In summer it was too hot to go out and, with time on my hands and missing my own language, I just decided to immerse myself.

Where do your ideas come from?
Tricky. Where do ideas come from? The big wide world is the easy answer, but from the depths of my psyche is the more honest one.

Have your personal experiences influenced your writing? And if so, how?
I’m not sure you can write anything without your personal experiences influencing your work. I am my work and my work is me.

Describe your writing style in 10 words or less?
Atmospheric, tension-filled, intimate and emotional.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
Writing is pretty strange full stop. The usual middle of the night stuff when my brain is firing ideas at me.

Do you plot out the whole book before you start or just start writing and see where it leads you?
A mix of both. I have an outline and some key scenes in mind, then I write. After I while I assess where I am and where I need to go, and then I work out how to get there. I always have a sense of the heart of the story before I begin.

What do you consider to be the hardest part of your writing?
The planning. It gives me brain ache.

Do you read? If so, who are your favourite authors?
I LOVE reading, but it’s really hard to write and read. I read when I can and look forward to it as a treat. I enjoy Sarah Waters and Rachel Joyce but many others too.

You were born in Malaya, which is the setting for your first book, The Separation. What memories do you have of your time living there?
Wonderful memories of sun, sea and freedom. I loved Malaya. It’s in my soul.

The Tea Planter's Wife is set in Ceylon. Why did you choose this as the setting for your second novel?
I wanted to stay with South East Asia and as I knew so little about Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and really wanted to go there, I plumped for that. Since then I’ve been to Vietnam for book three, and I have a trip to India coming up. I NEVER expected all this when I set out to write and I feel incredibly fortunate.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would be the title?
Pass!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Being a published writer is fabulous, but you do need dogged determination and a well-honed degree of obsession.  By writing you learn how, so keep at it and develop a feeling for your strengths and your weaknesses. The way I feel about it is that I can’t not write, and I’m never satisfied with early drafts. That might be the key.

And lastly, why should people read The Tea Planter's Wife?
If you’re looking for mystery, love, heart-break and joy – then it’s for you. But I think Liz Trenow’s words say more than I can.
Liz Trenow author of The Poppy Factory:
‘With a naïve young woman protagonist discovering the undercurrents of a tropical land and a husband haunted by the tragedies of a previous marriage, The Tea Planter’s Wife cleverly melds themes from A Passage to India and Rebecca into a highly engaging story, informed by meticulous research and a real feel for the setting of Sri Lanka, when it was still Ceylon. Dark secrets lie at every turn, hidden beneath layers of 1920s racism and the fearfulness of a crumbling colonial power, making for a thoroughly gripping tale. But what I loved most of all, underpinning the whole narrative, is the moving way in which Dinah writes about the loss of children and the redemptive power of love.’

About Dinah Jefferies

Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia but moved to England at the age of nine, travelling widely throughout her life and always maintaining a love of Southeast Asia. She spent time living in a musicians' commune, and has had work publicly exhibited as an artist. Dinah’s first novel The Separation was published by Penguin in 2014. The Tea Planter’s Wife is her second novel. She is currently working on her third to be published in 2016, and is a contributor to the Guardian and other newspapers. After living in Andalusia for five years, she now lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Find Dinah Jefferies on her official Facebook page and follow Dinah on Twitter - @DinahJefferies


The Tea Planter's Wife
Published by Penguin (3 September 2015)

Synopsis: 
Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper is newly married to a rich and charming widower, eager to join him on his tea plantation, determined to be the perfect wife and mother. But life in Ceylon is not what Gwen expected. The plantation workers are resentful, the neighbours treacherous. And there are clues to the past - a dusty trunk of dresses, an overgrown gravestone in the grounds - that her husband refuses to discuss. Just as Gwen finds her feet, disaster strikes. She faces a terrible choice, hiding the truth from almost everyone, but a secret this big can't stay buried forever . . .

I loved this book - read my review here.

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