The Joys (and Challenges) of Returning to Characters 30 Years On…

... friend and author, Jo Fenton makes a welcome return to the blog this week.  Hi, Jo and thanks for being here, I know only too well how busy you are...

JF  Thank you so much for welcoming me on your blog today, Angela.  Yesterday, my new book, Paparazzi, was released.

AW  Congratulations and tell me more

JF  This is the second book in the Becky White Thriller series, but unusually, is set 30 years after the first of the series (Revelation).

I loved writing Revelation. It was great going back to my student days and memories, and reliving the atmosphere, music, communication challenges (mobile phones were not common in 1989) and the attitudes and prejudices of the day.  My main characters, Becky and Dan, were eighteen years old, and coping with the difficulties inherent in being students at that time – not to mention the added horror of dealing with a murdered friend!

In Paparazzi, we meet Becky as a middle-aged ex-police officer.  There are clear signs that she’s been through a traumatic experience, and life gets even more complicated when an old friend turns up on her doorstep.  The thirty year gap leaves a lot of opportunity for past events to colour the story, and the events that occurred in her last days in the police force will run through Paparazzi and the next two books in the series, culminating in a major showdown.

Becky’s backstory had to be carefully worked out before I could finalise Paparazzi, as there are implications for the remaining books.  However, it was great fun setting this out, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the past intertwines with the present as the stories develop.

Dan also makes an appearance in Paparazzi, and it is good to see where he’s got to.  I really enjoyed discovering how their student experiences affected their lives, and led them to become the people they are today.

By the way, if anyone thinks it was my decision how my characters turned out, I can only advise them to start writing stories!  The biggest shock of my life was when I started writing and realised it’s the characters who dictate the narrative – not the author!

about the author… Jo grew up in Hertfordshire, UK.  She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy.  She wanted to be a scientist from age six after being given a wonderful book titled "Science Can Be Fun".  At eleven, she discovered Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, and now has an eclectic and much loved book collection cluttering her home office.
Jo combines an exciting career in Clinical Research with an equally exciting but very different career as a writer of psychological thrillers.

When not working, she runs (very slowly), hikes, and chats to lots of people.  She lives in Manchester with her husband, youngest son, a Corgi, 2 hamsters and a tankful of tropical fish. She is an active and enthusiastic member of two writing groups and a reading group.

about the book… A stalker. A popstar’s family murdered. A terrified photographer.It’s thirty years since Becky White joined the police.  Now, six months after leaving the force, she is suffering from PTSD, when an old friend turns up with a tempting offer. 
Following the creation of The White Knight Detective Agency, their first client is a press photographer – a member of the Paparazzi – a young woman with a mysterious and troublesome stalker.
But as the case develops, Becky and Joanna find themselves embroiled in murder. When they are unable to prevent further deaths, their investigation takes them down an unexpected path.
But can they trust their instinct? And will they identify the killer in time to save a child’s life?
Paparazzi, the second instalment in the bestselling Becky White Thriller series, takes you on a journey into the deceptive world of superstars – and those who follow them! 

You can find all of Jo's books on Amazon

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