Beth Haslam Interview Published on: 30, Apr 2021
What do you miss the most about growing up on a farm estate in Wales?
It’s a tricky question since we have much to be thankful for here in rural France. I think it would have to be the sea. My family were keen sailors, so I spent countless childhood days on and in the water. There’s no doubt about it, every time we visit the coast, I love breathing in that fresh salty air, watching the waves roll in and strolling on beaches with the dogs.
As a teenager, what were you obsessed with?Animals. Almost every day was spent either riding or working with horses. I also spent hours and hours with our dogs, cats, rabbits, along with the rest of the family’s menagerie.
Do you remember the first book you picked up to read? What was it about?From an early age, I was hooked on Enid Blyton’s books. At that time I didn’t have my own dog, so Timmy (the dog) became a special favourite. I also loved Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty, which I read dozens of times.
What are your favorite lines from any novel?Different quotes resonate depending on my mood. Some I love because they make me giggle, others are simple yet profound, and there are those where their exquisite imagery moves me.
Here is a handful.
The Corfu Trilogy, Gerald Durrell:
“I believe that all children should be surrounded by books and animals.” (I was!)
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”
When We Were Very Young, A.A. Milne
“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling
“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.”
Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
My full-time business career was cut short by a serious car crash. Quite how I managed to break so many bones all in one go, I shall never know, but I did. It took many attempts over an initial period of three years to put them back together again, during which period I eventually resigned from my job. Since I wasn’t ready to retire, I started my own consulting business.
How would you describe your experience of working as a Human Resources specialist?My career was varied and rewarding. I was responsible for employee training and ensuring that disciplinary procedures were correctly followed. There was also a welfare element to it. The work was often demanding and, at times, extremely humbling.
What do you enjoy the most about writing memoirs?I love the privilege of reliving and sharing the adventures my family and I have experienced.
What challenges did you face while writing the hilarious first installment in the Fat Dogs series?Hitherto, I had written books in a more technical genre. Writing a memoir was poles apart. I wrestled with confidence-sapping thoughts that readers wouldn’t be remotely interested in our tales. My books are intended to be humorous, which hatched another worry. Would my vignettes be amusing to others? I honestly had no idea.
Which one do you prefer: writing a series or standalone novel? Why?Definitely a series. My writing style is inclusive. In my first memoir, I tried to create pictures in the reader’s mind enabling them to feel as though they were with me, experiencing the same sights, sounds, smells. Joy and tragedies, too. I was thrilled to find that my approach had worked. Even better, folks asked for more. They gave me the confidence to continue with the series.
As each new book is published, readers often say the latest episode is like catching up with old friends. I find that unbelievably heartening.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?Be brave, follow your heart and persevere. Don’t get hung up on detail such as grammar. That can be fixed. Focus on producing the story. Develop broad shoulders but never lose your grounding. Listen and learn from constructive comments, and never give up hope. After all, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter manuscript was rejected twelve times.
What exactly is your work environment like?When I am writing, I prefer to be away from distractions. I usually work in our study at home. When I’m part-way through a manuscript, weather permitting, I’ll grab a pad and pen, cuppa and cushion and set up a table somewhere in the garden. I’ll be surrounded by our dogs, cats and the sounds of nature. It’s bliss.
Have you ever met someone who loves animals more than people?Yes, plenty, although I’ve never worked out whether it was a throwaway line or an earnest protestation.
Where did you meet your husband, Jack for the first time?I’d love to tell you that a chance encounter brought us together in a romantic setting. But that would be untrue. I met Jack in a grubby factory canteen. Sadly, there was nothing about it that possessed a shred of allure. Huh, and yet here we are, still together after 30-plus years!
Which is the next book that you are writing? When is it due for release?I am currently working on a prequel in which I’ll share stories about my upbringing in Wales. Myths, druids and dragons, it’s all in there. All being well, it will be published in 2022.
Lastly, what are your thoughts and opinions on AllAuthor and its services?For me, AllAuthor has been refreshingly professional and supportive. The information provided is clear, the website is easy to navigate, and the services offered to authors are extensive and varied. I think it’s an excellent resource.
