Between cooking, writing, fundraising, and spending time with her dog, author Claire L. Brown always has something happening. Check out my interview with her below.
Did you do any writing as a child?
I’ve been a writer all my life. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t telling stories. If there was a story I didn’t like as a child, I’d write my own ending. Then if I couldn’t find a book I wanted to read I started writing my own. I was also badly bullied as a child so my imagination and writing became my safe haven and a place where the characters were friends you could trust.
Tell us a little bit about your charity, The Poppy Garden.
After the publication of The Poppy Garden, on 11th November 2016, I decided that I could do more than just tell a story so I decided to start the Poppy Garden as a charity to help veterans of our armed forces to deal with their PTSD.
I was Inspired by my grandfather, SGT Joseph Robinson, who was part of the RAF during WWII, and how he dealt with his experiences of war by throwing his effort and his passion into his garden. In the novel, the issues around PTSD and how this affects not only the veteran but also their family are looked at and examined in more detail.
I now aim to establish The Poppy Garden Trust – a charity to create a Poppy Garden in various areas of the UK for veterans to seek assistance and support and create their own poppy garden experience. The Poppy Garden will be a centre to provide support, assistance and recuperation facilities, retraining and family support.
I am currently in the initial stages of setting up and starting to fundraise. I am also currently in the process of identifying a suitable property and site in the North East for the very first Poppy Garden to be developed. You can track my fundraising progress at Go Fund Me.
Your blog includes several posts about recipes and cooking. What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love cooking and baking and I also love experimenting with food. What I love to cook changes with the seasons and with the ideas that I come up with or recipes I research. Lately I my most prolific tests have been with Cinnamon Sugar Madeline’s and Ginger Bread tray bake.
With books like The Draco Chronicles and Jonah Axe and the Weeping Bride under your belt, it’s clear you like fantasy. What first got you interested in the genre?
I think it’s the pure escapism, in fantasy nothing is impossible the only limits are your own imagination.
What’s your favorite time of day?
Early morning, especially on a day off when I can wake up naturally, get up and go for a walk with my dog Hero.
Tell us what your writing process is like. Are you an outliner or a pantser?
I class myself as an organic writer and my process changes to fit the project. Sometimes I plan manically and have every page plotted out in fine detail, other times I have a brief idea of the story and I just start writing it and see how the words flow.
What are you reading right now?
I’m currently reading The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith. I love crime stories and have for the last year been reading a lot of cosy mysteries. This is my expansion out in to other branches of the crime genre and I’m enjoying it so far. I’m also reading The Little Book of Lykke, the research carried out by the Happiness Institute in to what constitutes and how we create happiness.
Do you have any future books in the works?
I’m currently working on a project with the working title Dear Diary. I’m just in the initial writing phase and I’m not sure where it’s going, but I’m enjoying meeting the characters and starting on their journey.
Be sure to check out all of Claire’s links below:
Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Amazon Author Page
My Life As A Writer Blog & My Life As A Writer When I’m Not Scribbling Blog
Ashley O'Melia, Author 