Interview With Hannah Beckerman
The wonderful Hannah dropped by for a chat here on She Loves To Read. We spoke all about her debut novel The Dead Wife's Handbook. Here's what she said...
1. The Dead Wife’s Handbook is your (fantastic) debut novel. For those who haven’t been lucky enough to read it yet, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Thank-you for the kind words! The Dead Wife’s Handbook is the story of 36-year old Rachel who’s died and is now in some sort of netherworld, watching over her husband and seven-year-old daughter, as well as her wider friends and family, as they try to rebuild their lives without her. It’s about those she’s left behind - as well as Rachel herself - coming to terms with their loss and understanding what Rachel has left behind.
2. TDWH is very different from a lot of fiction, mainly because the protagonist is dead! Was it hard to write a novel from the viewpoint of a deceased character?
I think the emotional journey that Rachel goes on is very much about real, live human emotions, so although she’s dead, her feelings aren’t. So from that point of view she was like writing any other character. The thing I definitely did have to think about quite a lot was how her extreme isolation would feel, being stuck alone in her netherworld, not knowing when (or if) she was going to have access to watch her family again. I didn’t want her existence to be bleak and terrifying so it was important from the outset that although she’s often frustrated when the access disappears, and although she gets lonely, she’s not scared - that there’s a certain serenity to where she is too.
3. Where did the idea for this novel stem from?
It came from talking to a friend about her feelings towards her ex-husband when he started a new relationship: her fears about secrets being divulged and that sense of strangeness you get when an ex (even one you don’t like any more!) embarks on a new relationship with someone else. It got me thinking about the most extreme version of that - where you could witness that new relationship up close and personal, but without any power to intervene - and thus the idea of the dead wife came into being.
4. The book is crammed full of emotion, was the writing process a very emotional one for you?
It really was! I cried a LOT during the writing of this novel. There were some parts I even cried over when I was editing the 23rd draft! Some of that you can definitely put down to the fact that I was pregnant when I wrote it, and a new mum when I worked on all the revisions, so I suspect my hormones were having a field day. But this is a book I wrote from the heart and has basically everything I feel like I’ve learned about life in it thus far, so I hope that translates on the page.
5. What was your favourite part of writing this novel?
First drafts are always my favourite part of the writing process. Later on, you’ll tweak endless and a lot of your first draft will end up in the bin. But there’s something about bringing this world, and these characters, to life for the first time that for me is really magical.
6. Do you have a strict writing routine or write when the inspiration strikes you?
I’m a big believer in treating writing like a job. Before I had my daughter, I’d be at my desk for pretty much 12 hours a day, but now it’s about grabbing precious hours when I can: a couple of hours before my husband goes to work, a couple of hours at lunchtime when my daughter’s napping and - if I’m not completely exhausted! - a bit of time in the evening too.
You have to learn to be pretty disciplined (although often Twitter distracts me from that discipline!)
7. Have you got any more novels in the pipeline? Can you tell us anything sneaky about what you’re working on next?!
The next book has its first draft completed already and is waiting patiently for me to work on my agent’s notes. The story’s under wraps for the time being, but it touches on similar themes of family and relationships and what we inherit from those around us.
Quick-fire:
What is your…
favourite colour? Red to wear. Blue and green (ie landscapes) to look at.
favourite song? Couldn’t possibly narrow it down to a thousand, let alone one! But have a listen to I’m Beginning to See the Light by Bobby Darin if you want to smile.
favourite book? The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
favourite word? Discombobulate
favourite food? Best meal I ever had was in the Golan Heights in Israel - the world’s best falafel, delicious hummous and the most amazing arrays of salads I’ve ever tasted. Would happily have it every day!
favourite season? Autumn
favourite TV show? Girls
favourite author? Grace Paley
favourite animal? Right now, cats because my daughter’s obsessed with them.
favourite day of the week? Whichever day of the weekend is my day off with my husband and daughter
Huge thanks to Hannah for taking the time to answer these questions. The Dead Wife's Handbook is now available to buy. You can read my review here. Also follow Hannah on Twitter!
1. The Dead Wife’s Handbook is your (fantastic) debut novel. For those who haven’t been lucky enough to read it yet, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Thank-you for the kind words! The Dead Wife’s Handbook is the story of 36-year old Rachel who’s died and is now in some sort of netherworld, watching over her husband and seven-year-old daughter, as well as her wider friends and family, as they try to rebuild their lives without her. It’s about those she’s left behind - as well as Rachel herself - coming to terms with their loss and understanding what Rachel has left behind.
2. TDWH is very different from a lot of fiction, mainly because the protagonist is dead! Was it hard to write a novel from the viewpoint of a deceased character?
I think the emotional journey that Rachel goes on is very much about real, live human emotions, so although she’s dead, her feelings aren’t. So from that point of view she was like writing any other character. The thing I definitely did have to think about quite a lot was how her extreme isolation would feel, being stuck alone in her netherworld, not knowing when (or if) she was going to have access to watch her family again. I didn’t want her existence to be bleak and terrifying so it was important from the outset that although she’s often frustrated when the access disappears, and although she gets lonely, she’s not scared - that there’s a certain serenity to where she is too.
3. Where did the idea for this novel stem from?
It came from talking to a friend about her feelings towards her ex-husband when he started a new relationship: her fears about secrets being divulged and that sense of strangeness you get when an ex (even one you don’t like any more!) embarks on a new relationship with someone else. It got me thinking about the most extreme version of that - where you could witness that new relationship up close and personal, but without any power to intervene - and thus the idea of the dead wife came into being.
4. The book is crammed full of emotion, was the writing process a very emotional one for you?
It really was! I cried a LOT during the writing of this novel. There were some parts I even cried over when I was editing the 23rd draft! Some of that you can definitely put down to the fact that I was pregnant when I wrote it, and a new mum when I worked on all the revisions, so I suspect my hormones were having a field day. But this is a book I wrote from the heart and has basically everything I feel like I’ve learned about life in it thus far, so I hope that translates on the page.
5. What was your favourite part of writing this novel?
First drafts are always my favourite part of the writing process. Later on, you’ll tweak endless and a lot of your first draft will end up in the bin. But there’s something about bringing this world, and these characters, to life for the first time that for me is really magical.
6. Do you have a strict writing routine or write when the inspiration strikes you?
I’m a big believer in treating writing like a job. Before I had my daughter, I’d be at my desk for pretty much 12 hours a day, but now it’s about grabbing precious hours when I can: a couple of hours before my husband goes to work, a couple of hours at lunchtime when my daughter’s napping and - if I’m not completely exhausted! - a bit of time in the evening too.
You have to learn to be pretty disciplined (although often Twitter distracts me from that discipline!)
7. Have you got any more novels in the pipeline? Can you tell us anything sneaky about what you’re working on next?!
The next book has its first draft completed already and is waiting patiently for me to work on my agent’s notes. The story’s under wraps for the time being, but it touches on similar themes of family and relationships and what we inherit from those around us.
Quick-fire:
What is your…
favourite colour? Red to wear. Blue and green (ie landscapes) to look at.
favourite song? Couldn’t possibly narrow it down to a thousand, let alone one! But have a listen to I’m Beginning to See the Light by Bobby Darin if you want to smile.
favourite book? The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
favourite word? Discombobulate
favourite food? Best meal I ever had was in the Golan Heights in Israel - the world’s best falafel, delicious hummous and the most amazing arrays of salads I’ve ever tasted. Would happily have it every day!
favourite season? Autumn
favourite TV show? Girls
favourite author? Grace Paley
favourite animal? Right now, cats because my daughter’s obsessed with them.
favourite day of the week? Whichever day of the weekend is my day off with my husband and daughter
Huge thanks to Hannah for taking the time to answer these questions. The Dead Wife's Handbook is now available to buy. You can read my review here. Also follow Hannah on Twitter!