A fly in the ointment is someone or something that spoils a pleasant situation then you will need a whole set of swatters for Anne Fine's latest novel.
According to Fine's central character, Lois, at least.
The contenders could be her own parents who wisely distance themselves from their daughter for marrying beneath her. Then there’s her drug-addicted son who thwarts her original ambitions to be the perfect mother.
But I suspect the main fly in the ointment of the title is Janie Gay, the feckless mother of the child Lois’ believes is her grandson.
After Lois’ son dies in dubious circumstances Lois reinvents herself with a new house, a new job and a new outlook on life.
And a new character. After she sees Janie treat her grandson with less than an even hand Lois hatches a convoluted plan to take control, with murderous results.
The novel is typical of Anne Fine’s off waspish take on life. The former children’s laureate she moved effortlessly between genres, taking on taboos and infecting them with a dark humour. Her latest novel is no different.
But then after meeting Anne it is clear to see that her characters are larger than life projections of her real self.
Here we meet the real Anne Fine, a toned down but nevertheless equally entertaining version of her heroines.
Jane: Where did the idea for a Fly In The Ointment come from?
Anne: It was following a discussion with a good friend who resigned from the full-time job I always thought she loved, and took a part time appointment three counties away. Pressed, she admitted she'd felt obliged to offer some convincing excuse to her son and daughter-in-law to explain why she happened to be moving to the very same town as them. But in truth it was in order to be closer to the grandchildren about whom she had been fretting. Her plan, it turned out, was to wait a few weeks, and then casually offer to care for the children two days a week in her own home. She was worried that they were spending all time in daycare.
I started wondering how far I myself would be prepared to go...
All my novels begin with the question 'What if...?' I might not be like Lois, but I can certainly imagine myself going through her thought processes all the way along.
I wanted to make the book entirely credible psychologically, and a page turner. The most powerful drives and feelings are always those within the family. It is a crucible for love and hate. The family's endless refractions, both positive and painful, have always been my own home ground as a writer.
I find ideas kind of nudge me. I think it was Thackery who said “I felt a book boiling up inside me�. The ideas just come out of the blue and kind of stew around for a while. When I do get an idea I think about things and then decide which genre they would be most suitable for. This was clearly an adult novel.
Jane: When did you first start to think about writing?
Anne: I have always loved books and enjoyed English at school. I never really thought about writing until I was snowed in when I lived in Scotland with a small child. I couldn’t get to the local library and decided to have a go at writing myself. I haven’t stopped since. Before that I was a teacher.
Jane: How do you work?
Anne: When I am working on a book I have a regular routine. I will get up early and go downstairs and make myself a large pot of builder’s tea which I bring back to bed with me. Then I get old scraps of paper and start writing notes on them with pencil. I am very parsimonious. I tend to work like this for an hour or so. The bed will be full of pencil marks and bits of rubber shavings where I have rubbed out which means I have to change the sheets frequently. Luckily my partner is used to me working life this. Then I will get up, deal with any emails and start typing up the notes. I work like this until I am finished, self-editing all the way.
Jane: How autobiographical are your novels?
Anne: They are not autobiographies but they do reflect the issues which affect me at my stage of life. When I was younger I noticed lots of marriages were failing around me and the issue of marriage break-up was explored. I have sisters and the tensions between sisters provide opportunities for me to look at. The issues in my book tend to mirror the stage of life I am at.
Jane: What are you reading at the moment?
Anne: I am reading the Alistair Campbell Diaries, Henry James’ Bostonians, The New Yorker and Private Eye magazines.
Jane: What advice would you give anyone wanting to write a novel?
Anne: Read, read, read. The best practice for writing is reading. Every book you read will make you a better writer.
Fly In The Ointment is published by Bantam and costs £16.99
For more information about Anne Fine and her books visit www.annefine.co.uk
ends
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