Unraveling Intrigue: A Crime Writer's Quest for Unconventional Inspiration with Derbyshire Author Zoë Sharp

Begin - Derbyshire Writing School Podcast

20-04-2023 • 52 mins

Episode 89—Unravelling The Layers of Intrigue: A Crime Writers’ Quest for Unconventional Inspiration with Zoë Sharp.

In this episode, Pete and Laura head over to The Writers’ Room to chat with Derbyshire Author Zoë Sharp.

We are back in the writers’ room and we have a guest in our hot seat this week! Derbyshire author Zoë Sharp. We meet recently at the Authors Assemble event in Buxton.

Zoë Sharp spent her childhood living aboard a catamaran on the northwest coast of England. She opted out of mainstream education at twelve and wrote her first novel at fifteen.

She began writing the Charlie Fox crime thriller series after receiving death-threats in the course of her work as a photojournalist. Nominated for many awards, they used her work in a Danish school text book, inspired an original song and music video, and is being optioned for TV and film. She is currently writing a new mystery thriller series for Bookouture. This began with The Last Time She Died, which is set in Derbyshire.

When not working on her novels or short stories, you can find Zoë improvising weapons out of everyday objects, renovating houses, or international pet-sitting.

Pete and Laura ask Zoë:

  • Tell us a little about your journey from that 15-year-old who wrote a book to the prolific author of today. How did you develop your writing skills and find your unique voice as an author, and what steps did you take to improve your craft over time?
  • How does your experience as a photojournalist influence your approach to writing, and what unique perspectives or skills did you bring to the table because of your background? What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when transitioning from visual storytelling to written storytelling?
  • What unique challenges and opportunities do you face as a writer in the crime fiction genre, and how do you approach storytelling in this genre?
  • Describe to us Charlie Fox. How did you develop her character over time? What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are interested in exploring the crime fiction genre?
  • Can you walk us through your typical writing process, from idea generation to finished manuscript? How do you approach each stage of the process?
  • What can readers expect from your upcoming books, and what new challenges and adventures can they look forward to experiencing?

Interesting more in the crime writing work of Zoë? Check out the following links:

Author website: https://www.zoesharp.com/

Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZoeSharpAuthor

Author Twitter page: https://twitter.com/authorzoesharp

Author Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/authorzoesharp/

Author Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/authorzoesharp

We would love to hear from you. Please let us know about your self-publishing questions, problems or ideas. We want to hear from you! info@derbyshirewritingschool.com

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