MEGAN ALBANY “I attended the CYA conference and had some initial interest from Hachette and then used this to secure an agent, who then went on to seal the deal for me.”
Next on Kelly’s Writerly Q&A is Megan Albany, author of The Very Last List of Vivian Walker. It’s the black comedy you’ve probably heard everyone raving about. Megan’s a journalist, editor, scriptwriter, songwriter, composer, and now an author! And even with a hat-trick of disasters in the way, Megan and I were determined to chat, and it was just beautiful to talk about writing with her.
Hi Megan, thank you for taking the time to answer some writerly questions. First of all, congratulations on signing a two-book deal with Hachette! And congratulations on the release of your debut novel The Very Last List of Vivian Walker!
This blurb has me hooked already!
Vivian is dying, but still has a huge number of things left to finish on her to-do list. Not her bucket list, her everyday list of chores that, despite her diagnosis, still need attending to.
Her unfinished business includes jobs such as cleaning the fridge and uncluttering the toy room, while her husband’s list is skewed more towards having sex and going for long walks in the countryside. Their eight-year-old son Ethan also has a list including playing handball, building a robot and un-tidying his room.
What prompted you to write this story?
I had the honour of being asked to spend time with my friend on her death journey in palliative care. My friend had a unique approach to death and was very intelligent and funny. Her black humour came through even when she was in palliative care and while the book is not about her, she was also very keen on what she used to call ‘life admin,’ so her love of lists also helped inspire the book.
She sounds like a magnificent person, and what better way to honour her than writing The Very Last List of Vivian Walker. How long did it take you to write?
About two years in the writing and one year of editing.
I love that you took your time with your first draft before you handed it over to the professionals. Let’s talk about querying and publishing, how did you get your yes?
I attended the CYA conference and had some initial interest from Hachette and then used this to secure an agent, who then went on to seal the deal for me.
CYA is my favourite writing conference! Their manuscript assessments are a great way to get up close with top publishers and agents. As a multi-award winning writer, do you have any tips to share on manuscript contests?
I haven’t really entered many contests but when it comes to writing I am a great believer in write first and think about editing and marketing second. I believe it’s very important to not be too critical or worried about your book's final resting place when you are trying to be creative.
I agree that it’s important to focus on the story you want to tell, but I also have to mention that The Very Last List of Vivian Walker was shortlisted in the 2020 HarperCollins Banjo Prize and highly commended in the 2020 ASA Award Mentorship Program, well done! What does your typical day of writing look like?
My typical day’s writing is atypical. Sometimes I wake up early at 4 am with an idea I simply have to write, other days I might not write until ten am. Sometimes I write at home, other times I find I need to get out of the house and go to a café. I write when I feel the urge to write and I also sometimes just sit down to write because I have a deadline to meet.
Thank you for sharing your atypical writing schedule. I have to put my hand up and admit I don’t have a set writing schedule either. What kinds of books do you like to read?
Books that help me to turn my brain off usually as it’s often on overdrive. I actually love kids books for that reason.
I can relate. TV and romance novels are my switch off tools. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t be afraid to talk about the things no one wants to talk about and be as honest as you can be on the page. Characters give you the freedom to say all the things you wish you could say!
Love this and am laughing. Let’s talk about the music you created for your novel, what inspired you to make a soundtrack?
I have always been both a creative writer and a songwriter/musician. I realised there were a few books that were starting to put QR codes on the back with links to playlists that the authors thought readers might enjoy listening to as a soundtrack to their book and I thought why not write our own music. The lyrics and music are the sorts of tracks I think my characters would love and I have been surprised by how many women have burst out laughing at the lyrics line ‘I hate you most when I clean’. Apparently, I am not the only resentful cleaner out there!
Books with accompanying playlists always get me excited but cleaning—not so much. So, what can we expect from you next?
My next book’s working title is The Tuckshop Lady, and it’s about an old school tuckshop lady whose turf is invaded by the vegans, gluten-frees and paleos. It’s a book about diversity, acceptance and non-acceptance and how in the end we all want to find our place at the meal table.
What a great premise! This sounds like another winner! Thank you so much for chatting with me Megan, especially with all the obstacles. It’s been an absolute joy. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of your novel, and I hope the rollercoaster of life keeps you safe from any further adversity.
If you’d like to hear more form Megan you can check out the following interviews:
And let me know if you enjoyed this interview, I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading!
Kelly
