A Good Girl Comes UndoneAvailable in store today
by Polly Williams
Book of the Month: September 2008
An interview with Polly Williams
AN INTERVIEW WITH POLLY WILLIAMS
Tell us about your latest novel, A Good Girl Comes Undone.
It’s the story of a woman whose perfect life implodes when she embarks on an office affair, her journey from stressy London living to something more meaningful.
What is it about the lead character Annie that will appeal to readers?
Annie is funny, kind and intelligent, even if she gets things wrong quite a lot, as we all do. She’d be a good friend, I think.
Do you believe you should follow your heart or your head?
Heart. But it’s the age old tussle between heart and head that keeps things interesting!
Which of your characters – Amy, Stevie or Annie – do you most identify with?
Probably Amy (The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy) and Annie from this book. I was more like Amy after the birth of my first child – i.e. shell-shocked! – more like Annie – wondering ‘Is this it?’ – while working in an office. Unlike Stevie (A Bad Bride’s Tale) I didn’t marry the wrong man.
How did you go from journalist to novelist?
I wrote a book: I sat down at weekends and on my days off and the odd sneaky lunch hour and wrote as much as I could. When I sold The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy it allowed me to leave my 9–5 job and concentrate much more on fiction, which is what I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a little girl. I feel hugely privileged and I hope I never take it for granted.
When did you first hear the term ‘yummy mummy’ and are you one?
‘Yummy Mummy’ was just in the cultural ether. I don’t remember where I first heard it. Sadly, I fear I don’t qualify. I might be able to masquerade as a YM after an encounter with a hairdryer and a good night’s sleep, but that’s rare. The other day, after a particularly colourful night with my baby, I actually walked out of the house wearing two different shoes. Not a good look!
What was the inspiration behind A Bad Bride’s Tale?
I just liked the idea of unravelling a marriage that shouldn’t have happened. Why did the bride say yes? What happens when you ‘settle’ and marry someone you’re not properly in love with?
Who are your favourite authors?
It changes all the time. I go through regular lit-crushes. But the perennials are William Boyd, Jane Austen, Melissa Bank, Ian McEwan, Donna Tartt, Oscar Wilde, Elizabeth Bishop . . . the list goes on.
If you could invite three fictional characters to dinner, who would they be and why?
Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice for her wry intelligence and devilish one-liners. Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Grey for his intriguing split personality. And probably Bridget Jones to spill the wine, say the wrong thing and make everybody laugh.
What’s the best thing and the worst thing about being an author?
The best thing is making a living by making up stories. The worst thing is the fear that no one will want to read them.
A version of this interview first appeared on chicklitclub.com
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