It’s safe to say that Emily Banting has a passion for writing about women over forty, both in literature and on screen. She is a screen-writer as well as a novelist, and is supremely talented at both, giving women over forty the voices they have been missing for so long. Combine that with a love of and degree in Archaeology and Heritage Management, and you have a recipe for success!
I recently finished Emily’s latest novel, Broken Beyond Repair, after seeing tons of online chatter and many enthusiastic reviews of it… and I can safely say, it deserves every accolade out there (including the I Heart SapphFic 'Best Coming Out' award, which it won last week). It’s stunning. And best of all… I’ve been able to interview Emily for Sapphic Fiction February!
Let’s do this!
Hi, Emily… introduce yourself! Tell us a little bit about you - who are you, and what do you do?
I’m a contemporary sapphic romance author from the UK, with a particular love for age and
wealth gaps. What can I say? I have a thing for rich, older women. I’ve written The Nunswick
Abbey Series which is an angsty village romance and Broken Beyond Repair which is about a
messed-up celebrity ice queen — the best kind!
What made you want to sit down and write your first book?
My head has been full of stories and characters since I was little. I think I may have gone
crazy if I hadn’t let them all out at some point. Now I just have to write quickly enough to get them out before they start fighting amongst themselves.
How do you develop your plots and characters?
It’s a pretty organic process with the characters, they tend to fill me in about who they are
along the way. The plot, however, starts as a spark of an idea, then it becomes a flame,
before I know it I have a roaring fire which I have to keep under control before it burns me.
Which of your characters do you relate to the most, and why?
Although I’m like Sydney from Broken Beyond Repair, in that I have my own Gertie, I’m a
writer and I don’t take any crap, even from hot actresses… well, perhaps I would, given the
chance, I think I relate to Anna from The Nunswick Abbey Series more. She’s a workaholic,
always juggling too much, suffers from anxiety, loves history, and has the hots for the
loveable doctor, Katherine Atkinson.
Has your own writing ever made you cry?
Yes all the time, it doesn’t take much. My friends would call me an ice queen but like most of them I’m actually soft on the inside and a pro at hiding it.
Does anyone you know in real life read your books?
Yes, most of them. My dad and sister make great spotters for the final proofread.
Imagine your book, or one of your books, was made into a film. Who would play the lead roles?
Beatrice Russell in Broken Beyond Repair was always written with Cate Blanchett in mind (predictable swoon), as for her love interest Sydney, I think Esther Anderson would be a good fit! It appears I like the Aussie ladies! Perhaps I just watched too many Aussie soaps in the 90s.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to relax?
I walk my Labrador or tuck into a book. I struggle to read books as it makes me fall asleep in
minutes. So if I want to devour a book it has to be audio. Who doesn’t relax when listening to Angela Dawe?!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given with regards to being an author?
I don’t think I’ve been given any. The advice I would give is follow your own path and never
compare it to anyone else’s — everyone’s journey is unique.
How about in general life?
Again, I can’t recall any. My advice would be to always be true to yourself, even if you can’t
be true to the world. Do your own thing and don’t let anyone else persuade you otherwise.
What is a motto you live by?
I have my own motto printed and framed on my desk. “We can, we will, we do, we have”. It
propels me through those moments of self-doubt when I’m writing. The “we” reminds me I’m not alone — I have me, myself, and I for company!
How can people connect with you?
www.emilybanting.co.uk you can get a free book here!
Twitter: Emily_Banting
Facebook: Emily Banting Author
Instagram: emilybanting
Finally a light-hearted one. If you were a sandwich, what sandwich would you be?
I’d be the filling in a Cate Blanchett and Gillian Anderson sandwich — that’s what you meant right?
It’s the last day of the month, but this is not the last interview, so don’t rest on your laurels just yet! There’s more!
If you enjoyed this interview, then make sure you’re following my social media accounts (@kblakemanwriter on Twitter and @katherineblakemanwriter on Instagram) to get all the latest updates! And if you want to support my own Sapphic Fiction journey while you’re here, my new novel The Summer We’ve Had is available now!