Back in 1992 when I was a moody, misunderstood teenager, desperate to read all the literature I could lay my hands on, I bought a cheap copy of Wuthering Heights after seeing a poster for the movie adaptation starring Ralph Fiennes. I loved the book and not long after watched as many tv/movie adaptations as I could.
I studied it later for my GCSE’s and re read it countless times over the years that followed.
I was in love with the supernatural element of the love story, the fierce bond between Cathy and Heathcliff that seemed to survive beyond death, her childish rejection of him tying their souls together forever. It’s fair to say it influenced my own novel in part, just because I could never get past the drama of the fiery love affair.
When I heard that my fellow Crooked Cat Books author Sue Barnard was releasing a spin off novel I was intrigued, and very excited to learn more. And also to have a bit of a geek off about Heathcliff with a fellow fan.
Tell us the basic premise of your novel?
In the original Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff disappears from the story for three years and returns as a rich man. What might have happened to him during that time?
Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite novels. I recall being very affected by the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. How would you describe it to someone who has never read the book?
In a word: complicated! She loves him (or claims to), yet she marries someone else – then expects her husband to welcome her old love back into their lives! Result: anger, frustration and heartache all round.
What inspired you to take on the story and create a backstory for Heathcliff’s missing years?
It was a chance remark by a former school friend. More years ago than either of us care to remember, we studied Wuthering Heights for English Literature O-Level (as it then was), along with Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The latter went on to provide the setting for my third novel, The Unkindest Cut of All (a murder mystery set in a theatre). My friend commented on the connection, and asked jokingly if my next writing project would also be based on something we’d done at school. I replied, equally jokingly, “How about Heathcliff?” At the time I laughed off the idea, but somehow it just wouldn’t go away.
Many people feel very negatively about Heathcliff; I have always had a sort of sympathy for him. How would you describe your feelings towards him?
When I started writing the book I promised myself that I would try to portray Heathcliff in a sympathetic light. I think he’s a very troubled soul, and I’ve tried to explore the possible reasons why. Pivotal to the story, of course, is that he never gets over Cathy’s decision to marry Edgar Linton.
To be honest, I’ve never really liked Cathy. She starts off as a spoiled little brat, grows into a spoiled big brat, and ends up as a spoiled dead brat. Heathcliff and Edgar are both devoted to her (in their different ways), but in my opinion she isn’t worthy of either of them.
One interesting discovery I made during the course of my research is that Heathcliff is only about sixteen or seventeen when he disappears. Having seen him portrayed several times on screen by actors who are in their twenties or thirties, I hadn’t previously appreciated how young he was.
Did it take a lot of research for your locations and story line?
Yes. It’s always important to get your facts correct, but even more so if you’re writing anything historical. You can be sure that if you get even the tiniest detail wrong, some eagle-eyed reader will pick up on it, and it will come back to haunt you for ever.
The dates in Wuthering Heights are very precise (Heathcliff’s missing years are 1780-1783), which proved to be extremely constraining. I originally wanted him to have spent those years as a pirate, or possibly to have made his fortune in the American or Australian gold rush. But when I started my research I soon discovered that I couldn’t use either of those ideas; the heyday of piracy was too early, and the gold rush years were too late. So I had find something which did fit with those exact years, and work my story around that. As to what that turned out to be, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
What is your writing environment like? Where is it etc?
It’s all over the place. My computer (where I do my main writing) is set up at a desk in the front room, but I have notepads and scraps of paper in just about every room in the house, because I find that inspiration can strike at any time. My smartphone, which lives in my pocket, is particularly useful if I need to make notes when no other option is available.
If you could sit down and have drinks with any famous writers (alive or dead) who would you choose?
I’d start by inviting all my fellow-authors at Crooked Cat Books. Then I’d invite Shakespeare (having written two novels and several poems inspired by his work), and Emily Brontë (though with some trepidation, in case she doesn’t like what I’ve done with her most famous creation!). Then I’d add some great crime writers, such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Josephine Tey and Val McDermid, plus some comedy writers, such as Ronnie Barker, David Renwick, Tony Robinson, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, the Horrible Histories team and the Monty Python gang. And no writers’ gathering would be complete without Terry Pratchett and J K Rowling.
At this rate, I think I’m going to have to hire a whole pub.
Well that sounds like a great night out! I will definitely be there!
Big thanks to Sue for giving me a sneaky early interview about Heathcliff, I am very much looking forward to reading the book and returning to the world of the brooding anti-hero again.
Until then you can follow her on all the links below and read her other books while you wait to find out what became of the mysterious man during his missing years…..
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NOVELS:
The Ghostly Father: Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Nook, Apple iBooks, GooglePlay
Nice Girls Don’t: Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Nook, Apple iBooks
The Unkindest Cut of All: Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Nook, Apple iBooks
Never on Saturday: Amazon
Heathcliff: coming in 2018
Anne-Marie Ormsby 