Interview with Helen Harper, author of Box of Frogs

What can you tell us about your new release, Box of Frogs?

Box of Frogs is the first in a brand new trilogy set in Manchester, England. The main character is a young woman who wakes up on a golf course in the middle of the night, with a decapitated corpse next to her. She can’t remember who she is or who she got there but it’s long before she realizes that not only is she almost universally despised but she also possesses some strange magical powers. There’s a flicker of romance, spadefuls of humor and lots of exciting adventure!

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always been a huge reader – I love books which offer pure escapism so fantasy has always been my main love, even though I read eclectically. When I read so much that I ran out of urban fantasy books to read, the only alternative was to write my own!

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

In no particular order … The Many Coloured Land by Julian May, The Long Walk by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King, Daughter of the Empire by Janny Wurts and Raymond E Feist, French Relations by Fiona Walker, Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Margaret Mitchell. What REALLY happened to Scarlett O’Hara after Gone With The Wind ended?

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

That I get to make stuff up for a living!

What is a typical day like for you?

A vatful of coffee, a long doggy walk in the woods or on the beach, four hours or so of writing followed by answering emails/marketing/business, then wine and trashy television. Although I’ve actually recently started fostering children so it also depends on who’s in the house.

What scene in Box of Frogs was your favorite to write?

Madrona, the main character, decides that her magical powers mean she’s a superhero. She visits a charity shop and ends up buying a leotard, a cape and a mask. Unfortunately, the end result is more like a crazed woman than a stupendous heroine. Especially when it starts to rain…

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Tomorrow is another day. If it didn’t work out today or life isn’t going as I expected, it’s okay because nothing ever stays the same. I’m an optimist at heart.

Helen Harper is the author of the new book Box of Frogs. 

Connect with Helen:
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