(warning: spoiler alert)
Where did the inspiration for This Thirtysomething Life come from?
I was mulling over a few ideas at the time, trying to figure out what to write next. I'd just finished my first attempt at a novel and started a few other books, but none of them worked out. At the time I was a new dad and suddenly the idea of writing a book about fatherhood came to me. Not particularly inspirational, but I thought I could write something new, fresh and funny about what men go through when their wives are pregnant. Once I knew I wanted to write a book about being married and having children, it quickly took shape as a diary and the rest is history.
How much of it is based on your own life?
Definitely some. I had been through the experience myself just a year or so before I wrote the book, so it was quite fresh in my mind. Some of the things Harry goes through, I went through too. Obviously a lot of the more surreal things that happen to Harry didn't happen to me. I'm not a teacher like Harry and I didn't have a Facebook affair with an ex-girlfriend, eat my weight in snack food or get drunk in the shed - I don't even have a shed. These evolved with the story, but a lot of the fears about having children and growing up were definitely straight from my mind.
What's This Thirtysomething Life really about in 50 words or less?
It's essentially a love story. I hope that what people get out of the book is that despite all of his flaws and idiosyncrasies, Harry genuinely loves Emily and he'd be lost without her.
Is Harry based on you?
Not really. Some of the ideas and thoughts he has are thoughts I've had, obviously, but I see Harry more as a typical modern man. He's trying to do his best, live life properly, not make a mess of things and he's genuinely a good person, but he's also a bit lost. To be honest, I think men are at a bit of an identity crossroads at the moment. The days of men being 'real men', being in-charge and all the stereotypes that go along with that are gone. Women have most of the power these days, whether it's at home or at work. Harry is the modern confused man trying to figure out where he fits in. You'll notice that most of the female characters in the book are strong figures, probably with the exception of Jamie.
Who is Emily based on?
Emily is based on women I've known, know, have seen on TV and films. I wanted Emily to be a strong, decisive person, but she also had to have a soft, loving core. I think the thing about Harry and Emily as characters is that they both have flaws, but I wanted the reader to like them and sympathise with them. I think most women can sympathise with Emily when she shouts at Harry because he isn't paying attention to her or when he's trying to buy a VW camper-van they don't need.
How about Granddad? Where did he come from?
Granddad just sort of happened. I wanted him to be a funny, typical slightly out of touch old man with obliviously bigoted views. However, once I had that in my head the character just sort of leapt off the page. It was one of those beautiful moments as a writer because he wrote himself. I really didn't want to kill him off, it was the hardest decision I had to make in the book, but I think and hope it works.
Lastly, is there going to be a sequel?
Yes. I don't know when, but definitely yes. It's going to be called, This Family Life, and it will follow Harry and Emily through the first year of having baby William. I'm also...in the very far away distance, thinking of This Fortysomething Life, but that is years away. Maybe when I'm a forty something myself!
